Boston, MA
Girls track All-Scholastics and league All-Stars
GIRLS TRACK
Maya Ashu (Stoughton)
Sophia Axelrod (Walpole)
Katie Caraco (Reading)
Sarah Claflin (Pembroke)
Lily DeForge (Franklin)
Sarah Dumas (Franklin)
Alessandra Forgione (Peabody)
Emerson Gould (Acton-Boxboro)
Abigail Hennessy (Westford Academy)
Nyrah Joseph (Billerica)
Nina Kyei-Aboagye (Sharon)
Dana Lehr (Belmont)
Giuliana Ligor (North Reading)
Erin Moran (Arlington)
Skye Petrie-Cameron (Newton North)
Gabrielle Pierre (Lincoln-Sudbury)
Zoe Santos (Norton)
Aoife Shovlin (Cambridge)
Charlotte Tuxbury (Wellesley)
4×100 relay (Oliver Ames): Julia Hansen, Grace Okocha, Gabrielle Antebi, Lavender Kozoka
4×400 relay (Framingham): Ava Lombardo, Sasha Lamakina, Catelyn Last, Abby Desmarais
4×800 relay (Brookline): Anna Leschly, Lucia Werner, Dasha LeFaivre, Audrey Seeger
HONORABLE MENTION
Averie Denelle (Tri-County)
Abby Desmarais (Framingham)
Emmanuela Edozien (Natick)
Nicole Gangi (Woburn)
Madeline Goncalves (Haverhill)
Greta Hammer (Needham)
Morgan Hayward (Apponequet)
Charity Johnson (Medway)
Elizabeth Hopkins (Franklin)
Lavender Kozaka (Oliver Ames)
Sasha Lamakina (Framingham)
Mia Lee-Bowens (Middleboro)
Liliana MacDonald (Norwell)
Katherine Oliver (Canton)
Quinn Petzold (Lowell)
Lauren Quarm (Methuen)
ALL-SCHOLASTICS
MAYA ASHU
STOUGHTON
The two-time Hockomock League All Star took first in the Div. 3 and All-State meets with a second-place finish at New Englands in the javelin. The senior won all her dual meets and placed first or second in all state meets. She will be studying neurobiology on a pre-med track at either Rider or Rutgers University.
SOPHIE AXELROD
WALPOLE
The three-Time Bay State Conference All-Star team member won the Div. 3 and State discus state titles while also placing second at the New England meet. The senior is the program’s record holder for girl’s discus, indoor shot put and weight and hammer. The honor roll student is also a three-time Div. 3 and Bay State Conference champion who will be attending the University of Delaware while majoring in political science and competing in track and field.
KATIE CARACO
READING
The Middlesex League Liberty MVP placed first in the Div. 3 high jump, pentathlon, triple jump as well as second place in the long jump and third place in the triple jump at the Meet of Champions. The senior also took first in the high jump as well as third place in the triple jump at New Englands. The former MSTCA Outstanding Female Field Athlete of the Meet is an honor roll student and will be studying psychology at Sacred Heart University while running track and field.
SARAH CLAFLIN
PEMBROKE
The 17-time state champion and six-time all-state champion won the Div. 4 and Meet of Champions in the 100-meters as well as the Div. 4 200-meter race. The senior also was runner-up in the 200 at the Meet of Champions. She will be running at UConn next year.
LILY DEFORGE
FRANKLIN
The Div. 1 champion in discus qualified for the New Balance National meet with her shotput and discus throws. The Hockomock League and Div. 1 relay record holder in shot put and javelin had long throws of 41-3 in shot put and 134 feet in discus. The senior captain and three-time Hockomock League All Star will compete on the track team at Holy Cross.
SARAH DUMAS
FRANKLIN
The four-time Hockomock League MVP and 2023 MSTCA Athlete of the Year set seven school records and won 11 state titles in her career. This season, the senior set a 100 hurdles record with a 14.27. She also placed first in the 100 hurdles at the Meet of Champions as well as the Div. 1 meet where she also claimed the top spot in the 400 hurdles and the pentathlon. The honor student will be attending the University of Pennsylvania where she will be running and studying biology on a pre-med track.
ALESSANDRA FORGIONE
PEABODY
The junior placed first at New Englands for javelin and second at the Div. 2 and the Meet of Champions. The Northeastern Conference champion also placed fourth at the Div. 2 meet for discus. She set the program record with a 137′ javelin toss this season.
EMERSON GOULD
ACTON-BOXBORO
The Dual County League MVP, two-time All-Scholastic and three-time Dual County League All Star placed first at the Div. 1 meet in pole vault, third at the Meet of Champions and fourth at New Englands. The junior broke the school record in pole vault this season with a 11-9 personal record. She also placed fourth in the 100-meters at the Div. 1 meet. The honor roll student would like to study business, specifically marketing and finance.
ABIGAIL HENNESSY
WESTFORD ACADEMY
The sophomore won the 800-meters (2:11.15) and the mile (4:48.53) at the Meet of Champions while also placing first in the 800-meters (2:10.17) and the mile (4:59) at the Div. 1 meet. She also raced at the New Balance Nationals in the mile (4:45.70) and the 800-meter (2:09.82) which were her personal records.
NYRAH JOSEPH
BILLERICA
The rising senior set personal bests in the 55-meter hurdle (8.26), 100-meter hurdles (14.81), 60-meter hurdles (9.28), high jump (1.68m), long jump (5.38m), shot put (10.20m), 800-meter (2:37.79) and pentathlon (3,378). The Meet of Champions pentathlon champion (3,378) also placed fourth in New Englands with a 14.81 in the 100-meter hurdles. The MSTCA Small Schools Coaches Invitational Award for Outstanding Female Athlete winner is a five-time Merrimack Valley Conference First Team All-Conference member.
NINA KYEI-ABOAGYE
SHARON
The sophomore set the Meet of Champions record in the 200-meter with a 23.97 and also won the 100-meter and 200-meter events at the Div. 3 state meet. She was runner-up in the 200-meter at New Englands. She was also named the Freshman/Sophomore and MSTCA Coaches Invite Outstanding Female Runner.
DANA LEHR
BELMONT
The 2-mile Meet of Champions champion with a 10:36.51, Lehr also placed third in the mile and was runner-up in the 800-meter and the mile at the Div. 2 meet. The junior also plays soccer and was champion in the mile at the Middlesex League meet. She participates with Emerging Elites in the offseason.
GIULIANA LIGOR
NORTH READING
The Cape Ann League Athlete of the Year set a Meet of Champions record in the 400-meter hurdles with a 58.97 and also won the 400-meter with a 55.62. The junior also won the 400-meter and 400-meter hurdles in the Div. 5 state meet.
ERIN MORAN
ARLINGTON
The senior was the Div. 2 and Meet of Champions winner in the pole vault and went on to place third at the New Englands. A two-time all-Middlesex League All-Star, Moran is a high honor roll student. She will attend the University of Findlay, majoring in History and Museum studies while continuing to compete in the pole vault.
SKYE PETRIE-CAMERON
NEWTON NORTH
The senior had the best shot put throw of 45-3 in the Meet of Champions and New Englands, which set a program record. She placed first in both the Div. 1 and New England meets with a runner-up finish at the Meet of Champions. She placed ninth at the New Balance Nationals and will be throwing for Penn State next year.
GABRIELLE PIERRE
LINCOLN-SUDBURY
The triple-jump champion at the Meet of Champions (40-10) also won the long jump with a 19-7.75. She also won the same events in the Div. 1 meet while also competing at New Balance Nationals in the triple jump.
ZOE SANTOS
NORTON
The junior returned to the All-Scholastic pages after winning the high jump at both the Tri-Valley League and Div. 5 state meet. Santos also placed in the top six at both the Meet of Champions and New Englands. The high honor roll student plans to focus on the principles of mathematics and science in college.
AOIFE SHOVLIN
CAMBRIDGE
The junior was the Div. 1 champion in the 2-mile and runner-up in the same meet in the mile. She placed fifth in the Meet of Champions in the 2-mile and was third with an All-American time in the New Balance Nationals outdoor meet in the mile. The two-time cross country state champion is a member of the National Honor Society.
CHARLOTTE TUXBURY
WELLESLEY
Tuxbury played a large part in Wellesley’s third straight Div. 2 state outdoor track title. She set a meet record in the mile (4:54.46) and also captured the two-mile (11:08.08). A week later, she was second in the mile at the Meet of Champions and fourth in the 800. An honorable mention honor roll student, Tuxbury trains in the offseason with the Emerging Elites.
4×100
OLIVER AMES
Julia Hansen, Grace Okocha, Gabrielle Antebi, Lavender Kozoka
The team of juniors Hansen, Okocka, sophomore Antebi and freshman Kozoka ran a 49.07 to place runner-up in the Meet of Champions which was also a school record in the event this season. They also placed first in the Div. 3 meet. Hansen is a Hockomock League All Star with high honors and intends to major in Biology for a Pre-Med track. Okacha is a four-time Hockomock All Star who holds eight records. The high honors student plans to go into the medical field and major in Nursing, Biology or Pre-Med. Antebi is an honor roll student with no current future plans. Kozoka also placed first in the 100-meter at the Coaches Invitational with a sixth-place finish in the same event at the Meet of Champions and a second place long jump at the Meet of Champions.
4×400
FRAMINGHAM
Ava Lombardo, Sasha Lamakina, Catelyn Last, Abby Desmarais
The relay team of sophomores Lombardo and Lamakine with freshman Last and senior Desmarais ran a 3:54.44 at the Meet of Champions to take home the crown. Lombardo ran the first leg and set a personal record of 59.8 this season. She has gone to Nationals both seasons and plans to go to a Div. 1 or Ivy League school for track or soccer while studying health sciences. Desmaraias also won the 100-meter at the Div. 1 meet and has 14 school records and is a 14-time state champion with nien coming at the Div. 1 meet and five at the Meet of Champions. The National Honor Society member and high honor roll student is committed to Holy Cross for track and field. Last was named Rookie of the Year for the track and field team and had a personal split of 1:01.9 as an honor roll student. Lamakina was runner-up at the 800-meter with a 2:12.94.
4×800
BROOKLINE
Anna Leschly, Lucia Werner, Dasha LeFaivre, Audrey Seeger
Made up of junior Leschley and seniors Werner, LeFaivre and Seeger, this relay set a meet record with a 9:11.52 at the Meet of Champions. Leschley ran the first leg and set a personal record of 2:17 in the 800-meter. The now two-time All-Scholastic is committed to Dartmouth College to play soccer. LeFaivre is a National Honor Society member and also placed eighth in the 800-meter with a 2:16.5. She will be attending University of California San Diego to continue her running career while studying chemistry in the pre-med track. Werner is a Bay State Conference All Star and a five-time All-Scholastic and a two-time Bay State Conference MVP for cross country. She will be running at Cornell University in the fall. Seeger was named Bay State Conference MVP and set personal records in the 400-meter and 2-mile with top-10 rankings in the state for the 800-meter, mile and 2-mile. She will be attending Amherst College in the fall and run Div. 3 cross country and track.
ALL-STARS
BAY STATE CONFERENCE
Caitlyn Chang, Chloe McGinty (Braintree); Audrey Seeger, Dasha LeFaivre, Lucia Werner (Brookline); Abby Desmarais, Sasha Lamakina, Emily Richardson (Framingham); Emmanuella Edozien, Chloe Elder, Sydni Chandler (Natick); Audrey Adam, Taylor Partridge, Madison Roach, Carolina Sanz Arribas (Needham); Jadyn Grant, Bronte Gow, Skye Petrie-Cameron, Sophie Finkelstein, Blake MacNeal (Newton North); Sophia Axelrod, Molly Reilly, Meredith Feener (Walpole); Kayla Bohlin, Emily Carp, Annie Comella, Charlotte Tuxbury (Wellesley); Ella Bates, Casey Dempsey, Isabella Galusha, Gracie Richard, Ainsley Weber (Weymouth)
MVP: Audrey Seeger
BOSTON CITY LEAGUE
Lilliana Romer, Emma Wadsworth, Michelle Rallo, Leanna Lynch, Maia Poremba (Latin Academy); Sara Blanco, Yrvicca Paul (O’Bryant); Diana Melgar (East Boston)
MVP: Diana Melgar
CAPE AND ISLANDS
Ava Bullock, Chloe Dibb, Lilly DeDecko, Chari Wright, Molly Gleason (Barnstable); Breanna Braham, Rose Anna Joachim, Ava Kvietok, Olivia Pendleton, Megan McDowell, Brianna Hanniford, Vivian Castano, Kerri Clark, Tiana Jacques (Dennis-Yarmouth); Camille Brand, Madison Mello (Martha’s Vineyard); Varvara Conley (Monomoy); Violet Roche, Liz Mayer, Rihanna Sutherland, Adrianna Morgan, Madeline Mahoney (Nauset); Mary Kudarauskas (Sturgis)
MVP: Violet Roche, Breanna Braham
CAPE ANN LEAGUE
Giuliana Ligor, Hayden MacLellan, 4×100 relay, Callie MacLellan, Madison Vant, Abigail Lilley (North Reading); Georgia Wilson, Asa Labell (Hamilton-Wenham); Blake Parker, 4×400 relay, Devin Stroope (Newburyport); Kaylie Dalgar, 4×800 relay (Pentucket)
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Giuliana Ligor, Bayleigh Shanahan
CATHOLIC CENTRAL LEAGUE
Kaitlyn Burke, Allison Flynn, Lily Griffin, Erin O’Toole (Archbishop Williams); Nikki Clarke, Lea Ahmad-LeBlanc (Arlington Catholic); Morgan Arthurs, Lauryn Augustyn, Ciara Coyne, Molly Duignan, Isabella Graziano, Elizabeth Hogan, Amy Lawton, Emily Morris, Maddie Mullen, Ally Oram, Alexa Orphanos, Ansley Palermo, Erin Parkinson (Bishop Feehan); Julia Davis, Marianna Kay, McKenna Leaman (Bishop Fenwick); Abigail Clark, Annaikiah Donahue-Wilfred, Julie Hogan (Cardinal Spellman); Tamia Darling (Cathedral)
MVP: Allison Flynn
CATHOLIC CONFERENCE
Katy Macaulay, Simone Connolly, Eliza Sicard, Audrey Bernazzani, Julia Scapicchio, Abby Carlo (Ursuline); Sofia Piantedosi, Sorcha Sullivan, Ollie Daye, Caroline Hartnett, Bevan Doherty, Caeli Wagner, Sarah White, Emily Coughlin, Aoife McDonagh, Chloe Doherty, Lucy Wilson, Mairead O’Brien (Notre Dame); Liliana Martinez, Mia Waldron (Malden Catholic); Roisin Burke (Fontbonne)
COMMONWEALTH ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
UPPER: Olivia Stack, Melanie Reyes, Joyce Philippe, 4×400 relay (Greater Lowell); Tamara Ayala, Jaheidy Ortiz, Molly Touch, Haleigh Cyr, 4×800 relay (Greater Lawrence); Mariely Cepeda, 4×100 relay (Whittier); Jillian Collin, Makayla Nolan (Shawsheen)
MVP: Makayla Nolan, Joyce Philippe
LOWER: Ruth Ann Ambrose, Lily Beland, Elizabeth McKnelly, Abby Greenwald (Academy of Notre Dame); Reilly Hickey (Mystic Valley); Destanee Soba (Nashoba Tech); Yuli Mamet, 4×100 relay (Innovation); Ariana Camilo, Kassandra Pena, Jireilis DeJesus, 4×400 relay (Lynn Tech)
MVP: Reilly Hickey, Destanee Soba, Abby Greenwald
DUAL COUNTY LEAGUE
Alin Aydohan, Emily Wedlake, Sydney Weiss, Abigail Hennessy, Rosie Deeks (Westford Academy); Sonia D’Ambrosio, Gabrielle Pierre (Lincoln-Sudbury); Emerson Gould (Acton-Boxboro); Elizabeth Reiling, Charlotte DiRocco, Alexandra Saunders (Concord-Carlisle); Emily Frawley, Kyrah Mar (Newton South); Solana Varela, Eva Ferris, Maya McCatty, Sloan Hinton (Weston); Zadie Buckley (Bedford)
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR: Gabrielle Pierre, Sloan Hinton
HOCKOMOCK LEAGUE
Sarah Dumas, Lily DeForge, Elizabeth Hopkins, Ella Chandaria (Franklin); Katherine Oliver, Chloe Dubuisson, Lianna Camille (Canton); Emersyn DePonte, Sophia Olaniyan (Taunton); Nina Kyei-Aboagye (Sharon); Emilia Smith (Attleboro); Ella McDonald, Ashley Cleverdon, Addison Burns, Dani Lomuscio, Alex D’Amadio, Maddie Hill, Kate O’Neil (King Philip); Annie Reilly, Hannah Dupill, Braelyn Graham, Katie Beaulieu, Julia Hansen, Grace Okocha, Brie Antebi, Lavender Kozaka, Katie Sobieraj (Oliver Ames); Lauren Bober (Foxboro); Chloe Guthrie, Katie Garrahy, Abby Scott, Elyssa Buchanan, Lauren Signoriello (Mansfield); Katie Galgoczy, Molly Galgoczy, Sydney O’Connor (North Attleboro); Senai Whigham, Maya Ashu (Stoughton)
MAYFLOWER ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Nyah Baker (Holbrook); Inez Medeiros, Angela Njoroge, Grace Flattery (Diman); Glanna Mitchell, Daniella Rigueiro, Averie Denelle (Tri-County); Adison Hohengasser, Lilly Andrews, Chloe Champagne, Wenwu Akoi (Southeastern); Sayne Campbell (Blue Hills); Marielle Albon, Christele Derogene (Bristol-Plymouth)
MVP: Chloe Champagne
MERRIMACK VALLEY CONFERENCE
Claire DeMersseman, Lily Brown, Mia Giaimo, Mollie Bedard, Rose Kiley (Andover); Gianna McGowan, Nyrah Joseph (Billerica); Anya Neira, Emma Finch, Franchesca Thurston, Laura Fennessy, Macy Daigle, Rayniah Mercedat (Central Catholic); Naomi D’Souza (Chelmsford); Madeline Goncalves (Haverhill); Ava Conroy, Drea Defreitas, Britney Ogiegor, Ella Machado, Quinn Petzold, Sabrina Cady, Scarlett Prak, Serena Nguyen (Lowell); Jaleesa Nevarez, Alexandra Tardugno, Alysha Santana Sosa, Isabella Fiore, Lauren Quarm (Methuen); Elif Altunkilic, Erika Wojcik, Makenna Dube (North Andover): Jaden Kasule (Tewksbury)
MIDDLESEX LEAGUE
Madison Alves, Lindsey Alves, Morgan Blout, Karlie Discipio, Annika Lawson, Olivia Oliphant, Julia Bois (Stoneham); Kamryn Encarnaco, Izzy Lightbody, Katie Caraco, Carissa Carciero, Antonia Zagami, Katie Savio (Reading); Katie Atkins, Amandine Mangon, Lucy Kontos, Jada Solomon, Aubrey Deardorf, Felice Haverly, Ainsley Cutherberston (Lexington); Grace Bracket, Quinn Wilcox, Lily Sallee, Abby Hardigan, Liza Bangston, Charlotte O’Neil, Sophia Anderson, Lauren Mangarelli, Cheyenne Toppi (Wakefield); Renee Lacomte, Asheligh DeMartinis, Cora Lavery, Olivia DiRienzo (Burlington); Kate Sullivan, Maesha Jonathas, Sydney Metivier, Nicole Gangi, Grace Battista, Sinead Butler, Leah Finn, Kaitlynn Butler, Riley Power, Jessica Leehan (Woburn); Molly MacDonald, Alexis LeBlanc, Addy Hunt, Mollie Osgood, Maddie Krueger (Wilmington); Hope Hanafin (Burlington); Bryn Ryan, Elise Kempf, Erin Moran, Evie Lauzon, Eva Cloherty, Ellery Klatka, Isadora Margolius, Isabella Lauzon, Ella Radoslovich, Cecelia Keating, Meghan Prior (Arlington); Cadence L’Heureux, Reilly Powell, Amy Rowe, Katie Leeman, Claire MacDonald, Emma Drago, Aisling Donagan, Olivia DellaPorta, D’Mitra Mukasa, Scarlett Timm, Emme Boyer (Melrose); Elsa Ryan, Anna Lonergan (Watertown); Dana Lehr, Kira Van Kelsted, Siri Iagnemma, Ailinn Capitani, Lucy Hamer (Belmont); Mikayla Ferguson, Gabby Williams, Caroline Herlihy, Mia Kurtz (Winchester)
NORTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
ALL-CONFERENCE: Sadie Halpern, Marrietta O’Connell, Elise Burchfield, Maren Potter, Margaret Miller, Kate Twomey, Paige Tredwell (Marblehead); Aniyah Ross-Everett (Swampscott); Amanda Schneider, Ellie Green (Masconomet); Leah Buckley. Nicole Ofurie, Alessandra Forgione (Peabody); Grace Galbreath (Beverly); Piper Testa, Lauren Boughner, Brooke Appelstein, Caroline Losee, Lilly Podgurski, Sophia Doumas, Samia Lalikos, Jenna Lindsay, Mara Siewko (Masconomet); Megan Hurd (Gloucester)
ALL-STARS: Remmi Cote, Savannah Stevens, Madi Gibeau-Schmitt (Masconomet); Marissa Simmons, Kayley Bunn (Peabody); Rachael Albert (Marblehead); Grace Galbreath (Beverly); Jamila Oriakhi (Swampscott); Aili Spencer, Skye Ciolino, Cia Donohoe (Gloucester); Arianna Cappuccio, April Ferguson (Winthrop); Bobbi Serino (Danvers); Jessica Bremberg (Saugus); Mida Juene (Salem)
PATRIOT LEAGUE
FISHER: Natalie Mutschler, Cam Bradford (Hanover); Sophia Adams, Lilia Davies, Zoe Wodja (Plymouth South); Sarah Claflin, Maya Bergamesca, Caroline Minogue, Ella Govostes, Veronica Ghattas, Ava Bouphavongsa, Ally Johnson (Pembroke); Sofija Slezas, Maddy McGillicuddy, Salma Boukhtam, Aluna Coogan-Coyne, Sophia Edwards, Brooklynn Rizzo, Hannah Moriarty (Quincy/North Quincy); Brooke McCarthy (Scituate)
MVP: Sarah Claflin
KEENAN: Nina Crean, Jasai Shakespeare, Zoe Schulze, Lauren Howard, Meghan Koenen, Catherine Salem, Clare Lowther (Hingham); Josephine Lee, Lilah MacQuarrie (Duxbury); Isabelle Flynn, Ava Brunswick, Meredith Miller, Charlotte Perreault, Anna White, Olivia Audette (Marshfield); Mia Sweeney, Ainsley Hall, Mariah Romaine, Lily Bartholomew (Plymouth North); Abigail Cunningham, Erin Flaherty (Silver Lake); Sky Anderson, Briana Codio, McKenna McCarthy (Whitman-Hanson)
MVP: Mariah Romaine
SOUTH COAST CONFERENCE
Morgan Hayward, Reagan Flynn, Oriana Hernandez (Apponequet); Gabriela Thorpe, Liberty Gazaille, Olivia Santos, Aiyanna Massie, Hannah Santos, Emma Bouchard (Case); Julianna Dutra, Hayden Robinson, Kearston Nelson (Seekonk); Audrey Thomas, Delilah Post, Aubrey Heisse, Emily Abbott (Old Rochester); Madalyn Duatre (Greater New Bedford); Ella Dunbury, Alyssa Bassett, Alyssa Caldeira, Emma Pope (West Bridgewater); Mariana Lavigne, Madison Root (Dighton-Rehoboth); Mia Gentile (Somerset Berkley)
MVP: Morgan Hayward
SOUTHEAST CONFERENCE
Issy Price, Bianca Resende-Ambroise, Anya Rizzo, Kaliya Sanon, Ava Monteiro (Brockton); Adunoluwa Olubanwo, Jasmine Dosouto, Aaliyah Alexandre (Durfee); Alisha Gomes, Brenna Woodbury, Lily Giurleo, Molly Jesson, Camden Strandberg, Kelsie Dessaps, Naisha Auguste (Bridgewater-Raynham); Brooke Davis, Syndey Almeida, Haley Zexter (Dartmouth); Lilian Brine, Jacqui Bank (New Bedford)
TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE
Alice Brambati, Josie Hopkins, Loryn Canty, Elena Davies, Emma Prisco, Evelyn Woodbury, Elyse Srodawa (Hopkinton); Victoria McGowan, Katie Tran, Susannah Rockers, Tea Pagnotti, Maeve Gavin (Westwood); Ella Kane, Alyssa Schoenfeld (Medfield); Natalie Martin (Norwood); Annabelle Lynch, Maggie Kuchman, Izzy Ross (Holliston); Ava Dittenhafer, Natalia Melnick, Sadie Gilhooly, Sophia Warnetski (Ashland); Zoe Santos, Jillian Strynar, Evangeline Emerson, Molly McIntyre, Phoebe Gesner (Norton); Charity Johnson, Camelia Meredith, Jania Campbell, Brooke Scott, Katelyn Maniero (Medway); Shealin Conroy (Millis); Margaret Bowles, Caetlyn Embree, Elyse Bissada (Dover-Sherborn); Peyton Teehan, Nicki Brown, Sophia Cucinotta, Garyanne Doliscar, Jade Brown (Dedham); Olivia Carney, Nina Ames, Calleigh Elder (Bellingham);
MVP: Zoe Santos, Alice Brambati
Boston, MA
MWRA’s solution to sewer overflows stirs outrage – The Boston Globe
This is also an economic issue. Toxic blooms from stormwater runoff recently threatened the Head of the Charles Regatta, and such conditions will imperil other landmark events and economic development if the MWRA compounds the runoff issue by maintaining its current course on CSOs.
We’ve been here before: When Conservation Law Foundation brought its lawsuit to force the cleanup of Boston Harbor, some members of the media called it a waste of billions of dollars. That faulty notion is reprised in the editorial. Yet today the harbor’s revival proves that clean water investments yield extraordinary returns to our economy, such as a value of ecosystem services estimated between $30 billion and $100 billion.
This is also a matter of the rule of law. MWRA deserves credit for magnificent achievements in cleaning up the harbor over decades. From my experience having enforced the federal Clean Water Act throughout those same decades, I would argue that MWRA’s current approach to CSOs violates both the letter and spirit of the law.
Brad Campbell
President and CEO
Conservation Law Foundation
Boston
The writer is former regional administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency’s mid-Atlantic region and former commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
Improving water quality presents difficult tradeoffs
Your recent editorial on the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s updated CSO control plan resonated because it recognized what’s driving so much of the public’s emotion: a sincere, shared hope for cleaner, healthier rivers. Those of us who work in water and wastewater feel that same pull. Combined sewer overflows should continue to decline, and this plan was always meant to evolve. The goal — for advocates, MWRA, and our communities — is the same: real improvements in water quality.
The challenge, as your editorial noted, is that progress now requires confronting difficult tradeoffs. After 40 years of major gains, the remaining decisions are more complex — and far more costly. MWRA was created to lead the region’s environmental turnaround, and the MWRA Advisory Board was established alongside it to ensure that those decisions kept affordability in mind — not to block investment but rather to make sure families and communities could sustain it.
When tradeoffs fall directly on households, people deserve clarity about what each dollar accomplishes. MWRA is funded entirely by its communities, which means every dollar becomes a higher sewer bill for the residents who cherish these rivers.
Massachusetts has some of the most engaged, informed residents anywhere. Let’s give them the full story in the formal comment process and trust them to help shape the path forward.
Matthew A. Romero
Executive director
MWRA Advisory Board
Chelsea
The views expressed here are those of the writer and do not represent those of the full advisory board.
Agency’s proposal lets the sewage win
The editorial “The MWRA’s tricky balancing act” regurgitates MWRA’s misleading argument for dumping sewage in the Charles River while it misses the heart of the public’s concerns. The agency’s proposal to reclassify the river is no meaningless thing; it’s a permanent concession to have sewage discharged into the Charles forever. The proposal would not only remove any accountability for MWRA to end its discharges. It would actually increase the amount of sewage entering the river in the future as storms worsen. It would be a drastic step backward for a mainstay of Greater Boston that’s taken us decades to bring back to life.
There was no misunderstanding about MWRA, Cambridge, and Somerville’s proposal that has to be “explained” to its critics. The authority faced justified alarm from outraged residents legitimately questioning why we would abandon past cleanup efforts and increase sewage discharges to the river.
The editorial paints solutions as impossible and unrealistic. But the Boston Harbor cleanup — also dismissed as too hard at the time — is now one of metro Boston’s greatest economic wins. Clean water is an investment that pays off.
A sewage-free river is not a pipe dream. It’s what we deserve and what MWRA must deliver.
Emily Norton
Executive director
Charles River Watershed Association
Boston
Residents deserve more information, transparent process
The proposals on the table from MWRA, Cambridge, and Somerville addressing combined sewer overflows would not get us closer to a swimmable or boatable Charles or Mystic River.
For instance, the proposal does not promise to “eliminate CSOs in the Alewife Brook entirely,” as your editorial claims. It predicts only that there would be no CSOs in a “typical” year of rainfall. So the current proposal essentially guarantees continued releases of CSOs in the Alewife Brook, the Mystic, and the Charles, and probably at an even greater level than now.
As environmental advocates, we understand that costs must be weighed against benefits. But the current proposals provide minimal (and yet to be known) benefits, far less than the editorial asserts.
Massachusetts residents deserve more information and a transparent public process where they can weigh in on whether the costs are worth the benefits for treasured public resources.
The headline that appeared over your editorial online asks: “Is making the Charles swimmable worth the cost?”
For our part, the question is: Is freeing our rivers from sewage worth the cost? Our answer remains a resounding yes.
Patrick Herron
Executive director
Mystic River Watershed Association
Arlington
Boston, MA
Power outages in Massachusetts affecting tens of thousands amid stormy weather
Stormy weather caused power outages for tens of thousands of customers in Massachusetts, as well as over 200 cancellations and delays at Boston’s Logan Airport today.
According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency’s outage map, about 65,000 customers were without power as of 3 p.m., down from 81,000 outages around noon. Some of the hardest hit communities were Foxboro, Wrentham, Pepperell, West Brookfield, Franklin and Holliston.
Wrentham police said drivers should expect delays as many streets are blocked by fallen trees. Police shared video of a downed wire sparking across one road.
High winds brought down trees and wires on roads across the state, according to damage reports from Skywarn weather spotters. One report said the wind blew scaffolding off a building on Heath Street in Boston.
Massachusetts Weather Radar
There was a high wind warning for much of eastern, northeastern and southeastern Massachusetts. The Blue Hill Observatory in Milton reported a wind gust of 79 mph on Friday just after noon.
Other communities reporting high wind gusts included Attleboro (65 mph), Wareham (62 mph), North Dighton (61 mph) and Wrentham (60 mph).
Heavy downpours and possible thunderstorms that could cause localized street flooding were expected to continue through mid-afternoon. The rain should move offshore by 5 p.m.
Logan Airport delays and cancellations
According to FlightAware, there were 110 total cancellations at Logan Airport, and 211 total delays. JetBlue was hit hardest, with 23 cancellations and 55 delays.
“Due to wind, Boston Logan may see delays and cancellations,” the airport’s website said. “Please check with your airline before coming to the airport.”
Boston, MA
Red Sox’s Veteran Leader Gets Alarming Projection For Upcoming Season
Somehow, in the midst of all the injuries the Boston Red Sox dealt with last season, shortstop Trevor Story stayed healthy.
Story played 163 games in his first three years as a Red Sox, then played 157 this past year. He led the team in home runs, RBIs, and stolen bases. His defense tailed off in September, but he was also leading the charge on offense by the time the Sox got to the playoffs.
Entering his age-33 season, Story has been vehemently endorsed as the starting shortstop by the Red Sox organization, specifically chief baseball officer Craig Breslow. Are the Red Sox counting too heavily on the veteran repeating his production from a year ago?
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
Story coming back to earth this season?
On Thursday, MLB.com published a “snapshot” of the Red Sox’s Fangraphs projections for this season, and the No. 1 thing that stood out from the list was Story and the Boston shortstop group being projected for 2.0 WAR, which ranked 27th out of the 30 teams in baseball.
“This projection and ranking might be a bit surprising, considering that Trevor Story had a resurgent 2025 season with a .741 OPS, 25 home runs, and 31 stolen bases and finished with 3.0 WAR,18th-best among shortstops,” wrote MLB.com’s Brent Maguire.
“Projection systems, however, are notoriously conservative and are looking beyond just the previous season. Story was oft-injured and unproductive during his first three years with the Red Sox before 2025 and with him entering his age-33 season, there are still some questions about his production in 2026.”
Certainly, one projection does not mean Story is doomed to have a bad year, and if anything, he might have a better defensive season if he stays healthy, because he’ll be better conditioned for those final weeks of the year.
However, this underscores the need for the Red Sox to land another big bat, and ideally, two. The odds that Story leads the team in all of those offensive categories again feel slim, and even if he does, that likely means Boston’s offense was fairly pedestrian.
More MLB: Red Sox’s Former No. 5 Prospect Breaks Silence On ‘Surprise’ Trade
-
Iowa5 days agoAddy Brown motivated to step up in Audi Crooks’ absence vs. UNI
-
Iowa7 days agoHow much snow did Iowa get? See Iowa’s latest snowfall totals
-
Maine4 days agoElementary-aged student killed in school bus crash in southern Maine
-
Maryland5 days agoFrigid temperatures to start the week in Maryland
-
Technology1 week agoThe Game Awards are losing their luster
-
South Dakota6 days agoNature: Snow in South Dakota
-
New Mexico3 days agoFamily clarifies why they believe missing New Mexico man is dead
-
Nebraska1 week agoNebraska lands commitment from DL Jayden Travers adding to early Top 5 recruiting class