Massachusetts
Conference champions, tailback terrors, and more among Thursday’s 10 high school sports takeaways – The Boston Globe
Also Thursday, the girls’ volleyball tournament got started in earnest and field hockey continued with first-round matchups.
And, of course, all the scores live here.
▪ With a 32-0 win over Wakefield, Burlington football completed its first undefeated regular season since 2006.
▪ Cardinal Spellman senior captain Kaylee Perrault reached 500 career kills during a 3-0 preliminary-round win over Pope Francis in the Division 3 girls’ volleyball tournament.
Four conference champions were crowned on the gridiron, as Barnstable won the Southeast Conference outright with a 28-18 win over Bridgewater-Raynham, Amesbury routed Manchester Essex, 40-0, to claim the Cape Ann League crown, Scituate topped Hanover, 21-7, to share the Patriot League Fisher title with the Hawks, Abington shut out East Bridgewater, 20-0, to win the South Shore Sullivan, and Medfield rode another big Brady McCormack performance to a 30-12 victory over Norton and at least a share of the Tri-Valley League Small championship.
▪ Winthrop boys’ soccer finished its season with a 10-4-4 record Monday, marking the best winning percentage in program history and capturing the Northeastern Conference Lynch Division title for the first time.
Wednesday, the first day of the field hockey and girls’ volleyball tournaments, featured very few upsets. Thursday wasn’t much different.
In Division 1 field hockey, 22nd-seeded Wachusett knocked off No. 11 Natick, 1-0, behind a third-quarter goal from Lilli Mitchell and a 22-save shutout from Alyssa Davis.
The highest-seeded team to falter thus far in the girls’ volleyball tournament was Turners Falls, the 14th seed in Division 5. They were eliminated by No. 19 Avon, 3-0.
Ben Atherton, Ashland — The senior did it all, rushing for four touchdowns and throwing another one to Kevin Ozulumba in a 41-13 Tri-Valley League win over Norwood.
Will Bush, Swampscott — The senior captain found the end zone four times, rushing for 124 yards in a 33-0 Northeastern League win over Salem.
Brady McCormack, Medfield — If Takeaways had a loyalty program, McCormack would be racking up the points. Another big week saw the senior rumble for 221 yards and two touchdowns, adding a 95-yard kickoff return TD in a 30-12 Tri-Valley League win against Norton.
Austin Rodenhiser, Holliston — Arguably the night’s top performer, the senior rumbled for five touchdowns and 156 yards on just 13 carries, bulldozing the way for a 33-0 TVL win over Dedham.
Matthew Tasker, Lincoln-Sudbury — Noticing a pattern? This senior running back ran wild, scoring four times and piling up 153 yards on 23 carries in a 35-0 Dual County League win over Wayland.
Duxbury has a new softball coach: Charlie Finn. Previously a volunteer assistant at Marshfield, Finn has been an active member of the South Shore softball community, serving as head coach of the 16U Lady Rams travel team. He is also an assistant basketball and field hockey coach at Marshfield. He takes over a team coming off a 10-9 season and a loss in the second round of the Division 2 tournament under previous coach Mike Barba.
Charlie Finn is the new varsity softball coach at Duxbury High.
Finn, an active member of the South Shore softball community, most recently volunteered with the Marshfield Rams.
“I’m extremely excited and grateful for this opportunity,” Finn said. pic.twitter.com/mMML8bbLAZ
— Trevor Hass (@TrevorHass) October 30, 2025
▪ Dartmouth College freshman women’s soccer player Anna Leschly, a 2025 Brookline graduate, was called up to the US Under-20 Women’s National Team for its fall training camp, which concluded Thursday at the University of Kansas. Leschly was one of 10 college players who joined 12 professionals and two club players.
▪ UMass Dartmouth senior Zuri Walters, a Boston Latin graduate from Dorchester, was named to the All-Little East Conference Second Team Singles for the second straight year. Walters went 6-6 at No. 1 singles, finding her stride midway through the tennis season with a 5-1 stretch starting in September.
Max Morin, Hanover, 170
Tim Durocher, Plymouth South, 141
Justin Dube, Abington, 100
Cole Doyle, North Quincy, 2
Michael Wildfire, Cohasset, 2
Brady McCormack, Medfield, 221
Jayson Dyer, Barnstable, 171
Austin Rodenhiser, Holliston, 156
Matthew Trasker, Lincoln-Sudbury, 153
Cameron Banda, Shawsheen, 137
Will Bush, Swampscott, 124
Erik Knight, Billerica, 120
Ty Holmes, West Bridgewater, 113
Austin Rodenhiser, Holliston, 5
Ben Atherton, Ashland, 4
Will Bush, Swampscott, 4
Matthew Trasker, Lincoln-Sudbury, 4
Noah Allen, Whittier, 3
Cameron Banda, Shawsheen, 3
Gianni DePrimeo, Winchester, 3
Gus Green, Cohasset, 3
Andrew Orphanos, Bishop Feehan, 3
Joe Puleo, Amesbury, 3
Ian Alexion, Fairhaven, 2
Jake Banda, Shawsheen, 2
Jake D’Antonio, Marshfield, 2
Jayson Dyer, Barnstable, 2
Ty Holmes, West Bridgewater, 2
Erik Knight, Billerica, 2
Aaron Lague, Fairhaven, 2
Breydan Lewis, Bridgewater-Raynham, 2
Brady McCormack, Medfield, 2
Nick Rotondi, Winchester, 2
Will Wood, Xaverian, 2
Caiden Blake, Bridgewater-Raynham, 186
Kellen Balducci, Hanover, 89
Shane McDonald, Plymouth South, 85
8. Volleyball leaderboard
Gabby Vigeant, Newburyport, 22
Sophia Jeager, Attleboro, 20
Brooke Braswell, Lynn Classical, 18
Kelsey Dinjian, Nashoba, 16
Francesca Reardon, Shawsheen, 13
Olivia Leonardo, Attleboro, 12
Sydney Lynch, Peabody, 12
Shauna Baker, Dennis-Yarmouth, 11
Lizzy Bettencourt, Peabody, 11
Kendra Marino, Billerica, 11
Haley Carter, Attleboro, 31
Rafaela Prebianchi, Dennis-Yarmouth, 30
Nicky Murphy, Barnstable, 27
Emma Chevalier, Lynn Classical, 22
Siena Torili, Nashoba, 20
Meghan Downs, Billerica, 17
Reese Schaiberger, Swampscott, 14
Ilaisha Taveras, Greater Lawrence, 23
Paige Martin, Shawsheen, 20
Isabella DiSalvo, Shawsheen, 19
Ellie Freeman, Nashoba, 18
Sophia Cantwell, Dennis-Yarmouth, 15
Sophia Jeager, Attleboro, 14
Sage Young, Attleboro, 14
Haley Carter, Attleboro, 13
Lizzy Bettencourt, Peabody, 12
Maria Sirota, Swampscott, 11
Kendra Marino, Billerica, 6
Jaydalise Davila, Greater Lawrence, 5
Carly Deacy, Shawsheen, 5
Brooke Braswell, Lynn Classical, 3
Ellie Freeman, Nashoba, 10
Gabby Vigeant, Newburyport, 8
Jazzy Coyer, Barnstable, 6
Emma Chevalier, Lynn Classical, 5
Maria Rosario, Greater Lawrence, 4
Hector Bermudez, Somerville, 2
Raegan Dillon, St. John Paul II, 5
10. Field hockey leaderboard
Shannon Lane, Canton, 4
Carolyn Schiavo, Canton, 3
Hayden Emerson, Foxborough, 2
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
Massachusetts
‘That comes with a price tag’: How snow removal is busting town budgets – The Boston Globe
“The way we experience climate change is through extremes,” said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist at Climate Central. “All of that comes with a price tag.”
Across the region, officials are trying to figure out how to pay that price. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation has already spent more than $185 million on snow and ice removal this winter — about $20 million beyond what was spent during the “Snowmageddon” winter of 2015. State officials are weighing whether to seek aid from the Trump administration.
Providence has had to cap spending for the rest of the fiscal year after record-setting snowfall. In Boston, where officials have trimmed the snow removal budget, the city was on track to spend nearly double what it had set aside for winter cleanup — even before the February blizzard hit. Cambridge has spent $6 million, more than 10 times the placeholder amount it budgeted for winter cleanup.
“This is an additional pressure point on an already pressurized budget situation,” said Adam Chapdelaine, executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association. “In some communities, it’s likely going to force some hard decisions.”
In Edgartown, officials want to tap into budget reserves to make up the cost, a step that requires voter approval. If voters don’t support that move, it could mean raising taxes, said James Hagerty, the town administrator.
Local officials said federal funding would help, but they’re not counting on it. Some worried that partisan disparities in which states have received disaster funding under the Trump administration would put Massachusetts at a disadvantage.
“We are hopeful that the state and federal government might step in to assist, but it’s just waiting at this point,” said Gregory Berman, Chatham’s director of natural resources.
The skyrocketing costs are yet another reminder that winters here don’t feel the same. New England is largely trending toward shorter and milder winters. Massachusetts has lost about 30 days of snow cover each year over the last few decades.
However, experts say the relationship between climate change and total annual snowfall is more complicated. Think of it as two competing forces. On one hand, global warming increases the amount of moisture in the atmosphere; when conditions are cold enough, this added moisture can fuel heavier snowstorms. On the other hand, rising temperatures mean that winter precipitation falls more frequently as rain than snow.
The data reflect this mixed picture. An analysis of historic snowfall totals by Climate Central, a nonprofit that conducts climate change research, found that annual snowfall has actually increased over the past 50 years in Boston and parts of coastal Massachusetts, while inland areas have seen declines.
Looking ahead, researchers project that the most intense storms may become even heavier, producing more snow than blizzards past. This shift may already be underway. In the past 40 years, Boston has recorded 10 snowstorms that produced at least 20 inches of snow. In the eight decades prior to that, there were just three.
These massive storms can trigger extra expenses, as municipalities have to pay for equipment rentals, contractors, and overtime for cleanup around the clock.
Julie Wormser, chief climate officer in Cambridge, said that total snowfall data surprised her.
“Based on how quickly the ocean is heating up off New England, my bet is that the next 50 years of data will reverse that snowfall trend,” she said.
Cities and towns in Western Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the North Shore were hit especially hard. This winter, they received more than two feet of snow above their average.
On Cape Cod, Sandwich officials overspent their snow budget by $250,000, driven largely by the February blizzard. Town Manager George “Bud” Dunham said a day of minor plowing and treating roads can cost about $10,000, but major storms push that figure past $50,000. The town is still cleaning up downed brush and tree limbs.
If not for the storm, Dunham said, the town might have invested in new snow equipment or set aside funds for retired employees’ health insurance costs.
Mattapoisett, a coastal community on Buzzards Bay, also blew through its budget, spending nearly triple what officials had set aside. Still, Michael Lorenco, the administrator, said the town should be able to absorb the hit within its $37 million budget without raising taxes.
“I’m not a scientist, but towns near the coast seem to be getting more snow than they normally would in the past,” Lorenco said.
That doesn’t change the city’s responsibilities.
“Climate change or not,” he added, “we have to clean up the roads.”
Ken Mahan of the Globe staff contributed reporting.
Kate Selig can be reached at kate.selig@globe.com. Follow her on X @kate_selig.
Massachusetts
Massachusetts bakery that made signature pizza trays for more than 100 years closes for good
A Framingham institution that has been in business for more than a century closed its doors for the final time on Sunday.
Framingham Baking Company, known for its signature pizza trays, has officially shut down permanently. Crowds have been lining up around the block in the shop’s final days, with Sunday serving as their last day in business.
“That’s a wrap! Special thanks to all of our loyal customers! It was a great run. We love you!” Framingham Baking Company posted on Facebook Sunday after selling its final slices of pizza.
Founded in 1917, the bakery on Waverly Street became known for the square pizza slices.
The third-generation owners say they couldn’t find anyone to take over the business.
“We’re closing today after 109 years in business,” owner Joan Thomas said. “My grandparents, my parents, and my siblings – three generations have run this bakery.”
Customers explained why they were willing to wait in long lines to get their hands on some treats one more time.
“So many years of eating this pizza, and the bread, and the cookies. You had to be there for the end,” one woman said.
“My grandfather was a delivery guy for a long time. My first job was riding around with him in the van delivering to all the local restaurants. It’s tough to see it close, but it’s had an amazing run. Here for my last delivery. Bring some pizza home to my family,” another man added.
One customer waiting in line said it wasn’t just pizza the Framingham Baking Company provided, it was memories.
“Brought it to the cousins’ every birthday party, every gathering. Any time there was family there was pizza,” he said.
Here are five ways how you can save some money when food shopping.
Here are five ways how you can save some money when food shopping.
Your household can earn more than $200,000 a year and still be considered part of the “middle class” in Massachusetts, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.
Massachusetts ranks as the top state with the highest income range for households to be considered middle class, based on SmartAsset’s analysis using 2024 income data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households earning roughly two-thirds to twice the national median household income.
According to a 2022 Gallup survey, about half of U.S. adults consider themselves middle class, with 38% identifying as “middle class” and 14% as “upper-middle class.” Higher-income Americans and college graduates were most likely to identify with the “middle class” or “upper-middle class,” while lower-income Americans and those without a college education generally identified as “working class” or “lower class.”
Here’s how much money your household would need to bring in annually to be considered middle class in Massachusetts.
How much money would you need to make to be considered middle class in MA?
In Massachusetts, households would need to earn between $69,900 and $209,656 annually to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. The Bay State has the highest income range in the country for middle-class households. The state’s median household income is $104,828.
In Boston, the range is slightly lower. Households need to earn between $65,194 and $195,582 annually to qualify as middle class, giving the city the 19th-highest income range among the 100 largest U.S. cities. Boston’s median household income is $97,791.
How do other New England states compare?
Massachusetts has the highest income range for middle-class households in New England. Here’s what households would have to earn in neighboring states:
- Massachusetts (#1 nationally) – $69,885 to $209,656 annually; median household income of $104,828
- New Hampshire (#6 nationally) – $66,521 to $199,564 annually; median household income of $99,782
- Connecticut (#10 nationally) – $64,033 to $192,098 annually; median household income of $96,049
- Rhode Island (#17 nationally) – $55,669 to $167,008 annually; median household income of $83,504
- Vermont (#19 nationally) – $55,153 to $165,460 annually; median household income of $82,730
- Maine (#30 nationally) – $50,961 to $152,884 annually; median household income of $76,442
Which state has the lowest middle-class income range?
Mississippi ranks last for the income range needed to be considered middle class, according to SmartAsset. Households there would need to earn between $39,418 and $118,254 annually. The state’s median household income is $59,127.
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