The GOP’s Mike Kennealy is polling ahead of his two rivals in the race against Gov. Maura Healey in next year’s election, but it’s too early to take a victory lap with many voters still on the sidelines.

Kennealy holds 44% of the vote over primary opponents Brian Shortsleeve and Mike Minogue, both sitting at 13%. More than half of the would-be Republican or Independent voters in the poll, however, said they don’t know enough about the candidates to pick a side.

The Kennealy campaign is celebrating the UMass poll, released this week, as Shortsleeve questions the survey’s credibility, and Minogue points to donations as a stronger indicator of how Bay State Republicans are leaning a year out from the election.

UMass pollsters surveyed 800 respondents, with 416 Democrats and 183 Republicans or pure independents. Healey, the Democrat incumbent, leads each of the three GOP candidates by at least 21%.

“This poll confirms what we have been hearing in every corner of the Commonwealth: voters recognize that Mike Kennealy is the only candidate prepared to take on Maura Healey in 2026 and deliver real results,” Kennealy campaign manager Ben Hincher said in a statement.

“Mike will lower energy costs for Massachusetts families, cut taxes and burdensome regulations, audit the legislature, end sanctuary state policies, restore excellence in our schools, and return common sense to state government.”

Roughly a third of the respondents voting in a preview of the Republican primary stated that they were “not too familiar” with Kennealy, Shortsleeve and Minogue, and 19% “not familiar at all” with the GOP candidates.

Kennealy, a former housing and economic development secretary in Gov. Charlie Baker’s administration, first entered the race in April. Shortsleeve, a venture capitalist who ran the MBTA under Baker, followed behind, announcing his campaign in May.

Minogue, a major donor to President Trump and former CEO of heart-pump maker Abiomed Inc., jumped into the race last month.

In an email to supporters, Jim Barnett, general consultant for the Shortsleeve campaign, said the poll shouldn’t be taken seriously. He argued that the survey of Republican and Independent voters of the GOP candidates lacks credibility, with the rigor being “embarrassingly shallow,” and that the results “should have never been released.”

Barnett suggested that general election results, which pit Shortsleeve as the closest opponent individually to Healey over Kennealy and Minogue, are “far more credible.”

“Those toplines align with historic partisan margins at this stage of a campaign and other independent polling,” Barnett stated. “In contrast, the ‘Republican primary’ subsample lacks proper screening, weighting, and mathematical coherence, making it unfit for analysis or reporting.”

After Minogue announced his campaign in October, the South Hamilton resident received a $1.8 million first-month haul, nearly matching what Kennealy has raised and loaned himself during his months-long run since the spring.

Shortsleeve has raised just over $1 million.

“Mike is incredibly grateful for the support his campaign is seeing across Massachusetts with hundreds of volunteers and twice as many donors as the rest of the Republican field,” a Minogue campaign spokesperson told the Herald. “In just 21 days, he’s already passing lifetime politicians who’ve been in the race for more than half a year. People are ready for a new kind of leadership focused on accountability, affordability, and opportunity for every family in our state.”

And while Hopkinton’s and Franklin’s shootout wins were thrilling, they paled compared to Martha’s Vineyard, which went 24 rounds with North Reading before Ava Townes delivered on her third attempt.

All told, Wednesday’s themes were shootouts and hat tricks.

Cambridge boys’ soccer defeated Lexington, 2-1, in a shootout, as did Mashpee, which topped Leicester on Mathias Ramirez’s shootout save.

The night also saw no less than 14 players record hat tricks, with Sutton senior Ava Magnuson leading the way with a five-goal performance. Abington’s Nathan Calcano and Central Catholic’s Lucy Irwin both found the net four times, while Norwell’s Bret Amorosino, Sandwich’s Quinn Anderson, Lynnfield’s Kaylee Barrett, Oliver Ames’s Sabrina Fabrizio, Mansfield’s Aly Fernandes, Rockport’s Sunny Gallagher, Mansfield’s Brandon Gardner, Hull’s Libby Harper, Auburn’s Zhunay Moulton, Natick’s Lydia Proia, and Braintree’s Mya Ranieri all scored thrice.

Check out all of Wednesday’s scores here. And find our girls’ volleyball roundup here.

▪ Not only did No. 22 Franklin’s 3-2 win over No. 11 Wellesley one of the day’s shootouts, but it was also one if its biggest upsets. The Panthers (10-5-4) pulled off a No. 22-over-No. 11 stunner for the second straight year after taking out No. 11 Algonquin. Last year, Franklin went on to beat No. 6 Brockton, with both wins coming in overtime.

▪ The biggest upset of the day game in Division 3 girls’ soccer, where No. 28 East Bridgewater eliminated fifth-seeded Hanover, 1-0, when sophomore Jackie Pohl buried a free kick from 25 yards out.

▪ Back on the boys’ side, No. 25 Weston was a 1-0 winner over No. 8 East Boston, and No. 20 Mashpee’s shootout win took down No. 13 Leicester, 2-1.

▪ Auburn senior Zhunay Moulton recorded her 100th career point among three goals and one assist in a 4-0 Division 3 first-round girls’ soccer win over Weston.

▪ With two goals from Sabrina Tibbert, Lincoln-Sudbury field hockey defeated Attleboro, 3-0, in the Division 1 second round to reach its first quarterfinals in 20 years. Of note, the fourth-seeded Warriors will host No. 5 Winchester in a game that will pit L-S coach Vicky Caburian against her former Boston University field hockey teammate, Michelle White, the coach of the Red & Black. The two shared the pitch from 1989-1991, a span that included a trip to the 1991 NCAA Division 1 quarterfinals.

▪ Marblehead needed two overtime periods before Lucy McDonald uncorked a 30-yard strike for a 3-2 win in the Division 2 girls’ soccer tournament, marking the Magicians’ first trip to the second round in nine years.

King Philip senior tight end/outside linebacker Brodie McDonald has committed to play football at Bentley.

▪ Tabor graduate and New Bedford native Jaydah Bedoya will make her debut with the Puerto Rico National Team in their upcoming match against Santa Lucia on Dec. 1 in the CONCACAF Women’s Qualifiers.

Bedoya, who played at UConn, made three appearances with the Ecuador Women’s National Team from 2022-24. Most recently, she has been playing with the DC Power FC of the USL.

▪ New Bedford graduate David Abolarinwa, who also attended Dartmouth High, signed a professional contract with the Quad City Steamwheelers of the Indoor Football League. Abolarinwa, a 6-foot-2-inch, 280-pound defensive lineman, played four seasons at New Haven, finishing with 14 career sacks and 20.5 tackles for loss.

Four Massachusetts players were named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region 1 team, which covers New England and New York. Selected: Andover outside Jessie Wang, Shrewsbury middle Claire Troy, Longmeadow setter Chloe Scott, and Covenant Christian outside Leanna Rothier. The 2025 AVCA High School All-America Teams, as well as the four AVCA High School National Player of the Year finalists, will be announced Nov. 18.

▪ Graduate student Paige Gillette, an Andover High graduate, became the all-time wins leader for Assumption field hockey with 47, passing Kylie Gargiulo’s 46 wins from 2019-22. As a senior at Andover in 2021, Gillette was the Globe’s Will McDonough Female Athlete of the Year.

▪ Westfield State senior Julianne Kelly, a Natick graduate, was one of seven Owls from Massachusetts to make the 10-runner MASCAC All-Conference team. Joining Kelly was Agawam’s Reese Stephens, Longmeadow’s Shea Hamel, Dracut’s Tealei Chandonnet (a Greater Lowell Tech graduate), Methuen’s Brooke Soucy, Billerica’s Samantha Panzeri (an Eagle Hill graduate), and Haverhill’s Brynne LeCours. It was the fourth-straight All-Conference nod for Kelly and Hamel.

▪ Brandeis junior Jackson Sullivan, a Greater Commonwealth Virtual School graduate from Somerville, was named Brandeis Athlete of the Week after reaching the semifinals of the New England Intercollegiate Fencing Conference Fall Tournament, also known as the Big One. Sullivan rolled through the bracket, never surrendering more than 7 points in the 15-point bouts as the 21st seed, before falling to Brown’s Ansel Edison in the semis.

▪ Amherst junior Harrison Dow, a Concord-Carlisle graduate, was named to the NESCAC Men’s Cross-Country First Team for the second year in a row. Connecticut College junior Ellis Iurilli-Hough, a Melrose graduate, was named to the second team.

▪ Williams junior Tamar Byl-Brann, an Amherst graduate, was named to the NESCAC Women’s Cross-Country First Team for the second year in a row, as was Williams senior Kate Swann, a Mt. Greylock graduate from Williamstown. Williams senior Charlene Peng, a Franklin graduate, made the second team, as did Williams senior Fiona Picone, an Oakmont graduate from Ashburnham, and Tufts senior Elizabeth Donahue, a Reading graduate.

Salem High will hold its 2025 Athletic Hall of fame induction ceremony on Nov. 18 (6 p.m.) at Veterans Memorial Field House. Tickets ($50 per person, children under 10 free) can be purchased here.

This year’s class features: Alix Bryant (2014; soccer, basketball, track), Jessica Corneau (2007; gymnastics, track), Edwin Demoya (2011; soccer), Joseph Fabiano (1994; football, hockey, baseball), Joseph Freeman (1995; football, track), Brian Lockard (1978; cross-country, track), Jared Louf Woods (2013; football, basketball, track), Jamal Mercado (1995; football, track), Hannah Mullarkey (2014; volleyball), Sarah Mullarkey (2011; volleyball), Richard “Rick” O’Leary (1988; football, baseball), Beau Theriault (2008; golf, basketball, baseball), Paul Tucker (1976; cross-country, track), and Melikke Van Alstyne (2009; football, track).

Addie Finlaw, Somerset Berkley, 4

Amelia Blood, Uxbridge, 3

Julianna Casucci, Uxbridge, 3

Julie Pacheco, Somerset Berkley, 3

Gabby Palermo, Nashoba, 3

Libby Baxter, Hingham, 2

Ella Dacey, Walpole, 2

Kenzie Heroux, Somerset Berkley, 2

Kate Schneider, Walpole, 2

Sabrina Tibbert, Lincoln-Sudbury, 2

Addie Finlaw, Somerset Berkley, 5

Ryan Crook, Somerset Berkley, 3

Ella Vaught, Somerset Berkley, 3

Ava Magnuson, Sutton, 5

Nathan Calcano, Abington, 4

Lucy Irwin, Central Catholic, 4

Bret Amorosino, Norwell, 3

Quinn Anderson, Sandwich, 3

Kaylee Barrett, Lynnfield, 3

Sabrina Fabrizio, Oliver Ames, 3

Aly Fernandes, Mansfield, 3

Sunny Gallagher, Rockport, 3

Brandon Gardner, Mansfield, 3

Libby Harper, Hull, 3

Zhunay Moulton, Auburn, 3

Lydia Proia, Natick, 3

Mya Ranieri, Braintree, 3

Taylor Bello, Hingham, 2

Ella Cammarata, Masconomet, 2

Gui Cardoso, Hopedale, 2

Carter Couto, Westport, 2

Ava Damiani, Lynnfield, 2

Maddie Fernandes, Mansfield, 2

Sophia Gauron, Hamilton-Wenham, 2

Bailey Kerrigan, Littleton, 2

Maeve Maroney, Hingham, 2

Garrison Murphy, St. John’s Prep, 2

Brianna Ramos, Hull, 2

Ava Quintin, King Philip, 2

Kaylee Barrett, Lynnfield, 7

Aly Fernandes, Mansfield, 7

Zhunay Moulton, Auburn, 7

Lydia Proia, Natick, 7

Brianna Ramos, Hull, 7

Ava Damiani, Lynnfield, 6

Sarah Tressler, Central Catholic, 5

Alex Corey, Littleton, 4

Morgan Lovell, Franklin, 4

Gus Tratnyak, Hamilton-Wenham, 4

Chloe Dubuisson, Canton, 14

Mia Milani, Bellingham, 13

Emerson Delleo, Franklin, 12

Makayla Kuykendall, Franklin, 12

Melanie McDonough, Canton, 12

Val Nolan, Bellingham, 12

Madilyn Botelho, Joseph Case, 11

Kayla Dowdell, Joseph Case, 11

Olivia Alberti, Franklin, 10

Lily Rego, Joseph Case, 10

Phoebe O’Connor, Franklin, 38

Erin Bigham, Canton, 23

Soley Rodriguez Martinez, Canton, 22

Erin Bigham, Canton, 14

Emma Cunningham, Franklin, 12

Emerson Delleo, Franklin, 12

Makayla Kuykendall, Franklin, 10

Phoebe O’Connor, Franklin, 8

Olivia Alberti, Franklin, 4

Charlotte Yeulenski, Franklin, 3

Madilyn Botelho, Joseph Case, 4

Erin Bigham, Canton, 3

Mia Milani, Bellingham, 3

Val Nolan, Bellingham, 3

Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.

AG Andrea Campbell says Massachusetts is ready if the National Guard is deployed to the Bay State, adding that her office is “drafting paperwork” that she hopes it never has to file against President Donald Trump.

The attorney general’s comments mark the firmest stance yet from a Bay State official on what kind of coordination or preparations are being made in the case Trump tries to deploy troops in Massachusetts.

Trump has deployed National Guard units to cities he argues are dealing with high crime or are epicenters of federal immigration activity, even as governors and mayors have largely voiced opposition to their arrival.

“We are prepared if they were to come,” Campbell said on GBH’s Boston Public Radio on Tuesday. “Of course, I hope they don’t, because the narrative they’re suggesting is that they would come here to promote public safety, and we are doing just fine.

“If anything,” the AG continued, “we’re seeing in other communities across the country is that they’re eroding public safety and trust between law enforcement and the community. In addition to that, they’re perpetuating fear.”

Campbell said her office is engaging with the National Guard, Gov. Maura Healey’s office, the state Legislature, law enforcement, and “every stakeholder” available over how the state would respond to a potential deployment.

The AG added that she’s personally spoken with her counterparts in California, Illinois and Oregon, states where Trump has threatened to deploy the National Guard to combat what he describes as lawlessness.

Trump continues to face legal challenges in areas where he has looked to deploy troops.

Courts in Tennessee and West Virginia heard arguments Monday challenging the deployment of their states’ National Guard troops to patrol the streets of Memphis and Washington, D.C.

Since their arrival on Oct. 10, National Guard troops have been patrolling neighborhoods and commercial areas of Memphis, wearing fatigues and protective vests that say “military police.” Officials have said Guard members, who are armed, have no arrest power.

West Virginia is among several states that sent troops to Washington, D.C., to support Trump’s crime-fighting efforts. Last month, a West Virginia judge asked attorneys for the state to address whether Gov. Patrick Morrisey’s deployment of up to 300 Guard members to the nation’s capital in August was legal.

The Bay State AG’s Office has filed 41 complaints against the Trump administration since the president regained office in January. Campbell made clear that another may be coming if Trump tries to deploy troops here.

“Any time you file a lawsuit, it takes a lot of human capital resources and work,” the AG said. “And frankly, you have to be prepared beforehand, so we hope we never have to file anything.”

Healey said last month that sending the National Guard to major U.S. cities is a “waste of resources,” but the first-term Democrat declined to say if she was coordinating with any local officials or preparing any action in case Trump attempted to conduct a deployment in Massachusetts.

Bay State Congressman Jim McGovern told the Herald last month that he had spoken to the Healey administration about a possible National Guard deployment.

Campbell said troops are designed to handle a “major flood, a major emergency” in the state. She added that she doesn’t know how equipped the National Guard is to accomplish what Trump wants it to.

“They’re not necessarily trained to show up in the city of Boston,” she said, “or the municipalities here in Massachusetts, to promote public safety, to investigate crimes, to respond appropriately.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.