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First Submarine Named After Massachusetts Joins the Navy Fleet

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First Submarine Named After Massachusetts Joins the Navy Fleet


BOSTON — The USS Massachusetts officially joined the Navy fleet on Saturday after a commissioning ceremony, making it the first submarine named after the Bay State.

The newest Virginia-class fast attack submarine, which can dive to depths greater than 800 feet (240 meters), was christened on May 6, 2023, by the ship’s sponsor, Sheryl Sandberg, the former COO of Meta. This is the 25th Virginia-Class submarine co-produced by General Dynamics Electric Boat and Newport News Shipbuilding and the fifth U.S. Navy vessel named after Massachusetts.

“To be able to take a ship from new construction and watch it be built together by the ship yard, train with our team and bring into Boston Harbor for the first time, it’s very amazing,” said the sub’s commanding officer, Mike Siedsma, a 21-year Navy veteran who has spent time on four different classes of submarines. “I looked at the history books. I don’t think we’ve had a submarine in Boston Harbor since sometime in the late ’80s or early ’90s.”

Siedsma did not say where the sub — which cost over $2.8 billion, weighs about 8,000 tons and can carry 24 Tomahawk cruise missiles — is headed. A U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka earlier this month in the war with Iran.

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“The geopolitical situation is very interesting,” Siedsma said. “What is important to remember is what we are doing is proving the power of the United States Navy.”

The crew of 147 also includes 39 women, 16 years after a ban on women serving on submarines was lifted. The USS New Jersey, which was commissioned in 2024, was the first sub designed and built with modifications for a gender-integrated crew.

“The ship is intentionally designed to be served on by both women and men. That is pretty exciting. Twenty five percent of this crew is female,” Sandberg said. “Those sailors just don’t inspire me. They inspire every little girl out there to believe that she could do anything.”

The Navy said this is the fifth vessel to be named after the state. The first USS Massachusetts was a steamer built in 1845 and the last was USS Massachusetts, BB 59, commissioned in 1942 as a South Dakota-class fast battleship. Most of its time was spent in the Pacific during World War II.

For Sandberg, the commissioning also brought to mind the role the state has played in the founding of the United States and how “people are still fighting for the same freedoms that the original colonists were fighting for.”

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Reporters touring the sub were led past the control room, down into the torpedo room and into the dining hall. The ward room, where officers eat, also features a mug rack featuring wood from counties in Massachusetts. It was donated by “This Old House,” the television home improvement show.

“It was an incredible donation. Very great connection to the state and the commonwealth,” Siedsma said. “It’s beautiful.”

© Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.



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The best Massachusetts high schools for athletes? According to one study, here are top 25

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The best Massachusetts high schools for athletes? According to one study, here are top 25


No other city in the country boasts more championships than Boston, giving Massachusetts a sporting pedigree unlike any other.

What’s unique about many of the state is that several of the stars from those championship-winning teams were Massachusetts natives.

Before they were winning the Stanley Cup, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, World Series or a gold medal, those athletes were high school standouts.

Which high schools in Massachusetts are considered the best for athletes today? 

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According to a study conducted by Niche, which accounts for survey feedback from students and parents—accounting for “reviews of athletics, number of state championships, student participation in athletics, and the number of sports offered at the school”—and data from the U.S. Department of Education, these are the top 25.

25. Hanover High School

Total number of sports: 29

24. Tewksbury Memorial High School

Total number of sports: 24

23. Medfield Senior High School

Total number of sports: 27

22. North Reading High School

Total number of sports: 26

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21. Cushing Academy (Ashburnham)

Total number of sports: 20

20. Minnechaug Regional High School (Wilbraham)

Total number of sports: 30

19. Franklin High School

Total number of sports: 20

18. Shrewsbury Senior High School

Total number of sports: 34

17. Longmeadow High School

Total number of sports: 28

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16. Bishop Feehan High School (Attleboro)

Total number of sports: 27

15. Wellesley Senior High School

Total number of sports: 36

14. Mansfield High School

Total number of sports: 22

13. Billerica Memorial High School

Total number of sports: 23

12. St. Sebastian’s School (Needham)

Total number of sports: 13

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11. Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School

Total number of sports: 32

10. Deerfield Academy

Total number of sports: 37

9. Nashoba Regional High School (Bolton)

Total number of sports: 30

8. Belmont Hill School

Total number of sports: 16

7. Duxbury High School

Total number of sports: 30

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6. Notre Dame Academy (Hingham)

Total number of sports: 19

5. Central Catholic High School (Lawrence)

Total number of sports: 30

4. Catholic Memorial (West Roxbury)

Total number of sports: 15

3. Xaverian Brothers High School (Westwood)

Total number of sports: 17

2. Boston College High School

Total number of sports: 17

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1. St. John’s Prep (Danvers)

Total number of sports: 22



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Family of fallen Massachusetts State Trooper attends ceremony remembering those killed in the line of duty – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News

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Family of fallen Massachusetts State Trooper attends ceremony remembering those killed in the line of duty – Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News


BOSTON (WHDH) – It was a powerful moment on Friday during the annual Law-Enforcement Memorial Ceremony at the State House, as the ceremony remembered those lost in the line of duty, including State Trooper Kevin Trainor.

Trainor was killed in a wrong-way crash this week. Trainor’s family was in attendance.

“We’re here today with the Trainor family as another tragedy and agonizing time in policing has found us,” Larry Calderone, Boston Police Union President, said.

The day brought a moment to pause and remember the 30-year-old who is being hailed a hero after he was struck and killed Wednesday morning on Route 1 in Lynnfield.

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“We’ve lost a brother,” Massachusetts State Police Col. Geoffrey Noble said.

The fallen trooper’s fiancée spoke out for the first time since losing the love of her life. She posted to social media, “I am beyond proud of the amount of love you have been given by those who loved and cared about you shows us who you really were, a friend, a partner, a brother, a son, and a hero. You weren’t just a hero to me but a hero to all.”

(Copyright (c) 2026 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

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Globe Top 20 baseball poll: BC High bounces back amid a flurry of movement – The Boston Globe

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Globe Top 20 baseball poll: BC High bounces back amid a flurry of movement – The Boston Globe


Bishop Feehan moves up to the No. 2 spot — the Shamrocks have won eight straight against in-state competition, and ace Brody Bumila continues to look unbeatable. Natick enters the top five for the first time at No. 4 — the Redhawks are 12-1 with a 9-0 mark in Bay State play.

In the back half, Reading rises to No. 13 after getting some revenge on No. 19 Arlington. Also rising are No. 12 Plymouth North and No. 16 Canton, each up two spots.

New entrants are No. 18 Winchester, which returns to the rankings, and No. 20 Hopkinton, in for the first time this year on the back of four straight wins.

Records based on scores reported to the Globe.

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The Globe’s Top 20 baseball poll

The Globe poll as of May 8, 2026. Teams were selected by the Globe sports staff.


Mike Puzzanghera can be reached at michael.puzzanghera@globe.com. Follow him on X @mpuzzanghera.





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