Connect with us

Massachusetts

Seven high school sports takeaways, including a national hoop title, Gatorade award, and coaching moves – The Boston Globe

Published

on

Seven high school sports takeaways, including a national hoop title, Gatorade award, and coaching moves – The Boston Globe


Newman defeated Blair Academy (N.J.), 92-72, to finish the season with a 19-game win streak and 38-3 record.

Costello, a Michigan-committed 6-foot-10-inch forward from Medford who played his freshman season at BC High, led all scorers in the title game with 24 points, thanks to six first-half 3-pointers, adding eight rebounds and four assists.

Senior Chase Geremia, committed to Penn, scored 21 points on seven 3-pointers and was named tournament MVP. Illinois-bound senior Lucas Morillo added 17 points, 14 rebounds, and 8 assists in the final, giving him tournament averages of 21.5 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 6.5 assists.

Newman also captured the NEPSAC Class AAA and NEBL championships this season.

Austin Prep senior Fope Ayo has been selected as the Gatorade Massachusetts Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year.

Advertisement

The 6-foot-5-inch Reading resident, who is committed to Michigan, averaged 22.3 points, 17.3 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game for the Cougars, who went 8-14.

Ayo became the first player in Austin Prep history to eclipse both 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds and was named a McDonald’s All-American Game nominee. She is ranked as the No. 45 recruit in the Class of 2026 by ESPN.

“Fope is certainly an impact player,” said Proctor Academy coach Gregor Mackechnie. “She’s an intimidating defensive presence on the second line of Austin Prep’s zone defense, and has learned to use her body and length effectively to convert scoring opportunities on the blocks. From all of my interactions with her, I found her to be a high-character young woman.”

Ayo maintains an A average in the classroom, has volunteered locally with the Unitas Leadership Academy, and founded Sweet Desserts, an initiative that bakes birthday cakes for incarcerated juveniles.

3. Best of the South Coast crowned

Advertisement

The Dave Cowens awards, given annually to the top boys’ and girls’ basketball seniors from among the 17 South Coast schools, went to Wareham’s Aaron Cote and Apponequet’s Cece Levrault.

Cote led Wareham to its third state title in four years, and he was a starter on all three. After missing 20 games his junior year with an ankle injury, he returned to average 25.1 points, 4.3 assists, 5.1 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game while surpassing 1,000 career points. He is the second Wareham player to earn the honor, following Ajay Lopes in 2024.

Levrault became the third Apponequet girl, but first since Jen Smith in 2001, to receive the Cowens award after leading the Lakers to a school-record 21 wins and the Division 3 semifinals. She finished her career with 1,149 points and four South Coast Conference Blue division titles.

Joseph Case’s Emma Plante and Old Rocheter’s Emma Johnson were the girls’ finalists, while New Bedford’s Diego Montanari and Somerset Berkley’s Dom Taylor were boys’ finalists.

4. Top WMass players tabbed

Advertisement

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s 15th anual Western Massachusetts Player of the Year awards went to Sam Brigham of Pope Francis and Emersynn Cage of Longmeadow.

A two-year starter at Pope Francis, Brigham finished as the second all-time leading scorer in Western Mass. history with 2,107 points, including a school-record 48 during his sophomore season for St. Mary’s of Westfield. He led Pope Francis to the state semifnals this year, averaging 24 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals per game.

Cage finished her career with 1,220 points, despite tearing her ACL midway through her sophomore season. A four-time All-Western Mass. first team selection, she averaged 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals per game this season, leading the Lancers to the state tournament.

Brigham and Cage will receive their awards during halftime of their respective games at the Western Mass. All-Star Games on Friday (starting at 5:30 p.m.) at the Basketball Hall of Fame. Tickets are $20 for adults and $12 for students and can be purchased here.

▪ Longtime Brewster Academy boys’ basketball coach Jason Smith is leaving his post after 26 seasons to join the new Masters Academy, where he will serve as head coach of the boys’ basketball program, working under John Carroll. At Brewster, Smith won seven national prep championships between 2010 and 2020, winning more than 700 games and sending 25 players to the NBA. He is a three-time National Prep Coach of the Year, six-time New England Prep Coach of the Year, and five times has been named one of the 100 most influential people in men’s college basketball.

Advertisement

▪ Norwood girls’ basketball coach Kristen McDonnell, who previously won four state titles at Braintree and coached the Norwood boys, stepped down for family reasons, and Trevor Hass had the story.

After eight years coaching Malden Catholic girls’ basketball, Jay Keane announced he is stepping down. Keane coached MC since the inception of its program, leading the Lancers to their first Division 1 playoff win this past season and a 14-8 record. In seven varsity seasons, he led MC to the tournament seven times as they moved up from D4 to D1. He previously coached the Wilmington girls for eight seasons, going 120-60. He won his 200th game in 2025.

▪ After four seasons, Beverly boys’ hockey coach Andy Scott announced he will step down to spend more time with family. Scott led the Panthers to an 11-7-3 record and a playoff berth this winter, finishing his stint with a 32-43-7 mark. Cam Kerry recently wrote about how Scott didn’t let paralysis keep him from coaching.

▪ Lowell wrestling coach Nick Logan announced he is resigning after eight seasons. Logan helped build Lowell into one of the premier girls’ wrestling programs in the state.

▪ Springfield Central junior lineman GaVin English announced he has committed to play football at UMass. The 6-foot-5-inch, 300-pounder with a 6-9 wingspan will team up with former Central teammates Pope Watson and Joe Griffin, who both transfered to UMass.

Advertisement

▪ Former Fairhaven star running back/linebacker Justin Marques, who spent a post-grad year at Portsmouth Abbey after setting the state’s all-time touchdown record and leading the Blue Devils to back-to-back Super Bowl appearances and one title, announced he will play at American International. The 5-10, 200-pounder was named All-NEPSAC after rushing for 805 yard and 10 touchdowns in just six games for Portsmouth Abbey.

▪ Medfield senior Eva Thomson committed to play field hockey at St. Anselm.

▪ Malden Catholic senior captain Abbie Poole signed her commitment to play ice hockey at Endicott.

▪ Somerset Berkley senior Alex Javier will wrestle at Bridgewater State. The 132-pounder won a Division 2 title last month.

▪ Andover junior Gus Concemi, a 6-4, 200-pound tight end and long snapper, will be transferring to Phillips Andover and entering the Class of 2028.

Advertisement

▪ Archbishop Williams sophomore David Santiago announced he will transfer to Lawrence Academy and reclassify as a 2029 prospect. The 6-2, 270-pound defensive tackle is from Pawtucket, R.I.

▪ Lynnfield junior Grant Neal, a 6-4 175-pound guard, will be transferring to St. Mark’s to play basketball and will reclassify as a sophomore. Neal averaged 21.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.7 assists this season.

▪ On Friday, Assumption will host the Spring Jam Classic: Friday Night Lights showcasing some of the state’s top high school talent. The night starts with a Top 20 girls’ high school showcase at 5 p.m., followed by a Leadership game, then the Top 20 Central Mass. showcase at 7, and Worcester vs. Boston (Part 2) at 8 p.m. The event also includes a vendor showcase and community resources.

▪ On Saturday, Quincy High will host the BABC vs. MA Select Teams games, with the underclassmen playing at 5:15 p.m. and the seniors at 6:45 p.m. The MA Select senior team features many of the state’s top hoopers: Central Catholic’s Javi Lopez, Wareham’s Cote, Burlington’s Matty Gray, Malden Catholic’s Aboubakar Nimaka, Medfield’s Thomas Behrman, Bridgewater-Raynham’s Cason Faulk and Cam Santos, Xaverian’s Thatcher Purdy, Hanover’s Ryan Mutschler, Attleboro’s Ladanian Rodrigues, Rockland’s Rophil Ngintoundem, Bedford’s Mekhi Volcy, Needham’s Ben Marino, Quincy’s Malcom McMorrow, and Abington’s Kingston Maxwell and Tyler Staiti.

▪ The Catholic Conference Showcase for football will be held from 5-8 p.m. on May 14 at a location to be announced.

Advertisement

▪ Registration is open for the Northeast 7v7 summer tournaments, which will be held from July 18-30 at Fitchburg, Berwick (Maine), Milton, and Peabody. The New England championship will be held July 30 at Peabody.


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





Source link

Massachusetts

Meteor Lands In Cape Cod + Bus Crash Kills 5 From MA + Wind Storm Knocks Out Power To Thousands: MA Weekend

Published

on

Meteor Lands In Cape Cod + Bus Crash Kills 5 From MA + Wind Storm Knocks Out Power To Thousands: MA Weekend


MASSACHUSETTS — Residents throughout New England were simultaneously startled as a meteor that landed in Cape Cod caused a sonic boom this past weekend.

Meanwhile, a bus driver is facing charges after five Massachusetts residents died in a crash on a highway in Virginia.

Plus, another State Trooper was caught handling a wrong-way driver situation on Route 1.

Mysterious Boom Heard Across MA Was An Exploding Meteor, Experts Say

Advertisement

The noises were heard around 2:11 p.m. Saturday, with people describing a sudden bang that rattled windows and even shook some homes. The American Meteor Society said that the booms heard were actually caused by a meteor about three feet wide entering the atmosphere near the border of Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

Residents as far as Ipswich and Johnston, Rhode Island, reported hearing and feeling the sensations. Meteorologist Nick Stewart shared satellite images from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, showing where the meteor entered the atmosphere and combusted while traveling at 75,000 miles per hour above the ocean.

Bus Driver Charged After MA Family Of 4, Worcester Woman Killed In VA Crash

Jing S. Dong, of Staten Island, New York, now faces two counts of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the collision, which occurred around 2:35 a.m. Friday on southbound I-95 near Quantico. Among those killed were a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, all from Greenfield, Massachusetts. All were in the Acura, which police said caught fire after the collisions. Police on Saturday evening identified the fifth person killed as Priscilla R. Mafalda, 25, of Worcester, Massachusetts, who was riding in the Suburban struck by the bus.

In total, about 44 people were transported to area hospitals, including three with critical injuries.

Advertisement

State Trooper Hospitalized After Route 1 Wrong-Way Crash In Peabody

State Police said the trooper was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries after police acted in coordination to protect traffic and stop the driver, who was traveling southbound on Route 1 North in Peabody. The incident occurred not far from the location on Route 1 where State Trooper Kevin Trainor was killed when his cruiser was hit head-on in a wrong-way crash in Lynnfield last month. The driver in Sunday’s crash was also hospitalized and charged with operating under the influence of liquor, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, and driving the wrong way on a state highway.

Rapidly Expanding Grocery Chain Has Big Plans For MA

Sprouts Farmers Market is slated to launch up to 40 locations throughout the region in the coming years. Construction has begun for the first Massachusetts spot in Weymouth, which has an opening date of 2028. The Phoenix-based organic grocery chain has more than 480 stores in 25 states.

Saturday’s Meteorite Was ‘Fishy Squisher’ And NASA Knows Where To Find It In Cape Cod Bay

Advertisement

Data from NASA suggest fragments of the meteorite lie in waters from the middle of the bay to about 10 miles northeast of the town of Sandwich. The agency said late Saturday it picked up radar signatures of the fragments from four radar sites, and termed the strike a “fishy squisher.” The meteorite entered Earth’s atmosphere about 40 miles above the Bay State and southern New Hampshire, creating the sonic boom. Water in the bombarded portion of Cape Cod Bay is about 100 feet deep.

35K Without Power As Winter-Like Storm Pummels MA With 55+ MPH Winds

Massachusetts residents throughout the North Shore were without power on Saturday morning as a winter-like storm tore a path of tree damage, downpours, and fierce winds throughout New England. Widespread tree damage was reported across the state, with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reporting 34,228 customers without power as of 11:20 a.m. Wind speeds reached a high of 55 miles per hour. Temperatures dropped into the 40s with wind chills in the 30s as the storm arrived across the Bay State. The unsettled weather will continue through Monday and Tuesday before a warming trend takes hold later in the week.

See Also:

Cape Shoreline Named Among The Nation’s 10 Best, According To ‘Dr. Beach’

Advertisement





Source link

Continue Reading

Massachusetts

Markey wins Mass. Dems’ endorsement as Moulton clears ballot hurdle in Senate race

Published

on

Markey wins Mass. Dems’ endorsement as Moulton clears ballot hurdle in Senate race


U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, a moderate Massachusetts Democrat, secured enough delegate support Saturday to appear on the state’s primary ballot as he challenges incumbent U.S. Sen. Ed Markey in this year’s Senate race.

Yet even though Moulton cleared a key hurdle to continue his Senate bid, it was Markey who won the party’s endorsement after winning more than 50% of the delegation’s support.

“You have a choice, you have to decide what the future looks like and what you’re going to demand,” Markey said Saturday in front of more than 4,000 delegates.

Markey won nearly 73% of the delegates’ support, while Moulton won nearly 27% of the vote. Massachusetts Democratic Party rules require statewide candidates to get at least 15% of delegate support to appear on primary ballots.

Advertisement

In heavily Democratic Massachusetts, the Senate primary contest is one of the most closely watched in the country as Moulton, 47, has centered his campaign on changing the status quo and demanding a generational shift in leadership.

If reelected, Markey would be 80 before his third six-year term would begin. While Markey has touted his stamina and embrace of progressive policies, questions about age have continued to swirl around Democratic candidates as they fight to take back control of Congress.

Incumbent Sen. Ed Markey is leading Rep. Seth Moulton, but if Rep. Ayanna Pressley were to enter the Democratic primary, it would change the picture, according to a new poll from Suffolk University and The Boston Globe.

In his nomination speech, Moulton argued that the Democratic Party needed more than “incremental change” and needed to start anew.

“It’s time for the generation that grew up with the internet, and will have to live for decades with AI, to lead our way through it,” Moulton said.

Advertisement

Moulton only addressed his opponent briefly during his nomination speech, giving a passing nod on not waiting another six years for generational change and later calling on Markey to participate in multiple debates before the September primary. Currently, the two candidates have agreed to participate in one debate later this summer.

Markey, instead, took a more critical approach by attacking Moulton’s previous comments about transgender kids and accepting corporate PAC money.

“Massachusetts deserves better than a senator who scapegoats trans kids,” Markey said to loud cheers.

In 2024, Moulton caught flak from some members of his party for saying he didn’t want his daughters playing in sports against transgender girls. Critics said Moulton echoed Trump’s talking points against allowing transgender athletes in girls’ and women’s sports.

Moulton has since said his intent with that statement “was to point out that, as a party, we need to be willing to have difficult conversations.”

Advertisement

Moulton, who enlisted in the Marines after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and served four tours of duty in Iraq, was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. He briefly launched a 2020 presidential campaign, but he dropped that bid after a few months.

Markey served as a Massachusetts congressman for nearly 40 years before winning the Senate seat in 2013. He fended off a challenge in 2020 from Rep. Joe Kennedy III in the Senate primary by turning to his progressive allies to overcome a challenge from a younger rival from America’s most famous political family.

The Massachusetts primary is Sept. 1.



Source link

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Massachusetts

Randolph woman wins $1M lottery prize, plans to use winnings for home improvements

Published

on

Randolph woman wins M lottery prize, plans to use winnings for home improvements


RANDOLPH, Mass. (WWLP) – A Randolph resident has won a $1 million prize through the final drawing of the Massachusetts State Lottery “$4,000,000 Monopoly Doubler” instant ticket game.

Brenda Mellor of Randolph claimed the game’s tenth and final $1 million prize.

Brenda Mellor of Randolph. (Courtesy of the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission)

She selected the cash option and received a one-time payment of $650,000 before taxes. Mellor said she plans to use the winnings to pay for home improvements, including renovations to her roof and pool.

The winning ticket was purchased at The Variety Store at 2 Mazzeo Drive in Randolph. The retailer will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the ticket.

Advertisement

Local News Headlines