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10 WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 JULY 1, 2021 Sports FILE PHOTO | JULIA HOPKINS Despite a strong game on the mound and at the plate from Abby Bettencourt, the Peabody softball team couldn’t get over the hump in a loss to Billerica in the Division 1 North Final. Peabody sees unbeaten season come to an end in Div. 1 North Final SOFTBALL By Mike Alongi PEABODY — It was a close, back-and-forth game from start to finish on Saturday afternoon, but in the end the No. 2 Peabody softball team came up just short and saw its undefeated season come to an end in a 3-1 upset loss to No. 17 Billerica in the Division 1 North Final at Kiley School Field. The Tanners became the latest team to be upset by the cinderella Billerica squad, which beat three of the top 10 teams in Division 1 North — including No. 1 Woburn and the second-ranked Tanners — en route to the sectional title. One of the main reasons the Tanners fell short was the stellar performance of Billerica relief pitcher Analise Grady, who entered the game in the second inning and didn’t allow a single hit while striking out eight batters and only walking two. “We hadn’t seen a pitcher with a changeup like that all year,” Peabody coach Tawny Palmieri, who was a star on the last Peabody softball team to get to the North Final in 2006, said of Grady. “She was unbelievable, very hard to hit. We’ve been able to get big hits all year, but she came in and took the wind out of our sails.” Abby Bettencourt took the loss on the mound in relief, pitching five innings and allowing three runs on three hits with seven strikeouts. It was actually Peabody that struck first, taking a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Logan Lomasney reached first on a walk and then Penny Spack smacked an RBI single to put the Tanners ahead. The sequence forced a pitching change for Billerica, and Grady came in to shut the door the rest of the way. But still, Peabody held onto the lead until the top of the fifth inning. Avery Grieco got the start on the mound, but Palmieri made the switch to freshman ace Bettencourt in the second inning after Billerica started threatening. Bettencourt pitched her way out of a bases-loaded jam in that inning to keep the Tanners ahead 1-0. But in the top of the fifth, Billerica got a rally going when a single, a stolen base and a sacrifice bunt put a runner on third base. Samantha Gaona then laid down a bunt, allowing Kailey Roche to race home and slide under a tag to tie the score at 1-1. Two batters later, a bloop single brought home courtesy runner Molly Stanton to make it 2-1. The score remained there until the top of the seventh, when Billerica’s Zaria Saint Pierre smashed a solo home run to make it 3-1. There was a bit of controversy that arose after the homer, as Peabody coaches argued that Saint Pierre — who left the game in the fifth for courtesy runner Stanton — had not re-entered the game and should therefore be called out. After a long consultation with the rulebook, it was determined that the correct move was to issue a warning and keep the run on the board. The Tanners still had some life after that, bringing the tying run to the plate in the bottom of the seventh, but Grady once again shut the door and sealed the win for Billerica. Peabody closes its season at 17-1 and has a host of young talent returning to the 2022 team. FILE PHOTO | SPENSER HASAK Behind a complete-game shutout from Christian Loescher, the Bishop Fenwick baseball team won its second straight Division 3 North title with a victory over Stoneham. Bishop Fenwick captures second straight Division 3 North title BASEBALL By Daniel Kane STONEHAM — The Division 3 North title once again belongs to the Bishop Fenwick baseball team. The No. 18 Crusaders went on the road to No. 4 Stoneham Monday for the North final and walked away with a 6-0 win. The Crusaders have now won two straight Div. 3 North titles, having hoisted the trophy in 2019 as well. Christian Loescher was phenomenal on the mound, tossing all seven shutout innings and allowing three hits, four walks and one hit batter while striking out nine. “Christian really didn’t play a role the first few games,” Fenwick coach Russ Steeves said. “We’ve been lucky, we mercy ruled a couple teams. He’s been sitting there patient and waiting and waiting. Finally (Sunday) I told him, ‘it’s your turn. You got 115 pitches and we’re not stopping you until it’s done.’ I’m very proud of him.” This entire tournament run by the Crusaders came out of nowhere. Fenwick ended the season at 8-11 and struggled to hit the ball all spring. “I was telling the kids, I think there have only been four teams in the history of Bishop Fenwick to play in this game,” Steeves said. “I was explaining to the boys how hard it is to get here back-to-back. We’re an 8-11 team. We were struggling, hitting under .200. We were not a hitting club. If we had regular rules we wouldn’t have even made this tournament.” But over the last few weeks the Crusaders’ issues have vanished and, despite entering the tournament as a low seed, have looked more comfortable than ever. Fenwick hasn’t even allowed a run in four-straight games. “I think once they realized it was a new season and nothing mattered they came together as a team,” Steeves said. “I also think that, missing a year (in 2020), I had one guy over there that actually saw a varsity game before this season. The chemistry wasn’t there and it took a long time. You have to have chemistry and you have to have senior leadership for this to happen.” Scott Emerson (3-for-4) was on fire at the plate and added an RBI and scored two runs while Chris Faraca (1-for-3, sacrifice fly) had a pair of clutch RBI. Alex Gonzalez had an RBI and scored a run. Brandon Bloom, Gianni Mercurio and Tucker Destino all scored. Most of the damage was done in a four-run third inning. Mercurio’s walk sandwiched between singles by Bloom and Destino loaded the bases for Gonzalez, who laced a sacrifice fly to bring in a run. Emerson followed with his RBI single and Bloom scored on an errant throw. Faraca finished off the rally with another sacrifice fly to put Fenwick up 4-0. That was all the support Loescher needed and he was backed up by a Crusaders defense that was on point. Destino’s throw home after a runner tagged up on a fly ball to center in the sixth stood out on a day with plenty of big plays and was matched by a diving tag by his catcher, Faraca, to get the out. Fenwick tacked on a few more runs in the fifth for good measure. Faraca plated Gonzalez and Emerson scored later on a passed ball. Loescher ended the game fittingly with his ninth strikeout. “At one point right before the first game I told the seniors I can only guarantee them five innings,” Steeves said. “It’s the seniors that took over. They’ve been out of school for six weeks. They absolutely just wanted this.” Next up for the North champions is the Division 3 state semifinals, where they’ll face off against South champion Medfield Wednesday (4).
JULY 1, 2021 WEEKLYNEWS.NET - 978-532-5880 11 FILE PHOTO | JULIA HOPKINS After leading the Peabody girls lacrosse team with 47 goals and 37 assists, senior attack Haliee Lomasney has been named the Northeastern Conference Player of the Year. Peabody’s Lomasney earns NEC Player of the Year honors GIRLS LACROSSE By Daniel Kane Peabody senior attack Hailee Lomasney was all over the field during her final high school season this spring, and her stellar play was rewarded this week when she was named the Northeastern Conference Player of the Year for girls lacrosse. Lomasney was a massive contributor on the offensive end for the Tanners, scoring 47 goals and dishing out 37 assists. She also scored her 200th career point during the course of the season, notching it in a four-goal, five-assist performance against Beverly on June 1. The Peabody girls team took home other NEC honors as well, with Head Coach Dennis Desroches being named NEC Coach of the Year after the Tanners finished 10-4 and earned a first-round bye in the Division 1 North tournament. Peabody’s other big offensive threat of 2021, Amber Kiricoples, was named to the NEC All-Conference Team, as was Tanners goalie Olivia Lavalle. Swampscott had three All- Conference selections in seniors Harper Clopton, Reese Robertson and Elizabeth Green. All three will be off to play college lacrosse next year, with Clopton (University of Cincinnati) and Robertson (Kent State University) off to Div. I and Green (Ithaca College) off to Div. III. Two All-Conference picks came out of Marblehead in star goalie Elizabeth Driscoll and leading scorer Maddie Erskine — both of whom are seniors. Masconomet led the league with four All-Conference picks in Megan Bovardi, Emma Flynn, Emmy Clark and Robin Seymour, while Danvers’ Ashley Curcuru rounded out the All-Conference Team. The rest of the NEC girls lacrosse all-stars were Hailey Baker and McKayla Fisher (Peabody); Mae Colwell and Josie Poulin (Marblehead); Coco Clopton, Broghan Laundry and Jordan Waters (Swampscott); Breanna Stead (Salem); Eliana Anderson and Grace Brinkley (Danvers); Sarah Bernier, Jolie Dalton and Maggie Sturgis (Masconomet); Nora Kersten (Beverly). FILE PHOTO | JULIA HOPKINS Peabody’s Manny Costa and the St. John’s Prep wrestling team are now one win away from a Division 1 state title. Costa, St. John’s Prep move one step closer to a state title WRESTLING By Daniel Kane Six days after clinching a Division 1 North title, the No. 1 St. John’s Prep wrestling team had no trouble in the state semifinals, cruising past No. 4 St. John’s (Shrewsbury) 65-3 at home Monday. The Eagles got wins up and down the roster starting with the All-American duo of Tyler Knox (120) and Nick Curley (132). Also grabbing wins were Alex Schaeublin (106), Elias Hajali (126), Adam Schaeublin (138), Ethan Barnes-Felix (145), Rawson Iwanicki (152), Jordan Young (170), Garrett Dunn (182), Zach Richardson (220) and Charlie Smith (285). Now the Eagles have one more meet to check off in order to secure the Division 1 title. St. John’s Prep will host No. 3 New Bedford (8-0-1) in a battle of unbeaten teams Wednesday (4). New Bedford is coming off a 44-33 semifinal win over Minnechaug. Tanners boast two NEC All-Conference boys lacrosse picks BOYS LACROSSE By Daniel Kane The offensive firepower provided by Marblehead senior midfielder Will Shull helped power the Magicians all year long and it didn’t go unnoticed with Shull being named the Northeastern Conference Player of the Year for boys lacrosse this week. Shull was the offensive leader in goals and points for a Marblehead team that finished the season with a perfect 13-0 record and a Northeastern Conference North title this spring. He finished the year with 43 goals and 61 total points, both Conference highs. Magicians coach John Wilkens was at the helm for all of it and was awarded Coach of the Year honors. An area-high three All- Conference players were also honored from Marblehead. Senior goalie J.T. Monahan and sophomore midfielder Connor Cronin joined Shull on the All- Conference Team. Monahan finished the year with 113 saves while Cronin racked up 33 goals and 21 assists for a 54- point season. Junior Josh Robertson, who had a conference-high 31 assists and just trailed Shull with 60 points on the season, earned All-Star honors for Marblehead. Senior Matt Thompson (34 goals, 47 points) and long-stick midfielder Remy Poisson also earned All-Star honors. Peabody and Swampscott each had a pair of players earn All-Conference honors. Senior Jack Houlden tallied 31 goals and 43 total points to make the team for the Tanners along with senior long-stick midfielder Andrew Lucas. The Big Blue got All- Conference honors from senior defenseman Thomas Frisoli and senior midfielder Vinny Palmer (36 goals, 44 points). Saugus junior goalkeeper Kevin McMaster and Salem junior defenseman Jevon Beaver also earned All-Conference honors. Rounding out the All- Conference Team was Beverly’s Jaxon Thomas, Danvers’ Christian Harvey and Masconomet’s Keo Kiriakos. The rest of the NEC boys lacrosse all-stars were Kyle Oliphany (Beverly), Jake Mair (Masconomet), Max Rosenbaum (Masconomet), Anthony Bettencourt (Peabody), Keenan Madden (Peabody), Matt Hurley (Winthrop), Christian Burke (Danvers), Nate Sher (Danvers), Nick Tavares (Danvers), Robbie Schuster (Gloucester), PJ Zappa (Gloucester), Riley Sullivan (Salem), Devon Burke (Saugus), Aidan Breault (Swampscott) and Angelo Ciciotti (Swampscott).
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