THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, JAnuARy 12, 2024 Page 17 Tide girls’ basketball looks to bounce back after tough loss against Revere After games against Medford, Malden, Everett hosts non-league Lowell tonight By Joe McConnell T he Everett High School girls’ basketball team (24) began the new year with a tough loss against visiting Revere on Thursday, Jan. 4, 59-36. “We fought throughout the entire game, and really pushed it up court hard in the fourth quarter in an attempt to get back into the game,” said Coach Riley Dunn. “But we just couldn’t seem to bridge the gap in the end. “I was really proud of their hustle,” added Dunn. “Casey Martinez was our hot shooter in the fourth quarter, finishing up with 17 points to pace the offensive attack.” Captain Emilia Maria Babcock was next in line with 11 SAINRISTIL | FROM PAGE 1 hit me (that we won the national championship),” he said during the Tuesday night interview. “It’s still so surreal, especially with everything this team has been through this year. It’s been a roller-coaster ride. We had to go through a lot of adversity, but now to see it come full-circle after (many of us) decided to come back for the extra year to dedicate ourselves to win a national championship, this means evSeniors, shown from left to right: Taisha Alexandre, Malica Guillaume, Kaesta Sandy, Malaica Guillaume, and Gleidy Tejada Sanchez during Monday’s game against Lynn Classical High School. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) points to go along with four rebounds. erything to us. We definitely wouldn’t want to be a part of any other program or any other group of guys or any other head coach. “For me, personally, when I came back this year, I did everything I could to make sure that this team can be the very best it can possibly be,” Sainristil added. And the results speak for themselves to give the program its first national title since 1997. Labelled a “Michigan legFormer Everett High School Super Bowl hero and Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil (0) runs back his fourth quarter interception, which led to the clinching touchdown that helped defeat the Washington Huskies in the national championship game Monday night in Houston. (Courtesy photo / U-M Athletics) end” last year by coach Jim Harbaugh, Sainristil, a two-time captain and an All-American, is one of the fastest rising defensive backs on NFL draft boards. Harbaugh knows something about the NFL as a former quarterback and coach, and he’s pretty sure the Everett Crimson Tide product will have a bright future on the pro level. “They just don’t come any better than Mike Sainristil,” Harbaugh said in a recent press conference. “Playmaker, difference-maker; I bet if you check the NFL draft boards right now, he is rising to the highs, you know, of a firstround type of an All-American guy. He’s just a great guy, who’s down to earth, and heck of a football player.” There was plenty of celebrating on tap back at the hotel for the players and their families Monday night after the championship game. The team then headed back to Michigan Tuesday night, where they were greeted by a celebratory student body on campus, before unwinding in “We have since been looking to regroup to get ready for the next three straight big games on the schedule,” said Dunn. “We are now ready for more games against our Greater Boston League (GBL) opponents (Medford, Jan. 9, and Malden, Jan. 10 after press deadline) and a great MVC (Merrimack Valley Conference) matchup versus visiting Lowell tonight (Jan. 12), starting at 7 p.m. The Crimson Tide girls will then be at Chelsea to go up against the Red Devils on Tuesday, Jan. 16, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Two days later, the Lynn Classical Bulldogs come to town for a 7 p.m. game. Everett’s lone two wins to date were against Chelsea (55-23, Dec. 14), and Lynn English (4332, Dec, 21). They lost to Lynn Classical the first time around, 36-26 on Dec. 18. Former Everett High School Super Bowl hero and Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil (0) hugs his mother, Raymonde, after the Wolverines defeated Purdue, 43-22 in the Big 10 championship game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Saturday, Dec. 3. One month later, Sainristil and his teammates went on to win the national championship, beating the Washington Huskies in Houston, 34-13. (Courtesy photo / Detroit Free Press / Junfu Han) Schembechler Hall. Through it all, Sainristil still found time to reflect on his Everett roots. “Being a member of the Everett High School football program for four years gave me an understanding of what a winning culture is all about,” he said. “I was then able to carry it over to Michigan, but I soon discovered it was two different levels between high school and college football. But the leadership part of it carries over (naturally) for players who know how to lead, and that alone allowed me to separate myself from SAINRISTIL | SEE PAGE 18 Michigan head football coach Jim Harbaugh celebrates with defensive end Josaiah Stewart (5) of Everett after the 27-20 Rose Bowl semifinal win over Alabama in Pasadena, Calif. on Monday, Jan. 1. The Wolverines went on to beat the Washington Huskies in the national championship game, 3413 in Houston on Jan. 8. (Courtesy photo / Detroit Free Press / Junfu Han)
18 Publizr Home