Page 6 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 29, 2026 Crimson Tide Sports Weekly Notebook heads down the home stretch By Joe McConnell A near miss for Tide softball T he Everett High School softball team (9-11) missed qualifying for the postseason by just one game. The effort was there, but unfortunately it was just not meant to be in 2026. The Tide began the final week of the regular season with a loss to Lynn Classical at home, 18-4 on May 18. But two days later, they bounced right back to takedown host Somerville, 2310. They needed to beat visiting Cambridge last Friday afternoon (May 20) at Glendale, but the Falcons had other ideas to the tune of 17-4. “After a tough first inning, we still stayed composed, while continuing to compete,” said coach Stacy Schiavo. “Defensively, we settled down and made several strong plays from the likes of Victoria Cutler, Olivia Dresser, Lindsey Sylva, Juliette Romboli and Kyleigh Ridlon. Overall, I was proud to see them keep on battling to find more ways to score runs.” The Rams scored 13 of their 18 runs in that first inning to basically put this game away early. But along came the Highlanders to get them back on the right track. Victoria Cutler pitched six innings, giving up five hits and three walks, which resulted in six earned runs. She finished up with six strikeouts. The Tide scored three quick runs in the top of the first. Arianna Osorio-Bonilla and Meghan Comerford got the threat going with back-to-back walks, and Lindsey Sylva brought them home with a double. Sylva then moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on a fielder’s choice by Dresser. The Highlanders scored twice to trim the deficit to one when they came to the plate, but Everett widened the gap in the second with eight more runs to take an 11-2 lead. McKenzie Rivera got this scoring spree going by reaching safely on an error. Somerville then retired the next two batters, before issuing six straight walks that scored four runs. Bianca MoJ& • Reliable Mowing Service • Spring & Fall Cleanups • Mulch & Edging • Sod or Seed Lawns • Shrub Planting & Trimming • Water & Sewer Repairs Joe Pierotti, Jr. ran-Leal followed with a two-run double. Rivera, coming up for the second time in the inning, followed with another double that accounted for the final two runs in the frame. Somerville, however, scored four times in the home half to get somewhat closer, once again. Both teams were still putting up runs in the third. The Tide tacked on one, and it all began and ended with Comerford, who walked, moved to second on a passed ball and stole third, before scoring on another passed ball. Somerville then scored twice, but still trailed by four after three, 12-8. Everett then added four more runs in the fourth to double up its advantage, 16-8. Romboli led off with a double, and proceeded to steal third. Next up was Moran-Leal, who reached first on catcher’s interference. A Somerville error off the bat of Rivera loaded the bases for Morgan Salvi, whose double scored two. Rivera and Salvi were credited with the final two runs of the inning via passed balls. Romboli tripled home Ridlon S LANDSCAPE & MASONRY CO. Masonry - Asphalt • Brick or Block Steps • Brick or Block Walls • Concrete or Brick Paver Patios & Walkways • Brick Re-Pointing • Asphalt Paving www.JandSlandscape-masonry.com • Senior Discount • Free Estimates • Licensed & Insured 617-389-1490 Designing and Constructing Ideas that are “Grounds for Success” Landscaping in the fifth, followed by an RBI for Moran-Leal on a fielder’s choice that gave their teammates a 10run lead, 18-8. The Tide then scored their final five runs of the game in the sixth. Sylva came through with another RBI, along with Dresser and Romboli, while Moran-Leal drove home the final two with a clean hit to the outfield. Somerville came back with two in the bottom half of the inning, but it was too little, too late. The game ended after six, because of the mercy rule. “This was a great team win,” said Schiavo. “The girls stayed focused, kept hitting the ball and played hard the whole game. Lindsey Sylva, Bianca Moran-Leal, Juliette Romboli and Olivia Dresser all came up with big plays for us on offense, while Victoria Cutler gave us a solid game in the circle. I was happy with the way the team responded every time Somerville tried to come back.” But along came Cambridge in the season finale. Cutler went 3.1-innings after issuing seven hits, three walks and 10 earned runs. Mia Allen followed her to the circle, going the final three. She allowed three hits, six walks and six earned runs, while whiffing two. The game was tied at two after one. Osorio-Bonilla tripled, before scoring the team’s first run of the game on a delayed steal. Dresser also came up with a triple later on in the first, and was brought home on a single by Romboli that tied up the proceedings. But the visiting Falcons scored three more times in the second to take a 5-2 lead, and extended their advantage with two more in the third. They broke it open with 10 runs in the fourth to account for their 17 in the game. Everett managed two more runs in the fifth, when Sylva walked, and scored a short time later on another triple by Dresser, who then came home on a single by Ridlon. This game also ended after six, because of the mercy rule. “Cambridge came out swinging early, but we kept battling the whole game,” said Schiavo. “Arianna Osorio-Bonilla and Olivia Dresser gave us some big hits, while Lindsey Sylva and Bianca Moran-Leal made a few nice plays on defense. Even when we got down, we kept on competing, and never stopped working.” Teacher Appreciation Day at Glendale Park P rior to the Cambridge game, each Everett player gave a teacher a softball with a message written on it that expressed their feelings on how that teacher made a difference in their lives. Some thanked their teachers for always supporting them, or helping them through tough times. “It was a special moment that showed just how much they appreciated the impact that their teachers made on them, both in and out of the classroom,” said Schiavo. Girls tennis completes season with pride It was a rebuilding year for coach Courtney Meninger’s girls tennis team (4-14) after graduating 12 seniors in 2025, but the veteran mentor is still thrilled with their progress, despite losing the last three matches of the year against Revere (3-2, May 13), Mystic Valley (4-1, May 18) and Peabody (5-0, May 20). “This season was filled with hard work, growth and great team spirit from start to finish,” Meninger said. “The team showed determination, resilience and support for one another throughout every match and practice this spring. While we came up short in our final two matches against Mystic Valley and Peabody, the players continued to compete with pride. They never gave up. I’m extremely proud of all of my players for stepping up and playing wherever they were asked to play this season.” Meninger is thankful for her seniors, and everything they did to contribute to the program. “Their leadership, dedicaSPORTS | SEE PAGE 7
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