Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAy, JAnUARy 23, 2026 ~ Saugus Winter Sports Roundup: learning curves, league tests and signs of traction ~ By Dom Nicastro becomes,” she said. A s January grinds on and league play tightens, Saugus High School winter teams are getting a clearer sense of who they are — and what still needs to travel when the competition ramps up. The Sachems are being tested by some of the strongest programs in the Northeastern Conference and beyond while progress shows up in effort, defensive identity and flashes of confidence that hint at what’s still possible in the second half of the season. GIRLS’ BASKETBALL: EXECUTION GAPS, GROWTH MOMENTS AGAINST DIVISION 2 CONTENDERS Saugus girls’ basketball faced a challenging stretch last week, dropping games to Masconomet (47-32) and Arlington Catholic (60-29), two of the tougher Division 2 matchups on the schedule. The losses pushed the Sachems further into the midseason grind at 3-6, but Head Coach Taylor Bogdanski saw encouraging signs beneath the final scores. “I feel like our defense was good,” Bogdanski said. “I feel like they just hit shots, and we just didn’t. I think that’s really what it came down to — shot percentage and accuracy.” Against Arlington Catholic, Bogdanski said, the game plan was sound, even as the shots refused to fall. “Great looks too,” she said. “They just weren’t falling.” Saugus sophomore John Morello earned player of the game honors with four points against Everett last week. (Advocate photo by Emily Harney) Rather than focusing solely on the scoreboard, Bogdanski said, her emphasis was on execution, adaptability and effort — especially against high-level opponents. “What I care about most was if they were adjusting,” she said. “Are you playing defense? Are you being a presence? Are we running the offensive plays that we have and getting good looks? I was looking for the execution of doing what we know best.” Bogdanski credited Arlington Catholic’s ability to make difficult shots despite strong defensive pressure. “They killed us on their 3-point shots,” she said. “We were right there in their face. Sometimes you’ve got to give credit where credit’s due.” The Masconomet loss came under Law Offices of JOSEPH D. CATALDO, P.C. “ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW” • ESTATE/MEDICAID PLANNING • WILLS/TRUSTS/ESTATES • INCOME TAX PREPARATION • WEALTH MANAGEMENT • RETIREMENT PLANNING • ELDER LAW 369 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 (617)381-9600 JOSEPH D. CATALDO, CPA, CFP, MST, ESQUIRE. AICPA Personal Financial Specialist Designee difficult circumstances, with several players battling illness. “A lot of our girls were sick and not feeling well,” Bogdanski said. “Masco broke us down. Really good offensively. They hit the gaps that we were leaving open.” Offensively, Peyton DiBiasio and Katie Hashem led Saugus in both losses, while Natalie Justice made her presence felt. “Natalie Justice played a huge presence inside the paint for us against Arlington Catholic defensively,” Bogdanski said. As the Sachems approach a pivotal week against Salem, Beverly and Manchester Essex, Bogdanski has been direct with her team about what’s at stake. “This is a huge week for us,” she said. “It really could go in our favor if we show up.” A major part of that preparation has come in practice, where Bogdanski and assistant coach Emma Found — a former Worcester State player and All-Conference standout at Matignon — have been jumping into drills themselves. Bogdanski had a fine playing career at Endicott College. “Sometimes her and I will throw ourselves in there and play with them,” Bogdanski said. “We’ll get in their faces and make them work.” Bogdanski’s message remains consistent. “The harder you play defense, the better our offense BOYS’ BASKETBALL: DEFENSE HOLDING, OFFENSE STILL CATCHING UP Saugus boys’ basketball continued its run through one of the NEC’s toughest stretches, falling 68-35 to Masconomet, a top 10 Division 2 team, while showing signs of progress in competitiveness and defensive structure. Huey Josama led the Sachems with 10 points, while Ryan Shea added nine. Despite the margin, Head Coach Joe Bertrand said his team remained engaged early. “We competed with them,” Bertrand said. “We were down six at the end of the first quarter. We kept them under 30 points in the first half.” Scoring consistency remains the primary hurdle. “It’s the same story with us right now,” Bertrand said. “We kind of struggled to score. I think part of it is turning the ball over a lot, so we’re just getting less opportunities to actually shoot.” Bertrand pointed again to defense as a stabilizing force as Saugus works through a brutal stretch that includes Masconomet, Salem and Beverly. “Our defense is playing really well,” he said. “Kids are working hard.” Despite the losses, Bertrand believes these matchups are laying the foundation for the stretch run. “This Masco game and then these games this week are just going to get us ready for that second half of the season,” he said. BOYS’ HOCKEY: OFFENSIVE DEPTH SHOWS, CONSISTENCY REMAINS THE FOCUS The Saugus/Peabody/Swampscott boys hockey co-op split a pair of games, rolling to a 9-1 win over Everett/Revere after dropping a tightly contested 4-2 decision to Masconomet. In the win over Everett/Revere, Saugus sophomore John Morello earned player of the game honors with four points, while Saugus junior Artie O’Leary added three. Peabody senior goalie Evan Tybinkowski made 25 saves. “I think we tried to roll everyone right from the start,” Head Coach Donnie Shaw said. “When we decided that we were going to take complete control of the game, we were very dominant.” ROUNDUP | SEE PAGE 13
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