Page 10 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2022 Saugus snaps losing skid with OT win over Hawks By Greg Phipps H aving dropped its seventh straight contest against Salem last Friday, the Saugus High School boys’ basketball team was in desperate need of a victory when it traveled to face the Essex Tech Hawks on Monday night. The Sachems got what they needed but it wasn’t easy. Tyrone Manderson, who has established himself as the team’s number one goto player on offense, finished with a team-high 14 points. But it was his stellar performance in the late stages of the game that was the biggest factor, as the Sachems pulled out a 4441 overtime win. Manderson saved Saugus from, perhaps, losing for the eighth straight time by knocking down a clutch three-pointer with just 14 seconds remaining in the overtime session. That basket gave the Sachems a 42-41 lead. Saugus added two more points to secure its first win since back on Jan. 25 at Danvers. The game was a nip-andtuck affair from the start. Sachems notch 11th win, clinch playoff spot S By Greg Phipps ince opening up the season by dropping three of its first four games, the Saugus High School girls’ basketball team has gone 10-4 and has earned a spot in the postseason tournament. The Sachems clinched the playoff berth by defeating Salem last Friday, and then reached 11 wins by knocking off Triton in Tuesday’s Senior Night contest. In the Salem game, eighth-grade guard Peyton DiBiasio connected on four three-pointers in the first half; she ended up with 20 points on the night to help lead Saugus to a 51-40 victory. Fallon Millerick netted 16 points, and Head Coach Mark Schruender credited Ashleen Escobar with a strong defensive effort. That win was number 10 on the season and catapulted the Sachems into this year’s playoff tournament. Saugus has played a lot of low-scoring, defensive games this winter and that was the case again on Monday night in an eventual 46-32 loss to Masconomet. Millerick Saugus’s Mark MacEachern collected six points in a loss to Salem last Friday. (Advocate photos by Greg Phipps) It was a tie game, 19-19, at halftime. The Sachems then built a five-point edge after three quarters, 31-26, before the host Hawks battled back to tie it at 35. Saugus managed just four points in the fourth period. But Manderson’s big shot in OT helped the Sachems escape with the victory, which improved their record to 7-9 overall with four games to go in the regular season. Other players who contributed offensively in Monday’s win were Ryan Anderson with nine points and Ryan Mabee with eight. In last Friday’s 56-38 home Saugus’s Ryan Mabee contributed eight points in Monday night’s overtime win at Essex Tech. loss to Salem, Manderson netted 16 points, followed by Mark MacEachern with six. The Sachems still have an outside shot at a playoff berth. But they will likely need to go at least 3-1 the rest of the way if they hope to accomplish that. The final stretch of games began with a contest at Peabody on Thursday (after press deadline). The Sachems then travel to Masconomet on Friday and host Manchester-Essex next Monday, Feb. 21. They finish the regular season on the road against Swampscott next Wednesday, Feb. 23. Saugus’s Cassie Israelson had a solid game in contributing to Tuesday night’s win over Triton. (Advocate photos by Greg Phipps) was the lone Sachem player in double figures with 12 points, and DiBiasio and April Aldred chipped in with six each. Schruender said the third quarter was the difference in the game. “We struggled to score,” he told the press. “But I liked our defense. It was some of the best defense we’ve played this year, considering how good Masco is.” The Sachems lost by 15 to the Chieftains earlier in the season. In Tuesday’s victory over Triton, Aldred collected 11 points to lead a well-balanced attack in a 58-47 triumph. Millerick added eight and Cassie Israelson was a strong contributor with three points and solid defensive play. The Sachems improved to 11-7 overall after Saugus guard Peyton DiBiasio poured in 20 points in last Friday’s win over Salem. Tuesday’s win. They traveled to play Lynn Classical on Thursday (after press deadline) and conclude the regular season with a home game against Swampscott on Tuesday night. Saugus Republican Town Committee holds meeting and caucus Rain date is February 19 he Saugus Republican Town Committee will hold a meeting and caucus to elect delegates to the Republican State Convention. This will be held Thursday, February 17 at 7:00 p.m. at the MEG Building (58 Essex St., Saugus). Committee offices of Chairman, Vice Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary will be voted upon during the meeting. Republicans who are registered Republicans as of December 31, T 2021, and reside in Saugus are eligible to join the Committee, serve as Committee officers and vote for Committee officers. This caucus will elect 28 delegates from Saugus to the Republican State Convention, which will be held on Saturday, May 21, 2022, in Worcester, Mass. Republicans who are registered Republicans as of December 31, 2021, and reside in Saugus are eligible to be elected as delegates. Attendance at this caucus meeting is not required; however, persons wishing to be elected as delegates must be nominated before or during this caucus. In the event of bad weather, this meeting and caucus will take place on Saturday, February 19 – location and time to be determined. For further information or to have any questions you might have answered, please email SunocoJim@gmail.com – or you may message on Facebook, either on the Saugus Republican Town Committee page or the private Facebook page to Jim Harrington.
11 Publizr Home