THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, FEbrUAry 21, 2025 Page 13 ~ Saugus High School Sachems Sports roundup ~ By Dom Nicastro SAUGUS BOYS BASKETBALL FINISHES SEASON WITH CHAMPIONSHIP APPEARANCE The Saugus High School boys basketball team finished 7-13 this season, ending its campaign in the finals of the Patton Tournament at Hamilton-Wenham High School. The Sachems fell to the hosts, 59-54. Ryan Shea and Huey Josama each added 18 points in the season finale. The Sachems’ seven wins improved on their four from a year ago. Saugus made the championship after its 77-45 win over Northeast Voke in the opening round. Shea led the way with 15 points, and Danny Zeitz and Ryan Dupuy each added 12 points. Saugus split its two games heading into the tourney. It fell to Peabody, 60-42, led by Cam Victor with 12 points and contributions from many players. Shea led the way with 28 points in Saugus’ 54-40 win over Minuteman. Jordan Rodriguez added 10 points, and Dupuy (seven) and Victor (six) contributed to the victory. SAUGUS GIRLS, BOYS TRACK CELEBRATES STRONG SEASON Saugus competed in the girls track Division 4 state championships at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston last Saturday. Soraya Mathieu, Destiny Okoye, Layla Manderson and Angie Lopez finished eighth out of 23 teams in the 4x200 relay in 1:53 in the Division 4 state meet. Okoye took sixth in the high jump at 5-0. Mathieu took 17th out of 24 competitors in the long jump in 15-0.75. “As the indoor track season wraps up, it is so nice to reflect on our accomplishments for the past 10 weeks,” Saugus coach Amy O’Neill said. “We started off winning our first meet against Winthrop with a great showing from both our boys and girls teams. This was an awesome way to kick off the season and really got the energy up over the next few very competitive weeks. We made steady progress with new PRs and more points each week and each meet.” The younger crew had a great showing at the HUGE UPSET WIN | FROM PAGE 12 of the season so we already got to see them play, and I think that helped ease any nerves. This was definitely good preparation for the tournament since they were ranked pretty high up and were a very good team.” Botta said the key to competing with Chelmsford and being able to come back and win was because of her team’s effort and toughness. “We are very vertically challenged compared to most teams so we have to overcome them with our constant pressure and aggression,” Botta said. “We are a team that pressed the whole game, and Saugus’ Justin Bremberg in the 5 spot. Northeastern Conference Freshman/Sophomore Championship with Pharaoh Brandenburg placing fourth in the 1,000-meter run and third in the high jump. Okoye placed first in the high jump and sixth in the 55-meter dash. Soraya Mathieu placed third in the 55-meter dash and second in the long jump. The girls 4x200-meter relay team of Okoye, Soraya Mathieu, Teaghan Arsenault and Sydney Ferreira we are very good in transition which is why we were able to come on top vs. Chelmsford. Going into the fourth, we were down eight, and we were able to put high pressure on them which ultimately made them tired and forced them to turn over the ball a few times, and we finished the opportunities.” Saugus is very strong defensively and can hold teams to Saugus’ Max LoRusso in the 3 spot. placed third overall. This successful meet was followed quickly by the MSTCA Division 4 State Relay Championships. The boys high jump team, consisting of Brandenburg, Connor Bloom and Kaeleb Mathieu, earned a fifth-place finish. At the Northeast Conference Championships, the girls 4x200-meter relay finished third. Soraya Mathieu placed third in the 55-meter dash. Okoye placed fifth in the high jump, and Bloom took fourth in high jump. “We remained competitive all season with a ton of outstanding individual improved performances and multiple state qualifiers,” O’Neill said. They included: • Brandenburg: high jump • Bloom: high jump • Okoye: high jump, 55-meter dash • Soraya Mathieu: long jump, 55-meter dash • Alesha Bien-Aime: shotput • Girls 2x200-meter relay: Okoye, Soraya Mathieu, Lopez, Manderson The season will officially end on Feb. 26 when sophomore Brandenburg will compete in the MSTCA Pentathlon, an event that showcases skill with athletes competing in the 55-meter hurdles, the 1,000-meter run, high jump, long jump and shotput. It has been many years since Saugus has had an athlete compete in this event, and we are excited for him to have this opportunity,” O’Neill said. Freshman Soraya Mathieu qualified for New Balance Nationals in both the 55-meter dash and the long lump. “This is a huge accomplishment as the standards are very difficult,” the coach said, ‘and she has worked hard, steadily improving all season, to qualify for both events.” SAUGUS/PEABODY WRESTLING COMPETES IN D1 NORTH STATES Saugus/Peabody wrestling had five wrestlers finish in the top five at the Division 1 North sectional event. They move onto the Division 1 State meet this coming weekend. • 120 pounds: Peabody’s Jackson Deleidi, fifth • 132 pounds: Peabody’s Landon Rodriguez, fourth • 144 pounds: Saugus’ Max LoRusso, third • 150 pounds: Peabody’s Mike Maraio, third • 157 pounds: Saugus’ Justin Bremberg, fifth a low score which helps, she added. “Our coach emphasizes stamina and being able to play hard through a whole game which we work on in practice,” Botta said. “This translates into the game because we are able to play hard and apply constant pressure which makes other teams fatigued. Overall it was a great team win, and I’m very proud of everyone’s efforts.” Against Dracut, Castle had a career night with 27 points on nine 3-pointers. Deleidi added 13, and DiBiasio had 10, including a game-winning 3-pointer in the final moments. Shay Sewell and Katie Hashem each added four, and Shawn Sewell chipped in with three points.
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