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THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MArCH 8, 2024 Page 11 From aspirations to milestones: Saugus girls basketball’s journey forward By Dom Nicastro F irst-year head coaches often find themselves facing a steep learning curve, tasked with not only crafting a winning strategy but also fostering team spirit and individual talent. Such was the case for the Saugus High School girls basketball team, under the fresh leadership of new head coach Joe Lowe, who embarked on a journey filled with aspirations, challenges and significant milestones. As the season unfolded, the initial goals were set high: to clinch the league title and secure a home game in the playoffs. Check and check. Saugus won the Northeastern Conference, finished with a regular-season record of 13-7 and beat North High of Worcester, 58-12, at home in the opening round of the Division 3 North state tourney. Despite falling short, 6034, in the next round of the single-elimination against a formidable opponent, Dover-Sherborn, the team’s tenacity and hard work were unmistakable, marking a promising start to Lowe’s tenure. Saugus this winter broke through a long-standing postseason drought, securing its first tournament game victory in recent years — a testament to the team’s grit and determination. This landmark win not only elevated the team’s morale but also signified a pivotal moment for the program, suggesting a bright future ahead. ROUNDUP | FROM PAGE 10 Alex Modini Kalebe Mendes Conor Bloom Roberto Garay-Morales* Shane Bourque* Kason Imbrogna* Ryan Laws* Koby Jette Jake Kelley Cam Marchand* *Indicated earned a PR at this meet in their respective races Kaeleb Mathieu took sixth place in the 55-meter dash, sixth place in long jump. Shane Bourque had a sixth place in 300-meter. Destiny Okoye added a last couple of weeks. “We had two games get Bottom row, shown from left to right: Juliana Powers, Ella Castle, Madison Botta, Capt. Ashleen Escobar, Ana Silva, and Taylor Deleidi. Front row, shown from left to right: Assistant Coach Brablc, Assistant Coach Norma Waggett, Ashleigh Moore, Capt. Jessica Bremberg, Amelia Pappagallo, Devany Millerick, Madi Femino, Peyton DiBiasio, and Head Coach Joseph Lowe. Key players like Peyton DiBiasio and Ella Castle emerged as standout postseason performers, exemplifying the fruits of focused player development and a culture of encouragement and hard work instilled by their coach. “Our goal was to win the league and make the playoffs with a home game,” Lowe said. “I feel the team did work hard towards that goal although we ultimately fell short losing to Dover-Sherborn and making a run.” Lowe and the Sachems are hungry for more. Saugus has been pretty successful with wins in the last six or seven years, the coach said. However, he thinks the team sixth place in the 55-meter dash and a second place in high jump. T he Saugus g ir ls 4x200-meter relay team of Okoye, Soraya Mathieu, Angie Lopez and Savanna Ceruolo finished in sixth. Cameron Marchand (mi le) , Soraya Mathieu (55-meter dash) and Okoye (55-meter dash) all qualified at their respective levels for New Balance Nationals. Lopez, Ceruolo, Okoye, Soraya Mathieu, Kaeleb Mathieu and Bourque each qualified for the Division 4 State Championship, with Okoye finishing in eighth place in the high jump. needs to “not take a year off and get back here next year to string together multiple years and try to parlay it into a run next year.” Saugus had multiple contributors this year, and that seems to be a formula they want to stick with: team first. “I tried to encourage all the girls on the team to be aggressive and take shots that work for them in the flow of our offense,” Lowe said. “Ultimately their skill is really a result of what they do in the offseason and makes it a lot easier on me. Always the talent, not the coach.” Saugus will naturally miss its tremendous seniors: Juliana Powers, Ashleen Escobar, TOWN MEETING | FROM PAGE 5 4th place with the number of students, behind Revere, Chelsea and Malden, however it keeps the payment due in the same range this year as last year, including a sizable bond payment. Those extra funds that have been allocated for Voc School costs could be used in the Saugus system. A School resource officer would be a good use of the extra available funds. A look at housing zoning would also be a high priority this year. The potential revitalization of Cliftondale is a consideration. We still have an MBTA mandate for housMadi Femino, Devany Millerick, Jessica Bremberg, Ashleigh Moore, Amelia Pappagallo and Ana Silva. Saugus made a huge leap with the tournament win. What’s going to get the program to the next level of making a deep tourney run in a competitive Division 3 landscape? “I got the job late last year,” Lowe said. “Our plan is to pick up right after April break with weightlifting and open gyms. We have skill but being undersized we need to be stronger and faster to be able to compete.” As for challenges in his first year, Lowe said the biggest challenge was the schedule the ing to meet and the proposed vote to revitalize Cliftondale , which narrowly did not succeed due to a percentage requirement, but had a majority, would be a strong issue to consider. Saugus does need affordable housing for its existing citizens, both seniors moving out of large homes and children of existing citizens who want to live in Saugus. There is a shortage of affordable housing both for rentals and for purchasing. We frequently see requests for “in-law” apartments at the Zoning Board, because of a shortage of housing. Question Two: What do you consider the top priority postponed and were forced to be put on back-to-backs for league games with three in a week,” Lowe said. “It is really hard to have three in a week and not be able to practice like you need to with the intensity and focus. I felt we missed out on the reps we needed to get to be able to work on some things defensively.” Lowe said he’s very proud of the work his assistants did. Norma Waggett, a 1,000-point scorer in high school and at Salem State University, did a great job with the junior varsity as the JV team came a long way and got better each time, “which is all I want to see regardless of results,” Lowe said. “Coach Chris Brablc was great on the bench and stepped up with some great scouting reports as well as his great team-building exercises he always puts on.” Reflecting on his first year as head coach, how has the community’s support impacted the team’s performance and morale, especially during crucial games like the tournament victory? “I am so appreciative of the community for how they showed up to our home game but even more so all the people who took the time to travel to Dover-Sherborn,” Lowe said. “We had just as many if not more fans than the home team. Our student section showed up and gave the girls a good crowd.” for residents in your precinct as you prepare for the opening of the 2024 Town Meeting session? Robert Camuso Sr. One of my concerns in Precinct 2 I’ve been trying to stay a step ahead on is any development of the Caddy farm property & any potential impact to our neighborhood streets. Right now it’s quiet but I understand it’s Private property and yes eventually something is going to be built there. Cliftondale is already overwhelmed with traffic and congestion. Working TOWN MEETING | SEE PAGE 12

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