THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, MAy 3, 2024 Page 15 Say nr Sa a ~ SHS Sachems Sports round-Up ~ By Dom Nicatsro SAUGUS GIRLS’ TENNIS PICKS UP WIN OVER SALEM Saugus captains Maddie Riera at No. 1 (6-4, 6-4) and Maddison Casaletto (6-0, 6-4) at No. 2 picked up wins in a 3-2 win over Salem for Saugus. Saugus’ Jennifer Tran and Tameira Kempla-Brown also won their fi rst set 7-5 and then one of the opponents withdrew due to a shoulder injury. SAUGUS’ PHAN SHINES FOR NORTHEAST TENNIS Saugus Victor Phan won two more matches at fi rst singles for Northeast Metro Tech, one against Greater Lowell Tech and the other against Mystic Valley’s Co-Ed squad; they have a separate boys’ varsity team this year. He is 2-2. SAUGUS SOFTBALL DROPS TWO OF THREE Saugus lost a Northeastern Conference game and split Greater Boston League nonleaguers. It fell to Revere, 15-14, Tuesday, April 30. The team was 4-5 after nine games. Saugus fell to Salem, 153, in a five-inning, mercy-rule game. “Not sure why but we just didn’t show up to play in this game,” Saugus coach Steve Almquist said. “With Salem being a Divisional rival I would have expected us to be ready to go, but this was a very lackluster performance which for reasons I just can’t quite explain. We took a 1-0 lead and the game was close for three innings before Salem put it away with fi ve runs in the fourth and another fi ve runs in the fi fth. Taylor Deleidi and freshman Ari Chianca shared the pitching duties in this one with Taylor taking the loss. “Not a lot of good to report in this game though a silver lining was that I was able to get all 17 rostered players playing time including eighth graders Sabrina Tamburello and Alannah Duong who recorded their fi rst varsity hits,” Almquist said. “They along with fellow eighth grader Angelina Dow have been working very hard and all will start to see more time as the season progresses. Also, senior right fi elder Felicia Alexander launched her fi rst career varsity home run over the fence which was fantastic. Felicia missed most of last season with an injury, and she has worked very hard to make herself one of the top hitters on our team. She is such a great kid. and I am so happy to see her achieving success.” On off ense Saugus had six hits and the key contributors were as follows: Alanna Duong LF (1-for-1 w/RBI and run scored) Sabrina Tamburello 1B (1-for-1) Lily Ventre C (1-for-3 w/RBI) Felicia Alexander RF (1-for-2 w/home run) Ava Rogers 3B (2-for-2 w/run scored) SAUGUS GOT BACK TO ITS WINNING WAYS WITH A 5-0 WIN OVER LYNN ENGLISH. “This was a nice bounce-back win for us against a strong Lynn English team,” Almquist said. “We are still not generating as many runs as I would like but one was all that was needed in this one as Taylor Deleidi spun a gem on the mound.” She went the distance scattering three hits and recording a season-high six strikeouts. Her line was as follows: 7 IP 0 runs 3 hits 1 walk 6 strikeouts. “We struck early scoring single runs in fi ve of the fi rst six innings giving Taylor a bit of a cushion, and she took it from there retiring the side in order the fi rst four innings cruising to her fourth win of the season,” Almquist said. On offense Saugus banged out 12 hits and the key contributors were as follows: Captain Lily Ventre C (4-for-4) Senior Felicia Alexander RF (1-for4 w/double and run scored) Senior Kaitlyn Pugh LF (2-for-4 w/two runs scored) Freshman Sydney Deleidi 2B (2-for-3 w/ RBI) Senior Captain Ava Rogers 3B (1-for-3 w/double and two runs scored). Junior Captain Taylor Deleidi P (1-for-3) Senior Captain Devany Millerick SS (1-for3, RBI) “We have an extremely tough week ahead starting with Revere (15-14 loss), Beverly (after press time) and Marblehead on Friday. All of these are top-tier teams who have been playing very well and will require our very best effort if we want to contend. We are going to have to try to keep them close and maybe steal a game or two.” SAUGUS GIRLS LACROSSE BEATS VOKE Saugus beat Northeast Voke, 13-2, in girls’ lacrosse. Violet Hawley, Nina Penachio (fi ve), Juliana Scalis, Jessica Valley (two), Audrey Comeau, Brooke Diaz, Mara Faiella and Aly Mabee all had goals. Saugus also topped Gloucester, 8-3. Hawley, Penachio, Valley 1, Ashley Rezendes (two), Mabee (two) and Paige Millea had goals. y Senior Seni by Jim Miller How to Find Aff ordable Internet Services? Dear Savvy Senior, I was recently notified that the Affordable Connectivity Program, which subsidizes my monthly internet bill, is about to end. What are my options for fi nding aff ordable home internet services now? I’m 71 years old and live primarily on my Social Security benefi ts. Barely Getting By Dear Barely, It’s unfortunate, but without additional funding from Congress, the Aff ordable Connectivity Program (ACP) is winding down and will end in mid-May. For those that aren’t familiar with this program, the ACP is a government benefi t that has provided millions of fi nancially eligible households with a discount of up to $30 per month toward their home internet service, or up to $75 per month for households on qualifying Tribal lands. The ACP was initially born out of a pandemic-era program called the Emergency Broadband Benefi t in 2021 and replaced six months later by the longer-term ACP when Congress devoted $14.2 billion to the program as part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. More than 23 million households are currently enrolled in the ACP which has signifi - cantly helped close the digital divide, as aff ordability has been the primary barrier that has kept most ACP benefi ciaries from getting home internet services. But funds are almost out, and a sharply divided Congress has chosen not to continue funding the program, unless they change their mind in the 11th hour. What to Do Now? A good fi rst step in securing aff ordable home internet services is to contact your current provider to fi nd out if they off er any other discounts or low-cost services that fi t your budget. If not, you should shop around. The nonprofi t organization EveryoneOn has a National Off er Locator Tool that can help you fi nd low-income discounted internet services from providers in your area. Just go to EveryoneOn.org/ find-offers, type in your ZIP code and answer a few questions regarding your household fi nancial situation so the internet services you’re eligible for can be located. Some cities and states across the country are also off ering their own local versions of the ACP to help low-income households pay their internet. The best way to look for these services is by going to Google and searching for “(location) internet resources.” Check Lifeline Benefi t If you haven’t already done so, you also need to fi nd out if you’re eligible for the Lifeline program. Unlike the ACP, Lifeline is a permanently funded federal assistance program that provides a $9.25 monthly subsidy that can help pay your home internet, phone or bundled services (up to $34.25 if you live on Tribal lands). Only one benefit is available per household. To qualify, your annual household income must be at or below 135 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, which is $19,683 for one person or $26,622 for two. Or, if you’re receiving certain types of government benefi ts such as Medicaid, SNAP, SSI, public housing assistance, veterans’ pension or survivors pension benefi t, or live on federally recognized Tribal lands. You can apply for Lifeline online at LifelineSupport.org, via mail or through your internet or phone provider. Or, if you need assistance call their support line at 800-234-9473. Other Options If you fi nd that you aren’t eligible for any of the lower-income services, you may still be able to save on your internet by shopping and comparing. The best way to do this is at websites like InMyArea.com, which provides a list of internet providers in your area, along with pricing and download speeds. Most providers off er plans under $50 monthly, and you can often fi nd additional discounts for things like bundling with a cellphone plan or signing an annual contract. Another way to save some money is to buy your own equipment. Most internet service providers charge around $15 per month to rent a modem and router from them. But you can buy your own for as little as $100, which will pay for itself within the fi rst year. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. nior nior
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