THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 6, 2024 Page 13 Saugus Sachems gear up for challenging season with new leaders at the helm By Dom Nicastro T he Saugus High School football team is preparing for a season of growth and challenges under Head Coach Steve Cummings. After the team chose to take its bye week at the start of the season, it gained an additional week of preseason practice, setting it up for a challenging opening against Cambridge Rindge and Latin on Sept. 13 on the road (6 p.m.). Three out of the first four games are on the road. The home opener comes on Thursday, Sept. 26 in another non-leaguer against Lynn Tech (6:30 p.m.). “We lost a lot of seniors last year, so we figured it would be better off to have the extra week of preseason,” said Cummings. Despite the youth and inexperience on the squad, the Sachems are optimistic about the season. With 45 players in camp – an increase from the 30s last year – the team has more depth to work with. This includes new freshmen and upperclassmen who’ve returned after a year or two away from the program. Cummings emphasized the importance of identifying new leaders to replace last year’s standout players like Braden Faiella, Tommy DeSimone and Isaiah Rodriguez, who were key to the team’s success. Last year, Saugus finished the season 5-6. The program ROUNDUP | FROM PAGE 12 “This year we look as strong as last year,” Martinez said. Saugus went 143-1 in the 2023 regular season, got an OT tourney win over North Reading and lost to No. 1-seeded Medfield, 1-0, in the Round of 16. “Their goal is to win their conference and make it further into the postseason than last year,” Martinez said. “I bring a different coaching methodology along with different formations and style of play. They seem to have embraced these changes and are hungry to win.” Saugus scrimmaged Bishop Fenwick and ended in a 3-3 tie. The Sachems were down 3-0 in the first Shown from left to right: asst. coaches Mark Poto and Edlyn Dos Santos, Head Coach Steven Cummings, asst. coaches Shane Rhuda and Greg Bluestein. (Advocate file photo) won one game total in 2021 and 2022 and about a handful over the last five. Starting 3-0 and finishing with an almost .500 record and five total wins in 2023? That’s progress. “We’re trying to find those guys in our program right now, whether they’re sophomores or juniors, to go along with the senior class that we have right now that can take the reins and push the program in the right direction,” Cummings said. This year, senior Cody Munafo (fullback/middle linebacker) and junior Kobe Jette (two-way lineman) have been named captains, both of whom bring significant experience and leadership to the field. “Those two really took some leadership roles in the offseason,” Cummings said. “They were on top of getting guys to offseason workouts, making sure the weight room was open, and those kinds of things.” At the quarterback position, the Sachems have competition brewing between Jordan Rodriguez and freshman Eli Fialho. The former got some significant playing time at signal-caller after Saugus’ starter went down. “Jordan Rodriguez is a fantastic athlete,” Cummings said. “He’s one of those guys that’s going to make a difference no matter where we put him on the field.” On Fialho, he said, “He’s a freshman, so we’re trying not half. The girls came out flat-footed but made up for it in the second half, the coach said. The team also scrimmaged D1 Billerica and lost, 2-1. Billerica scored the winning goal with two minutes left in the match. “The girls played much better than they did against Fenwick while missing two starters,” Martinez said. VOLLEYBALL OPENS WITH VICTORY Saugus girls’ volleyball began the 2024 campaign with a sweep of Whittier Tech. Junior varsity also won in a sweep. “Both teams played phenomenalto throw too much at him too quick. We’re trying to develop him the right way.” The Sachems’ schedule is daunting, featuring nonleague games against Cambridge Rindge and Latin, Wilmington, Lynn Tech, and Peabody on Thanksgiving. Peabody is in different divisions in the Northeastern Conference now, swapping with Swampscott, who will now play in Saugus’ portion of the NEC in a league game. Most of the teams on Saugus’ schedule have playoff pedigree. Cummings is eager for the challenge; Cambridge Rindge & Latin, a Division 2 playoff team last season, will test the Sachems right from the start. “We wanted to start ly,” Saugus coach Mikayla Niles said. “Each and every girl stepped up today in their positions when needed. Both teams played together and as a unit. Not a better opening-day game than how it went tonight. We’re home Friday for our first home game and hope to carry the same energy into then.” Two standout players would be middle hitters: senior Abby Wooldridge and senior captain Gia Saunders. Early in the second game, Saugus lost its libero to injury. With no backup libero to play both middles had to play back row. They did excellent back there with their passing and really stepped up to help the team out when it needed it, Niles said. our schedule out tough because we want to find out what we have, see what guys are going to bring to the table,” Cummings said. The Sachems’ NEC slate, although shorter, is just as formidable. With four league games against Gloucester, Salem, Winthrop and Swampscott – all of whom made playoff appearances last year – the team will need to be battle-tested if they hope to contend for a league title. Salem lost in the Super Bowl. “If you are the team that comes out of our league with a league title, I mean, you had to earn it,” said Cummings. “Once you get to the playoffs, you’re battle-tested.” FIELD HOCKEY WORKING WAY TOWARD FRESH START Saugus field hockey coach Barbara Guarente takes her young team into the 2024 season with hopes for a strong season. Captains are junior Audrey Comeau and senior Sami Sarnacchiaro. “We have not broken down the teams as of yet,” Guarente said. “We have not played in any games. We have 22 kids signed up with nine of them eighth graders. Our team is very young. We have seen great improvement with everyone during pre-season.”
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