Page 8 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, SEpTEmbEr 20, 2024 Saugus succumbs to Cambridge Rindge & Latin in 21-14 season opener By Dom Nicastro T he Saugus High School football team opened its season with a hardfought 21-14 loss to Division 2 playoff contender Cambridge Rindge & Latin on Friday night, Sept. 13. Despite a strong firsthalf performance, the Sachems were unable to hold off a second-half surge by the Falcons. Saugus showcased a promising start, powered by senior running back Cody Munafo’s two touchdowns. The Sachems controlled the clock with two impressive, time-consuming drives. The first drive consumed eight minutes over 80 yards, culminating in a crucial fourthand-goal situation. Munafo punched the ball in from two yards out, giving Saugus an early lead. Capitalizing on momentum, Saugus executed a clever twopoint conversion. A direct snap to kicker Connor Bloom caught the Falcons off guard, allowing Bloom to connect with sophomore tight end Paxton Ferraro in the end zone. The successful trick play put the Sachems ahead 8-0. “Our first drive was an eight-minute march down the field,” Saugus Head Coach Steve Cummings said. “We ran a little trick two-point play we’ve been working on all week, and it paid off.” The Sachems’ second possession mirrored the first, this time with a seven-minute drive. Munafo found the end zone again, this time on a 10-yard run, extending the lead. Saugus entered halftime up 14-7, displaying confidence on both sides of the ball. However, the second half told a different story. The warm, humid night took its toll on the Sachems, many of whom play both offense and defense. Fatigue and cramps began to set in, affecting performance. “In the second half, the humidity got to us,” Coach Cummings said. “We had guys cramping and playing 90 to 100 snaps. We just couldn’t find that extra gear to finish the game off.” Cambridge Rindge & Latin capitalized on Saugus’s fatigue, scoring twice in the second half to secure the victory. Despite the loss, Coach Cummings remained optimistic about his team’s effort and the experience gained by younger players. “We had a lot of guys playing major varsity minutes for the first time,” he said. “I’m really proud of the effort the guys gave. They fought and battled against a bigger Division 2 playoff team.” Defensively, the Sachems had standout performances from underclassmen. Freshman defensive end Jay Arnett was a force, recording two sacks and multiple pressures before leaving the game due to cramps. “They were having a really hard time blocking him,” Cummings said of Arnett. “He was tremendous for us all night.” Sophomore defensive end Paxton Ferraro also made significant contributions, including several batted-down passes and strong edge containment. “Paxton played every single rep on defense,” Cummings added. “He did a nice job setting the edge and showed quality play from a young guy.” Senior Wilderson Lafortune anchored both the offensive and defensive lines, showcasing his versatility and endurance throughout the game. ~ SHS Sachem Sports roundup ~ SAUGUS GIRLS’ SOCCER WINS AGAIN, BOTTA NETS 100TH POINT By Dom Nicastro S enior Madison Botta had two goals and an assist and eclipsed the 100-point mark for her career in Saugus’ 7-1 win over Salem. Botta started off the afternoon with an assist to Layla Manderson. Botta took the first corner kick of the game, and Manderson headed the ball into the back of the net. The second goal came minutes after from Botta off another corner kick. Shawn Sewell scored on an assist from Taylor Deleidi. Botta’s notched her 100th point from an assist from Shayln Sewell. Eighth-grader Georgia Condakes scored on an assist from Shawn Sewell. Natalie Justice got in on the action with a goal, and sophomore Maria Garcia added the final Sachems goal. “It was a great team win, everybody contributed,” Saugus coach April Martinez said. “We have been working hard moving the ball around and using our keeper.” Saugus was coming off a 3-1 win over St. Mary’s. The Sachems went down by a goal in the first 10 minutes of the game. The girls fought back, and Botta scored a goal off her own corner kick. Shawn Sewell scored the second goal off a corner kick from Namarking of St. Mary’s offensive players and preventing them from receiving the ball. “She understood the assignment,” Martinez said. Saugus fell to Masconomet, 7-0. “Even though we prepared for their strong offense, and watched game films, we were not able to match their speed and technical abilities,” Martinez said. “Nothing went right for us. We struggled to connect our passes and were not able to keep up with their speed of play. We will definitely learn and grow from this loss.” Saugus beat Gloucester, 7-0. Botta had two goals and two assists. Shawn and Shayln Sewell each had two goals. Sophomore Sydney Deleidi had her first goal of her varsity career. Lauren Mudafort and Tori Tum, up from the junior varsity, have been a nice addition. Madison Botta scored her 100th career point on Monday against Salem High School, where she achieved 3 points, 2 goals and 1 assist for her 100th point.(Advocate photo) talie Justice. Botta scored the final goal in the second half. Goalie Tori Carter played outstanding, saving 18 shots on net. “She is the main reason we were able to pull out a win,” Martinez said. Center back Manderson and Garcia were solid at centerbacks. Condakes played outstanding at defense man, SAUGUS BOYS SOCCER PICKS UP THREE POINTS Saugus tied Gloucester, 2-2. Goals came from Carlos Miranda with an assist from Captain Isaac Cesco and from Johny Castillo Avila with an assist from Cam Soroko. “This year we do not stop even if we are trailing,” Saugus coach Guillermo Sepulveda said. “In fact we play harder and faster. Our captains are very vocal and take charge of the field. We scored one early, controlled the entire first half but were unable to score. They scored two in the second half and we tied it with minutes to go. First time we did not lose to them in years.” Saugus improved to 2-2-1 after a 3-0 win over Salem. Castillo Avila scored two, and Cesco had the other. SAUGUS VOLLEYBALL WINS ONE OF THREE Saugus fell to Beverly and Salem. “The girls adjusted well and played the way they could play, but unfortunately Beverly just beat them out of the drive a little bit,” Saugus coach Mikayla Niles. Saugus rebounded with a 3-2 win over Medford. “One person who I would really like to congratulate is Aiyana Cruz,” Niles said. “I had to pull her up from JV to varsity when one of my players went down with a possible concussion and man, did she step up. She had a great game along with senior Olivia Chaisson, who also had a phenomenal game all the way around overall. SAUGUS FIELD HOCKEY BLANKED BY MASCONOMET Saugus traveled to Masco and fell, 4-0. The team played well, according to coach Barbara Guarente. Jordyn Riley-Deminiski had 12 saves. She had another 38 saves in a 6-0 loss to Gloucester. Looking ahead, Saugus aims to regroup and address the challenges faced in the opener. Coach Cummings acknowledged the need to manage player fatigue more effectively. “As a coaching staff, we have to find ways to spell guys a little bit more,” he said. “We need to get them off the field here and there so we can be fresh in the fourth quarter.” The Sachems will travel to Wilmington for a non-league matchup on Friday, September 20, at 6 p.m. Wilmington, a Division 5 team with playoff appearances in the past two seasons, presents another challenging opponent. “We have to go over there and find a way to beat a good football team,” Cummings said. “They’ve got a good program, and their coach does a really good job catering his play calls to the talent he has.”
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