Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 3, 2025 ~ Saugus Fall Sports roundup: Volleyball battles injuries, soccer finds wins, golf keeps improving ~ By Dom Nicastro strong performance. Head Coach Josh Crespo noted the T he Sachems hit the midway point of their fall schedules with ups and downs across several sports. Here’s the latest from the fall sports scene for Saugus High School. FIELD HOCKEY: TOUGH STRETCH AGAINST WAKEFIELD AND GLOUCESTER Saugus dropped games to Wakefield (2-0) and Gloucester (6-0). Head Coach Julie Champigny said the Gloucester scoreline didn’t reflect how competitive the game felt, thanks largely to the play of goalie Jordyn Ripley-Deminski, who recorded 27 saves. BOYS SOCCER: SNAPPING THE SKID The Sachems earned a 1-1 tie against Northeast Metro Tech to halt a threegame losing streak. Senior Otavio Lima scored the lone goal, while senior center back Matheus Oliveira turned in a narrow field caused issues for both sides, but his team battled. “Unlucky to not have come out with a win, but it was good to get the tie and break the streak,” he said. Saugus then fell 3-0 to Beverly, leaving the team 1-6-1 as it heads into the second half of the season. GOLF: YOUNG PLAYERS KEEP SHOWING PROGRESS Saugus golf played two matches last week, falling to Winthrop (59-13) and Gloucester (44-28). Despite the setbacks, Head Coach Daniel Bertrand highlighted the effort from the program’s younger players. Against Winthrop, eighth grader Gavin Diozzi posted four points, and freshman Grant added three. In the Gloucester rematch, Saugus collected more points than in the first meeting, showing improvement. Junior Trey Riley won in the top spot, 5.53.5; senior Nathan Soroko earned a 5-4 win and Artie O’Leary tied his match. “We continue to trend in the right direction; proud of the leadership we have on the team,” Bertrand said. GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: RESILIENCE THROUGH INJURIES The Sachems dropped two of three matches last week, falling to Swampscott (3-0) and Danvers (3-2) before bouncing back with a 4-1 win over Lynn English to move to 5-4. Head Coach Mikayla Niles praised her team for pushing Danvers to five sets, something the program hasn’t done in more than a decade. “Everyone played phenomenal. There wasn’t even a standout star athlete. Everyone did their job and more,” she said. With captains Ally Mabee and Sophia Desmond both sidelined, younger players stepped in. JV call-ups Danielle Braga, Ariana Chianca and Casey Hanifan impressed against Lynn English, while junior Aiyana Cruz continues to shine as a setter. Pedro Spalenza also delivered with a long serving run. Both Mabee and Desmond have returned to practice and could rejoin the lineup soon. “We’re above .500 and chasing that magic number of 10 wins to make the tournament,” Niles said. “I’m proud of how everyone has stepped up.” GIRLS SOCCER: CONVINCING WIN OVER WINTHROP Head Coach April Martinez’s squad rolled past Winthrop, 6-1. Sydney Deleidi and Shalyn Sewell each had two goals and an assist, with freshman Lucia Giron scoring her first varsity goal. Shawn Sewell also found the net. Martinez singled out goalkeeper Lauren Mudafort for making the “save of the week” on a second-half breakaway. Defensively, Amanda Rezendes continued her strong form, while junior captain Maria Garcia anchored the back line. “Sydney and Shalyn continue to lead the attack, but I’m so proud of the way everyone contributed,” Martinez said. Sachems top undefeated Lynn Tech for first win of football season By Dom Nicastro T he Saugus High football team showed toughness, resolve and late-game execution Saturday night, Sept. 27, toppling previously undefeated Lynn Tech, 12–6, in a hard-fought battle under the lights at Manning Field in Lynn. Sophomore quarterback Eli Fialho stepped up when it mattered most, throwing two touchdown passes — including the game-winner late in the fourth quarter, a perfectly placed 4-yard strike to senior captain Ryan Shea near the goal line. “That ball to Ryan — I don’t know if you can place it any better,” said Sachems head coach Steve Cummings. “Ryan Shea, one-on-one near the goal line? I’ll take my chances with Ryan. He’s a phenomenal football player, and Eli put it in a place where it’s Ryan’s ball or nobody’s.” Lynn Tech struck first on a 35-yard touchdown run by Anthony Brown, grabbing an early 6–0 lead. But Fialho responded in the third quarter, hitting junior receiver Paxton Ferraro for a 24-yard touchdown to tie the game. The winning drive in the fourth began with another clutch throw from Fialho — this time to senior captain Jordan Rodriguez — that pushed Saugus deep into Tech territory. Two plays later, Fialho delivered the goahead touchdown to Shea. “We tell Eli, ‘You have athletes out there — use them,’” said Cummings. “He put the ball in spots where our guys could make plays.” After a shaky start defensively, the Sachems’ defense found its rhythm and shut Lynn Tech down the rest of the way. “They gave us problems with their size and speed — they have four or five backs they can give the ball to, and they’ve always got a really good line,” said Cummings. “Always a tough matchup.” But Cummings credited his defensive unit — especially the linebacker corps — for adjusting mid-game. “Defensively we gave up some decent runs and one touchdown, but then the guys started making stops all night,” he said. “At linebacker, we played very well. Coach [Greg] Bluestein dialed up a great game plan to read, react and go.” Junior Laith Haddad had a standout night. “Laith had two great defensive stops — he gets to where he needs to go,” said Cummings. “He went through their back on one of them. He’s really coming into his own. We’ve been kind of spoiled at that position the past few years, and Laith wants to be that next guy to take over.” Senior captain Nathan Santos also made his presence felt. “Nathan was fantastic, getting downhill and making reads. They both played very well,” Cummings said. Cummings also credited the offensive line — which included Nick DaSilva, Steph Cazeau, Laith Haddad, Moses Guadalupe Perez, Larry Barrows and senior captain Koby Jette — for springing big plays and keeping Fialho upright. “Chris Mazin and Pablo DeJesus had some good runs because of the line’s work,” Cummings noted. With the win, Saugus improves to 1–2 and now heads into Northeastern Conference play. The Sachems will host Winthrop (0–4) Thursday night at Serino Stadium. “It doesn’t get any easier with league play now,” said Cummings. “Winthrop’s always tough — Coach [Cadigan] does a great job. They run the Wing-T and throw in some funky formations. There’s always a wrinkle or two.” With only a short week to prepare, the Sachems know they’ll need to stay sharp. “It’s a Thursday night with one less day to get ready,” Cummings said. “But we know what’s coming — we know who they are. We’ll try to take that next step and pull out a game against Winthrop. Winthrop’s a solid program with a lot of success the past couple of years.”
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