Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 17, 2025 ~ Saugus Fall Sports roundup: Volleyball eyes tournament push, soccer squads stay hot ~ By Dom Nicastro A s the fall season winds down, Saugus High School sports teams are making a strong case for postseason play. Volleyball is grinding through a packed week in pursuit of a tournament berth, while both soccer teams continue to find their rhythm in conference play GIRLS VOLLEYBALL: MABEE RETURNS AS SACHEMS CHASE POSTSEASON The Saugus girls volleyball team is 6-8 overall heading into its most crucial stretch of the season. With just six matches remaining, the Sachems must win four to qualify for the state tournament. Head coach Mikayla Niles said the team has been playing well despite a tough run of road games and close losses. “We lost a tough one at Stoneham where we missed 17 serves out of three sets and basically handed that one away,” Niles said. “But we’ve been battling. The girls are itching to play them again.” A key development has been the return of senior captain and top setter Ally Mabee, who missed several weeks with an ankle injury. “Her first game back was against Winthrop, and she had a dynamite game,” Niles said. “It was good to have her presence back.” With Mabee back setting, junior Aiyana Cruz has shifted to her natural hitting position. “She’s a really good hitter and a great passer, so having her back in that role has been huge,” Niles said. Freshman middle hitter Ava Foley continues to impress in her debut season. “Her hitting percentage is phenomenal,” Niles said. “You’d never know she’s a freshman—she’s picked things up fast and plays like she’s been doing this for years.” Saugus faces a grueling four-match week with home games against Swampscott, Marblehead and Everett before a Saturday rematch at Stoneham. “We’re a better home team,” Niles said. “If we play the way we can, we can win four out of six and get in.” BOYS’ SOCCER: TWO STRAIGHT CONFERENCE WINS The Saugus boys’ soccer team has built momentum with back-to-back conference victories. After beating Gloucester 3-0 last week, the Sachems topped Salem 3-1. Goals came from Antonio Flores, Otávio Patrício and Otávio Lima, with an assist from sophomore Ryan DeSousa. The wins moved Saugus to 3-7-1 overall after 11 matches, and head coach Joshua Crespo praised the team’s improved attack and organization. GIRLS’ SOCCER: SENIOR NIGHT CELEBRATION AND STEADY GROWTH The girls’ soccer team continued its strong second half with a 6-1 win over Salem on senior night and a hard-fought 2-1 loss to Beverly that showed how far the Sachems have come. Against Salem, Sydney Deleidi scored the first two goals of the night, while seniors Shawn and Shalyn Sewell combined for three goals and two assists. Senior Natalie Justice scored directly from a corner kick that bent into the top corner, capping a dominant night. Two nights later, Saugus nearly avenged its early-season 8-2 loss to Beverly, falling just 2-1. “We came prepared this time,” head coach April Martinez said. “We dominated most of the game, even being down two defenders. It was a team win. Everyone came ready to play and did their job.” Shawn Sewell scored the lone goal off a Justice corner kick and is now just six points away from 100 for her career. “I’m very proud of how far this team has come,” Martinez said. “We’ve now proven we can go toe-to-toe with anyone in this league.” Football Sachems battles to the end but falls 20–14 to Salem S By Dom Nicastro augus came within one possession of its first Northeastern Conference win of the season last Friday night, but a late push fell short as Salem held on for a 20-14 victory in Northeastern Conference play at Bertram Field in Salem. The Sachems kept the game tight throughout, highlighted by big plays from quarterback Eli Fialho, captain Jordan Rodriguez and receiver Paxton Ferraro, but a fourth-quarter Salem touchdown ultimately proved decisive. After a scoreless opening quarter, Salem struck first when Kendal Murga broke loose from the 6-yard line to give the Witches a 6-0 lead midway through the second. Moments later, Saugus answered on defense. Jordan Rodriguez jumped a pass near midfield, snatched it over the intended receiver’s helmet, and sprinted 65 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 6-6. The score stood through halftime. Saugus coach Steve Cummings said that type of play defined Rodriguez’s impact. “He kind of went up over a kid, took the ball off his helmet, and then hit the ground. And, you know, had the wherewithal to keep his balance, turn the other way and go for a touchdown,” Cummings said. “One of the most impressive plays I’ve seen a high school kid make on the defensive side of the ball in a very long time.” Saugus had chances early in the second half but failed to capitalize, turning the ball over on downs and punting on consecutive drives. Salem made it count. Facing 4th-and-10 at the Saugus 25 on the first play of the fourth quarter, the Witches converted on a screen pass for a touchdown to go ahead 13-6. “They hit us on a screen, on a fourth down, on what was the first play of the fourth quarter, and that was pretty much the difference in the ball game,” Cummings said. Salem extended the margin when quarterback Jake Lister kept it on a run from 45 yards out to make it 20-6 with just over five minutes remaining. Saugus kept fighting. With 2:34 to play, Eli Fialho found Paxton Ferraro on a crossing route that turned into a 60-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 20-12. The two-point conversion pass to Ryan Shea made it 20-14, but Salem was able to run out the clock on its next possession. Cummings praised Ferraro’s emergence. “Eli hit Paxton Ferraro on a crossing route that … I didn’t realize Paxton had those kinds of wheels because he took it … I was thinking it was gonna be like a 20-yard gain, but Paxton had other ideas,” he said. “The safety for Salem kind of looked like he had the angle on him, and then he completely changed his angle when he realized that Paxton was going so fast.” Cummings added that Ferraro “made a huge catch in the first quarter on a thirdand-12 to keep our opening drive alive,” calling him “one of those guys that’s just showing up and making plays.” Alongside Rodriguez’s interception return, Pharaoh Brandenburg drew praise for his effort on the edge, and Ryan Moreira continued to emerge with consistent play. “Pharoah Brandenburg was really, really stout for us on the edge on Friday night ,” Cummings said. “Ryan Moreira is another kid who’s kind of—you see the light going on. He’s starting to realize his ability and what he’s able to bring to the table.” The Sachems (1-4) now prepare to visit Gloucester (5-1) on Friday, Oct. 17, at 7 p.m. The Fishermen, one of the NEC’s most experienced teams, are coming off their first loss of the season (2822 to Swampscott) but remain among the league’s most physical squads. “Gloucester is one of those teams that … it’s like the same kids on film that we’ve been watching for three years,” Cummings said. “They have a very, very good senior class this year. It’s kids that have been playing varsity football for three years. So this is kind of like their time.” Cummings noted that Swampscott’s recent upset of Gloucester reflected how tight the NEC remains. “I think a lot of people wrote Swampscott off a little too early … they schedule tough,” he said. “With Gloucester, they’re kind of back to being that traditional wing-T Gloucester, and we know it’s not going to be easy.”
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