Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 20, 2023 ~ The Old Sachem ~ The Golden Age Continues By Bill Stewart A fter four glorious seasons of Saugus football, we turn now to the 1942 season. The World War was on and living was difficult, with ration cards for tires and gas, for meat products and many other items. The products were necessary to be used by the US military in Europe and Asia. The season started with a 32 to zip win over Chelsea, 13-0 over Woburn, a 6-6 tie with Leominster, 14-7 over Gloucester, 34 to zip over Amesbury, 13 to zip over Melrose, 26 to zero over Revere, 34-13 over Swampscott, 6 nothing over Marblehead and 12-6 over Wakefield on Turkey Day, a record of 9-0-1. The Sachems scored 187 points for the season, allowing only 32 against them, and only Swampscott scored more than one touchdown. Harrington had 9 TDs and Shipulski had 4. The season saw outstanding defense from Wladkowski, Flaherty, Koschei, Goss and Daniels. The Sachems completed another Class C Championship. A Saugus team of Emma, Forti, Whyte, Parsons, Waugh, Pike, O’Neil, Herbert Johnson, Gould and Richard Johnson won the North Shore Invitational Cross Country Championship. The 1943 season brought some new talent to the Sachems, including Art Statuto – who went on to Notre Dame then the Bills and Rams in the NFL – Barressi, Waybright, Babcock, Reiniger, Dukeshire and Falasca. The state association moved the Sachems up to Class B after they destroyed five seasons of opponents. Saugus beat Chelsea 7-0, lost to Leominster 6-19, beat Beverly 20-6, Gloucester 20-0, Amesbury 6-0, lost to Melrose 0-6, beat Revere 1312, Woburn 20-6, tied Swampscott at 6, lost to Marblehead 0-13 and won the Thanksgiving match with Wakefield 7-0. Revere had been unbeaten before they met the Sachems. The Sachems went 7-3-1 in 1943. That year saw the Sachems team of Dan Sharp, Doug Waybright, Bob McCarthy, and Al Mason win the Mass. State High School Relay Carnival Quarter Mile Relay. They also finished first in the Northeastern Invitational High School Track Meet. The 1944 season was another great time. They beat Chelsea 7-0, Woburn 20-0, Beverly 20-0, lost to Amesbury 6-0, lost to Melrose 19-0, beat Newburyport 32-7, lost to Classical 9-0, and Swampscott 7-0, beat Marblehead 7-0 and tied Wakefield on Turkey Day. There were a lot of new faces from the tough teams before and the Sachems went 6-3-1. Doug Waybright was outstanding for the Sachems along with Frankie Pyszko. Their third season as Class B included another State Championship in 1945. They beat Watertown 13-0, Beverly 31-0, Chelsea 6-0, Amesbury 6-0, Melrose 13-0, Newburyport 31-6, Lynn Classical 24-13, Swampscott 32-0, Marblehead 25-0 and Wakefield on Thanksgiving 260. The Sachems scored 187 points, gave up 19 and had 8 shutouts. Captain Art Spinney led the team and went on to Boston College as a standout. After college graduation he played 11 years in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts, played in 2 Pro Bowls, and on a team that won 2 NFL Championships. Some new players included Charley Simpson, Bob Kane, John Quinlan, Dick Allen, Tom Sheehan, Gene Decareau and Jim Blundell. Eight Sachem players played in the North Shore All-Star game: Art Spinney, Dick Allen, Don Reiniger, John Quinlan, Bob Thurell, Bruce Waybright, Frank Pyszko and Bob Evans. The 1946 season had the Sachems playing a spring season game against Peabody, then again on Turkey Day. The Sachems beat Watertown 34-0, lost to Beverly 7-6, beat Chelsea 6-0, Amesbury 7-0, Revere 21-0, tied Lynn English at zero, beat Classical 1412, Swampscott 34-13, lost to Marblehead 0-7 and to Peabody 0-6. Saugus scored 122 points, gave up 45 and won 5 shutouts. Saugus had a cheering team of Hatch, O’Grady, ~ Political Announcement ~ Debra Panetta announces her candidacy for re-election to the Board of Selectmen D ebra Panetta of 1 Bellevue Street announces her candidacy for re-election to the Board of Selectmen. “It’s been my privilege to serve on the Board of Selectmen, and I would be honored to serve two more years,” Panetta states. Debra is married to Mark Panetta, and has two children, Mark Jr. and Sabrina. Debra is a graduate from Suffolk University earning a BSBA in Accounting, and she also holds a MBA from Northeastern University. She earned her Lean Six Sigma and her PMP (Project Management Professional) Certifications. Debra works for Victoria Realty as a Site Manager/Finance Director. She has over 35 years of accounting, JOHN MACKEY & ASSOCIATES ~ Attorneys at Law ~ * PERSONAL INJURY * REAL ESTATE * FAMILY LAW * PERSONAL BANKRUPTCY * LANDLORD/TENANT DISPUTES 14 Norwood Street Everett, MA 02149 Phone: (617) 387-4900 Fax: (617) 381-1755 WWW.JMACKEYLAW.COM finance, auditing, and real estate experience. She is also a business owner. Debra has served as a Saugus Selectman for the past twelve years, currently as Vice-Chairman; she served as the Chairman for five years. Debra was Secretary of the Cliftondale Revitalization Committee and served on the Master Plan Advisory Committee. She is the President of the Saugus River Watershed Council, past President, and member of SAVE, and is a member of the Historical Society, Saugus Business Education Collaborative, Friends of Breakheart, Women’s Guild, Conservation Law, and the Garden Club. She’s been endorsed by the Sierra Club and the North Atlantic, States Regional Council of Carpenters Local 339. Previously, Debra served as the Chairman of the Saugus School Committee, a five-term Town Meeting Member representing Precinct 5, and ViceChair of the Saugus Charter Commission. “Community involvement is something that my family and I strongly believe in,” says Panetta. Since taking office, Debra has been involved in many initiatives, including: • an increase in our bond rating to AA+ by S&P due to our strong economy and budget performance, saving taxpayers millions of dollars, • rebuilding of our parks, playgrounds, and recreational facilities, • accepted as a designated green community, • a record amount of funds in stabilization, • an increase in grant funding for public safety and recreation, • supported hiring police, fire, and public safety personal for a safer Saugus, • road and sidewalk improvements, and the • completion of the rail / bike trail. Debra believes that Saugus can continue looking towards the future with confidence and progress. She’d like to see: • continued strong financial performance in town, • additional progress made on building & staffing a West Side Fire Station, • completion of the Townwide Public Safety Fiber-Optics Communication System Infrastructure upgrade, • expansion of our parks, trails, and open spaces, • responsible, sustainable DEBRA PANETTA | SEE PAGE 8 Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Debra Panetta (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) “The Old Sachem,” Bill Stewart (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Joanie Allbee) Higgins, Boissonneau and Roberts, as you can see in the yearbook. Next week we will see the last of THE GOLDEN YEARS as the Sachems bring the Niccoles, Sardi and Richy on board. (Editor’s Note: Bill Stewart, who is better known to Saugus Advocate readers as “The Old Sachem,” writes a weekly column about sports – and sometimes he opines on current or historical events or famous people.)
7 Publizr Home