THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, NOVEmbEr 1, 2024 Page 13 Unified Basketball Team honors its members By Tara Vocino T eammates were honored during last T hurs - day’s Unified Basketball Senior Night against the Swampscott High School Big Blue Team at Saugus High School. They are coached by team liaison Leanna Walsh and Head Coach Mark Cox. Second season player Nicholas DeRosa was accompanied by his proud parents: Lori DeRosa and Joe. Second season player Max Muse was accompanied by his proud mother, Tracy Muse, during last Thursday’s Unified Basketball Senior Night against the Swampscott High School Big Blue Team. Third season player Adriana Camilo was accompanied by her teacher, Robert Bruzzese. Cheerleaders cheered on from the sidelines. Caitlin Soroko shot the ball. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) Football Sachems fall to Swampscott, struggle to find momentum By Dom Nicastro S augus High School’s football team suffered a tough loss last Friday night on the road, falling 56-0 to Swampscott in a Northeastern Conference matchup under the lights at Blocksidge Field. The Sachems, now 1-6, struggled to keep pace with the Big Blue, whose senior-heavy roster played with precision and speed, leaving little room for Saugus to gain traction. “That’s a quality team,” Saugus Head Coach Steve Cummings said. “I’m not going to be surprised if they end up making a really deep playoff run. They’re very well-coached, very solid, and you can see it in how their senior guys have been playing for three years. It showed Friday night.” The game’s first half set the tone, with Swampscott jumping out to a 42-0 lead by halftime. The Big Blue opened the scoring with a passing touchdown. On the ensuing kickoff, Swampscott recovered a fumble, setting up a 2-yard rushing TD. The Sachems’ defense, however, showed moments of resilience, with interceptions by Ryan Shea and Chris Mazin giving Saugus brief glimmers of hope. “Ryan undercut a corner route in the end zone – he reads the ball so well,” Cummings said. “I told him after the game he might be the best ball-hawk defensive back I’ve had in my coaching career. He just knows when to attack the football.” Despite these defensive highlights, Swampscott’s offense was relentless. Before halftime, they added two rushing touchdowns and another throwing. Saugus had its chances to put points on the board, including a near-touchdown pass from freshman quarterback Eli Fialho. The Sachems moved the ball at times but struggled to finish drives, an issue that has hampered them throughout the season. Reflecting on the game, Cummings emphasized the challenge of facing such a high-level team in a competitive conference. “Every week, it’s a different problem to solve,” Cummings said. “Swampscott’s spread offense is well-run and difficult to defend – they do a really good job with their talent and know how to get the ball to their guys in space.” Looking ahead, Saugus will focus on ending the regular season on a positive note as they prepare to face Chelsea on the road Friday (6 p.m.). With just four games remaining — including two consolation-round games in the coming two weeks — Cummings is urging his team to make the most of the time they have left. “We look at it like, we’ve got to use these games to get better,” Cummings said. “We know we could be sitting at 4-3 if we executed in bigger spots, but we’re focusing on how we can finish strong. Football’s one of those sports where, once you hang up the pads, that’s it. So we’re reminding our seniors that we have four games left. We’re going to give everything we have to send these guys off on a good note and give the younger players something to build on for next season.”
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