Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, NOVEmBEr 6, 2026 ~ SHS Sports roundup ~ Sachems football returns to action in consolation round; boys soccer wraps up difficult season, young golfers win tour titles By Dom Nicastro T he Saugus High football team is getting another chance to compete after two consecutive forfeits, while the boys soccer program is looking for answers following a winless season. Away from the high school fields, two young Saugus golfers captured championships on the U.S. Kids Golf Boston Local Tour. FOOTBALL SET FOR ARLINGTON CATHOLIC AFTER TWO-GAME LAYOFF After two weeks without a game, the Saugus High football team is preparing to return to the field Friday, Nov. 6, when the Sachems visit Arlington Catholic for a 7 p.m. kickoff in the opening game of a twogame consolation round. Saugus was forced to forfeit its previous two contests because of roster limitations, but first-year coach Greg Bluestein says the Sachems will have enough healthy players to finish the season on the field. “I’m hoping to have 19 to 20 guys for this week,” Bluestein said. Despite the challenges, Bluestein said the players have continued working hard at practice, with captain Paxton Ferraro setting the tone. “Paxton Ferraro, the team captain, he has been giving it his all every practice,” Bluestein said. “You know, making sure that he’s doing whatever he needs for the team. That’s his M.O. I would expect nothing less.” Bluestein said Ferraro has been a steady presence throughout a difficult season and praised the younger players for embracing increased responsibilities. One of those players is freshman quarterback Richie Nuzzo III, who has taken over snaps under center. Nuzzo has previous quarterback experience in youth football, and Bluestein believes his intelligence and willingness to learn will help him handle the assignment. “He’s been doing his best to learn a fast-paced game, but he’s played quarterback and youth football before, so he’s Saugus Youth Golfers Benjamin Battista, 5, left, and Thomas LeBlanc, 13, competed in US Kids Golf Boston Local Tour. somebody that I know he can step up and lead the offense,” Bluestein said. Bluestein added that protecting the young quarterback physically will be important as he continues adjusting to varsity football. Friday’s opponent presents another challenge. Bluestein knows Arlington Catholic’s Law Offices of JOSEPH D. CATALDO, P.C. “ATTORNEYS AND COUNSELORS AT LAW” • ESTATE/MEDICAID PLANNING • WILLS/TRUSTS/ESTATES • INCOME TAX PREPARATION • WEALTH MANAGEMENT • RETIREMENT PLANNING • ELDER LAW 369 Broadway Everett, MA 02149 (617)381-9600 JOSEPH D. CATALDO, CPA, CFP, MST, ESQUIRE. AICPA Personal Financial Specialist Designee coaching staff well, including head coach Brian Vaughan, and said the Cougars are a disciplined, athletic team despite their own struggles this fall. Saugus is 0-8. Arlington Catholic is 1-7, coming off a 48-26 loss to Bishop Fenwick. “ They’re well coached. They’re clean. They know what they want to run, and they run it well,” Bluestein said. The Sachems’ depleted roster has forced younger and less experienced players into important roles, but Bluestein said the program’s approach remains focused on developing fundamental football skills rather than overhauling its systems. “At the end of the day, football is about blocking and tackling,” Bluestein said. “That’s all it is. Everything else is window dressing.” With several players experiencing organized football for the first time, Bluestein sees the remaining games as opportunities to build a foundation for next season. “Fundamentals are king in all sports, but especially football,” he said. Saugus will learn its second consolation-round opponent following this weekend’s games before concluding its season on Thanksgiving. BOYS SOCCER FINISHES WINLESS SEASON The Saugus High boys soccer team closed a difficult fall campaign without a victory, finishing 0-17-2 and leaving coach Crespo searching for answers after a season that fell well short of expectations. The Sachems’ two ties came against Salem, 2-2, on Sept. 30 and Essex Tech, 0-0, on Oct. 7. Saugus ended the season with a 4-1 loss to Northeast Metro Tech on Oct. 31. Several games were competitive, including one-goal losses to Salem, Malden Catholic, Winthrop, Danvers, Gloucester, Tyngsborough and Marblehead. But the Sachems were unable to turn those close contests into victories. Crespo said the results were particularly frustrating because he believed the team had the ability to compete. “Time for self-evaluation to try and figure out why things went so poorly as I know the talent was not the problem,” he said. “We were not a team that lacked talent. I’m led to believe it was more mental than anything.” YOUNG SAUGUS GOLFERS CAPTURE BOSTON LOCAL TOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS Two young Saugus golfers are making their mark on the links, with 5-year-old Benjamin Battista and 13-year-old Thomas LeBlanc each capturing championships in their respective age divisions on the U.S. Kids Golf Boston Local Tour. Battista competed in the boys 6-and-under division, finishing his season at Falmouth Country Club, where he earned the Tour Championship title. Playing nine-hole rounds, Battista posted scores of 42, 39, 44, 42, 44, 42 and 45 throughout the season. His best round was a 39. LeBlanc competed in the boys 13-14 division, playing 18-hole rounds. He recorded scores of 77, 70, 73 and 73 during the season, highlighted by a 70. His consistent play earned him the Boston Local Tour championship in his age group.
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