Page 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, NOVEmbER 13, 2026 ~ SHS Sports Roundup ~ SHS Sachems Sports Roundup: Sachems return to gridiron with spirited effort; girls soccer reflects on season of growth By Dom Nicastro T he Saugus High School football team returned to action after two weeks away from competition, showing plenty of enthusiasm despite a loss to Arlington Catholic. Meanwhile, the Sachems girls soccer team wrapped up a challenging fall season with an eye toward a brighter future after gaining valuable experience and developing its next group of leaders. FOOTBALL RETURNS TO ACTION AFTER TWOWEEK LAYOFF After two weeks without a game, the Saugus High School football team was simply happy to be back on the field Friday night. The Sachems fell to Arlington Catholic, 30-8, but first-year Head Coach Greg Bluestein was encouraged by his team’s energy, effort and determination in difficult weather conditions. It was Saugus’ first game since Oct. 16. The Sachems forfeited two games because school officials deemed their depleted roster unsafe to play. “I was really happy with their enthusiasm and effort after having two weeks where we weren’t playing before that,” Bluestein said. “They did a really good job of executing and staying fundamentally sound.” Saugus remained competitive for much of the contest before fatigue became a factor, something Bluestein said was understandable given the team’s limited roster. “You could tell that they were really excited to get back out there and play,” he said. “Unfortunately, we kind of ran out of gas at the end there, but that’s a little bit to be expected when we’re dealing with our limited roster size.” During the week leading up to the game, Bluestein emphasized appreciating the opportunity to play football, particularly after the Sachems had gone two weeks without taking the field. “We talked a lot about being grateful for opportunities this week, and getting to play football is one of those opportunities that we have,” he said. Several individual performances gave Saugus reasons for encouragement. Junior Jacob Hunt turned in what Bluestein considered perhaps the best performance of his high school career, making plays throughout the game defensively. “Jacob Hunt probably had his best game of his Saugus High career,” Bluestein said. “He was a beast on defense all over the place.” The Sachems also received a glimpse of their future late in the contest when three freshmen combined to produce all eight Saugus points. Rhodjanel Laguerre returned a kickoff for a touchdown, and Dicky Nuzzo III followed with a successful two-point conversion pass to Leo Exantus. “We had all of our points on Friday given by freshmen, which was pretty cool,” Bluestein said. Bluestein also praised junior Paxton Ferraro for his continued contributions and junior Pablo DeJesus, who was recently named a team captain because of his effort and commitment throughout the season. DeJesus was unable to finish Friday’s game, but Bluestein indicated he would be fine. With a small roster, the Sachems have relied on contributions from players throughout the lineup. “There’s so many kids that are contributing right now, and all of them deserve a shout-out,” Bluestein said. “They’re just great kids.” Next up: Saugus travels to Boston to face O’Bryant High School on Friday, Nov. 13, at 6:30 p.m. This is the second and final game in the consolation round, for teams that did not qualify for the postseason and those teams who lost their first postseason game. O’Bryant enters the matchup at 4-3 following a 12-0 victory over Lowell Catholic last week in the consolation round. The Tigers have also defeated Tech Boston Academy, Holbrook and Brighton this season. GIRLS SOCCER CLOSES SEASON WITH GROWTH, RESILIENCE AND OPTIMISM FOR 2027 The Saugus High School girls soccer team finished its 2026 season with a 2-14-2 record, but Head Coach April Martinez believes the Sachems developed a foundation they can build on next fall. Injuries, lineup changes and a demanding schedule tested Saugus throughout the season, but the team continued competing while giving younger players valuable varsity experience. The Sachems entered the fall following extensive preparation that included summer league competition, the North Shore Cup, captains’ practices, preseason workouts and Salem State camp. That work became especially important when early injuries forced younger players into larger roles. One of the team’s strengths was its ability to adapt. Martinez regularly adjusted formations depending on the opponent and available personnel, utilizing everything from a traditional 4-4-2 to a defensive 5-4-1 that players affectionately called “the Bus.” At times, players had only a timeout to adjust to a new formation before returning to the field. Although victories were limited, the Sachems produced several encouraging performances. Saugus defeated Boston Latin Academy, 2-1, in September and battled Winthrop to a 3-3 tie and Gloucester to a 2-2 draw. The team’s strongest result came on Oct. 26, when the Sachems shut out Gloucester, 3-0, for their second victory ROUNDUP | SEE PAGE 7
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