THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, NOVEmbEr 22, 2024 Page 13 Football Sachems dominate Brighton, 34-0, to secure Senior Night victory By Dom Nicastro U nder the Friday night lights of their home field, Saugus High School’s football team put together a complete performance to defeat Brighton, 34-0. The victory was a much-needed boost for the Sachems, who improved to 3-7 on the season as they look ahead to their Thanksgiving Day matchup against Peabody (Nov. 28, 10 a.m., in Saugus). Coach Steve Cummings praised the well-rounded team effort, noting that the Sachems excelled in all phases of the game. “We were able to play well in pretty much every facet,” Cummings said. “Offensively, we got some early scores on the board. Defensively, we made stops and put ourselves in good field position. Special teams were solid all night.” The scoring began in the second quarter when senior Ryan Shea broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown run, with Connor Bloom adding the extra point to make it 7-0. Just before halftime, freshman quarterback Eli Fialho connected with Jordan Rodriguez on a 37-yard touchdown pass, stretching the lead to 14-0. The play was a highlight for the Sachems, as Rodriguez saw an opportunity and made an in-game adjustment that paid off. “Jordan came over to the sidelines and said, ‘Coach, if this kid’s playing outside leverage on me, I can get him on a post,’” Cummings said. “Two plays later, we saw the same coverage, and Eli put an absolute rocket of a ball right in Jordan’s chest. Jordan made the catch, shook off his defender and took it to the end zone.” The momentum continued into the second half, with senior Cody Munafo leading the way. Munafo punched in two touchdowns on 1-yard runs in the third and fourth quarters, showcasing his ability to find gaps and push through defenders. “Cody’s effort has been consistent all year,” Cummings said. “Whether it’s running the ball or playing middle linebacker, he’s been solid. Offensively, he’s great at finding space, breaking tackles and grinding out those extra yards.” The final touchdown of the night came courtesy of senior Samy Chahid, who powered into the end zone on a 5-yard drive consumed much of the first quarter, Saugus’ defense held firm in the red zone and made key adjustments for the rest of the game. Junior safety Chris Mazin was a standout, consistently making plays from his position. “Chris was fantastic all night,” Cummings said. “He came down from safety and was making tackles, really helping us shut down their run game. We also had great contributions from guys like David Alves, a sophomore defensive lineman, and freshman Caua Martins. It was good to see those guys step up.” Laith Haddad and Ryan Sachems QB Jordan Rodrigues handed off to his running back Pablo DeJesus in previous action against Winthrop. (Advocate file photo) run in the fourth quarter. For the seniors on the team – Cody Munafo, Wilderson Lafortune, Connor Bloom and Samy Chahid – it was a fitting way to cap their final game under the lights. “I felt good for our seniors,” Cummings said. “It was their last time playing under the lights, and they really put their stamp on this game. Wilderson made some big plays on both sides of the ball, Connor kicked PATs and Samy getting into the end zone was special. It was good to see them have that moment.” Defensively, the Sachems were relentless, pitching a shutout against Brighton’s double-tight, double-wing offense. Although Brighton’s first Moreira also had stellar nights on the defensive side of the ball. Looking ahead, Saugus will need to build on this momentum as they prepare for their Thanksgiving Day showdown against Division 2 playoff team Peabody. The game will be a test of their resilience and growth as a team. “We think we’ll be getting some guys back for Thanksgiving, including Jay Arnett,” Cummings said. “We’re going to throw everything we have into that game and give it our all.” The Saugus Garden Club prepares for year-end activities T By Laura Eisener he Saugus Garden Club has been very busy this fall, and two of its most popular activities, the centerpiece workshop and the wreath workshop, are coming up soon. In September, the club had a field trip to the beautiful gardens at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, including a guided tour by the horticulturist, a walk along the riverfront and lunch at one of the many fine restaurants there. A new activity was the submission of some entries in the Topsfield Fair, which were awarded some ribbons in the native plants category at the Flower Barn. As it has every year since the beginning, the Garden Club contributed a decorated tree to the Festival of Lights at the MEG this year. Wednesday was the holiday party at The Continental Restaurant, held early because the restaurant is closing for good this weekend Nov. 24 after 72 years. Saturday, November 23 is the Thanksgiving centerpiece workshop at 1:00 at St. John’s Church. Nonmembers are welcome to participate for a 10 dollar fee, which covers the materials. Sign up by calling Garden Club co-president Donna Manoogian at 617-240-9003 as soon as possible, so enough materials will be on hand for everyone. Containers and decorative materials are provided, but people should bring their own shears and can bring their own containers and additional decorations if they wish. Saturday, November 30 is the very popular fresh evergreen wreath decorating workshop at 1:00 at St. John’s Church. It is a little earlier than usual because the church is having their Christmas Fair and Craft Fair on Saturday, December 7 from 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Like the centerpiece workshop, the wreath workshop is free to members and $10 to guests. Again, signing up by calling Donna will ensure there are enough wreaths and embellishments for everyone. The Garden Club also participates in the Wreath Across America Day on December 14 at Riverside Cemetery. VolunGardens at Encore Boston Harbor in Everett, the site of a field trip by the Saugus Garden Club in September. (Photo courtesy of Laura Eisener) teers can help place the sponsored wreaths on veterans’ graves on that day at both Riverside and the West Parish burying ground, sometimes known as the Saugus Center cemetery. The Parson Roby Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution have organized a ceremony at Riverside at noon on that day, followed by the wreath laying.
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