THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, DECEmbEr 5, 2025 Page 9 Saugus football team drops Thanksgiving heartbreaker to Peabody By Dom Nicastro F or a few dazzling minutes on a sunny Thanksgiving morning at Veterans Memorial Stadium, it looked as if Saugus might finally flip the script on a rivalry that has tilted hard toward Peabody for more than a decade. A 20–0 first-quarter lead five minutes into the game; big plays in all three phases; a blocked punt recovered in the end zone; an interception leading directly to points; explosive offense in space. Everything Saugus had been searching for all fall suddenly arrived in a burst of momentum. Then Peabody — a program that owned the Northeastern Conference in recent years but slogged through a 1–9 season yet still carries decades of big-game pedigree — mounted one of its best comebacks in recent rivalry memory. It stormed back for a 28–26 victory and its 11th straight Thanksgiving win over the Sachems. For Saugus, the loss stings. But it also showcased the program’s grit, growth and the foundation it has built for the years ahead. A wild first quarter and a dream start Saugus opened the game with perhaps its best sequence of the year: · Ryan Shea sprinted 42 yards up the sideline to make it 8–0. · On the next possession, Kameron Conroy blocked a punt, and sophomore lineman Steph Cazeau pounced on it in the end zone — his first career touchdown. · Moments later, a Peabody turnover set up a Chris Mazin score, pushing the lead to 20–0. It was the Sachems’ fastest start in decades in the rivalry. “I looked at the scoreboard and realized there was still six minutes to go in the first quarter, which is, you know, it’s a ton of football,” Saugus Head Coach Steve Cummings said. “We knew it wasn’t going to just continue down that path.” He was right — Peabody had answers. Peabody roars back Senior Chris Mazin ran in a touchdown for the Sachems during Thursday’s Thanksgiving Day game. The Saugus cheerleaders were on hand for the final football game of the season. Ryvr Vargas took hold of a Tanner running back’s foot during Thursday’s action. Behind senior quarterback Luke Maglione, the Tanners slowly gained control, first with a 5-yard touchdown to get on the board. In the third quarter, Maglione and standout receiver Mark Mendonca took over. Two touchdown connections — one for 42 yards — turned the 20–0 deficit into a 21–20 Peabody lead. Another score extended it to 28–20. “They really took command of the game in the third quarter,” Cummings said. “We came up with a stop and turned the ball right back over to them. A couple hiccups in coverage.” Saugus’ late push falls just short Saugus fought back. Early in the fourth, quarterback Eli Fialho scrambled out of pressure and spotted Jordan Rodriguez streaking down the right sideline for a 65-yard touchdown to make it 28–26. “Eli did a nice job keeping the play alive with his feet and scrambling out of the pocket and spotting Jordan,” Cummings said. Receive a free 5-year warranty with qualifying purchase* - valued at $535. Call 866-852-0221 to schedule your free quote! With 7:12 left, the Sachems were within two. A bad Peabody snap on a punt later gave Saugus the ball deep in Tanner territory — but the Sachems could not convert. Their final drive also fell short, turned over on downs with Quarterback Eli Fialho looks downfield for an opening to make the pass for Saugus. (Advocate photos by Emily Harney) under a minute left. Yet they battled to the final whistle. “I give our kids a lot of credit. They battled,” Cummings said. Koby Jette attempts to block the pass by Peabody’s quarterback. Thanksgiving streaks, rivalry history and what comes next The loss extends Peabody’s Thanksgiving streak to 11 FOOTBALL | SEE PAGE 21 Be prepared before the next power outage.
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