Globe Schools Insider: BC hockey commitment, stars of the day, championship coach steps down

The White Sox and their four Massachusetts pitchers couldn’t punch a ticket to the ALCS on Wednesday night, with Middleborough graduate Sean Newcomb drawing the opener role in a 9-3 loss to Cleveland. Chicago will get another shot Thursday, leading the Guardians 2-1 in the best-of-five series.

Your weekly look at the top high school sports stories.

Meanwhile, here in Massachusetts, upsets were unleashed throughout the evening, starting with a second Walpole field hockey loss in five days, and continuing with losses by the No. 8 girls’ soccer team, No. 4 girls’ cross-country program, and No. 5 girls’ volleyball squad. Let’s dive into it all:

▪ North Quincy senior captain Nick Ambroult went low, carding a 3-under-par 31 at Plymouth Country Club, aided by a hole-in-one on the 120-yard eighth hole, hammering it home with his pitching wedge.

▪ Beverly senior Connor Sullivan reached 101 career points by scoring twice during a 3-0 boys’ soccer win over Peabody. He entered the season with 37 goals and 47 assists.

▪ Old Rochester senior Molly Franco reached 500 career kills with 13 during a 3-0 girls’ volleyball win over Somerset Berkley.

▪ On Tuesday, senior Hazel Lovins became Winchester girls’ volleyball’s all-time kills leader, surpassing 900. Lovins finished a 3-0 win over Burlington with 16 kills, pushing her past Lauren Tian’s 895 total for the top spot in school history.

▪ Last Friday, Cohasset boys’ soccer coach Jim Willis notched his 300th career win with a 2-1 triumph over Excel Academy. He followed that up with No. 301 on Monday, as the Skippers ended Norwell’s 30-game winning streak.

▪ It’s been a minute since Walpole field hockey lost two out of three.

After falling, 2-1, to No. 13 Canton on Saturday, the fourth-ranked Porkers were stunned, 2-1 again, by No. 12 Milton, which got goals from Alexandra Drane and Taylor Scully in a surprising Bay State Conference result.

“I feel like they just kept their composure and when things didn’t necessarily go our way or calls were not our way, they wouldn’t let it get to them,” said Milton coach Lindsey Scully. “We don’t have a star player. Everyone is scoring, so anyone that’s in the circle is dangerous and I think that’s really tough for teams to defend.”

▪ As Marblehead mourns last week’s death of football captain Owen Coyne, the Magicians’ unranked girls’ soccer team offered a moment of joy by playing to a scoreless draw with No. 5 Masconomet, which was playing shorthanded. Hailey Gilmore made eight saves for Marblehead (4-2-4) and Evy Mills notched seven for the Chieftains (10-0-1). They brought white roses for the Marblehead players in honor of Coyne.

▪ Also in girls’ soccer, unranked Lexington welcomed No. 8 Belmont and rode two Ava Myers goals to a 2-1 Middlesex League upset.

▪ In girls’ volleyball, No. 6 Chelmsford reversed an early season result against No. 5 Central Catholic, winning 3-1 on Hannah Dasilva’s winning ace in the fourth set.

▪ In girls’ cross-country, No. 7 Needham edged No. 4 Newton North, 27-28, despite not placing any runners in the top three of a tri-meet that also included Framingham.

▪ While the Globe doesn’t produce weekly golf rankings, it’s safe to say defending Division 1 champion Xaverian would be highly ranked. On Wednesday, the Hawks were stunned, 227-229, by Braintree, which got a 1-over-par 37 from freshman Tyler Donovan and 38s from Donny Wakeling and Matt Psaros in the statement win.

At the state vocational golf championships, Colby Moon carded a 1-over par 73 and Phin Keating added a 76 to propel Tri-County Regional (306) to a two-stroke victory over Shawsheen (308) for the Large title at Heritage Country Club in Charlton. Shawsheen’s Tyler Frediani (71) was the medalist.

In the Small field, co-medalist Chris Morin (75) and Carter LaFrance (76) paced Cape Cod Tech (315) to a three-stroke victory over Franklin County Tech (318). Jackson Day carded a 75 for Franklin County.

Penelope Brady, Franklin — The Bryant-bound junior scored three goals and dished an assist, powering an 8-0 field hockey win over Mansfield.

Kylie Donahue, Billerica — The junior beat the rest of the field by 36 seconds, clocking a win in 19 minutes, 17 seconds on a 3-mile course to pace an 18-44 girls’ cross-country win over Central Catholic. Her twin sister, Caitlyn, was second in 19:53.

Mason DosSantos, Ipswich — The eighth-grader ran away from the field, winning by nearly a minute in 17:44 to propel the Tigers to an 18-47 boys’ cross-country victory vs. Georgetown.

Ava Poire, Ipswich — The Providence-bound junior continued to pile up the points in a 5-0 win over Rockport, netting a hat trick and adding an assist.

Brian Skelly, St. John Paul II — The Lions lost by seven strokes to Bishop Stang, 236-243, but don’t blame the junior, who fired a 2-under-par 34 at Oyster Harbors Club.

Kyra Ward and Alicia Marcal, Chelmsford — While avenging an early-season loss to Central Catholic, the senior duo produced some wild stat lines, with Ward slamming 27 kills to go with 15 digs and five aces, while Marcal accumulated 45 assists, 10 digs, 3 blocks, and 2 aces in a 3-1 win.

Landon Zoss, Andover — The senior secured a 27-second victory, finishing the 2.99-mile course in 15 minutes, 49 seconds as the Golden Warriors won a tri-meet over Methuen and Haverhill.

After leading Wachusett girls’ basketball to back-to-back Division 1 state titles, Jim Oxford has stepped down and will be succeeded, on an interim basis, by Tom Gibbons, who had retired in April after coaching the Wachusett boys for 27 years.

Oxford led the Mountaineers for 19 years, winning 356 games and reaching three championship games. Gibbons has 250 wins as the boys’ coach and won a D1 Central Mass. championship in 2004.

▪ Samuel Lee, one of the top hockey prospects in the state, announced his commitment to play at Boston College. From Woburn, the left-shooting forward played with the Boston Jr. Eagles before moving to the Minuteman Flames and Belmont Hill where he teamed up with Teddy Stiga for one season. Stiga is currently a junior forward with the Eagles, while Lee has spent the last year with the US National Team Development Program’s U17 team.

▪ St. John’s Prep senior Aidan Turner, a righthanded pitcher from Haverhill, has committed to play baseball at Roger Williams.

▪ Lowell Catholic senior Tyler Patenaude, a 6-foot catcher and first baseman, announced he will be playing baseball at Framingham State.

▪ Oliver Ames senior Kyle Melendy, a 6-1, 250-pound tackle and center, announced his commitment to play football at Western New England.

▪ Swampscott senior Ollie Braham, a 6-6, 220-pound attack/midfielder, will continue his men’s lacrosse career at Chatham University.

▪ Gloucester senior Nolan Aiello, a 5-10 outfielder and righthanded pitcher, is headed to Suffolk to play baseball.

▪ Middlesex School junior Will Batchelor, a 5-11 attack/midfielder from Boxborough, has commited to play Division 1 men’s lacrosse at Bryant.

Holy Cross sophomore John Scully, a Winchester graduate, was tabbed for the Patriot League Golfers of the Week honorable mentions after shooting an 8-over-par 224 to tie for 37th at the PB Dye Golf Club in Ijamsville, Md.

The South Shore and Patriot leagues have teamed up to create a new series of six All-Star competitions between the two conferences.

Starting Nov. 18 with boys’ and girls’ soccer, the top athletes from each league will compete against each other in what the leagues call “a celebration of athletic excellence, sportsmanship, and the accomplishments of student-athletes throughout the region.”

“This partnership is a tremendous opportunity for our student-athletes,” said Rockland AD Dan Kimball in a statement. “It gives the best players from two outstanding high school athletic leagues the chance to compete together, represent their league and school, and create an experience they will remember long after their high school careers are over. This is long overdue.”

The boys’ and girls’ basketball games will be held March 11, followed by baseball on June 16 and softball on June 17.

Top performers from Tuesday, Oct. 6

Dominic Chalas, Blackstone-Millville, 3

Eli Bassil, St. John Paul II, 2

Quinn Dwomoh, Bishop Feehan, 2

Cassidy Hasenfratz, Dighton-Rehoboth, 2

Sophia Hulme, West Bridgewater, 2

Madison Kiefer, Ursuline, 2

Bit Robinson, Chelmsford, 2

Drew Spadea, West Bridgewater, 2

Chris Gregorio, Granby, 2

Tia LaBrecque, Bishop Feehan, 2

Lyla Lewandowski, Dighton-Rehoboth, 2

Top performers from Tuesday, Oct. 6

Penelope Brady, Franklin, 3

Kaitlin Chun, St. John Paul II, 2

Kiernan Day, Manchester Essex, 2

Hannah Dwight, Nashoba, 2

Bridget Fivek, Concord-Carlisle, 2

Kelsey Malcolm, Lowell, 2

Ella Marzullo, Franklin, 2

Sophie Morgese, Lynnfield, 2

Lila Reardon, Franklin, 2

Skyla Rigazio, Concord-Carlisle, 2

Abby Ruhmann, Concord-Carlisle, 2

Reagan Sedgwick, Dartmouth, 2

Kenna Sullivan, Austin Prep, 2

Serafina Cronin, Central Catholic, 3

Jocelyn Mariani, Nashoba, 2

Ella McCarthy, Ipswich, 2

Top performers from Tuesday, Oct. 6

Kyra Ward, Chelmsford, 27

Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 25

Brooke Connor, Canton, 19

Josie Magnarelli, North Quincy, 19

Ava Johnston, Barnstable, 18

Shauna Baker, Dennis-Yarmouth, 15

Mia Milani, Bellingham, 15

Lucy Martinez, Haverhill, 14

Erin Root, Old Rochester, 14

Molly Franco, Old Rochester, 13

Julia Lloyd, Joseph Case, 12

Bonnie Politzer, Chelmsford, 12

Lily Rego, Joseph Case, 12

Alicia Marcal, Chelmsford, 45

Adelyn Croteau, Central Catholic, 35

Maddy Campbell, Barnstable, 34

Madyson Silva, Joseph Case, 30

Ady Chua, Old Rochester, 29

Joey Zhang, North Quincy, 28

Alyssa Magee, Dennis-Yarmouth, 27

Phoebe O’Connor, Franklin, 25

Lyla McDonough, Oliver Ames, 21

Abby Mistretta, Haverhill, 20

Molly Milliken, Oliver Ames, 22

Moni Tauch, Chelmsford, 22

Dahiamerys Brito, Central Catholic, 20

Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 19

Gia Plaskasovitis, North Quincy, 19

Lucy Martinez, Haverhill, 15

Bonnie Politzer, Chelmsford, 15

Soley Rodriguez Martinez, Canton, 14

Evalynn Em, Swampscott, 13

Sophia Soto, Bellingham, 13

Elodie Cook, Fairhaven, 12

Dana Bereznyakov, Swampscott, 10

Ella Holden, West Bridgewater, 9

Gianna Laurello, Franklin, 7

Lucy Martinez, Haverhill, 7

Sejla Iriskic, Lynn Classical, 6

Lyla McDonough, Oliver Ames, 6

Julia Monteiro, Whitinsville Christian, 6

Phoebe O’Connor, Franklin, 6

Lily Rego, Joseph Case, 6

Aanya Surampudi, Westford, 6

Moni Tauch, Chelmsford, 6

Molly Colantuono, Barnstable, 5

Elodie Cook, Fairhaven, 5

Trinity Figueroa, Greater Lawrence, 5

Cassidy Klock, Marblehead, 5

Shae McSharry, Dennis-Yarmouth, 5

Aadya Surampudi, Westford, 5

Shauna Baker, Dennis-Yarmouth, 6

Lauren Baker, Dennis-Yarmouth, 5

Shae McSharry, Dennis-Yarmouth, 4

From the source Brendan Kurie can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.