Globe Schools Insider: Six conference champs, two No. 2 teams falter, big football numbers, and more

Week 7 of the high school football season will feature four fewer games than intended.

Lexington, Saugus, and Quabbin had already forfeited their Week 7 games because of a lack of healthy players, with Lexington going so far as to call off its Week 8 matchup.

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On Thursday, Manchester Essex joined the chorus, announcing its scheduled game vs. Malden was canceled because “our players’ health and safety come first.” The Hornets are rescheduling their senior night to a nonplayoff consolation game to be determined.

Now onto Thursday’s action, which featured some eye-popping numbers from the gridiron and several new conference champions in golf, cross-country, girls’ soccer, and girls’ volleyball.

▪ With a 2-1 win over Lynn Classical, Malden boys’ soccer (8-4-2) clinched its first state tournament berth in eight seasons.

▪ Old Colony junior middle Alexis Papoutsis surpassed 50 blocks during a 3-2 win over Bristol-Plymouth.

The No. 2-ranked field hockey and girls’ volleyball teams both were dealt losses to teams close behind them in the rankings.

▪ Watertown field hockey’s only loss of the season came against Belmont, and the No. 5 Raiders (15-1-1) earned some revenge with a 1-0 win over the second-ranked Mauraders (13-1-1), with the lone goal supplied by Kaylee Master. It extended Watertown’s unbeaten streak to 16 games, and marked its 13th shutout in 14 games.

▪ No. 2 Winchester girls’ volleyball suffered its first loss of October, 3-1, to No. 6 Central Catholic, which got a combined 45 assists from sophomore Adelyn Croteau (24) and freshman Hailey Beiler (21), plus 24 kills from Julie Hall.

▪ In boys’ soccer action, No. 13 St. John’s (Shrewsbury) managed a minor upset over No. 12 Catholic Memorial in a hard-fought Catholic Conference showdown, riding first-half goals from Alexis Levchuk and Tony DeAraujo to a 2-1 victory.

▪ With a 3-0 sweep of Shawsheen, Greater Lawrence girls’ volleyball improved to 13-2 and captured the Commonwealth Athletic Conference championship.

▪ Sandwich locked up the Cape & Islands League girls’ soccer championship with a 4-0 victory over Martha’s Vineyard to finish 11-0 in league play.

▪ The Hockomock League held its golf championship at Norton Country Club and North Attleborough captured the team title with a 228 score, just three strokes ahead of Canton (221), with Mansfield (234), King Philip (237), and Oliver Ames (242) all close behind. Maxx Zides picked up medalist honors by carding an even-par 71 to top runners-up Lincoln Frisoli (NA), Chase Jordan (Mansfied), and Chase Thomas (Canton) by four strokes. Zides finished with four birdies on Nos. 5, 11, 14, and 17.

▪ At Franklin Park, the St. Mary’s boys and Bishop Fenwick girls captured Catholic Central League cross-country championships. St. Mary’s finished with 40 points, edging Archbishop Williams (43), which was led by Nick Antonellis who won in 16 minutes, 59 seconds. Kelsey Kwiatek of St. Mary’s won the girls’ race in 18:33 and Fenwick scored 33 points to best runner-up St. Mary’s (43).

▪ Led by Gavin Walsh’s 2-under-par 69 at Stow Acres Country Club, Bishop Feehan captured the Catholic Central League golf championship with a cumulative 18-over-par score of 302, finishing six strokes ahead of runner-up St. Mary’s (308). Bishop Stang was third with a 312 score. Walsh led the rest of the field by four strokes, as defending champion Bobby MacAulay of St. Mary’s finished second at 2-over 73.

▪ On Wednesday, Andover captured the Merrimack Valley Conference golf title with a team score of 14-over-par 230 at Long Meadow Golf Club. The Golden Warriors were led by Vincent Giaimo (3-over 75), who won a one-hole playoff with Haverhill’s Matt Baker thanks to an eight-foot birdie putt on the ninth hole. Giaimo was named MVC Player of the Year and Jack Sheridan received Coach of the Year honors.

Xavier Baker and Jacouri Thompson, Bishop Feehan — Baker, a senior running back, ran for 212 yards and two scores, including a game-sealing 96-yarder, and Thompson snagged two interceptions, including one in the end zone, during a 28-12 win over St. Mary’s.

Taylor Bello, Hingham — The senior erupted for five goals, dominating a 6-0 girls’ soccer victory over Plymouth South.

Alex DePaula, St. John Paul II — The junior provided the Lions with all three of their goals in a 3-0 boys’ soccer win over Monomoy.

Nick Duarte, Framingham — The senior quarterback was hot from the start, rushing for three first-quarter touchdowns and finishing with six scores and 296 yards on the ground, plus a 6-yard TD pass in a 50-29 romp over Brookline.

Julie Hall, Central Catholic — The senior helped power a 3-1 girls’ volleyball upset of No. 2 Winchester with 24 kills and 18 digs.

Cullen Lynch, Monomoy/SJPII — The senior captain raced for 310 rushing yards and four touchdowns as the Sharks ran past Bourne, 42-30.

Audrey Manning, Lynnfield — The senior captain produced a girls’ volleyball triple-double with 17 kills, 16 assists, and 11 digs to defeat Newburyport, 3-1.

Dillon O’Brien, South Shore Tech — The junior dominated the ground game in a 38-8 win over Wareham, rumbling for 182 yards and four touchdowns on 21 totes.

Joe Procacccini, Apponequet — The senior rushed for three touchdowns, all from 20-plus yards out, and hauled in a 55-yard TD pass to break open a 35-15 win over Bishop Stang.

Santos Santiago, Randolph — The senior treated every touch like a valuable commodity, running for 73 yards and three scores on four carries, and connecting with Armando Oliveira for touchdowns on both his pass attempts to beat Carver, 56-14.

Ainsley Siefer, Concord-Carlisle — The senior netted a hat trick, but wasn’t done, adding an assist in a 5-1 girls’ soccer win over Acton-Boxborough.

Langstyn Vasques and Jill Gagnier, Apponequet — Vasques, a senior, and Gagnier, a junior, exploded for four goals each in an 11-0 field hockey win over Fairhaven.

With 15 years coaching experience at the recreational and travel levels, Duxbury is turning to Jeff Gauthier to helm its softball team.

Gauthier, the former interim assistant athletic director at Silver Lake, has coached an 18U showcase team and runs indoor clinics at the Duxplex, working with several players from Silver Lake’s 2025 state championship team.

He takes over for Charlie Finn, who lasted one season in the job. Before Finn, Mike Barba coached the Dragons for two seasons.

▪ Avon Old Farms junior Alex Miranda, from Pembroke, announced his commitment to play Division 1 baseball at Fairfield. The 6-foot-1-inch, 190-pound outfielder/third baseman played with GBG Northeast.

▪ Catholic Memorial senior Liam McKinney has committed to play baseball at Division 2 Rollins College in Florida. McKinney hit .295 with 29 runs and pitched to a 3.81 ERA with 44 strikeouts last spring, tossinga complete game in the state final. He had previously commited to Saint Louis.

Stoneham senior Liam MacPhee, a 6-3 combo guard, has committed to play men’s basketball at Suffolk, Holliston senior outfielder/third baseman Aidan Kramer announced his commitment to WPI to play baseball, BC High senior Jackson Ketchen has committed to play men’s lacrosse at Colby, St. John’s (Shrewsbury) senior Cole Shepard announced he will play men’s lacrosse at Wheaton, Tantasqua senior Dessa Demears plans to play field hockey at Westfield State, and Hopedale senior Mabel Carreiro committed to run track and field at Sacred Heart.

Nearly 400 Boston Public Schools runners from 12 schools invaded Franklin Park for the annual Boston Middle School Cross-Country Championship, hosted by the Boston Athletic Association on Thursday.

Boston Latin swept, winning the girls’ team title with 25 points, 21 ahead of runner-up Eliot School, with Latin eighth-grader Manali Rao winning the 0.9-mile girls’ race in 5 minutes, 21 seconds.

“It feels so good. I’ve come to this meet twice and have never gotten this close [to winning],” said Rao. “I just knew I was going to try and stick with the top group and then I ended up winning. I just ran as fast as I could.”

Boston Latin won with just 19 points on the boys’ side, taking seven of the top 10 places to easily pull away from second-place O’Bryant (57). Gerald Schlechter won the boys’ race in 5:07, finishing just ahead of BLS teammates George Richey (5:13) and Sebastian Coster (5:15).

“I honestly had no expectations. I was hoping and thinking I’d get like fifth or sixth, but not first,” said Schlechter. “My mom was here supporting me, and all my friends, and it was just great. I love this team, my coaches, and this event is just such a great experience. It’s my first time here and I love it.”

The B.A.A. and Boston Public Schools have held the middle school championships since 1997.

The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced the first Panini Hoophall Classic Girls’ Showcase, which will be held Jan. 15-16 at Western New England University.

To celebrate the Hoophall Classic’s 25th year, organizers are giving girls their own stage featuring 15 games and 44 nationally ranked prospects from ESPN’s SCNext rankings, including No. 1 Kaleena Smith (Ontario Christian), No. 2 Ivanna Wilson Manyacka (Bullis), and No. 4 Jezelle Banks (St. James).

Andover, Springfield Central, and Dexter Southfield will represent Massachusetts. Dexter features Ella Peper, the No. 7 player in the Class of 2028.

Alex DePaula, St. John Paul II, 3

Yamil Quinones-Baez, Fitchburg, 3

Ainsley Siefer, Concord-Carlisle, 3

Elisa Vladasi, Lynnfield, 3

Alex Capuano, Hamilton-Wenham, 2

Becca Christie, Methuen, 2

Lilly Jones, Tyngsborough, 2

Moris Lopez, Shawsheen, 2

Marcus Obadai, St. John’s Prep, 2

Zelly Ortega, Cathedral, 2

Sean Saulnier, Nashoba, 2

Chloe Schuler, East Bridgewater, 2

Leo Stringer, Wahconah, 2

Charlie Villatoro, Wayland, 2

Sofia Giardina, Lynnfield, 3

Caiden Alhart, Wayland, 2

Colton Alhart, Wayland, 2

Giada Antidormi, Lynnfield, 2

Lilly Arian Aitchison, North Reading, 2

Corinne Granoff, Hingham, 2

Jill Gagnier, Apponequet, 4

Langstyn Vasques, Apponequet, 4

Lauren Carr, Somerset Berkley, 2

Ryan Crook, Somerset Berkley, 2

Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 24

Sydney Faria, Central Catholic, 21

Lila Bunnell, Stoneham, 20

Audrey Manning, Lynnfield, 17

Lily Rego, Joseph Case, 15

Alessandra DeSano, Stoneham, 14

Alyssa Viola, South Shore Tech, 14

Colbie Adams, Calvary Chapel, 13

Gabby Weigel, Middleborough, 13

Shauna Baker, Dennis-Yarmouth, 12

Sydney Jackson, Notre Dame (H), 12

Isa Andrews, Calvary Chapel, 11

Milana Labkovich, Lynnfield, 11

Kyra Ward, Chelmsford, 11

Georgia Orlando, Notre Dame (H), 33

Alyssa Magee, Dennis-Yarmouth, 30

Madyson Silva, Joseph Case, 27

Adelyn Croteau, Central Catholic, 24

Hailey Beiler, Central Catholic, 21

Asmeily Anziani, Greater Lawrence, 18

Riley Hanlon, Calvary Chapel, 16

Audrey Manning, Lynnfield, 16

Kinleigh Mohan, Falmouth, 12

Emma Shaw, Notre Dame (H), 20

Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 18

Sydney Jackson, Notre Dame (H), 16

Sophia Cantwell, Dennis-Yarmouth, 15

Ambar Munoz, Greater Lawrence, 15

Lauren Kendall, Falmouth, 12

Alyssa Magee, Dennis-Yarmouth, 12

Sienna Chaponis, South Shore Tech, 11

Audrey Manning, Lynnfield, 11

Moni Tauch, Chelmsford, 11

Erica Manning, Lynnfield, 10

Colbie Adams, Calvary Chapel, 7

Sydney Jackson, Notre Dame (H), 7

Bonnie Politzer, Chelmsford, 7

Lily Ponte, Middleborough, 6

Moni Tauch, Chelmsford, 6

Reagan Ferreira, Falmouth, 5

Abigail Botto, Central Catholic, 7

Milana Labkovich, Lynnfield, 7

Ava Bailey, Newburyport, 6

Shauna Baker, Dennis-Yarmouth, 4

Gabby Caires, Chelmsford, 4

Alessandra DeSano, Stoneham, 4

Gabby Weigel, Middleborough, 4

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