Mike's Newspaper Blog

Update

2009-07-02T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

This blog consists of the articles I wrote during my first couple years as a sports correpondent for the Town Crier & Suffolk Journal. I havn't posted any of my articles on here over a year, but I have continued writing for both the Town Crier & Suffolk Journal.

I lived at Suffolk University in downtown Boston the past two years, and it was a tremendous expeirence. This year I will be entering my junior year at Suffolk University.

I have also been in many types of media over the last year of my hobby of taking pics with celebs, and a few samples of it are below.

Boston Globe Article: www.boston.com/lifestyle/articles/2009/12/22/mike_giannattasio_gets_the_celebrity_picture/

Fox 25 Morning News Interview: http://www.myfoxboston.com/dpp/morning/meeting-celebrities-in-boston

Channel 5 Chronicle: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/chronicle/23234146/detail.html

Town Crier Article: http://www.homenewshere.com/articles/2010/04/20/tewksbury_town_crier/news/doc4bc73660561f0932542580.prt

Thanks,
Mike

Lady's Tennis serving success

2009-01-10T10:21:00.000-08:00

THE SUFFOLK JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY - OCTOBER 15, 2008

Mike Giannattasio
Journal Staff

The Suffolk University Womens' tennis team kept their seven game winning streak alive with a 7-2 home win versus Saint Joseph College on Saturday afternoon at the Buckingham Browne & Nichols courts in Cambridge, Mass. With the win, the Lady Rams improved to 9-2 overall on the season.

Alex Hernandez, a sophomore and captain of the Lady Ram's team, said she enjoys many aspects about being a part of the team, especially all the people she has met.

"My favorite part about being a tennis player for Suffolk is the people I have met along the way," said Hernandez, who is originally from Newton, Mass. and majors in Psychology. "I have made so many friendships that I know will be long term."

In her role as captain of the team, Hernandez said she tries to show good leadership when she is in and out of uniform.

"As a captain I consider it my job to motivate the girls, and try my best to lead by example on and off the court," said Hernandez. "It is my first year being captain, and I am only a sophomore, so I am just trying to do my best and see how it goes."

The other captain of the team, Kaitlynn Cates, a junior and originally from Middlebury, Connecticut, also has many responsibilities as captain of the team."I want to make sure everyone is organized and prepared for each match," said Cates. "One of my jobs is to make sure that we've all united and come together, and we've come a long way so far this year."

The coach of the Lady Rams, Isaac Stahl, said he has had a great time coaching his team this year and seeing them come together.

"They are the greatest group, with truly dynamic personalities," said Stahl. We are playing great tennis right now and we are looking to continue our success throughout the entire season on route to another conference title."

The win against St. Joseph's and the current seven match winning streak are the proof to Stahl's words.

"Our strength is team chemistry. They work hard and fight for each other. Doubles and team focus has been an issue, but we are really hitting our stride and firing on all cylinders," added Stahl.

The Lady Rams finished with a 14-0 overall record last season and also won their first ever Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship. Stahl hopes they can do the same exact thing this year.

"I want us to repeat as GNAC Champions, and anything less would be a disappointment," he said.Hernandez has the same goal for the team, as well as many others she hopes to accomplish before the year is over.

"My goals for the team this season were to defend the GNAC title and to go to NCAA's again in the spring," said Hernandez. "Another goal for the team I had was for the team to become a unit. By this I mean I wanted us to all get along and be more like a family. Like any family we have our ups and downs, but we have stuck by each other and that's what is important."

Cates added that the effort they put in practices will determine how successful they end up at the end of the season.

"If we work hard, we will achieve our main goal, which is repeating as GNAC champions," said Cates.

The Lady Rams go for their tenth win of the season in a home match versus the University of Massachusetts-Boston Oct. 14.

This article was published in The Suffolk Journal.To view The Suffolk Journal web-site please visit http://www.suffolkjournal.net/
To view the article on The Suffolk Jounral web-site, please visit http://media.www.suffolkjournal.net/media/storage/paper632/news/2008/10/15/Sports/Ladys.Tennis.Serving.Success-3491085.shtml

Sixty-six former players put the cleats back on

2009-01-10T10:16:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2008

Alumni Soccer game held on Sunday

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Sunday morning, 66 former Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity soccer members participated in the fifth annual TMHS alumni soccer game. The game was played at the Livingston Street fields in Tewksbury, and the teams were divided by players who graduated in even years since 1976 and players who graduated in odd years since 1976. The even year team won the very well-organized game 7-4.

Steve Levine is the current TMHS varsity soccer coach, and he took part in Sunday’s event for the fifth consecutive year.

“I officiated the game, but I could have sat on a beach chair and watched because the type of soccer they played was so good to watch,” said Levine. “It wasn’t kickball soccer type; it was teamwork type of soccer that involved great passing and great movement off the ball.”

There was a 30 plus year age difference between some of the players on each team, and Levine said that it was great to see some of the players who played for the varsity team decades ago come back and participate in the game.

“It’s just amazing watching the older guys play against the younger guys,” said Levine. “They played the game the way it should be played. It’s just that they got tired quicker and they are catching up to me in age real quick,” he said jokingly.

Although the game is primarily played so the players have the opportunity to catch up with friends and play the game they love, the players all agree that it is not just an ordinary walk-through scrimmage. They all come down to field with the thought of competing, playing hard, and trying to win the game.

Adam Stotik, who graduated from THMS in 2002, has participated in the alumni game since it started and has been on the winning team each year.

“Seeing a lot of the kids that were freshman or sophomores when I was a senior is what I enjoy the most about the game each fall,” said Stotik. “Just getting to find out what kind of people they have become is great.

“It's also interesting to see how much the soccer program under Coach Levine has helped form some of the same qualities in them that I have in myself. He taught me that you can do incredible things if you just believe in yourself and have mind over matter.”

Stotik added that the best part about playing TMHS varsity soccer was all the friends he made throughout the program.

“The teammates I played with and the friendships that were formed was awesome,” said Stotik. “I am still really good friends with many of those kids that I played with seven years later.”

Christopher VanAsselberg also graduated TMHS in 2002, and he played in the alumni game for his third consecutive time on Sunday. He said the players in his age group had the disadvantage in the game.

“The older guys had the advantage but the younger guys play with a very different mentality,” said VanAsselberg.

VanAsselberg also teasingly blamed his former high school coach for giving the older guys the benefits in the game.

“A reminder of how terrible the referees were back in high school is what I took from this game,” said VanAsselberg with a laugh.

Derek Favreau graduated in the TMHS class of 1999, and he has played in the alumni game for four years. He said playing soccer under Levine is what he enjoyed the most as a TMHS varsity soccer player.

“He was a second father to me,” said Favreau of Levine. “Not only did I learn soccer, but he taught me about life. He helped me become a better person. He taught me focus and determination, and he helped me with priorities in life. He is a great role model.”

Favreau added that he enjoyed many aspects of the alumni game on Sunday.

“Seeing old friends and knowing the support of not only the soccer program, but the support for Coach Levine is still very strong was tremendous,” said Favreau. “That says a lot for his work here.”

Levine added that the alumni game would not be an annual event today if it was not for former TMHS soccer player Derek Heartquist who came up with the idea.

“Derek Heartquist started an alumni club several years ago,” said Levine. “From the alumni club, he met Debbie Billings, who started the TMHS girls’ boosters club before they merged, and she suggested they combine the alumni club with the boosters club to make it a stronger program.”

Heartquist said the annual game started in 2003 to help raise money for the TMHS soccer program.

“My brother, Rick Heartquist, who is the assistant varsity and head junior varsity coach, asked me to help him organize (this game) a few years ago to raise money to pay the volunteer freshmen coaches who were former players and who couldn't afford to coach for free since they were in college,” said Heartquist.

“This evolved into trying to help out the boys’ program give out scholarships, warm up suits, and so on. The proceeds now go toward an annual banquet, scholarships for a senior boy and girl and anything else that is needed.”

Heartquist brought his entire family to watch the game on Sunday, and he said they enjoyed watching every minute of it as well as all of food that was given to the players and volunteers after the game.

“I look forward to a game that has guys ranging from 19 and one year out of high school to guys in there late 40's as well as the camaraderie at the cookout afterwards,” said Heartquist.

Heartquist added that several people deserve praise for putting together the annual game.

“My brother Rick, as mentioned, and Coach Levine, who makes the guys want to give back a fraction of what he gave most of us over the years both deserve lots of credit,” said Heartquist. “Debbie Billings and Sue Boudreau, whom are both always willing to give their time have been a huge help as well.

“Also worth mentioning are Jimmy Field, who always makes sure we are fed after the game, Paul Hebert, who is the current president of the boosters club, and Ed Sipowicz who does the taxes for free each year. Most importantly, Dave French of French's Restaurant, who always takes good care of us at the annual banquet, and also & J & B Butcher who donated all of the food for this years’ game deserve lots of credit.”

Levine once again added that the alumni soccer game was another outstanding event and he hopes that it will continue for many more years to come.

“It was great watching the artistic soccer that was played, and the guys on the field know how to make players good no matter what their talent level is,” said Levine.

“All the guys had a good time, and they all interacted very well. It is very hard to get together on a Columbus Day weekend, but many of the players even brought their families with them.

Hopefully some of the alumni can step up and take over in a few years to keep this annual event going.”

Golf team ends season on a good note

2009-01-10T09:55:00.000-08:00

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity golf team wrapped up their season on Tuesday with a 1-15-0 overall record.

The Redmen won their first match of the season last Thursday by a score of 15-5 versus Methuen. The winners in the match were Jon Deshler, Ryan Doherty, Dan Rose, Evan Cutelis, Nick Aleo, and Craig Semenza.

On Friday, the Redmen lost a home match by a score of 19.5 to .5 to Andover.

On Tuesday, the TMHS varsity golfers fell 12.5 to 7.5 to Dracut in their last match of the season. The winners of the match were Matt Thomann, Ryan Doherty, and Craig Semenza.

“A win would have put us in the states,” said head coach Jay Stamp on the teams’ last match. “Needless to say it was a very tough loss.”

The Redmen hope to turn their season around next year as many current junior-varsity players will be expected to step up and contribute for the varsity team.

The junior-varsity team plays three matches in a row this week before ending their season. They play a match versus Lowell High School on Wednesday, a match at Dracut on Thursday, and their last match of the season at Lowell on Friday.

Rangers top Redmen on the football field

2009-01-10T09:44:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

With first and goal from the two yard line and the first half winding down, the Tewksbury Memorial High School football team looked like they were going to take a 14-6 lead into the third quarter. After running the ball four times, Tewksbury only got as far as the one yard line, and it was missed opportunities like these as to why the Methuen Rangers walked out of Doucette Field with a 27-20 win on Saturday afternoon.

With the loss, the Redmen fell to 1-3 on the season.

“That was a tough pill to swallow,“ said coach Brian Aylward referring to the Redmen not capitalizing on their chance to score before the first half ended. “We just have to take advantage of our opportunities to score.”

The Redmen looked like they were easily going to get their second win of the season in the opening quarter, as senior running back Joel Altavesta returned the opening kickoff back to the Methuen 45, where sophomore quarterback Sean Connolly would then lead the Redmen on a 13 yard drive that brought them to the two yard line. Altavesta then scored on a two yard running touchdown with 2:42 left in the first quarter that gave the Redmen an early 6-0 lead.

It was another good game statistically for the senior quad-captain Altavesta as he had another tremendous performance and provided most of the TMHS’ offense. He carried the ball 22 times, which was good for 107 yards and two touchdowns.

“Joel had another good one statistically,” said Aylward, “I thought we did some good things on offense as well.”

Connolly, a 15 year old making his second start of his young football career, completed 5 for 10 passes which was good enough for 69 yards.

“He’s a work in progress and he’s going to continue to get better,” said his coach. “He’s got a great opportunity to make some things happen. There’s a couple things I'd like see him to get better at, such as getting quicker and decision making but he’s doing a good job so far overall.”

After a three-and-out on their first possession, Methuen took the lead with 5:11 in the second quarter as Methuen quarterback Mike Bartlett took a direct snap and ran in from two yards out for the touchdown. Matt Gordon’s extra point was good and Methuen took a 7-6 lead.

Tewksbury then had a nine yard drive that brought them to the Methuen one yard line, but they would not score and Methuen had a 7-6 halftime lead.

Methuen was forced to punt on the first series in the third quarter and Tewksbury took over the ball at their own 42 yard line. Facing third down at the Methuen 46 yard line, Connolly hooked up for a 19 pass with Sean Teel that brought them to the Methuen 25 yard line.

Altavesta would then run 13 yards, while fumbling and recovering the ball, that brought Tewksbury seven yards from the end zone. Senior David Manory ran in for the touchdown one play later, and Connolly would then find senior Steve Lovejoy for the two point conversion as Tewksbury took a 14-7 lead with 6:02 left in the third quarter.

After another three-and-out for Methuen, they punted but the ball was fumbled by the return man and recovered by the Rangers. Three players later and Methuen scored on Mike Bartlett’s second touchdown from five yards out. The extra point was good and Methuen tied the game 14 apiece with 2:51 left in the third quarter.

Tewksbury then fumbled the ensuing kickoff, and Methuen quarterback Matt Bartlett threw a 35 yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage that gave Methuen their second score in 20 seconds and also a 20-14 lead.

“The turnovers are something that we have to avoid,“ said Aylward on his teams’ two costly fumbles. “It’s hard to beat anybody when you turn the ball over. We can’t make those kinds of mistakes and beat ourselves.

“Defensively, we just have to be prepared for changes that teams are making with the adjustments that we are making. And that comes with experience. We've got a lot of guys out there that are first year varsity guys and we can't rely on two or three veteran players to make big plays for us.”

After failing to score on a nine yard drive, Tewksbury punted but got the ball back two plays later on an interception by Chris Legerstrom. Six plays later, Altavesta would run in for the two yard score to tie the game 20-20. The extra point would have been good by kicker Ron Wallace, but a false start was called on the offense and the game stayed tied with 5:44 left in the game.

The Bartlett brothers on the Methuen team both had the game of their lives, as quarterback Mike would lead the Rangers down the field before throwing a 33 yard touchdown to his brother Matt as the Rangers took a 27-20 lead with 2:56 left in the fourth quarter.

Tewksbury had one more series to try to tie the game, but a couple of incomplete passes gave Methuen the ball back for good as they won their second game of the season. It was also only their second win in two years as the 2-3 Rangers snapped a 33 consecutive Merrimack Valley Conference losing streak last year.

Although disappointed with the loss, Aylward said his team fought hard and they will take what they learned from this game into the rest of the season.

“Our run game has been strong,” said Aylward. “We have to keep evolving our pass game and it’s a work in progress so we have to keep working at it. We also have to improve on moving the ball down the field and executing. The special teams have to improve too.We have to work on all of this. We try to find the appropriate amount of time in practice to address these things.

“Defensively we’ve done good things up front. We’ve had some tough injuries that have hurt us, and we have some guys that are playing injured on top of that. Those are things that every team has to fight through. We just have to go at it with whosever ready for that particular week.”

On Friday, Tewksbury heads to Andover in a conference match, and Aylward said that they have a very good team with an outstanding quarterback.

“They are big upfront like every team we’ve played,” said Aylward. “Their quarterback is a tremendous player and he’s a great athlete. He can hurt you with throwing the ball, and I think he makes great decisions and has great speed. He’s probably their best runner as well.

“They also got a handful of good backs, and they are a very scary team to try to prepare for defensively.”

On Tuesday, Aylward was asked about how the team was responding at their practices to their disappointing loss on Saturday, and Aylward said that the players are all giving a great work ethic in preparation for their 7 p.m. away game on Friday night.

“When we go through hard times, the leaders have to step up,” said Aylward. “Our guys are working hard and staying positive. They had opportunities to quit (on Saturday) but they battled back and worked hard.

“We’re working as hard this week as we are any other week and as long as the effort is there and the kids are working hard and trying to make things happen, then we’ll be all right.”

Golf team still looking for first win

2009-01-10T09:39:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial varsity golf team, although winless in 12 matches, have been improving week to week as the team heads into the last few weeks of the season.

Their schedule has not been helping them get their first win though, as the Redmen played three consecutive away matches from October 1st through the 3rd.

The golfers lost a match last Wednesday to Methuen at Merrimack Country Club by a score of 13-7. The point scorers for Tewksbury were Matt Thomann and Jon Deshler, whom both halved their matches, as well as Ryan Doherty who won his match 4 and 3 and Craig Semenza who also won 4 and 3.

On Thursday, Tewksbury played at Haverhill and lost 16-4. Dan Rose halved his match at the six spot and Evan Cutelis won his match at the seven spot 2-1.

The next day, Tewksbury headed to Central Catholic and the competition did not get any easier as they lost 19.5 to 5. Evan Cutelis and Dan Rose halved their match. Ryan Doherty played a good round and lost one down in the three spot.

The TMHS golfers lost their closest match of the season on Monday, as they fell to Chelmsford 11-9.

“The match came down to the final putt in the final group,” said Coach Jay Stamp.

Going into the final hole Craig Semenza was even and Rob Bradley had already won his match 3 and 2. The best ball for Tewksbury was even, as the team score at this point was Tewksbury 9 and Chelmsford 8 with three points left to be had.

“If Semenza won the hole he would have halved his match to get a point and won or halved best ball to win the match,” added Stamp.

Semenza and Bradley both pared out and Bradley's opponent pared out as well. Semenza's opponent needed to make his putt from 15 to make birdie and win the match.

With all of the pressure of the match, Semenza's opponent drained his putt and stole what would have been the biggest upset of the year for Chelmsford.

The point takers in the match were Ryan Doherty who halved his match, Jon Deshler who won 3-2, Dan Rose who won 4-2 and Rob Bradley won 3-2

Evan Cutelis lost his match 4-3 and Dan Rose had already won his. Without best ball from their group the match would have been over before the last hole.

“I talked to Evan and Dan before the last hole to inform them how important best ball was,” said Stamp. “Evan, even after losing his match, helped his partner take best ball on the eighth (hole) and he birdied the last hole to win best ball.”

The TMHS golf team plays a home match versus Methuen on Thursday and a home match versus Andover on Friday. On Tuesday the golfers play a match at Dracut.

Event a complete success once again

2009-01-10T09:15:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008

Road race brings out hundreds of runners

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Sunday, the fourth annual Half Marathon/5K road race was another success as hundreds of participants showed up on the rainy morning to run and raise money for the Wilmington community. The event had a 13.1 mile road race, along with the new addition of the 5K run or walk.

Laura Ahern has been a part of the road races since its inaugural in 2005, and she said it was a great turnout again this year.

“We had so much fun the day of the event,” said Ahern, the assistant director of the rewarding day. “The rain couldn't have stopped any of us. We had over 300 runners/walkers, and the day went off successfully without a hitch. We are so lucky to have dedicated people that are committed to making this event successful. We have received numerous e-mails complimenting us on the course, the organization of the race, and the free food/entertainment.

“Our hard work and dedication paid off and we ended up raising more money than in previous years. We can't wait to present the checks to the high school students and the Wilmington Community Fund, which helps out the food pantry.”

Denise Gentile is the other assistant director of the races, and she agreed with Ahern as she thought the day was terrific as well.

“I think the day went great,” said Gentile. “Even though the weather was rainy the people came out. I give them credit. The runners and the help were all there. We always try to do our best and I feel people realized it and enjoyed themselves. I thank everyone for all the support we get.”

Ahern enjoyed many parts of the day, but she said the best were watching all the runners, especially children, having fun.

“I enjoyed seeing the dedicated Half Marathon runners show up and ready to run - rain or shine,” said Ahern. “I enjoyed seeing all the young kids with their families and friends enthusiastic about raising money for their charity even in the pouring rain. I loved seeing Veronica Slater and her (Cystic Fibrosis) team with smiles on their faces when they finished and then waiting for her mom Cheryl to finish the Half Marathon.”

Gentile also liked watching Veronica smile when her mother finished the 13.1 mile race.

“Seeing Veronica Slater come across the finish line was amazing,” said Slater. “I liked watching everyone come across the finish line. Seeing the look on their faces, knowing what they had accomplished, being young or old was great.”

Cheryl Slater, who ran the half marathon to benefit her nine year old daughter who was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis, was clocked at 2:12:43 in the half marathon.

“I think it was a great day,“ said Slater. “I think the success of the event goes to the organizers, volunteers, runners and spectators. On such a rainy day everyone was in great spirits and it was truly contagious.
“My favorite part of the day was hearing how enthusiastic and proud my children and their friends were for finishing a 5K race. They all want to do another one soon. This to me is worth running 13 miles in the rain any day.”

Ahern said that there are several people that was worth mentioning for setting up the day.

“First, I want to once again thank our company sponsors, because without them, this race wouldn't happen,” said Ahern. “Secondly, I would really like to thank Ed and Sue Coughlin of Wilmington for making the course such a success. They are there each and every year with their team of volunteers including the Wilmington Rotary Club at every mile along the race with mile markers and water stops. Ed and Sue are such an intricate part of the race, we appreciate everything they do.

“Thirdly, I would like to thank the Wilmington Police for their support and Michael Ciara, Town Manger for his participation in this years event. Lastly, I want to sincerely thank "all" the volunteers and participants of the race, because their dedication is outstanding.”

Ahern also added that she hopes to see more participants at the race next year and help raise money for the community.

“We are so lucky to have family and friends in our lives that fight for something they believe in,” said Ahern. “I am just so happy we can help out in such a small way. We hope to see you next year because you are truly making a difference. Please remember it's never to early to sponsor the race.”

Pazyra deserves a lot of the credit

2009-01-10T09:12:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008

Road race brings out hundreds of runners

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The number one person who deserves credit for setting up the Wilmington Half Marathon/5K road race is the Head Director Tom Pazyra. Pazyra started the event four years ago in honor of Wilmingtons’ 275th Birthday and the races have continued as an annual tradition ever since.

“For the birthday year, a special 275th committee was formed with the goal of running events throughout the entire year,” said Pazyra. “As a runner, I thought it would be a great idea to have a race that could be run throughout the town of Wilmington. The half marathon accomplished this. The first year was such a great success that we decided to continue.”

Pazyra thought that the road races were terrific this year, as many people showed up and had a great time.

“It was a wonderful event,” said Payzra. “I was very concerned with the weather,
never expecting over 350 people to show up, including 170 half marathoners. I think the weather had an impact on the number of walkers we had. The runners will run in anything and actually the rain is preferred by some. I was pleasantly surprised and I want to thank everyone who participated being runners, walkers, and volunteers on such a rainy day.”

This year’s event featured the new addition of the 5K road race, and Payzra said it was a huge success.

“The idea came from (assistant directors) Laura Ahern and Denise Gentile, and we drew more people because of it“ said Payzra. “It appeals to more people since the half marathon can be too much for some. Plus, the 5K is open to walkers which expands our range.”

Approximately 170 participants ran in the half marathon on Sunday and the remainder of the 315 participants were a combination of 5K runners and walkers.

One of these people was Jim Quadros of Lowell, who finished first in the 5K road race with a time of 17:20.6.

“I think it was a very well run event,” said Quadros, who ran in the event because he thought it was a great cause. “I think the course was very nice.”

Payzra added that the race committee has already started planning for next year’s event in hopes of making it another successful day.

“The planning is ongoing throughout the year, but we start the moment the last race ends,” said Payzra. “We always come up with ideas to improve on race day, so we start as soon as it is over.”

There are several people who deserve appreciation for setting up Sunday’s road race. The Town Crier will post a list of the volunteers and sponsors who made the event a success in next week’s newspaper.

Vassallo easily takes half marathon title

2009-01-10T09:06:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDENESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008

Road race brings out hundreds of runners

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

After finishing in an incredible 24th place overall in his first ever Boston Marathon this past April, Wilmington resident Dan Vassallo achieved glory again on Sunday. The 23 year old, who was incredibly the ninth American to finish the Boston Marathon, ran in the Wilmington Half Marathon road race and finished in first place.

Shocker? Not at all. Most people on Sunday expected Vassallo to win the 13.1 mile road race, and it would have been a shocker if Vassallo, who set several cross country records for the Wilmington High School team, placed any lower than first.

“It was a relief to be the first across the finish line,” said Vassallo on the fourth annual event. “I was well aware that many people were expecting me to win by a lot, but you can never be sure until the race is over, as someone faster can always come out of the woodwork.”

Vassallo ran the Wilmington Half Marathon for the first time in his life, and the 2007 Colby College graduate gave it his very best effort as he finished with a time of 1:09:08, which was seven minutes and ten seconds faster than the second place finisher.

“I felt that after I got all that publicity after the Boston Marathon, I owed it to my hometown to come back and run this race with the same intensity that I ran Boston,” said Vassallo. “I’ve been interested in doing (the half marathon) since Wilmington started holding it in 2005, but for the first two years it was in the middle of Colby College men’s cross-country season and last year it was the week before my debut marathon. This was the first time I was finally able to run it, and I’m glad I did.”

The marathon Vassallo debuted in last year was the Peak Performance Maine Marathon, and Vassallo broke the 26.2 mile course record by more than three minutes as he finished with a time of 2:26:54.

Vassallo said that he did not do training geared towards this year’s road race, as he used it to prepare himself for an upcoming marathon he will be running in during the end of November.

“I didn’t specifically train for this race, as I’m using it as a way to tune-up for the Philadelphia Half-Marathon (on November 23rd),“ said Vassallo. “It also happened to be a matter of good timing, as the (Wilmington Half Marathon) is eight weeks before Philadelphia. In preparation of that race, as well as future marathons, I have been training over a hundred miles a week.

“Most of my running has been in Brunswick, Maine, where I lived from January until September while I worked for the Portland Sea Dogs baseball team. However, I just finished moving back to Wilmington as I just got a new consulting job in Peabody. The last few weeks I did quite a bit of training on the course to find where the mile marks were."

Vassallo was actually not satisfied with the time he got in the 13.1 mile half marathon on Sunday, as he was hoping to come through the finish line at a lower time than he did.

“I would have liked to run about a minute faster than I did, and I feel like if not for the last week, I would have done that,“ said Vassallo. “One of my training partners, Nate Freese, was preparing to run this race as well, but injured his hip flexor four days before the race. If Nate had stayed healthy, we would have raced against each other and pushed each other to a 1:07 or a 1:08. Nate was with me for the last four miles—but he was riding in his car.”

Vassallo ran his first mile of the race 5:00 flat, but then he settled down the rest of the way. He averaged 5:18 per mile for the first ten miles and maintained a 5:18 for the last three.

He said many of his friends ran in the race this year, including some from his Merrimack Valley Striders team as well as his college team.

“A few of my former track teammates from Colby College, Bob Glotfelty and Ben Ossoff, ran the race,” said Vassallo. "Two of my teammates from the Merrimack Valley Striders, Lars and Caroline Bjune, also ran the race. Caroline, who ran in the 2008 USA Olympic Trials, won the women’s race.

“I have to give the most credit to Jason Gustin, my teammate from Wilmington High School, who came out of running retirement to do this race. My brother Kenny was working at the race. My Wilmington track teammate Johnny Lee came up from Somerville to watch the race, and my Colby teammate Dan Moss came up from Medfield. Moss and Nate Freese followed me in Nate’s car for the last four miles, screaming at me and playing rap music.”

Many other people were at the race as well, including many different people from his hometown.

“There were a lot of people from Wilmington there to cheer me on,” said Vassallo. “It was great to see Frank Kelley, Mrs. Tocci, Allison Fisher, Rosalie McConologue, Jack Cushing, and Tom Pazyra there, because they’ve had my back since day one.”

Vassallo added that there were many easy parts about the race, but there were surely some difficult parts as well.

“Theoretically, the downhill final mile should have been the easiest, but because it’s so late in the race it is never easy,” said Vassallo. “The first five miles were probably when I ran the strongest. I struggled a bit in the seventh mile, as the course hits a series of three hills in North Reading.”

Vassallo said that running in road races are great, but he enjoyed this one for the simple reason that it took place in his hometown.

“The best part about running the race in Wilmington is the fact that while running races in Maine, Boston, Philadelphia, and other places are cool, doing well in a race that goes on the roads I’ve been running since I was twelve means a whole different thing,” said Vassallo. “I get to represent Wilmington in the place it matters most.

“For such a small race, it was also pretty well-organized. I think some of the guys at the water stops were surprised I showed up as early as I did, but that is not a problem.”

Before running in the Philadelphia Half Marathon, Vassallo plans to run in a handful of cross-country races in Boston and perhaps Maine, but Vassallo also said that he will not be running the 2009 Boston Marathon this year.

“I am 23 years old and there is no reason for me to run quality marathons every six or twelve months at this age,” said Vassallo. “My next (26.2 mile) marathon will likely be in the fall of 2009 so I can try to qualify for the Olympic Trials.”

Son to run on behalf of his father, and the Leukemia Society

2009-01-10T09:04:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Erik Engdahl, a former Wilmington resident will be taking over in his dad’s role in fundraising for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training in honor of people running the PF Chang Rock and Roll Marathon to be held on January 18, 2009.

His father, Wilmington resident John Engdahl, a leukemia survivor, first got involved in The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society by raising money for the Team in Training program in 1993, a year after his own successful battle with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia.

“Turning 50 might be traumatic for some people,” said Engdahl on his fundraising web-site. “But John Engdahl of Wilmington decided to use this milestone to try something new and different, like running the Boston Marathon.”

He went on to run in the Boston Marathon eight times, raising between $80,000 to $100,000 for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society after battling cancer.

“John was also helped by people he didn't know and would never meet,” quoted Engdahl on his fundraising page. “Because the chemo compromised his immune system and depleted his platelets, John received "a lot of blood. The transfusions kept him going until Christmas, when he received an autologous bone marrow transplant.

“The chemotherapy and transplant were successful. John emerged from the hospital on January 2, 1992 and has been cancer-free ever since.”

John was later nominated by the Olympic Committee in 1996 to carry the Olympic torch in Boston for the formally known Games of the XXV1 in Atlanta Georgia. He did just that when it came to came to the city of Boston .

Next came his recognition by the Boston Celtics for “Hero among Us,” an initiative started in 1997 by the Boston Celtics. It honors individuals who have made an overwhelming impact on the lives of others.

Engdahl asks anyone to join him in honoring his father and other individuals affected by these terrible diseases.

“We need your support to cross the ultimate finish line – a cure,” said Engdahl on his fundraising page. “If possible, please send your 100% tax-deductible donation by December 5th so I can monitor my fundraising efforts. I will, however, continue to accept donations until the day of the race. Thank you so much for your support and generosity.”

To donate, please visit John‘s web site at ://pages.teamintraining.org/dm/pfchangs09/eengdahl.

Golf Round-Up

2009-01-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- Wednesday, October 1, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The young and inexperienced Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity golf team fell to 0-8 this past week, as they lost home matches to Lowell last Wednesday and to Billerica on Monday.

In the Lowell match, the golf team lost 17.5 to 2.5. The starters for the golf team match were Matt Thomann, Mike Walsh, Ryan Doherty, Jon Deshler, Dan Rose, Evan Cutelis, Craig Semenza, and Nick Aleo, who won his match.

On Monday, the golf team lost to Billerica 18-2. The starters were Matt Thomann, Mike Walsh, Ryan Doherty, Jon Deshler, Dan Rose, Evan Cutelis, Craig Semenza, and Nick Aleo, who continued to impress head coach Jay Stamp as he halved his match to get a point and his group also won best ball.

It’s going to be a busy upcoming week for the golfers. They play three consecutive matches, as they play a home match versus Methuen on Wednesday, before heading to Haverhill on Thursday and Central Catholic on Friday. On Monday, the team hosts a home match versus Chelmsford.

Volleyball nets two very tough MVC clubs

2009-01-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity volleyball lost two matches this past week against two 8-0 teams. The Redmen battled unbeaten Methuen inside the TMHS gym on Friday but Methuen prevailed in three sets 25-17, 25-17, 25-16. On Tuesday, the volleyball players went to Central Catholic and lost to their undefeated team 25-17, 25-16 and 25-16.

“It's not only tough to play unbeaten teams back-to-back, but to play against teams that outsize us is another thing,” said head coach Jim Ray on the teams’ two losses.

In the Methuen match, Ray said his team played great defense to keep the match close.

“We were out sized on the front court by a 6'3 middle hitter and a 6'1 outside hitter and nevertheless our defense kept us in striking distance,” said Ray. “Leading defensively were the trio of Sammy Bohn, Alison Frazier and Kristen Kennedy. Their middle could hit the ball practically straight down, but we adjusted our back defense and we were able to dig a lot of the attacks. Kristen, Sammy and Allie came up time and time again digging Methuen's attacks.”

Ray added that he thought his players gave a great effort against the talented Methuen team.

“I think (the Methuen players) were getting frustrated not being able to score as easily as they thought they'd be able to,” said Ray. “More than once our players charged the bleachers to retrieve the ball and kept the ball in play by pursuing a deep contact ball or dive to the floor to dig a tip.”

Although the team fell up short of winning the match, Ray said many players performed well.

“In the front court our middle Brittany Pandolph, coming back from an injury, did a pretty good job trying to stop their middle getting as much vertical as she could and making it difficult for our opponent to strike,” said Ray. “Erin Murphy playing the right front had several blocks while Becca Quigley had a strong effort in the front court.

“Bianca Barboza served well dishing out a few points of her own and Meaghan Flynn had a good game. Junior setter Jess Sullivan had a good match moving the ball around to various hitters which kept Methuen on their toes.”

The competition did not get easier for the Redmen as they visited MVC rival and undefeated Central Catholic on Tuesday.

Central again had a huge front row of players, as they sported three total players that were 6'0" or taller.

“Our tallest Tewksbury player stands 5'9",” said Ray. "But as in the Methuen game, defense was paramount. Once again Bohn, Frazier and Kennedy were outstanding in the back court as was Megan Luppi, and Bianca Barboza. Allie Frazier served three aces and several service points and Becca Quigley, Erin Murphy and Brittany Pandolph had a good performance in the front row.”

With two losses in the last week, the TMHS varsity volleyball team fell to a 3-6 record, but Ray does not think the record reflects the team’s effort out on the court.

“We have an outstanding team,” said Ray. “These girls don't know the meaning of quitting, and despite our size differential we played like giants.”

On Wednesday, the volleyball team heads to Billerica for their fifth win of the season before returning home to play Notre Dame on Friday.

Slater will run for her daughter's cause

2008-10-18T13:55:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Wilmington resident Cheryl Slater will be one of hundreds of participants running in Wilmington’s Fourth Annual Half Marathon and 5K Race/Walk on Sunday.

Slater, 36, will be participating in this year’s event to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000 children and adults in the United States.

Over 30+ other people will be joining Slater in running for this cause on Sunday, including her very own nine year own daughter Veronica. Slater participated in the Boston Marathon this past year, and she said that thinking of her daughter throughout the race allowed her to finish the 26.2 mile course.

“This was the first year I ran the Boston Marathon for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and I am not even a runner,” said Slater, who is originally from Saugus, MA. “Running made it easier when I thought of all that she goes through and doesn't ever complain.

“There were many days when I would be out running in the snow and tired, and I would just keep thinking of how hard she tries everyday.”

Slater, a neonatal intensive care unit nurse at Mass General Hospital, added that many people always seem to be shocked when they find out her daughter has CF since she participates in several different sporting activities.

“I think a lot of people will be surprised to see that Veronica has CF because she plays soccer, basketball and is on a gymnastic team,” said Slater. “But what I think that people don't realize is how hard she works to do these things- nebs and inhalers, extra salt on hot days to prevent dehydration and about 40 pills a day. She also had two surgeries this summer for a gastric tube placement so I can give her enteral feedings at night because she wasn't keeping up with her nutritional status.”

Veronica’s very own gymnastics team, Gymstreet USA in Wilmington, will also be participating in Sunday’s road race to benefit Veronica and the CF Foundation.

“Veronica has been on the gymnastic team since the gym opened and when I mentioned the race to her coach, Alison and the owners Kim and Charlie, they each thought that it would be a great event to help support Veronica,“ said Slater. “They have been incredibly kind and empathetic to everything Veronica has gone through in the past year. They are very team oriented and thought it would be a wonderful way to help a teammate.”

Slater added that many other people are running to benefit the CF Foundation as well.

“More people everyday will ask if they can walk or run with us and the more the merrier,“ said Slater. “I think the more people that hear about it the more people we will get involved. I have three close wonderful friends from high school who are not runners who are running the half marathon just for Veronica and we have been running at 5:30 am on Saturdays because that's the only time we can get together since we all work and have kids. Of course my husband Mike and two boys Chris, 7, and Harry, 5, are walking in the race too.”

Slater will be participating in the half marathon on Sunday for her second consecutive year, and she said that the town of Wilmington does a tremendous job in setting up the event.

“I loved the event last year and felt the town did a wonderful job organizing it,” said Slater. “I feel very proud that our town offers such a well run race and I wanted to get more people involved this year.”

Slater said that being part of the fund-raising process and running in the event to benefit the CF Foundation is very rewarding.

“The most rewarding part of any fund-raising let alone does something so close to my heart, and it is the values it teaches my family,” said Slater. “I think it is very easy to take, but I want to teach my children to give to others less fortunate and take part in their community. The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation is consistently rated one of the top charitable foundations to donate to since 90 cents of every dollar raised goes to research and supporting people with CF. I also love that young kids are getting out and walking or running and getting exercise.”

Slater added that she is looking forward to the race on Sunday and seeing how much the town can raise for the CF Foundation.

“Our family has never had a fundraiser with friends in our town before,” said Slater. “It will be very exciting and emotional to have such generosity from so many people.”

Slater’s daughter, Veronica, is also looking forward to Sunday as she will be able to participate in the event with her friends.

“I like to run and I like that my friends are going to be there to help raise money for kids with CF,” said Veronica. “I’m looking forward to the free ice-cream and running the last part of the half marathon with my mom.”

Slater added her daughter has been all she can ask for, and she hopes she continues to always set high goals for herself and to never quit.

“(Veronica) is amazing,” said Slater. “She has had numerous hospitalizations and she is so tough. My goal for her has always been to be treated the same as everyone else and not to have any limitations. I tell her to never give up and I have to remind myself of that many times when I am running.”

If anyone would like to donate to the CF Foundation to benefit Veronica and others participating in Sunday’s race, please go to the CFF website at http://www.cff.org/LWC/WilmingtonRun. Donations will also be accepted on Sunday to anyone wearing a CF shirt, and all donations would be greatly appreciated.

If anyone is interested in joining Cheryl Slater and the CF Foundation team please contact Cheryl Slater at 978-658-2851 or email her at http://us.mc329.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=cherylslater2003@yahoo.com.

Fourth annual Half Marathon this Sunday

2008-10-18T13:40:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER, 24, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Sunday, the fourth annual Wilmington Half Marathon and 5K Road Race will take place throughout the streets of Wilmington. The race started in 2004 as a celebration in honor of Wilmington’s 275th birthday, and it has been a success ever since.

Pre-registration starts at 8:30 a.m. and it will begin at 355 Middlesex Anenue, which is the new location of the Wilmington Community Television non-profit organization. The races, which includes the half marathon (13.5 miles) and the 5K (3.1 miles) run or walk will begin at 10 a.m.

High school students looking to run in any of the races on Sunday have to pay only $10. For all other participants, it is a $15 pre-registration fee or a $20 post-registration fee for the 5K road race, and it is a $20 pre-registration fee or a $25 post-registration fee for the half marathon. Group rates are also available for 10+ runners or walkers.

Laura Ahern is an assistant race director of the event, and she said that the race is a great way to raise money for both the town of Wilmington and other organizations.

“The money raised goes back to the Wilmington Community,” said Ahern. “We have raised over $10,000 each year. We have given out scholarships to high school students and raised money for several much needed organizations such as Camp Forty Acres and the Wilmington Food Pantry.

“This is our fourth year and we are proud to have wonderful major sponsors such as the Reading Co-operative Bank and Catherine Wilson, of Wilson Real Estate, as well many other local companies that have given generous donations.”

Ahern added that the head race director, Tom Pazya, was the person who started the event four years ago as he thought it would be a tremendous way to raise money for the town of Wilmington.

“Tom's interest in running various road races in the past and his passion for giving back to the community went hand in hand,” said Ahern. “Denise Gentile and myself, both assistant race directors, joined Tom's passion in giving back to the community and thought this would be a great way to raise money.”

Ahern added that many other people deserve credit for setting up the road race, which has averaged about 150 runners the first three years but should get a dramatic increase this year with the addition of the 5K walk.

“We have a big committee that includes Catherine Wilson, Ellen Sheehan, Lori Munro, Brendan Munro, Christine Deambrose, and Jim Buckley whom are all Wilmington residents that donate their time and meet throughout the year with us,” said Ahern. “We also have many behind the scenes volunteers that give their time to make this race happen and we can't thank them enough for their support.”

Gentile, the other assistant director of the road race, said it is very rewarding to be part of the worthwhile event.

“It is fun to be a part of anything that helps people,” said Gentile. “I like to see the people as they come over the finish line. I think it is great. I don't run and I admire that (the runners) can do it. I'm very proud to be able to be a part of it.”

Ahern agreed with Gentile, as she said that being a volunteer is what she has enjoyed the most since getting involved in the road race four years ago.

“Giving back to the community we live and work in has been great,” said Ahern. “The day of the event is so much fun. You work hard throughout the year to make the race happen and you are able to make a difference. We are all so happy to be helping families in need."

Ahern encourages many people across the town to volunteer for the race on Sunday, especially teenagers who want to help the town of the Wilmington.

“Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community,” said Ahern. “We hope to grow this race from year to year. This is a wonderful opportunity for high school students to volunteer and make a difference.”
Ahern also encourages any company or person to sponsor the annual road race.

“We encourage any company being big or small to help sponsor this event,” said Ahern. “You can donate as little as $100. Every little bit counts and makes a difference. We are hoping next year we will have a couple more major sponsors in the level of $1000+.”

Gentile said that the great part about the road race this year is all of the free food and activities being offered to the participants.

“We have free face painting for the kids, free ice cream, hot dogs, drinks as well as music and a DJ,” said Gentile.

Along with all the results of the race appearing in next week’s Town Crier, Gentile added that awards will also be given out to several participants at the race on Sunday.

“We give out medals for different categories,” said Gentile. “We give out 78 medals between the half marathon and the 5K run. Some of the sponsors give us gifts to give with the medals for some of the categories.”

Ahern said that Sunday should be another fun day for the Wilmington Marathon as it will be another opportunity for the town of Wilmington to raise money for their community.

“Having the opportunity to write the checks out to the different organizations and handing the scholarships out to the students is very rewarding,“ said Ahern. “We want to succeed, we want to raise more money, and we are enthusiastic about giving more each year just to help organizations that need our help.

“We hope you will join us this year rain or shine. This is a great opportunity to run or walk just 3.1 miles with your friends, spouse, family. If you thought about volunteering but haven't, well then volunteer one day of the year and walk on our day, September 28th and make a difference. We hope to see you there.”

If you would like to volunteer at the race on Sunday or if you are interested in any sponsorship levels, please contact either Laura Ahern at http://us.mc329.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=c.ahern@comcast.net or Denise Gentile at http://us.mc329.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=denatgen@yahoo.com. Donations are tax-deductible.

For more information on Wilmington’s Fourth Annual Half Marathon and 5K Race/Walk, please visit the web-site http://wilmingtonhalfmarathon.tripod.com/.

Golfers still looking to put a Stamp on first victory

2008-10-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity golf team lost three more matches last week as they have fallen to 0-6 this season.

The Redmen lost a home match last Wednesday versus Haverhill by a score of 13.5 to 6.5 and then they lost another home match the next day to Dracut by a score of 13 to 7. On Monday the golfers had another difficult time at the Tewksbury Country Club, as Central Catholic came in and won the match 15.5 to 4.5.

In Monday’s match, Coach Jay Stamp said he was most impressed with golfers Mike Walsh and Ryan Doherty, who each had tremendous matches.

“Mike Walsh played well,” said Stamp. “He lost on the last hole but had a great match. He is a great player and a great kid, and we are lucky to have him. Ryan Doherty is another player who is an asset to the team. He lost his match one down but played one of his best matches of the season."

Stamp also said that both Craig Semenza and Rob Bradley played well, as he added that both of the underclassmen will be important in the team's success for the future.

“Craig Semenza won is match one up,” said Stamp. “He is a sophomore and will probably be in my top five next year. Rob Bradley halved his match and helped his group win best ball.

“All and all the kids played well. Central Catholic is a great team and they are going to be tough to beat at Hickory Hill (in Methuen) next Friday.”

In the matches against Haverhill and Dracut, the starters for the TMHS varsity golf team were Matt Thomann, Mike Walsh, Jon Deshler, Ryan Doherty, Dan Rose, Evan Cutelis, Rob Bradley and Nicholas Aleo.

Players Dan Rose and Evan Cutelis took all five points in their group and Jon Deshler won his match versus Dracut as well.

Although the golfers are winless in six matches, Stamp believes that his team can turn their season around if they do not get down on themselves.

“The team has shown a lot of improvements but will still have a ways to go,” said Stamp. “We need to stay positive. I have seen a lot of improvements in the kids' games. As long as we stay positive we'll get there.”

Stamp also added that he has enjoyed being a first-year coach, as he has liked watching the matches and seeing the golfers progress.

“I have enjoyed seeing the kids improve, mostly with their mental games,“ said Stamp. “They are becoming more comfortable in a match situation. You can have a perfect swing but if you don't have a calm mind you won't win matches. I have also enjoyed just watching the matches.

“Most people don't view golf as an exciting game but I find it very exciting. A lot of our matches have come down to the last two pairings and some of those have come down to the last putt.”

Tewksbury is back in action with home matches against Billerica on Friday and Methuen on Wednesday.

Volleyball team nails home two victories

2008-10-18T13:14:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity volleyball team went 2-1 this past week, as they have improved their record to 3-4 this season. After losing an away match to Andover by a score of 3-1 last Wednesday, the volleyball team went to Haverhill and beat them in three consecutive sets on Friday. On Monday, the team kept their winning streak going as they edged out Bedford in a non-conference match.

In the Andover match, Coach Jim Ray said his team could not stop Andover's middle blocker in their only loss of the week.

“Andover is a big team,“ said Ray. “They have a tall middle blocker that hits hard coming out of the middle. We tried to contain her by double blocking her, but she just hit over the top of us. Although we adjusted throughout the match our shining moment did not come until game three.”

The TMHS volleyball team did indeed shine during the third game, as many players contributed to helping them win their only set of the match.

“We were firing on all cylinders with Ali Fraizer coming out hitting on the outside, and she also played some very good defense,“ said Ray. “Britanny Pandolph had several blocks while Kristen Kennedy was absolute awesome. Kristen was digging nearly every ball hit at us all night. She hit the boards hard to make the play, and she is also a huge part of our defense.”

In the win versus Haverhill on Friday, Ray said Sammy Bohn contributed greatly to the victory as she had her best match of the season.

“Sammy Bohn had a great night,“ said Ray. “She served several aces, and made many kills to lead our team to a 3-0 win. Sammy was hitting some hard shots cross court and Haverhill could not stop her. In the back court she hardly missed an opportunity to score. Setter Jess Sullivan set her several times coming out of the back row and Sammy found Haverhill’s open court.”

Also playing well in the 3-0 win were players Jess Sullivan, Becca Quigley, Erin Murphy and Alex Remigio.

On Monday afternoon, Tewksbury defeated Bedford (26-16, 23-25, 25-14, 15-25, and 15-12) in a non-league match.

"I thought Bedford is a team that is very similar to us in terms of how they play defense and offense, said Ray. "We had some outstanding serving from Sammy Bohn and Ali Frazier. We got some timely blocking from Becca Quigley and Alex Remigo. And on the right side, I thought both Erin Murphy and Nicole Sullivan played well."

While there were standouts on the serving and defensive side, Ray pointed out his setter, junior Jess Sullivan who seemed to get everything rolling.

"She was outstanding," said Ray. "She really controlled the ball. She mixed between the front and the back."

Defensively, Tewksbury continues to get better and better, getting more out of several other players.

"Meghan Luppi and Meaghan Flynn have really played solid defense lately and they both played really well against Bedford," said ray. They both had a lot of good digs on (Bedford offensive) drives."

Tewksbury returns home on friday to host Methuen, before going on the road with stops to Central Catholic on Monday and Billerica on Wednesday.

Jamie Pote contributed to this report.

Bump, set, spike:

2008-09-28T19:04:00.000-07:00

THE SUFFOLK JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 24, 2008

Womens Volleyball serves for success, despite loss

By Mike Giannattasio
Journal Contributor

On September 23rd, the Suffolk University women's volleyball team played their eighth game of the season at the Ridgeway Gym. However, the outcome of the match was not what they had hoped for, as the Lady Rams fell to the Salem State Vikings in a non-conference match by a score of 3-1.

Jim Feeley, who has been coaching the women's volleyball team for nine years, said he thought his team played a hard-fought match in the loss.

"It was a good match," said Feely, who originally started out as a head coach for three years before becoming an assistant for two and finally back to being a head coach for four seasons. "We lost 3-1, but (all the sets) were close games."

The Rams, who are now 3-5 on the season, have one of the youngest teams in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. The team has no seniors, only two juniors, two sophomores, and seven freshmen.

Feely said that his team may be very young, but it is not stopping them from trying to achieve their goal for the season.

"Making the playoff tournament with this team would be a really big accomplishment," said Feeley.

Feeley added that watching the older players progress over the last couple of years is what he has enjoyed the most about coaching the team.

"I've enjoyed watching the younger kids grow up," said Feeley. "The younger kids are learning some set plays (every practice). We're much more aggressive hitters than we were last year."

An example of a player who has made tremendous improvements in her first two seasons is Julie Sullivan, a sophomore from Haverhill, Massachusetts.

"Our center Julie Sullivan has improved running the offense dramatically from last year," said Feeley.

The captain of the Suffolk University volleyball team, Kelsey Armstrong-Hahn, is one of many players who believes the Lady Rams can make it to the tournament and succeed.

"I hope our team accomplishes coming together as a team, and I hope we make it to conference playoffs, and I hope we can be successful in the conference playoffs," said Armstrong-Hahn, a junior on the team from Corvallis, Oregon.

Armstrong-Hahn also added that she has had a blast playing on the volleyball team for the Rams."

I love the girls, and I think it's one of the best sports, because you always have the full support from your team," said Armstrong-Hahn.

The Rams go for their fourth and fifth wins of the season Saturday in a conference double-header at Mount Ida College, vs. Mount Ida and vs. Lasell at 10 a.m. and 12 noon respectively.

This article was published in The Suffolk Journal.
To view The Suffolk Journal web-site please visit http://www.suffolkjournal.net/
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"Stoney" snags feel-good GNAC award

2008-09-28T18:48:00.000-07:00

THE SUFFOLK JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY - SEPTEMBER 17, 2008

By Mike Giannattasio
Journal Contributor

Jeff Stone, the athletic trainer at Suffolk University, was recently named the 2007/2008 Great Northeast Athletic Conference Trainer of the Year. Stone, who has been the athletic trainer at Suffolk for five years, was the first person ever to receive this prestigious award.

"It's an honor to be named the first one," said Stone, who has over 25 years of sports medical experience. "It's the first time the league has done this."

It would not have been that way too if it was not for GNAC Commissioner Joe Walsh, who instituted the award last year. Stone was nominated by coaches at Suffolk, as it was an open nomination process meaning anyone could have voted. There are 13 other colleges in the GNAC and only four trainers were nominated. Once Stone and the other three trainers were selected, the other athletic trainers voted and Stone was chosen winner.

Stone, who is currently the District One Athletic Director for the National Athletic Trainers' Association, graduated from Northeastern in 1976 and was the first athletic trainer out of their athletic training program. While a junior at college, Stone became the head athletic trainer and sports information director at Framingham State College.

He carried this job until 1985 before becoming athletic trainer and health teacher at Natick High School. After being at Natick High School for ten years, Stone stayed in the town but taught middle school physical education before coming to Suffolk.

He said many people, including several doctors, coaches and other staff contributed to him winning the award.

"I don't do this all by myself," said Stone. "I can rely on a very strong medical staff. We have the Mass General Hospital Sports Medicine, and we also have the same doctors and therapists as the Red Sox and Patriots.

"This has been a collaborative and team effort. This isn't just me; it all ties in. I'm only one person, and I rely on other people for help and support too. Suffolk is a great place to work, as many different people helped out with me winning this award."

One of these people included Stones' boss and Suffolk University Athletic Director James Nelson. "James Nelson is a great boss to work for," said Stone. "He' an athletic director who understands the importance of an athletic trainer, and that's a key thing."

Nelson has been the AD at Suffolk since 1975, and he said Stone has been a great addition to the Suffolk University Athletic Department since Nelson hired him in the fall of 2004.

"Jeff is remarkably dedicated not only to student athletes of Suffolk University, which is his first priority, but also to student athletes in the GNAC in his role as District One President of the National Association of Athletic Trainers," said Nelson. "Jeff possesses that admiral quality of compassion combined with his decades of expertise in diagnosing and treatment of injuries, their cause, and the rehabilitation process. His multiple years of experience and complete dedication to his noble profession sets him apart from the other athletic trainers."

Stone said he has many goals for himself as athletic trainer at Suffolk University, and most of them are obviously to keep the players on the teams healthy.

"My goal here is to keep everybody healthy and keep the same starting line ups out there as much as I can," said Stone. "I want them perform to the best of their abilities, get them back to near optimal performance if they are injured, and I also want to care and prevent injuries."

Stone was asked what he thought describes a successful athletic trainer, and as he said it, he unintentionally described himself.

"(A successful athletic trainer is) someone who cares about his student athletes, who can get along with people, someone who is not afraid to ask questions, and someone who also works well with his staff and his coaches to put the health and welfare of the kids first," he said.

This article was published in The Suffolk Journal.
To view The Suffolk Journal web-site please visit http://www.suffolkjournal.net/
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Golf team falls to 0-3

2008-09-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity golf team lost two matches this past week, as they have opened up their season with a record of 0-3.

The Redmen lost to Chelmsford at their course last Thursday by a score of 18-2 and they also fell to Andover in a match played at Indian Ridge on Tuesday.

Heading into the match at Chelmsford, Stamp told his players to take their time at each hole and to just relax.

“I told the kids going into the match that they needed to be patient and play one hole at a time,” said Stamp. “Obviously as a coach you want to win every match but my goal coming into Chelmsford was to see my kids play the best they could at a course most of them have not played.”

Stamp added that he thought the score of the match did not equal the effort given by his players, as he said many of them had very good matches.

“I was impressed by Jon Deshler, Ryan Doherty and Rob Bradley,” said Stamp. “Jon lost his match two and one, Ryan won one up and Bradley lost two and one. All three played very well and stayed in their matches which shows their mental toughness. The other starters were Matt Thomann, Mike Walsh, Nick Aleo, Dan Rose and Evan Cutelis.”

The starters for the golf match on Tuesday were Matt Thomann, Mike Walsh, Ryan Doherty, Rob Bradley Craig Semenza, Dan Rose and Evan Cutelis.

Stamp said his team gave a solid effort against a very talented Andover team.

“Everyone played well yesterday,” said Stamp. “Andover is a great team and has five returning starters. Going into yesterday our goal was to compete and we did. We hung in for most of the match until the later holes.”

Stamp added that he thought many golfers played great matches, including Ryan Doherty and Mike Walsh.

“ Ryan Doherty had a real close match that came down to the last hole,” said Stamp. “He ended up losing but gained a lot of experience from the match. Mike Walsh had a great start in his match being two up after two.

“All in all the team performed well. It wasn't good enough to win but we're getting there.”

The golf team goes for their first win of the season on Wednesday versus Haverhill at 3:30 P.M.

Volleyball Round-up

2008-09-28T18:33:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity volleyball lost two games this past week, falling to 1-3 in their young season. The Redmen lost to Lawrence by a score of 3-0 on Wednesday and they also lost to Dracut in their home opener on Friday by a score of 3-0.

In the game against Lawrence, head coach Jim Ray said his team could not stop the talented setter the Lawrence team had.

“Their setter picked us apart,” said Ray. “She is a tremendous player with great opportunities, and she is highly sought after by Division 1 schools like Stanford and USC. She saw where the open court was and played the ball very well.

“We could not adjust, despite changing our defense several times to counter her attack. Lawrence had a good team and we just couldn't handle their setter.”

In the loss to Dracut on Friday, Ray said that his team played well and he really enjoyed watching players Jess Sullivan and Kristen Kennedy as he said they have both improved tremendously since they became members of the team.

“We were hanging tough throughout the match,” said Ray. “We had some good setting from Jess Sullivan, as she is improving every week and making an impression on our opposing coaches.

“Kristen Kennedy played an extraordinary defensive game as well. As a defensive specialist she was awesome. She was very aggressive and she made some spectacular plays.”

Ray also thought sophomore Ali Remingo played well in the match, as he thinks she is becoming a great varsity volleyball player.

“Since we lost Caitlin DeFrancesco to an injury Ali Remigio had stepped up as the second middle blocker,“ said Ray. “With each game she’s getting better and stronger. For a sophomore with little varsity experience she is coming along nicely and developing very well.”

Ray also liked the contributions he got from his captains and bench players.

“Captains Ali Frazier and Meaghan Flynn are doing a great job as they have helped out offensively and defensively,” said Ray. “Coming off the bench Erin Murphy, Megan Luppi and Nicole Harrison played very well.”

On Wednesday the TMHS varsity volleyball team heads to Andover in hopes of winning their second match of the year, and they also will be traveling to Haverhill on Friday in their sixth game of the season.

On Monday the volleyball team faces off versus Bedford in their home gym, and after their match the team will be hosting a 45 minute clinic free of charge for anyone who would like to participate.

“Anyone in attendance who would like to learn to pass and spike will be shown these skills by our players and coaches,” said Ray. “This clinic is open to seventh and eighth grade girls and boys, but certainly not limited to those grades. We can also teach parents if they would like to participate as well.

“The clinic is free and we would love to see as many fans in attendance as possible to cheer on our team. The junior-varsity game starts at 4:00 and the varsity game begins at approximately 5:00.”

Burns hangs on for 18 hours

2008-09-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Recently, Bank of America and the New England Patriots held a contest for fans to win season tickets, called "Now Prove It!" Nine fans were selected to take part in a contest where they had to continuously keep their hands on a large inflatable Pat’s jersey, beginning at 10 a.m. in the morning. They got a break every half-hour. Chris Burns, 28, of Wilmington took part and finished in fourth place, dropping out at 3:30 a.m.

Burns was selected to the contest after calling the WFXN radio station and answering one of the Patriot’s trivia question correctly. The contest started at 10 a.m., and the contestants had to stand with at least one hand touching the huge inflatable Bank of America shirt.

There were always at least two judges watching, and there were video cameras as well. One contestant actually got knocked out after the judges watched the replay on the video camera. The last one standing won two tickets to every Patriot’s home game this season.

Burns said that holding the jersey was not that difficult for him because he was holding the jersey very tightly.

"Holding onto the jersey wasn't to hard," said Burns. "I just tried to grip it so if I started to let go it would remind me."

When the time got to me almost midnight, Burns said he was thinking about dropping out but he stayed after one contestant got knocked out which kept Burn’s chances of winning the season tickets alive.

"I was starting to feel like I may not want to go any longer around 11 p.m. but shortly after the judges came back with the instant replay footage of one of the other contestants taking his hand off," said Burns. "They disqualified him and I think everyone in the contest got a big boost from that."

Burns also added that the contest did not get to be boring until late in the night as he and the other contestants conversed about sports for the majority of the time.

"It didn't get too boring until around 11 p.m. when the streets were starting to get empty," said Burns. "One contestant brought a radio so WBCN was playing, and I just sang along to the songs and danced in place a bit. Most of the other guys were pretty friendly, and we spent lots of time talking sports amongst each other and the judges."

Burns added that he has been a Patriot’s all his life, so keeping one hand on the inflatable jersey for long and consecutive hours was something he was willing to sacrifice for the season tickets.

"I have been a fan for as long as I could remember, but I think I caught the bug the very first time I went to see them play in person," said Burns. "It was early in the 2001 season, and Drew Bledsoe had just been injured and a friend of mine who had season tickets couldn't make the game so he offered me his seats. The Pats beat up on the Colts and I was hooked. Since then I have made it to at least one or two home games each season as well as a few road games here and there."

At the contest Burns was lucky enough to meet Patriot’s legend Andree Tippett who was on hand for the festivities.

"It was really cool to meet him," said Burns. "He wasn't as big as I thought he would be but the Super Bowl ring he had on from 2004 was huge."

Throughout the very long day Burns said he had many relatives and family drop by.

"A few friend stopped by during the day," said Burns. "My brother Doug came by with a Dunkin’s coffee when he got out of work and my fiancé, Mara, dropped by with a sandwich, some candies and a pair of sweat pants around 8 p.m. My fiance also told me prior to the contest to ‘do it for our wedding,’ but I'm still not to sure what she meant by that. Overall, it was so much more fun to have people to talk to."

When it got to be a half hour past three in the morning, Burns and the rest of the participants dropped out of the contest and agreed to split up the tickets.

"My legs were a little tired so that’s why I suggested to split up the tickets with the remaining contestants," said Burns. "I was a little surprised that they all agreed to a split. Overall I am very happy with how things worked out, as I got four club level tickets for when the Pats play the Jets on November 13th. I could have dropped out and taken two tickets to play Denver on the Monday nigh game, but The Jets game is the one game I really wanted to be at."

After the contest, Burns, who went to bed at midnight prior to arriving at 10 a.m. for the start of the contest, arrived home at 5 a.m. before waking up two hours later to go to work. Overall, Burns said participating in the contest for as long as he did was definitely worth it.

"I enjoyed meeting the other guys, and they were lots of fun to hang out with for 18 hours," said Burns.

Two locals give back to program

2008-09-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

Bill Mulvanity and Kevin White

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The great part about the Tewksbury Youth Football League is the work of the dedicated coaches, whom volunteer their time to helping out the participants in the program without seeking any praise or accolades in return. Two prime examples of volunteer coaches who are committed to the Tewksbury Youth Football League are William Mulvanity and Kevin White.

Mulvanity and White both coach the Senior Division Titans team, as Mulvanity, 22, is one of the assistant coaches and White, 16, is a student coach.

Mulvanity, who just graduated from Worcester State College a few months ago, said he enjoys many parts about coaching the Titans team, especially watching the players improve over time.

"I enjoy seeing how the kids progress year from year, and it makes it worthwhile when you see them come back the following year excited to play again and see how they have improved in the off-season," said Mulvanity, who also graduated from Tewksbury Memorial High School where he played both varsity football and hockey. "I also enjoy having a player or parent come up and tell me how much their child is enjoying playing for our team."

White said he enjoys giving the players advice and helping them out in any way he can while coaching in the league.

"I enjoy being able to go help the kids to become better football players, and telling the kids things that I've learned from my high school coaches," said White, who is a junior at Shawsheen Technical Valley High School where he plays varsity football, basketball and baseball. "

White added that coaching in the TYF league allows him to be in a t-shirt and shorts rather than equipment, and he said it is great because he learns valuable information about the game that he would not normally learn while out on the gridiron.

"I still learn new things about football everyday coaching and being able to be on the other side of things rather than being a player is great," said White. "Having an idea of what coaches go through everyday dealing with kids is very enjoyable as well."

The President of the TYF League, Frank Ferrelli, said that Mulvanity and White are the prime examples of volunteer coaches who play in an important rule in making the program a annual success.

"Volunteer coaches, in both football and in cheerleading, have a huge impact on our program," said Ferrelli. "Each is a dedicated individual that has a goal of teaching the game of football or the sport of cheerleading and sharing their knowledge to teach the youth of our town. The performance of these coaches demonstrate the desire to share their knowledge and teaching the participants goes a long way toward making our program a success. Without these volunteers, this program would look a lot different."

Mulvanity has been part of the TYF program as a volunteer coach for an incredible ten consecutive seasons, and it’s not to difficult to guess that he really enjoys it. He got involved with the league after one of his first coaches showed him what coaching was all about.

"Back in 1996 I was a 10 year old player on the Cherokee football team," said Mulvanity. "Carmen Zullo was a new coach who just came out of college and just wanted to help out anyway he could. Having a younger coach on the team gave myself as well as my team mates someone to relate to a little more than just the fathers who typically coached on the team. As the season progressed he became more of a mentor to myself and I always knew that I wanted to have that kind of impact on a player as Carmen had on me.

"I’ve played sports for 17 years now and every single coach that I have ever played for has made some kind of impact on my life whether good or bad, but Carmen Zullo is one of the few exceptions out there who has made a huge impact on my life and I feel it's only fair that I try and give that back to the best of my ability.

"So since the age of 12 I have been helping Carmen out with his team and eventually we have grown not only into great friends but family as I am now a full time assistant coach along side him with the Titans."

White has been involved with the Titans since a very young age as well, and if it wasn’t for suffering an injury one season White probably would not be a coach of the Titans team today.

"I used to play in the league when I was younger, but when I got injured my coach (Carmen Zullo) asked me to help him out and from then I have stuck with it," said White.

White added that Coach Zullo has had a great impact on his football career just like Zullo did for Mulvanity.

"Carmen Zullo is my former coach and is one of the best coaches I have ever had," said White. "He helped me through my first years of playing football and most of my football knowledge comes from him."

White added that balancing school, work after-school sports, coaching football and his other priorities can be difficult for any student but he always manages to get everything done.

"I'm used to my schedule as I wake up around 7 a.m. to go to school, I go to football practice after, then I go coach, and then I finally get back home around 7:45 p.m. each night," said White. "If I have any homework I do that when I get home."

Mulvanity used to have a very difficult schedule as he used have to drive home from college to attend practices and games, but he said his schedule has changed and it is currently much easier than it was before.

"When I was in college I used to drive home from Worcester (State College) for practices and games which took its toll on gas but I love coaching and being able to hopefully have an impact on (player’s) lives as coaches growing up have done for me is great," said Mulvanity. "I am fortunate now that my work schedule allows me to have no conflicts with practices and games which is a nice break this year."

Mulvanity added that as defensive coach he hopes to have all players learn the concept of team defense and he also hopes that his team does not look back and plays to the best of their abilities.

"As the defensive coach my goals are to teach the kids a high level of defense that they will see at the next level in high school," said Mulvanity. "As a team our goal is to play the season with no regrets at the end no matter what the outcome may be."

White agrees with Mulvanity, as he hopes he can continue to have an impact on the players so they can win two consecutive championships.

"I hope I can help out the kids as much as possible by coaching them to make plays," said White. "As a team I expect them to be making it back to the championship game for back to back Super Bowl wins."

White, who mostly assists in working with the quarterbacks on the Titans team, said he seen a tremendous improvement in the players since the first week of the season.

"The team is 0-1 after a tough loss (this past Saturday), but that doesn't show how much the kids have improved from their first day in August," said White. "They run a very difficult offense and they get better everyday. I expect them to have a very solid season and I also expect the kids to give it their all everyday no matter what."

Mulvanity said that while football is a fun sport to be played, it will also help out the players in life years down the road.

"Football is just a game, but at the same time football will help you later in life," said Mulvanity. "Football is an outlet from the world whether your playing it or coaching it and it allows for you to get away from other issues for the few hours you are on the fields."

Ferrelli back running the show for his 20th year

2008-09-28T16:07:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

A look inside Tewksbury Youth Football

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

When driving by the Livingston Street football fields every Saturday and Sunday morning, you will not be able to miss the hundreds of kids out on the gridiron having fun and playing in their games. There will also be many dedicated volunteer coaches and board members out on the fields helping out and assisting in any way possible.

Led by President Frank Ferrelli and the many devoted volunteers, the Tewksbury Youth Football is back for another fun and successful season for all the players, coaches, and parents alike. Ferrelli has been a part of the program for the last 20 years as he started as the purchasing director of the league before assuming responsibilities as president. He said the most rewarding part about being in the program is watching the improvements of the players from their first game to their last.

"It is very rewarding to see each player progress throughout the season," said Ferrelli. "Leaning how to get into a huddle and leave a huddle sounds easy to everyone except a seven year old. Each player of a team will learn the game, learn the value of team play, learn the value of exercise, learn to listen, and learn how to play the game and the rules of the game. Each team is a reflection of its coaching staff, and we have some of the best in the Merrimack Valley, and we hope that each team comes out of the year understanding that the ‘team’ concept is the key to success."

Ferrelli knows what it takes for each team and player to be successful throughout the season. He has been a part of the TYF program since the late 1980’s as a parent, assistant coach, numerous board positions, and currently president.

"Like every parent, involvement usually starts with our children getting into a sports program," said Ferrelli. " When my son, John decided to participate in football in 1985, I was a parent on the sidelines supporting him. The second year, I became an assistant coach and as things moved along, I became the head coach two years later.

"In 1988, I served the program in various board positions and after the 1988 season, the board’s volunteers all had decided that they were moving on with their families, jobs, and life as all their children had graduated from the program. This was the year that I was asked to assume responsibilities as President of the Friends of Tewksbury Youth Football, Incorporated program."

Since taking part in the program 20 years ago, Ferrelli said that the most rewarding part has been watching the number of participants in the program grow.

"The most rewarding part about being the President of Tewksbury Youth Football has been in developing a program from 190 participants to nearly 550 participants in the past few years," said Ferrelli. "This year our numbers have reduced to only 427 participants. The strong interest in football has allowed us the opportunity to increase the number of football teams and cheerleader squads from 8 teams to 14 teams as well as change the philosophy from a ‘limited or closed’ weight to an ‘open’ weight program. Also, the development of the Junior Division over the last 18 years has been fantastic. "

Ferrelli added that joining the Northeast Junior High School Football League has been another great improvement made by the Tewksbury Youth Football League over the last several years.

"Last year Tewksbury Youth Football joined the Northeast Junior High Football League for all 13 and 14 year old players," said Ferrelli. "This league consists of teams from Billerica, Lowell, Andover, Lawrence and teams from New Hampshire including Salem, Derry, Londonderry, Manchester, Goffstown, Bedford, Merrimack, Amherst, and Nashua. By joining this league, we were able to restructure our other three divisions to allow a single year of separation between the players, and this has resulted in much closer games. The Junior Division and the reorganization last year have proven to be very positive and exciting."

Along with joining the Northeast Junior High Football League, TYF has also made great improvements in terms of their facilities.

"Planning and using our resources of people and money to the best advantage of the program is the most satisfaction aspect that anyone could enjoy," said Ferrelli. "Over the past 20 years, Tewksbury Youth Football has expended over $100,000 in the Livingston Street Complex in the building, field sprinkler system, state field drainage system, fence replacement, scoreboard, and announcers booth. We have also put this money into field seeding and federalization, new shed, building maintenance, and driveway and this is just to name a few of the improvements that we have accomplished."

To run a successful football league takes several responsibilities, and Ferrelli said he and all the board of directors have many tasks they have to fulfill during the season as well as the off-season.

"The Board of Directors currently consists of 15 Directors," said Ferrelli. "Each has a major responsibility and each performs a specific task that makes the program function successfully. The tasks that I perform are year round activities. The planning and proposal of a budget, meetings, schedules, and special projects for the year are the initial steps.

"I than submit these plans to the Board of Directors for approval. At this point, I obtain quotations, for both football and cheerleader equipment for the upcoming year and initiate the necessary purchase orders to support the procurement process and reconditioning of all the equipment and uniforms."

Ferrelli and the TYF Board of Directors also attend board meetings monthly, and Ferrelli said that they are held monthly to make sure that the program is always running smoothly.

"The Board meets once a month from November to June and then twice a month from July to October," said Ferrelli. "The purpose of each meeting is conduct the business of the program in a timely manner from the financial reporting, to issues of each football and cheerleading division, to the snack shack, to publicity, to building repairs, to equipment procurement issues, to special events or projects, to rosters, to rules, to game results, to game suspensions, to parent complaints or issues and to resolving anything that develops that needs the attention, resolution, or action of the Board."

Ferrelli said he also has to handle lots of paperwork in order to meet the requirements of any program that is run by the community.

"The interface with the town parks and the Recreation Department on registration dates, fees, park permits and any special projects are necessary for the facilities at the park on Livingston Street," said Ferrelli. "With the growth of the organization since 1988 to the present time, all the youth sports programs have become a ‘small business’ managed by volunteers."

In addition, Ferrelli has to make sure he gets in all the documentations and meet necessary documentation.

"Tewksbury Youth Football is a registered non profit organization that must function within the guidelines of the IRS and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and that requires the filing of the necessary documentation through a private accountant agency," said Ferrelli. "As President, my responsibility is to make sure we all do the right things at the right time and to assist each member of the Board to perform there responsibilities when necessary. It is the President’s responsibility to conduct the business affairs of the program."

One of the other responsibilities of Ferrelli and the rest of the board members is to make sure that the referees are all qualified and know all the rules of the game.

"All of our referees are certified in the NCAA and the National Federation of High Schools Rules," said Ferrelli. "Each referee must study and know the rules of the game and pass a test to be certified. Also, the referees must learn our unique rules and how these rules impact the game.

"This current group of referees really enjoy doing our games because the players are fun to be with on the field and are very respectful of there efforts. The parents and coaches are also very supportive of their participation in our games."

Ferrelli added that he has to put in several of his hours towards the program both during the season and during the off-season.

"The time element is substantial but rewarding at the same time," said Ferrelli. "During the season, I spend over 50 hours a week actively involved in the program. And in the off season, it drops to about 20-30 hours per week."

Ferrelli said that while he is not working as much, it’s easier to balance his time when volunteering with the league, but it can also be difficult now that he is the general manager of a women’s semi pro football team.

"Since I am now semi-retired, the balancing requirement has become a lot easier than in previous years when the children were growing up and I worked in Norwood, (Massachusetts)," said Ferrelli. "However, now that I am the General Manager of the Boston Militia women’s football team, a women’s semi professional full contact football team that is associated with the Independent Women’s Football League, I sometimes have time conflicts that force me to schedule and prioritize my time and duties."

Last month, Ferrelli and the entire TYF League started the football season, and while most players were returning from previous seasons, there were many new players.

"During the month of August we have the initial ‘evaluation’ week," said Ferrelli. "During this week, all new players and players changing divisions are placed through various drills and exercises and evaluated by the coaches.

"On Thursday of that week, each division has a draft of these players and all players are informed as to the team they have been picked for. Everyone is picked and no player is cut or placed on a waiting list. The following week we start the process of issuing uniforms to the twelve teams. Prior to this, the travel players have been issued uniforms on the first Saturday in August."

During the month of August, the TYF practices run four days per week form 6:00 to 8:00PM. On the week that school starts, the practices change to three days per week – Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday –from 5:30 to 7:30PM. All football teams and cheerleader squads practice at the same time and at the same location which is the State Field on Livingston Street.
Each team plays an eight game schedule in the in-town divisions, including the playoffs. The travel teams play nine regular season games and two possible playoff games.

All junior and intermediate games are played on Saturday mornings and the Senior Division teams play on Sunday. The travel teams usually play their games on either a Saturday night starting at 6pm or Sunday afternoons depending on field availability.

The 2008 Registration Fees for the in-town football program is $110.00 per participant and the cheerleader registration fee is $85.00. The in-town family maximum fee is $185.00. The travel football participation is $150.00 and the travel cheerleader participation is $125.00 per participant.

This year the league has 262 football players and 165 cheerleaders for a total of 427 participants. The age range is 7 to 14, and the age determination date is as of October 1 of the current year.
The Junior Division is for players ages 7 through 8, and the Intermediate Division has an age range of 9 and 10 year olds. The Senior Division is for 11 and 12 year old participants, and the travel varsity and junior varsity teams consist of all 13 and 14 year old players.

Ferrelli said that in order for all the players of each division to learn and improve, they must show commitment and come to every practice and game.

"All youth sports require that the participant must want to play the game," said Ferrelli. "If one refuses to do the exercise or attend the practices and learn the game then they will have a problem with the game.

"In my opinion, youth football is the safest youth sport that there is. Football is no different than any other sport, but commitment is required to play the game and be successful. Attendance and full participation at practice prepares the players for the game. If one practices hard and gives the proverbial 100%, then the game is fun. Not practicing and learning what the team is doing will always result in failure and dissatisfaction."

Ferrelli added that safety is an important factor in any sport so he tells his the players to always wear their equipment properly.

"Safety is a major concern with every practice and game," said Ferrelli. "At the beginning of the year, I tell each participant that their equipment is their friend, and if they abuse it than it will abuse them. Each piece of equipment has a purpose-wear it correctly, take care of it and it will be your friend."

Ferrelli went on to say that he looks forward to many different things when watching the TYF practices and games.

"Watching the coaches teaching proper techniques is very satisfying," said Ferrelli. "Seeing each participant and parent having fun and smiling after the practice and game is extremely rewarding. The sport and the game must be fun and that is not always accomplished. I always say that practices are tough and it is okay to not like the practices but it is the practice sessions that make the game performance fun.

"For me, it is not about wins and losses but it is the goal for each participant to learn the game and have fun while actively taking part in the game or on the cheerleading squad. I very much enjoy seeing every game end with scores of 7-6 or 13-12."

Ferrelli added that what he thinks makes the TYF program successful is the work of the dedicated volunteers, who contribute to making the TYF league a fun program for all the participants involved.

"The Tewksbury Youth Football Program is successful because of all the volunteers in the program, on the Board, on the football field, with the cheerleaders, in the announcer’s booth and in the snack shack," siad Ferrelli. "Volunteers are the key to a successful youth sports program."
Ferrelli also said that the Board of Directors are also important in making the program successful.

"Not only are volunteer coaches a major building block but the volunteer Board members, who serve the Program year round are the cornerstone of the organization," said Ferrelli. "Without the commitment of the Directors, the registration fees would nearly double. The planning and work that each Director contributes to the program goes a long way in maintaining our fee structure."

Ferrelli added that he hopes new volunteers can contribute to the TYF league in the future, as he said his time as President will most likely be coming to an end soon.

"I think that it is important that new volunteers step up to serve on the Board," said Ferrelli. "I have been President for a number of years and my time is drawing to a close. Other members on the Board have also been around a long time and they too are entering the final chapter of their involvement.

"Parents must step up and take an active part in the program. Now is the time to step in while the experienced personnel are around that you can learn what we accomplish and why. The success of our Tewksbury Youth Football starts with the volunteers on the Board."

In addition, Ferrelli hopes many parents can get involved in the program and find out how rewarding being a part of the organization is.

"I find it extremely disappointing to see so few people offering to volunteer to help in the snack shack or on the board," said Ferrelli. "I encourage anyone who wishes to help out to see any current board member at the field, their coach or to call and let one of us know what they would like to do.

"The Board is fun and easy with volunteers helping in every aspect of the business. The program is fun and the reward of seeing happy participants is the most satisfaction that a volunteer can experience."

Ferrelli also said that Recreation Department deserves lots of credit for giving the TYF league a quality field to play on.

"The Parks and Recreation Department employees have taken great pride in maintaining the fields and grounds that we use throughout the year," said Ferrelli. "The result of this hard work goes a long way to making our fields an enjoyable place to practice and play
our games. The TYF League appreciates the hard work that these people do everyday."

For the future, Ferrelli hopes that the league can accomplish its goal by giving all participants of TYF a successful league to play in.

"The goals of our league is to offer the opportunity to all the children of Tewksbury to participate in either the football or cheerleader activities that we offer," said Ferrelli.

"With the establishment of the travel varsity and junior varsity teams the goal with these teams is to prepare the participants for the next level of football or cheerleading. When teams play teams from other towns, it is obvious that the level of play is raised to a much higher level."

Tewksbury Youth Football is a recreation program that provides the opportunity to all children from age 7 to 14 to participate in football and cheerleading activities with no weight restrictions and no cuts. If you would like to visit more information about the league, please go to the link http://www.eteamz.com/tewksburyyouthfootball/index.cfm.

Golf season begins

2008-09-28T15:51:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School golf team played Billerica in their first match of the season on Friday, losing by a combined score of 20 to 0.

Starting for the golf team were players Jonathan Deshler, Ryan Doherty, Evan Cutelis, Dan Rose, Mike Walsh, Matt Thomann, Rob Bradley, and Craig Semenza.

Jonathan Deshler came close to winning his match, as he lost by a score of 2 to 1, but Coach Jay Stamp said none of the player’s scores reflect their performance.

“None of the scores will reflect a players performance,” said Stamp. “We play match play so there are many instances when a player won't finish a hole. The team put its best foot forward in this match."

Prior to the match Stamp gave his players some advice, but it didn’t work as they did not play to the best of their abilities.

“I told them to relax and play one hole at a time. I told them that the course was tight and to play it safe. The kids didn’t look their best though.”

On Thursday the golf team faces off at Chelmsford, and Stamp said the players have been working on their short game this past week.

“We need to work on our short game as to many holes were lost to putts,” said Stamp. “I hope to see some improvements in the player’s games, such as better putting and chipping. Hopefully the results of the next match will reflect their effort better.”

Redmen volleyball team splits first two games

2008-09-28T15:43:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Friday, the Tewksbury Memorial High School volleyball team played Lowell without one of their star players. Caitlin DeFrancesco, the senior captain of the team, injured herself last week and will not be playing for a quite a while.

“Going into the Lowell match we had a huge set back,” said head varsity volleyball Coach Jim Ray. “ Our senior Captain and middle blocker, Caitlin De Francesco, injured herself and appears to be sidelined for at least most of the of the season. This injury comes on the heels of several unfortunate events of injuries we have suffered throughout the early going of the season.

“We have found ourselves bringing up sophomore Alex Remigio to play the middle position as well as junior Katelyn Moore. We have also brought up freshman backup setters Jess Bridle and Alina Rosmarinofski from the junior-varsity squad to replace our injured varsity team players.”

Although the varsity squad was not fully healthy, Ray said the team managed to play well throughout the entire match on Friday, losing 3-1.

“Despite our youthfulness on the court our team played well throughout the match,” said Ray. “We executed fairly well in the front court with some good performances from our outside hitters Ali Frazier, and Becca Quigley. Brittany Pandolph had some big blocks and was solid in the middle while Alex Remigio stepped up to play varsity level volleyball with little time to prepare. In the backcourt, defensively Kristen Kennedy and Meaghan Flynn swept up some hard attacks by Lowell's hitters.

“Given the injury status of our players I think our team did very well. They communicated with each other and they also helped Remigo transition into her role of middle blocker. We also saw a need to execute a back row attack and worked on that after the match going into our second game against Weston.”

On Tuesday, the TMHS volleyball team played at Weston, winning every set and sweeping Weston 3-0.

“In our match against Weston some of our injured players had been given the green light to play again,” said Ray. “Our regular starting line up took the court and during the match we substituted the previously injured players in for the starters to see how they would react to a game.

"Coming off the bench was Bianca Barboza, Megan Luppi, Erin Murphy and Nicole Harrison. The girls put forth a tremendous game against Weston and it appears we might have shaken off the cobwebs.”

Ray was especially impressed with out the team passed throughout the match, and he was also very pleased at Jess Sullivan’s play in the match.

“The players surprised me with their passing and hitting and they really showed how much they wanted to get back on the court,” said Ray. “Jess Sullivan has been thrusted into the primary setters role as our senior setter Sammy Bohn has been sidelined. Jess has really poured it on for us as and she is learning very quickly who to set and when to distribute her sets across the front and backcourt.”

Ray also said many other players stepped up and contributed in Tuesday’s win.

“(Allison) Frazer, and Alina Rosmarinofski hit very well on the outside,” said Ray. “Bianca Barboza served several aces. Megan Luppi passed very well in the backcourt and made an exceptional attack from the back court for a kill. In one rotation we placed freshman Jess Bridle on court to set and she did surprisingly well.

“This team is a solid team and very diversified in terms of being able to adjust on the court. Once we are 100% healthy we'll be a completely different team.”

On Wednesay the TMHS volleyball travels to Lawrence for their third match of the season before playing in their home opener Friday against Dracut.

DeFrancesco caught in the middle of different sport

2008-09-21T14:11:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Caitlin DeFrancesco is one of the many players on her volleyball team working hard and getting ready for Friday’s opening match versus Lowell. DeFrancesco has been part of the TMHS volleyball team since her freshman year, and she is the senior captain of the team this season. She said she has loved playing the game all throughout high school.

“Volleyball is just a fast, fun and exciting game that I really enjoy playing,” said DeFrancesco. “It was really exciting two years ago when the team made it to the second round of the State Tournament. I’ve also made some close friends that I probably wouldn’t have known otherwise.”

DeFrancesco added that she has some huge goals for her team this year, as she hopes to get her team qualified for the state tournament.

“I hope that we play to our full potential and qualify for the state tournament this year,” said DeFrancesco. “Personally, I hope that I consistently perform well throughout the season and help us win.”

Being captain of the volleyball team comes with many responsibilities. DeFrancesco is the tri-captain of the team along with senior Meaghan Flynn and junior Allison Frazier, and DeFrancesco said the captain’s jobs are to keep the team focused and to show good leadership.

“Our role is to keep the team united, with everyone working together and focused on winning,“ said DeFrancesco. “Coach (Jim) Ray will sometimes use us to communicate certain issues to the rest of the team too.”

DeFrancesco said that her team has been concentrating on defense and communication since they opened up their practices a couple of weeks ago.

“Coach Ray has been stressing defense this year,” said DeFrancesco. “Defense has been our biggest weakness in past years so the majority of the drills we have done so far have been focused on improving that aspect of our game.

"We have also been trying to improve our team communication. It’s something that may seem unimportant to a spectator, but it can end up being the difference between a win or a loss.”

Being captain of the volleyball team, DeFrancesco said she has plenty of advice for those interested in taking part in the sport.

“Don’t give up,” said DeFrancesco. “Volleyball is a very difficult sport to learn, and due to the lack of youth league opportunities in our area, almost every incoming freshman has never even touched a volleyball before try-outs. It’s going to take time to get everything down, but in the end, it’s worth all the effort you put into it.”

While DeFrancesco is competing in volleyball now, she is also a feared basketball player throughout the rest of the MVC.

“Basketball, like volleyball, is a team sport, and I’ve been fortunate to be a part of some very successful teams,” said DeFrancesco. “I’ve also been lucky enough to play for some great coaches who have taught me so much about the game.”

Playing sports and balancing time between school, work and other priorities can be difficult for any student-athlete, but DeFrancesco seems to handle the pressure well.

“Unfortunately there is not a lot of free time and I just have to choose what things are the most important and make them the priority,“ said DeFrancesco. “Family comes first, school second, and sports third. So unfortunately, many other things have to be sacrificed.”

With little time to work out on her own during the season because of practices, DeFrancesco said she spends several of her summer hours per week training at her local gym.

“In-season, most practices are two to three hours per day and five to six days per week,” said DeFrancesco. “During the off-season I try to work out about two hours per day. This past summer I did some strength and conditioning workouts at a local gym.”

Next year, DeFrancesco will be off to college, and she said she does not know where is going just yet, but she also said she has been in contact with some colleges hoping to recruit her for basketball.

“I have visited some colleges and I am starting to narrow down my selections,” said DeFrancesco. “However, I have not made any choices yet. At this point, I am not sure that I have the ability to play (volleyball) at the collegiate level. But if the opportunity comes along, it is something I would definitely consider.

“I have also been contacted by a few college basketball coaches asking if I would have any interest playing at their school.”

DeFrancesco was asked who she attributes her success to as a student-athlete, and that was an easy response for her as she immediately mentioned her parents.

“My parents have taken time off of work and sacrificed so many weekends just so they could bring me to my games and practices,” said DeFrancesco.

Her volleyball coach, Jim Ray, said it best about DeFrancesco in terms of her athletic career at TMHS.

“She is great in whatever she sets out to do,” he said.

Redmen volleyball team up for big challenge

2008-09-21T13:59:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

After finishing with a 1-17 record last season, the Tewkbury Memorial High School volleyball players have opened up practices redeemed and ready for a fresh start. The varsity volleyball-team has been practicing and working hard in preparation for their first game this Friday at Lowell High School. Coach Jim Ray is entering his third season as a TMHS volleyball coach, and he is very optimistic about his team turning their record around this season.

“We lost quite a few games last year, but we were rebuilding and our goal last year was to give the younger players their much needed experience,“ said Ray. “Records don't really reflect the level of play that is given on the court.

“I think our team will shine brightly this year, and I am very optimistic about our team. We have smart, strong, quick and committed players, which is a great combination for a volleyball team. I also think we have lots of good chemistry on the court this season, and there are lots of great vibes and positive energy on the court as well.”

Ray is hoping that the team chemistry energy his team brings on the court this season will help them get to the state tournament.

“Our goal is to improve upon last seasons record and get back into the hunt for a state tournament bid,” said Ray.

Ray definitely has the qualifications as a coach to lead his team to the state tournament. He got involved with the TMHS volleyball team two years ago after previously coaching the sport at Acton-Boxboro High School.

“I got involved with Tewksbury volleyball in the fall of 2006 when I met the then coach Kerry Lane,” said Ray. “She explained that she had been coaching volleyball at TMHS, but needed help coaching. She thought the team would do well, but needed an extra jolt. Since I had just resigned as head coach of the Acton-Boxboro High School volleyball team I signed on to assist Coach Lane.”

In 2007, Ray took over for Lane, who he thought was an excellent coach.

“After that first season she resigned, I was appointed coach,” said Ray. “I think Kerry did a fine job prior to my arrival and I enjoyed coaching with her.”

Ray, who grew up in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, graduated from Middlesex Community College with an associate degree in fire science and safety technology shortly after graduating from his hometown high school. Volleyball wasn’t well-known when Ray attended Pottstown High, so he stuck to playing wide receiver for the football team and competing in hurdles for the winter and spring track teams. Ironically, Pottstown, PA. now boasts as being the home of the largest grass volleyball tournament in the country.

Ray said he wouldn’t even be involved with the game of volleyball today if it’s wasn’t for meeting a person who recruited him to take part in the sport.

“I actually started playing volleyball seriously by accident,” said Ray. “I met a guy who was interested in my height and he recruited me to play on his club team. He taught me much about the game, such as strategy and tactics. He (also) suggested that I take coaching certification courses, and I caught on very quickly.”

After learning the game and playing it well, Ray joined several teams and eventually was selected to the volleyball team at the Massachusetts Bay State Games, which are held in the middle of July every year.

“I have played for numerous volleyball clubs and leagues and I was selected to play in the Bay State Games in 2000 and 2001,” said Ray. “Our team won a gold medal in 2000 and a silver medal in 2001.”

Since becoming coach of the TMHS volleyball team, Ray said what he has liked the best is watching and following his players, whether it’s from a match to match in high school, or from their high school to collegiate careers.

“I have followed many of my former players through their collegiate career,” said Ray. “I have traveled a lot to watch former players compete. I feel I have vested interest in them. They have become, not merely players, but friends. Many of them have helped me out with camps and tryouts. I can name nearly every player that has played on my teams over the years.”

While Ray will continue to follow his former players, his current job is to coach and lead the TMHS volleyball team. However, he will not be coaching the team this season with Katie Barbato, who was the junior-varsity coach and assistant varsity coach last year.

“We had just learned that Katie Barbato, a former player and JV coach was not joining us this year as she had graduated college and found employment,” said Ray. “This was our loss. I along with the players had a lot of respect for Katie and we will miss her.”

Ray added that he will be coaching the team this season with Joel McKenna, who has previously coached several sports in the past, most notably lacrosse at TMHS.

“Joel McKenna was given the JV coach position after he was a volunteer coach last season and Katie and I took our time to teach him the game,” said Ray. “Joel is a very insightful person and the kids really like him. He also adds a whole new perspective on how to interact with each player, since he knows the students so well.”

Ray and McKenna have been both working hard this past week in coaching the volleyball team on all aspects of the game, but Ray said defense has been the team’s main priority so far.

“I am a ‘defensive’ coach first,” said Ray. “I believe in defending the court at all costs and by that I mean passing is the key to transitioning to an offense. Also, our blockers are developing very well. The rules of volleyball have changed over the years, turning volleyball into an offensive quick hitting game, rather than the old defensive game. However, what has not changed is that passing needs to be as good as opposing hitters are as good.”

Ray has also been working diligently with his team on offense, as he hopes to incorporate a new offensive system this season.

“We are working on moving to an up tempo offense, one in which we hit or spike the ball with varying speeds of sets,” said Ray. “Moreover, if passing is not crisp than the setter must work harder when setting the ball to be able to make those faster more deceptive sets.”

When setting up his varsity roster, Ray said he looks for players who have the skills to play at the varsity level but he also looks for many characteristics in a volleyball player.

“I like positive team players on the court,” said Ray. “We need every player to think ‘team’ all the time. Volleyball is a fast game, and volleyball players need to have good vision while on the court. When there are six players occupying a 30x30 foot square each player must know their responsibility.

“They must be able to communicate clearly, calling for the ball early, calling a play route either verbally or by hand signals. Players also need to be quick with their movements, as they should think and act quickly.”

Ray also likes volleyball players who cheer each other on during every minute of play.

“Volleyball players need to be supportive of their teammates,” said Ray. “They need to be confident in their ability, as well as have confidence in their teammates. Our team is working on giving 100% (effort) all of the time.”

Ray also added that there is an enormous difference between a varsity volleyball player and a junior-varsity volleyball player.

“Junior-varsity players need to know the fundamentals, whereas varsity players need to have a solid command of those skills,“ said Ray. “Volleyball is a difficult sport to learn and younger players need to learn those skills and have them reinforced through repetitive drills. Once they learn those basic skills they need to learn how apply those skills through game like situations, eventually working towards learning specific positions and what type of offense works best for them.”

Ray hopes that all the players on the varsity volleyball team can contribute to the team this year.

“Caitlin DeFrancesco is returning and she is a big middle blocker and our senior team captain,” said Ray. “Brittany Pandolph, a junior, is developing into a great middle blocker. Junior captain Allison Frazier and junior Becca Quigley, our outside hitters, are expected to mix their hitting with differing speeds of sets. Senior Sammy Bohn and junior Jess Sullivan are also working hard to learn and direct our offense as setters.”

Ray also expects to get several contributions from his other senior captain, Meaghan Flynn, along with many other players.

“Senior captain Meaghan Flynn and Junior Kristen Kennedy will be the rampart of our back court defense,” said Ray. “I appointed Meaghan Flynn as captain last year. She was a player that seemed to have an even keel. She was able to talk to players and relay information and she tried to resolve issues as they erupted.

“We also have high expectations that juniors Erin Murphy and Nicole Harrison can put up a big and physical block on our opponents’ outside hitters. Rounding off the rest of the varsity squad is Bianca Barboza and Megan Luppi, who are both currently injured, but they are terrific utility players for us as well.”

Ray said he has been very impressed so far with the leadership brought by the three captains of the team, DeFrancesco, Flynn, and Frazier.

“The three captains have done a terrific job and I have the utmost admiration for them,” said Ray. “These three Captains are doing an excellent job in guiding our team, not just the varsity, but the JV and freshmen as well. And quite frankly they are keeping me in line.”

On Friday, Ray and his team will be gearing up for their first game of the year. Ray’s advice to the team is to simply play to the best of their abilities.

“Play hard and do the best they can is my advice to them,” said Ray. “If our players work hard, and put in 100 % effort - win or lose - then that's okay. Let's lose and learn, rather than be sore losers. When we win let's learn from that as well.

“Let's spread good sportsmanship and teamwork where ever we go. We grow from sports in many ways and maturity is gained when (the players) walk into the gym the first day of practice and it carries through to end of the season and beyond.”

Ray added that he is having a great time coaching the TMHS volleyball team, as he quietly enjoys watching them play in their matches and seeing how their hard work in practice pays off.

“Just watching the team put it all together is what I look forward to the most when watching them play,” said Ray. “I am usually quiet and reserved during matches because I rant and raved at practice. The team has put the effort into their match, and on the floor during a match is where it all comes together. I love watching this happen and I am always surprised at the end result.”

Ray also said that seeing the less experienced players contributing is what makes him love his job as TMHS volleyball coach.

“Watching the team out on the court is pure enjoyment,” said Ray. “When I see young players develop, they beam from doing something right for the first time, and that's what makes coaching worthwhile.”

Deshler irons out all of the credit

2008-09-21T13:36:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 20008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

When senior golf player Jonathan Deshler first showed up to practices a few weeks ago, he knew that the coach that made him the successful golf player he is today would not be there.

“Starting this season with a new coach was a bit of a challenge to the returning players,” said Deshler. “We had gotten used to Coach (Larry) Basteri who retired at the end of last season, and many of us had gotten friendly on a personal basis with him. With all due respect to Coach (Jay) Stamp, Coach Basteri made me the golfer I am today, and instilled the importance of respect and being a gentleman in me.”

Although Deshler will always remember the coach who improved his golf game tremendously, it only took him one or two days after opening up his season to realize that his present new golf coach, Jay Stamp, was extraordinary in working with and trying to improve the players on the team.

“Coach Stamp being younger, and an experienced golfer himself, has given a hands on approach to improving the players,” said Deshler. “Just last week he took both the varsity and junior-varsity teams to the driving range and showed all of us how to hit the specialty shots in which many of the returning players had not mastered. Personally he has showed me how to hit much straighter drives, and my game has improved greatly from this.”

Deshler, who is one of 32 players on the Tewksbury Memorial High School golf roster looking to compete and play well for the team, got involved in the game of golf five years ago.

“I started to play golf in seventh grade when I signed up for the Wynn Middle School's annual tournament,” said Deshler. “Basically, I had talked up my friends into thinking I was this outstanding golfer, and when the time came to sign up I was pressured into playing. Fortunately, I picked up the game rather quickly and finished in second with my team.”

Two years after Deshler participated in that annual tournament he was a freshman on the high school golf team. Since that time, Deshler said his game has improved greatly.

“Since freshman year the single greatest improvement to my game is patience and the understanding that swinging the club harder does not relate to the distance of your shot,” said Deshler. “Many young golfers seem to fall into the trap in which if you try to kill the ball you will be better off. In fact, they couldn't be more wrong because the ball tends to slice or hook when the club is swung hard. By taking an easier swing, and not rushing your shot, the ball tends to end up straighter and shockingly further than your harder swung shots.”

Deshler clearly understands how much improvement a player’s golf game can change from their freshman year to their senior year. His game is a proven result of that, so Deshler has advice for those freshman golfers hoping to improve their game in the future.

“The single best advice I could give to any freshman golfer is to take your time and to relax,” said Deshler. “Prior to making the team, I was extremely nervous and played pretty bad golf. Under Coach Basteri, and Coach (Leann) D'Entremont, I learned to just simply chill out and to take my time. By doing so, my game improved tremendously without really doing anything besides not worrying about messing up. I owe this to Coach Basteri who pulled me aside numerous times in order to calm me down so I could think straight.”

Deshler also wants to let the inexperienced players know that the game of golf is very fun, and Deshler said that he has met many new people since taking part in the sport.

“The thing I have enjoyed most about golfing for the high school these last four years is the friends I have made through golf” said Deshler. “Not only have I made friends with my teammates, but I also have with the other towns. Unlike other sports I have played, there is an underlying respect shown no matter what occurs that I have always truly loved.”

Besides playing golf for TMHS, Deshler also competes in hockey and baseball, and like any student athlete, he spends several of his hours per week doing training.

“Being a three-sport athlete in golf, hockey, baseball has always taken up majority of my time throughout the school year,” said Deshler. “Practicing everyday and doing so for about two to three hours is a good workout routine. Including this, and going to the Planet Fitness Gym to lift weights is something else I have done in preparation. This and eating right is what I have done to make sure I have as good of a season as possible in all of my sports.”

A student playing three sports in high school has to have great time management, and although balancing several priorities in one day can be difficult, Deshler seems to handle all of his pressures well.

“Playing a sport at the high school can be a lot to handle at times due to the stresses of school, the team, and of course the high school relationships in general,“ said Deshler. “Luckily for me I have always had the right attitude in which upon returning from practice I do my homework and prepare for the next day. Having two teachers for parents, this has always just been the way it is, and I simply just do it. However I would be lying if I was to say that it doesn't wear me out.”

After Deshler wraps up his golf season in October, his concentration will move to preparing for his senior hockey season.

“I have always had the pressure on my back because of my father, Rich Deshler, and uncle, John Regolino, who were both captains of the hockey team in their own years,“ said Deshler. “I on the other hand have always been more of a quiet presence on the team, and I've gotten by with hard work and dedication to the sport.”

Deshler added that two of the most important people who have helped him with his game are his former high school coach and his current high school coach.

“ I would have to say that the most influential people upon me in hockey are without a doubt former coach Paul Curry of Salem and present coach (Derek) Doherty at the high school. Last season I was very close to quitting the team, and Coach Doherty really made the effort to reassure me that hockey was something I still wished to do. So I would definitely have to say without a doubt that Coach Doherty has had the single most influence upon me in hockey, with the exception of my father who has been there since putting my first skates on at the age of three.”

Next year, Deshler will go off to college where he plans to major in Education and follow in his parent’s footsteps.

“College has been on my mind since I was little,” said Deshler. “Right now I think Westfield State or UMASS Lowell may be front runners for applications. I plan to be a history teacher or a guidance counselor hopefully at a school much like Tewksbury High of which I would like to help out coaching the teams in which I am currently a member of. Seeing as both of my parents are teachers, and the fact that I have always excelled in history, which is my favorite class, I have just always known that I would want to teach.”

As of right now though Deshler is concentrating on contributing to the golf team as he hopes his team can match up and play well against the rest of the Merrimack Valley Conference competition.

“I simply hope that we do our best and see what comes from it,” said Deshler. “Last year we had to deal with the superior teams, such as Central Catholic and Andover and we were just outmatched from the season’s start. This year I simply hope we can better contend with the competition.”

Jason puts a Stamp on his own coaching style

2008-09-18T13:28:00.001-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2008

New Golf Coach takes over for Larry Basteri

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

For the first time in decades, there will be a new varsity golf coach at Tewksbury Memorial High School. Larry Basteri, who was dedicated to helping the golf players improve year after year, retired last year and was replaced by Jay Stamp, who has been teaching mathematics at TMHS for five years.

Stamp coached the junior varsity golf team last year, and he has been involved with the game of golf for 19 years and is also on the United States Golf Teachers Federation. He said that Basteri, although no longer coaching the varsity, will still always be part of the team.

“Larry was very helpful and gave me a lot of information and advice that has helped me thus far this season,” said Stamp, a graduate of Tyngsboro High School and Bridgewater State College. “He has given me drills and general advice that I would otherwise not have had this early in the season. He is still a huge asset to the program.”

Stamp, who played football in both high school and in college, has two goals for his team this year.

“I hope to instill a sense of fun in the game as well as win as many matches as we can,” said Stamp.

Stamp also added that that he is going to enjoy many aspects of watching his players golf this season, especially watching them improve from match to match.

“I look forward to seeing improvements in the kid’s games as well as seeing some great golf shots,” said Stamp.

Athletic Director Brian Hickey is sad to see Basteri leave, but said he's looking forward to having Stamp a part of the coaching staff at TMHS.

"I know Jay has a good coaching background with lacrosse for example," said Hickey. "He has a USGA Teaching Card and has been giving golf lessons and has been involved with the game for a very long time. He's a terrific teacher here. He's the Head of the Math Department, so what I'm getting at is he brings a lot of credibility and a lot of positives to the table."

Stamp said his job will be to advise the players on all aspects of the game so they are ready for each match.

“(My job) will be to teach, drill and advise my kids about one of the greatest sports to be played,” said Stamp.

Hickey, like Stamp, said the transition for the first-year head coach has been made easier because of the help provided by Basteri.

"I know Larry has been very helpful," said Hickey. "He's willing to meet, answer any questions and just help Jay in any way to keep the golf tradition going here at the high school. I know Jay's big goal is to grow the program. He wants to pay a lot of attention to the underclassmen and the JV group and give them some work.

"And I couldn't talk about the Tewksbury Golf program without mentioning what Trull Brook and the Tewksbury Country Club behind Billy Trull and Mark Ginsburg and just what they do for this program. We wouldn't have a program if it wasn't for their commitment. They are both tremendous assets to our program."

Hickey added that he saw a very strong teacher at the high school with a great sports background and a terrific work ethic in Stamp which eventually led him to being named the new coach.

"Jay's been on the faculty here for a while," said Hickey. "I think Brian Aylward may have had him a student when Brian was at Tyngsboro in his first year of teaching. I know Jay was a student-athlete and he had a great career in high school and college. I get to view his work ethic everyday. He's completely invested as a teacher. He does a great job in the classroom. He makes it fun and simple for the kids. Those excellent skills have carried over to the golf course. Jay's a young, likeable person. He's a regular guy; someone you like to socialize with.

"He has his priorities straight which is something I really like. He wants to do what is best for the kids at Tewksbury Memorial High School. We are thrilled to have someone of his caliber join our great coaching staff. I always say how fortunate we are to have such great, commited coaches here on our staff. Many of our great coaches here are teachers as well, and Jay joins that long list of real commited special people."

Stamp said that he did not have that much time to golf this past summer, but he played on several different courses when he did.

“Because of my busy summer schedule I’m only able to get out about ten times a summer on average,” said Stamp. “I usually play at local courses such as Tyngsboro Country Club, Green Meadow Country Club, Trull Brook, the Tewksbury Country Club and others in the area.”

Since becoming coach at TMHS, Stamp said watching the camaraderie between the players is definitely what he has enjoyed the most.

"We have a great team full of really nice kids,” said Stamp. “Good sportsmanship goes a long way and we have a lot of it on our team.”

Jamie Pote contributed to this report.

Golfers ready to get into the swing of things

2008-09-18T13:28:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury Memorial High School varsity golf team is back with a different coach and a much more improved team this season, as they have been practicing and getting ready for their opening match Friday at Billerica Memorial High School. Coaching the varsity squad is Jay Stamp, who is replacing long-time TMHS golf coach Larry Basteri. Stamp's father, Al, will be coaching alongside him as an assistant varsity coach and he will also serve as the junior-varsity coach.

Jay Stamp said that the golf team has been concentrating on the basic aspects of the game of golf, as they are hoping to improve their 1-15 record from last season.

“We have spent some time at the driving range working on the physics of the swing,” said Stamp. “If the (players) understand basic swing mechanics they can diagnose basic problems in their swing.“

Stamp also added that the team has been practicing their short game while also having a good time at the same time.

“We have worked also on drills to help improve putting and chipping,” said Stamp. “We also worked on fun stuff like knockdown shots and lob shots. Other than that we have been playing rounds working on course management.”

In every sport there is a big difference between a junior-varsity and a varsity level player, and Stamp said this is true in the game of golf.

“Someone who is a consistent player is a varsity player,” said Stamp. “A varsity player is someone who doesn't let the mental game get the best of them and of course the players who shoot the lowest scores are also the varsity players too.”

Stamp also added that he looks for certain characteristics in a varsity golf player.

“A good swing helps,” said Stamp. “You also need to be able to forget about the bad hole you just had so you can move on and have a great one. This game is played one hole at a time. One bad hole can ruin someone's game if they keep thinking about it. And of course a good short game doesn't hurt either.”

During the spring and summer months, Stamp had one goal for his TMHS varsity players.

“Our goals during the off-season were to play golf,” said Stamp. “A lot of the kids held captains practices every Friday at Trull Brook and most played other days besides that. Playing is the best way to improve their games.”

Stamp added that he has been most impressed with his player’s timing in hitting the ball.

“The biggest strength I have seen is the teams’ course management,” said Stamp. “They have a great sense of when to hit which shot.”

While Stamp has been satisfied with all of his players' golfing so far this season, he said he has been most impressed with players Ryan Doherty and Jonathan Deshler.

“Ryan Doherty, a sophomore, has been playing a lot of golf, and he is showing promise,“ said Stamp. “He is already in the top three scorers on the team. Senior Jonathan Deshler played well in tryouts and hopefully he will stay consistent throughout the season.”

The golf team picked captains on Tuesday, and although they were not announced as of press time, Stamp does expect them to show great leadership.

“I expect the captain to be a leader,” said Stamp. “Someone who the rest of the team respects and willingly to follow will make a good captain.”

On Friday, Stamp and his team will make the trip to Billerica for their first match of the season. His advice to the players is just to relax and enjoy their match.

“A tense golfer hits bad shots,” said Stamp. “I'll remind them that they are not playing against their opponent but against the course.”

As for the rest of the season, Stamp hopes each player accomplishes his goals, and he also hopes the entire team can achieve a winning record.

“I hope each player reaches their personal best, whether that be their best score for nine holes, their longest putt, or their best approach shot or their closest chip,” said Stamp. “Personal bests are all I can ask for. As for the team, I hope the team accomplishes everything that they can achieve.”

The entire roster for the 2008 TMHS golf team includes freshman Ryan Cawley, Andrew Surette, Zach Lamoureux, Pat Grinley, Frank McInnis, Yousef Theeb, Mark Daley, Kevin Leary, Alan Szynyt, and Amy D'entremont. Competing for the sophomores are: Brian Gugger, Brian Donahue, Ryan Doherty, David Rollka, Mark Petti, Mike Golini, Niko Cunha, Craig Semenza, Jon Villalpando, Ryan Casey, and Sean Taylor. Golfing for the junior players are Nicholas Aleo, Bob Bradley, Brad Tosto, Mike Walsh, Ahmed Theeb, Evan Cutelis, and Dan Rose.

Leading the way for the senior players are Richard Rollka, Jonathan Deshler, Steven Sherburne, and Mat Thomann.

Walsh scores big joining Lawrence University staff

2008-08-30T11:06:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27, 2008

Former TMHS Hockey Player

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Former Tewksbury Memorial High School hockey player and graduate Sean Walsh has been continuing his success in the sport he’s been devoted to all of his life. But now he has taken the next step.

Walsh recently joined the Lawrence University Vikings in Appleton, Wisconsin as an assistant coach for the 2008-2009 season. The Vikings hired him following his first season of collegiate coaching at Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan last year.

While at Adrian College, Walsh assisted in all aspects of the American Collegiate Hockey Association men’s hockey team in their inaugural campaign. His work on the penalty kill and his recruiting efforts helped guide the Adrian Bulldogs to a solid opening season.

When asked why he decided to take the Division 3 coaching job in Wisconsin after coaching in Michigan last year, Walsh offered a couple of different reasons.

“(First), I wanted to build a relationship with NCAA division three coaches and move my way up eventually,” said Walsh, who after graduating from TMHS in 2002 went on to graduate from Southern New Hampshire University four years later. “With the NCAA being bigger and more well-known especially in the east coast, I thought it would be a good move for me. But at the same time I also decided to come to (Lawrence University) to work for a coach who is highly respected, and I’ll get a lot of valuable learning experiences in all different kinds of the game.”

The head coach of the Vikings, Mike Szkodzinski, said he is absolutely thrilled to have Walsh as an assistant coach next to him as he thinks he will do a great job recruiting players for this upcoming hockey season.

“Beyond the very energetic hard-working guy that Sean is, I think (our team) is real lucky to have a guy who wants to recruit for us and who wants to get involved in all aspects,” said Szkodzinski. “I think Sean can do a great job for us at spreading the word about our team in even more areas than we’ve been able to recruit over the last few years.”

Since taking the job at Lawrence University, Walsh said he has enjoyed traveling to many different parts of North America while trying to recruit the best hockey players for the Lawrence University program.

“I’ve been to places that I never though I would go to,” said Walsh, who did not play hockey at SNHU but played professionally for the Class ‘A’ Danville Pounders of Illinois for one season after his senior year at SNHU. “I’ve been to Saskatchewan, Canada, and I’m going to Sioux City, Iowa in a couple of weeks. I will also be going to British Columbia for recruiting soon after that, and I’ll be coming to New England two different times this year as well.

“So I’ll get a good feel of all of North American Hockey and I’ll be able to compare and contrast different leagues. For me it’s just a great experience as I get to meet different people and move up in the ladder.”

Walsh added that he does not think he would be in the position he is now if it wasn’t for his former high school hockey coach Bob Ware.

“One of the reasons I wanted to go into coaching is because of the good high school coach that I had in Bob Ware,” said Walsh, who played for Ware at TMHS for three years before Ware left to be an assistant coach at UMass Lowell during his senior season. “I have learned a lot from Bob, and he is the main reason that I wanted to get into coaching. He’s helped me a lot getting into it and throughout my coaching career so far. I’ll still call him every couple of weeks, and he’ll always give me advice on some detailed coaching things.”

Ware is not surprised that Walsh has found a career in hockey, as Ware said he was one of the most committed hockey players he has ever coached.

“Walsh was one of the most dedicated hockey players that I’ve ever been associated with,” said Ware. “His passion for the game was unmatchable, and he was just a kid who lived and died hockey. He wasn’t one of our most talented kids, but his work ethic was what made him successful.”

Walsh is hoping his work ethic will help him reach his goal of bringing the Vikings team a final four appearance this season.

“This season, our team wants to make in to the final four in the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association, which is the league we play in,” said Walsh. “What happens is once a team gets in it, it’s a one-game elimination and anything can happen. So our goal is to make it to the final four in the NCHA and see what happens from there.”

Walsh, who worked at the Superskills Ice Hockey Rink in Tewksbury from 2004 to the summer of 2007, said he hopes he can reach his own personal aspiration of becoming a high ranked coach in the future.

“My goal is to eventually be a NCAA Division 1 assistant coach or a NCAA Division 3 head coach somewhere,” said Walsh.

For now Walsh will be trying to make a name for himself at Lawrence University, and Szkodzinski believes that having him has an assistant coach will definitely have a positive impact on the Vikings team for many more years to come.

“I think having an assistant like Sean who’s eager to get out on the road and make contact with all the different leagues should only help us for not only this year’s recruiting class but for years down the road by giving our university more exposure,” said Szkodzinski, who will be coaching the Vikings team with Walsh in their first game of the season on October 28th versus St. Norbert College.

Ware agrees with Szkodzinski as he knows Walsh will continue to play an important role in making college hockey teams flourishing for a very long time.

“I just know that he has a drive to be successful, and he has a drive to stay with the sport of hockey,” said Ware. “I can just hear it in his voice when I’ve spoken to him over the last year that he loves what he’s doing.”

Hodge remains a passionate tri-athlete

2008-08-24T08:03:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008

TriFury Club member

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Wilmington resident Lisa Hodge first remembers the moment when she found her passion for triathlons, a race that involves swimming, biking, and running.

“About six years ago I did the run portion of a relay triathlon with my brother and sister in Holliston, Ma,” said Hodge, who grew up in Melrose, MA and graduated from Melrose High School. “I’ve always been an athletic tomboy and have always loved being outdoors, so it was such a blast for me. From that day on I was hooked, (and) I instantly knew that this was how I wanted to spend my time.”

Hodge, 47, is one of 275 active members involved in the TriFury club, the largest triathlon organization in all of New England. The club is dedicated to support amateur triathletes from the first timer to the experienced age group competitor. There are several members in the organization who have even qualified and raced for the National and World Championships.

Since joining TriFury, Hodge said she has really enjoyed the club, especially all the people she has met.

“There are other people in the world that love running, swimming, and cycling as much as I do,” said Hodge, who also graduated from Middlesex Community College and Salem State College with a degree in human services. “I love the people I've met in TriFury and we all have become wonderful friends.”

Hodge added that being part of the triathlon club takes several days of training per week.

“I run four days a week in the morning, swim four to five days a week in the afternoon, lift weights in the gym three times a week with my husband (Michael), and I also cycle twice a week,” said Hodge. “A group of us in the TriFury club also practice open-water swimming across Silver Lake in Wilmington on a daily basis. My training partner Jim Marsh from Wilmington has become a great friend and coach to me.”

In addition, Hodge said that one of the great components of a successful triathlete is how he or she improves in each of the three sports.

“The challenge and fun (part) about triathlons is that there is always a skill to be working on,” said Hodge. “For example, I spend loads of time running and swimming, so I need to spend more time cycling.”

The next competition Hodge is working out for is the Cranberry County Triathlon, an Olympic Distance race (0.8 mile swim, 24.9 mile bike ride, and a 6.2 mile run) through the cranberry bogs and country roads of Lakeville, Ma. She will participate in the race on Saturday, August 24th.

Hodge is also training for the Title 9 Women's Triathlon in Hopkinton, MA on September 7th, along with the Baystate/Lowell Marathon in October 2008 in preparation for the Boston Marathon she will be running in during the month of April 2009.

Hodge recently also competed in the Lowell Mill City Triathlon on July 20th, and she placed second in her 45-49 age group with a time of 3:10:30. The race consisted of a one mile swim, a 30 mile cycle, and a 10k run, and Hodge said the race was very difficult as she had to battle through very high temperatures.

“The weather was hot and humid making it all the more grueling and challenging,” said Hodge. “The race volunteers were passing out small bags of ice cubes to the athletes, which were great though.”

Along with the Lowell Mill City Triathlon, Hodge also competed in the Mooseman Triathlon Festival in June. The race was held in Newfound Lake, NH, and it consisted of a .93 mile swim, a 27.25 bike ride, and a 6.2 mile run. She also participated in the Webster Lake Triathlon last month as well.

Hodge also added that she has participated in a couple of swimming competitions this month too.

“In the last two weeks, I competed in two long-distance swims,” said Hodge. “One was a one mile swim in Salem, Ma and a 1.2 mile swim in Gloucester with the New England Marathon Swimming Association.”

When Hodge competes in triathlon competitions, she has a transition area where she keeps her bike, shoes, helmet and swimming gear. The transition area is usually only a few minutes away from the swim which is the first part of the triathlon.

After the swim Hodge runs back to the transition area to get onto her bike, and the bike ride is an out and back course. Once she completes her bike ride, she comes back to the transition area and changes into her running gear for the last part of the race.

Hodge said she has plenty of advice for those people looking to compete in the sport for the future.

“The TriFury club is full of fun, kind and dedicated people ready to mentor and give training tips, and there is always someone local to work out with,” said Hodge. “Suggestions I have are to take an adult swim class or spinning class at your local YMCA.

“It would also be wise to let the goal for your first race to be just to finish and then improve yourself from there. You will just get better and better the more you practice and train.”

Although training is a very important step in becoming a successful triathlete, Hodge said eating healthy and staying in shape is a very important tool when training for races.

“Nutrition is very important, and I eat lots of chicken, steak, pasta, veggies and I also take vitamins and drink smoothies,” said Hodge.

Hodge added that the most difficult part of the triathlon is the nerves she gets before the race, but she said it doesn’t stop her from competing and enjoying the competitions.

“I think the toughest part of racing is the pre-race jitters, and the butterflies I get (prior to the race),” said Hodge. “It's okay to be afraid and nervous, and it’s normal, but you have to work through it, and don't let it stop you. Have fun, find your passion in life and go for it.”

Hodge, who currently works for Eliot Human Services with teenage girls under the care of the department of social services, said that her entire family plays a huge role in allowing her to compete and enjoy herself in the triathlon competitions.

“It is a challenge to keep everything in balance, such as my family and job,” said Hodge. “My family, including my wonderful husband Michael and my three beautiful daughters have been very supportive of my racing.

“Michael has been extremely supportive in my passion of triathlons and marathons, as he even flew with me to San Francisco last year so I could compete in the Accenture Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon. He has also been cheering me at all my races.”

Hodge also said having a great schedule at her job allows her to train and take part in triathlons all year long.

“I love my job working with the teenage girls, and my schedule allows me time for training,” said Hodge. “My co-workers tease me and want to know when my next race is and want to hear all about it.”

Two local youths skate with hockey star

2008-08-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Saturday, Wilmington residents Lori Ryan and Jim Peterson each took part in a private training hockey lesson with two famous hockey players. The one hour long lesson was held at the Micro Ice hockey arena in North Andover.

From 11 a.m. to 12 p.m., Ryan, her husband Kevin, and her son Ryan and daughter Jacqueline participated in the event with Burlington resident and American Hockey League Lowell Devils hockey player Mike Pandolfo.

After Ryan and her two children got some skate time with the Devils player, Jim Peterson, his son, and three of his nephews took the ice from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. with Burlington resident and NHL New Jersey Devils hockey player Jay Pandolfo.

Ryan and Peterson got to meet the Pandolfo brothers after winning a raffle from the Wilmington Educational Foundation Vendor Fair this past April. The raffle Ryan and Peterson took part in was spearheaded by Wilmington Educational Foundation board member Jo-Marie O'Mahoney and the raffle contributed to raising $1250 for the Wilmington Educational Foundation.

Dan Ardito is another board member on the WEF, and he said the hockey lessons the two Wilmington residents participated in on Saturday were a tremendous way to honor the money they raised.

“The prizes Ryan and Peterson won were a great way to promote the educational foundation and the fundraising efforts they did,” said Peterson.

Ryan, who works as a clinical research consultant and who is also a board member on the WEF, said her children were ecstatic on Saturday as they skated with Mike Pandolfo, a left wing who was drafted 77th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.

“The kids were thrilled to be skating with and getting hockey tips from a professional hockey player,” said Ryan. “James and Jacqueline especially liked playing a mini-scrimmage game with him and (Pandolfo) even let them win. They had Mike autograph their hockey sticks too. (Overall,) he was just great with the kids.”

Peterson, who could not be reached as of press time, got the opportunity to skate with NHL hockey player Jay Pandolfo.

Pandolfo played hockey for Burlington High School where he graduated in 1992. He has played 11 seasons for the New Jersey Devils after they drafted him with the 32nd overall pick in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Pandolfo, who currently holds the fourth-longest streak of consecutive games played in Devils history (283), was an assistant varsity hockey coach with Burlington High School during the lockout in 2005.

It seems obvious that Peterson and the kids he brought along had the time of their lives skating with the proven NHL star.

The Wilmington Education Foundation contributed to giving the Ryan and Peterson families this memorable day.

Since its establishment in 1994, the Wilmington Educational Foundation has raised over $100,000. The WEF supports the Wilmington Public School System and directly helps Wilmington students by providing private funds to award grants and funds for innovative and creative programs. To get more information about the WEF and donation opportunities, please check out the website at http://www.wilmingtoneducationalfoundation.org/.

O'Connor helps raise over $3,000 in first PMC

2008-08-23T09:47:00.001-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Saturday and Sunday, Brian O’ Connor of Wilmington cycled 163 miles from Wellesley to Provincetown in the 29th annual Pan Mass Challenge, a charity bike ride that has raised $21,000,000 by 169,000 contributors to date this year.

O’ Connor, 39, participated in the PMC ride for the first time and got involved after two of his good friends talked him into participating.

“I was talking with a couple of my friends, Frank Haubner and Brian Messina who both have participated in the past and they were describing what an incredible fundraiser (the PMC) was for the Jimmy Fund and Dana Farber Cancer Institute for cancer research and treatment,” said O’ Connor, orginally a Medford, MA native. “Realizing today that not only I, but many others have had friends or family members who have been stricken with cancer, I then decided to get involved.”

O’ Connor has raised $3000 for the PMC thus far, and he hopes to raise another $1000 by October 1st. He said he started training for the PMC a few months ago by cycling several times each week.

“I have trained for the past three months by riding three times a week,” said O’ Connor, who works for Verizon. “I started with 10 miles working up to 50 miles per ride. I ride on local roads throughout surrounding towns.”

On Saturday, O’ Connor woke up at 4:00 a.m. to get to the opening ceremonies which started at 5:00 a.m. He ate a bagel and a banana for breakfast before cycling 84 miles from 7:00 a.m. until 2:20 p.m. On day two, he woke up at 3:45 a.m. and ate an egg sandwich and fruit for breakfast prior to cycling 79 miles from 5:00 a.m. until 11:45 a.m.

He rode with his two friends who got him all started in the PMC, Frank Haubner of Wilmington and Brian Messina of Billerica.

Cheering O’ Connor at the finish line in Provincetown was his entire family, which includes his wife Sherri, his daughter Erin (age 10) and his two sons Jonathan (age six) and Steven (age five).

Riding an average of 81.5 miles a day can obviously be exhausting for anyone, but O’ Connor was determined to finish and complete the ride after hearing the cheering coming from cancer survivors and other people on the sidewalks.

“Being a first time rider I did not think I was going to be ready to ride 163 miles,” said O’ Connor. “After seeing all the people on the side of the road though, some cancer survivors and some with pictures of loved ones who have died from this terrible disease, the cheering they did along the route kept me going even when I thought I couldn't pedal anymore.”

For next year, OConnor said he will definitely return to his second PMC as his goal now is to ride until researchers find a cure for cancer.

“Even though I was exhausted (at the end), and was glad I didn't have to pedal any longer, I will do it again in a heartbeat (next year),” said O’ Connor.

Since 1980, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge has raised over $204 million for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. It is the largest single fundraising event for the Jimmy Fund, as one hundred percent of every dollar raised by the PMC goes to the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber.

The PMC featured 5,390 riders and 2767 volunteers this past weekend. To get involved in the PMC next year, please go to the link www.pmc.org.

If anyone would like to donate to Brian O’ Connor go the link www.pmc.org and click on "PMC profiles" and then enter his name. All donations would be greatly appreciated.

St. John's Prep teammates compete in HNIB tournament

2008-08-23T09:37:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008

Justin DiRienzo and Nick Riccio

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Last week, Justin DiRienzo and Nick Riccio of Wilmington participated in the Hockey Night in Boston Tournament, a one week major showcase tournament that featured ten teams in the Massachusetts Conference and ten teams in the National Division.

The entire tournament was played at the Haverhill Valley Forum, and it started on Sunday July 27th and it ended this past weekend with the playoff games on Saturday and the all-star games on Sunday.

All the teams had a practice on the first Sunday night before they all took the ice for the games the following Monday. The players on the teams had never played with each other before, as the teams only played together for the one week ten game tournament.

DiRienzo, 17, and Riccio, also 17, both played on Team Merrimack in the tournament.

DiRienzo has been playing hockey since he was about four years old, and he got selected to Team Merrimack after the coaches were impressed with his play in the Hockey Night in Boston festival.

“I did pretty well (at the festival) and I made the all-star team for that,” said DiRenzo, who scored two goals in the tournament. “I was picked to be on Team Merrimack by the coaches of the Hockey Night in Boston tournament.”

DiRienzo will be entering his fourth and final senior season for the St. John’s Prep hockey team. He plays forward on the team with Riccio, who also attends St. John’s Prep and will be a senior defenseman on the hockey team.

Riccio played on Team Merrimack last year and was invited back by the coaches this summer. He had one goal and two assists, and was also selected to the all-star team. He said he does not think Team Merrimack played to the best of their capabilities, as they finished the tournament with a record of 4-4-2.

“I think we had higher expectations for ourselves,” said Riccio.

Riccio then paused and thought about it again.

“With the competition though, I guess it wasn’t too bad, but as a team, I guess I would have liked to win the tournament,” said Riccio. “Last year, we lost in the semi-finals and this Merrimack team won the championship last year. I was hoping to get a chance to do that (again) but we didn’t and I guess there’s always next (season).”

DiRienzo agrees with Riccio, as he was on Team Merrimack last year as well and was hoping Team Merrimack would make it two championships in a row.

“We were trying to make a repeat of it, said DiRienzo. “We made it to the first round of the playoffs and lost (to the South Shore team 3-1.) We didn’t play as well as I expected.”

DiRienzo, never seeming satisfied with his play and always thinking about ways to improve, added that he wanted to score more goals and dish out more assists for Team Merrimack.

“For myself I wanted to be up there in the point standings but that didn’t happen,” said DiRienzo.

DiRienzo now has his mind on his St. John’s hockey team, as he hopes that his team can reach their objectives this season.

“As a team I would like to make the Super Eight Tournament and that’s going to be a big goal for us this year,” said DiRienzo, who was limited to injury his junior season but still managed to total four goals and four assists.

“My personal goal is to go to college to play hockey, whether is D3 or D1 or so on. I’d like to have a good last stand-out year.”

Riccio also has some high goals for the St. John’s hockey team this season, as he hopes they win it all.

“Personally, I’d love to win the state championship,” said Riccio, who scored three goals and had 15 assists for St. Johns last season. “I’ve been on the team since sophomore year and we’ve made it both years but we weren’t as successful as we like to. And this being my last season I really want to win it this year.”

Tewksbury's Matt Nestor adapts quickly to triathlons

2008-08-23T08:46:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008

Locals in Tri-Fury Team in Training

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Matt Nestor of Tewksbury is one of many people taking part in the triathlon, a sport that has attracted many participants over the last several years. The triathlon is a sport that involves participants racing in swimming, biking and running, and Nestor started competing for the sport in 2006 with a team called Team in Training.

Team in Training is a fundraising program of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is a huge, nationwide organization that trains thousands of athletes to compete in endurance events such as triathlon. In exchange, athletes raise money to support the Society's mission to support patients with blood cancers and fund research to find cures for leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma.

Nestor, who grew up in Woburn and graduated from Woburn High School and Bentley College, was motivated to attempt the triathlon a while back for several different reasons.

“I wanted to give back by volunteering my time and effort, to regain the fitness I had lost, and to overcome my fear of swimming and open water,” said Nestor, who works for a biotech company that discovered and developed a drug to treat multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma. “Getting involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Team in Training was also a natural fit because everyone at my company is focused on helping these patients live longer, better lives.”

Nestor added that one of the main reasons he wanted to become involved in the triathlon is because he thought it would be a great way for him to get back into shape after he suffered an injury.

“I've always been a physically active, sports oriented person,” said Nestor. “A couple years prior to getting involved with Team in Training I broke my leg playing hockey. I lost a lot of fitness and gained some weight while I was rehabilitating.

“It took several surgeries and a couple of years to get back into shape. I decided a triathlon would be a great way to get fit, try a new sport, and learn how to swim.”

In June, Nestor competed at the Webster Lake Triathlon in Webster, MA, and he said he was very pleased with how he did in the competition.

“I was thrilled with how I did in that race,” said Nestor. “My swim was really good for a half mile distance. I was riding a new bike designed for triathlon, and while my bike split could probably be better, it was okay for the first time on a new bike.

“I was very excited about my run time, because I met a personal goal of running a 5K distance in less than 30 minutes, as I did it in about 27 minutes.”

When competing in the triathlons, each competitor has a transition area where they keep their bike, shoes, helmet and swimming gear. The transition area is usually only a few minutes away from the swim which is the first part of the triathlon.

After the swim the competitors run back to the transition area and get onto their bikes, and the bike ride is an out and back course. Once the competitors complete their bike ride, they come back to the transition area and change into their running gear for the last part of the race.

Nestor said that he has to put several of his hours a week into training for the triathlon, and it can be difficult when trying to balance his job and his family for the rigorous workout.

“I train four to five days per week,” said Nestor. “I travel a lot for work and I have a 13 month old daughter, so it is a big challenge to get my training time in. I do most of my runs in and around Tewksbury, and I do a lot of swimming at the YMCA in North Andover in the winter and early spring months, but I swim with friends and fellow triathletes at Walden Pond in Concord as soon as the weather warms up above 65 degrees or so.

“I also do a lot of bike rides in the White Mountains of New Hampshire to train on hills whenever I can. When I'm in Massachusetts, I join friends for rides anywhere there's good roads with light traffic.”

One of the workouts that has helped Nestor succeed in triathlons and one that he enjoys the most is called a fartlek, a Swedish word that means “speed play.” Fartleks help develop speed and endurance, and they break up an otherwise monotonous ride or run. Nesor said the technique has really worked for him.

“There are lots of methods that people use, but I will just pick up my speed and maintain it until my heart rate speeds up for a period of time, and then I will ease off for a bit, then repeat and do random intervals,” said Nestor. “Even if you are not a triathlete, you can incorporate fartleks into many types of exercise routines to boost your effort and increase your fitness.”

Nestor, who is one of 275 active members involved in the TriFury club- the largest triathlon club in all of New England, said he has plenty of advice for the beginning or moderate exerciser who wants to get involved.

“First off, just go for it,” said Nestor. “The only way to meet your personal goals is to get up and move toward them. I was thirty pounds overweight and couldn't run a mile when I started training. But I found that I loved riding a road bike and got better at the running quickly. The swimming took longer, but I love the feeling of swimming in open water now.”

Nestor also added that he had difficulty swimming in the open water at first, but he never gave up and neither will the beginner triathlon athlete if they stick with it.

“I remember the first open water swim practice I participated in with Team in Training and I thought I was going to drown,” said Nestor. “I swallowed water, choked, was cold, and was very tempted to quit.

“My wife was tremendous and supported me by training with me and encouraging me, so I stuck with it. But, if I can learn to love the water, absolutely anyone can.”

For a person to prepare to enter a triathlon, Nestor said he or she should first find out information about the best way to train for the triathlon and then he or she should join an organization.

“Fitting in training into a very busy life can be a bigger challenge than the races sometimes,” said Nestor. “There are lots of great books and excellent coaches out there that can help a new triathlete figure out what they need to do for training and develop a plan to work from. Organizations like TriFury and Team in Training are also ways to get ready to race.”

Nestor also added that training in each of the disciplines; swimming, cycling and running is necessary.

“You can tailor how much you train in each depending on where you are stronger,” said Nestor. “It's also very important to stretch. Stretching every day will help your body recover from workouts, and help prevent injury. Plus, it feels good.

“Sprinkling in some strength training through weight lifting, pilates, or similar workout can do wonders for your performance in the three disciplines, and can help prevent injury.”

Nestor said doing training in each section of the triathlon race at least one or two times a week will help a triathlon athlete reach his or her goal at the beginning of their training.

“To attempt a sprint race, that is a swim up to a half mile, a bike ride of 10 to 15 miles depending on the race, and a three mile run, it makes sense to train in each discipline one to two times per week,” said Nestor. “Doing workouts like a bike ride and a run back to back, called a ‘brick’ by triathletes, is also a good idea because it helps prepare your body to perform that way in a race.

“Even training an hour a day can allow you to develop a lot of endurance and improve your strength so you can participate and really enjoy the triathlon.”

On July 27th, Nestor competed at the Massachusetts State Tri race. It is the USA Triathlon Club Championship for Massachusetts.

On August 2nd, Nestor was in New Hampshire to swim on a relay team during the ‘Race to the Face’ at Cannon Mountain in Franconia Notch. He will also be racing in a big event known as the Timberman Competition in the near future. He will be competing in this competition with his TriFury club, and all of these are just a few of the competitions a triathlete can participate in.

Since becoming involved in TriFury and competing in triathlons, Nestor said he has just really loved the training for the competitions and he also added that he has really enjoyed meeting new people.

“Without a doubt, I love spending time training, racing, and just spending time with the many great friends I have from my first race with Team in Training as well as the new people I'm meeting through TriFury,” said Nestor.

Nestor added that the negative part of the triathlon is waking up really early and the trepidation he gets before a race.

“The worst part about a race for me is the need to get up very early to drive to and prepare for the race,” said Nestor. “The anticipation and anxiety about the course and my own abilities always creep into my mind, and that can make that time before the start very challenging for me.”

Once he is competing in the race though, Nestor said he feels good energy and his only thoughts are about getting a good time in the competition.

“Once the race starts, all of that tension melts away, and I'm usually able to find a great rhythm and intense focus on what my body is doing from trying to keep my body stretched to slice through the water, to making a perfect motion for my pedal strokes on the bike, and to pacing myself on the run,” said Nestor. “I'm always amazed at how well I can perform in spite of the self doubt that inevitably creeps in before the race.”

For more information on the triathlon club that Nestor takes part in, visit www.trifury.com.

Lisa Santullo helps raise over $13,000

2008-08-23T08:06:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008

Particpates in her third Pan Mass Challenge event

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Saturday, Lisa Santullo of Tewksbury cycled 84 miles from Wellesley to Bourne in the 29th annual Pan Mass Challenge, a charity bike ride that featured 5,390 riders and 2767 volunteers this past weekend.

Santullo, 45, participated in the PMC ride for her third consecutive year. Her inspiration to get involved happened after a series of cancer encounters throughout her family.

“In December of 2005, my father was scheduled for open heart surgery,” said Santullo, orginally a Burlington, MA native. “During the pre-op test process, a tumor was found in his liver. Traditional surgery to remove the tumor was ruled out because of the location of it within his liver and his heart condition. Instead, a team of specialists recommended a relatively new procedure called Thermal Ablation, where they would ‘burn’ the tumor out of his liver by inserting heated probes into his liver from his side. The recoup time was short, as he was home for Christmas and continues to be cancer free two and a half years later."

In addition to her father, Santullo had several other loved ones stricken with cancer.

“The year prior (to my father's sickness), my beloved yellow lab was diagnosed with osteo-sarcoma (a bone forming cancer). She endured surgery, chemotherapy and other procedures. While she lost her battle, I was amazed at the treatment options available to her.
During that same year, my stepmom was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. Thanks to early detection, she continues to be cancer free although she endured a rigorous radiation schedule.

“While other relatives and family friends had battled the disease previously, some with better outcomes than others, I was really amazed at the new treatments available during these last three events. I felt like I wanted to contribute in some way to the research that benefited my family and others, and riding the PMC allows me to give back for the research that saved my father’s life.”

Santullo, a 1981 Burlington High School graduate and a 1986 Salem State College graduate, has raised $13,500 and counting in three years for the PMC. She has raised just under $3500 for the PMC this year.

“The ($3500) is a bit less than previous years, but I also added a second charity ride to my schedule this year,” said Santullo.

That charity ride was the 12th annual Memory Ride for Alzheimer’s Research that Santullo participated in the week before the PMC ride.

“I rode the Memory Ride for Alzheimer’s Research on July 26th,” said Santullo. “It was a 70 mile loop from Devens, MA. I rode in memory of my aunt and godmother who lost her battle with that disease last Christmas.”

To be able to ride in 70 mile bike rides requires several hours of training, which Santullo takes part in almost everyday of the week.

“I start (training) in January,” said Santullo. “I go to the gym five days per week, and I do three days on a stationary bike and two days of weight training at Planet Fitness in Tewksbury. I also cross country ski during the winter months. Once the weather breaks, I begin to ride outside. By the start of May, I am riding at least five to six days per week. I ride a 16 mile local route two mornings a week. I also participate in two evening rides (15 to 20 miles) with the North Shore Cyclists and then longer rides (anywhere from 40 to 60 miles) on Saturdays and Sundays.”

On Saturday, Santullo woke up at 4:00 a.m. and had a yogurt and lots of coffee before arriving at 5:30 a.m. for the 7:00 a.m. start. Right before the ride went off, she had a peanut butter and jelly sandwich before saying good-bye to her supporters at the start of the race.

“My husband Eric, 44, and our dog Teddy were at the start of this year’s ride like they are every year,” said Santullo. “After the start, they made their way to the finish line and were there to greet me when I arrived.”

Other relatives of Santullo wished her luck before she left for the ride. Her 18 year old stepson Kevin, her dad John and his wife Alma gave Santullo their best wishes before she left. Her 78 year old aunt called her after the event, as did many of her other relatives and friends.

“My aunt, Adele Demers lives in Maine and always calls on Saturday afternoon to see how I am doing. And other family and friends are in touch via phone and email during the ride as well,"she said.

This year Santullo did not ride with anyone she knew, as she completed the journey by herself for the first time.

“This is the first year I did not ride with anyone,” said Santullo. “The first year I rode with a group of eight friends, last year three and this year it was just me. It’s a large time commitment, and having to personally guarantee the fundraising minimums is difficult for some people.”

Santullo added that she rides the event for her relatives and for the people who donate and share their stories with her.

“During the last three years, I have personally dedicated my rides to my family members, but I will ride in support of many people who my sponsors have donated in the name of a relative or friend," she said.

Santullo finished the ride with her best time ever this year, as she completed the ride in less than five hours and averaged 16.2 miles per hour. In previous years, she averaged 15.4 and 14.7 miles per hour.

Since riding in the PMC, Santullo has actually participated in a different ride each year. When riders register for the PMC, they have the option of being a one-day rider or a two-day rider and there are a total of eight different rides the participants can cycle in.

“This year, I rode the one day Wellesley to Bourne (84 mile) ride because of my Memory Ride (for Alzheimer’s Research) the week before,” said Santullo. “Last year, I rode Wellesley to Provincetown (a two day 163 mile ride). The year before that, I did Wellesley to Bourne and back to Wellesley the next day (a combined 152 mile ride).”

Santullo also said that the easiest part of the ride came at the inception and at the end, but the most difficult part was the hill at the midpoint.

“The easiest is the first five miles and the last five miles,” said Santullo. “It’s all adrenaline and emotion. (The most difficult) is the hill just before the lunch stop that is always a challenge. They have a bag piper playing at the top of it, and it’s long and steep. You can hear all the riders panting and shifting down as we climb the hill.”

Once Santullo crosses the finish line, she said the emotion she feels is always incredible.

“The feeling is amazing (when the ride is finished),” said Santullo. “It’s so more than just the ride. It’s truly the feeling of making a difference and contributing towards better treatment and a cure.”

After the ride, Santullo said she actually went for another bike ride on Sunday and then she got back to work on Monday. Santullo is the Vice-President of Marketing and Property Operations Construction Planning and Management, a regional property management and development company in Salem, NH.

“I am lucky to have a boss that lets me work around my cycle training,” said Santullo, who received her masters from Bentley College in 1988. “I do not take any time off after the ride though. I actually rode the next day, a shorter and slower ride, and I was back at work on Monday, although the stairs were a little harder to climb.

Since becoming involved in the PMC, Santullo said she has really enjoyed meeting new people during the ride.

“There are so many things I have benefited from, but probably the people that I have met is what I have enjoyed the most,” said Santullo. “The people I rode with my first year, and even though they were not even riding, they helped me train (for the PMC ride) this year.I have made some wonderful new friends, and the feeling of making a difference is huge.”

Santullo also has advice for those who may be thinking about entering the Pan Mass Challenge next year.

“The physical part becomes easy once you make the commitment to ride,” said Santullo. “I could barely ride ten miles three years ago, and I really didn’t even cycle more than a few more miles at a time until I signed up for my first PMC. I will ride the PMC, the Memory Ride and at least one club century this year. If you think about why you are riding, you focus on your goal and just train a little harder and ride a little more each week, you will get there.”

All in all, Santullo said she had a remarkable time at her third PMC this year as she said everyone involved makes the event enjoyable for her.

“I met some great people along the road and knowing that (my husband) Eric and (my dog) Teddy would be at the finish was great,” said Santullo. “I think the most difficult part is seeing the victims and the pictures of those who have been lost pinned to the back of rider’s jerseys. Everyone who rides has been affected by the disease.

“I also think the official and non official volunteers are amazing. The people at the start, in the rest stops and at the finish line are always nice and they always have a friendly smile. The non-official volunteers that line the route, spraying you with hoses, offering bottled water, fruit and freeze pops are great as well. They (the volunteers) are there every year, paying for water and snacks and donating their time. When you say thank you – they smile and say ‘no, thank you.’

“My husband, Eric has also been very supportive. He loses me 20 to 30 hours a week during training season, and he never complains. He does more around the house, cooks more, and just fills in the gaps. His support makes it possible for me to participate.”

Since 1980, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge has raised over $204 million for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund. It is the largest single fundraising event for the Jimmy Fund, as one hundred percent of every dollar raised by the PMC goes to the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber.

If anyone would like to donate to Lisa Santullo, go the link http://www.pmc.org/ and click on "PMC profiles" and then enter her name. You can also mail a check made payable to the PMC by mailing it to her at P.O. Box 803, Tewksbury, MA 01876. All donations would be greatly appreciated.

Mazzei ices it up at HNIB summer showcase

2008-08-23T07:45:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER-WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 6, 2008

Former BB&N goal scorer

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO

Sports Correspondent

Last week, Dan Mazzei of Tewksbury participated in the Hockey Night in Boston Tournament, a one week major showcase tournament that featured ten teams in the Massachusetts Conference and ten teams in the National Division.

The entire tournament was played at the Haverhill Valley Forum, and it started on Sunday July 27th and it ended this past weekend with the playoff games on Saturday and the all-star games on Sunday.

All the teams had a practice on the first Sunday night before they all took the ice for games the following Monday. The players on the teams had never played with each other before, as the teams only played together for the one week ten game tournament.

Mazzei, 17, played for Team Merrimack and scored four goals and three assists in only eight out of the ten games due to sickness.

“I got off to a slow start, but after a few games I kicked it into gear and started playing very well,” said Mazzei, who scored 19 goals and 17 assists for the Buckingham Browne and Nichols high school hockey team this past season.

Mazzei was asked about his top performance of the tournament.

“My best moment of the tournament was on the last day of qualifying,” he said. “The team needed to win both games on the day to advance, and we had some stiff competition. Playing the only undefeated team in the tournament we thought our chances were gone, but we overcame the odds and knocked off the first place team (North Florida) 3-1.”

Mazzei and Team Merrimack finished the Hockey Night in Boston Tournament with a 4-4-2 record, but Mazzei said he had some much higher expectations for his team entering the tournament.

“My goals (entering the tournament) were quite simple,” said Mazzei. “I wanted to get some good skates in, play my best, and have fun with a new group of kids. Being the defending champions, our Merrimack Valley team was expected to do quite well and I myself thought the same thing.”

Mazzei added that he had a great time playing in the tournament as he really enjoyed both the atmosphere of the tournament and his coach.

“The Hockey Night in Boston Tournament was extremely fun,” said Mazzei. “What I liked most about it was that it is a pretty laid back tournament. Our team had a great coach (Bill Flanagan), which made it even more fun. It was a pleasure playing for him as he was a great guy and a fun coach to play for.”

For his future plans, Mazzei said he will not be attending Buckingham Browne and Nichols this upcoming school year, as he is currently undecided at two schools.

“I hope to set a high bar for myself whether it be at Malden Catholic or at Holderness High School (in New Hampshire),” said Mazzei.

Mazzei also added that he is not sure where he will be attending college in 2010 but he said he has been in contact with many different college coaches hoping to recruit the talented hockey player.

“Being just a junior in the upcoming school year, I still am not sure of where I will be going to college,” said Mazzei. “As a repeat freshman I will actually be graduating in the class of 2010.

“I am currently being recruited by Babson, Holy Cross, and the University of Connecticut. While I have had some contact with Boston College, there is nothing official yet. After I graduate I hope to being playing Division 1 hockey at one of the top ranked Hockey East schools. My personal goal is to play at Boston University, but my realistic goal is Holy Cross.”

Brown helps bring home National soccer title

2008-08-02T13:31:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO

Sports Correspondent

On Friday, Wilmington resident and goalkeeper Maggie Brown of the FC Stars of Massachusetts U14 United Soccer team won their third game of the national championships 1-0 versus the D'Feeters 94 from Texas. The game was held in Arkansas, with a spot in the national championship game on the line for both teams.

Before their third game of the national championship, the Stars won the region 1 championships in Portland, Maine.

Brown, who will be an incoming freshman at Wilmington High School this year, said on her blog on the US Youth soccer web site that playing in the region 1 championship games was an excellent learning experience for the team.

“The Region 1 Championships were a great experience for our team, and we had the opportunity to play a lot of talented, quality teams and players,” said Brown. “The experience helped us to grow as a team, and forced each of us to become better players.

“With our accomplishment, we continued to work very hard to prepare ourselves for the challenge of competing at the national level. We have had long practices and skill sessions to prepare us for the ultimate soccer experience.

“The team has trained very hard, and we feel we are ready to compete with the best teams in the country. Our coaches have helped to prepare us for the championships both physically and mentally and have helped us to believe in ourselves.
“They have also been stressing the importance of a proper diet, and remind us to stay well hydrated under the hot Arkansas sun.”

The Stars sure did lots of practicing before they got to the championship games in Arkansas, as they quickly took care of business in the first game of the round robin tournament. The Stars beat the Toro Bravo Soccer from Nebraska 2-0 after an early 7:30 a.m. kickoff.

Brown said on her blog after the game that although the game was an early wake-up call, it was really exciting for everyone involved.

“The 730 a.m. kick-off was a bit early, but we were all excited to take the field and compete,” said Brown. “The first few minutes of the game were nerve wrecking, and were played at a very high tempo. Both teams were looking to break free and create chances early in the game.

“(Overall,) it was a great game and a lot of fun for all the players, coaches, and spectators. It is a great experience to play such exciting games, and play against the best teams in the country on a national stage.”

In the second game of the national championships, the Stars tied the San Juan Spirits 94 Blue from California 0-0. Since both teams won their first games, they were both looking to secure a spot in the national final. Although the Stars didn’t walk off the field with a win, Brown said her team played another very exciting game.

“It was a great game by both teams, with all of the players giving it everything they had,” said Brown. “It was a lot of fun to battle against such a great team, and both teams enjoyed the extreme pressure and excitement of playing against each other.

“Our team worked very hard to deny them a shot on goal, and keep the game tied up. Both teams on the field were very talented, and wanted to win very badly. After a classic, hard fought battle, the final whistle blew with a score of Stars 0, San Juan Spirits 0.”

In the third game of the National Championships, the Stars played the D'Feeters 94 team from Texas. A spot in the national championship game was on the line for both teams, with the Stars needing a win or a tie to go through, and the D'Feeters needing a definite win.

The first half consisted of a lot of back and forth action, with solid chances for both teams but none were able to score. Late in the second half it looked as if the Stars had broken the scoreless tie on a header into the back of the net, but the referee quickly called the goal back on an off-sides call.

With the closing minutes of the game, the Stars managed to keep their defense strong and the D’Feeters rarely got chances to try to score. When it looked like the game was going to end with a scoreless tie, the Stars managed to put one in the net and take the lead and the game 1-0.

Brown said that she and her team played another tremendous and clutch game against a very good D’Feeters team.

“This was another great game, and a great atmosphere and pressure situation to experience,” said Brown on her blog.

“We are all very excited to represent our club, state, and region in the ultimate setting for any athlete,” said Brown. “We also know it is going to be a very exciting game, for we know San Juan is an extremely talented team.”

The ultimate setting Brown mentioned was the national championship game that she and her team played in on Saturday. The Stars played the San Juan Spirits 94 Blue team from California. This game did not go in the Stars way though as they lost the game 2-0.

Brown did not update her blog as of presstime, but most people could guess that Brown and the Stars currently have their heads up as they all had one of the most successful seasons a U14 soccer team could ask for.

Tewksbury resident, Barile, goes from his couch to a bicycle

2008-08-02T13:17:00.001-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008

Pair of locals to compete in Pan Mass Challenge

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Saturday, Kevin Barile of Tewksbury will take part in the 29th annual Pan Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon that crosses the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Since 1980, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge has raised over $204 million for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.

Barile, 28, will be riding in his first PMC ride and has raised approximately $4500 for the charity.

Cancer has unfortunately taken the lives of many of Bariles’ relatives as his great grandfather passed away from the disease at age 42, his grandfathers at age 54 and age 83, and his uncle at age 55.

His father, Ralph Barile, is 57 years old and is currently the longest living man in his family and is cancer free.

His mother, Luanne, was diagnosed with cancer at age 20 and after many treatments and tests she survived and has now been cancer free for over 35 years.

Along with his mother, two of his cousins were also diagnosed with cancer and are now cancer free.

Barile said he wanted to become involved in the PMC after watching it on television last year and realizing how important the event was in raising money for cancer research.

“I was sitting on the couch last summer and saw the highlights from the Pan Mass Challenge,” said Barile. “I looked at my wife (Meg) and I said to her that my mother is a cancer survivor and I can't believe that I have never done anything like this before.

“I told (Meg) that in 2008 I will complete that ride in honor of my mother and everyone else who has beaten cancer or lost loved ones to cancer. When the registration started I looked at Meg and said it’s time to put my money where my mouth is.”

Barile, who grew up in Woburn and is a 1997 Woburn High School and a 2001 UMass Lowell graduate, will be participating in the one day 84 mile ride from Babson College in Wellesley to the finish line at Mass Maritime Academy in Bourne.

Riders have the option of choosing to be a one day rider or a two day rider when they register for the PMC, and there are a total of eight different mileage rides the participants can cycle in.

Two day riders start on Saturday and they will be cycling in either the 192 mile ride from Sturbridge to Provincetown, the 180 mile ride from Sturbridge to Wellesley, the 163 mile ride from Wellesley to Provincetown or the 153 mile ride from Wellesley to Wellesley.

One day riders on Saturday can cycle 111 miles from Sturbridge to Bourne or 84 miles from Wellesley to Bourne.

One day riders on Sunday have the option of riding 47 miles from Wellesley to Wellesley or 68 miles from Bourne to Wellesley.

Barile, who competed in soccer and track during high school and who was also on the UMass Lowell soccer team, trains for the event by cycling as much as he can on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the year.

“I train on the weekends with my other two friends,” said Barile. “We usually do rides that consist of anywhere between 20 to 60 miles depending on prior commitments.”

On Saturday, Barile along with his wife’s cousin, Will Furlow, age 23, and one of his best friends Dave Laing, 28, will wake up at around 5 a.m. for the start of the race at 7 a.m. in Wellesley. Barile said a factor that allows him to keep is energy up is eating foods with carbohydrates while cycling.

“I will eat eggs for protein and a lot of bread for carbs (prior to the race),” said Barile. “Energy is a key to completing the course, and I consistently eat while I ride to keep my energy levels up.”

When Barile finishes the race on Saturday, he said he is looking forward to seeing his parents who have both been his motivation for riding.

“The best thing after the ride will be seeing my mother and father,” said Barile. “My mother is living proof for over 30 years. It is people like my mother that give me the inspiration to do this. Both of my parents are my main reasons for riding.”

What Barile has enjoyed the most since becoming involved in the PMC is the letters and donations people have sent him.

“The people that have written and donated to me give me the most motivation,” said Barile. “I have learned about other peoples’ personal losses and successes with cancer. I have also learned that cancer survivors are fearless, and I am striving to be the same.”

All in all, Barile said that he is very proud to be part of the PMC and getting the opportunity to ride in the charity race on Saturday.

“Every dollar is one step closer to curing cancer, and every pedal is one more survivor,” said Barile. “So far this has been the most motivational experience of my life, and I can't wait to finish on Saturday.”

The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is a pioneer of the athletic fundraising industry and today raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country. It is a model of fundraising efficiency as 230,000 members contributed to raising $33 million last year.

It is the largest single event for the Jimmy Fund, as one hundred percent of every dollar raised by the PMC goes directly to the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber.

If anyone would like to donate to Kevin Barile on his first year of riding in the PMC, checks can be made out to the PMC, Jimmy Fund or DFC. The check can be mailed to Bariles’ home address at 57 Apache Way, Tewksbury, Ma, 10876. A more effective way to donate is by going on the Pan Mass Challenge web site at www.pmc.org, searching for Bariles’ profile, and following the directions to complete a credit card donation. All contributions would be greatly appreciated.

Banville ready for her first challenge

2008-08-02T13:05:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2008

Pair of locals to compete in Pan Mass Challenge

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Saturday, Meghan Banville of Wilmington will take part in the 29th annual Pan Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon that has raised $204 million for life-saving cancer research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute since 1980.

Banville, 24, will be riding in her first PMC with her father Norman and also the cycling team at her work, Shawmut Design and Construction in Boston, MA. Banville said she and her father will both be riding for their relative who has battled through cancer.

“My cousin Michael Banville is a senior in high school in Dunstable, MA and he inspired me to get involved,” said Banville, a Topsfield, MA native. “Michael is a Hodgkin’s Lymphoma survivor and ever since the Jimmy Fund Clinic helped him get through his fight with cancer he’s been giving back.”

Banville, a graduate of both Masconomet Regional High School and Roger Williams University, has raised $1,250 for the PMC this year. Her family has also raised a combined $3, 215 as her father has raised $1, 915 and her younger brother David, 14, raised $50 in the sixth annual Topsfield Kids PMC bicycle ride last month.

Banville volunteered in the Topsfield Kids PMC ride, as she paced the kids on the route and helped enforce the rules of the road and safety while cycling. She said she really enjoyed seeing all the younger kids participating in the worthwhile event, which was held at Bradley Palmer State Park.

“I was blown away by the amount of kids who participated (in the ride)” said Banville. “They ranged in age from five to fifteen years and the impressive part is that they all understood why they were riding.

“Several of these kids have classmates or siblings and parents who are either fighting or who have fought cancer, and all the kids contributed to raising lots of money for the Jimmy Fund. It was a really great time and helped motivate me even more for my PMC ride.”

Banville said she is really looking forward to her PMC ride, where she will be a two day rider and pedal a combined 163 miles from Wellesley, MA to Provincetown, MA.

“The ride leaves Wellesley at 7a.m. so I’ll probably be up about two hours before,” said Banville. “I’m staying at a hotel in Wellesley the night before, and they will have a big dinner for us that Friday night. On Saturday morning I will drink water and probably eat a few granola bars and bananas in the morning to get me going.”

Banville also added that her mother, Elaine, will play an important role in helping her and Norman get through the finish line.

“My mom will be playing taxi driver this weekend, as she will be helping my dad and I transport our bikes to Wellesley on Friday and then she’ll be at the finish line in Provincetown (on Sunday) when we get there,” said Banville. “The logistics of getting yourself to and from an event like this can be challenging and my mom’s help will be very much appreciated.”

Banville said she has spent a few days each week training for some of the difficult routes of the PMC ride.

“I would describe myself as a weekend warrior, as I get on my bike when I can,” said Banville. “My rides have mostly been around 30 miles each time I get out which is about three times a week. I ride in Wilmington, North Reading, and Middleton the most. When I ride longer distances I go to Andover, North Andover, Boxford, and Topsfield.”

Like a good portion of the people riding in the race this weekend, Banville said she just hopes she can finish the race.

“‘It’s not a race’ is what all the past participants have told me,” said Banville. “I’m hoping to finish the first day in under six hours. ”

Banville also added that she recommends everyone, including all kids, to participate in the PMC next year and for years to come.

“I would suggest all the kids getting involved in a ride in their community,” said Banville. “I wish I had also volunteered at the Wilmington kids ride. It is a great opportunity in the middle of your training and fundraising to remind yourself why you are riding.

“The kids rides all have pedal partners and there is nothing like hearing an eight year old cancer survivor give a speech at the start of the day and thanking all of the participants for riding.”

With the PMC being the largest single fundraising event for the Jimmy Fund, Banville just hopes that the PMC will continue to make an impact on all cancer patients.

“This is definitely an important fundraiser for Massachusetts,” said Banville. “The Jimmy Fund Clinic sets us apart and does amazing things for the residents of Massachusetts with cancer and for all of the out of state visitors that are looking for such an established cancer clinic.

“I’ve never done anything like this before, so I’m looking forward to the experience of being part of such a big event.”

If anyone would like to donate to Meghan Banville on her first year of riding in the PMC, go to the link, http://www.pmc.org/mypmc/profiles.asp?Section=story&eGiftID=MB0343, and select sponsor a rider and enter a gift amount. All donations would be greatly appreciated.

Gearing up for next month's triathlon

2008-08-02T12:47:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 23, 2008

Wilmington resident Dave Reynolds

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Wilmington resident Dave Reynolds first remembers when he got hooked on triathlons, a race that involves swimming, biking and running.

“I did my first triathlon in 2003,” said Reynolds. “I had just finished graduate school and I figured I finally had some extra time to get back in shape.

“I was talking to a friend about doing a triathlon and we decided to sign-up for the Boston triathlon, which was a sprint distance triathlon held on Labor Day weekend. My friend didn’t do the race, but I still went through with it.

“I wasn’t sure how to train for it and I just started to do some running and swimming about a month out from the race date. I used my mountain bike for the ‘bike portion’ and my goal was to finish and have fun. I had a blast and was hooked on the sport going forward.”

Reynolds, a Nashua, NH native and a Nashua Senior High School graduate, is one of 275 active members involved in TriFury, the largest triathlon club in all of New England. The club is dedicated to support amateur triathletes from the first timer to the experienced age group competitor. There are several members in the club who have even qualified and raced for the National and World Championships.

Reynolds said being part of the triathlon club takes several days of training per week.

“I typically train three to four days a week,” said Reynolds. “It’s a bit easier (to train) in the summer with more daylight hours and not having as many kid’s sports activities. I’ve been going to the gym three times a week and I usually do about 30 minutes of cardio and another 30 minutes of strength training.

“A lot of triathletes stay away from the weights, but I’ve been sticking with them this year because I feel it minimizes my injuries. I just started to swim again (once a week) and will go to the YMCA and will meet-up with some people from Trifury at Silver Lake.

“I also try to bike once a week. One thing I need to do is run, which is my least favorite part of triathlons.”

The next competition Reynolds is gearing up for is the Timberman Sprint in August.

He finished in the top 30% of the entrants last year, but he has finished in the top 20% in previous years.

“I would like to do better than I did last year (at the Timberman Sprint), but my main goal is to stay injury free, finish and have fun,” said Reynolds.

When competing in the triathlons, each competitor has a transition area where they keep their bike, shoes, helmet and swimming gear. The transition area is usually only a few minutes away from the swim which is the first part of the triathlon.

After the swim the competitors run back to the transition area and get onto their bikes, and the bike ride is an out and back course. Once the competitors complete their bike ride, they come back to the transition area and change into their running gear for the last part of the race.

Reynolds, who went to UNH for a year before moving to San Diego, CA, took one and a half years off before going back and graduating from San Diego State University. After he graduated he came back to the east to work.

He said he enjoys everything that comes with the triathlon.

“The triathlon is something that drives me to stay in shape,” said Reynolds. “Plus, it’s good cross training. I like that I’m not just running or doing one activity all the time. I’ve also met some great people along the way.

“I think the best part for me is the atmosphere and camaraderie. Everyone is in a great mood and very supportive of one another. There are a few of the serious athletes out there that will swim right over you, but that is few and far between.”

Although it’s difficult for Reynolds to complain about the triathlon, he does admit that he is not a fan of hot weather.

“I guess the worst part for me is the really hot days,” said Reynolds. “Even though the races start early, I can sometimes be out on the run when it really gets hot and be thinking ‘what the heck am I doing this for?’ But it’s still worth it in the end.”

TriFury members range in age from the teens though the late 60s and TriFury is currently making efforts to broaden the age span. For its members, TriFury is sponsoring a mini-triathlon (400-yard swim, nine and a half mile bike ride, and two-mile run) throughout this summer in Tyngsboro, and it is mainly for beginners.

For more information about the club, visit www.trifury.com.

Leonard survives cancer, gears up for big challenge

2008-08-02T12:27:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008

Two local bike riders get honored at Fenway Park

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge is a pioneer of the athletic fundraising industry and today raises more money for charity than any other single event in the country. It is a model of fundraising efficiency as 230,000 members contributed to raising $33 million last year.

Chris Leonard, 35, of Wilmington is one of these members as he and his family have raised over $55,000 over the last six years.

Leonard, a testicular cancer survivor, will be riding in the PMC for his fifth year.

“I have been riding the last five years but I was unable to ride when I was finishing my treatment a while back,” said Leonard, a Topsfield, MA native.

Leonard’s family members have also taken part in the PMC, as his wife Becca will be riding next to him again this year.

“My mother and my father in-law rode for three years and my wife will be riding in her fifth PMC after she took last year off because she was pregnant with our first son,” said Leonard.

“Being involved in the PMC was something that my entire family wanted to do.”

While Leonard’s family has raised over $55,000, Leonard has raised $16,000 individually.

“I have a large family and they have been a big help (in raising money) along with great friends,” said Leonard, a Salem State and Becker College graduate. “I am also in sales and have been able to ask clients (to donate) as well.

“My family and I have also found ways of fundraising by asking people if they would like to have someone’s name placed on our back as we ride during the PMC. We find that people like to know that they can make the donation in someone’s name.

“We will ride in memory of someone who has died from cancer or someone who is fighting to beat cancer.”

This past Saturday night, Leonard took part in the Pan Mass Challenge ride around Fenway Park prior to the Red Sox-Orioles game. Leonard, who participated in it for the first time, said it was a very emotional experience.

“The emotion around us was very powerful,” said Leonard. “Before going out on the field, I was talking with the other (cancer) survivors and they were talking about how amazing it was going to be. When I looked into the crowd (when we were out on the field), I could see how people were looking at us seeing the face of someone they lost.”

For now, Leonard said he is just looking forward to the PMC ride and training for the difficult routes of the course. Besides his wife Becca, he will be riding with his good friends Sue Denis, Dan Murphy, and Doug Flavin.

“The hills going into the lunch stop is always the hardest,” said Leonard. “The easiest is coming out of the sand dunes in the last mile because you are still riding but it is flat and you know you have (almost finished).”

Leonard also added that he hopes he will be able to take part in the ride for many more years to come.

“I hope to continue to participate (in the PMC) for as long as I am able to,” said Leonard. “This is my fifth PMC and I am five years cancer free. I hope to be able to count the years and the PMC together for many years to come.

“It is great to be part of something so large but so personal. I love the PMC attitude everyone has as it is all about someone else. Everyone is doing this for their own reason and none of them are selfish.

“We can only hope that more and more people can beat cancer and that treatment will become easier and less painful. This is why the money that we can raise for research is so important.”

The PMC is the largest single fundraising event for the Jimmy Fund. One hundred percent of every dollar raised by the PMC goes to the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber.

If anyone would like to donate to Chris Leonard on his fifth year of riding in the PMC, go to the link, http://www.pmc.org/egifts/default.asp, and select sponsor a rider and enter the E-Gift code: CL0085. All donations would be greatly appreciated.

Emotional night for Sherry Iuliano

2008-08-02T12:15:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008

Two local bike riders get honored at Fenway Park

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO

Sports Correspondent

On the weekend of August 2nd-3rd, Sherry Iuliano of Wilmington will take part in the 29th annual Pan Mass Challenge, a bike-a-thon that crosses the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Since 1980, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge has raised over $204 million for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through its Jimmy Fund.

The ride has two starting lines on Saturday, August 2nd, as one starts in Sturbridge and one begins in Wellesley.

There are four total finish lines as one-day riders finish in Bourne on Saturday, August 2nd or in Wellesley on Sunday, August 3rd.

Two day riders finish on Sunday, August 3rd, in either Wellesley or Provincetown.

Iuliano, 40, a Hodgkin's disease survivor, will be riding in the PMC for the fourth consecutive year. She got involved in the PMC shortly after battling cancer six years ago.

“In 2002 I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and treated at Dana Farber Cancer Institute with six months of chemotherapy,” said Iuliano, a 1985 Wilmington High School graduate. “During this time, there were posters throughout the hospital for the Pan-Mass Challenge.

“I didn’t know if I was going to make it through cancer, but thought that if I did, I’d ride in the PMC as soon as I was strong again.”

Iuliano has made an enormous difference in the event as she has raised an incredible $18,000 since becoming involved.

“Raising the money takes a lot of effort, but is well worth it in the end,” said Iuliano, who also is a 1990 Salem State graduate and became a family nurse practitioner in 2006 after studying at Regis College. “I start fundraising in January by raffling two Red Sox tickets at the hospital I work at.

“This year my good friends had a yard sale which raised quite a bit and they donated 100% of the money to the PMC. The rest comes from friends and family.”

Iuliano, who trains by riding around the Wilmington area and on her stationary bike, will be riding with a team called “The Flying Henry’s” for the first time ever this year. She said she rides in the PMC for several different causes.

“I ride for friends and family who have lost their lives to cancer, and I also ride for all the survivors like myself,” said Iuliano.

This past Saturday night, Iuliano took part in the pre-game PMC ride around Fenway Park. She rode her bicycle around the perimeter of Fenway for the third consecutive year with 40 other cancer survivors. All the 40 cancer survivors will be participating in the PMC on August 2nd-3rd as well.

“Knowing that last year there were 26 cancer survivors riding around the park and this year there were 40 riders (was a significant difference),” said Iuliano.

Iuliano also added that the PMC is a really emotional event for everyone that takes part.

“The event holds a lot of passion for both the riders and volunteers,” said Iuliano. “We all know someone who has had cancer.

“Words cannot describe the emotions experienced during the PMC. Just when you think you can’t ride another mile, you see a small child holding a sign that says, ‘thank you for riding, and I am here because of your ride.’”

For the future, Iuliano hopes that the PMC will continue to reach their hope and aspiration by providing Dana-Farber’s doctors and researchers the necessary resources to discover cures for all cancers.

“We need to raise money for cancer research so there will be more survivors in this world,” she said.

Triple A All-Stars shut out Double A team, 4-0

2008-07-17T11:18:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008

Wilmington Baseball/Softball Round-Up

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Sunday, the ‘AAA’ Wilmington Little League All-Star team beat out the ‘AA’ Wilmington Little League All-Star team 4-0 in a one game series at Rotary Field in Wilmington.

Triple A Manager Jerry Lawrenson has been involved in Wilmington Little League baseball for four years, and he coached the Triple A Devil Rays to the championship game this past season.

Before Sunday’s game, Lawrenson told all of the players on his team to enjoy themselves and play to the best of their abilities.

“I told the players just to go out there and have fun,” said Lawrenson. “It was their day. I wanted them to go out there and showcase their talent, and I wanted them to show everybody what they can do because they are true all-stars.”

Matt Dailey and Joe D’Agostino were two of the players selected from the Devil Rays to the all-star team, and Lawrenson said he had his Devil Rays players vote for them and they were the obvious choices based on their leadership and talent on the field.

“I didn’t vote for the all-stars as I let my Devil Rays players vote,” said Lawrenson. “(Dailey and D’Agostino) were selected by the players for their leadership on the bench as well as their pitching skills and outstanding plays on the field.”

Dailey was the starting pitcher in Sunday’s game and regular season Pirates player Shane Sullivan pitched the last inning as he got the save for the all-stars.

D’Agostino recorded two hits and two RBIs in the game, and he said he had a great time playing in the game.

“The game was really fun,” said D’Agostino, who played pitcher and catcher for the Devil Rays during the regular season. “I am really glad I got the opportunity to play in the game.”

Triple A Royals player Bobby Bryant played in the all-star game as well, and agreed with D’Agostino has he also enjoyed himself throughout the entire six innings.

“The game was all for fun, and I had a really good time,” said Bryant, who was a centerfielder and third baseman for the Royals. “I also really liked that our team won the game.”

Lawrenson had a terrific time too, and he said he would love to continue coaching in this annual all-star game for years to come.

“I had a ball coaching the players in the game,” said Lawrenson. “They were a great bunch of kids. I’d coach them all the time if I could.”

The entire roster for the ‘AAA’ all-stars includes: Nolan Arbuckle, Mike Beray, Bobby Bryant, Mike Colton, Joe D’Agostino, Matt Dailey, and Steve DeFuria. Also contributing to Sunday’s win were players Anthony Deniso, Sal DiSanto, Zach Lord, Brian Neal, Dan Paige, Evan Raffi, and Shane Sullivan.

The double A All-Stars fell short of winning the game, but ‘AA’ regular season Angel’s and ‘AA’ all-star manager Dave Flood and his players had a tremendous time.

“It was just really an honor for the kids to be selected for the all-star team,” said Flood, who has been involved with Wilmington Little League baseball for over 15 years. “You could tell that the kids were proud to be there, and I was just proud to have the opportunity to coach them. It’s a fun game for everybody involved.”

Many people came out to watch Sunday’s game, especially younger kids who were cheering for their friends anytime they made a spectacular play or got a base hit.

Michael Murphy, 11, played on ‘AAA’ Devil Rays this past season, and he loved watching all his friends play in Sunday’s all-star game.

“It was really fun watching the all-star game,” said Murphy. “I really liked watching it with my friends because we all had a good time.”

Jimmy Lawrenson, 11, watched the game with his younger brother, Tommy, 9, and Lawrenson said he liked watching the game because he got to root for his dad who was coaching the ‘AAA’ team in the game.

“I liked seeing my dad coach the game,” said Lawrenson. “That was what Tommy and I enjoyed the most.”

Patrick O’Connell, 12, thought the best part of the game was the excellent pitching by the ‘AAA’ all-star team.

“I really liked watching the pitchers as they all did really well,” said O’Connell. “They all did a great job of not allowing the ‘AA’ team to score any runs.”

The ‘AA’ pitchers did a magnificent job too, as they held the older kids to only four runs.

The starting pitcher for the 'AA’ team was Bill Falter, and pitching after him throughout the game were players Nick Polli, Lucas Garrity, Andrew Verducci, and Justin Leger.

Flood said his players did an excellent job of listening to his pre-game speech before they took the field.

“(Prior to the game,) I told the players to have a good time and to have fun,” said Flood. “I told them just do their best and they all did which is great.”

The entire roster for the ‘AA’ all-star team includes: Tim Benoit, Bill Falter, Patrick Finn, Ryan Fisher, Lucas Garrity, Lawrence Gordon, and Joey Hydorn. Also being selected to the team were players Joseph Kelly, Justin Leger, Charlie Minghella, Ian Palmer, Josh Pasquariello, Nick Polli, and Andrew Verducci.

16 Yr. Old HR Derby

Immediately following Sunday’s ‘AAA’ versus ‘AA’ all-star game was the 16 year old Wilmington Little League baseball home run derby held at Rotary Field.

WLLB President Frank Della Pelle said the Wilmington 16 year old home-run derby has been taking place annually for almost a decade.

“The home-run derby started in 1999,” said Della Pelle. “This is the 16 year olds last year in little league baseball so it’s a nice last get-together.”

The home-run derby consists of two rounds plus tie-breaker rounds, as all six participants get ten outs in the first round. After the first round, the top three batters with the most home-runs move on to the second round and get five outs per at-bat. Any players tied after the second round move on to extra tie-breaker rounds with each player getting three outs per at-bat.

Participating in the home-run derby were senior league baseball players Nick Boutoures, Evan Butters, Cole Carter, Brendon Fullerton, Dom McCann, and Mike Murphy.

Boutoures of the Cardinals led off the home-run derby with nine home runs in the first round.

McCann of the Angels batted next and hit four balls over the fence.

Batting after McCann was Fullerton of the Brewers and he smacked three balls out of the park.

Murphy, who played on the West Division championship Brewers team, hit 12 home runs in the first round.

Butters of the Devil Rays batted after him and he hit a total of three home-runs.

The last hitter up to bat in the first round was Carter of the Giants, and he struck a total of eight home runs past the outfield fence.

Murphy, Boutoures, and Carter all moved on to the second round as they finished with 12, nine, and eight home runs respectively.

The first round total does not get added to the second round total, so Boutoures led off the second round with a new start and hit one home-run over the fence.

Murphy swung the bat next and the left handed batter hit six balls out of the park.

Carter was at the plate after Murphy and he hit one home-run, making Murphy the 16 year old home run champion.

Boutoures and Carter went to a tie-breaker round for second place, and after neither of them hit any balls out of the field in the third round, Carter smacked his tenth total home run in the fourth round to finish in second.

At the conclusion of the derby, Murphy, the winner with 18 total home runs, took the traditional home-run trot around the bases carrying his award.

All the participants said they had a good time in the home-run derby, as they all agreed it is a great event for everyone involved.

“I liked being here and being with my friends,” said Boutoures, the third place finisher with ten home runs total.

“It was lots of fun.”

“It was a good time and it was just really fun being out here,” said Carter, the second place winner who also belted ten total home-runs.

The first place champion, Mike Murphy, agreed with Boutoures and Carter as he also had an unbelievable time being with his peers.

“It was a very fun event,” said Murphy. “It was great that I got to hang out with my friends.”

Murphy also added that he wanted to win the competition so he could bring back the home run derby title to his family.

“My brother (Sean) won this competition before, so my family told me I wouldn’t be allowed back in their house if I didn’t win it,” said Murphy jokingly.

Jr. League Dodgers

A few weeks ago, the junior league regular season Dodgers beat out the Cardinals in a pitcher’s duel 3-1. Cole Peffer was the starting pitcher for the Dodgers, as he tossed three innings of shut out ball. Dan Collins of the Dodgers came in the fourth inning and didn’t allow one runner to reach base as three batters quickly came up and sat down for the Cardinals. Jake MacIsaac was on the mound to close out the game as he pitched the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings for the Dodgers and only allowed one run.

The turning point in the game came in the fifth inning when the Cardinals were mounting a come-back. They loaded the bases with one out, and they seemed to have the momentum on their side.

With the bases full, one of the Cardinal’s batters hit the ball straight back to Dodgers pitcher Jake MacIsaac who threw the ball to home for the second out. Catcher Tyler Vibert then turned the double-play by throwing the batter out at first base to get the Dodgers out of the jam.

The manager of the league champion Dodgers team this year was Dan MacIsaac, and he said the Cardinals played a great game against his team, considering the Dodgers won most of their regular season games by a very wide margin.

“W didn’t have a game with the score as close as this championship game all year,” said MacIsaac, who coached the Dodgers to a 10-1-2 record during the regular season. “Most of the games we won during the season were typically won by ten runs or more, so lots of credit goes to the Cardinals who played a fantastic game against us.”

Prior to the game, MacIsaac gave his players plenty of advice, including not to give the 10-2-1 regular season Cardinals any extra at-bats.

“Before the game, I told my players that we’re playing the best team we’ve played all year,” said MacIsaac. “I told them to stay focused, make the routine plays, and don’t give the Cardinals any extra outs because it would haunt us later in the game.

“The great part was that our team didn’t. They played a tight ball game, and they played well. This was a good-hard fought ballgame and a dog-fight won by our team.”

What impresses MacIsaac the most is that not only was his team errorless in the championship game, but they actually made very few errors all season long.

“The kids really seemed to be prepared for the every single game,” said MacIsaac. “We had very few mental lapses, and as a matter of fact I can only count on one hand the only errors we made all year.”

Overall, MacIsaac said that his players had an extraordinary season as everyone on the team had fun and contributed to making the Dodgers league champions.

“The kids seemed to come and enjoy themselves throughout the entire year,” said MacIsaac. “They played fantastic, and they were willing to do what it takes to help the team win.

“There was no selfish play. There were smiles on the bench the entire year. It was just a great group of kids and there was just a lot of camaraderie.”

The entire roster for the junior league champion Dodgers team includes:
Mike Brown, Matthew Chiricosta, Marcus Cole, Dan Collins, John Grealish, Steve Haillas, Brendan Healy, Jake MacIsaac, Mike Marinella, Cole Peffer, Tim Penny, Dan Sullivan, and Tyler Vibert. The Dodgers were led by manager Dan MacIsaac and assistant coaches Vinny Chiricosta and Eric Polli.

Softball Reds

Last season's first place and championship winning Wilmington Reds softball team had eight returning players and five new players on the roster this year. Rookies, Jennifer Holloran, Erin Berube, Sarah Flodin, Kristen Pasquariello and Vickie Lee were great draft choices for the Reds.

The rain in early April delayed the girls in getting on the field for a few weeks. But once the fields were ready, the girls brought the same energy and enthusiasm from last season and were ready to defend their title.

The Reds found their rhythm early by winning their first four games. The girls hit a little bump losing game five and tying game six but quickly regained their momentum by winning the next eight straight games.

Top hitters Alex Darien, Megan Howland and Michelle Woods contributed mightily with their bats. First time catcher Fallon Soye was strong behind the plate on the receiving end of Sara Pudvelis' consistent pitching. Returning players Erin Duffy, Shannon Wilcox and Lizzy Hill also contributed to the victories.

After finishing first in the regular season with a 12-1-1 record, the season ended with a tough loss to the Pirates, 16-12 in the second round of the playoffs. Manager Jim Howland would like thank all the players for a great season.

Special thanks to assistant coaches Tom Woods, Amy and Eddie Holloran and Sean Berube for volunteering their time and their many contributions this winning season. The girls would like to send a big thank you to their parents.

Major American All-Stars fall in two games

2008-07-17T10:50:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 16, 2008

Tewksbury Baseball Round-Up

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Tewksbury 12 year old American League All-Star team baseball did not fare well in their district play as they were quickly eliminated from the double elimination tournament.

Tewksbury fell short to the Andover Nationals by a score of 3-0 and they also lost to the Andover West all-star team by a score of 8-1, this past week.

Tewksbury hopes to have more success in their next tournament though, as they started the Conway Tournament this past weekend.

Dan Saunders is the coach of the 12 year old all-star team, and he coached the major league champion Cubs team during the regular season and was was hesitant about coaching the all-star team but he said he’s now glad he became apart of it.

“The funny thing is that I really didn’t want to coach the all star team this season,” said Saunders. “After having won the town championship with the Cubs, I thought it might be a let down. But my assistant (coach), Rob Budryk, insisted that we do it and even though we lost our first two (games), it has been a lot of fun.

“The fun part is watching a good bunch of kids who can really play. It’s the best players in the league, and just watching them make the plays that sometimes don’t get made during the regular season can be fun. Plus we still have another tournament to go.”

After his players did not play so well in the District Tournament, Saunders told them not to get down on themselves as he wants them to keep their heads up and get a fresh start for their remaining games.

“After we were eliminated from the District Tournament I told the players that I was still proud of them and that we just got beat by better teams,” said Saunders, who has coached Tewksbury Youth Baseball for eight years and has also served two years on the TYB Board of Directors.

“I also told them that we have another tournament coming up that will be a little more fun with some kids getting a little more playing time than they saw in district play.”

Saunders’s coaching might be one of the key reasons Tewksbury goes far in the Conway Tournament, as he has rallied his team around each other.

“Our best advice that the assistant coaches and I have told our team has always been to play as a team, and that simply means to win as a team and lose as a team,” said Saunders. “We constantly tell our players to never call out a teammate for a bad play and to always support their teammates and try to pick them up.

“We also always tell them to remember that it may be them that makes the next mistake, and we tell the kids that we will never yell at them for a physical mistake but the mental mistakes are what bother us. Also, we have tried to get the point across that they will remember these times for the rest of their lives so we want them to make the most of it. When you are 12 years old and playing all-star baseball, we tell them it doesn’t get any better than this.”

The entire roster for the Tewksbury 12 year old American League all-stars includes: Nick Bain, Ryan Capraro, Nick Cervizzi, Matt Elia, Alex Hamilton, Christos Kourkoulas, and Matt LaCascia. Also on the team are players Dylan Lemieux, Scott Mulno, Dennis Ong, Johnny Saunders, Danny Sawicki, Connor Sodergren, and Joe Velozo. Managing the team is Dan Saunders, and the assistant coaches are Rob Budryk and Jim Wackrow.

11 Year Old American League All-Stars

On Thursday, the Tewksbury 11 year old American League All-Stars lost to the Billerica National all-stars by a score of 8 to 6, as they finished with a record of 2-2 in the double-elimination District Tournament.

Alex Erwin was the starting pitcher for Tewksbury and he pitched well until the third inning and then was replaced by Dom Rosado.

Billerica jumped out to an early lead, but Tewksbury came back to score five runs in the fourth to tie the score before Billerica came back with two more runs of their own to take the game.

Before losing to Billerica, Tewksbury beat the North Andover West team the following Tuesday by a score of 8-6.

Brandon Evangelista was the starting pitcher in that game, and he fanned seven over the first five innings while allowing seven hits.

David Sheehan came in for the sixth inning and he pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the save.

Prior to beating North Andover West, Tewksbury fell short to the Billerica Americans by a score of 3-1 in their first game of the tournament, and they beat the North Andover West all-star team 6-2 after it was called after four and a half innings due to rain in their second game of the tournament.

Brandon Evangelista threw 93 pitches and pitched a complete game for Tewksbury in their first game versus Billerica.

Tewksbury player Andrew Magnell went 2 for 3 at the plate with a double, and he also made some catches in center field. Dom Rosado also went 2 for 3 with a couple of base hits.

During the win versus North Andover West, Dom Rosado was the starting pitcher for Tewksbury and he had a quality start as he only allowed two runs in five innings. Alex Erwin of Tewksbury came in for the save.

Eight out of the nine Tewksbury batters got a single in the first inning, including Nick Dulock who when 2 for 2 at the plate and completed two double plays on the field.

Nick Fiore of Tewksbury also made some excellent defensive plays as he made a nice line drive catch at first base, as well as Andrew Magnell who made two outstanding catches in centerfield.

The manager of the Tewksbury AL 11 year old district team is Joe Evangelista, and he said he has really enjoyed coaching his team throughout the tournament.

“This is my second year coaching the all-stars with most of these kids and parents, and it's been great,” said Evangelista. “I couldn't ask for better kids and parents. I think the tournament is a great learning experience for the kids. I think the kids all have a great desire to play the game, and I always tell them to give it 100 percent on the field, and they always do which is great.

“I have just really enjoyed working with the kids and watching their skills develop each year. It is something I really admire and I'm glad to be a part of it.”

Tewksbury starts fresh when they open up in another tournament, the Conway Tournament, on Wednesday June 16th.

The entire roster for the Tewksbury 11 year old American League all stars includes: Thomas Casey, Jeffery Donahue, Nicholas Dulock, Alex Erwin, Brandon Evangelista, Nicholas Fiore, and Will Lerette. Also on the team are players Andrew Magnell, Joseph Martel, Dominic Rosado, Shayne Russell, David Sheehan, Jonathan Tower, and Brandon Viana. The team is led by manager Joe Evangelista and the assistant coaches are Bill Magnell and Tony Erwin.

10 Year Old American League All-Stars

The Tewksbury 10 year old American LeagueAll-Stars finished with a record of 1-5 in their Conway Tournament, as they lost their last three games by only a run each.

The 10 year old AL all-star team started their Conway Tournament before their district play, as they began their District Tournament this past Monday and beat Haverhill 11-0 by mercy rule.

In the Conway Tournament, Tewksbury lost their first game by a score of 8-2 versus the Tewksbury Nationals and they lost their second game 10-2 versus the Billerica Americans. They won their next and only game 9-1 versus South Lawrence West before falling in their last three games by scores of 4-3 versus North Reading, 4-3 versus North Andover and 7-6 versus the Billerica Nationals.

Don Bain is the coach of the 10 year old all-star team, and he has been involved with TYB for eight years after coaching the Major League Brewers team this past season. He said he loves seeing all the kids on his team just having a good time.

“These kids are only 10 years old so they should always be having fun,” said Bain. “I really enjoy seeing them having a good time while learning the great game of baseball.”

Tewksbury plays their second game of the District Tournament on Thursday versus the Billerica National All-Stars.

The entire roster for the Tewksbury 12 year old American League all-stars includes: Ryan Bain, Joseph Csokmay, John Donovan, Andrew Fisher, Christian Kyle, David Lindsey, and Dylan McAteer. Also contributing to the ballclub are players Ryan Meade, Michael Milano, Scott Patterson, Bobby Payne, Dylan Pendleton, Nathan Tenaglia, and Joe Trulli. The manager of the team is Don Bain and the assistant coaches are Dave Lindey and Dave Meade.

10 Year Old National League All-Stars

The Tewksbury ten year old National League All-Stars won the Conway Tournament as they finished with a record of 6-1. Todd DiRocco has been coaching in Tewksbury Youth Baseball for ten years, and he always tells his players to keep their heads up no matter what the situation is.

“I tell my players (before a game) to play hard but always have fun,” said DiRocco, whose father Leo is coach of the girl’s varsity softball team. “I tell them it is okay if they make a mistake because I don't want them to put their heads down, but I want them to get right back on the field and try harder.

“Plus they will always get a chance to hit again if they strike-out just like they will always get another chance to make a play in the field if they make an error. I just never want them to give up.”

The Tewksbury 10 year old National League All-Stars recently just lost to the Billerica National All-Stars by a score of 7-2 as they opened up in their district tournament

Wilmington All-Star Baseball Round-Up

2008-07-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 10, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Friday June 27th, the Wilmington Little League ‘AAA’ Pirates team won the clinching game two of the best out of three championship series versus the Devil Rays 13-12. It was an exciting game for the players, coaches, spectators and everyone involved as the game took two days to be played as it was called due to darkness the day before.

It was a back and forth game as the Pirates had to come back from a deficit four different times to take the championship trophy.

The Devils Rays scored the first runs of the game as they got out to an early 3-0 lead in the first inning against number one starting pitcher Shane Sullivan. The Pirates struck back in the third inning to tie the game at three apiece.

A couple of innings later, the Devil Rays blew the game open as they scored five runs to take an 8-3 lead. It didn’t stop the Pirates from quitting though as they again tied up the game 8-8 in the next inning.

Dave Sullivan is the assistant coach of the Pirates but he was the manager during the championship series as the regular season manager Joe Simmons was on vacation. Sullivan said that the game was incredible because the score was going back and forth every inning.

“This game was unbelievable,” said Sullivan. “After we tied it at 8-8, the Devil Rays scored three more runs and were winning 11-8. We then scored three more runs again to tie it up 11-11.

“Our team was the home team, so the umpire told me there wasn’t going to be another inning played after 7:30 p.m. if the game is tied. Sure enough, it got to be 7:30 p.m. and the game stayed tied so we had to replay it the next day.”

The next day, game two started at 5:00 p.m. because game three was scheduled for 5:45 p.m. just in case the Pirates had lost. Sullivan said he had to go with his instinct and not start his ace pitcher for fear that the Devil Rays would send the series to a third game.

“I had either of a choice to have our ace pitcher Shane Sullivan go in for a couple of innings but what I chose to do was start someone else and that player was another great pitcher for our team Ryan MaCavoy,” said Sullivan. “I did this because the umpire started the game 45 minutes early because it was a tie game game.

“If we didn’t win, we would have had to gone to a third game (immediately following game two) and I needed a fresh pitcher to throw 85 pitches.”

With MaCavoy starting in extra innings, the Devil Rays had their at-bats first and they ended up scoring a run, so all they had to do was hold the Pirates for the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

It did not end the way the Devil Rays wanted though as Shane Sullivan began the bottom of the seventh inning with a base hit and then an error on the next hitter brought him to second base.

Anthony Deniso came up to bat and he got a single to bring Sullivan around to tie the game. Manager Shane Sullivan then gave the sign for Deniso to steal from first to second base and then from second to third base. With Deniso on third base, the pitcher of the Devil Rays threw a past ball and Deniso ran to home plate for the game-winning run.

Sullivan said the game was extraordinary and he also added that every single player on the team contributed to the Pirates becoming league champions.

“Game two was a story-book type of game,” said Sullivan. “Every single one of the kids worked as a team, cheered as a team and played like a team.

“For Wilmington baseball, this team can be the poster child for not being selfish. Everyone on the team played a key role in winning this championship.”

Sullivan also added that most of the credit goes to the regular season manager Joe Simmons, who has been involved in Wilmington Youth Baseball for over 20 years and won his first championship.

“I was in communication with Joe while he was on vacation and he was giving me advice, so it was a complete team effort,” said Sullivan. “Joe was always calm, cool, and collected. He gave me the option after game one of whom I thought was the most deserving to be the starting pitcher of game two.

“I said, ‘Joe there’s not one person on this team other than everybody molded together that I think can win this.’ And he said back ‘Dave, you figure it out. I know you’re going to make the right decision.’

“So he gave me the advice to figure out what my instinct was and figure out a strategy just in case there was a third game.

“He also told me before he left that he knew we would beat them two games in a row, and that was the type of confidence that helped me coach this team to the championship.”

Sullivan did everything he could to get his team ready for each game. When one of the pitchers was nervous about opening up the game, Sullivan called his house before the game to calm him down.

“When I selected Ryan MaCavoy as our pitcher in the top of the seventh inning, he told one of the parents that he didn’t want to pitch as he had too many nerves,” said Sullivan.

“So I called him earlier that day (before the game) and I calmed him down and let him knew that he was the one that was going to win the game for us. I told him I had the confidence in him, and he ended up pitching a great seventh inning that allowed us to win the game in the bottom half.”

Overall, Sullivan said he enjoyed being an assistant coach the entire year, and he said the best part was winning it all since they were not the favorites. The Pirates finished in third place as the 9-3 Devil Rays and 9-5 Giants posted higher winning percentages during the regular season.

“I think the most enjoyable part about coaching was the improvement of the kids throughout the season and then the gratification of winning it all unexpectedly when there was a number of people who doubted us,” said Sullivan. “We finished in third place in the regular season, so nobody expected the third place team to win it all and we did it convincingly.”

Simmons said the best part about coaching the team in the regular season was watching the players progress from the opening game.

“Just watching the kid’s levels of improvement go up throughout the season was the most enjoyable part,” said Sullivan. “We played as a team from game one. Every kid on the team got a hit and run throughout the playoffs. It was just a great group of kids and a lot of fun.”

Shortly before Simmons returned home from vacation, Sullivan had an idea that would really make the season memorable for his good friend Simmons.

“Joe Simmons’ son was not there to win the championship as he was on vacation with his dad,” said Sullivan. “So since Joe never won a championship before, he got the game-winning ball with all the signatures and we put a paper in the case that said, ‘All we need is one more signature and that is your son.’

“So the son signed it, and Joe was just really ecstatic. It was a great way to end an unforgettable season.”

16's vs 15's

On June 22, the annual 16 versus 15 year old all-star game was played at Wilmington High School. The 16 year olds beat the 15 year olds 8-2, and the coach of the 16 year old team, regular season Giants manager Dan Bamberg, said he coached a great group of all-stars in the traditional game this season.

“When I told each of the players that they were on the all-star team, I told them it was their last game so I wanted them to go out and give it their best effort,” said Bamberg, who has been involved in Wilmington Little League baseball for over 20 years. “They did just that as they played hard and they really focused to win the game.”

Since little league baseball ends for the players after age 16, none of the players Bamberg coached in the all-star game will be back next season. He said most of them will continue to have success throughout their high school careers and in the future.

“All the kids (I coached in the all-star game) work hard at their game,” said Sullivan. “Most of them will be still be playing later down the road.

“The kids are always dedicated and focused on working on their game. Everyone has the desire to win.

“To see the kids, some of whom I’ve probably coached since minor farm, progress and to see them get to the point they are now is really enjoyable.”

The entire roster for the 16 year old all-star team includes: Marty Bamberg, Rich Barry, Scott Bonnish, Nick Boutoures, Evan Butters, Cole Carter, Joe Cerbone, Chris Cieplik, Bryan Fennerly, Brandon Fullerton, Liam Gately, Dom McCann, Billy Reynolds, Jon See, and Tom Valente.

Although the 15 year old team came up short, they never quit against the 16 year olds. The entire roster for the 15 year old all-star team includes: Mike Arria, Zach Copp, Kyle Creedon, Chris Frissore, Nick Giradi, Mike Gracia, Sean Hanley, Jeff Kannaly, John Malone, Billy McGrath, Matt McKenna, Dave Mello, Brett Muese, Cori Michals, Andy Owens, and Andrew Spurr. The manager of the 15 year old team was regular season Braves coach John Pickett.

13's vs 14's

On June 22, the 14 year old all-star team beat out the 13 year old all-star team 6-2.

Pete Otovic is the coach of 14 year old all-star team and he has been involved in Wilmington Little League Baseball for 14 years as he just finished coaching his eighth season with the Cardinals. He said he really enjoyed coaching his team in the all-star game this season.

“It was an honor to have the opportunity to assemble an all-star team and work with the players,” said Otovic. “They are all great kids and are all hard-workers.

“Before the game, I reminded them what an honor is to be selected to the all-star team. They are representing their 14 year old peers, so I told them I hope they represent the rest of their classmates with class, and they did a fabulous job of doing so.”

The 14 year old all-star roster includes: Kyle Albanese, Jimmy Bonish, Mike Brent, Mike Ciampa, Nick Cirmane, Dan Creedon, Derek Duggan, Ian Haggerty, Phil Lentini, Tim McCarthy, Kevin Moriarty, John Parsons, Dan Pothier, Steve Reynolds, Dalton Rolli, Tom See, and J.B. Thompson.

The 13 year old all-stars fell up short but they all gave a great effort. The 13 year old all-star roster includes: Pat Barry, Mike Biondo, Steve Colangelo, Justin Ferreria, Wayne Knoops, J. T. Lynch, Jake MacIsaac, Cam Owens, Cole Peffer, Dan Pendenza, Matt Pickett, Sam Silva, Tyler Vibert, and James Wilkerson. The manager of the team was Dodgers head coach Dan MacIsaac.

Major League All-Stars

On Tuesday, the 2-1 Wilmington Major League all-star team beat out the Wakefield National team 4-3 at Rotary Park in Wilmington.

Colin Doherty was the starting pitcher on the mound for Wilmington. He only allowed two hits, and he stuck out eight batters and walked two in five and a third innings. Tyler Warner, who was catching the game up to this point, came in and saved the game for Wilmington.

The Wilmington all-stars managed to score their runs from many contributors on the team. In the first inning, Pat Allen got a walk, and Matt Boutoures was a pinch runner for Allen so then Drew Foley batted and got a double that scored Boutoures for the first run. Foley then scored later in that inning.

Jimmy Davey walked and scored the third run on a single from Colin Doherty later in the game. Colin Doherty then hit a home-run in the sixth for the fourth run.

The manager of the game, regular season coach Brian Kane, said his team gave a great effort for the entire six innings.

“I told my players before the game to lay it out all six innings,” said Kane. “It was either win or the seasons over because it was a two-loss tournament.

“They are a great group of kids. There are all doing a great job. We’ve had a lot practices, and they’ve all been very committed and dedicated.”

Wilmington continues their tournament on Wednesday July 9th versus the winner of Assabet Valley and North Reading.

The entire roster for the major league baseball all-stars includes: Pat Allen, Matt Boutoures, Ryan Carroccino, Jimmy Davey, John Luke-Dee, Nick DeStafeno, Colin Doherty, Drew Foley, Brandon McDonough, Jimmy Murphy, Jimmy Stein, Corey Stillings, Tyler Warner, Tim Woods. The manager is Brian Kane and the assistant head coaches are Tom Southmayd and Bob McDonough.

Runner-up Orioles enjoyed terrific season

2008-07-10T09:59:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Wilmington Little League Orioles team had a magnificent 12-2 regular season this year before losing to the Red Sox in the major league championship series. Although the team fell up short of winning it all, they still had a very good season, and head coach Brian Kane said he could not be more satisfied with the way his players performed all season long.

“I was very proud of the season we had this year,” said Kane, who has been coaching the Orioles for an incredible 22 consecutive seasons. “We were 1-1 after two games, the one loss coming in a game that we threw a no-hitter against the Athletics. We then went on to win eleven in a row, before losing to the Red Sox (in the championship series) to finish the season 12-2.”

Before going to championship series, the Orioles beat the Yankees in the quarterfinal round with a score of 5-3 and then they went on to play the White Sox in the semi-final game as they beat them also with a score of 10-5.

“The Yankees and White Sox both gave us great games in the playoffs, before going to the finals against the Red Sox,” said Kane.

In the first game of the best out of the three game championship series, Kane said his team did not play well for the first time all season, but he also points to the Red Sox team whose players made key hits and showed tremendous defense throughout the entire six innings.

“Unfortunately, we did not play a good game in the first game of the finals and lost 11-4.,” said Kane. “Tyler Warner of the Red Sox hit two home runs and pitched a great game. (Red sox player) Cody McGowan had a three run double in the first inning that set the tone for the game. Mike Curtis and Colin Doherty each hit home runs for us in that game. The Red Sox hit very well that game and made their plays on defense.”

Game two didn’t start off well for the Orioles. The Red Sox scored five runs in the first inning and then they scored another run in the third inning to go up 6-0. The Orioles didn’t quit though, as they scored four runs in the fourth inning and then another run in the sixth inning.

With the score 6-5 in the last inning, the Orioles had the tying and go ahead run on base, but they could not get them across home plate as they fell to the Red Sox ending their season.

After the game, Kane told his players that they still had a terrific season and he also told them that he and the assistant coaches were very fortunate to have them as players this year.

“I told my team that losing the playoff championship did not take away from the great season that we had,” said Kane. “I also told them to take it all in at Rotary Park, as most of the 12 year olds will be playing in the junior league next season and will remember the memories from playing at Rotary Park. I also told them that as coaches, we were very lucky to coach such great kids this season.”

All in all, Kane said this year might have been his favorite out all the 22 seasons he has coached.

“I enjoyed working with the 13 players on my team and coaching staff this season,” said Kane. “(Throughout the season) the assistant coaches and I told the team that we just wanted them to play hard and do their best.

“My team was very coachable and I was lucky to have great coaches, parents, and players to work with. I consider this year as enjoyable as any that I've had as a coach of the Orioles.”

The entire roster for the Orioles includes players Jacob Aoki 2B/OF, Mike Curtis C/1B, Peter Daley OF, Colin Doherty P/SS, Drew Foley SS/CF, Eli Jennings 1B, and Jonathan Keating OF/3B. Also on the Orioles are players Zach Malatesta P/SS, Mike Melanson 3B/P, Matt Penney 3B/C, Jacob Pumbfret C/OF, Andy Sutton 2B/OF, and Jared Walsh 2B/OF. The coaches of the team were Brain Kane, Don Foley, Masato Aoki, and Steve Daley.

Red Sox take Major League Championship

2008-07-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

The Red Sox needing to win their last two games of the season pulled out wins in impressive fashion.

The Red Sox sitting at 10 wins and 2 losses came from a 5-0 deficit to pull out a 9-6 win over the Tigers with plenty of late inning heroics.

Tyler Warner hit a three run homer with two outs in the third inning to cut the Tiger lead to 5-3. Kevin Muese’s double in the fourth inning tied the score at five. The Tigers scored 1 in the top half of the fifth inning to make it 6-5.

In the bottom of the fifth Red Sox went back to back to back with Brendan McDonough, Tyler Warner and Corey Stilling providing the rare home run feat. Warner shut down the Tigers in the sixth inning to set up a showdown between the 12-1 Orioles and the 11-2 Sox.

The hot Sox scored four runs in the first inning and never looked back as Zack Abbot, Tyler Warner and Corey Stilling paced a balanced attack to lead the Sox to a 9-2 win tying the Orioles for first place with identical 12-2 record.

When the playoffs started, the hot Sox kept their winning streak going as they won their eighth straight game 11-0 against the Tigers. The Sox were paced offensively by Brendan McDonough, Tyler Warner and Corey Stilling each with two hits. Tyler Carlson also contributed a triple.

In the semi finals against the Twins, the fleet footed Chris Poppa was on base four times to pace an explosive offense that beat the twins 14-4. Tyler Warner contributed a home run and two singles to spare head an attack that included two hits from Jackson Gillis and Cody MacGowan as well as RBI’s from Devin Field and a home run by Brendan McDonough.

The Red Sox and the Orioles squared off in a best of three final for the playoff championship. The Sox opened up the first game without first league all stars. Undermanned as they were, with two outs in the top of the first the hot hitting Cody McGowan, who had homered against the Tigers in the opening game of the playoffs, produced a bases clearing three run double to set the stage for the hot Sox.

With the Sox leading in a tight 7-4 game Brendon O’Flaherty made two spectacular defensive plays to keep the Orioles at bay. Tyler Warner hit two home runs to make five homeruns in five games. Warner with help from Zack Abbott pitched the Sox to an 11-4 victory.

The Red Sox swept the series with an exiting 6-5 victory over the Orioles in the second game. Corey Stilling drove in two runs in the first inning then Tim Woods went deep for his second home run of the year to stake the Sox to a 5-0 first inning lead.

Brendan McDonough returning from a broken nose took the hill for the Sox. Little did anybody now that Brandon O’ Flaherty’s walk and stolen base coupled with two wild pitches would produce ultimately the winning run.

After trailing 6-0 the Orioles rallied back to make the score 6-5 in the top of the sixth inning. With two men on and the go ahead run on first, catcher Corey Stilling caught a failed bunt attempt near the screen and fired to the ever present Brendon O’Flaherty to complete a game ending double play. For the Sox Corey Stilling and Jason Baldwin paced the Sox attack.

Coaches Tom Southmayd, Bob Surran and Bob McDonough, would like to congratulate the players for winning their last eleven straight games to end a spectacular season. They would also would like to thank their parents their undying support. It is truly appreciated.

The 2008 Red Sox major league championship roster includes players Devin Field 1B, Zach Abbott 2B/SS, Brendan O'Flaherty 2B, Corey Stilling SS/C, Tyler Warner P/C, and Brendan McDonough P/SS. Also on the number one team of the league are players Tim Woods 1B/OF, Cody McGowan 2B/OF, Jackson Gillis OF/P, Tyler Carlson OF, Chris Poppa OF, Kevin Meuse 3B, and James Baldwin 1B/OF. Coaching the players to the championship were Tom Southmayd, Bob Surran, and Bob McDonough.

Wilmington Senior League Astros edge out Brewers for title

2008-07-10T09:35:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On June 19, the senior league west division Astros team won the one-game championship versus the east division Brewers team 7-6 at Wilmington High School. Coaching the team to the championship was head coach Joe Cerbone and assistant coaches Mike Ciampa, Fred Russell, and Steve Copp.

Before winning the championship game, the 5-7 regular season Astros team beat out the Angels 10-5 in the quarterfinal game and then they went on to beat the Giants 8-5 in the quarterfinal game. In the divisional playoff, the Astros defeated the Dodgers 8-5 before advancing to the championship game.

Head coach Joe Cerbone said his team found a way to score runs early in the playoffs after they had difficulty doing so in the regular season all year long.

“The playoffs were like a new season to us,” said Cerbone, who has been coaching the Astros for three years. “In the regular season, we had a hard time scoring runs.

“When the playoffs started, I told my team all if we can score early, our defense will be able to hold us. And sure enough, we did score early. We scored early in every single playoff game we played in.

“If we can score our runs early, our defense can make the plays to win the game. That was my advice to them-make the plays and we can win it all. And we did which is great.”

During the regular season, the Astros posted only the fourth best record in the west division as the 9-4 Giants, Dodgers (8-5), and Cardinals (6-6) all posted higher winning percentages. The Astros managed to turn the season around in a big way when the playoffs started though.

In the championship game, Mike Ciampa threw 40 pitches in five innings to help the Astros win the game. John Malone and Joe Cerbone had back to back doubles to open up the game.

Cerbone said that while the entire Astros roster contributed to the championship win, there were many individual players who made outstanding plays throughout the championship game.

“Frankie Cerbone played pitcher and first baseman for most of the season but played catcher for most of the playoffs and did a great job behind the plate,” said Cerbone.

“Joe Cerbone, our first and third baseman, did an excellent job in the championship game too. Justin Burnett, an outfielder, played well as well as Zach Copp, our shortstop.”

Cerbone added that the great part about his team winning the championship was that they did it with the youngest roster in the league.

“Out of all the senior league teams, I probably had one of the most teams with the most 14 year olds on the teams,” said Cerbone. “They were playing against 15 and 16 year olds in the playoffs but still found ways to win. It’s also great that most of them being only 14 will return to the team next year.”

Cerbone said the greatest aspect showed by his team this season was their ability to always stay positive and believe that they could turn their season around and be league champions.

“This team always had a positive attitude,” said Cerbone. That’s one of my goals for my teams every year. As long as the kids show me they want to play, I will always be happy with their effort.”

Major Nationals fall in opener to Haverhill

2008-07-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JULY 2, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Tuesday, the 11 year old Tewksbury Major National all-star team lost to Haverhill 9-6 at Poulin Field. Tewksbury was down 9-0 going into the sixth inning, but several players got clutch hits and Tewksbury started to get some runs as it looked like an unbelievable comeback was on its way to happening as Tewksbury was only down 9-6.

With Haverhill almost blowing their lead, the Haverhill coach called all his in-fielders to the mound for a small team meeting with two outs in the sixth inning. It seemed to relax all the players, including the pitcher, who got the last Tewksbury batter to ground out to shortstop to end the game.

The manager of the Nationals, Wayne Freitag, said that his team made some costly errors in the first couple of innings of the game that hurt his team’s chances of winning.

“We made some mistakes that really hurt us,” said Freitag. “Our pitchers didn’t throw strikes when they needed to, and our defense made some errors on plays they should have made.”

Freitag, though, is not worried about his team because he is very confident that they will win their next game on Wednesday. The 11 year old all-star tournament has eight teams total with each team playing double elimination. Freitag said if his team comes out and plays the way he thinks they can, they will move on and advance in the tournament.

“If we come out and fight (next game), I think we can definitely win,” said Freitag.

The players on the team agree with their coach.

Dominic Montecalvo, the first baseman on the team, said he thinks they will win on Wednesday if their defense does not make many errors.

“I think we can win if we play good defense and don’t make any fielding mistakes,” said Montecalvo.

Justin Whitehouse, who plays right field, is very certain that his team will win if they can get out to an early lead.

“(In order to win,) we need to get more runs in the first few innings of the game,” said Whitehouse.

The entire roster for the eleven year old Tewksbury major league National all-star team includes: Maxwell Brown, Jack Cash, Derek Castiglione, John Cave, Robert Cutone, Erik Freitag, and Blake Hery. Also on the team are players Ron Mallach, Christopher Meehan, Dominic Montecalvo, Michael, Rezinkow, Justin Whitehouse, Jesse Whitlow, and Daniel Wilson. The manager of the team is Wayne Freitag, and the assistant coaches are John Cave and Mark Montecalvo.

Pirates win game one of Triple A championship series

2008-07-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

On Saturday the ‘AAA’ minor league championship game one took place between the Pirates and the Devil Rays. The Pirates team is lead by head coach Joe Simmons, who has coached in the league for years and is looking to win his first championship.

The Pirates took game one with a score of 12-4, and all the players were really excited after the game because they now have the opportunity to be league champions if they win game two of the series.

Shane Sullivan, 12, tossed 85 pitches in the complete game. He said he really loved seeing how his team played, especially the infielders and outfielders who were behind him the entire six innings.

“I liked how we all worked together,” said Shane. “We all got key hits, and our goal is to again work together the next game and take the championship.”

Anthony Deniso, 12, is a shortstop and a pitcher for the Pirates. In the semi-final game, Deniso pitched five innings as he recorded 13 strike-outs. In game one of the championship series, he batted fourth and hit two doubles.

“We had a solid team effort in game one,” said Deniso. “I hope we can keep it going all the way to game two.”

Ryan Horgan, 11, is a center-fielder on the Pirates team. He made the last out of the game on a diving catch.

“I jumped up and caught the ball which ended up being the winning catch,” said Horgan. “I really like being on this team because it’s not about winning or losing but it’s about having fun.”

The coaches of the team do everything they can to make sure every player is having fun. Dave Sullivan is the assistant coach of the Pirates, and he said he loves how many players have improved throughout the season.

“Tom McGee and Wayne Barne have improved tremendously throughout the season,” said Sullivan. “Nick Silva is another kid who has improved and become one of the more standout players on our team.”

Look for the Pirates to try to put an end to the series on Wednesday at 5:45 after it was rained-out on Tuesday.

-MIKE GIANNATTASIO

Twenty-two years and counting for Rooney Family in PMC

2008-07-10T08:49:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On August 2nd and 3rd, 5000 riders from 36 states, 2800 volunteers, and 200 corporations will participate in the 29th annual Pan Mass Challenge. Since 1980, the Pan-Massachusetts Challenge has raised money for life-saving cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through an annual bike-a-thon that crosses the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

While most people in the charity event have participated in it before, and while some will be participating in it for the first time, very few have participated in the event for over 20 years. Mickey Rooney Sr., of Wilmington, MA, is one of them though.

Rooney Sr. started participating in the PMC 22 years ago after his mother was diagnosed with cancer. Since then, his kids and grandkids have all taken part in the cause, and Mickey Rooney Sr.’s son, Mickey Rooney Jr., said that he is very glad his father got involved in the charity event because it has allowed for his entire family, especially his kids, to now take part.

“We were always so proud of my father for getting involved in such a great cause,” said Rooney Jr. “Once my children were able to understand (the importance of the bicycle ride), they knew how important the PMC was to him and what a great thing he was doing.

“My children loved to go see their ‘grandpa’ after he finished the PMC and they would take the boat from Provincetown to Black Falcon Pier. After my mother passed away in August 2006 of lung cancer the kids participated in the first Wilmington Kids PMC Ride that year. They were very proud to ride in memory of their ‘nana’ along with many of their cousins.”

On Sunday, Rooney Jr.’s two sons and daughter again got on their bicycles and rode in the third annual PMC kids ride in Wilmington. All the three of them said they had a great time during the ride as they all knew they were raising money for cancer research.

“It was very fun being in the ride and very exhausting but it was worth it,” said Liam, age 9. “I felt happy because I knew I was helping to fight cancer. It was fun after the ride too with tug a war, face painting and free food.”

Seven-year-old Colin Rooney said he had a good time on the ride because he had the opportunity to ride with all of his friends.

“It was really fun because I like riding my bike a lot and I liked riding with all my friends,” said Colin. “I also felt really good because I felt like I was raising a lot of money to help people with cancer.”

His sibling, five-year old Caroline Rooney, said she liked riding in the smaller version of the PMC bicycle ride because she got to ride her bike with only two wheels this year.

“It was fun because I got to ride my bike and I got to ride my bike without training wheels,” said Caroline. “I was sweaty and tired (after I crossed the finish-line) but I was also very happy because I raised money for cancer. I also loved the face-painting (after the ride).

Rooney Jr. said he was very happy to see his kids ride in the worthwhile event.

“I am really proud of my four kids for being involved in such a great cause,” said Rooney Jr. “My son Charlie, 2, was an unofficial rider this year because he just learned how to pedal his tricycle but he isn’t very good at steering. He had a great time too though.”

In about five weeks, the entire Rooney family will take the trip to Sturbridge for the start of the two day event race. While Rooney Sr. will be riding in the race, his son Rooney Jr. along with his wife Beth, brother, and sister will all serve as volunteers during the event. They will then all head to Provincetown to cheer their beloved family member across the finish line.

Rooney Jr. said his father trains all 52 weeks of the year for the route that consists of several hills.

“My father trains year round,” said Rooney Jr. “Once the spring comes and he is able to get out on a regular basis he probably rides 50-100 miles a week to get ready for the ride in August.”

Rooney added that the most satisfying part about being involved in the Pan Mass Challenge is that it will hopefully help set a cure for cancer.

“The most rewarding part (about being involved in the PMC) is knowing that what you are doing will hopefully help someone going through cancer now and prevent someone else from getting this terrible disease,” said Rooney Jr. “We hope some day our help will lead to a cure.”

The PMC is the largest single fundraising event for the Jimmy Fund. One hundred percent of every dollar raised by the PMC goes to the Jimmy Fund/Dana Farber. Last year the charity event raised a record $33 million.

If anyone would like to donate to Mickey Rooney Sr. on his 22nd year riding in the PMC, in memory of his wife Dorsey Rooney, they can go online to http://www.pmc.org/, Click on eGifts, Click on Sponsor One Rider with one donation, type in his eGift ID# MR0009 and make a donation. Any gift would be greatly appreciated.

Pan Mass Kids Bike Ride a success

2008-07-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

Third annual Wilmington event

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO

Sports Correspondent

On Sunday, the third annual Wilmington Pan Mass Challenge Kids bicycle ride took place with over 100 kids participating in the event. Wilmington High School girls' soccer coach Sue Hendee of Tewksbury is one of the coordinators of the ride, and she said the ride is a great way for kids to learn that they can have an effect in raising money for cancer research.

“This year we had about 100 riders, and about 25% of them raised $100 or more for the ride,” said Hendee, a teacher at the Shawsheen Elementary School in Wilmington. “Some of them raised several hundred dollars each. There are so many children whose lives have been touched by cancer, even at this young age.

“Many kids are riding for grandparents, parents, aunts or uncles who have been diagnosed, and some have young friends who are sick. This is a great way for them to learn that even though they are young, they can make a difference."

Not only kids but numerous volunteers and sponsors came out to try to make a difference on Sunday. The ride was held at the Boutwell School and it was a one mile loop that the kids were able to do as many times in the time allotted for their age group.

The ride was set up in four parts, as there was a ‘tykes of trikes’ obstacle course set up on the Boutwell tennis courts for preschoolers. The kindergartners and first graders rode for a half- hour, followed by the second, third, fourth and fifth graders who rode for an hour. These older kids rode on the one mile loop from the Boutwell School, down Carter Lane, around the Middle and West Intermediate school park lots and back.

Hendee said it was a very rewarding day for everyone involved.

“There are many things that are rewarding, such as seeing the pride in the kids when they hand in the money they have raised, the smiles on their faces as they ride around the course, the cheering of the parents and spectators when the riders go by, and the help of the 50 volunteers from the Wilmington community,” said Hendee. “The volunteers included the teachers, school staff members, police officers, the Andover field hockey team, the Wilmington girls’ soccer team, the Wilmington Kiwanis Club, students, friends and family.

“The kids also loved the extra activities that are offered during the ride, such as face painting, a DJ, an obstacle course and tug of war set up by CATZ of Wilmington, free snacks, hot dogs, and PMC prize raffles.

“However, the most rewarding part is knowing that the kids in Wilmington have come together for the past three years to donate over $40,000 to help in the fight against cancer. I have always been very impressed with the way the Town of Wilmington has rallied behind many different causes. This is really such a great community.”

Hendee is a prime example of the person who gets everyone involved in the community. She has been involved with PMC for 18 years and she started the ride for kids as she thought it would be a great way to get them involved and to have them learn the significance of lending a hand to others.

“I am an 18 year participant in the Pan Mass Challenge Ride for adults, as I began riding in the PMC in 1990, two years after my mother died from breast cancer,” said Hendee. “Given that I teach in Wilmington, I thought it would be a great way for the kids to combine physical fitness, having fun, and learning the importance of philanthropy and helping others.”

Mickey Jr. Rooney is a friend of Sue Hendree, and his family has been involved in the PMC for over two decades as his father started participating in the charity event 22 years ago. He said having the kids involved is tremendous because it is a good way to guarantee future success for the PMC ride.

“I think it is great because it teaches them the importance of being involved in a great cause and to help others,” said Rooney. “It is also great for the PMC because it gets the kids involved at an early age and once they turn 15 they are eligible to participate in the 192 mile ride.”

Hendee said there are many kids who inspire her and others at the ride each year, and this year her inspiration was from a boy who was diagnosed with cancer last year but still managed to participate in the ride on Sunday.

“We had a young boy named Nicholas who joined us from Dracut this year,” said Hendee. “He was diagnosed with brain cancer last year, but you would have never suspected it in the way he rode for miles and miles around the course. He was treated at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and with kids like Nicholas participating in our ride, everyone can see that the money raised does help in the fight to beat cancer.”

Planning any charity event can take lots of time, but Hendee said it was pretty easy to plan the PMC kids bicycle ride because she got plenty of support from many other volunteers.

“It gets a little easier (to plan) each year, and the PMC is a great organization to work with,” said Hendee. “They try to make it as easy as possible for everyone who is involved.

“Carolyn Priem, (the other coordinator who helps plan this event), and I started planning and meeting with volunteers in March, and things started getting into full swing around the first week in May. The Wilmington Kiwanis Club and the Wilmington Police Department have also been extremely helpful in the running of our event.

“Carolyn and I would like to thank all of the volunteers, the parents, relatives and spectators who encouraged the kids in this event. A big thank you also goes out to the Wilmington Kiwanis Club for their help with the bike rodeo, cooking hot dogs, and the generous donation of bicycles for the three top fundraisers.

“The Wilmington Police Department deserves a huge thank-you as well for their time and donation of bike helmets. Our gratitude also goes to Dave Elliott, custodian at the Boutwell Early Childhood Center, Craig Galloway from CATZ of Wilmington, and Carl Toto who was the DJ at the event.”

Rooney said the biggest thanks should go to Hendee and Priem, who are the ones that put the most time into making the charity ride a success each and every year.

“This past Sunday was the third year that they have run the Kids PMC Ride and every year it has been incredible,” said Rooney. “You can tell that they put a lot of time and energy into making it a success and at the same time a fun family event. Thank you to both of them for doing such a great job.”

Baima's impressive career ended at New England Meet

2008-07-06T16:43:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

When Wilmington High School graduating senior Stephanie Baima goes to a track meet, she said she does her best to not think about the event that has given her plenty of success throughout her high school career, that being the high jump.

“Personally, I think it is best to not take the high jump very seriously,” said Baima. “I think it is a 99% mental event. I'm not sure if all athletes think of their event in the same way, but this is just me, so doing it too often or practicing it (too much) makes me over-think it.”

This approach has seemed to work for Baima, who could arguably go down as one of the best high jumpers ever to compete for the Wildcats.

On Saturday, June 14th, Baima competed at the New England Interscholastic Championship Meet held in Saco, Maine, and although she didn’t reach her goal of clearing 5-5, she did walk out of Thornton Academy with an impressive 5-3 clearance.

“The New England’s meet was great,” said Baima. “I was thrilled to be there. My goal was obviously to do as well as possible, especially because it was the last meet of my career. I had hopes of jumping 5-5, my personal best, for a third and last time, but that didn't happen, which was okay because I did my best and had fun doing it, and that’s what matters most.

“I was slightly disappointed in my performance at the meet, but not crushed. I would have been psyched to have gotten 5-5 for a third time, because that is my personal best and because I could have placed higher, but it was all good.”

Although Baima said she does not like to put much thought into her meets, it does not mean that she does not do any training.

“Although the high jump is a mental event, it isn't good, however, to do nothing,” said Baima. “Training is very important, and anyone on the track team who knows me will probably drop dead laughing, because they all know that I despise running, which would generally be considered ‘training.’”

Even though Baima does put plenty of her hours into practicing for the meets, her training the week before the New England Meet consisted mostly of a get-away in Cape Cod and practicing some other events. Like always, this seemed to work best for her because it did not involve thinking and it took all her thoughts away from the high jump.

“The training I did (the week leading up to the meet) was very interesting,” said Baima jokingly. “I was out of town for Monday and Tuesday, so my practice those days was swimming in the Cape Cod waters. Wednesday I high jumped on a wicked sunburn, and Thursday I did a little ‘preventative action’ for my tendency to over-think the high jump, so I threw the discus and shot. Friday there was no practice as it was the day before a meet and because I was driving up to Maine with Coach (Bob) Cripps and Nathan Clarkin.”

Out of 30 high jumpers in the New England Meet, Baima finished in eighth place (5-3), and she added that she would have needed a much better mindset to have finished in first place.

“I didn't see the first place finisher jump, because my carpool wanted to get home at a reasonable time, but I can make an educated guess (on what I would have needed to do to finish in first),” said Baima. “The first place finisher jumped 5-5, which kills me, because I have jumped that height before.

“The difference between us is that she had the skill to get it on her first attempt. I think she must not only be in great physical shape, but she must have had a great mindset and she must have also been very confident and focused because it isn't often that someone jumps 5-5 by accident.”

Before the meet, Baima said she got some great words of advice from her head track coach Tom Bradley.

“Mr. Bradley has always been great about the high jump,” said Baima. “He knows that I'm a head case, so his advice is always short and to the point.

“I think before New England's it was ‘you've had a great career.’ That was the best I could have heard because it wasn't too technical, which would have made me over-think the event, and it wasn't too weighty, which would have made me really nervous.

“It was just a thoughtful statement that had a hidden meaning, that was along the lines of ‘you are a good high jumper, and you've proven it, so go out there and jump and don't let your brain get in the way.’

“Afterwards, he told me that I had done a really good job and that he will always have great memories of my four years, which is hysterical, because I drove him nuts, in a good way I like to think. He also wished me good luck at Penn State, where I will be attending in the fall.”

Tewksbury Youth Soccer weekend tournament a success

2008-07-06T15:49:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 25, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

On Saturday and Sunday hundreds of young soccer players across Eastern Massachusetts played at the 2008 Massachusetts Soccer Tournament that was held at the Frasca Fields in Tewksbury. The tournament was a consecutive two-day event that featured 52 teams throughout 23 participating towns from the U10, U12, and U14 levels.

Eric Braciska is one of the many volunteers that put the competition together, as he worked tirelessly with many other board of directors for months planning and preparing the event. He said the tournament was great because of all the participating towns and cities that took part.

“I think the best part was the fact that this was the first time Tewksbury Youth Soccer had to put on a tournament,” said Braciska, who volunteers as the facilities manager on the board of directors. “We got over 50 teams from all over eastern part of Massachusetts to participate, as well as a majority of Tewksbury’s travel teams.

“So not only did we have tremendous participation from our own program, but we had tremendous participation from dozens cities and towns as far away as Hampton, MA, so we actually had teams that stayed over-night.”

Sal Schiavone was the tournament director, and he said the tournament was a success because it allowed for the majority of teams to continue their soccer seasons.

“We just wanted to host a soccer tournament that would give the teams the opportunity to finish off their spring seasons,” said Schiavone, the purchasing director on the TYS board of directors. “What happens is a lot of teams don’t qualify for playoffs, so we wanted to give those teams and also those teams that qualified for playoffs the opportunity to play in the tournament so that they could play and be competitive and finish off their season.

“It gave everyone an opportunity to play in a competitive tournament and feel part of the soccer community.”

The leagues that were represented in the tournament included the Middlesex Youth Soccer League, the Essex Youth Soccer League, the Bays Soccer League, the Mays Soccer League, the Nashoba Valley Youth Soccer League, and the Southshore Youth Soccer League.

The cost to participate in the program was $250 for U10 teams and $300 for the U12 and U14 teams. The U12 through U14 teams played two 25-minute periods with a five minute half time. The U10 teams played two 20-minute periods with a five minute half time. In the semi-finals and finals the periods were raised to 30-minutes for the U12 and U14 while it was raised to 25 minutes for the U10.

Braciska said the elimination process was a great system too because each team was guaranteed a minimum of three games to play in the tournament.

“The actual tournament was Saturday and for half the day on Sunday,” said Braciska. “Each team was guaranteed three games on Saturday, and then it went into typical playoff-type set-up, where the team would be eliminated if they lost a game. Saturday was basically the qualifying day to see if the teams went onto the playoffs on Sunday.”

By Massachusetts Youth Soccer rules, the participants in the program must receive accolades for their play or for their sportsmanship and leadership. All U10 participants received a medal after their games over the weekend. The U12 and U14 age groups were given out sportsmanship awards as well as finalist and championship awards.

Braciska said planning and preparing for this two day-event took several months as many preparations were needed to be made.

“This tournament really started gaining traction in January or February,” said Braciska. “There were certainly a lot of preparations from a facilities stand point. We had to make sure the parking was provided for a couple of thousands of attendants, as well as making sure we had the right amount of fields for the games on Saturday.”

Schiavone added that the board of directors also had to go through the Massachusetts Youth Soccer to have them approve of the tournament.

“We had to work with Massachusetts Youth Soccer,” said Schiavone. “It’s sanctioned by Massachusetts Youth Soccer so we had to go through them and get an application and they approved it.”

Braciska added that many people deserve recognition for putting together this successful event.

“Without tournament director Sal Schiavone, this tournament would have never taken place,” said Braciska. “He deserves most of the credit for doing such a great job.

“Our official director Serge Sessa is another person who did a tremendous job in setting up the tournament. There were 80 games on Saturday, so he provided officials for all 80 games and that’s a huge piece of the pie.

“Concession director Franco Lucchesi deserves a lot of credit as well for his part in setting up the tournament.”

After the tournament, Braciska said he got great reaction from all the coaches, as they hope to even get more towns and teams involved next year.

“We received tremendous feedback from coaches from several towns and cities requesting that we hold it again next year,” said Braciska. “Coaches also said they are willing to spread the word about the tournament next year, so we are expecting to have more people involved.

“There were some other suggestions, but I think it was amazing considering it was the first tournament and it was run near flawlessly. Overall it was just a very well run event.”

Schiavone agreed with Braciska as he hopes the Mass Soccer Tournament will become an annual event next spring.

“It was a great success,” said Schiavone. “More than half the towns have responded back to us about participating in it again next year and they are already looking forward to it.”

White takes eighth at New England Meet

2008-07-06T15:23:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 18, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

After head girls track coach John Byrnes saw junior Evan White play in a junior-varsity basketball game, Byrnes thought he had great ability to be a star track athlete so he tried to convince the junior hoop player to go out for the boys track team in the spring. White, though, didn’t seem all that interested at first.

“When Coach Byrnes first asked me, I wasn’t sure if I was interested,” said White. “I was thinking whether I should do it or not because I didn’t know if the sport was for me.”

Now, about three months later, going out for the track team might have been the best athletic decision White will ever make.

After breaking many records in his first season and after placing in almost every race he competed in, White has become one of most dominant runners in the entire Merrimack Valley Conference. And this past Saturday he became the eighth best runner in all of New England finishing with a time of 22.64 seconds in the 200 meters during the 63rd annual New England Scholastic Track-And-Field Meet at Thorton Academy in Saco, Maine.

“The New Englands had three heats in the 200 meters,” said boys coach Steve Levine. “Evan was in the middle heat. He won his heat at the line with a 22.64 time. “Seven out of the eight runners in the seeded heat ran faster than Evan. Evan, being new to the sport, still runs to win his race. In other words, he judges his speed according to the race he is in.

"I believe that Evan would have finished higher than eighth if he was in the seeded heat."

Levine added that White would not be one of the best runners in the league or the state and New England for that matter, had the veteran coach not put him in the 100 meter race during one of the first meets of the season.

“Evan, being a transfer from Lowell Catholic never ran track, and in fact, Evan came out for the team to be a jumper-long, triple, and high, only,” said Levine. “We tried him in a 100M. race in one meet out of the clear blue sky, and he beat our best (runners).”

When Levine told White to get ready to run in the 100M, White really didn’t know what to expect.

“Before (the race), I was thinking ‘don’t mess up’ because I was so nervous,” said White. “After (I won) I felt really good because I wasn’t expecting to win at all.”

After White came through the finish line with an unbelievable time for his first race ever, Levine knew that he had a track athlete that would get many points for his team for the rest of the season and the future.

“Thus (after that race) Evan was born as a track athlete,” said Levine. “Evan has long jumped over 21 feet, and high jumped 5' 08" and he still has got plenty of room for improvement.”

This past weekend White competed at the All-Sate Meet, and although he finished with a very good time, Levine said that White would have had a lower time if he was in the seeded heat.

"His time in the Class B state meet of 21.99 would have put him in the thick of the seeded heat, but according to the rules his seed was determined by his time in the all-state meet," said Levine.

This Friday, White will get the opportunity to see how he matches up with the rest of the country as he will get to show off more of his talent and potential at the Nationals Meet in North Carolina. He will be the lone representative from the boys team to head to NC, joining Kristen and Kari Judge, Nicole Skots, Ashley Toland and Leanne Tucker of the girls team.

“The Nationals will allow Evan to see where he is at compared to the rest of the U.S, and in my opinion, he will see that he belongs,” said Levine.

White said he is really anxious for the meet to start as he would like to leave there accomplishing his objective.

“I’m nervous but at the same time I’m really excited,” said White. “I will be competing in the 100M, and the only goal I have for myself is to qualify for the Finals.”

White added that he really appreciates all the support he has gotten from his coaches all season long, especially Byrnes who put him in this position to succeed.

“I really would like to thank all my coaches because if it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be doing anything right now,” said White. “Byrnes telling me I could succeed in this sport and encouraging me to do so (throughout the season) has really made me feel good about myself. I also feel like I’m just not here to be on the team but I’m here to work and improve and get better.”

Byrnes said that White is an extremely gifted track athlete, and he also said he has great character traits as all the members of the track team really look up to him.

"Evan's been a great find,” said Byrnes. “He's incredibly talented, obviously, but he's also a nice kid to work with. All his coaches and all of his teammates think the world of him. He's brought quite a bit to the team this season, even beyond the record-shattering times."

For next year, Byrnes hopes that White will continue to work hard to become one of the elite runners that ever went out for the Tewksbury Memorial High School track team.

"I told Levine we'll learn a little more about him as an athlete next year,” said Byrnes. “Some kids see a little success early on and never really learn how to work. Then there's other kids who get even hungrier and set even higher goals. We think Evan's the latter, but it's up to him to prove it.”

Wilmington High School subvarsity sports round-up

2008-06-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER-WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO

Sports Correspondent

The girl’s junior-varsity softball team just wrapped up their season a few weeks ago, as they finished with a record of 10-10. Coaching the team to the even record was Marcia Jones, who coached the freshman team last year before taking over as JV coach this season.

After being winless in their first five games, the JV softball team went on to win the next 10 of their 15, and Jones said she is very satisfied with the effort showed by her team all season long.

“All of the girls performed well,” said Jones. “They each gave 100% every game and it showed. We started out 0-5 and ended the season 10-10, which is a great achievement for the girls.

“Each girl also brought her own special characteristics to the team which made the team very special.”

Throughout the season, Jones said she saw many improvements made by her players, but she said the best was how the team supported each other for all 20 games.

“I coached most of them last year as freshman and to see the improvements they made from last year to this year is great,” said Jones. “They are all a great bunch of girls.

“But the best improvements I saw the team make throughout the year were playing as a team and cheering for each other and helping each other out.”

Overall Jones said she is very pleased with the work ethic showed by her lineup all season, and she also added that she learned many new and beneficial things in her first year as JV coach.

“I am very proud of each and every one of the girls,” said Jones. “They all played, worked and tried very hard. They gave their all and it showed. The improvements they made from the beginning of the year to the end of the year were remarkable and I can't thank them enough. I learned something new from each one of them and I hope they can take something away with them too.”

Boys Baseball

The junior-varsity baseball team finished their season with a record of 12-7 this year. Head coach Anthony Altieri said his team played with dedication and commitment all season long, as they all worked hard from game one to game 19.

“Erik Lunt, Evan Butters, Liam Gately, Nick Boutoures, Jeff Kannally, and Kyle Creedon played to the best of their abilities the entire season,” said Altieri, who has been the JV coach for five seasons. “They should all be great contributors for the varsity team someday.”

Altieri added that there were two players that really stood out for him in the last few games to end the season, and he also said that his entire team really made great adjustments on the fielding side as their season came to a close.

“Jeff Kannally pitched excellent games against North Andover and Reading at the end of the year, and Nick Boutoures also led us offensively with many clutch hits,” said the coach. “Our defense also improved immensely as the season progressed.”

While a player playing for a varsity baseball team is there to contribute and help his team win right away, most junior-varsity teams in general are not about winning but they are about making sure the players improve so they can eventually become contributing members to the varsity squad someday.

Alteri said that his players were playing to get better for the entire season, and he said they all played with devotion and assurance for the entire 19 game schedule.

“After starting the season miserably and having a record of 0-3, we improved incredibly both offensively and defensively, and we went 12-4 the rest of the way,” said Altieri. “The players played with a lot of heart and determination.”

Boys Lacrosse

The Wilmington High School’s junior-varsity lacrosse team ended their season with a very impressive record of 13-1. The team was coached by Ryan Fraine, who coached in his first year and was also an assistant to the varsity team.

Fraine said that every single player on his team contributed to the teams win total this year.

“Although we had many great individual efforts throughout the year, lacrosse is a team sport and it took every player on our team to score goals as well as to stop them,” said Fraine. “With Wilmington lacrosse being a brand new varsity program many players that made an impact at the JV level will be called to do so again but this time on another level.

“Some of these played include our attackers Zack Rosa, Peter Leighton, Nolan Giroux and Tom Quilty. Also included are midfielders Brendan Collins, Matthew Larfarello, Tim Woodland, Colin Foley, Dan McKinnon and Brian Coutu. Defensemen Chris Cazea also made an impact all season long and will be a great varsity player someday.”

For a team to almost have a perfect season in the wins and losses category means that they must have made many adjustments to prepare for each game. Fraine said that his team did this all season long.

“Every game was an improvement,” said Fraine. “As our record indicates we played top quality lacrosse all year long. Our only loss came to a division 1 team. The kids retained a lot new plays and perfected them as the year progressed. A lot was thrown at them (new plays, first year inexperience) and they responded day in and day out.”

Fraine said he has many goals for when his team comes back next season. Although he expects many of them to be moved up to the varsity level, their are many that will stay for another year and spend some more time preparing for the varsity level.

For now, Fraine said he hopes that his players will work on their lacrosse skills all off-season. He even said if they stick with it 365 days a year that he foresees many of them having the opportunity to play in college two or three years down the road.

“All of these players have the ability to play college lacrosse as long as they are constantly pushing themselves to be the best lacrosse player they can be,” said Fraine. “Lacrosse is now so widespread in our region that there is no excuse for not to play in the off season. Our kids need to make lacrosse a full year round sport and must and I stress must always work on their stick skills.”

All in all, Fraine said he had a great time in his first year as a coach and he hopes that the Wilmington High lacrosse program will continue to be successful in later years down the road.

“I had a pleasant time coaching these young men,” said Fraine. “It was a fun year and I look forward to our program getting stronger as the years pass.”

Girls Lacrosse

The girl’s junior-varsity lacrosse team started their first ever season this spring, with field hockey coach Maura Lynch taking charge of the junior-varsity squad.

“I’ve been coaching field hockey at WHS for six years, and this is my first year coaching lacrosse,” said Lunch. “The athletic director, Mr. (Ed) Harrison, asked me if I wanted to coach and I accepted knowing I would be coaching several of my field hockey players.”

Like most first year teams, the lacrosse team saw very few wins but it doesn’t mean anything at all as they are building for the future.

“This being the first year having JV and varsity girls’ lacrosse, we ended up with one win, one tie, and the rest losses,” said Lynch. “Our record did not reflect the girls’ talent and skills as they came close to winning several games, especially toward the end of the season.”

Lynch said there were four players on her team that played well since they showed up to the first practice of the season, and they included Kellie Moon, Sara Alonardo, Hayley Robarge, and Liz Jaeschke.

As the season came to an end, Lynch said many players stepped up and showed that they have plenty of potential next season.

“Over the last few games to end the season, Kaitlyn McGuire was an incredible asset and someone who never played before. Fiona Gately and Jessica Weaver made great contributions during the last remaining games of the year too.”

What makes Lynch very happy is that although her team did not tally up a large win total, she said they all progressed throughout the season.

“As the season came to an end, all players had improved immensely,” said Fraine. “We came very close to winning several games.”

For next season, Lynch expects Kellie Moon, Hayley Robarge, Liz Jaeschke, and Kaitlyn McGuire all to make an impact on the varsity level.

For the most part, Lynch is very delighted by the way the lacrosse program has started off, and she expects many great things to come in both the junior-varsity and varsity teams.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better group of girls,” said Fraine. “They worked very hard and I see great things for them next year.”

Boys Tennis

Although there are essentially no junior-varsity tennis teams at Wilmington High School, there are many JV players on the teams who participate in matches after the varsity matches are done.

Matt Hackett is in his sixth season as a varsity and junior-varsity tennis coach, and he has had plenty of success in the varsity program since he started.

The individual match record of the JV players was 7-55 this season, but Hackett knows that all the junior-varsity players will make many adjustments and eventually become elite varsity players some day.

For this past spring season, players Brendan Munro led the team with three JV wins and Alex Leiskau had two wins.

Hackett said Leiskau has improved tremendously over the last year, along with many other players who have worked really hard.

“Alex Leiskau has improved dramatically over last year’s tryout,” said Hackett. “His nets game and positioning have been the most impressive all while being a player that’s very easy to coach.

“I also like the efforts of Alex Song, Vinh Vo, & Khang Vo who have also enhanced their games over the course of the season.

“Bill Crowley never played tennis before and tried out for the first time his senior year. Bill went from being not able to hit the ball to being a pretty good JV player with a much improved serve all in two months. I was very impressed.”

For next year, Hackett wants to see all the JV players contribute in the varsity matches.
“My hope is that all JV players will play a big role in our future success,” he said.

Girls Tennis

Varsity tennis coach Kevin Welch is back coaching tennis. Although there is no junior-varsity girl’s tennis team, he said there are many players who have shown improvements over the years and should find their way into the staring line up in the upcoming seasons.

“The girl’s tennis team does not have a true JV program,” said Welch. “There is one girl’s tennis team. The girls who do not start the varsity matches play JV double matches when the varsity matches are done.

“There have been many younger players who have improved over this season though. Sophomore Steff Kelly has been playing much more consistent of late and if she continues to improve over the off season she should be in the mix next season.

“Juniors Jackie Mailey and Nicole Coccoluto both played well all year. Jackie was a varsity spot starter for us this year.

“Again with the improvement and the experience they have from being on the team for three years they could contribute at the varsity level next year.

“Freshman Kelly Duffy and Christiana Bush showed promise this year. As they both gained match play experience they both played better throughout the season.”

Baima leaps to second straight high jump championship

2008-06-13T09:37:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

When Stephanie Baima was a freshman, she did not want to go out for the track team because it involved one of her least favorite activities, running. But after one day when a legendary substitute teacher came into her room convincing her to go out for the track team, she did and it ended up being one of the greatest decisions she ever made.

Baima won the high jump at the Class C State Meet this past Saturday as she cleared 5-5 in the event. She also won in this competition last year, and two weeks ago she also won the Cape Ann League Title. Baima said she would not have had the success she did in track without having the substitute persuading her to go out for the team.

“Without (former track coach Frank) Mr. Kelley’s prompting, I never would have done track at all, because I hated running,” said Baima. “As it happened, he substituted for one of my math classes one day and told me I should be a hurdler, so I tried that.

“The problem was that it involved running, so I looked around at the other events, and it being winter track, there weren’t a lot of events that didn’t involve much running. High jump was one of those, though, so I tried it and had some luck because of my height, so I stuck with it.”

As soon as she started practicing high jump, Baima said she immediately fell in love with the event.

“I realized that the high jump was my event as soon as I started practicing it,” said Baima. “It was really fun as there is just something about launching yourself into the air and landing on mats that appealed to my childishness,” she said jokingly.

Baima also found early success in the event, as she became one of the best high jumpers during her freshman and sophomore track seasons.

“I was okay at it freshman year, as I made varsity my first season because I placed in most of the meets” said Baima. “I started to be a really strong competitor sophomore year though, and I made it to All States with some really accomplished jumpers.”

Her head track coach, Tom Bradley, said Baima had a great finish to her high school track career that started off very strong.

“Obviously Stephanie winning caps a great season for her,” said Bradley. “I could not be happier for her because at the end of winter she had severe problems with attempting at heights that she should not have any trouble.

“She had a block of some kind and I was afraid it would ruin her spring season. She did get over it and was fabulous all season and that is a great way to end her career.”

Winning in the high jump in back to back Class C State Meets just doesn’t come naturally, as Baima said she put a great deal of her time into training and practicing for the meets.

“During the winter/indoor season, I high jumped about twice a week,” said Baima. “That’s because we have to practice in the gym and we are thrown out at 3:00 for the basketball players so I really didn’t have much time.

“Also, guys are significantly more muscular than girls, so the male high jumpers jump at much higher heights, making practicing together pretty difficult. During the spring, I high jumped maybe once a week.

“I find that less practice is better for me, but I also need to spend time on my other events, which used to include hurdles, triple jump, and recently, discus.”

Baima also added that less training can be beneficial for her event, as she said most of the competing in the high jump is involved mentally.

“For me, it seems to be best not to train a lot,” said Baima. “High jump is an extremely mental event. If you are good at it, it means that you already passed the physical requirements, so what’s left is the mind-body connection when you are in the air.”

To perfect her high jump techniques, Baima said seeing pictures of herself in the air and watching other high jumpers compete helped her become more improved at each meet.

“Although lots of people say that all you need is to be tall, that’s not it,” said Baima. “I don’t think it hurts, but strength and a real understanding of how you need to twist your body in order to clear the bar are the really important things.

“For some people, these things come with a lot of practice and trial and error, but for me, it helps the most to see pictures of what I look like in the air and watch other people’s forms to see what works and what doesn’t.”

In the fall of this year, Baima will be attending the central campus of Penn State, where she said she will mainly center on her academics.

“I am thinking about doing high jump in college, but not seriously,” said Baima. “My problem is that I’ll be at a Division I school, so being on the track team will be a huge time commitment, and I really want to be able to focus on exhausting the science curriculum, and science isn’t a light subject.”

Baima reflected upon all the influential people who have helped her lead the way to success in the high jump.

“The head girls’ coach Mr. Bradley was very helpful my freshman year, despite the fact that he will tell you he knows nothing about high jump,” said Baima. “He still had good, sound advice for me though.

“Two years ago, we got alumna Becky Rufo as an assistant coach. She high jumped at WHS and in college, so she knew what she was talking about, but mostly she has provided competitive inspiration.

“I loved a challenge, so her school high jump record of 5’4’’ was really tantalizing to break, which I did.”

Baima also said that she is going to miss several parts of her track career at Wilmington High School.

“I am going to miss track a lot,” said Baima. “I have always loved how Mr. Bradley let me explore all the events. As long as I was still high jumping, he let me try triple jump, javelin, and the discus, which made track really fun.

“I will miss the high jump the most though. I’m going to be sad that I won’t be there to score for Wilmington in the meets. We have a few girls who I think have potential that just needs to be unlocked though.”

Last week, Coach Bradley presented Baima with an award for the outstanding season and high school career she has had.

“In presenting an award to her last week at the awards dinner I pointed out to the team that Stephanie is a very good high jumper and she gets a lot of notoriety for it but she has been an above average hurdler, a pretty good triple jumper and this year took up discus and won some meets,” said Bradley. “She is a talented person and she will go far. I was very happy with her season.”

Baima now advances to Saturday's All-State Meet which will be held at Durfee High School.

Redmen JV Boys Lacrosse team finishes season with 12 wins

2008-06-13T09:25:00.001-07:00

TOWN CRIER-WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Led by new head coach Bill Fecteau, the junior-varsity lacrosse team finished the season with an impressive record of 12-2-2. Fecteau not only coached his first year as the JV lacrosse coach, but it was actually his first coaching job ever.

“I played lacrosse in high school, and in college,” said Fecteau. “I loved the sport and still wanted to be involved in anyway possible.”

For a first-season coach, Fecteau did a tremendous job coaching his players to a 12 win season, but he said the success is pointed to his players who performed well all season long.

“Overall each and every one of my players performed well,” said Fecteau. “We had a small squad with 13 to 14 number of kids so everyone needed to play their role.

“Specifically Dan Rose and Brandon Hanifin, Paul Moriarty, and Mike Gollini at attack did a great job in their roles with the team. Matt Pellrine, Evan Cutelis, Andrew Demaio at midfield also were great contributors.

“We also had outstanding defense play from Mike Pino, Dan Muggford, Matt Rowe, and filling in and doing a great job all around was Mike Marshall, Brad Tosto, and James Berkely. We also have a good young goaltender in Mike Altavesta.”

Fecteau went on to say that his team played with the certain characteristics that he loves seeing in a team.

“Players should want to work hard because they love the sport they play,” said Fecteau. “There should be no time at practice you are not giving 110%. All players should suit up and realize how much pride and heart you need to have, not just saying, displaying.”

Fecteau also liked the improvements his team made throughout the season, especially with their knowledge in the sport.

“I believe the team has improved greatly in their lacrosse intelligence,” said Fecteau. “Many of the players play with both hands, which is easier said than done, compared to none at the start of the season.”

Over the last few games to end the season, Fecteau said that many players made contributions to add to the team’s win total.

“There were a few players who have stood out over the remaining games of the season,” said Fecteau. “Mike Altavesta is one of them, as he has done very well in the net, as well as clearing the ball.

Dan Rose and Brandon Hanifin, and Evan Cutelis have all been big offensive threats recently, while Mike Pino continues to anchor the defense strongly.”

For next year, Fecteau hopes that most of his junior-varsity players can go up one more level and be contributing members of the varsity team.

“I believe everyone on this team who stays committed to improving their stick skills not only during lacrosse but the whole year will be a large part of this program in the future,” said Fecteau. “I feel lucky to have the opportunity to coach a great group of kids and I am looking forward to next year.”

The entire junior-varsity lacrosse roster included attackers Dan Rose, Brandon Hanifin, Paul Moriarty, and Mike Gollini. Playing midfield was Evan Cutelis, Andrew Demaio, Matt Pellrine, Brad Tosto, Mike Marshall, and James Berkely. At defense was Mike Pingo, Dan Mugford, and Matt Rowe, while playing goalie throughout the year was Mike Altavesta.

Life lessons program a hit

2008-06-13T09:08:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

For the first time ever at Tewksbury Memorial High School, the Special Olympics got started with six students participating at the school. Pat Galligan has been a special education teacher in Tewksbury for nine years, and this is his first year as a life-skills teacher for the Special Olympics.

Throughout the year, Galligan organized the team, and they recently just went to Lawrence for the Special Olympics ceremony that featured over 300 kids from ten communities.

Galligan said it was a pretty big deal, especially for the kids who were escorted into the stadium.

“It was a great event,” said Galligan. “The mayor of Lawrence opened the ceremonies, and all the athletes had a parade into the stadium led by police officers riding motorcycles.”

Throughout the pen pal program with Billerica Memorial High School, the participants learned how to communicate effectively with other participants, and they also learned how to train for the many track events that were held at Lawrence.

“The Special Olympics program actually started as a language arts program,” said Galligan. “The participants would write to our sister class in Billerica, which was the Billerica Life Skills program. We participated with pen pal so that made it even more exciting.

“The kids also did fantastic as they trained for a couple of months in their events. The kids learned how to participate in a variety of events, including the 50M dash, the 100M run, and the 600K. There were also field events, such as the discus.”

The great about the Special Olympics Program is that every kid in it is a winner. Each participant gets an award or ribbon anytime they come through the finish line or when they compete in a field event.

“The special Olympics is really neat because they only have three kids in each heat so everyone gets to place either first, second, or third,” said Galligan.

Overall, Galligan was really happy seeing the program strive in its first year ever at Tewksbury Memorial High School.

“Our kids have trained often long, and their goal was to train as best as they cold and they did a wonderful job all year long,” said Galligan. “We have a few gold medals, silver and bronze, but all in all, the kids got smiles on the faces and that is the most important part.”

Galligan went on to say that the people that supported the program are the reasons that made it a success this year.

“The parents were really supportive as they always came to watch at the events or help out,” said Galligan. “People at the high school, including the athletic director Brian Hickey and the secretary Nancy O’Hare really helped us out as they provided us with uniforms and many other ways of assistance too.”

For next year, Galligan hopes that he can expand the program as he hopes to get many other more participants involved.

“Next year, I’m hopefully going to have a much larger team with the middle and elementary schools involved,” said Galligan.

A Moment With Megan Keane, WHS Girls Lacrosse Captain

2008-06-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER-WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008

-- MIKE GIANNATTASIO --

Megan, you just finished your senior year as a member of both the cross-country and winter track teams and as captain of the lacrosse team. How did your last year of playing sports for Wilmington High School go?

It was a really fun year. Even though the team records may not have been that great, I really enjoyed myself. To me, winning is not that important. This year was also bittersweet. I'm excited to move on to college but I'm going to miss playing sports for WHS.

This was Wilmington High School ’s first ever varsity lacrosse season. What challenges did your team face throughout the year?

This year was challenging mainly because we were playing teams that had much more experience than we did. A lot of the towns in our league have had girl's lacrosse programs for years, while this is only Wilmington 's third year. The girls on our team have been playing for two to three years whereas our opponents have been playing since they were kids. I think the team handled it really well. We didn't give up and we continued to improve throughout the season.

There is more pressure on players that have the added responsibility of being
a captain. What duties came with being captain of the girl’s lacrosse team?

I tried to help Coach (Lois) Nardo out as much as possible in preparation for practices and games. As it was a really tough season, it was also important to keep the team positive. I was also in charge of ordering and collecting money for team clothing.

Being a senior in high school, and balancing school, sports, work and the college application process can be very difficult for most students. With a busy schedule like this, how were you able to balance your time?

It was really difficult to balance everything. I worked really hard during the week to make sure that I got everything done and that I did it well. Sometimes I stayed up really late, but I managed. I made sure that I had fun on the weekends so that I didn't go crazy.

On a daily basis, how many hours of training and practicing do you put in to being a successful athlete?

The amount of practice varies with each season and with each sport. A typical cross country practice lasts for about an hour while a lacrosse practice lasts for about two and a half hours. It's important to stay active throughout the summer and in between seasons as well. During the summer I would run with some of my cross country teammates. We also ran some road races.

Looking back at your four years of high school, you are going to have many memories. What are you going to miss the most about being on the cross country and lacrosse teams?

I am definitely going to miss my teammates. After spending hours with them everyday at practice, you form strong friendships. Having a good team experience makes playing the sport so much more enjoyable and I was fortunate enough to be with a good group of girls each season. It will be really weird not seeing them everyday next year.

What do you think have been the best and worst parts about being an athlete in these sports?

As I sort of mentioned before, the best part about being an athlete is being part of a team. The sport itself can be fun to play but having a good team enhances the whole experience. There really isn't a 'worst part' of being an athlete. Sometimes the time commitment made life stressful but putting in the time is necessary to improve as an athlete. In retrospect, I wouldn't change anything. I had a lot of fun playing sports.

You’re off to Stonehill College in the fall. What is the main reason (s) that you decided to go here, and what will you be majoring in? Also, will you be participating in any sports here?

I chose Stonehill because I love the campus and it has the academic reputation and social organizations that I want. I'm still undecided as to what I want to major in, but I am leaning towards a math or science major. I will not be playing any varsity sports at Stonehill but I will definitely get involved in the intramural programs.

Which person(s) have been most influential in your success as both a cross-country and lacrosse athlete?

My mom has been really supportive throughout my high school sporting career. She attended a lot of my meets and games and always encouraged me to do my best.

What advice would you offer to girls entering WHS next year that plan on participating in both the cross-country and lacrosse teams?

I would tell them to have fun. There's no point in playing a sport if you don't enjoy it.

Tewksbury JV Softball team posts 16 wins

2008-05-29T11:57:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

With the varsity softball team getting all the attention for the impressive season they are having this year, the junior varsity just wrapped up their season with a very impressive 16-4 record. The players on the team performed well from game one, as they won 80% of their games and tried to prove that they will be the future team of the MVC in one or two years.

The junior-varsity softball team is coached by Heidi VonKahle, who has been coaching the team for four years.

“I coached the freshmen team for one year prior (to becoming the junior-varsity coach),” said VonKahle. “I became involved helping out with the varsity in 2002, and I came back the season after my sister graduated and have been part of the coaching staff ever since.

“Softball is fun and I just love being able to give back what has been given to me and continue to be part of Redmen softball.”

VonKahle said this season had many heroes of sorts, as each game had someone different who stood out.

“This year our pitchers Katelynn Moore, Kayla Benvenuto, and Kelsey Gill all had a tremendous season,” said VonKahle. “Megan Luppi ended her season with a hot bat hitting two triples and a double in the last game of the season. Brittany Tosto had a standout season. In only her second year playing organized softball she is a great hitter and her fielding is very impressive.

“Charlotte Brace had two game saving catches in the outfield this year that were amazing. Andrea Hardy has had a great bat all season. Defensively, the infield consisting of Nicole Harrison, Jess Sullivan, Megan Luppi, Brittany Tosto, Caitlin MacNeil, and Callie Lyons had a great season.”

VonKahle also said that she had a very multitalented team as all her players had specific jobs they played throughout the season.

“This is a very versatile team,” said VonKahle. “From day to day kids were moving from third base to second base to right to left. In the outfield Shannon Sullivan, Kellie Dwyer, Delany Carr, Charlotte Brace and Sarah Gilligan were all solid.

“The best part of this season was you never knew who was going to be the person to step up. Every player had a special role on this team.”

VonKahle added that she coached some very special players this year, including Caitlin MacNeil, who VonKahle has coached since she was a freshman.

“Caitlin will do anything you ask of her,” said VonKahle. “When the catcher got hurt at the beginning of the season she was like ‘sure I’ll catch.’ She was willing to sacrifice herself for the team. She also did a great job when she was back there. She is the type of kid you want to coach and have on your team.”

Overall, VonKahle said that the softball program as a whole is very lucky just for the fact that there are a tremendous amount of kids on the team year after year.

“We might not have huge numbers every year, but we have a great group of kids,” said VonKahle. “I would have to say that this year for the most part these kids would do whatever I asked of them.

“Sometimes I asked a lot, and I would even take them out of their comfort zones. At the start of the season, for example, when we were without our third baseman, Shannon Sullivan was like ‘hey I’ll try.’ I know I put her in a tough place, but she did a great job.

“Megan Luppi is another kid, as one day she would play first base, and then the next day she would play second and the next day third and so on. She would look at me and smile and say ‘okay.’

“Then there is Jessica Sullivan. She is one kid who would ask ‘hey can we do infield? Can we take more groundballs? Will you hit me one more?’ She really just works hard and loves the game.

“I was really lucky this season with how much these kids were willing to give of themselves. I also love the fact that this team was able to overcome the injuries that we started the season with.”

In the last few games to end the season, VonKahle pointed to many key players who contributed at the end to help the team win their games.

“This season has had some many different standouts towards the end,” said VonKahle. “I would have to say it was nice to see this team really start hitting at the end of the season.

“Callie Lyons, Kellie Dwyer, Megan Luppi, Shannon Sullivan and Nicole Harrison really broke out the second half of the season. With so many players doing well this season, making the line up each day got to be difficult. This team was just really supportive of each other.”

VonKahle went on to say that one of the greatest aspects of the JV team this year came when making adjustments from day to day.

“Every year we set some team goals,” said VonKahle. “One goal is to try to beat every team that beats you.

“This year we lost to Andover 4-2 during first game of the season, and then we got shut out by Billerica 6-0. The second time around we beat Andover 5-3 and we tied Billerica 10-10. So after being shut out the first time we were able to get some hits and score 10 runs.

“Central Catholic was the only team to beat us twice this season. As for the on the field adjustments we would just take it one game at a time. If someone wasn’t hitting or had trouble laying down a bunt we would go over this the next day in practice.

“The best thing about these kids is that they wanted to make themselves better each day. They would even go beyond everyday practice and ask to take more groundballs.”

For next season, VonKahle said there will be many players moving up to the varsity level, and she has confidence that they will be immediately make an impact on the team.

“I have five juniors moving up next year who I would like to see move on to be contributors,” said VonKahle. “Many of these kids on my team this season have the potential to play varsity. If they keep working hard they could all contribute one day.

“Players like (Kelsey) Gill, (Kayla) Benvenuto, (Andrea) Hardy, and Katelyn Moore have already been pulled up for post season.”

The entire junior-varsity softball roster this year included junior Kelsey Gill, sophomore Katelynn Moore, freshman Andrea Hardy, sophomore Brittany Tosto, junior Megan Luppi, junior Caitlin MacNeil, junior Shannon Sullivan, and junior Kellie Dwyer. Other members of the team included junior Jessica Sullivan, sophomore Nicole Harrison, sophomore Callie Lyons, sophomore Charlotte Brace, sophomore Delaney Carr, sophomore Sarah Gilligan, and freshman Kayla Benvenuto.

Goffman ends terrific season and three-sport career

2008-05-29T11:43:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

When TMHS student-athlete Caitlin Goffman was a freshman, she decided to go out for lacrosse during her spring season. Now three years later as a senior, it was one of the best decisions Goffman ever made as she has consistently been one of the top players in the Merrimack Valley Conference year after year.

“Caitlin Goffman is an incredible player as well as a person,” said TMHS lacrosse coach Bethany Sykes. “I have had the opportunity to coach her for the last four years. She began her career as a freshman, never playing the sport before. She then quickly made an impact and a name for herself in the MVC.

“She was one of the highest goal scorers in our league last year, as she was third in the entire league and first for all juniors with 54 goals. She also holds numerous records for TMHS including most goals and most assists for a season and career.

“She is definitely one of the most feared players in the entire league, as she is continuously doubled and tripled teamed by opposing teams and she has still managed to tally 51 goals this season, making her career goals 134 in three years for a varsity team.”

Goffman, a consistent honor roll student, said she went out for lacrosse after she had heard it was an exciting game to compete in.

“I heard it was an awesome sport and easy to learn to play,” said Goffman. “As soon as I started playing lacrosse, I fell in love with the sport, and I worked hard to play well. I practiced a lot and that got me to where I am today.”

While Goffman is one of the best lacrosse players in the league today, she also is a standout in both field hockey and basketball, and she said playing in these two sports has allowed her to become a more superior player on the lacrosse field.

“By playing other sports, it helps me stay in shape throughout the entire year,” said Goffman. “Field hockey helps with my reaction timing and basketball helps with my quickness on my feet.”

Although Goffman’s high school sports career came to an end last week when her lacrosse team lost in the state tournament, she said she will never forget the memories that come with being a three-sport athlete.

“Every sport is filled with so many good memories, but one of the best was my junior year of field hockey when we made it to the state finals,” said Goffman. “But I am also going to miss the competitiveness of the sports. I will miss the hard work and the fight to win. I will definitely also miss all the teammates and coaches too.”

Goffman also added that there are plenty of great parts about being a year-round athlete.

“I think the best part about playing three sports was that it prepared me for college because of time management,” said Goffman. “It really made me take responsibility to balance everything all at once. Also, I think that all the friends I have made and all the memories are great.”

Goffman went on to say that the worst parts about playing a sport every season is that it can be difficult for her to balance her time.

“The negative is obviously the stress that a student athlete goes through with balancing school, sports, work, and their other priorities,” said Goffman. “Overall though, there are many more good ones than bad.”

Trying to balance time plays a very key role in most student-athletes, but Goffman handles it well as she only takes about one day off per week from her sports.

“The hours put in by all the athletes are amazing,” said Goffman. “Between practicing and games throughout the season, we put in about two hours a day for five to six days a week depending on the sport and the schedule. During the summer, there are different summer leagues and camps that we participate in depending on the sport. The hours add up.”

Goffman pointed out that there have been many significant people who have helped her be the successful three-sport athlete she is today.

“I would say that all my coaches have been influential in many different ways throughout my four years,” said Goffman. “They all have inspired me to play as hard as possible. Also all of my teammates have been influential throughout my career.”

As for next year, Goffman will attend Merrimack College, in Andover, MA, where she said she will focus primarily on her academics.

“I chose Merrimack College primarily for my major’s program there,” said Goffman. “I am majoring in athletic training, and I have heard nothing but great things from the program there.

“As of right now, I am not playing any sports because I have heard that it is really difficult to balance my major’s classes and working hours with the sports schedule. I really want to focus on my school work and if I feel that I can balance it all, then maybe I will play in the future.”

Currently, Goffman said she is just looking forward to graduating high school on June 6th, but she does have some advice for eighth graders thinking about trying lacrosse next year.

“It’s difficult for someone to pick up the sport so late, but everyone should definitely try lacrosse,” said Goffman. “It is one of the best sports to play, and I would recommend it to anyone.”

Coach Sykes said she was just really fortunate to coach Goffman throughout her high school lacrosse years, and she also said the team will never forget the impact and contributions she made throughout her TMHS career.

“Caitlin possessed dedication, hard work, and true passion for lacrosse as well as her other sports, field hockey and basketball,” said Sykes.

“I have been lucky enough to watch her play all three and see how she succeeds in all. We as a team will miss her terribly next year, when she is off to Merrimack.”

Thirteen year-old throws perfect game, strikes out 16

2008-05-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

TOWN CRIER- WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2008

Eric Torres of Jr. League Red Sox

By MIKE GIANNATTASIO
Sports Correspondent

Last Monday, May 19th, Jon Lester, a starting pitcher for the Boston Red Sox, became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball this year to throw a no-hitter. About one or two hours before that, there was another impressive pitching outing going on by 13 year-old Eric Torres, a pitcher for the Red Sox in the Tewksbury Youth Baseball Junior League.

Torres threw an incredible perfect game, as he struck out 16 batters while allowing no runners to reach base. He said it was just overall a tremendous feeling, especially since he did it on the same night Jon Lester threw his no-hitter.

“I'm not sure if it's a sign of thing to come, but I was feeling pretty special after pitching a complete game,” said Eric. “Then when I got home, I saw what Lester was doing and I thought ‘wow he's stealing my thunder’, but just for a second. It was just very cool and I'll never forget the date Jon Lester threw his no-no nor will I ever forget throwing mine.”

His father, Steve Torres, was actually coaching a game on another field when he got the exciting news from the coach.

“I was actually coaching a game in the Majors division when Eric pitched his perfect game,” said Torres. “I didn't find out what happened until his coach Dave Hartnett called me on my cell phone.

“My wife and son were there to see it though, but I don't think they realized what was going on until late in the game, which was good in a way because everyone knows you’re not suppose to talk about someone who is in the process of throwing a perfect game. Nobody wants to jinx it.”

Eric, whose record is now 5-0 for the 6-2 overall Red Sox, said he does understand the significance of the perfect game he pitched considering this is his first year ever pitching.

“I do realize it is a big accomplishment, especially for my first year on the big diamond,” said Eric, who plays shortstop and catches when he does not pitch. “It was a really great night for me and my team.”

Eric also said that one of the infielders made an unbelievable catch similar to the one Red Sox centerfielder Jacoby Ellsbury made to save Jon Lester’s no hitter.

“I have to thank my second baseman John Froio," said Eric. “He made a great catch early in the game that most days would be a hit.”

Eric added that the success he has had so far in pitching is pointed to practicing with friends and also to his father who helps him out as much as possible.

“A few days a week, I mostly practice with my friends in the front yard,” said Eric. “I don't use any special equipment, as my Dad is the person who taught me how to pitch.”

Eric, who also plays basketball and football, said he has some very high goals for himself as he looks to his baseball future.

“I would love to play for the Boston Red Sox someday, but only after I'm finished college and finished pitching for The Texas Longhorns, my favorite college team,” said Eric.

His father just hopes that his son will keep up his hard work so that his son’s baseball future will take care of itself.

“As long as he stays well rounded, I hope he takes it as far as his heart desires,” he said.