Life is fairly good today in the event you occur to be a member of the St. Mary’s soccer group.
You begin with a Wednesday afternoon tilt towards Austin Prep at Fenway Park. Less than two weeks later, you cap off the soccer season with a Div. 6 state championship match at Gillette Stadium towards Stoneham.
“I haven’t stopped smiling since Friday night after we beat Rockland (15-14) to get to the Super Bowl,” stated St. Mary’s coach Sean Driscoll. “It’s a great thing for the school, being able to play our traditional rival at Fenway, then going to Gillette after that. We’re trying to slow things down with the kids, keep everything in perspective but it’s exciting.”
The seeds for achievement had been sown final Nov. 19 when St. Mary’s walked away from Quincy’s Veteran Stadium on the quick finish of a 26-21 choice towards Abington in a Div. 6 state semifinal. The returning gamers vowed that evening to do all the things potential to place themselves ready to take the following step.
“As soon as they got the bus that night, they started to put the work in,” Driscoll stated. “The school sets the tone for what they want in a student/athlete and these kids are just that. They’re good athletes, exceptional students and good kids who are very well respected in the school.”
St. Mary’s (10-1) shrugged off an extra time loss to Bishop Fenwick (26-20) within the fourth week of the season and rolled to a few straight wins to enter the Div. 6 match because the third-seed. Wins over Archbishop Williams (37-13) and Lynnfield (20-6) put them within the semifinals towards defending champion Rockland.
“We knew Rockland’s history is that they are a very good program,” Driscoll stated. “They are a physical team that wears teams down, so we went into that game knowing the task at hand. Our kids did that, they hung tough against a good team and we got the big play at the end (a Joel Maggs interception) to seal it.”
Hoclomock League groups up with KyleCares
KyleCares, Inc. lately introduced a collaborative effort with the Hockomock League and its 12 athletic administrators to help the emotional well-being of their student-athletes by prioritizing wellness and self-care as a lot as tutorial or athletic success, and inspiring help-seeking habits for any pupil scuffling with their psychological well being.
Athletic departments from the Hockomock colleges will take part within the “KyleCares-WeCare” consciousness marketing campaign by hanging banners in gymnasiums at each faculty supporting the assumption that “Mental Health Matters” as a lot as bodily well being. A January 2023 Mental Health Week is being deliberate to lift consciousness at sporting occasions throughout the league, and the league’s student-athlete management convention subsequent spring may have a powerful social-emotional focus as a part of its agenda.
“The Hockomock League values all aspects of the student-athlete experience, and as they navigate the high school sports experience, we want them to do so in a healthy way,” stated Oliver Ames athletic director Ryan Gordy. “There are several programs in place to work with athletes on their physical health, and now we want to bring awareness to mental health. We want to normalize that spending time working on mental health is appropriate and partnering with KyleCares does just that.”
The message KyleCares is attempting to painting is that athletes are usually not immune or extra proof against anxiousness or melancholy. The stress of competing at a excessive degree in highschool sports activities whereas balancing research, part-time jobs, and private relationships can usually overwhelm younger individuals, but many won’t ever admit they’re scuffling with their psychological well being as a result of they really feel they have to be the hardest bodily and mentally amongst their friends.
SWEET 16
1. Catholic Memorial (10-0): Knight unleashed Datrell Jones on Milford and the outcomes had been pleasing to their eyes.
2. St. John’s Prep (9-2): Dominant second half towards Central Catholic propels the Eagles to the Div. 1 state championship recreation.
3. King Philip (9-1): The names change, however the outcomes at all times keep the identical for the Warriors.
4. Duxbury (10-0): Dragons merely had an excessive amount of for Holliston and earned their proper to play at Gillette.
5. Xaverian (7-3): Hawks get to take down a Div. 1 Super Bowl opponent on Thanksgiving.
6. Milton (11-0): Wildcats survived an offensive onslaught towards a harmful Hanover squad.
7. Central Catholic (8-3): Tough to beat an excellent group twice in a season.
8. Milford (9-2): Fell behind early and will by no means get going towards Catholic Memorial.
9. Mansfield (8-2): Great alternative to see two legendary coaches roam the sideline on Thanksgiving when Mike Redding and Jack Martinelli sq. off.
10. Andover (9-1): Golden Warriors would like to cap off a MVC Large title season with a 10-win marketing campaign.
11. Wakefield (11-0): Warriors went into Hockomock Country and remained unbeaten.
12. Methuen (8-3): Rangers realized what the remainder of the state already is aware of in regards to the explosive Springfield Central assault.
13. Franklin (6-3): Thanksgiving Day tilt with King Philip needs to be an excellent one.
14. North Attleboro (7-3): Red Rocketeers discovered the street to Gillette blocked by Wakefield.
15. Brockton (8-2): Nice means for Peter Colombo to exit, a closing recreation at Fenway Park.
16. Everett (8-2): Hopefully the Crimson Tide can discover a future Thanksgiving Day opponent.
ON THE BENCH: Bishop Feehan (6-4), Peabody (9-1), Reading (9-1), Chelmsford (8-2), Billerica (9-1), Plymouth South (9-1), Hanover (8-3), Marblehead (7-2), Walpole (8-2), Holliston (9-2)
Source: www.bostonherald.com