WHS Sports Roundup

Boys Lacrosse Honors Seniors, Tops Malden

The Winthrop High boys lacrosse team celebrated Senior Night in appropriate fashion with a 15-3 triumph over Malden last Thursday evening at Miller Field.

“It was a great day celebrating all the hard work our seniors have put in,” said WHS head coach Brian Donnelly. “We were able to get a lot of first-year players goals, including seniors Matt Hurley, Loert Mana, and Colin Banfield, along with Jack Hayes and Welvis Acosta. It was great to see most of our seniors score and have a good time in what for some of them will be their last game together.

“This year the boys lacrosse team went from a club team with barely enough numbers to make a full squad to building the program back into a full varsity and JV team,” Donnelly continued. “The varsity team won the NEC south with an overall record of 14-4, going 9-2 in our conference and beating teams like Peabody, Danvers, and Beverly for the first time in program history. A lot of this success had to do with the hard work and dedication of the members of this senior class.”

Donnelly honored each of the seniors with appropriate remarks as follows:

Nate Evangelista

Sidelined by a hockey injury Nate was an excellent lacrosse player whose athletic ability and speed was sorely missed this year. Nate will go down in WHS lacrosse history as the best ever and first ever social media coordinator for the team. He brought his design skills and humor to the WHS lax Instagram and after this year we have no doubt he will be very successful as he attends High Point University to go into sports management. Although he did not see the field this year, he will always be a part of our team’s history and thank him for developing our WHS LAX Instagram account. . Good luck Nate Evangelista!

Loert Mana

This was Loert’s first year playing lacrosse and he brought excitement and liveliness to the team. He challenged his team mates every day in practice and was a force at defensive middle when he saw the field. He is one of the fastest players on the feld and can run like a gazelle. He will be attending Suffolk University next year studying international relations. We wish him the best of luck.

Esteban Alvarez

Esteban was another first year player to the lacrosse squad this year. He brought his speed, agility and tenacity to the field every day. As the year went on he developed his sticks skills and worked every day to make himself and the players around him better. He kept a positive attitude and used every day as an opportunity to improve. Next year he will be attending Bentley University to study finance and is hoping to join the soccer team. Good luck Esteban.

Colin Banfield

Colin Banfield is another first year player that joined the lacrosse program for his senior year. Colin turned into an excellent feeder at attack who created opportunities for those around him. Colin used his physicality from hockey to also be a ground ball machine when on the field. He brought his sense of humor to the field and always had his teammates smiling.  He will be going to Plymouth State in New Hampshire next year. Good luck with all of your future pursuits.

Raesean Bebri

Raesean was another first year lacrosse player this year who joined the team. Resean uses his athleticism and strength to make his mark on the field. As his stick skills improved throughout the year Raesean has become a playmaker getting time both at long pole defense and as a short stick midfielder. He also brings a sense of humor to the team that keeps things light and his personality shines on and off the field. He has worked hard to improve this year and his drive will no doubt help him next year as he attends Suffolk University next fall to pursue supply chain management. Good luck Raesean.

Andrew Hurley

Andrew Hurley joined the lacrosse team last year and continues to make his mark on the field at the attack position. Andrew plays an excellent crease attack man with a deadly quick shot from the middle. He brings excitement to the field at the position and plays everyday with a great attitude. Andrew is a crowd favorite on the team and in the stands and his attitude and effort is second to none. He helped preserve the program last year as a pivotal member of the team and his dedication to the program will be remembered. He will be attending UNH in the fall to pursue a degree in homeland security. Thanks for everything you brought the team over and good luck in the future.

Welvis Acosta

Welvis has had an amazing senior year for the lacrosse program. Welvis played for the program his freshman year starting at our defensive position. He went to Malden Catholic for a year and we are happy he returned to us this year to rejoin the squad. Welvis is the heart and soul of our defense and can be seen all over the field from long stick middie, taking face off or covering whoever the other team’s best offense man, Welvis’s mark on the team can be felt every game. He has two assists and a goal on the season, but creates goals and looks for his teammates through his feice ground ball battles and uncanny ability to clear the ball in traffic. He has the most vicious checks on the team and challenges our guys every day to improve their skills. Welvis’s mark will forever be a part of WHS lacrosse and through his amazing attitude and effort the coaches named him a late season captain that is a true testament to his character. He will be attending UNH in the fall and we wish him the best of luck in all his future endeavors.

Jack Hayes

Jack Hayes is a two-year captain of the Lacrosse team whose leadership, positive attitude and skills have taken the program to the next level. He was one of a few returning players who helped keep the team together through the difficulty of building back up after the COVID years. His dedication to the program and investment into Winthrop High School lacrosse is unmatched. WHS lax is eternally grateful for his grit, determination and dedication to the team and program. Jack is a true leader of a young attack core and recorded 18 assists and 21 goals on the season so far. Jack is a true example of what it means to be a Winthrop Viking and we hope that his leadership skills and attitude will continue on with the players that he has mentored over the last few years. Jack will be sorely missed on the squad, and we thank him for his lasting marks on the program. Next year Jack plans to join the armed forces and hopes one day to be a state trooper. Congratulations and good luck in the future.

Donnelly and his crew now will await word of their seeding and first-round opponent in the upcoming Division 4 State Tournament. The Vikings presently are ranked 13th in Division 4 and appear likely to host 20th ranked Archbishop Williams in a Round of 32 contest next Monday.

Nick Cappuccio Wins Two Medals; Arianna C. Wins One; Galuris Sets Javelin Record

Winthrop’s standout track and field man, sophomore Nick Cappuccio, brought home two medals from last week’s Division 6 State Meet.

Nick took a third-place ribbon in the 200 meter dash with a sprint of 22.50, just off the winning time of 22.07 by Winston Lewis of Springfield. Cappuccio, who was the only sophomore in the final eight, had the fastest time, 22.57, in the qualifying round.

Nick also earned a seventh place medal in the 100 meter event with a dash of 11.35. The race was won by Monomoy Regional eighth grader, Alique Brown, who clocked in at 11.03.

Teammate George Galuris set a new Winthrop High record in the javelin with a throw of 141′-11″, shattering the previous mark of 132′ that had been held by Jimmy Barker. George’s toss was good for ninth place, leaving him just shy of an eighth-place medal by two inches.

On the girls’ side, freshman Arianna Cappuccio brought home an eighth-place medal in the long jump with a leap of 15′-9″.

WHS Baseball Ready for State Tournament

The Winthrop High baseball team, which is ranked 28th in the MIAA’s Division 4 Power Rankings with an 8-11 record, appeared set to host a play-in game when the final seedings were to be announced yesterday (Wednesday) as the Sun-Transcript was going to press.

If the rankings remain status quo from yesterday morning, coach Mark Degregorio and his Vikings would entertain Charlestown, which sports a 12-6 and is ranked 37th in the seedings.

If Winthrop advances, and assuming the rankings remain intact, they would travel to Billerica to take on fifth-ranked Shawsheen Tech in the Round of 32.

WHS Girls Lacrosse Wins Final Two Matches, Awaits Word of Tourney Foe

The Winthrop High girls lacrosse team won its final two contests of the season last week to conclude their 2023 campaign with a 9-9 record. Coach Emma Marrs and her crew were awaiting word of their seeding and first round opponent in the upcoming Division 4 state lacrosse tournament as the Sun-Transcript went to press.

The Lady Vikings are ranked 23rd in D-4 and appear likely to be headed to take on 10th-ranked Nipmuc Regional for a Round of 32 contest. Nipmuc is located in Upton, just west of I-495.

Last Tuesday the Lady Vikings dispatched Revere, 12-1. Emma Holmes paced the scoring attack with four goals. Hannah Parker struck for three goals and earned three assists. Julia Holmes scored two goals with an assist and Talia Martucci notched a pair of goals.

Sam DiMento added a goal and Mia Norris earned three assists. Kira Diaz also earned an assist.

In the season finale last Thursday, the Lady Vikings celebrated Senior Night with a display of offensive fireworks in an 18-4 triumph over Malden.

Parker struck for five goals and Emma Holmes scored three goals with two assists. Elizabeth Quinn and Kailey Sullivan both scored two goals. Julia Holmes made a nice contribution with a goal and five assists .

Also reaching the back of the Malden net for a goal each were Kira Diaz, Talia Martucci, Sam DiMento, Abby Holmes, and Mia Norris. Tegan Pereira made three saves in goal.

“It was a really great way to end our regular season,” said Marrs. “Everything seemed to be clicking across the field and it felt like the energy was very high throughout the game. We are really going to miss our seniors next season. Each of them has been a huge asset to the team and  we cannot wait to see what the future holds for them. As a team, we are looking forward to the big week ahead and preparing for the tournament.”

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