Sports 02-12-2015

WHS SPORTS ROUNDUP

Boys basketball team defeats Revere, 57-52

“Good things come to those who wait,” is something the good Sisters of St. Joseph always told us — although we never were really sure what it was that we were waiting for — but for the Winthrop High boys basketball team, the truth of that aphorism became apparent Sunday afternoon when the Vikings battled hard and well to earn their first victory of the season, a 57-52 triumph over Revere.

“Our team has given 100 percent the entire season,” said WHS head coach Mike DiMarino. “They deserved to win this one and it was especially sweet coming against Revere. If you’re going to get one, it’s nice to beat Revere.”

The contest was a close affair for the entire 32 minutes. Revere led 10-9 after one period, but the Vikings moved out to a 25-19 lead at the half, an advantage that Winthrop maintained the rest of the way.

“This was a total team effort,” said DiMarino. “Everyone contributed in some way and we needed every player to do so, because Revere battled us for the entire game.  We never were able to push the lead into double figures, so it was important that everyone did their job.”

Three Vikings accounted for the bulk of the Winthrop scoring, led by Bobby Fisher with 19 points. Jake Chiudina hit for 18 and sophomore point guard Dimmone Marshall added 16. A key to the Winthrop offense was  the Vikings’ ability to drive to the basket and draw fouls. Winthrop went to the line 37 times (sinking 24 from the charity stripe) which proved the difference in the contest. “Bobby, Jake, and Dimmone were able to get a step on their opponents and they took advantage of it,” noted DiMarino.

Harry Floyd came through with a key bucket down the stretch when he grabbed a teammate’s missed free throw and put back the rebound to keep it a two-possession game.

“I’m very proud of the way we played Sunday and how we have persevered all season,” added DiMarino. “The boys have never given up on themselves.”

The Vikings still have a chance to qualify for the post-season state tourney. After concluding their Northeastern Conference schedule this week with games at Swampscott tonight (Thursday) and at home against Marblehead tomorrow evening, they will host Pope John Tuesday evening in a contest that will be highlighted by Senior Night festivities. A victory will give Winthrop a .500 record against Division 4 rivals and punch their ticket for a Journey to the Tourney.

Lady Vikings roll past Saugus, 56-30

The Winthrop High girls basketball team shook off a slow start and then revved into high gear to earn a 56-30 triumph over Saugus last week.

Saugus jumped out to a surprising 13-9 advantage after one period, but the Lady Viking defense clamped down thereafter, limiting Saugus to just 17 points over the final three frames.

The Winthrop offense was led by Nina Bartlette, who turned in a highly-efficient performance, scoring a game-high 16 points in 16 minutes on 7-of-10 shooting from the field, grabbing seven rebounds, making four steals, and blocking two enemy shots. Kristen Siscamanis was next for Winthrop in the scoring column with 15 points, while also pulling down eight rebounds.

Allie Love reached double figures with 10 points, hitting for two three-pointers and making four steals. Poli Tsiotis scored six points, followed by Francesca Capone with four, the trio of Maura Lanza, Niki Tsiotis, and Jada Hightower with two each, and Isabella Mirata with a free throw.

The Lady Vikings are set to host Swampscott tonight (Thursday) and will play at Marblehead  tomorrow evening. Coach Ignacio Oyola and his crew then will participate in the St. Mary’s Spartan Classic with a game Sunday against Hoosac Valley and then play on Monday. They are set to wrap up their season next Thursday when they entertain Pope John XXIII of Everett.

WHS boys hockey team ties, wins

The Winthrop High boys hockey team, the champion of the North Division of the Northeastern Conference, raised its record to 12-2-2 on the season with a win and a tie against a pair of non-league opponents this past week.

Last Wednesday the Vikings traveled to Belmont and came home with a 1-1 tie. After Belmont scored a goal in the opening period, Pat Todisco notched the equalizer in the middle frame when he put home a rebound of a shot from the point by Noah Hodgkins. Charlie Page had won the face-off, sending the puck back to Hodgkins.

The contest remained deadlocked the rest of the way, with WHS goalie Ray Feeley shutting the door over the final two periods.

Saturday evening saw the Vikings jump out to a 5-1 lead in the opening period against NEC South Division foe Lynn and cruise to an eventual 5-3 victory. Mike Norris scored the first and fifth goals of the evening, assisted by Alex Anzuoni and Todisco. Sean Gillis made it 2-0 with an unassisted, shorthanded goal and Todisco, assisted by Page, scored the third Viking tally.  Anzuoni, assisted by Norris and Dylan Driscoll, lit the lamp for the fourth Winthrop goal.

WHS goalie Tom DiBenedetto earned the victory between the pipes, keeping his undefeated record intact.

Winthrop had been scheduled to play in the Eddie Burns Memorial Tournament in Arlington Sunday and Monday, but the snow postponed those plans.

WHS head coach Dale Dunbar and his crew were set to host Mansfield last night (Wednesday) for Senior Night and then play in the first round of the Burns tourney tomorrow evening. They will entertain Shawsheen Tech Saturday evening (6:30 face-off) and play in the final of the Burns tourney Tuesday.

Lady Bulldawgs face

big games this week

The Winthrop High Lady Bulldawg hockey team was set to meet Peabody last night (Wednesday) and then Beverly tonight in a pair of contests with first-place in the Northeast Hockey League on the line for the local team.

Winthrop leads Beverly and Masconomet by a point in the NHL standings and thus can claim an outright NHL title with victories in both encounters.

The Lady Bulldawgs returned to action last week after a layoff because of snow-related cancellations with a 9-0 victory over non-league rival Wayland/Weston.

Winthrop will host Springfield Cathedral in a non-league tilt Saturday afternoon at Larsen Rink (1:30 face off) and will compete in the Watertown Tournament Monday and Tuesday.

Benson, O’Keefe,

Sena win vs. Revere

The Winthrop High girls indoor track team concluded its 2015 season at Revere last week.  Although the Lady Vikings came out on the short end of a 47-38 decision, a number of Winthrop girls turned in fine performances.

Amy Sena captured the high jump with a leap of 4’-10”, easily outjumping her closest Revere competitor, whose best jump was 4’-0”.

Carly O’Keefe won her specialty, the 50 yard hurdles, with a time of 7.9 seconds, handily outpacing the Revere second-place finisher who came across in 8.8 seconds.

Holly Benson came across first in the 600 dash with a clocking of 1:53.4, which was almost six seconds faster than Revere’s top runner. Heidy Benson took the 1000 in 3:44.4, which was 2.6 seconds faster than Revere’s best girl.

Three Lady Vikings added three points each to the Winthrop scoresheet with second-place finishes: Kristen Ford in the two mile run in 14:32; Emily McGovern in the 300 dash in 49.2; and Brianna Campbell with a shot-put toss of 25’-10”.

Winthrop girls who scored one point for their third-place performances were: Regina Garufo in the 300 in 5.4; Haley Holden in the 600 in 2:00.6; Nina Leone in the mile in 6:41.9; and Sela Zalwango in the hurdles in 9.3.

Holden, Beaudray

win for boys track

Chris Beaudray and William Holden won their races for the Winthrop High boys indoor track team in the Vikings’ meet last week against Revere.

Beaudray captured the 600 yard dash in an exciting race with a clocking of 1:38.0, narrowly edging a Revere runner by 0.8 of a second. Holden handily captured the two-mile run in a time of 11:39.1, which was 25 seconds faster than his closest Revere rival.

Viking Marc Bouche scored points in two events for Winthrop, taking third places in the high jump with a leap of 5’-2” and in the 50 yard hurdles in 6.2 seconds. Cal Garufo took a third for Winthrop in the 300 dash in 43.5 and Joseph Bosco grabbed a third in the 1000 yard event in 3:25.8.

WHS gymnastics

wraps up season;

Vaccaro tops in league

The Winthrop High gymnastics team competed in the league meet at the Sterling YMCA in Beverly this past week. The format allows each team to have three girls compete on each event. Each team is allowed one all around performer who competes in all four events, while the other girls on the teams are allowed to compete on no more than two events.

The Winthrop lineup was as follows:

Vault: Molly Janielis, Captain Mackenzie Chiudina & Christa Vaccaro;

Bars: Jamie Gobiel, Captain Julia Duplin & Christa Vaccaro;

Beam: Taylor Reilly, Kaitlyn Carter & Christa Vaccaro;

Floor: Lacey Scott, Mackenzie Chiudina & Christa Vaccaro.

“Coach Daria Millerick and I could not have been more proud of these girls,” said WHS head coach Melissa Wiles. “They came to this meet so excited and really left everything they had out on each event. They performed better than we could have asked and it showed.”

Christa Vaccaro not only received an all star award for her performance all season on vault, but she took first place on all four events and won the first-place all-around award. Vaccaro will be competing in the state championship this coming week at Algonquin High School.

“Christa had her best meet yet,” said Wiles. “She even scored a 9.5 on vault which puts her in a state-wide club called ‘The 9.5 Club.’ Only high school gymnasts who have scored a 9.5 or above can be entered into this club.”

Last Sunday, February 1, two Lady Vikings, Jamie Gobiel and Marina Huenchunir, competed in the Senior Superbowl at the Sterling YMCA. Only seniors compete at this meet, which is a showcase competition in which scores are not flashed.

“Jamie competed on vault, bars, and beam. and Marina on beam,” said Wiles. “The girls seemed to have a great time and that is what they are supposed to do. There is no pressure to this meet. It is more like a celebration of all of the senior gymnasts in the state coming together. It is really a fun meet to watch. You will see skills from forward rolls to double backs and everyone is happy to be there.”

Wiles is named

Coach of the Year

WHS gymnastics coach Melissa Wiles has been named the NEC/CAL Coach for the 2014-2015 season.

“I was shocked! I really couldn’t believe it,” said Wiles (herself a former Lady Viking gymnast), who will not be returning after this season. “I have been coaching this team for six years and I couldn’t have asked for a better ending. I moved to Billerica and it is a long commute to do every night. I really will miss coaching high school gymnastics and I do hope to find another coaching position somewhere closer to me in the near future.”

Daria Millerick, who has been as assistant coach this year, will be assuming the reins as head coach for next year.

WHS Sports through the years

10 years ago

February 3, 2005

Freshman Vin Eruzione scored two goals and had an assist for the WHS hockey team in a 4-3 loss to Danvers. Paul Eruzione scored the third goal for the Vikings.

The WHS boys basketball team earned a 66-60 win over Beverly led by Alex Hoomis, who sank five three-pointers en route to a career-high 26 points. Jamal Baptiste hit three treys and scored 14 points.

The WHS gymnastics team captured first place at the Coaches Invitational Meet held in Tewksbury last week. Leading the way for coach Kim Russo’s squad were sophomore Courtney Pino, freshman Cassi Mignosa, sophomore Jane Derderian, and Brianna Maylor.

The WHS girls basketball team made it three in a row with a 54-43 win over Beverly. Ari Flavin scored 10 points and grabbed six rebounds.  Freshman Kristen Finn led all scorers with 15 points, including three treys.

20 years ago

February 16, 1995

Paul Struzziero scored 23 points and David Lynch added 20 to lead the WHS boys basketball team to a 69-57 win over Swampscott.

The WHS girls basketball team was eliminated from contention for the state tourney with a 51-35 loss to Marblehead. Katherine Spinney scored nine points for the Lady Vikings.

Despite two goals by Michael Palmer, the WHS hockey team dropped a 4-3 decision to Swampscott.

Sophomores Kim Russo and Elizabeth Lally were the top scorers for the WHS girls gymnastics team this past season, as the Lady Vikings finished the year with a 3-5 record.

30 years ago

February 13, 1985

The WHS girls indoor track team captured its first-ever NEC title, as coach Larry Keegan’s squad compiled an undefeated 6-0-1 record.

The 15-1-0 WHS hockey team is set for a showdown for first place with 14-2 Marblehead this weekend at Salem State College. Winthrop, the fourth-ranked team in Division I, rolled past Salem 12-0, led by John Ferullo, who scored a hat trick, and Steve Acone, the NEC’s leading scorer. If Winthrop defeats Marblehead to clinch the NEC crown, it will be the Vikings’ eighth NEC title in the past 13 years.

With a tradition of nine post-season state tourney appearances on the line, the WHS girls basketball team will face a tall task in qualifying for the tourney once again when coach Ron Spinney’s squad takes on an 18-1 Salem squad in a must-win situation. Winthrop kept its tourney hopes alive with a win over Beverly this past week, sparked by the play of Paula Cavalieri and Sue Murphy.

40 years ago

February 12, 1975

The Winthrop High basketball team made the most of their visit to Boston Garden, where they played in a preliminary to a Boston Celtics game, with a 73-63 win over Swampscott to improve to 9-6. Junior Bob Lundberg scored 21 points, with Steve Demetriou adding 15 and Kevin Corkhum  hitting for 12.

Jackie Burke scored two goals to lead the WHS hockey team to a 3-0 win over Salem that eliminated Salem from the post-season tourney. The Vikings are three points behind Lynn English in the race for the NEC regular-season title with four games to play before the start of the NEC playoffs.

50 years ago

February 11, 1965

Tim Sheehan,  the dean of coaches at WHS, where he has coached golf for 34 years and been a teacher for 40, has announced his retirement.

The WHS basketball team, featuring four juniors in the starting lineup, played its best basketball of the season with a 66-49 win over No. Andover. John Conway led the way with 22 points, followed by Bill McGillicuddy with 15 and captain Mike Princi with 12.

60 years ago

February 10, 1955

Bobby Usseglio scored 16 points, Jim Evans added 15, and Charlie Rand hit for nine to lead the WHS basketball team to a 64-37 win over Marblehead that allows Winthrop to cling to a chance for an NEC title

70 years ago

February 8, 1945

Billy Countaway led Winthrop with 17 points in a 40-13 win over Amesbury to keep its record at 8-0 in the Northeastern Conference. However, Winthrop dropped a 21-17 contest to non-league rival, hapless Revere, in a game that turned into a free-for-all when the lights went out twice in the Revere junior high gymnasium. The referees lost control of the game when more than 50 fans mobbed the floor.