Southern Arizona student-athletes dominated in their respective sports this past season, leading to unforgettable moments and wins. Here are our top moments, athletes and coaches who made the 2024-25 season special.
High School Sports
The Arizona Daily Star's top high school athletes, coaches and moments of the 2024
Plus, we’ll share the winners of last week’s reader’s choice polls.
Top fall athletes
Dezmen Roebuck, Marana High School
A star on offense and defense, Marana’s Dezmen Roebuck jumps for joy after making the game-icing interception in the final seconds of the Tigers’ win over Salpointe Catholic on Aug. 30, 2024, in Marana.
Marana senior and wide receiver Dezmen Roebuck made history this past September when he broke the state receiving record with 283 career receptions during a game against Higley. He finished his high school football career with 352 receptions. ALA-Gilbert North’s Brandon Phelps previously held the record with 282 career receptions. Although the Tigers didn’t win the AIA Open State Championships this past season, the team went undefeated in the regular season with a 10-0 record.
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Roebuck also received numerous awards for his exceptional career with the Tigers, including Arizona’s 2024 Gatorade State Player of the Year and the prestigious Ed Doherty Award. He committed to the University of Washington last year.
Amelia North, Rincon/University High School
Rincon/University cross country runner Amelia North climbs a hill with a teammate on the first lap of a 5K during a meet at Reid Park on Oct. 1, 2024.
Rincon/University senior and cross country runner, Amelia North, snagged eight (no, that’s not a typo) first-place wins during the fall season. During October’s Eye of the Tiger Invitational at Marana High School, she set a personal best time of 17:44.0 in the 5,000 meters. Her record was the fastest in the state across all divisions. Throughout the season, she has been ranked No. 1 in the state in girls cross country, beating out runners from the Phoenix area. In the fall state tournament, she took home second place in the 5,000 meters.
Earlier this month, North committed to the University of Arizona, where she will compete in cross country and track and field.
Honorable mentions
Malaysia Roebuck, Marana High School flag football
– When it comes to Southern Arizona high school football, the Roebucks are a household name, including flag football player Malaysia Roebuck, the sister of Dezmen and Sean. Malaysia had 17 touchdowns this season and made it onto the national leaderboards for touchdowns, total points and punt return yards.
Soso Okpara, Mica Mountain High School girls volleyball
– Mica Mountain senior Soso Okpara had a killer volleyball season last fall. The Air Force Academy commit had 300 kills this past season. For reference, the national average is 52. With Okpara in tow, the Thunderbolts went 15-2 in the regular season, making it all the way to the championship match of the state tournament before losing 3-0 to Estrella Foothills.
Emiliano Caldera, Catalina High School cross country
– Catalina’s Emiliano Caldera had a junior year for the books. Throughout the fall cross country season, he snagged three first-place wins in 5,000-meter events, including the TUSD XC Championship. At the state championship, he finished in 11th place with a personal best of 16:20.1. During a conversation with the Star last year, Caldera said he hopes to compete for NAU after graduating high school.
Top winter athletes
Sergio Vega, Sunnyside High School
Sergio Vega, right, spars with Adyn Bostick during wresting practice at Sunnyside High School. Vega is ranked No. 1 in the 138-pound weight class and No. 11 in the pound-for-pound class in the United States.
Wrestling dominates the winter sports season in Tucson, so it’s no surprise that we had to choose wrestling royalty as our top athletes for this season.
Sunnyside senior Sergio Vega is one of the best wrestlers in the nation. In the fall and winter, he was ranked No. 1 in the U.S. in the 138-pound weight class. Since then, he’s bumped down to No. 3, but being in the top five in the country is still an accomplishment to be proud of. Vega has numerous wins under his belt, including at the prestigious FloWrestling’s Who’s Number One tournament and USA Wrestling’s Junior National Championships. On a local level, he ended his career with four state championships.
Vega, a multi-generational wrestler, was previously committed to Ivy League Cornell but flipped to Oklahoma State, where he will wrestle this fall.
Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith, Pueblo High School
Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith cartwheels through her warmups during a work out at Pueblo High School on June 5, 2024. Joining her father, Josiah, and grandfather, Orlando, Elizabeth is the latest of three generations to notch Arizona state championships in wrestling at Pueblo High School.
Mentioning Tucson’s wrestling royalty wouldn’t be complete without putting Pueblo’s Elizabeth Valenzuela Smith in the mix. She may only be a sophomore, but Valenzuela Smith is a third-generation state champion, preceded by her father, Josiah and grandfather, Orlando Smith. Her first state championship was a first for Pueblo and the Tucson Unified School District. She added a second state championship to her résumé earlier this year.
Currently, Valenzuela Smith is ranked No. 18 in the U.S. in the 115-pound weight class.
Honorable mentions
Leo Gutierrez, Salpointe Catholic High School boys soccer
– Salpointe’s Leo Gutierrez is one of the best soccer players to touch the pitch in Southern Arizona. During the winter season, Gutierrez was No. 1 in the nation in goals and points. The star player even received an offer from New York City FC, but he ultimately opted to return home to Salpointe for his senior year. It’s a good thing he did because he helped lead the team to its record fifth straight state championship earlier this year.
America Cazares, Pueblo High School girls basketball
– Pueblo had an incredible season in the 5A conference, losing only two regular-season games. A big part of the Warriors’ success is due to junior America Cazares, who put up serious numbers. She recorded 759 points, 116 rebounds and 120 steals this season. She ranked No. 43 in the U.S. for points per game with 28.1.
America Romero, Douglas High School girls soccer
– Douglas sophomore and goalkeeper America Romero had 171 saves this season, placing her on multiple leaderboards. She ranked No. 11 in Arizona and No. 63 nationally for her saves. With Romero in the box, the Bulldogs only lost one regular-season game, ending the season with an 11-1 record.
Top spring athletes
Austin Cohen, Catalina Foothills High School
Catalina Foothills senior tennis player Austin Cohen poses for a photo after his workout at Himmel Park on April 29, 2025.
Foothills senior tennis star Austin Cohen is the top player in Arizona and No. 65 in the nation in the 2025 recruiting class. Before even attending Foothills, Cohen had already recorded 450 wins. The senior has multiple state championships, including this season’s team championships (the school’s 18th overall) and his second straight individual title. As an individual, he has a 30-0 record.
Cohen is set to attend William & Mary in Virginia this fall.
Kendall Freidinger, Empire High School
Kendall Freidinger, of Empire High School, pitches in the first inning during a game at Tanque Verde High School on April 21, 2025.
Empire pitching ace and senior Kendall Freidinger is one of the top softball players in Southern Arizona. She had 281 strikeouts this season, placing her at No. 62 on the national leaderboards. She also notched a 1.13 ERA this season. Freidinger and the Ravens battled to the very end of the season, earning their second straight state championship earlier this month. Despite the state tournament being a stressful time, Freidinger lived for each moment, eager to play the tougher games and figure out how to improve for the next game.
Freidinger is heading to Weber State this fall to study health administration.
Honorable mentions
Amelia Streuber, Canyon del Oro High School softball
– CDO ace Amelia Streuber ended her season with 100 strikeouts and a 0.88 ERA. While the Dorados didn’t come home with a state title this year, falling 4-0 in the championship game, they went undefeated in the regular season, thanks to Streuber. Off the field, Streuber has documented her college recruitment journey online, helping other athletes in similar positions. She will attend Oregon State this fall on a scholarship.
Bryan Martinez, Bisbee High School baseball
– Bisbee baseball star Bryan Martinez and the Pumas went undefeated this season, going 17-0 in the regular season. Martinez excelled this season with a 0.44 ERA and a batting average of .458. For his winning record, Martinez is ranked No. 2 in the state and No. 21 in the nation.
Lacey Kaufman, Salpointe Catholic High School girls tennis
– Salpointe sophomore Lacey Kaufman is making a name for herself in the local tennis scene. Kaufman took home the state title for the Div. II singles event at this year’s state championship. The Lady Lancers also took home the title for the team event.
Coaches of the year
Pat Nugent, Mica Mountain football
Mica Mountain head coach Pat Nugent holds the trophy after his team’s victory in the 4A football state championship on Dec. 6, 2024, in Tempe.
Mica Mountain football head coach Pat Nugent led the Thunderbolts to their first state championship in just three years as a varsity program. Soon after the state championship, Nugent retired, with 27 seasons as a head coach at multiple schools under his belt.
“You always want to keep fighting and battling but to end up being a champion and 14-0 with a special group, it’s a special way,” Nugent previously told the Star. “It’s always hard to leave but it’s a great opportunity to step away from the game.”
Nugent previously coached at Flowing Wells, Canyon del Oro and Cienega. He has a combined 172-66 career coaching record.
Shannon Woolridge, Empire softball
Empire’s Eva Peace rounds third for home with a high five from coach Shannon Woolridge after Peace’s two-run home run put Empire up 4-0 en route to an eventual 10-6 win over Valley Christian on May 11 in the Arizona Class 3A state title game in Tempe.
Empire softball head coach Shannon Woolridge guided the Ravens to their second consecutive state championship this spring. Before taking home the state title, Empire had quite the season. The Ravens were on a 39-game winning streak that dated back to last season. With the championship title in hand, Empire finished the season with a 28-1 record.
But if you were to ask what made the Ravens’ season so spectacular, Woolridge would give all the credit to his athletes.
“… To see these kids come in as bright-eyed, inexperienced freshmen to young women that are ready to lead and take on the world … I mean, the wins are great. The championships are great. But seeing them develop into young women who are ready for that next step is probably the most gratifying,” he previously told the Star.
Memorable moments of each season
Roebuck breaks state record
– Marana football star Dezmen Roebuck broke the state receiving record with 283 career receptions during a game against Higley in September. He ultimately finished his high school football career with 352 receptions.
Johanna Simpson joined Nogales’ inaugural flag football team to try something new and ended up loving it. Four games into the school’s debut flag football season, she already logged 279 rushing yards.
Nogales debuts girls flag football team
– Nogales High School debuted its girls flag football this past fall. The team went 9-3 in its inaugural season.
Catalina Foothills girls win 13th state swimming championship
– Foothills’ girls swim and dive team won its 13th state championship (since 2000) last November.
Salpointe girls and boys teams win state soccer tournament
– Salpointe soccer dominated the 4A conference in the winter, with both teams bringing home state titles. The boys took down Scottsdale Saguaro 7-2, and the girls defeated Prescott, 1-0, in the championship games.
Flowing Wells celebrates 50 years of Lady Cabs basketball
– More than 50 community members and alumni showed up last winter to celebrate 50 years of Flowing Wells girls basketball. The Lady Cabs have won 19 region championships, been to 11 state finals fours, were state runner-up six times and won the 2008 state championship since its inception in 1975.
Pueblo Warriors America Cazares (3) collects the rebound during the MLK Coaches for Charity Classic at McKale Center, Jan. 20, 2025.
Local student-athletes participate in the MLK Basketball Classic at McKale Center
– Numerous basketball players from Southern Arizona high schools competed in the annual MLK Basketball Classic in January. The event, which is hosted by Coaches for Charity, raises money for elementary school sports equipment and scholarships.
Empire wins back-to-back state softball titles
– Empire winning its second straight state championship was not only a memorable moment for the team, but for all high school sports enthusiasts in Southern Arizona. The Ravens defeated Yuma Catholic, 1-0, in extra innings for the state title.
Rincon/University boys volleyball wins TUSD tourney
– Rincon/University boys volleyball won the TUSD invitational in March, taking down Pueblo, Canyon del Oro, Cholla and Palo Verde Magnet, with an overall score of 8-0. The win is a first for new Rincon/University boys coach Sean Haynes, who led the Rangers to an 11-6 season.
Timothy Tran, a senior varsity volleyball player at Rincon/University High School, serves the ball during a game against Salpointe Catholic, April 12, 2025.
Pusch Ridge wins first state golf title
– In the final push of the spring season, Pusch Ridge returned to Tucson with its first-ever golf state championship. The team edged Phoenix-area schools, Phoenix Country Day (604) and Valley Christian (605), with a final score of 603.
Reader’s choice
– Tucson’s top girl student-athlete of the fall season: Vita Carr, Tucson High School swim
– Tucson’s top boy student-athlete of the fall season: Emiliano Caldera, Catalina High School cross country
– Tucson’s top girl student-athlete of the winter season: Sarah Perez, Sahuarita High School wrestling, and America Romero, Douglas High School soccer (Results showed a 50/50 tie)
– Tucson’s top boy student-athlete of the winter season: Kameron Pippen, Palo Verde High School basketball, and Leo Gutierrez, Salpointe High School soccer (Results showed a 50/50 tie)
– Tucson’s top girl student-athlete of the spring season: A three-way tie among Amelia Streuber and Molly Herman, CDO High School softball; Lourdes Gamez, St. Augustine Catholic High School softball; and Claire Achilles, Tanque Verde High School softball
– Tucson’s top boy student-athlete of the spring season: Milo Mandolini, Sabino High School track and field
Contact Elvia Verdugo, the Star’s community sports editor, at everdugo@tucson.com. A journalism and history graduate from the University of Arizona, she shares stories highlighting what makes Tucson and its community special.
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We’ve got Thursday night football to kick off Week 1 around the Garden State as JSZ brings you three games from the gridiron. Princeton and Allentown meet in a Mercer County thriller, Demarest looks to start strong against Bergen Tech plus Washington Township tries to reach 2-0 against Pennsauken in the WJFL. Check back as the highlights are posted throughout the night!
Down 6-0, senior Ellinton Hinds who already had an interception on the first drive of the game, made one of the best catches in all of New Jersey high school football so far this season to keep Princeton (2-0) undefeated in 2025. Hinds had two leaping catches from QB Quinton deFaria, who threw for 109 yards and a TD. The Tigers beat Allentown (0-2) for the first time since 2005 and look to keep their win streak alive with a Week 2 matchup against Ewing.
JSZ’s Tyler Mroz has the highlights + reaction from Allentown:
Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Princeton and Allentown is brought to you by Princeton Orthopaedic Associates.
The Minutemen took care of business in their home opener by racing out to a 35-0 halftime lead and cruising the rest of the way. Colin Beeler scored a pair of touchdowns to lead a bruising rushing attack in the victory. Paris Pratt hauled in a touchdown and added a fumble return touchdown for Washington Township (2-0). Pennsauken (1-1) will look to bounce back next Thursday against Highland.
JSZ’s James Mooney has the highlights from Sewell:
Jersey Sports Zone’s coverage of Washington Township is made possible by Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey.
With lead running back Reed Kauderer unavailable for the majority of the game, the Norsemen needed their other playmakers to step up. They ultimately answered the bell. Quarterback Joseph Yun accounted for three total touchdowns as Demarest (1-0) begins their 2025 season with a bang. Daejuan Joseph caught a pair of touchdown passes in the win. Bergen Tech (0-1) will now turn their focus to a game against Ferris next week.
JSZ’s Sean Dugan has the highlights from Little Ferry:
Five games dotted the high school football schedule Thursday night.
In Class AA, Butte stormed past Billings Skyview 33-13 on the road while Missoula Sentinel knocked off No. 3 Great Falls CMR 6-0. A big showdown in 8-Man lived up to its billing as No. 3 Fort Benton beat No. 2 Belt 24-22.
Check out the highlights and details below:
CLASS AA
Missoula Sentinel 6, No. 3 Great Falls CMR 0
After a scoreless first half, Sentinel struck with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Rudy Hess to Kyler Haslam. That ended up being the game’s only score, as the Spartans’ defense kept Great Falls CMR off the scoreboard entirely.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:
Missoula Sentinel knocks off No. 3 Great Falls CMR in defensive slugfest
Sentinel held CMR to six first downs, and 0-for-9 showing on third down and 132 total offensive yards. The Spartans’ Jake Boggust recovered a fumble on a promising CMR drive in the fourth quarter that helped preserve the shutout.
Butte 33, Billings Skyview 13
Hudson Luedtke caught three touchdown passes from Brooks Vincent to lead Butte to a road victory. Peyton Johnson had a scoring run and Jaeger Hansen returned an interception for a TD as the Bulldogs built a sizable first-half lead.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:
Butte picks up convincing win at Billings Skyview
The Falcons got their points on two touchdown passes from Jaxon Zagata to Jackson Carter.
At halftime, Skyview celebrated the 30th anniversary of its 1995 state title team. That year, the Falcons went 11-1 under coach Rob Lebsock and won the Class AA championship with a 27-20 victory over Bozeman.
MTN Sports
8-MAN
No. 3 Fort Benton 24, No. 2 Belt 22
Truman Giese’s fourth-quarter touchdown and two-point conversion gave Fort Benton the lead and two defensive takeaways in the final minutes helped maintain it as Fort Benton knocked off Belt in a ranked matchup.
WATCH THE HIGHLIGHTS:
No. 3 Fort Benton knocks off No. 2 Belt in 8-Man showdown
Blake Waldner set an early tone for the Huskies with a 29-yard touchdown run, but Giese scored from 3 yards out to help tie it 8-8 in the second quarter.
Slater Lords had a long catch and run for a touchdown, putting Belt up 16-8, but a Giese-to-David Olson TD pass tied the game again. In the third, Waldner turned a Huskies interception into another touchdown run as Belt grabbed a 22-16 advantage. But it didn’t hold up.
Other Thursday scores:
8-Man
Fairview 64, Poplar 0
6-Man
Highwood 62, Alberton 0
In this countdown, we look back at the fastest recorded tennis serves of all time.
Service speed remains a dominant feature in the modern game and can become a player’s trump card out on the court.
With players getting stronger and cutting-edge technology in tennis racquets making leaps and bounds, serves today are faster than ever.
We take a look at the fastest serves ever recorded by men and women out on the tennis court.
Men’s fastest tennis serve
Sam Groth – 263.4kph (163.7mph.)
Australian Sam Groth has the honour of having the fastest recorded tennis serve of all time.
The 6ft 4 Australian set the record during an ATP Open Challenger match in Busan, South Korea, in 2012 against Belarusian tennis player Uladzimir Ignatik.
Groths serve clocks in at a staggering 263.4kph (163.7mph).
Honorable mentions
Second Fastest Recorded Serve in Tennis
Albano Olivetti – 257.5 kph (160mph)
Frenchman Albano Olivetti holds the record for the second-fastest serve ever recorded. The French tennis pro also remains the second person to break the 160mph serve speed barrier.
Olivetti’s serve came in 2012 at the challenger level during the Internazionali Trofeo Lame Perrel–Faip.
Albano Olivetti holds the second-fastest record serve on the tour.
Third Fastest Recorded Serve in Tennis
John Isner – 253 kph (157.2 mph).
It would be hard not to include the American giant John Isner in this list. The 6ft 10 American is known best for his monster serves, which are delivered consistently throughout.
His monstrous serve is thanks in part to his stature. Isner clocks in as the third-tallest tennis player on the ATP behind the Croatian giant Ivo Karlovic and American young gun Reilly Opelka (both 6ft 11 inches). Ivo Karlovic currently holds the record for the fourth fastest recorded tennis serve.
Isner currently holds the third fastest serve in tennis. The Americans serve, clocking in at 253 kph (157.2 mph) during a 2016 Davis Cup tie against Bernard Tomic.
John Isner also holds the record for playing the longest match in Grand Slam history against Nicolas Mahut. During Wimbledon 2010, Isner beat Mahut in 5 sets: 6–4, 3–6, 6–7, 7–6, 70–68. The match lasted 11 hours and 5 minutes.
Isner’s serve is the fastest recorded serve in tennis, recognised by the ATP.
Fastest Tennis Serve Female
Georgina García Pérez – 220kph (136.7 mph)
Spaniard Georgina Garcia Perez holds the record for the fastest recorded tennis serve by a woman.
Perez clocked a serve of 200kph (136.7 mph) during the Hungarian Ladies Open in 2018.
Georgina Garcia Perez holds the record for the fastest serve by a female.
Why is it nearly impossible to hit a 160 mph tennis serve?
A considered calculation of stature, technique, coaching, mechanics and good old practice is said to make the perfect concoction for a fast serve.
A direct correlation has been proven between the height of a player and power during a serve. Therefore, it is no coincidence that the top servers of the game are all giants by nature.
The trajectory of a serve remains ever important. Players who are 6ft 7 or above have the ability to hit the ball with a downward trajectory, whereas those who are under that height are unable to do so.
Modern technology has also greatly aided in the incremental increase of server power over time. The changeover from wooden rackets to today’s modern racket is a huge factor in determining serve power. Advancements in string technology and racket materials also play a huge part in determining a fast serve.
Other mitigating factors include court conditions. Faster serves are much more likely to happen on a hard court and during hotter temperatures, where there is less resistance to air density, translating to faster speeds.
When you compare the fastest tennis serve with other sports, you can see how fast it is.
Fastest Football shot – 114 mph by David Hirst in 1996
Fastest Baseball pitch – 105.1 mph by Aroldis Chapman in 2010
Fastest Cricket Bowling speed – 100.2 mph by Shoaib Akhtar in 2003
What is the average tennis serve speed?
The average tennis serve speed differs between both men and women, as well as between pros and amateurs. Data shows us that for professional male tennis players, the average tennis serve speed is approximately 114 mph (on their first serve) and 93 mph (on their second serve).
For women, the average tennis serve speed clocks in at 98 mph (on their first serve) and 82 mph (on their second serve).
This data was recorded between 2002-2013, so bear in mind the average speeds have likely increased by a few miles per hour in the modern era, as racquet technology and athletes continue to evolve and adapt within the sport.
Check out Wired’s video, which covers the topic more in-depth.
Fancy writing for us: Apply to become a Sports Writer at the Sporting Ferret
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High School Sports
Poudre tennis top singles player Owen Addington voted Blue FCU Athlete of the Week
It’s the second edition of Blue Federal Credit Union‘s Fort Collins-area Athlete of the Week for the 2025-26 high school sports season.
And this week’s honor is hitting the local tennis courts with a top singles player.
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Poudre boys tennis player Owen Addington took top honors in the Fort Collins area for the week of Aug. 25-30 after a couple of dominant sweeps.
Playing on the No. 1 singles line, the Impalas senior dropped just six games in four sets across two match wins over Windsor and Northglenn’s top players.
He beat Windsor’s Joseph Bisceglia (6-2, 6-3) and followed that up with a 6-0, 6-1 over Northglenn’s Emrah Mehidic.
Poudre’s Owen Addington bends down to hit a shot during a city rivalry boys tennis dual on Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024 at Fort Collins High School in Fort Collins, Colo.
Addington, also a basketball player and tennis team captain, has helped Poudre get off to a 3-1 start this season that also included a team tournament title at the Thompson Valley Invitational.
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The senior and third-year varsity player is the first tennis player to earn Blue FCU Athlete of the Week honors in the award’s third school year. He joins Rocky Mountain’s Bode Nesbitt as the first winners in the 2025-26 prep sports season.
Poudre fans pushed Addington atop the polls, giving him the victory with 51.5% of the fan vote.
That propelled him past these other four outstanding Athlete of the Week nominees:
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Brooke Pravlik, PSD flag football (runner-up at 36.7%)
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Taylor Morgan, Wellington softball
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Judd Nikkel, Fossil Ridge boys golf
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Nora Ebel, Rocky Mountain girls cross country
The Blue Federal Credit Union Athlete of the Week series features five nominees on Mondays, with voting at Coloradoan.com until 11:59 p.m. every Wednesday.
Fans can nominate their favorite athletes (deadline: 11:59 p.m. every Sunday), and the Coloradoan Sports staff will ultimately select the nominees each week.
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If you have nominations for a future Athlete of the Week, please send them via email to ChrisAbshire@coloradoan.com for consideration.
View the full results:
Chris Abshire covers high school and community sports for the Coloradoan.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Poudre tennis’ Owen Addington voted Blue FCU Athlete of the Week
With sincere apologies to all the games played Thursday, here at Globe Schools it feels a lot like Christmas Eve, with a full slate of high school football arriving under the tree Friday evening.
Over the last two weeks we talked to nearly 200 football coaches and wrote more than 30,000 words previewing every team in Eastern Mass. There’s still time for a cram session!
Team-by-team previews for every Eastern Mass. program
- Previewing Division 1 teams
- Previewing Division 2 teams
- Previewing Division 3 teams
- Previewing Division 4 teams
- Previewing Division 5 teams
- Previewing Division 6 teams
- Previewing Division 7 teams
- Previewing Division 8 teams
- Week 1 in EMass high school football: 10 games to watch and picks
- The 35 Eastern Mass. high school football players you need to see this fall
- Plan the ultimate Mass. high school football season: The 10 best games to attend in 2025
Trevor Hass wrote about Whittier football coach Kevin Bradley, who is continuing to coach the team while battling tongue cancer. Read coach Bradley’s inspirational story.
The first three football games of the season were played Thursday night, with Pentucket topping Northeast (26-22), Waltham holding off Belmont (24-12), and Brookline beating Lexington (27-10).
1. Milestones
▪ Two golf teams made history, as Canton set a new low home score at Blue Hill Country Club, scoring a 138 as a team to best Mansfield by 15 strokes thanks to 1-under-par 33s from senior Joey Ryan and freshman Chase Thomas.
▪ Rockport set a record for most points on its home course, Rockport Country Club, posting a 168-151 win over Hamilton-Wenham behind a 38-point showing from Sam Kesterson, who shot a 1-under-par 34 with three birdies.
▪ St. John Paul II field hockey coach Leah Pierce got her first win with the program, beating Bishop Stang, 3-0. Ariana Liakos got her first win helming the Pembroke girls’ volleyball, beating Falmouth, 3-1. And Acton-Boxborough girls’ soccer coach Manny Lopes notched his first victory, 4-0, over Algonquin.
2. Upset city
▪ No. 4 Needham girls’ volleyball knocked off preseason No. 1 Brookline, 3-0, just a day after falling, 3-0, to No. 2 Newton North.
▪ On the pitch, No. 18 Medfield boys’ soccer shocked No. 10 Oliver Ames, the defending Division 2 state champions, with a 2-0 win powered by goals from Max Tillmann and Sebastian Cole.
TVL Small Boys Soccer ⚽️:
Max Tillmann 🥅 🚨 in the 64’ minute and Warriors lead 1-0.
@Medfieldsoccer @coachmace @TVLSportsMa @HometownWeekly @MetroWestSports @GlobeSchools @BConn63 @Murray_Jack_ @DSRaidersSports pic.twitter.com/EjengoH7qO— Medfield Athletics (@MedfieldAD) September 4, 2025
3. College corner
Keene State freshman Kayla DiPasquale, a Marshfield High graduate, was named Little East Conference women’s soccer Rookie of the Week after scoring her first two collegiate goals in a 4-2 win over Rivier.
4. Commitment central
BB&N senior captain Sam Kelley, a 6-foot-2-inch, 228-pound two-way athlete from Natick, announced he will play football at Brown.
Very excited to announce my commitment to the process at Brown University! @Coach_Willey_FB @BrownU_Football @BrownHCPerry @CoachEMorrissey pic.twitter.com/OsCcisxlco
— Sam Kelley (@samkelley__) September 4, 2025
5. Soccer leaderboard
Goals
Talia Lowney, Greater Lowell, 5
Mary Kudarauskas, Sturgis West, 4
Rowan Malvey, Marshfield, 4
Miguel Armaczuk, St. John Paul II, 3
Cody Boghdan, St. John Paul II, 3
Jackie Fritz, Salem, 3
Linda Jenner, Sharon, 3
Leah Monahan, Lowell, 3
Angie Niz, Lynn Tech, 3
Devon Weafer, Medfield, 3
Bella Wen, Westwood, 3
Davide Vitale, Shawsheen, 3
Points
Lowney, Greater Lowell, 10
Kudarauskas, Sturgis West, 8
Malvey, Marshfield, 8
Kaylee Barrett, Lynnfield, 7
Jenner, Sharon 6
Lauren Sutliffe, Duxbury, 6
Vitale, Shawsheen, 6
Lyla Chapman, Tewksbury, 5
Ava Damiani, Lynnfield, 5
Jocelyn DeMedeiros, Sturgis West, 5
Zach Dziggle, Shawsheen, 5
Maddie Fernandes, Mansfield, 5
Sophie Hano, Manchester Essex, 5
Cory Lloyd, O’Bryant, 5
Sera Eramo, Greater Lowell, 5
6. Field hockey leaders
Goals
Hannah D’Angelo, Pembroke, 4
Dani Ekyman, Sutton, 4
Julie Pacheco, Somerset Berkley, 4
Anthony Ford, Lowell, 3
Alyssa Norden, St. Mary’s, 3
Abbie Poole, Malden Catholic, 3
Natalie Ramcharan, Malden Catholic, 3
Maura Richardson, Joseph Case, 3
Points
Emma Bouchard, Joseph Case, 5
Pacheco, Somerset Berkley, 5
D’Angelo, Pembroke, 4
Ford, Lowell, 4
Richardson, Joseph Case, 4
Vaught, Somerset Berkley, 4
Caitlin Patten, Hingham, 3
Sam Rudick, Hingham, 3
7. Girls volleyball leaders
Kills
Kiera Clark, Milton, 17
Kyra Ward, Chelmsford, 15
Julie Hall, Central Catholic, 14
Sadie Stants, Needham, 14
Norah Downey, Braintree, 11
Assists
Sophie Derwinski, Milton, 27
Madison Blanchet, Central Catholic, 24
Ellen Griswold, Chelmsford, 22
Bella Lee, Needham, 17
Audrey Manning, Lynnfield, 14
Digs
Alexia Vaquerano, Lynnfield, 14
Brooke Braswell, Lynn Classical, 12
Angelina Silva, Tewksbury, 12
Blocks
Alexia Faria, Central Catholic, 10
Downey, Braintree, 5
Manning, Lynnfield, 5
Aces
Morgan Etna, Hamilton-Wenham, 9
Hall, Central Catholic, 7
Maria Rosario, Greater Lawrence, 6
Downey, Braintree, 4
Stants, Needham, 4
Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.
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