Sports 10-24-2018

EHS Roundup

EHS volleyball still

in hunt for tourney

The Everett High volleyball team kept its hopes alive for a berth in the post-season MIAA state tournament with a 3-0 victory at Somerville last Thursday.

The victory gave the Lady Crimson Tide seven wins for the season, which means they will need to win all three remaining games in order to punch their ticket for a Journey to the Tourney.

“We know it will be tough,” said head coach Mike Fineran. “Basically, every game is a tournament game, because if we lose, that’s it.”

This is the third season in a row that the Lady Crimson Tide’s fate will be determined by their performance in the final week of the regular season.

“The program has taken big strides in the last couple of years, and that’s a testament to our players, especially the seniors,” said Fineran. “We are a deep team, a committed team, and whatever the result is, I know they’ll be playing their hearts out.”

The win over Somerville came two days after a tough home loss to Beverly, a 3-0 match that was closer than the final score might indicate. Senior captain Anna Thomaz ignited a comeback in the first set, firing two aces and five service points, to pull Everett to 17-16, but Everett missed a serve down, 24-23, giving Beverly the first set.

Junior Bianca May (five kills) powered Everett to an 18-13 lead in the second set, and senior Laryssa Souza put the Tide up 24-20, but Everett could not close out the set, eventually falling, 27-25, before dropping the third set, 25-16.

“We had our chances against a strong team,” said Fineran. “But we weren’t playing with the confidence we had earlier in the year. Bad luck and bad bounces will do that to a team. We’ve got to get back to the basics and take care of business.”

The Everett girls earned some redemption in their next match with Somerville, with May and Thomaz leading the charge in the first set, which Everett won convincingly, 25-13. Thomaz had three aces, May five kills and an ace, and senior Camila Morare providing steady passing in the set.

Souza was the star in the second set, recording four digs, three aces, and seven service points, including the final point of the set, which Everett won, 26-24. Thomaz had three digs, senior EloizaGoncalves had four, and junior Saunti Burton added two kills.

In the third set, seniors DaiehneyVaz, JanekaVilmont, and Kayla Gomes earned key kills; Souza, Thomaz, and May served well; and defenders Lorena Corbelli and Shakira Fedna kept rallies going, as Everett outlasted the Lady Highlanders, 25-23.

The victory leaves the Lady Crimson Tide at 7-10, setting up do-or-die, home-and-away matches against Medford yesterday (Tuesday) and Friday, with Senior Night between the two tomorrow (Thursday) against Danvers.

“It won’t be easy,” said Fineran. “But we’ve got a shot, and that’s all you can ask for. Win and we’re in.”

 

EHS boys soccer nears playoff spot

The Everett High boys soccer team needs two points — either by a victory or two ties — in its final two games of the season this week in order to qualify for the MIAA post-season state tournament.

Coach Oswaldo Constanza’s Crimson Tide kept their record at the .500 mark — the percentage needed to punch a ticket for a Journey to the Tourney — with a hard-fought 1-1 draw with first place Lynn Classical this past Monday evening at  a chilly Everett Stadium.

Classical entered the contest with an undefeated (7-0-4) record in the NEC South, but the Crimson Tide almost handed the visiting Rams their first defeat in the division.

Everett took a 1-0 lead in the opening half when AndydavensElysee had the ball in the right corner and crossed to Henrique Da Silva, who beat his player with a nice one-on-one move, and then made a nice pass to Thalyson Oliveira, who tapped the ball into the back of the  net.

However, Classical brought the contest back to level in the second half when a Ram struck a bending shot from outside the box.

“It was a good game overall,” noted Constanza afterwards.

Last week the Crimson Tide dropped its two contests, 1-0 to St. John’s Prep, and 4-3 to Gloucester. Elysee recorded the hat trick in the Gloucester match, with Juan Meza Rojas earning two assists.

The Everett boys, who now stand at 6-6-4 on the season, were set to play at Salem this evening (Wednesday) and then will host Chelsea in the last game of the year Friday in their quest for a berth in the tourney.

Everett opens state playoffs

against Andover Friday night

By Cary Shuman

The Everett High School football team will open the MIAA playoffs against Andover High School Friday at 7 p.m. at Everett Veterans Memorial Stadium.

Everett is the No. 1 seed in the Division 1 North Sectional and has a 7-0 record under first-year head coach Theluxon Pierre. Andover is the No. 8 seed with a 2-4 record.

The teams had one common opponent, Lawrence High School. Everett defeated the Lancers, 35-8, while Andover won its matchup, 38-14.

Andover plays in the Merrimack Valley Conference, arguably one of the best football leagues in the state. Four MVC teams, Central Catholic, Methuen, Haverhill, and Andover, are competing in the Division 1 North sectionals while North Andover (7-0) is the top seed in Division 2 North.

Everett, the two-time defending Division 1 state champion, was very impressive in the regular season, beating Catholic Conference powerhouses Xaverian (5-1) and St. John’s Prep (6-1), along with Mansfield (6-1), who is the No. 1 seed in the Division 2 South sectional.

The Crimson Tide enter the playoffs following a two-week layoff as a result of Malden’s decision to forfeit last week’s game.

The Tide have improved in each game while also cutting down on their penalties, which were an early-season issue. Led by sophomore quarterback Duke Doherty and senior two-way standout Mike Sainristil, Everett has been one of the highest-scoring teams in Massachusetts.

Isaac Seide, JadanMahabir, Eli Auguste, and Tyrese Baptiste are other big-play performers to watch in the playoffs.

Everett’s defense has also been stellar, allowing only 81 yards rushing and 94 yards passing per game.

 

TIDE NOTEBOOK

Duke Doherty has passed for 1,035 yards with 16 touchdowns in his first season as Everett’s starting quarterback.

Everett carries a 26-game winning streak in to the playoffs.

Mike Sainristil has to be the leading candidate for Division 1 player of the year honors. Sainristil has seven TD receptions and two rushing TDs in addition to intercepting four passes. He has also been effective on special teams as a kick returner and punter.

The Northeastern Conference has voted in Everett as a full member of the 16-school league, which means that Everett could play seven regular season games in football next year against the following schools: Malden, Medford, Revere, Somerville, Lynn English, Lynn Classical, and Salem. Supt. of Schools Frederick Foresteire, who has presided over the state’s most successful football program, has not officially commented yet on the NEC vote to admit Everett in football.

Everett has been playing an independent football schedule this season and it was considered the toughest schedule in the state. Everett handed three teams, St. John’s Prep, Xaverian, and Mansfield, their only losses of the season.

(EHS television football analyst Paul Halloran’s game notes were used in the compilation of this story).

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