It’s Deja Vu All Over Again
When long-time Everett High sports fans look at the 2019 fall sports schedule, no doubt they will be wondering whether they are living a real-life version of “Back to the Future.”
For the past three seasons, the Crimson Tide, with the exception of football, have been playing in the Northeastern Conference after the members of the Greater Boston League voted to merge with the NEC.
The merger deal called for a three-year trial period, but earlier this year, a permanent agreement was rejected by less than the necessary two-thirds vote of the original 12 members of the NEC, falling short by one vote, 7-5.
Thus, the four GBL schools — Everett, Somerville, Malden, and Medford — were left out of the loop and were forced to re-establish the GBL.
However, there was an added twist. Revere, a former long-time GBL school that departed to join the NEC in 2006, decided to return to its roots, thus creating a five-school conference. As part of the agreement to leave the NEC, Revere still will play football with the NEC for the next two seasons.
So what’s old is new again for Crimson Tide fans and athletes — and the GBL lives on after a hiatus of two and one-half years.
EHS Girls Soccer Opens Today
The Everett High girls soccer team will kick off its 2019 season today (Wednesday) when coach DeAnn Gallagher and her crew journey to O’Bryant High School in Boston for a non-league encounter.
This year’s edition of the Lady Crimson Tide will be led by a trio of captains,
Samantha Perkins, Dayeli Garcia, and Carolann Cardinale. A quintet of seniors, Rosemary Bonilla, Michelle Bonilla, Bruna DeSouza, Lesli Rojop, and Ashley Tejada, also will provide experience and leadership.
They will be joined by juniors Isadora Pimenta, Alexandra Melara, and Katrina Nguyen; sophomores Gitalia Boyce, Stephanie Azurdia, Caelle Gauvin, Mariana Madrigal, and Maria Paula Zubieta Numpaque; and freshmen Lamiah Wyzard and Leah Ferule.
“We have 18 girls on our varsity roster,” said Gallagher, who formerly coached the EHS girls program and who now is back at the helm. “We have strong leadership from our captains and seniors. I am really looking forward to our opening game on Wednesday, as this will be our true test. The girls have worked really hard these past few days and they’re prepared to have a great season.”
Gallagher will have a pair of assistant coaches who were former players under her tutelage. Caitlyn Winsor, who graduated from UMass-Lowell, is the varsity assistant coach, and Sheryl Steeves, a graduate of UMass-Amherst, will be the junior varsity coach.
After today’s game at O’Bryant, the girls will trek to Dracut next Tuesday and then will entertain Greater Boston League opponent Revere next Wednesday at the Madeleine English School field.
EHS Field Hockey Team Opens Saturday
The Everett High field hockey team is ready to take to the field for their season-opener when coach Melissa O’Donnell and her squad make the long trek to non-league rival Lockport on Saturday morning.
The 2019 Lady Crimson Tide will be led by a pair of senior captains, Ashley Yebba and Elizabeth Peach, and a junior, Ashley Fitzgerald.
“Our team is full of returners and we should have a good year,” said O’Donnell. “We recently moved back to the GBL. Our team will be strong in all aspects of the game and we are hoping to have a great season.
O’Donnell and her crew have a busy first week on tap. After Saturday’s contest, they will host Burlington on Monday and travel to Lowell on Tuesday. They then will make the short trip to Malden for their first GBL game next Thursday.
Veteran Boys Cross Country Team Opens Season Next Wednesday
The Everett High cross-country team will open its season in the newly-reconstituted Greater Boston League when the Crimson Tide will take on all of the GBL teams in the GBL Open next Wednesday.
The meet will take place over the 2.75 mile course at Macdonald Park in Medford.
Coach Brendan Hahesy’s squad will be led by a quintet of seniors, Jacob Jackson, Christian Simeon, Arthur Rosa, Tony Tang, and Rothsaida Sylvaince.
“Our seniors are looking to have a strong last season at EHS,” noted Hahesy. The Crimson Tide’s first dual meet of 2019 is set for the following week at Revere.