EHS softball team concludes season with two victories; awaits tourney foe
The Everett High softball team concluded its regular season with a pair of victories this past week, defeating non-league opponents Swampscott and Lowell last week to finish the season with a fine overall record of 15-5.
Coach Stacy Poste-Schiavo and her crew were awaiting word today (Wednesday) of their seeding and opponent in the opening round of the MIAA Division 1 state softball tournament.
In a 12-7 triumph at Swampscott last Wednesday, the Tide broke open a 7-7 deadlock with some clutch hitting in the late innings to claim the victory.
After spotting Swampscott a 3-0 lead in the opening inning, the Everett offense responded with five runs in the top of the second. Emma Salvi delivered a bases-loaded, two-run double that scored Graziella Foster and Juiette Romboli, who had singled. Olivia Dresser and Alex Uga came through with RBI singles that scored Jayla Davila (who had reached on a bunt) and Salvi.
The Lady Big Blue got one back in its half of the inning, and the teams traded runs in the third, leaving matters at 6-5 in Everett’s favor. The Lady Crimson Tide’s tally came when Arianna Osorio-Bonilla drew a walk with the bases loaded to force in Foster, who had singled.
Everett tacked on another marker in the fourth when Ashley Seward singled, moved to second on a passed ball, and then to third on a ground-out before coming home on another ground-out by Mia Allen.
Swampscott scored two in the bottom of the fourth to bring the game back to level at 7-7, but Everett took the lead for good with three runs in the fifth. Salvi led off with a base hit and soon came around on a double by Osorio-Bonilla. Dresser and Seward both singled, scoring Osorio-Bonilla, and then Dresser came home on a sacrifice fly.
Salvi and Osorio-Bonilla got an Everett rally going with base hits in the sixth and after Seward walked, Uga delivered a bases loaded hit to score Salvi and Osorio-Bonilla for the final two runs of the game.
.Allen earned the win in the pitcher’s circle, tossing all seven innings, allowing eight hits while striking out six opponents.
“This was a great team win,” said Poste-Schiavo. “The girls stayed composed after a rough first inning and came back swinging. We had clutch hits throughout the lineup, aggressive baserunning, and key defensive plays that really turned the momentum.
“Mia Allen pitched a complete game and battled through every inning. I’m proud of how the team responded — everyone contributed,” Poste-Schiavo continued. “Emma Salvi was outstanding at the plate. Emma delivered in big moments with key hits and RBIs. The team’s energy and execution, especially in those middle innings, made the difference.”
The Lady Crimson Tide wrapped up their regular season with a thrilling 10-9 win over Lowell Saturday at Glendale in a contest that was decided on a superb effort by the Everett defense that resulted in a Lowell runner being thrown out at third for the final out of the game.
The Tide had dropped their initial meeting with Lowell earlier in the season, 11-5, and the contest appeared as though it might be a repeat when Lowell jumped out to a 5-0 lead midway through the third inning.
However, Everett flipped the script in the bottom of the third with a six-run uprising. Osorio-Bonilla started things off with a walk. After Dresser and Seward singled to load the bases, Uga delivered a base hit up the middle knocking in Osorio-Bonilla.
Allen then lofted a hit fly ball to center. Dresser tagged up and was called safe at the plate on obstruction by the Lowell catcher. Foster singled into the outfield, bringing in Seward. Peyton Warren doubled, delivering Uga, and with two outs, Rivera came through with a clutch double to score Foster and Warren.
The Lady Raiders responded in the fourth with three runs, but Everett bounced right back with three of their own in the bottom of the frame. After Dresser and Uga singled, Allen delivered a two-run triple and eventually scored on a sac fly, leaving matters at 9-8 in the Tide’s favor.
Everett added a crucial insurance run in the fifth when a base hit by Uga scored Osorio-Bonilla, who had singled and eventually moved to third on a passed ball and a base hit by Dresser, thus setting the stage for the dramatic Lowell seventh.
Lowell led off with a base hit and EHS pitcher Warren set down the next two Raiders. However, the next hitter lofted a long fly over Davila’s head in center field, easily scoring the Lowell runner who was on base. Jayla tracked down the ball, made a relay to shortstop Dresser, who in turn fired the ball to Uga at third. Alexa then applied the tag for the final out.
Warren earned the win, tossing all seven innings, allowing five hits while walking four and striking out four.
“We had lost to them earlier in the season, but knew we could beat them,” said Poste-Schiavo. “I am so proud of the entire team. Peyton showed heart, pitching all seven innings and keeping us in it, even when things got tough early. Defensively, we had huge plays from Alexa Uga at third, Olivia Dresser at short, and a game-saving relay from Jayla Davila and Dresser to Alexa to close it out. Offensively, everyone contributed — from Arianna’s key at-bats to Mia Allen’s triple and clutch sacrifice fly, and Kassidy Rivear’s two-RBI double that gave us momentum.”
Earlier in the week the Lady Crimson Tide dropped an 11-0 decision to undefeated Greater Boston League (GBL) champion Medford last Monday. The Tide had multiple opportunities to score, but could not come through with the timely hit, leaving the bases loaded in both the third and fourth innings and runners on second and third in the sixth.
Dresser had three hits, including a double. Center fielder Davila threw out a Lady Mustang at the plate to highlight some nice plays by the Everett defense.
The loss left Everett with an 11-3 record in the GBL, good for second place behind Medford.
“Our team showed heart even when the scoreboard didn’t reflect our effort,” noted Poste-Schiavo. “We had runners on in multiple innings and kept battling at the plate. Defensively, there were moments of strong execution — key throws, strikeouts, and solid plays in the field. This game was a tough one, but the girls never stopped competing.”
Boys volleyball falls just shy of tourney spot
The Everett High boys volleyball team finished with eight wins this season, falling just short of an appearance in the state tournament.
“Still, we have a lot to be proud of, and we played our best volleyball in the last week of the season, taking sets from Arlington and Lowell, two teams ranked in the top 20 in Division 1,” said EHS head coach Michael Fineran, whose squad finished at 8-10 on the season.
Last Monday, the Crimson Tide fell just short in their final GBL match of the year against Medford, dropping the fifth set by a score of 15-12.
The loss meant that Everett would have to pull off two straight upsets to earn a tournament berth in back-to-back years.
“They were spirited contests, and we stood toe-to-toe with them, but we ultimately dropped both matches, 3-1,” said Fineran.
In the season finale Friday, Everett hosted Lowell, which entered the contest ranked 12thin Division 1 in the MIAA power rankings with a 17-2 record.
After dropping the first set 25-17, the Tide took the second set 26-24. Everett was down, 12-6, but junior Victor Rosa was 8-for-8 serving with three aces, senior captain Henrique Franca had an ace and seven kills, and senior Jefferson Umana served the final three points in the set to even the match.
Senior setter Sidney Valentim was 9-for-9 serving in the match, finishing his career serving at 95%. Senior captains Bryan Soares Gomes and Matheus Queiroz combined for five kills and two blocks. Donald Vo had four service points and a kill, while middle Caleb Jackson added two blocks.
Lowell took the third set 25-15 and the fourth set 25-18 for the 3-1 victory.
The match against Arlington on Wednesday followed a similar script.
“We didn’t get much going in the first set, losing 25-13, but we made adjustments in the second set and won 25-20,” said Fineran.
Soares Gomes and Franca had five kills each in the set. Vo had two kills, Queiroz had one, and freshman setter Danilo Teixeira Fernandes served five times to extend the lead to 17-12, which Everett was able to maintain for the rest of the set.
In the third set, two aces in a row from junior captain Christian Ramirez cut the deficit to 19-17. Franca had seven of his game-high 18 kills, but the Tide fell, 25-20.
Everett refused to go down without a fight and played some of the best volleyball of the season in the fourth set, despite falling 25-23. Soares Gomes had three kills and a couple of diving plays. Ramirez was a force in the back row, digging three or four lasers and keeping the plays alive.
“There were tears when the final ball landed in our corner, but mostly I was proud of the way they fought the whole game,” Fineran said. “Obviously, we wanted to make it to the tournament again, but these last three home games had the intensity of tournament games. The crowds were behind us for every point. It was exciting until the very end.”
Franca, the only four-year varsity player, finished with 330 kills for the season and 815 for his stellar career. Henrique also led the team in serves and aces this year, and was third in blocks, behind Queiroz (32) and Umana (22). Soares Gomes finished his career with 281 kills, and Umana finished with 543 serves, 208 kills, and 48 blocks.
EHS boys tennis falls just short in bid for tourney
The Everett High boys tennis team came up just short in its bid to qualify for the state tourney last week. The Tide had kept their post-season hopes alive with a 3-2 win over Medford last Monday that boosted their record to 7-7 on the season.
Anthony Fontes (3rd singles), Tariq Saddidin & Pablo Jimenez (1st Doubles), and Marcos Castro & Eduardo Guevara (2nd Doubles) provided the winning margin for the Tide.
However, Everett needed to beat Beverly on Wednesday to make the playoffs, but lost 3-(rain started and canceled the other two matches), leaving the Tide with a 7-8 mark, just shy of the .500 record needed to qualify for the post-season.
The contest also marked the last match for EHS head coach Greg Bluestein, who is stepping down after six years at the helm of the boys tennis program in order to spend more time with his family.