Saugus-Peabody wrestling wraps up season at New England’s

By Dom Nicastro

The Saugus-Peabody high school wrestling team officially wrapped up its 2023-2024 campaign with the conclusion of the New England championships last weekend in Providence, RI.

Sam LoRusso of Saugus was the team’s lone competitor. The senior captain battled in his 157-pound weight class but came up short, going 4-2 at New England’s. LoRusso finished his career as top eight in New England and will go down as one of the top wrestlers in Saugus and Peabody history, according to Coach Wayne Moda.

“With the conclusion of the New England’s this weekend our season is officially over… And what a season it was,” Moda said.
Saugus-Peabody’s 17 dual-meet wins make the 23-24 season the highest number of wins for the team’s co-op and in either town’s history in the sport, according to Moda.

Since the revitalization of the young Saugus/Peabody co-op in 2021 and despite low enrollment numbers, the team has a combined record of 43-29-1. “Individually we have seen great results and development of our athletes,” Moda said. “A few have been exposed to youth wrestling but most have come in as freshmen new to the sport and have had success. We advanced six wrestlers to the finals of our league tournament (two champs), four place winners at the D1 North Sectional and a state, all-state and New England placer.”

Because of the size of the combined schools, Saugus-Peabody is a Division 1 North section program, which is arguably the toughest section/region in New England.

“With that comes unprecedented competition but also the reality that making it onto the podium at sectionals and an advancement to the D1 state tournament is difficult,” Moda said. “Wrestlers that place top four at D1 North may very well be the top wrestler in any other section in the state. So it is hard to break through. When you do break through the section, you are likely to be on the podium at states and All-States.”

Moda said in the team’s three years together, it has had wrestlers advance to the States and All-States. In two of those years, it had wrestlers advance to the New England Championship.

“This year the spotlight was on our captain Sam LoRusso, who had a great season. He will graduate this year as one of the of top wrestlers in program history,” Moda said.

Some of his accomplishments include:

• Season record: 56-10
• Undefeated in dual meet competition (45) in ’23 and ’24
• 113 career wins
• Son’s of Italy champion
• Bruce Rich Invitational Champion
• Two-time NEC/CAL Champion
• Third D1 North Sectional
• Fourth D1 State
• Fourth All-Sate
• Top eight New England
• Two-time All-Conference
• Moynihan Lumber Student-Athlete of the month

Saugus tracksters shine at NECs

Saugus had plenty of good news at the Northeastern Conference championships at the Reggie Lewis Center last month.

NEC championship meet participants:

Saugus girls

Angie Lopez*

Savanna Ceruolo

Destiny Okoye*

Soraya Mathieu*

Aly Mabee

Sara Rovcanin*

Sydney Ferreira

Ashley Rezendes

Tori Carter

Mara Faiella*

Saugus boys

Kaeleb Mathieu

Alex Modini

Kalebe Mendes

Conor Bloom

Roberto Garay-Morales*

Shane Bourque*

Kason Imbrogna*

Ryan Laws*

Koby Jette

Jake Kelley

Cam Marchand*

*Indicated earned a PR at this meet in their respective races

Kaeleb Mathieu took sixth place in the 55-meter dash, sixth place in long jump.

Shane Bourque had a sixth place in 300-meter.

Destiny Okoye added a sixth place in the 55-meter dash and a second place in high jump.

The Saugus girls 4×200-meter relay team of Okoye, Soraya Mathieu, Angie Lopez and Savanna Ceruolo finished in sixth.

Cameron Marchand (mile), Soraya Mathieu (55-meter dash) and Okoye (55-meter dash) all qualified at their respective levels for New Balance Nationals.

Lopez, Ceruolo, Okoye, Soraya Mathieu, Kaeleb Mathieu and Bourque each qualified for the Division 4 State Championship, with Okoye finishing in eighth place in the high jump.

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