Strong participation, new leadership mark Saugus High’s fall sports season

By Dom Nicastro

Saugus High School is entering a new chapter in its athletic history under the leadership of first-year Athletic Director Matt Serino. A former athletic director at Winthrop High School and a Saugus native, Serino is enthusiastic about returning to his roots and leading the Saugus sports programs into a promising future. “Being from here, it was an easy decision to come back,” Serino said, reflecting on his return to Saugus.

His transition from Winthrop to Saugus comes at a time when the fall sports season is just around the corner, and he has already been impressed by the participation numbers across various sports. “I like to think we’re in a pretty good spot,” he noted. “We’re over 40 kids in football, which I always look at as a great thing. Anytime you can have a varsity JV for football, that’s fantastic.”

Serino highlighted the strong participation numbers in other sports as well. Both the boys’ and girls’ soccer programs have seen significant turnout, with boys’ soccer boasting over 50 athletes and girls’ soccer approaching 40. The volleyball program, which made the tournament last season for the first time in program history under Coach Mikayla Niles, had nearly 60 students trying out, while cheerleading has over 20 participants. “I’m thrilled with where we’re at now, and I’m hoping that only goes up as school starts,” Serino added.

A significant change in the coaching staff this year is in the girls’ soccer program, where April Martinez has taken over from veteran coach Chris Coviello. Saugus was a perennial tourney contender for the last several seasons under Coviello and was at or near the top of its division in the Northeastern Conference. Serino praised Coviello for his contributions, noting, “Chris is the epitome of what you’re looking for in a coach. He’s an awesome guy, and now for him to pass that torch on to April, it was almost too good of a fit.”

Martinez, who has deep roots in the Saugus soccer community, is expected to continue the legacy left by her predecessors. “April’s father was [former coach] Ted Moriello, and she was involved in the program as a graduate from here,” Serino said. “She had a relationship with Chris, so it wasn’t like she was just walking into something she wasn’t aware of. She had a very good understanding of the program, the needs, and even the kids.”

The football team, led by Coach Steve Cummings, had a promising start last season before being derailed by injuries – ultimately missing the playoffs. However, Serino sees potential in this year’s younger team. “Now he’s got some kids that maybe he wasn’t anticipating getting a lot of playing time last year that had to step into those roles,” Serino said. “I’m excited to see if they can build off of last year.”

Volleyball is another program on the rise at Saugus High, led by Saugus alum Niles. Last year, the team made it to the tournament and competed fiercely within their conference. “Mikayla is awesome,” Serino said. “Her kids are motivated, they’re hungry, they’re working hard every day, and they definitely want to play for her. She’s been a great asset to our coaching staff.”

Looking ahead, Serino has his sights set on strengthening Saugus’s athletic programs further, including the potential revival of the Saugus hockey team as a standalone program. Currently part of a co-op with Peabody, Serino hopes to see Saugus hockey return to its former glory. He was part of a couple state titles as a player himself.

“The end goal is we always want to be able to provide our own teams,” he said. “I don’t think it’s a question of if that will happen; I just think it’s a question of when.”

Serino acknowledged that rebuilding the hockey program would require a concerted effort from the community to keep local talent at Saugus. “We need our kids to stay at Saugus, and we need them to commit to wanting to play for the high school team,” he emphasized. “We need to provide a place that excites people to want to be here, to want to stay here.”

As Serino settles into his new role, he is focused on making Saugus High School’s athletic programs the best they can be. He is determined to showcase the school’s strengths to keep students and families engaged in the community. “We’re always going to try and showcase our building, our facilities, our educational system, and our athletic system as best we can,” he said. “The goal is to give people the ability to make a sound decision.”

As the fall sports season officially kicked off on Aug. 26 with the golf team taking on Swampscott at Cedar Glen, Serino is optimistic about what lies ahead. “We’ve got a great group of coaches, and the kids are motivated and ready to compete,” he said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how they perform this year.”