Football Sachems dominate Brighton, 34-0, to secure Senior Night victory

By Dom Nicastro

Under the Friday night lights of their home field, Saugus High School’s football team put together a complete performance to defeat Brighton, 34-0. The victory was a much-needed boost for the Sachems, who improved to 3-7 on the season as they look ahead to their Thanksgiving Day matchup against Peabody (Nov. 28, 10 a.m., in Saugus).

Coach Steve Cummings praised the well-rounded team effort, noting that the Sachems excelled in all phases of the game. “We were able to play well in pretty much every facet,” Cummings said. “Offensively, we got some early scores on the board. Defensively, we made stops and put ourselves in good field position. Special teams were solid all night.”

The scoring began in the second quarter when senior Ryan Shea broke loose for a 20-yard touchdown run, with Connor Bloom adding the extra point to make it 7-0. Just before halftime, freshman quarterback Eli Fialho connected with Jordan Rodriguez on a 37-yard touchdown pass, stretching the lead to 14-0. The play was a highlight for the Sachems, as Rodriguez saw an opportunity and made an in-game adjustment that paid off.

“Jordan came over to the sidelines and said, ‘Coach, if this kid’s playing outside leverage on me, I can get him on a post,’” Cummings said. “Two plays later, we saw the same coverage, and Eli put an absolute rocket of a ball right in Jordan’s chest. Jordan made the catch, shook off his defender and took it to the end zone.”

The momentum continued into the second half, with senior Cody Munafo leading the way. Munafo punched in two touchdowns on 1-yard runs in the third and fourth quarters, showcasing his ability to find gaps and push through defenders. “Cody’s effort has been consistent all year,” Cummings said. “Whether it’s running the ball or playing middle linebacker, he’s been solid. Offensively, he’s great at finding space, breaking tackles and grinding out those extra yards.”

The final touchdown of the night came courtesy of senior Samy Chahid, who powered into the end zone on a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter.

For the seniors on the team – Cody Munafo, Wilderson Lafortune, Connor Bloom and Samy Chahid – it was a fitting way to cap their final game under the lights. “I felt good for our seniors,” Cummings said. “It was their last time playing under the lights, and they really put their stamp on this game. Wilderson made some big plays on both sides of the ball, Connor kicked PATs and Samy getting into the end zone was special. It was good to see them have that moment.”

Defensively, the Sachems were relentless, pitching a shutout against Brighton’s double-tight, double-wing offense. Although Brighton’s first drive consumed much of the first quarter, Saugus’ defense held firm in the red zone and made key adjustments for the rest of the game. Junior safety Chris Mazin was a standout, consistently making plays from his position.

“Chris was fantastic all night,” Cummings said. “He came down from safety and was making tackles, really helping us shut down their run game. We also had great contributions from guys like David Alves, a sophomore defensive lineman, and freshman Caua Martins. It was good to see those guys step up.”

Laith Haddad and Ryan Moreira also had stellar nights on the defensive side of the ball.

Looking ahead, Saugus will need to build on this momentum as they prepare for their Thanksgiving Day showdown against Division 2 playoff team Peabody. The game will be a test of their resilience and growth as a team.

“We think we’ll be getting some guys back for Thanksgiving, including Jay Arnett,” Cummings said. “We’re going to throw everything we have into that game and give it our all.”