~ Saugus High School Sachems Sports Roundup ~

Sachem wrestler Max LoRusso reaches 100-win milestone

By Dom Nicastro

Saugus/Peabody wrestler Max LoRusso of Saugus has joined his brother Sam in the 100-win club. The 17-year-old senior did it one season after his brother did for the Tanners wrestling team, a cooperative program between Saugus and Peabody.

Sam last season was 56-10 overall and undefeated in dual meet competition (45-0) in 2023 and 2024. He finished with 113 career wins and was a two-time NEC/CAL Champion and a top-eight finisher in New England.

Younger brother Max should have some stellar accolades once the dust is settled. He wrestles at 144, but in his eighth-grade year, he was at 113.

The team as a whole has been doing great, and there is no shortage of Saugus wrestlers pitching in. In a 63-15 win over Worcester Tech, the Saugus winners included:

• 106: Anna Felicio beats Declan Callahan, 1:05.
• 126: Jake Murray beats Jordan Miner, 3:57.
• 138: Lukas Fondulis beats Lizjon Cocka, 15-0.
• 144: Max Lorusso beats Cyvant Hayes, 0:50.
• 157: Justin Bremberg beats Marcellus Cardenas, 1:06.

In a 42-36 win over Pentucket, Saugus/Peabody got Saugus victories from:

• 113: Felicio beat Ryan Niles of West Newbury, 1:02.
• 144: LoRusso beat Aiden Rumsey, 1:22.
• 157: Bremberg beat Jackson Miller, 1:06.

Saugus boys basketball tops Winthrop, falls to Swampscott

The Saugus High School boys basketball team picked up its third win of the season, 51-49 over Winthrop. “It was a hard-fought battle on the road,” Saugus coach Joe Bertrand said. “We survived a Winthrop comeback.”

Saugus improved to 3-4, heading into a matchup at home against Swampscott.

Against Winthrop, Jordan Rodriguez led the way with 15 points. Also getting into double figures were Ryan Shea, 13 points, and Huey Josama, 10. Cam Victor added nine points for the Sachems.

  Saugus couldn’t make it two in a row against the Big Blue of Swampscott. The Sachems fell to 3-5 in an 89-64 loss. Victor this time led the way with 19 points, followed by Josama (10 points) and Ryan Dupuy, who had nine.

Saugus travels to Masconomet on Thursday, Jan. 9 (after press deadline).

Peabody/Saugus/Swampscott holds its own against defending state champs

Peabody/Saugus/Swampscott played a competitive game against Marblehead, which is the defending Division 3 state champion. The team lost, 3-1. The Tanners got their lone goal from Peabody senior Nick Muse. His goal came on an assist from Peabody senior Tyson Higgins. That made it a 2-1 game with less than seven minutes to go in the game. Swampscott’s Dom Pappalardo played well in net in the loss.

Muse had another goal in a 4-1 loss this week to Wakefield in a nonleague matchup, and Pappalardo played well in net.

The Tanners are 3-4-0 heading into a 14-day layoff. The team next will play on Jan. 18, when it hosts Danvers at McVann/O’Keefe Memorial Rink.