Crimson Tide Weekly Sports Notebook on Softball, Volleyball, Lacrosse

By Joe McConnell

Tide softball salvages week with mercy rule win over Somerville

It was a week that the Everett High School softball team (4-4) would soon rather forget. They lost three out of four games. Their only victory was against Somerville at Glendale Park on April 27, 16-3, while Medford (12-3, April 21), Lynn Classical (12-7, April 23) and Cambridge in a makeup (14-13, April 28) were able to record wins against the defending Greater Boston League (GBL) champs.

“After a rough start, we finally played our game,” said coach Stacy Schiavo after the win over Somerville. “Mia [Allen] did a great job in the circle, and also had a big day at the plate, while Victoria [Cutler] finished it off for us in the fifth. This was a good win, but we just need to be a little cleaner [on defense] early on in games.”

Against Somerville, Mia Allen went the first four innings in the circle and gave up three walks, one hit and one earned run, while striking out seven. They needed one more inning before the mercy rule was invoked, and Victoria Cutler pitched it. She allowed no hits and fanned one.

Visiting Somerville scored one run in the first inning, but the Tide quickly tied it up in the home half on Allen’s double that scored leadoff hitter Arianna Osorio-Bonilla. But the Highlanders got that run back in the second to retake the lead.

The Tide’s bats woke up in the third with eight runs to take the lead for good, 9-2. Olivia Dresser doubled in one run. Kyleigh Ridlon then brough her home with a single. Osorio-Bonilla followed with a two-run single, before Allen provided the big blast of the inning with a three-run round tripper.

Somerville got another run in the fourth, but the home team put them out of their misery with seven runs. Comerford doubled in a run. Dresser singled in two. Juliette Romboli was credited with a run-producing single. Ridlon knocked in the fifth run. Sylva closed out the frame with a two-run double.

Cutler took over the pitching chores in the fifth to close out this mercy rule game. Osorio-Bonilla (2-for-3; single, double, 2 RBI), Allen (3-for-3; single, double, homerun, 4 RBI), Dresser (2-for-2; single, triple, 3 RBI) and Moran-Leal (2-for-3; 2 singles, 2 RBI) were the hitting stars against Somerville.

Volleyball team beats Medford to begin school vacation week with success

  With still nine matches to go in the regular season, the Everett High boys volleyball team sits at 3-8 after beating Medford last week (3-1, April 21) before dropping two in a row to Malden (3-1, April 22) and Chelsea (3-0, April 27). Against Medford at home, the Tide started off strong to earn a 25-16 first set win, thanks in part to three kills each by juniors Adam Bousbaa and Donart Maksutaj. Bousbaa also chipped in with two aces for good measure, while serving seven times.

In the second set, junior Akush Gurung collected two kills, and senior captain Christian Ramirez had two aces to secure another win, 25-18. But then, they dropped the third set, 26-24. Coach Mike Fineran’s squad responded well to that setback to ultimately prevail in the fourth set, 25-20.

The Everett boys then traveled to Malden the very next day, only to lose all three sets, which set the stage for Chelsea, which began a brand-new week at home.

Senior Gustavo Franca was a perfect 19-for-19 in serves throughout the four-set match. Sophomore Danilo Teixeira Fernandes had four aces out of 14 serves. His brother – senior Matheus Teixeira Fernandes – was credited with eight kills, two aces and a block. His classmate Isaque Agostinho produced five kills. Maksutaj did him one better with six.

After beating Revere, girls lacrosse drops three in a row

  Throughout the past two weeks, the Everett High girls lacrosse team (3-5) played a difficult stretch of games, falling to Cambridge (19-1, April 13), Medford (15-0, April 16), Lowell (17-7, April 21) and Somerville (14-3, April 23). But they did earn a hard-fought 5-4 win against Revere on April 14.

“Despite those losses, we still showed much determination throughout each one of those games,” said coach Nicola Jones.

Jones first singled out her captains – Nicola Damaceno, Amanda Verteiro and Lindsey Cherichel-Paul – for setting a good example both on and off the field. “They each set a high standard with their resilience and grit,” the coach said.

Goalie Briana Sequeira also stood out for making several impressive saves, while never backing down, despite constant pressure. Backup goalie Allia Polynice stepped up to push beyond her comfort zone to help out the team on defense.

Midfielders Isabela Bichalho and MariaJose Cardenas worked tirelessly to cover the whole field, both on offense and defense. Isabella Aguirre Jimenez and Jacky Ramos made key contributions in each game, as well. “Isabella filled in at midfield, while Jacky excelled on defense,” said Jones, who then added, “although the middle part of our season was frustrating, the team’s effort, adaptability and leadership remained strong. With three weeks left in the regular season, the team remains positive.”