~ The Old Sachem ~ The Sachems in the 1950s

By Bill Stewart

The 50s started very well with the football team winning the Exchange Bowl.

I’ve written about the 1950 football team that won the Exchange Bowl, beating Brockton with Richie Nicolo as quarterback. The team finished with a record of eight wins and two losses. Also representing Saugus were many girls I knew as twirlers – Marilyn Pottito, Gail Watson and Gretchen Davis.

The 1953 football team won the North Shore League. In the Jamboree the Sachems faced a powerful Haverhill team and lost 18-6. The Sachems beat Revere, Lynn Classical, Beverly, Lynn English and Salem. The Sachems lost to Chelsea and tied Marblehead. Among the running backs were Bill MacNeill, Bob Piwowarski, Captain Doug MacNeill and Bill Whittredge. Charlie Lawrence tossed touchdowns to Dave Donaldso and Mel Rice. Rich Salerno was injured in the Chelsea game, returned in the Peabody game and was outstanding again. Bob Belyea and Bob Randazzo were solid on defense. The Sachems ended with six wins, one tie and a single loss.

In 1959 the football team had a record of six wins, a tie and a single loss to New Bedford. They defeated Revere, Classical, Beverly, English, Brookline and Peabody. They scored 44 against English, and the Swampscott tie was scoreless. They shut out Classical and Beverly. Jim Kelleher and Dave Mathews were the captains, and the roster included Bob Preziozo, Ralph DeFronzo, Fran Buccheire, Dick Burt, Jin Samms, Dave Boynton and Gene DeAcetis.

Field hockey had a good season in 1960, beating Malden 1-0, lost to North Shore Country Day School 1-12, beat Lynnfield 1-0, tied Stoneham 2-2 and Woburn 1-1, beat Woburn 2-0, lost to Swampscott 4-0, and beat Salem 3-0. They finished with four wins, two losses and two ties. The forwards were Carol Banks, Julie Gavin, Linda Farley, Lorraine Alexander and Regina Cahill. Halfbacks were Eileen Holland, Lucy Cronin and Phyllis Harris; fullbacks were Nancy Shepherd, Annette Boisvert and goalie Nancy Boisvert.

The 1953 basketball team had a record of five wins and 11 losses, but was accepted in the Small Schools Tournament. They lost to Christopher Columbus, 49-40, to end the season. Stars on the team were Nat and Bob Diamond, Billy MacNeill, Charlie Lawrence and Bob Piwowarski.

The 1960 girls’ basketball team finished with a record of 10 wins and two losses. With so many underclassmen on the late 50s team, the 60s appear to turn the record around.