Saugus High Sachems Spring Sports Roundup

By Dom Nicastro

DiBiasio wins state title in javelin

The Saugus girls track and field team made a powerful showing at the MIAA Division 4 State Championships, placing 12th out of 32 teams at Merrimack College and coming within just a few points of cracking the top 10. The highlight? A stunning state title in the javelin from Peyton DiBiasio — who came in seeded 19th and left as the Division 4 champion.

“She was seeded at No. 19 and with a 20-foot PR she came and won the state championship,” Saugus coach Joe Alba said.

Sophomore Destiny Okoye placed sixth in the 100-meter hurdles and took third in the high jump, earning two medals. Freshman Soraya Mathieu also earned two medals, placing fifth in the 100-meter dash and seventh in the 200.

“The story is incredible from DiBiasio upsetting so many people to Mathieu and Okoye who are a freshman and sophomore getting two medals in two different events,” Alba said. “This offseason the recruiting is going to be strong. We have a really good core with young athletes, so once we build around them, we have potential to be a great team.”

The trio of DiBiasio, Okoye and Mathieu will now shift their focus to this week’s All-State competition at Fitchburg State University.

Saugus softball team finishes 12-9 after state tournament loss to Hudson

The Lady Sachems softball team gave Hudson everything it could handle in the preliminary round of the MIAA Division 3 State Tournament, but a late-inning surge from last year’s state runner-up resulted in a 16-7 defeat.

“This game was closer than what the final score would indicate but this just wasn’t our day,” said Head Coach Steve Almquist. “We knew going into this one that we would have to get off to a fast start and pretty much play a clean game for us to have a chance. Unfortunately, neither happened.”

After falling behind 4-0 in the first, Saugus fought back to tie the game 5-5 in the fourth on a clutch two-out, two-run single by senior captain Danica Schena. Eighth-grader Layla Demonte launched a two-run homer in the sixth to pull Saugus within 9-7 — her third hit of the game — but Hudson pulled away with a seven-run bottom of the frame.

“Despite the outcome, we made Hudson earn it, and we battled to the very end just coming up a bit short,” Almquist said. “Although it was disappointing to lose in the state tournament this was still a great year, and I am extremely proud of all of these kids.”

Demonte finished three-for-three with the home run, two RBI and two runs scored. Schena went two-for-four with two RBI and a run, and senior captain Lily Ventre added an RBI double.

Saugus wrapped the season with a 12-8 regular season record and reached the tournament for the ninth consecutive season. The team finished strong, winning seven of its last eight regular-season games, including key victories over Division 1 Peabody and rivals Salem and Swampscott.

“We were a young team starting two eighth-graders, two freshmen and two sophomores,” Almquist said. “If you had told me at the beginning of the year that we would finish the regular season at 12-8, I would have questioned whether or not you were dreaming — but that is exactly what these kids did.”

  The team graduates six seniors: Taylor Deleidi, Hannah Duong, Alexa Morello, Maya Pina, Danica Schena and Lily Ventre. “Their contributions were immeasurable, and I will miss them all tremendously,” Almquist said. “They are all fantastic players but even better individuals.”

Three players earned individual honors from the Northeastern Conference:

• Lily Ventre (catcher): NEC All-Conference, hitting an “astonishing .690” on the season.
• Alexa Morello (first base): NEC All-Star, hit .351.
• Danica Schena (Centerfield): NEC All-Star, hit .394.