~ SHS Sachems Sports Roundup ~

By Dom Nicastro

Saugus track sweeps Salem

The Saugus High School boys and girls track teams swept Salem with a 55-8 victory for the girls and a 50-32 win for the boys. “It was an excellent first meet by both squads,” Saugus coach Amy O’Neil said.

Notable performances were as follows:

Saugus girls:

• Destiny Okoye: first place, high jump.
• Shot put: Angie Lopez, first, Aly Mabee, second, Ashley Rezendes, third.
• Mabee was first in hurdles.
• Girls swept the 55-meter dash: Soraya Mathieu, first, Okoye, second, Angie Lopez, third.
• Sydney Ferreira: first place in 300-meter.
• Soraya Alicea: third place in 300-meter.
• Kaitlyn Pugh: first place in 600-meter.
• Tori Carter: second place in 600-meter.
• Mara Faiella: first place in 1,000-meter.
• Rezendes: second place in 1,000-meter.
• Susie Recupero: first place in the mile.
• Girls 4×400 relay: first place (Lopez, Okoye, Pugh, Ferreira).

Saugus boys:

• Koby Jette took first in the shotput.
• Boys swept 55-meter hurdles (Jake Kelley, first, Yousef Tuffaha, second, Connor Bloom, third).
• Kaeleb Mathieu: first place in 55-meter dash.
• Shane Bourque: First in the 300-meter and second in the high jump.
• Alex Modini: second place, 300-meter.
• Ryan Laws: first place, 600-meter.
• Kason Imbrogna: first place, 1,000-meter.
• Cam Marchand: first place in the mile.
• Boys 4×400 relay: first place (Bourque, Ryan Laws, Connor Blook, Marchand).

Saugus-Peabody wrestling team starts strong

The Saugus-Peabody wrestling team has opened up the season with dual meets and invitationals and plenty of reasons to celebrate – along with areas for growth.

The team fell to Salem, 36-34. “It was our first meet and we didn’t wrestle well,” Saugus-Peabody coach Wayne Moda said. “We made mistakes on the coaching and athlete side that cost us the match.”

Sophomore Jackson Deleidi (113) of Peabody avenged last year’s loss with a pin in the third period over Javion Cruz. “I’m so proud of this kid,” Moda said. “He came in as a freshman and has quickly fallen in love with the sport. He worked all offseason, and it is paying off for him.”

Saugus-Peabody handled Lynn Tech to pick up its first win. Peabody’s Kaleb Corner (215) picked up his first win of the season. “Lynn Tech is a young team trying to build a program,” Moda said. “Much respect to them as they gain experience this season. We wish them luck.”

Saugus-Peabody picked up another win, 48-27, over Lynnfield-North Reading. Captain Max LoRusso (138) of Saugus had a great day for Saugus-Peabody. Captain Sam LoRusso (150) of Saugus, Max LoRusso (138), Mike Maraio (144) of Peabody, Jackson Deleidi (113) of Peabody, Luke Calder (165) of Saugus and Justin Bremberg (150) of Saugus all remained undefeated after the meet.

Saugus-Peabody participated in the Son’s of Italy tourney and took fifth out of 15 teams. Here’s how Saugus-Peabody fared:

First: Sam LoRusso (157), Saugus.

Second: Bremberg (150), Saugus.

Second: Maraio (144), Peabody.

Second: Antonio Anzalone (285), Peabody.

Fourth: Elias Diaz (132), Saugus.

Sixth: Deleidi (113), Peabody.

Sixth: Max LoRusso (138), Saugus.

Sixth: Freddy Espinal (190), Peabody.

“I was incredibly proud how we wrestled at Son’s of Italy,” Moda said. “We only brought 10 wrestlers (of 14 weight classes) and only had one person seeded (Sam LoRusso, 157 as the No. 2). We had some young guys beat returning sectional and state placers, and that really helped. We finally showed some toughness and that led to some wins, that on paper, looked like could be losses. We had four guys in the finals and went 1-3, losing two matches that I thought could have been wins, for sure. We are a young team, and inexperience in that situation is what cost us, but the only way to get that experience is to make it there, and that is priceless.”

Saugus’ Perry swimming for Northeast

Northeast Metro Tech features a Saugus swimmer: junior Abrianna Perry. “Last year she was one of our top backstrokers, but this year she’s been sidelined by an injury and hasn’t been able to compete,” Northeast coach Nicholas Lippman said. “However, she’s still been attending practices and swim meets to support the team and cheer them on.”