By Dom Nicastro

As winter arrives, Saugus High School athletes are gearing up for another busy season on the court and the ice. In this week’s roundup, we take a closer look at two programs entering the year with new leadership and high expectations. Here, we cover the defending Northeastern Conference (NEC) champion Saugus girls basketball team as it begins the Taylor Bogdanski era, and the Peabody–Saugus–Swampscott boys hockey co-op as it launches its first season under Head Coach Donnie Shaw.

Girls basketball: Bogdanski era begins with championship expectations

A year removed from posting a 13–8 record and capturing the NEC championship, the Saugus High girls basketball team enters the 2025–26 winter season with a new but familiar voice at the helm. First-year varsity Head Coach Taylor Bogdanski, who served as JV coach and later co-head varsity coach down the stretch last season, now officially takes over a program that has been one of Saugus’ most consistent winners over the past four years. The roster — being finalized this week — returns much of the energy, athleticism and grit that defined last winter’s playoff run.

Bogdanski said participation remains strong with about 26 players, enough again to field both varsity and JV teams. The program also returns one of the top players — and the program’s all-time leading scorer — in Saugus High girls basketball history. Senior captain Peyton DiBiasio, already a 1,500-point scorer, returns as the centerpiece of the lineup. Bogdanski called her a tone-setter on and off the floor.

“Peyton is a leader on and off the floor,” Bogdanski said. “Great energy and record-breaking scorer. She brings lots of life to our team, and I can’t wait to see that continue toward our successes this year.”

Saugus’ strengths this winter should come from depth, athleticism and grit, all trademarks of the program during its recent surge. Communication and consistency, Bogdanski said, will be points of emphasis as the team settles into its new structure and establishes its identity.

Marblehead, Beverly and Masconomet are expected to provide strong challenges again in what Bogdanski described as a tight NEC field from top to bottom. Saugus has been a postseason regular, and with DiBiasio leading the charge and a wave of returning contributors behind her, the Sachems once again project as a top contender.

Boys hockey: Peabody–Saugus–Swampscott co-op skates into season with experience and local flavor

The Peabody–Saugus–Swampscott varsity boys hockey co-op enters the 2025–26 season with a renewed sense of purpose, a veteran core and a strong Saugus presence under new Head Coach Donnie Shaw. Shaw takes over a group that includes nine seniors, and he believes their maturity and experience are already setting the tone.

“We’re really excited for this upcoming season and so is the whole team,” Shaw said. “Their experience is really starting to show.”

This season’s mission is about more than wins and losses. Shaw said he is committed to helping make hockey accessible again for the three communities, especially as club hockey costs continue to rise. To support that vision, he assembled a deep staff that includes assistant coach Nolan Shaw, goalie coach Aaron McDonnell, Don Shaw and Reed Foster.

The co-op continues to feature balanced representation: 11 players from Peabody, six from Swampscott and nine from Saugus. Saugus fans will see plenty of hometown names driving the program’s momentum this year:

• Artie O’Leary — a high-IQ playmaker with great vision and skill. Shaw notes he’s a player who “truly loves the game” and is ready to maximize a big senior year.
• Jake Kelly — a dynamic offensive threat with natural talent and high-end work ethic. Expect him to be one of the co-op’s most dangerous scorers.
• John Morello — a newcomer to the program who already shows strong upside and the potential to become a key contributor quickly.

These Sachems will be surrounded by a deep lineup that returns nearly a full defensive unit and boasts speed and finishing ability across all three forward lines. Captains Nathan Carne, Dom Pappalardo and Brandon Barone will anchor the leadership core.

• From Swampscott, goalie Dom Pappalardo brings “tenacity in the net” and major big-game experience.
• Swampscott’s Jason Rothwell adds poise and strong two-way play on the blue line.
• From Peabody, Brandon Barone is expected to generate offense with and without the puck, while Matvey Stupnikov is considered one of the fastest skaters in the entire league.

“With three very solid lines of forwards and almost a full returning squad on defense,” Shaw said, the co-op is built to compete from Day 1.

More importantly, Shaw wants the season to be one the players remember long after the final horn. “We aim to make this year the most fun and memorable year,” he said. “Hard work, commitment, discipline — we want to prepare them for whatever life throws at them.”