FILE PHOTO
Gabby Torres led the Spartans with 14 points in Friday’s win.
By HAROLD RIVERA
The St. Mary’s girls basketball team pulled out a big win on the road as the Spartans defeated Cardinal Spellman, 53-40 on Friday night. The Spartans scored just 19 points in the first half but they found their offense in the latter stages of the game. Mashayla Johnson nailed a three-pointer towards the end of the third quarter to spark the Spartans, who pulled away in the fourth. Gabby Torres led St. Mary’s with 14 points. Temi Falayi and Olivia Nazaire hit crucial buckets in the latter stretch as they combined for 12 points in the fourth quarter. Mia Nowicki had a solid game on the defensive side. “We did some things tonight in the fourth quarter that we haven’t done all season,” St. Mary’s coach Jeff Newhall said. The win marks the fourth straight for the Spartans (5-4). “After a 1-4 start, we’re happy with what’s gone on the last two weeks,” Newhall said. St. Mary’s is back at it, again on the road, when the Spartans visit Cathedral on Monday night. “There’s no nights off in our league,” Newhall said. “We’re back to work on Sunday and we’ll get ready for Cathedral on Monday night.” Newhall added, “We’re happy, we still have a ways to go but we’re moving in the right direction.”
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Fenwick 53, Austin Prep 20
Defense was key for the Crusaders, who held Austin Prep scoreless in the second quarter to carry a 28-8 lead at halftime. Fenwick (6-1) never looked back as the Crusaders rolled to their sixth win of the season. Fredi DeGuglielmo led Fenwick with 16 points in the win. Sam Mancinelli had another strong outing at point guard with 10 points and six assists. Other key contributors included Jaxson Nadeau (11 points, six steals) and Olivia DiPietro (six points, seven rebounds). Fenwick will look to stay on the win column on Tuesday when the Crusaders host Archbishop Williams.
Classical 73, Winthrop 35
The Rams nailed a big win on the road as Paris Wilkey led Classical with 23 points. Wilkey, a junior forward, has put together a solid season for the Rams thus far. “Paris has been shooting the ball well lately,” Rams coach Tom Sawyer said. “That’s a testament to the hard work she’s put in this offseason. The hoop must have been looking real big for her tonight because everything was falling.” Soneta Srey scored 11 points while Skyler Crayton contributed with 8 points off the bench. All ten Classical players scored in the win. “We came out and shot the ball very well in the first quarter,” Sawyer said. “That got us going. Defensively, we focused on Winthrop’s best player and we did a good job in limiting her shots.” The Rams (6-3) will look to stay on the win column when they visit Saugus on Tuesday. “I’ve seen Saugus play twice already and I’m impressed,” Sawyer said. “We’ll have our hands full going over there. We’ll have to match their intensity to give ourselves a chance.”
Saugus 48, English 43
Olivia Valente (14 points, 15 rebounds) and Molly Granara (10 points, 10 rebounds) each logged double-doubles for the Sachems. Rachel Nazzaro hit a go-ahead three-pointer late in the fourth quarter. After losing a tough game to St. Mary’s earlier in the week, Saugus coach Mark Schruender said his team was looking to get back on the right track. “We knew going into the week that this game (against English) was going to be a tough game,” Schruender said. “As soon as the St. Mary’s game was over, we turned the page. It’s definitely good to get back on the right track.” The Sachems host Classical on Tuesday. “They mix up their defenses well and they’re well coached,” Schruender said of Classical. “We’ll have our hands full.”
BOYS BASKETBALL
English 72, Saugus 63
After losing two straight, the Bulldogs bounced back with a big win over the Sachems. “We had gone 1-3 the last four games so we had not been playing well,” English coach Mike Carr said. “We did a lot of good things today. We brought back the energy, that had been missing for us.” Javonte Edwards notched a double-double for English with 18 points and 12 rebounds and Tommy Rijo scored 20 of his own. Matt Waggett led the Sachems with 20 points, while Demetri Filaretos contributed with 14 of his own. “It was a very good first half,” Saugus assistant coach Mark Bertrand said. “We were hanging with them but we had a collapse in the third quarter. English is a tough team, Mike Carr does a great job there. They hit their buckets and their free throws, and we didn’t. That was the difference.” Saugus (2-5) will aim to bounce back on Tuesday at Classical. English (4-3) is also back in action on Tuesday, at Gloucester. “It was a big win for us,” Carr said. “If we’re back to giving that effort and believing in each other, I think we have a chance to be a good team.”
Cardinal Spellman 71, St. Mary’s 66
At Conigliaro Gym, the Spartans lost to the Cardinals after starting the fourth quarter on a 16-6 run. St. Mary’s led 59-58 with four minutes to play but Spellman closed out the game on a 13-6 run to notch the win. The Spartans will aim to bounce back when they host Cathedral on Monday night.
St. John’s Prep 72, Malden Catholic 71
At Malden Catholic, the Eagles hung on to fight off a late Malden Catholic rally. The Prep (5-1) grabbed its fifth win of the season. Top performers included Matt Relihan and Nate Hobbs (16 points each). Tommy O’Neill and Brett McNiff (13 points each) were also key contributors. The Eagles are off until Friday night when they host Catholic Memorial.
Beverly 53, Gloucester 51
Down 15 points at halftime, the Panthers (5-1) clawed back for the come from behind victory. Top performers for Beverly included Luigi Derrane, who scored 16 points and grabbed six rebounds, and Hugh Calice, who logged a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. Pat Gavin also logged a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 12 rebounds in the win. Kevin Morency dished six assists for Beverly. The Panthers visit Marblehead on Tuesday.
Harold Rivera can be reached at [email protected].