The first goal on the list for the Classical softball team is to qualify for the state tournament. Saturday night at Grace Rogato Field, the Rams checked that box off with 5-1 win over Revere in a Northeastern Conference contest.
“That’s our goal every year,” Classical coach Erika Richard said. “Especially for our seniors, it’s nice to get it out of the way early and not worry about it down the stretch. We’re in a tough stretch. We’ve had a tough stretch with Revere, Medford and Everett over the past two weeks. Those teams have battled us.
“I’m just proud of my girls,” Richard said. “It’s great team chemistry. Everybody’s contributing. We’re excited to keep pushing, make a run and get ready for the tournament.”
Brooke Warren gave the Rams another stellar effort in the circle. Warren tossed all seven innings and allowed just one earned run on two hits.
“Brooke’s pitching great,” Richard said. “She’s done a dominant job all season.”
Kayla Morrill (2-for-3) drove the offense with two runs scored and one RBI.
Classical (10-2) travels to Salem Monday (4).
“Our goal from the very beginning is to take one game at a time and play the game we know we can play,” Richard said. “If we lose we want to know that we played our best, the team beat us and we didn’t beat ourselves. We want to keep that going.”
BASEBALL
Marblehead 5, Danvers 2
The Magicians plated four runs in the top of the first and never looked back, improving their record to 8-6. On the mound, Jacob Bornstein gave Marblehead 6 1/3 innings and allowed two earned runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Ryan Masters picked up the save.
Brady Lavender (2-for-3, two RBI) and Luke Curtis (2-for-3, run) led the offense.
Marblehead travels to Peabody Monday (4).
Swampscott 6, Peabody 1
Swampscott’s Max Pegnato tossed a complete game on 87 pitches. He allowed four hits, walked one and struck out five.
“That was the best pitching performance we’ve had all year,” Swampscott coach Joe Caponigro said, “and it was much needed.”
Jonathan Oriakhi hit a solo home run. Ryan Graciale had three hits, while Dylan January, Cam O’Brien and Anthony Rakauskas each had two hits.
Swampscott (8-5) travels to Saugus Monday (4).
St. John’s Prep 2, St. John’s Shrewsbury 0
It was Zach Fortuna’s day in this one. Fortuna pitched five shutout innings and struck out eight, while allowing four hits. Kevin Dewing pitched a scoreless sixth and Max Gieg picked up the save with a scoreless seventh. Gieg allowed one walk and struck out three.
Will Frain (1-for-4) and Max Freedman (2-for-3) each drove in a run.
The Eagles travel to Malden Catholic Monday (4).
Bishop Fenwick 8, Archbishop Williams 4
The Crusaders (8-7) will host Arlington Catholic Tuesday (4).
BOYS LACROSSE
St. John’s Prep 14, Needham 10
St. John’s was paced by Pat Keefe (five goals, two assists) and Michael Ott (five goals, one assist) who combined to lead the offense in a wire-to-wire win. Also scoring for the Eagles was Michael Kelly (three goals), Sean Gilbert (one goal), Jake Surette (four assists), Luke Brennan (one assist), Brian Souza (one assist) and Ben Grunes (one assist).
Defensively Drew Leahy, Matt Crowley and Trent Tully all had strong games for the Eagles. Goalie Alex Kreher had 11 saves.
The Prep will host Austin Prep Tuesday (5:30).
BOYS TRACK
NEC Championships
In the annual conference meet, the Peabody boys took home first place as a team with 127 points. Swampscott finished in second place with 73 points, followed by Somerville in third place (70 points), Marblehead in fourth place (57 points) and Beverly in fifth place (55 points).
Winners on the day were Marblehead’s Cam Heafitz in the high jump (6 feet), Marblehead’s Devon Romain in the long jump (21-3 1/2), Swampscott’s Anton Vasquez in the shot put (46-1/2), Swampscott’s Jackson Brigham in the discus (132-5), Revere’s Ryan Doucette in the javelin (151-8), Peabody’s Kemani Jackson in the 110 hurdles (14.89), Beverly’s Jaichaun Jones in the 100 (11.23), Medford’s Tristen Howard in the 200 (22.1), Peabody’s Antonio Craveiro in the 800 (2:01.47), Gloucester’s William Kenney in the one-mile (4:34.1) and Peabody’s Claudio Rocha in the two-mile (9:43.2).
GIRLS TRACK
NEC Championships
The Beverly girls took first place in the conference meet with 154 points, followed by Peabody in second place with 123 points. Malden (64.5 points), Swampscott (58 points) and Gloucester (49 points) rounded out the top five.
Winners in the girls division were Beverly’s Annie Towler in the high jump (5-2) and the triple jump (35-11 3/4), Beverly’s India Ingemi in the long jump (18-3), the 100 (12.69) and the 400 (58.84), Swampscott’s Ciara Espaillat in the shot put (35-1/2), Revere’s Gianna Mahoney in the javelin (104-1), Peabody’s Sadai Headley-Mawasi in the 200 (26.45), Beverly’s MacKenzie Gilligan in the 100 hurdles (17.07), Beverly’s Shelby DeGrenier in the 400 hurdles (1:07.87), Gloucester’s Leah Rudolph in the 800 (2:18.57), Gloucester’s Eve Feuerbach in the one-mile (5:21.03) and Beverly’s Ashley Foley in the two-mile (11:28.96).