Yet to be beat
Breakthrough season for Nashoba boys
BOLTON >> As of last Thursday, seven boys teams in Massachusetts were left standing with an unblemished record.
The most impressive? Nashoba Regional, at 15-0.
It’s a new situation for the Wolves.
“We’ve been perennially just like your one and done (team),” chuckled Nashoba coach Matt Biggs. “Two years ago, we won our first playoff game. Then, typically we’d go out west or east and take a little bit of a licking, but I think this group finally has an opportunity to go on a deep run. To say we’re excited would be a bit of an understatement.”
A large crop of team leaders all arrived on campus around the same time. “I’ve been a coach now for six years,” Biggs. “So it’s kind of been a long road coming. But this group has been together now for the better part of the past three years. Not graduating anyone for two years has been a big part of our success.”
Assumption commit Brayden MacLean (69 goals, 21 assists) and Marcus DiBello (35 goals, 24 assists) have paced things offensively. Junior Ben Silvester has wreaked havoc for opponents defensively, leading the team in caused turnovers.
Entering the weekend, Nashoba was slotted No. 6 overall in the MIAA Div. 2 power rankings, The Wolves have outscored their opposition 232-80.
“It’s tough,” Biggs said. “At the end of the day, when you’re going on a run like this, it’s easy to get lost in the totals and the stats. But give credit where credit is due. This team has been able to buckle down and win the games when it matters most.”
Nashoba’s closest battle came in a May 12 nail-biter with Algonquin. On a night where the entire town of Bolton seemingly descended upon the school’s campus, MacLean sniped the gamewinning goal with about one minute remaining.
“That was kind of cool, looking up at the crowd and just seeing it be packed,” DiBello said. “It was the first lacrosse I’ve ever played in that we’ve had that many fans. It was definitely cool, a little nerve-wracking, but I think all the boys rose to the occasion. We proved ourselves that night.”
Nashoba will look to complete the perfect season Tuesday evening, when it battles Littleton to close things out. Then, it’s on to the Div. 2 tournament.
“We’re not oblivious,” said DiBello. “We see the rankings, we see all the stats. So, we definitely have got to keep our heads, but I think a lot of that has to do with showing up at practice everyday. Just focusing on one game at a time, and gameplanning for that game each day.”
Something in the Wey
Just a stone’s throw away from Route 18, one girls program has had an impressive resurgence.
Thanks in large part to the contributions of two younger stars, Weymouth has burst back onto the Bay State Conference scene as a team to watch. Just last week, junior Cam Flaherty registered her 100th career goal, while sophomore Megan Doyle eclipsed 300 draw controls for her career.
The two first joined the varsity roster last year. After missing a year of play due to the pandemic, Weymouth welcomed a new coaching staff in 2021, and an entirely revamped roster devoid of upperclassmen.
“It was kind of a great opportunity to get a fresh start,” said second-year Weymouth coach Kathryn Riley. “To start a new culTure, and they really bought into that.”
Despite playing a fairly difficult schedule littered with opponents such as Natick, Needham, Walpole and Wellesley, the Wildcats are 11-5. The Div. 1 tournament is in just a few weeks.
“I think the mindset each day is to get better,” Riley said. “I feel like we’re getting close. We’ve yet to play a full, full game of ‘Weymouth lacrosse’, but I think things are starting to fall into place. People are coming back from injuries, and hopefully we stay healthy. I think they’re excited. … We have three big games to close out the regular season, so hopefully, we head into the tournament with some momentum.”