Court rejects Wachusett hockey team appeal
Wachusett’s last gasp at an MIAA state tournament berth fell on deaf ears.
On Friday afternoon, the Worcester County Superior Court upheld the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association’s decision to enforce six forfeits on Wachusett’s boys hockey team after the Mountaineers played with an ineligible player during the first part of the season.
Wachusett filed for a preliminary injunction early Friday morning in hopes that a judge would rule in its favor and overturn the forfeitures, thus entering the Mountaineers into the Division 1 state tournament ahead of Saturday’s bracket reveal. Worcester Superior Court Judge Janet KentonWalker wrote, “after a thorough review of review of the respective pleadings, affidavits, supporting documents, the relevant caselaw, and following a hearing, Plaintiff’s motion is DENIED.”
In October, Wachusett received a transfer from Worcester Academy. Since Worcester Academy is a non-MIAA school, Wachusett’s administration was required to receive a student eligibility waiver under MIAA Handbook rule 87.1. The Mountaineers’ administration, however, admittedly never filed the proper paperwork in time, instead filing a Form 200 which grants eligibility between MIAA schools and as a result the Mountaineers began the season with an ineligible player.
As a result, Wachusett was required to forfeit all six games that the studentathlete played in at the start of the season. The Boston Herald learned that this past week, the Mountaineers, who finished 7-12 on the regular season, made one last gasp to get into the state tournament. First, they appealed to an MIAA subcommittee on Tuesday for tournament entry based on an MIAA Handbook rule that allows for tournament eligibility in the event of use of an ineligible player albeit as the last seed.
The Mountaineers argued since the error was simply clerical with no malintent they should be afforded the opportunity to retain those defeats and end up in the state tournament. The MIAA subcommittee, however, composed of members of the Board of Directors, unanimously voted down the appeal.
Following the denial Wachusett turned to litigation and filed an injunction on Wednesday that seeked to showcase irreparable harm to both its team’s state tournament fortunes and to the ineligible player himself.
The MIAA’s argument, which proved to be victorious, asserted, “Wachusett asserts it is likely to suffer irreparable harm if an injunction does not enter because MIAA Power Rankings will be released on February 25, 2023, and Wachusett will not qualify for the MIAA state tournament. That cannot be irreparable harm because it was caused by Wachusett’s own doing.”
Boys hockey
Littleton made history when the Tigers captured the program’s first sectional championship with a 5-1 win over Gardner in the CMADA Tournament Class C championship game at NorthStar Ice Sports in Westboro.
Tyler Edwards and Zachary Lizotte had huge offensive days. Edwards scored twice and set up two goals, while Lizotte scored a pair of goals and added one assist.
Girls basketball
Notre Dame of Worcester held off Tyngsboro, 54-47, to capture the CMADA Class C title at Worcester State University. Notre Dame battled back twice from 10-point deficits to win the championship. Gianna Donato tallied a game-high 22 points for Tyngsboro.
Football
Bentley University has added nine players to its 2023 recruiting class, second-year head football coach Alvin Reynolds announced, bringing the total number of newcomers to 17.
Bentley is coming off a 7-3 season.
Six of the additions are Massachusetts residents: Ian Dixon, TE, Wakefield HS, Wakefield, 6-3, 230; Ryan Flanagan, DB, Doherty Memorial HS, Worcester, 6-0, 180; Matthew
Haggan, WR, Westford Academy, Westford, 5-10, 180; Isaiah Osgood, QB, Arlington Catholic HS, Dorchester, 5-11, 175; Quincy Pickett, DL, St. Sebastian’s HS, Brockton, 6-2, 290; and Amin Rahim, OL, Woburn Memorial HS, Woburn, 6-5, 290.
Field hockey
The National Field Hockey Coaches Association
(NFHCA) has announced the 134 members of the NFHCA High School Impact Senior Team.
Student-athletes had to meet three of five character criteria — covering items like community service and leadership roles — and five of 10 athletic criteria to be eligible for recognition.
Eleven of the honorees are from Massachusetts.
They are: Elizabeth Santore of Agawam; Remore Serra and Emily Stagnone of Chelmsford; Reagan Malo of LincolnSudbury; Julia Carbone of Lynnfield; Sofia Jacobsen and Abigail Zacchini of Nashoba Regional; Olivia Donahue, Nina Husak and Grace Mullaney of Pingree School; and Kathryn Guertin of Wachusett Regional.