High school standouts honored at ceremony
Days after many closed the book on their decorated high school careers, on the playing fields and in the classroom, 22 graduating seniors were honored Tuesday at the 37 th Globe Foundation/Richard J. Phelps Scholar-Athlete Award ceremony, held in the Dell Technologies Club at Fenway Park.
Eighteen seniors, representing seven MIAA districts, the city of Boston, and Eastern Massachusetts prep schools received $3,000 college scholarships, recognized for their wide-ranging athletic accomplishments and their academic performance and community involvement.
In addition, four three-sport standouts, all seniors, were honored as Athletes of the Year: Owen McHugh (Milton) and Rose MacLean (Andover), in the Will McDonough/ MIAA division, and Molly Driscoll (Brooks) and Rogan Cardinal (Pingree) for NEPSAC schools.
While Tuesday’s ceremony acknowledged individual excellence, the winners were quick to reflect on the teammates, coaches, mentors, and family members who helped shape their success.
“All of the work that I put in, it finally showed off this year . . . but I feel like I’m taking this award home for my teammates and coaches as well,” said McHugh, who quarterbacked the Milton football team to the Division 3 Super Bowl, was a first-line center on the hockey team, and pitched the Wildcats to back-to-back Division 2 championships. He will play football and baseball at Williams.
“The older guys in front of me didn’t really get as many accolades, but [we would not] have had the success we had this year without them leading the way.”
The Globe started the scholar-athlete program in 1987, and Phelps, a Watertown native who is a longtime businessman and philanthropist, came aboard as a co-sponsor in 1991.
Nearly eight decades after starring on the mound for the Phillips Andover baseball team and later attending and playing at Yale, the 94-year-old Phelps said his fondest athletic memories come from the relationships he formed while competing — a message he passed along to the newest group of honorees.
“These significant accomplishments will stay with you for a very, very long time — especially the victories. And as time marches on, those few losses will fade into a cloudy mist,” said Phelps, who threw out the first pitch before last week’s Red SoxRockies game, his 90th straight year attending a game at the park.
“I am sure one overriding memory of all these athletic contests will be the friendships that you made on the athletic fields. Those will be your greatest long term memories.”
The keynote speaker was Gus Quattlebaum (Phillips Andover, ’93), vice president of professional scouting for the Red Sox. While lauding the accomplishments of the honorees, Quattlebaum shared his perspective about the importance of remaining humble.
“No one cares what you did in the earlier levels. No one cares that you are a Phelps Scholar. You now have to prove yourself at the next level,” he said. “And I would argue the No. 1 tool that we look for as scouts is humility. We’re looking for those of you who are anxious to learn more. It’s humility that’s going to carry you and open your mind.”
Globe columnist Dan Shaughnessy, noting the ceremony is one of his favorite days of the year, said, “It’s so much about achievement and academics, and also having great parents.”
For MacLean and Driscoll, a Middleton resident who is headed to Boston College to play lacrosse, the ceremony was a reunion, which they only realized upon arrivial. From ages 10 through 14, MacLean and Driscoll played hockey together on the Islanders Hockey Club, and lacrosse together for the New England Twisters.
“It’s nice to think back, that it all paid off,” Driscoll said. “We had some good times together, and a lot of good tournaments. So that was a lot of fun [to both receive the honors].”