'Generational athlete': Career records vault Megan Doyle to all-time status at Weymouth High
WEYMOUTH – Kathryn Riley was told the Weymouth High girls lacrosse team had a real-deal freshman when she applied to fill its head coaching vacancy four years ago.
The freshman, Riley heard, was tall (6-foot-1) and also played basketball.
“OK, I guess it’ll be good for the draw," Riley said, sarcastically.
The player's name was Megan Doyle. Soon you'll see it printed on a few banners in the school's gymnasium.
And, as Riley quickly discovered, Doyle was good for much more just than the draw.
Doyle headlined the Wildcats' rise to prominence in both the lacrosse and basketball worlds. Each program earned postseason wins in 2023, her junior year, to distance itself from the down years of the lacrosse team clinching one preliminary-round win in 2013, and the girls basketball team missing the tournament cut each of the past 11 seasons.
This winter, Doyle became the girls basketball program's all-time leading scorer, and the fifth player overall in school history to surpass the 1,000-point mark, with over 1,100 career points. The Yale lacrosse commit made the same history on the turf last week by amassing 367 career points (and counting).
“I’d say she’s a generational athlete,” Riley said. "There’s obviously a lot of great athletes to come through this town, but the accomplishments she’s had and the pressure she’s had – she handled it with such grace and composure. We’re really proud of her.”
“There are not too many female athletes of her size that move the way she moves," Riley said. "Just so fluid, so graceful. Strong. Quick. Fast. Athletically speaking, I’m sure if she tried any sport, she’d be great at it. We were lucky she picked lacrosse.”
Doyle, an USA lacrosse All-American selection, set three program records as a junior last spring with 107 goals, 144 points and 235 draw controls, winning the Bay State Conference MVP and leading Weymouth to a 15-7 record as the No. 11 seed in the Division 1 bracket.
In basketball, Doyle paired up with 6-foot-4 Callie Flynn to form one of the state's most imposing paint presences. Doyle averaged 21 points, 14 rebounds and 5 steals per game as the Wildcats went 20-5 and reached the Division 1 Elite Eight. She is a three-time conference All-Star and repeat All-Scholastic in both sports.
“This year has been the best of my high school career. It felt so special," Doyle said. "Not everyone gets a chance to have a year like this. I feel super lucky.”
From Weymouth to Yale
Doyle is the lacrosse team's second Division 1 college commit in as many years, following 2023 grad Cam Flaherty, a freshman attack at nearby Stonehill College. Doyle committed to Yale early in her high school career, the September leading into her junior year.
The idea of transferring to a private high school was once brought to Doyle's attention. It didn't stay there long.
"I did (think about it), but I never really wanted to (leave). It was just, 'maybe we'll explore it and see how we feel,'" Doyle said. "I love this town, so why not (stay)? All the girls here, I would’ve been so full of regret because I never have gotten to meet these people and play with them.”
One influence was Doyle's upbringing in lacrosse. She started playing in first grade, and leveled up her skillset while playing for the club team 'Laxachusetts' alongside many of her current high school teammates. That, plus the pride of representing her hometown from the youth level to today, played a key role in Doyle staying put.
“Being around in elementary school, all my teachers, it’s been a great experience. Definitely, sports – like, youth sports – made me stay," Doyle said.
Oh, also the town rivalries – “You don’t get that at private schools,” Doyle said with a smile.
Rivalries, like the one the Wildcats' brew with neighboring conference rival Braintree. “Yes, like Braintree,” Doyle said with a laugh. “For real.”
For good measure, Doyle clinched the all-time scoring milestone in a 16-8 win over the Wamps on April 11, chipping in seven points, 12 draw controls, three caused turnovers and four ground balls. It's the standout memory of the senior's farewell season (so far).
“We want to make it the best (year) for everyone," junior attack Mira Flaherty said. "It’s our last year with her, and we want to go far in the tournament and make it the longest we can.”
“Ultimately, she’ll be remembered for how good of a kid she is," Riley said. "I’ll take a whole team of Megan Doyle’s, take away her skillset. Her attitude, her effort, the type of teammate she is – you can’t teach that.”
This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Megan Doyle makes lacrosse, basketball history at Weymouth High
