High school volleyball: Doherty in fine form heading into D2 postseason

Doherty’s bright, modern and spacious gymnasium in the newly-constructed high school on Highland Street will open in the fall. But the old court, which first opened its doors in 1966, is getting a terrific farewell final season with the outstanding play of the Highlanders boys’ volleyball team.

With a 12-1 record entering the first full week of May, Doherty has already clinched the Inter-High Championship and is power-ranked 15th among the Division 2 teams in the state.

“The new gym will be amazing to play in,” said Doherty junior Kevin Bourget, a right-side hitter, already named captain for the 2025 season. “The old gym is historic with so many great memories in there, and we’re ready to continue the legacy in the new gym.”

Bourget averages five kills per match and is one of the team’s most consistent defensive passers.

“We’ve all worked very hard to get to this point,” he said. “These guys, my teammates and friends, I’ve been with for a long time.”

Middle blocker Brendan O’Malley, another junior, while focused on this very successful season, is also eagerly awaiting the next one.

“We have a lot of talented players on this team, and most of us also play on club teams too. It’s really exciting thinking about playing in the new gym,” O'Malley said. “That dusty court we have now is pretty annoying. We’re constantly having to wipe off our shoes. But it’s always been home.”

And even as the dust has settled in the old venue, the 68-year-old court has been an exciting place this spring, filled with cheers and celebrations for the Highlanders, who are unbeaten there. Doherty bolted to six straight wins in April before losing its only match on the road at Marlborough in five-sets.

Last week, at home, on its way to another six-match win streak, Doherty defeated Main South and Fitchburg, both by 3-0 scores.

“We have some very strong players on this team who work so well together,” said coach Emily Boutilette, now in her 19th season. “I think we can take states. It’s not an impossibility.”

At Boutilette’s side in every match is her 14-year-old daughter, Alexis, the team manager, statistician and talented volleyball player herself, a setter in Junior Olympic tournaments.

“She’s been with us on our bench since before she could walk,” said Boutilette with a smile.

The Doherty senior captains are middle blocker Michael Simmarano and setter Liam O'Neil.

“I played a little volleyball in middle school, but sophomore year here is when I really started to take the sport seriously,” said the 6-foot-3 Simmarano, who averages five blocks per match and plans on playing club volleyball at UMass-Lowell next year, majoring in exercise science.

O'Neil, who averages an impressive 20 to 30 assists per match and likens the setter position to a point guard in basketball, will play college volleyball at Averett University in Danville, Virginia.

Also committed to play volleyball next year at NCAA Div. 2 Emmanuel University in Franklin Springs, Georgia, senior Christian Colon-Baez, one of the best outside hitters in the area, averaging close to 10 kills a match, thinks the Highlanders can go deep into the playoffs.

“If we really keep our energy up and stay consistent throughout the rest of our matches, we should be able to keep going and maybe go all the way to the finals,” Colon-Baez said.

Added junior outside hitter Cam Kelly, “We have formed great team chemistry here. It’s not about one player. We all work hard and stay together as one unit.”

Kelly is part of a hard-working crew of juniors that also includes Ariel Maldonado and Kenny and Anthony Nguyen.

The other strong Doherty seniors include outside Tyler Tran, who transferred from Burncoat after leading the Patriots as its most valuable player last year, and outside hitter Jonathan Arous-Nieves.

Sophomore Bernardo Pena Dos Santos has bolstered the team as its libero among the starters.

“The older guys have really helped me a lot on this team,” he said. “I’m very happy with their support.”

—Contact Jay Gearan at sports@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tgsports.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: High school volleyball: Doherty in fine form heading into D2 postseason