Looking back on a banner year for 15 Central Mass. teams that won state championships
It was a year to look back fondly on for a multitude of high school sports teams from Central Mass.
For 15, it was a year they’ll always cherish and never forget as they claimed state championships.
Those 15 titles were compiled by 13 schools — take an extra bow, Uxbridge and Westborough, for earning two each — in 10 sports with nine boys’ and six girls’ teams hoisting hardware at locations ranging from the Reggie Lewis Center and the Tsongas Center to TD Garden and Polar Park.
So with 2023 winding down, we asked each championship coach to reflect on their team’s successful season, be it a defining moment or an all-encompassing thought. Here’s what they had to say (teams listed in chronological order):
Littleton boys’ indoor track
After winning the Division 5 state championship in 2022, the Tigers returned to the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston a year later cautiously optimistic about defending their crown.
“We kind of hoped we’d win,” coach Casey Kaldenberg said. “We knew we had an amazing senior class and an amazing junior class, as well.”
More: Littleton boys' track repeats as Division 5 indoor track state champions
It was a group led by seniors Evan Cherry and Paul Neary and juniors Bona Bradshaw and Tim Rank.
But it was the explosive exploits of junior Tyler Castillo early in the meet that electrified the large Littleton contingent.
Castillo covered 55 meters in 6.61 seconds in the preliminary round to break a seven-year-old school record and advance to the finals where, about 90 minutes later, the ninth-seeded speedster lowered that mark to 6.54 with his first-place finish.
“The whole place just went crazy,” Kaldenberg said. “We have a huge team between the boys and the girls. The number of athletes that run from the school (with an enrollment of 440) is amazing.
“We had 85 or 90 kids there and they just went ecstatic when that happened. I don’t know what that did to the psyche of the runners on our own team, but it was just game-on from that moment on.”
The Tigers ended up scoring 64½ points to top runner-up Ipswich by 15 points as Rank finished first in the mile, second to Bradshaw in the 2 mile and teamed with junior Spencer Caouette, Cherry and Bradshaw, who took third in the 1,000-meter run, to win the 3,200 relay. Neary earned a pair of medals.
Nashoba boys’ hockey
The Wolves found themselves deadlocked at 1-1 with top-seeded and heavily favored Scituate when the Division 3 state final went to overtime at TD Garden.
Fazed they were not.
“As far as memorable moments, we played in eight overtime games, including the state final,” Nashoba coach Matt Briggs said.
More: Quinn scores OT winner as Nashoba wins Division 3 state boys' hockey championship
“Those games and pivotal minutes under high pressure helped us in a huge way. It brought our room closer together than any team that I have ever coached.”
The 11th-seeded Wolves edged No. 22 Groton-Dunstable, 2-1, in overtime on a strike by junior Mason Holmes in the first round and upset No. 6 Marlborough, 3-2, in double OT on a goal by senior captain Joe Quinn in the second round.
Then it was another one-goal decision, this one by a 1-0 count in regulation against No. 3 Medfield before skating past No. 10 Triton, 4-1 — finally a breather — to advance to the final.
Quinn, who set up senior Sam Mongeon to give the Wolves a 1-0 lead in the first period against Scituate, again put an end to another extra session.
He converted a backhander out of the slot off a dish by senior Ryan May at the 6:52 mark to topple the Sailors, who had reached the state semifinals the previous season.
The Wolves, who won the Division 3A state title in 2015 and ’16, finished 15-6-4.
“It was incredible,” Briggs said, “Not to mention, as the 11th seed, we upset four teams on our way to the title. An incredible year with an incredible group of kids.”
Shrewsbury girls’ hockey
The Colonials started strong and finished the same way.
They won their first 10 games and their final 10 games, the last being a 4-1 decision over top-seeded and once-beaten St. Mary’s of Lynn in the Division 1 state final at TD Garden.
It was the first state title for the 21-2-2 Colonials, who entered the tournament seeded third and proceeded to top No. 30 Old Rochester, 9-0; No. 14 Pope Francis, 2-0; No. 6 Hingham, 3-2, in overtime; and No. 2 Notre Dame of Hingham, 4-3, to reach the state final.
More: Third period surge helps Shrewsbury girls' hockey break through with D1 state championship
“It was just a great season,” coach Frank Panarelli said. “There were a lot of milestones.”
They included junior goalie Risa Montoya setting the school record for career shutouts (17 and counting) and Panarelli, the only coach the program has had, recording his 200th win in his 15th season on the Shrewsbury bench.
But it was a five-game funk in late January and early February that knocked the Colonials from the ranks of the unbeatens that was not without meaning.
“I never mentioned being undefeated once,” Panarelli said. “We went through that little phase where we went 1-2-2, and that kind of woke us up. … We had a meeting and I said, ‘I love the way you guys are still playing. You’re competing.’
“I’m glad we went through that little phase. It’s obviously very tough to run the table, especially in hockey where you play so many games, so it was good thing the girls came down to reality a little bit. They never stopped playing.”
North boys’ basketball
The sixth-seeded Polar Bears defeated No. 5 Needham, 73-64, at the Tsongas Center in Lowell to become the first Division 1 public school team from Worcester to win a state championship.
That capped a campaign in which the Polar Bears went 24-2, including 23-0 against in-state competition, and won their final 21 games, 16 of them by double digits behind a super seven rotation led by T&G Super Team selections Joe Okla, Tahlan Pettway and Teshaun Steele.
But despite opening the season with convincing victories over Wachusett, St. Paul and St. John’s, coach Al Pettway was wondering what direction his talented team was headed with December winding down.
More: Mission accomplished: North High makes history as Polar Bears win D1 state championship
Then two events occurred a week apart that proved to be season altering via team bonding.
Standout sophomore guard Ty Tabales was hospitalized with a life-threatening medical complication on Dec. 21. He would miss seven games while spending 18 days in hospitals in Ayer and Boston.
A couple of days later, the Polar Bears departed for Florida, where they played elite teams from Pennsylvania, Oklahoma and North Carolina in an Orlando-area tournament.
“I thought that brought them together,” Pettway said of Tabales’ hospitalization. “I think they realized that life is short and you can be stripped of it in the blink of an eye. So I thought that was a factor in our championship run.
“And then going to Florida, I just thought it was valuable because it allowed them to spend a lot of time with each other, get to know each other better and do fun stuff together. That was huge in bringing them together as well.”
Westborough boys’ outdoor track
The Rangers garnered 37 points while finishing eighth at the Division 3 state championships in 2022.Twelve months later, they topped the table of 32 teams.
The Rangers dominated the pole vault and saw senior Alan Nguyen record three top-four finishes as they piled up 83 points — 23½ more than runner-up Duxbury and four short of matching the combined total of the third- and fourth-place teams — at Fitchburg State University.
“When guys commit to working hard, focusing on the process and improving even by 1% every single day, great things can happen,” coach Roger Anderson said.
“We didn’t enter the D3 state meet with any other focus than performing our best when it counts the most. Our seniors led the way both in leadership and performance.”
Nguyen won the pole vault and took second in the 110-meter hurdles — two spots ahead of senior Ben Verheijen — and fourth in the long jump.
Tthe Rangers collected 31 points in the pole vault as sophomores Daniel Velez (second) and Reese Condon (third) and juniors Alex Chan (fifth), and Eric Chang (sixth) all medaled.
Junior Sebastian Grillo was third in the discus and fourth in shot put, senior Taylor Quigley took fourth in the discus, and junior Julian Cespedes snared seventh in the javelin. The pentathlon delivered fifth- and sixth-place finishes for seniors Brenan Martin and Tim Tylik, respectively.
Seniors Brady Henderson and Michael LeLacheur and juniors Vamsi Ankalu and David Hilfinger teamed up to claim bronze in the 3,200 relay.
Whitinsville Christian girls’ outdoor track
The Crusaders successfully defended their Division 6 state championship during a meet that spanned two days at Westfield State University, this time piling up 92 points to top Mount Greylock by 34 points.
Senior Kira Simoncini (100-, 200-meter dashes), junior Avery Glidden (400, 400 hurdles) and sophomore Emma Wierenga (800) were individual winners, while seniors Emily and Sophia Dill and juniors Molly Burkhart and Annika Fortna teamed up to claim gold in the 3,200 relay.
“When I think about the group of athletes that I had last year, I think about their attention to detail and the effort they put into preparing for each competition,” coach Mike Persenaire said.
“I had great senior leaders in Kira, Emily, Sophia, and Lexi (Foster) who were able to set an example of what it takes to be a champion and how a champion composes themselves before races as well as practices.”
The talented Crusaders had a desire to improve and a will to win. But they made sure to enjoy the ride.
“In a season that can feel long, and a sport where meets can run for hours on end, the athletes and coaches were constantly moving from each event and cheering each other on,” Persenaire said.
“It didn't matter if it was a meet like twilight at Norwell where it was raining sideways, or a meet where there was no shade, and kids came back sunburned. The team competed intensely and supported each other and made being a member of the track and field team enjoyable.”
Oakmont baseball
The Spartans were 15-2 and second or third in the Division 3 power rankings when they made their first foray out of Central Mass. on the last day of May.
The opponent was Foxborough, which was ranked fifth in the state, and the Spartans soon found themselves handing the ball to junior third baseman Ben Forbes after staff ace Caleb Allen was unable make his scheduled start due to a shoulder issue.
More: Spartans celebrate: Oakmont baseball outlasts Medfield for Division 3 state championship
It was Plan B, as in bold, brave and, ultimately brilliant.
“It was kind of his coming out party as a pitcher,” coach Tim Caouette said.
Forbes, in his first high school appearance on the mound, struck out eight and allowed five hits in a route-going performance as the Spartans prevailed, 5-2.
“A game people might not have noted was a turning point for us,” Caouette said. “It really gave us that springboard momentum, realizing not only could we compete with the best in the state, but that we really had something special.”
The Spartans, who ended up seeded fourth in the D3 tournament, went on to defeat No. 29 Medway, No. 20 East Bridgewater, No. 5 Tantasqua and No. 1 Taconic before knocking off No. 2 Medfield, 5-3, in a three-hour, 12-inning marathon in the state final at Polar Park.
The winning pitcher?
None other than Forbes, who recorded five Ks and allowed five hits over six shutout innings in relief in what Caouette called the “biggest game of his life.”
The state title was the first for the Spartans, who finished 23-3.
St. John’s golf
The Pioneers put together a season for the ages.
They posted a 16-1 record, including a 9-1 mark to finish first in the powerful Catholic Conference with their lone loss coming by a point to Xaverian.
Then the Pioneers recorded a three-stroke victory at the Central Division 1 sectional before capping off a fabulous fall by topping St. John’s Prep by a whopping 11 strokes to take top honors at the D1 state championships at GreatHorse CC in Hampden.
More: St. John's claims first state championship since 2012 while honoring former golfer
“I call it a dream season,” said coach Sean Noonan, whose gifted golfers placed second at states last fall and fourth in 2001. “Just so proud of the kids.”
Especially the seven seniors that made up a roster of 13 so deep 10 of the golfers shot par or better at one point during the season.
They were captains Veer Bhasin, Tim Breen, Nic Gebhardt, and Matt Lemay along with classmates Gavin Burke, Robbie Cotter and Curtis McDonald, the latter of whom Noonan praised for playing a “huge role” in the championship run.
“There was a lot of leadership from the seniors,” Noonan said. “They were really unselfish. I had a few guys who were in the top six last year and couldn’t make the final six this year.
“They didn’t complain; they knew how deep our team was. … We were a close team, unselfish, just determined.”
Gebhardt and junior Ronan Mooney each shot a 3-over-75 to tie for third at states. Junior Savar Bhasin tied for seventh at 76 and McDonald and sophomore Cael Duggan were among the 12th-place finishers at 77.
It all added up to the eighth recorded state championship for the Pioneers.
Bromfield girls’ cross-country
The favored Trojans had to wait a spell for the results of the Division 3 state meet to be declared official as their biggest challenger, Lenox, didn’t show up in the preliminary scoring for an unbeknownst reason.
The celebration ultimately commenced after they were anointed state champions, their margin of victory a solid 13 points over the Millionaires at Devens.
“Perhaps it added a little drama to the final outcome, but it was certainly all worth it to share the news when it came,” coach Matt Lynde. “Witnessing the joy on all their faces as they came together to celebrate was truly amazing.
“This was a big deal for this program, and what I hope is a source of pride for the school and for the Harvard community.”
The Trojans were led by junior Evelyn Wool’s fifth-place finish in the field of 179 that covered the 3.1-mile, multiple-loop course.
Sophomore Rosie Bradley (16th), juniors Rosie Bradley (16th) and Isabel Jackson (29th), and eighth grader Abby Wool (68th) completed the five scorers, while sophomore Helen Holzmann and senior Ruby Farough rounded out the starting seven.
Lynde couldn’t be prouder of what his team accomplished.
“It takes an incredible amount of discipline and patience to have the success that this team had this season,” he said.
Summer training, six day a week practices, running in all sorts of conditions this season. This group was willing to put in the work and they were greatly rewarded for it.”
Parker boys’ cross-country
The Panthers are a perennially powerful program that has amassed a horde of accolades, medals and trophies over the years.
Their focus annually, though, is on the day-to-day process.
“Our big goal this season was to be the best team we could be, every single day of the season,” coach Ben Benoit said. “This led to a ton of consistency in training and enabled us to stack up an incredible workload.
“As we got late in the season, we talked about winning each moment, which allowed us to detach a bit from winning races and just be totally present in being the best team we could be.”
And on the third Saturday in November, no Division 3 team was better at the state cross-country championships at Devens, which is home to Parker Charter.
The Panthers placed five runners in the top 30 to post a score of 63 points — a resounding 55 less than second-place Weston — to claim their third state title in the past six seasons.
Junior Henry Jacobsen led the way, finishing fourth over the 3.1-mile course, with senior Caleb Hatlevig two spots back. Seventh grader Jett Johnson (19th), sophomore Nathaniel Henshaw (21st) and junior Connor Stach (29th) were close behind.
Freshmen Danny Garrison (41st) and Cypress Lance (83rd) completed the championship contingent.
“I could not be prouder of how this team bought into the goals and achieved true greatness,” Benoit said.
Uxbridge field hockey
The Spartans entered the season as two-time defending Division 4 state champions, so to that end, they loaded up their schedule.
No problem, as they continued to unload on the opposition, leading to an abundance of highlights for a young squad that had two seniors in forward Tessa Johnston and defender Ella Pezzullo.
“My team felt that our most memorable moments were beating (eventual) Division 1 (state champion) Walpole, 1-0, on our Homecoming,” coach Kelly Rosborough said, “beating Division 1 Wachusett for the CMADA Class A championship and winning the state title for the third time in a row.”
It was a three-peat for the top-seeded Spartans as they strung together five consecutive shutouts, the last a 4-0 blanking of No. 3 Monomoy in the final at WPI’s Alumni Field. They outscored the opposition, 36-0, in the postseason to finish 23-1.
The Spartans, who defeated five D1 teams that were ranked in the top 10 in the power rankings, checked in as the No. 2 team in Massachusetts and No. 22 in the country by MaxPreps. They’re 69-1-2 over the past three seasons.Celebrating another state title was an unforgettable moment. So was the trip to and from Worcester.
“On the day of the state championship game, our team loved getting on the bus before the state final game and seeing the decorations from their families to make our send-off so special,” Rosborough said.
“(Same for) the bus ride home with our team together one last time and the Uxbridge police and fire departments leading us back to Uxbridge High School to celebrate bringing the trophy home again.”
Sutton girls’ soccer
It was thrice as nice for the second-seeded Suzies.
After winning the Division 5 state championship in 2021 and ’22, they ran their postseason string of success to 15 games over three years with a 2-1 win over No. 1 South Hadley in the Division 4 state final at Doyle Field.
“It was a pleasure to watch the team continue to come together throughout the year and push themselves to the highest standard individually and as a team to three-peat,” coach Jensen Shipp said.
The Suzies set state records for most championships (11), most finals appearances (15) and became the first school to three-peat twice, having first accomplished the feat from 1991 to ’93.
“They were able to duplicate history within Sutton girls’ soccer, and they should take tremendous pride with that,” Shipp said. “I know they are not done and will continue to raise the bar for next year. It is an honor to work with such dedicated players, and I will never take these moments for granted.”
The Suzies’ dedication and development was best exemplified by their 12-game, season-ending win streak — by a cumulative score of 60-6 — to finish 18-4-2.
The quartet of sophomore Ava Magnuson (9 goals, 2 assists) and juniors Addy Jerome (7, 2), Annika Stockhaus (3, 3) and Anna Joseph (3, 2) powered the postseason offense. Sophomore keeper Madelyn Nunnemacher anchored the D with three shutouts and a .60 goals against average.
But for Shipp, it was what happened before each match that he’ll long remember.
“My favorite moment, as I told them, is watching them warm up before each and every game with energy and passion,” Shipp said.
Westborough girls’ volleyball
For some athletes, waiting is the hardest part.
Not for these Rangers, who, for the second straight year, found the start of the Division 2 state final delayed because the previous match ended up going the full five sets.
So what’s a girl to do?
More: Westborough volleyball cruises to back-to-back D2 state championships
“Our team went into a locker room and truly enjoyed just spending time together,” said Roger Anderson, who coached two Ranger state champs in consecutive seasons, having guided the boys' outdoor track team in the spring. “They danced, played games, sang songs and relished the moments together. My assistant coaches played a great role in supporting this.
“The effect of doing that allowed us to come out onto the floor as a connected group who clearly loved each other and were ready to compete as one. Our composure in this year's state championship was exceptional, and we are very proud of our team for that.”
Indeed, the top-seeded Rangers defeated No. 3 Canton, 3-0, at Worcester State University to repeat as state champs in their third straight appearance in the final.
The Rangers didn’t drop a set in their five postseason matches and finished 20-1 to up their three-year record to 63-2. Their only loss this season was by a 3-2 score to eventual Division 1 state champion Newton North.
It was a great way for the Rangers’ seven seniors — Quinn Anderson, Maggie Cardin, Joyce Li, Addyson Moore, Annabelle Semeter, Pragna Shashidar, and Megan Tibbetts — to go out.
“We had tremendous senior leadership and their composure in big moments was critical to our success in defending our D2 state title,” Anderson said.
West Boylston football
The Lions returned an abundance of experience, leadership and talent from the 2022 team that won the Division 7 state championship.
So expectations were high.
“That was a big thing,” coach Mike Ross said. “You know what? You’re expected to get back to Gillette Stadium and it put a lot of pressure on them; it put a lot of pressure on (the coaches). There was definitely a lot of pressure, and they handled it.”
More: West Boylston captures second straight state championship as Lions roll past Carver
Handled it in dominant fashion.
The top-seeded Lions shredded No. 2 Carver, 41-7, behind the two-way play of — among others — seniors Luke Foley, Jamie McNamara, Connor Muldoon, and Jake O’Brien to repeat as state champions, this time in Division 8.
They finished 13-0, setting a school record and matching the Central Mass. mark for wins in a season. Their average margin of victory was 34.9 points and their 574 total points ranked second all-time in CMass.
The Lions outscored No. 16 Brighton, No. 8 Blackstone-Millville, No. 4 Cathedral, and Carver by a cumulative score of 169-28.
“When you win a state title, a lot of things are going right,” Ross said. “They really came out and played (hard every week).”
The Lions were committed to the process from the first day of practice in August to the last snap in December.
“They never missed lifting; they were dedicated,” Ross said. “It was one of the best groups I’ve ever had. They did everything you needed to do to win. For as much talent that they had, they put the time in and got better as the year went on.”
Uxbridge football
It was a wire-to-wire success story for the Spartans.
They won their first eight games — six against teams that advanced to postseason play — to earn the top seed in the Division 7 state tournament.
Then they vanquished No. 16 Oxford, No. 8 Tyngsborough and No. 5 Clinton, took a tournament break to top rival Northbridge on Thanksgiving, and completed a 13-0 campaign with a 42-16 win over No. 6 Amesbury at Gillette Stadium.
More: LaChapelle brothers lead way as Uxbridge rolls past Amesbury to win Division 7 Super Bowl
It was the first Super Bowl victory for the Spartans since they repeated as champions in 1992. They set a school and equaled the Central Mass. record for wins in a season and finished with 539 points, fourth most all-time in Central Mass.
That’s all great and well, but …
“When I reflect on the historic season that our football team had, it’s not the records set, big plays made, scores of games, or even one or two players that stand out most,” coach Matt Blood said. “For me, it’s the poise and discipline the players collectively showed from week to week.”
Those players were led by captains Aidan Blood, Kellen LaChapelle, Matt DiLibero, Nate Noyes, and Liam Rigney, part of a 14 strong senior class that also included three-phase contributor Luke Esposito and three-year starter Braden Cammuso.
“They were able to rise above injury, illness, tough opponents, and the increasing pressure of remaining undefeated until the final seconds of the season ticked off the clock,” Blood said.
“It was amazing to see them grow in their belief in each other, belief in their coaches and belief in what their team could accomplish.”
—Contact Rich Garven at rgarven@telegram.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @RichGarvenTG.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: YEAR IN REVIEW: These 15 local teams reflect on winning a state title in 2023
