Rediscovering the cruelty of tournament baseball is becoming an annual tradition for the Newburyport baseball team. It's much like Memorial Day in that it occurs at the end of May and marks the unofficial start of summer.
Read More »A Newburyport High senior recently overcame major knee surgery to capture a school record in his/her particular track and field event. That senior will enter this weekend's Division 4 state championship meet as the top seed.
Read More »From top to bottom, the Newburyport baseball team is capable of stealing bases as is evidenced by its team-record 65 swipes.
Leading off, Tyler Stotz has stolen 10 bases. Batting behind him, Richie Burke led the Cape Ann League with 21 stolen bases. Joe Clancy in the 3-hole has five stolen bases, followed by perhaps the CAL's fastest player, Kyle LeBlanc, who won the indoor CAL championship for the 55-meter dash,and his 12 stolen bases. Protecting LeBlanc was Kevin Holmes and his deceptive eight swipes.
Read More »Newburyport baseball coach Bill Pettingell may enjoy this Cape Ann League title more than any of his previous 18.
The Clippers clinched a CAL title yesterday for the 19th time in Pettingell's 37 seasons as the school's coach. Newburyport's 7-3 victory over Amesbury paired with Masconomet's 7-6 win over North Andover assures the Clippers of at least a share of the title. The Clippers (12-7 overall, 10-3 CAL) are currently in a three-way tie for first with Wilmington (12-5, 10-3) and Masconomet (14-3, 10-3). Those three teams have completed their CAL schedules. North Andover (13-4, 9-3) could make it a four-way tie with a win over Pentucket on Thursday.
Read More »In his 35-plus years of experience, Newburyport baseball coach Bill Pettingell has never seen anything like what could play out in the CAL in the final week this year.
If North Andover loses either of its two remaining CAL league games to Pentucket or Masconomet, then Wilmington, North Andover, Masconomet, and Newburyport could share the CAL title four ways with a 10-3 CAL record.
Read More »NEWBURYPORT | River Rival clashes don't normally need any extra incentives, but it was the postseason come early at War Memorial Stadium as both Triton and Newburyport were in desperation mode faced with the prospect of elimination from the state tournament with one more loss.
Read More »For now, call the Triton baseball team the giant killers.
In a few weeks, the Vikings may be known as the double-digit seed in the Division 2 North Tournament that no high seed wants to draw in the first round.
Read More »Similar to the Nike ad campaign "Witness" that launched the career of LeBron James, fans of Newburyport athletics have witnessed the launching stardom of local three-sport standout Kevin Holmes.
Read More »Mike McCormack will likely be the next product out of the Newburyport coaching factory.
But first, the Worcester State College senior and 2004 Newburyport High graduate will compete in the NCAA Division 3 Regionals next Wednesday. The McCormack-captained Worcester State club recently captured the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference title with a two-game sweep of No. 1 seed Westfield.
Read More »In an intense matchup between two bitter River Rivals, Pentucket prevailed over Newburyport, 17-13.
For Pentucket Zoe McKenzie had two goals and one assist, K.C. Jones had two goals and four assists, Sarah Evers had one goal and four assists, Brianna Yocum had three goals and one assist, Sarah Galligan had four goals and four assists, Kayla Jewett had three goals and one assist, Autumn Gadd had a goal, Vanessa Cahill had a goal and an assist, and Calley Jocum had an assist.
Read More »There is no negating the fact that Bill Pettingell and his Clipper baseball team are in the hunt.
Newburyport's chances were brightened even further when the Ipswich Tigers, a team that presented the Clippers with their first loss in the season opener, prowled into town looking for another easy meal.
Read More »The Newburyport boys lacrosse team, which had reached the 4-4 mark before April vacation week began, was a squad that looked as if it was turning a corner for a strong push for the tourney. After beating River Rival foes Pentucket and Georgetown, a break after a couple hard-fought victories just might have been what the doctor had ordered.
Read More »When a talented North Reading squad came to town yesterday, the Newburyport baseball team had its eyes set on a few goals: Boosting its record, extending its two-game winning streak, and handing a Hornets club its second loss of the season.
Read More »The Chieftains (8-1, 8-0 CAL) racked up 20 goals for the fourth straight game in rolling by Newburyport 25-8. Sydney Godett led the onslaught with six goals and four assists while Brittany Fraser and Kathleen Ragan added four goals each. Madeline Hardy added a hat trick and Maura Brazel was the table-setter with a goal and five helpers as Masco held a commanding 16-4 lead at the break and the second half was academic.
Read More »Yesterday, for perhaps the first time in his coaching career, Newburyport track coach Tim Foley may have been pulling for the opposing team.
Who wasn't?
The North Andover boys track team came to Fuller Field for its first meet since the death of 17-year-old co-captain Alex Farese nine days ago. Farese collapsed on the North Andover track April 14 and remained unconscious at Tuft Medical Center for a week before he was pronounced dead.
Read More »Maura Brazel scored six goals and Sydney Godett added five more as the Chieftains (7-1) had too much offense for Newburyport to handle in a 24-13 triumph. Margeaux Guercia and Madeline Hardy recorded hat tricks while Kathleen Ragan also had three goals along with two assists. Meanwhile, Heather Fraser had two scores and four helpers and Brittany Fraser added a goal with five assists to help pace a balanced Masco attack.
Read More »In more than 30 years and 750 career games coaching from the dugout, Newburyport coach Bill Pettingell has seen his pitchers throw only three or four no-hitters in that time span.
Against one of the Cape Ann League's hottest hitting teams yesterday, Kyle McElroy added one more to that total, no-hitting Georgetown in a thrilling win, 10-0.
Read More »In the first six games of the girls lacrosse season, one clear-cut theme has unfolded in the River Rival region | royalty reigns supreme. The Georgetown Royals to be specific.
Although talk of a coronation might be premature, the Royals' leading lady and top scorer, Shannon Hartford, certainly looks to be one of the top Cape Ann League talents, amassing 46 points thus far after notching another seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) in yesterday's 10-7 win over Newburyport.
Read More »The way Newburyport and Amesbury's offenses have struggled this year, it would be hard for either club to argue with the adage that hitting is generally the last part of the game to come around.
Read More »There is no debate.
The Amesbury Indians softball team has been the absolute cream of the crop in the River Rival region and Cape Ann League in the last five years.
Since 2004, Amesbury has posted records of 22-1, 23-0 (2005), 20-3 (2006) and 18-4 (2007). The Indians' nearly unbeatable quality appears to have carried over to 2008.
Read More »In a Cape Ann League that is run by a pair of lacrosse powerhouses in North Andover and Masconomet, the River Rival teams are all aware that the remainder of the schedule is wide open, and that on any given day, any one team could beat the other.
Read More »The state of the Newburyport and Pentucket baseball programs could easily be perceived as two teams moving in two different directions.
Starting with Newburyport, the Clippers are in the midst of rebuilding a program that won three straight Cape Ann League titles from 2004 to 2006. The Clippers struggled to a 10-11 mark last spring in their first season after the graduation of a strong senior class that included Joe Pace, Brendan Russell and Jared Notargiacomo. With yesterday's 2-1 loss at Pentucket, this year's Newburyport team dropped to 1-4.
Read More »Triton picked up its first victory over Newburyport in two seasons Saturday | a 3-2 victory at Lower Field.
Triton's Sam Ferrara scored from third base on a passed ball in the top of the seventh. That run proved to be the difference. Joe Katin earned the complete-game victory for the Vikings in the opener, allowing six hits and one earned run.
Read More »Yesterday at the Triton Regional High School, the Vikings battled the Newburyport Clippers in a River Rival league match-up. A stalemate for the majority of the game, it was a handful of big plays, and big errors, that helped finalize the outcome.
Read More »The Manchester Essex girls lacrosse team registered their first win of the season yesterday and every player saw playing time in the 12-5 victory over Newburyport.
Senior Molly Osborne netted a hat trick, while sophomore Hillary Doucette, Amanda Azadian and Shane Gordon added two goals each. Goalie Vicky Grimes played well in net for the Hornets (1-2), making 12 saves.
Read More »Few Newburyport baseball players remain from the team that clinched its third consecutive Cape Ann League title in 2006.
And perhaps that's a good thing for the Clippers.
No longer harbored with the pressure of continuing a run of CAL titles, Newburyport continued to establish its new identity yesterday in a 3-2 loss to Haverhill at Lower Field. Hillies pitcher Leif Sorenson was the difference, earning the complete-game three-hit victory.
Read More »Kaitlyn Wallace won two individual events (shot put, 32-5; discus, 98-2) for Newburyport. Alli Hill-Wilton (high hurdles, 17.6) and Meghann Ronan (pole vault, 8-0) also placed first.
"We had a good effort versus a strong team with some of the more outstanding front-liners in the state," Foley said. "We competed hard and had some nice efforts, particularly in the throw events and from Taylor Burl, Hannah McCormick, Alli Hill-Wilton and Maura Welch."
Read More »While the season is still young, the uncomfortably cold temperatures could not cool off a potent Triton attack that always seemed in control against River Rival Newburyport to earn the Vikings' second straight victory, 11-5.
Read More »Coach: Peter Murray (5th season)
Last season: 4-15-1
Key players: Ashley Rowe, sr.; Alli Bayko, sr.; Chelsea Hersey, sr.; Meg Cronan, sr.; Pam Roux, sr.; Colleen Sweeney, sr.
Read More »Dramatic drum roll. And the winner of the Francis T. Bresnahan Scholar Athlete Award for the 2008 graduating Newburyport High class is....
Alli Bayko.
Although Bayko will not receive the award until April 16 at the Newburyport honors banquet when she will be not only the guest of honor, but also the keynote speaker. The two-sport Clippers captain was informed earlier this week that she would be receiving the prestigious award for this year's class.
Read More »Avery Cullinan and Emily Vartebedian scored two goals each for Newburyport. Chloe Hundertmark and Haley Johnson added one each. Freshman Lily Galzerano had eight saves. Newburyport trailed 13-1 at halftime.
Read More »Freshman Andrew Sokol tallied five goals and two assists for the Clippers in their opener. Kirk Dillon added two goals and an assist. Dan Durant and Ryan Cutter scored one goal each. Sam Melanson and Kevin Ryan had assists.
Read More »The River Rival Region's outdoor track season began yesterday with coaches, athletes and spectators longing for the indoors.
The most surprising turn of events came in the boys tri-meet between Newburyport, Triton and Wilmington. Triton fell to Wilmington, 85<1/2> to 59<1/2>, signalling a shift in power in the Cape Ann League. The Triton boys have won four of the last five CAL titles and five of last six CAL Open titles.
Read More »Perhaps a moment of silence wouldn't be long enough to memorialize one of the region's most influential sports figures.
In that sense, it's only fitting that the entire opening weekend on the local baseball scene will be spent paying tribute to Bert Spofford, who died at the age of 90 last July.
Read More »Don't ask Newburyport senior Kevin Ryan to reflect on his days as a junior varsity athlete.
He can't.
That's because the three-sport standout never played JV. Ryan, a football, hockey and lacrosse standout, is entering his 12th and final varsity season at Newburyport High.
Read More »Coach: Tim Foley (24th season)
Last season: 5-5
Captains: Colleen Coviello, Kirsten Hadwen, Kelly Warwick
Returning lettermen: Jeanmarie Chaney, Nicole Giglio, Michelle Giglio, Kim Martins, Maura Welch, Alli Hill-Wilton, Sara Tancreti, Kaitlyn Wallace, Christine Murray, Melissa Derrico, Grace Curry, Lindsay Cullen, Kim Smith, Leah Svoboda, Meg Ronan, Hannah McCormick, Mary Ryan, Caroline Barnaby, Kristen Cole, Megan Clark
Read More »Coach: Tim Foley (24th season)
Last season: 4-6
Captains: Richie Roy, Richie Pace
Returning lettermen: Mark Bajko, Tom Svirsky, Sean Simon, Luke Earls, Greg Englehart, Sam Bensley, Denis Ipbuken, Nick Welch, Ben Adsit, Thayer Adsit
Read More »Decked out in leg warmers and sweatshirts, 36 girls jogged around the Rupert A. Nock Middle School grounds under fading gray skies.
Battling runny noses and the chilled, uneasy, early-spring air, the group | a mixture of varsity and junior varsity Newburyport girls lacrosse players | laughed and urged one another on while cold mud flipped up from their once-new cleats.
Read More »Coach: Catherine Batchelder (second year)
Last season: 6-9
Key players: Laura Fallon, jr.; Emily Vartabedian, sr.; Marissa Games, sr.; Avery Cullinan, jr.
Read More »Coach: Ed Gaudiano (fifth year)
Last season: 6-9
Key players: Justin Burl, sr.; Kirk Dillon, sr.; Kevin Ryan, sr.; Sam Melanson, sr.; John Cutter, sr.; Dan Durant, sr.; Joe Ciavacco, sr.
Read More »An ever-growing Newburyport hockey fan base stood stoically for the better part of two hours last evening.
Clippers fans exchanged few words during their team's 4-0 loss to Tewksbury in the Division 2 North semifinal at Richard H. Rockett Rink. The capacity crowd, which seemed to favor Newburyport in numbers, struggled to put words to the Clippers' first lopsided loss of the season.
Read More »Nine in a row and no further.
After a remarkable run of play capped off by the win for the ages over Gloucester in the Division 2 North quarterfinal, Newburyport's season came to an end in the semifinal last night, 4-0, to a team that has not lost a Division 2 game all season in Tewksbury.
Read More »Deafening cheers spilled out of the Newburyport hockey team's locker room Sunday evening only minutes after the Clippers pulled off the upset of Gloucester in the Division 2 North quarterfinal at Richard H. Rockett Rink.
Read More »So what exactly was it like to be a part of yesterday's Division 2 North quarterfinal boys hockey game between No. 3 Gloucester and sixth-seeded Newburyport?
"I had pins and needles man, pins and needles," said Newburyport head coach Paul Yameen. "I knew it was going to be a battle."
Read More »When the tournament pairings came out, the potential spectacle of a rematch between Newburyport and Gloucester in the second round had the makings of a classic.
After all, Newburyport entered the Division 2 North tournament with an eight-game winning streak, and Gloucester was the team with the recent state championship success (2006 state title).
Read More »Beating an opponent three times in one season is never easy, and Newburyport gave Pentucket all it could handle in the second round of the Div. 3 North state tournament.
But, once again the Sachem defense proved to be too tough to crack for the Clippers, as Pentucket moved on to face Swampscott in the North sectional semifinals with the win, 46-32.
Read More »There will be no more magic for the Newburyport boys basketball team.
Three nights after a last-second layup saved the Clippers' season with a two-point victory over Lynn Tech, No. 6 Newburyport's tournament run came to an end with a 71-52 loss to No. 3 Bedford.
Read More »State tournament games are no place for freshmen.
At least until last evening.
The scorching Newburyport hockey team advanced to the Division 2 North quarterfinal with an opening-round 5-1 victory over Saugus at Stoneham Rink. Newburyport freshman Anthony Federico came within 8:20 of a shutout in his first career appearance in a state tournament game. Fellow freshman Gaven LaValley netted two goals | Newburyport's second and third of the game | in a span of 10:28.
Read More »February has been quite the month for the Newburyport hockey team.
Sitting at 6-6-1 after a Jan. 30 loss at Wilmington, the Clippers needed a strong finish to inspire any hope of making a run in the EMass. Division 2 North state tournament.
Read More »Impossible questions.
Which of your children is your favorite?
To which sibling do you feel closest?
Which parent do you like better | your mother or father? Some questions don't merit answers.
Read More »After winning the Commonwealth Conference Small division, Presentation of Mary had high hopes of a long state tournament run.
Instead, the No. 7 Panthers ran into ferocious Newburyport, which overwhelmed PMA, 49-28, in the first round of the Division 3 North tourney.
Read More »The Newburyport boys basketball team seems to be well aware that state tournament season has arrived.
Newburyport scored what may prove to be the most exciting victory of the winter season on Evening No. 1 of EMass. State Tournament play. Clippers center Chris Barry converted on a uncontested layup as time expired to give his team a 58-56 victory.
Read More »Something changed seven games ago when Newburyport beat a rolling Gloucester club. Now the Clippers may just be the team to beat heading into the Division 2 state tournament.
Last night at the 13th annual Newburyport Bank Hockey Tournament, the red-hot Clippers repeated as champs, toppling Pentucket, 4-2, to close out the regular season on a seven-game winning streak.
Read More »The 2007-08 Clippers don't have star power like in years past with a Kristin Degou.
They're also not like the 2007 state champion Clipper girls soccer team, which was loaded with big-name players. Winning a state championship is most likely not in their imminent future despite having several members of that soccer team on the basketball squad.
Read More »It's an old sports cliché New England Patriots fans were reminded of all too painfully earlier this month.
Beware of a team on a hot streak.
In case local sports fans forgot, the Newburyport hockey team provided a reminder Saturday evening with an 8-1 victory over Amesbury in the opening round of the 13th annual Newburyport Bank Classic.
Read More »Throw Pentucket out of the River Rival equation on the girls side and after another season of terrific action it has been hard to figure out the remaining three teams | Amesbury, Newburyport, and Triton.
Read More »In the season finale of the River Rival action, Newburyport and Amesbury did not disappoint playing an emotional, hard fought yet clean barn-burner at the Nock School in Newburyport.
Playing with poise in the final quarter, the home-side favorite Clippers | headed to state tournament with a 12-7 record after one more game with St. Clement Monday | got the best of the Indians for a 4-point victory, 47-43.
Read More »As the game clock ticked off the final seconds of last night's Newburyport vs. Triton tilt, the scene hardly resembled what hockey fans have come to expect from the classic River Rival matchup.
Newburyport's forwards, as had been the case all night, continued to pepper a Triton net, which at that point was being guarded by the team's second-string goalie. The scoreboard read 9-0 Newburyport, and fans who had long-since recognized the inevitable outcome began heading for the exit.
Read More »The Newburyport Clippers traveled to Lawler Arena in North Andover Saturday night looking to break a four-year curse. "This place has been a house of horrors for us," said Coach Paul Yameen. "We've been 0-3-2 (here) including our loss to Central Catholic last year."
Read More »With a state tournament berth on the line, it was Newburyport that was able to survive a battle of attrition over Triton, 37-35, ending the Vikings' four-game winning streak.
Things were not going according to plan for the Clippers in the first half, as Nicki Wurdeman and the Viking gang romped out to a 21-13 halftime lead.
Read More »Thanks to a fourth quarter rally at Triton Regional High School last night, the Newburyport Clippers clinched a tournament berth by out-dueling the Triton Vikings, 55-42.
The contest was a defensive battle throughout, but the Clippers proved to be the better team by hitting jump shots and nailing timely free throws.
Read More »Derek McCoy became the 21st player in Newburyport High hockey program history to tally 100 points in his career last evening during his team's 5-2 victory over North Reading at Graf Rink.
McCoy's 100th point came on an assist to Gavin LaValley with 2:21 left in the second period, giving the Clippers a 4-2 lead.
Read More »Lightning struck thrice last night at the Graf Rink.
Not only did the Newburyport Clippers (8-6-1) avenge an early-season loss to the North Reading Hornets (7-9-1), but senior forward Derek McCoy recorded his 100th career point, and sophomore Kyle McElroy notched a hat trick in the Clipper's 5-2 victory.
Read More »Before each game the Newburyport girls basketball team unite in song, sharing a common belief with Diana Ross.
Spreading their message loud and clear, the Clippers (8-6) understand that there "ain't no mountain high enough."
Read More »HAMILTON | Supposedly, freshman point guard Michael Carter-Williams had an off-shooting night during a Hamilton-Wenham game last week.
Try telling that to Newburyport, who saw first hand what can happen when the Generals' sophomore sharpshooter gets in a groove.
Read More »Saturday's hockey game between Gloucester and Newburyport saw two teams come in with two contrasting styles of play. The Fishermen came in looking to use their speed and get into the open ice, whereas the Clippers wanted to throw their weight around and play physical.
Read More »One more to go.
That seems to be the adage for team's in the same position as the Newburyport's boys basketball squad (9-6). Last night at the Newburyport high school, a well rested Clipper team out-worked the visiting Lynnfield Pioneers when it mattered most and came away with a hard-fought 66-56 victory, pushing them to the threshold of tournament eligibility.
Read More »It took 3 1/2 quarters for the Newburyport girls basketball team to impose its will on visiting Lawrence last evening. But the final four minutes proved to be the most important in the Clippers' 55-43 victory.
Read More »After being bested by Newburyport in a 1-0 nail-biter earlier this season, Lynnfield co-captain Ryan Smith returned the favor Saturday, scoring twice to send Clippers fans home with a loss, 2-1.
"Ryan's one kid you don't want to see with a stick in the slot, uncovered." Clippers coach Paul Yameen said of Smith after watching him slip the game-winner past Anthony Federico's left skate with 1:59 left on the clock. "Both teams played well enough to win today. We came out on the short end."
Read More »In what has become easily the biggest River Rival game over the last five years, Triton and Newburyport played their usual slug-it-out, high-intensity hockey game yesterday afternoon.
After jumping out to a quick 4-0 lead, the Clippers barely hung on for a 5-4 victory.
Read More »In what has been an up-and-down, rollercoaster season for the Masconomet Regional hockey team, this ranks as one of the highlights of the winter thus far.
In a physical contest, the Chieftains tied the game late in the second period, then netted the game-winner with five-and-a-half minutes to play to sweep their two-game season series from Newburyport with a 4-3 victory over the Clippers at the Graf Rink in Newburyport.
Read More »Newburyport coach Paul Yameen knows better than to underestimate an opponent, and as last night'