Thursday’s nine HS sports takeaways, with football scholar-athletes and lots of college check-ins

The rain wiped out the baseball slate, and nearly every softball game, but fret not, there’s always high school sports happenings in the Commonwealth.

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Thursday started with the MIAA football committee voting in a new playoff format for 2027, which still needs further approvals, but would significantly alter how the postseason works by adding a week to the regular season, instituting a Super 8 tournament, and reducing the number of playoff teams from 128 to 72.

It continued as Tabor Academy junior Peter Bourque, the top-ranked Class of 2027 quarterback in Massachusetts, verbally committed to Virginia Tech, months after reneging on a committment to Michigan when the school changed coaches.

As the day went on, the Jack Grinold Eastern Mass. Chapter of the National Football Foundation announced its 19 Scholar-Athlete award winners, O’Bryant boys’ volleyball got a new all-time assist leader, Westwood boys’ lacrosse got a new single-game goals leader, the No. 1 boys’ volleyball team lost at home, and two stars notched their 300th career lacrosse points.

Start with Thursday’s scoreboard. Looking for a certain game? Try our sport-specific scoreboards: Baseball | Softball | Boys’ lacrosse | Girls’ lacrosse | Boys’ volleyball | Boys’ tennis | Girls’ tennis

▪ O’Bryant’s Max Dong logged 33 assists to tie the school’s all-time assist mark of 1,671, set in 2023 by Son Nguyen, in a 3-0 boys’ volleyball win over Boston United.

▪ Westford junior Kiley Carmichael used six goals and two assists to cruise past 300 career points during a 20-6 girls’ lacrosse win over Newton South that also saw sophomore Grace Trahan notch her 100th career point with seven goals and two assists.

▪ With three goals in an 18-1 boys’ lacrosse win over Plymouth South, Cohasset senior attack Gus Greene recorded his 300th career point.

▪ With three goals and three assists, Needham junior Matthew Ledbury surpassed 200 career points during an 18-2 boys’ lacrosse victory against Braintree.

▪ The Oliver Ames boys’ lacrosse team celebrated a pair of big numbers in a 20-11 win over Stoughton, as junior Thomas Hern scored his 100th career goal and sophomore Liam Newman notched his 100th faceoff win.

▪ BC High rugby coach Paul Carty recorded his 100th career victory with a 34-5 triumph over Belmont.

▪ Westwood junior Greg Walsh broke the program’s single-game scoring record with eight goals in a 15-6 boys’ lacrosse triumph over Norwood.

Five teams captured league titles Thursday, including Medfield locking up the Tri-Valley Small for boys’ lacrosse, while clinching at least a share of the TVL Small crown for girls’ lacrosse.

Marblehead boys’ lacrosse won the Northeastern Conference crown, Newton North boys’ lacrosse captured the Bay State Carey title, and Acton-Boxborough claimed the Dual County League championship.

No. 4 Needham boys’ volleyball went into Brookline and took down the top-ranked, defending champions in straight sets, riding 43 assists from Luke Vivaldi and 17 kills from Will Rozman to the stunning result.

“We came out strong and hit in transition very well,” said Needham coach Dave Powell. “Our setting was strong, our defense was strong, and our outside hitters played really well. When you put those things together, it makes for some good volleyball.”

▪ Braden Martin’s sixth goal of the game gave No. 5 Billerica boys’ lacrosse an 11-10 overtime win over No. 16 Andover.

▪ Grafton sophomore Danny Perras netted the overtime winner in an 8-7 boys’ lacrosse triumph over Nashoba.

Pasquale Candelino, Somerville — The senior poured in eight goals, adding two assists, in a 15-8 boys’ lacrosse win over Lynn.

Kiley Dolan, Cardinal Spellman — The junior earned the win in the circle, scattering five hits and striking out four, adding two hits at the plate, including an RBI triple, in a 6-3 softball win over Monomoy.

Julia Kipperman, Nauset — The senior continued her season-long barrage on opposing nets, scoring 11 times in a 21-8 girls’ lacrosse romp over Monomoy.

Sol Ortiz-DeRosa, Lexington — The junior contributed across the field with 5 goals, 3 assists, and 8 draw controls in a 16-1 girls’ lacrosse rout of Wakefield.

CJ Hancock, Westwood — The junior long-stick middie dished out a career-high five assists, adding a goal and causing eight turnovers in Westwood’s 15-6 boys’ lacrosse triumph against Norwood.

Luke Dratch, Natick — The senior distributed 36 assists, slammed four kills, and stood tall with two blocks in a 3-0 boys’ volleyball win over Newton North.

The Jack Grinold Eastern Mass. Chapter of the National Football Foundation is honoring 19 graduating senior players for its 50th annual Scholar-Athlete Awards.

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The honorees, selected for their excellence on the field, in the classroom, and in the community, are (school w/ college destination): Ellis Barnes (BB&N/Columbia), Tim Church (BB&N/Dartmouth), Nate Crisci (King Philip/Bentley), Andrew DeGirolamo (Mansfield/New Hampshire), Jack Fabiano (Masconomet/Williams) Dominic Funke (Xaverian/Boston College), Kyle Gass (Norton), Joseph Giovanni (Milton Academy/Harvard), Bryan Harrison (Winchester/Harvard), Charlie Hurley (Medfield/Northeastern), Kash Kelly (Milton Academy/Amherst), Will Killory (Mansfield/Colby), Liam King (King Philip/Union), Jeremy Knief (Taunton/Endicott), Colin Laurence (Milton Academy/Harvard), Gabe McIntyre (Mansfield/UMass Boston), Gavin Seitz (Medfield/Tennessee), Vince Snoonian (BB&N/Cornell), Gustavo Varela (Greater Lawrence/Assumption).

Every recipient’s name will be on display at the College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta for one year.

Acton-Boxborough announced the hiring of Walter Hildebrand as its new head athletic trainer. Hildebrand previously spent 15 years as head athletic trainer at Shrewsbury High and was named AT of the Year by MSSADA in 2021 and ATOM in 2025.

▪ Johns Hopkins senior Reagan O’Brien, a Boston Latin graduate, came up with two clutch defensive plays in the waning seconds of a 13-12 NCAA Division 1 quarterfinal win over Stony Brook Thursday afternoon. The all-time college caused turnovers leader did just that with 1:28 to play to set up the tying goal, then forced another turnover in the final 20 seconds, which led to a Taylor Hoss winner.

▪ Northeastern junior Mike Loughnane, a BC High graduate from Quincy, has been tabbed as a men’s basketball captain for next season. Loughanane, who spent two seasons at Davidson, is the top returning scorer for the Huskies, averaing 10.2 points in 31 games last season, including 23 starts. He registered a team-high 117 assists.

▪ Tufts senior Cole Donato, a Walpole graduate, was tabbed as the NESCAC baseball Pitcher of the Year after leading the conference with nine wins. He led the Jumbos staff with a 2.15 ERA and 67 innings pitched.

▪ Tufts senior Malcolm Whitfield, a Melrose graduate, was named NESCAC baseball Defensive Player of the Year for the second time. The catcher owned a .996 fielding percentage, making just one error in 275 total chances.

▪ Making the All-NESCAC baseball first team were Tufts sophomore James Henshon, a Roxbury Latin graduate from Wellesley, and Tufts sophomore Jack Kamin, a Shrewsbury graduate. The second team featured Colby sophomore Matt Higgins, a Milton Academy graduate from Norwell, Bates senior John Tully, a Worcester Academy graduate from Framingham, and Bowdoin senior Will Bordes, a Milton Academy graduate from Groton.

▪ Bowdoin sophomore Maddie Paschke, a King Philip graduate, and Colby freshman Sharlotte Stazinksi, a Walpole graduate, were both selected to the All-NESCAC softball first team. The second team featured Bates junior Isabel Bettencourt, a Peabody graduate, Trinity junior Emily Goddard, a Danvers graduate, and Colby junior Juliana Kiley, a St. Mark’s graduate from Natick.

▪ Salve Regina senior Shane Williams, a St. John’s Prep graduate from Georgetown, was honored as the NEWMAC baseball Player of the Year after hitting .380 with a .729 slugging percentage, a league-leading 14 home runs, and a league-leading 59 RBIs. He added 22 steals and a league-leading 61 runs.

▪ Wheaton freshman Brayden Lewis, a Hopedale graduate, was named NEWMAC baseball Rookie of the Year after hitting .329 with a 1.020 OPS. He launched 10 homers, drove in 36 runs, and scored 42, with 29 steals for good measure.

▪ Making the All-NEWMAC first team Clark senior Dom Mariani, a Xaverian graduate from Walpole, Babson graduate student Ryan Grace, a Concord-Carlisle graduate, Salve Regina junior Luis Ortiz Ramirez, an East Boston graduate, and Babson junior Jason Finkelstein, a Walpole graduate. The second team featured Emerson junior Braeden O’Connell, a Masconomet graduate, Babson sophomore Ben Valente, a Newton South graduate, Clark senior Michael Soares, a Concord-Carlisle graduate, Springfield junior Josh Mayo, a Westfield graduate, Wheaton junior Aiden Cardoza, a Bishop Stang graduate, and Salve Regina senior Shea Donovan, a Milton graduate.

▪ Wheaton junior Ella Molinari, a Grafton graduate, was voted NEWMAC softball Player of the Year after hitting .440 for the Lyons with a league-leading 1.504 OPS. She hit seven home runs and 14 doubles and drove in 28 runs.

▪ Local selections for the All-NEWMAC softball first team included WPI junior Sandy Fairbairn, a Norton graduate, and sophomore Lucy Latour, a Dighton-Rehoboth graduate, as well as Babson junior Charlotte Raymond, a King Philip graduate. The second team included MIT sophomore Delaney Benevides, a Nobles graduate from Plainville, Wheaton senior Amber Arcand, a Blackstone-Millville graduate, and WPI junior Naomi Boldebuck, a Billerica graduate.

▪ Amherst sophomore Mekhala Costello, a Canton graduate, was named to the All-NESCAC women’s golf first team. Bowdoin sophomore Katie Ng, a Wellesley graduate, was placed on the second team.

▪ Bates senior Quinn Gleason, a Wayland graduate, was named to the All-NESCAC women’s rowing first team, while teammate Hannah De Fontaine, a Wellesley graduate, made the second team. Also on the first team was Williams senior Carolyn Fortin, a Phillips Exeter graduate from Ipswich, and Trinity senior Kailtyn Mackin, a Frontier graduate from Hadley.

▪ Making the All-NESCAC women’s rowing second team was Connecticut College senior Julia Finney, a Rivers graduate from Arlington, as well as Wesleyan senior Em Moran, a Lawrence Academy graduate from Harvard, Colby senior Eliza Nilson, a Dana Hall graduate from Boston, and Hamilton senior Erin Sweeney, a Tabor graduate from Dartmouth.

▪ Wesleyan senior Nelson Bellows, a Cambridge graduate, was selected for the All-NESCAC men’s rowing first team, alongside Trinity senior Wyatt Mills, a Kent School graduate from West Yarmouth, and Williams junior Jack Wagner, a St. John’s Prep graduate from Melrose.

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Julia Kipperman, Nauset, 11

Pasquale Candelino, Somerville, 8

Greg Walsh, Westwood, 8

Abby Keith, Hanover, 7

Jackson Smith, Falmouth, 7

Grace Trahan, Westford, 7

Kiley Carmichael, Westford, 6

Branden Carta, Woburn, 6

Catherine Craig, Chelmsford, 6

Braedyn Hart, Somerville, 6

Izzy Mae Adams, Scituate, 6

Braden Martin, Billerica, 6

Emma Bettencourt, Greater Lowell, 5

Sol Ortiz-DeRosa, Lexington, 5

Charles Parish, King Philip, 5

Meg Sullivan, Nauset, 5

Ben Villafane, Waltham, 5

Erin Walsh, Hull, 5

Dylan Devine, Nashoba, 4

Cassandra Gallagher, Billerica, 4

Emelie Jonsson, Barnstable, 4

Lydia Katzenback, Sandwich, 4

Christian Maranian, Acton-Boxborough, 4

Caroline Meins, Barnstable, 4

Maggie Mullen, Hull, 4

Finn Noon, Needham, 4

Tessa Schultz, Hull, 4

Elisabeth Stutzman, Sandwich, 4

Kellan Taccini, Franklin, 4

Aliyah Coutu, Greater Lowell, 5

CJ Hancock, Westwood, 5

Payton Fitzgerald, Billerica, 4

Oliver Ouligian, Waltham, 4

Georgia White, Hull, 4

Emma Bettencourt, Greater Lowell, 3

Sam DeMello, Cohasset, 3

Nolan Flaherty, Cohasset, 3

Beckett Heidenthal, Grafton, 3

Emelie Jonsson, Barnstable, 3

Matthew Ledbury, Needham, 3

Sol Ortiz-DeRosa, Lexington, 3

Brendan Peno, Nauset, 3

Jameson Ryan, Woburn, 3

Isabella Sorbi, Greater Lowell, 3

Elisabeth Stutzman, Sandwich, 3

Than Hunt, Sandwich, 19

Parker Hallisey, Woburn, 16

Ava Bamberg, Billerica, 12

Dean Lawless, Franklin, 12

Ryan Sharlet, Barnstable, 12

Morgan Mueller, Barnstable, 10

Julia Dunfey, Greater Lowell, 8

Lily Roback, Whitman-Hanson, 8

Elizabeth Solis, Danvers, 8

Jillian McDonough, Hull, 7