BART riders looking to get from the Peninsula to the East Bay, or vice versa, were in for an unpleasant surprise late in the day on Sunday when trains were halted through the Transbay Tube.
The stoppage was necessary “due to a loss of communications,” according to BART news release. The trains were halted right around 4 p.m. — at the Embarcadero Station on the San Francisco side and, at the other side of the Tube, at West Oakland, according to information provided on the BART media line.
Crews are working to address the problem.
No other details regarding the situation — such as when the trains would once again be up and running through the Transbay Tube — was immediately available.
Those impacted by the stoppage are recommended to use other forms of public transportation.
Bus service is available via A/C Transit. Those on the San Francisco side can ride buses F, O and N/L from the Salesforce Terminal. From the East Bay, riders can also board buses O, N/L and F.
LOWELL — The numbers of Saturday night’s hockey game between UMass Lowell and Northeastern are perplexing.
But the video board at the Tsongas Center doesn’t hold any nuances in the Huskies’ 8-2 win that cued many of the 5,134 fans to trickle to the exits in the third period.
UML outshot Northeastern by a 35-20 margin and held a significant 38-19 advantage at the faceoff dot. Shot attempts were heavily slanted in favor of UMass Lowell, 72-28.
Even the eye test triggered a similar response from the opposing Hockey East coaches.
Northeastern bench boss Jerry Keefe said postgame that his team has “a lot of things we need to work on.” Longtime UMass Lowell head coach Norm Bazin quipped that he actually thought his team looked better compared to Friday’s 2-0 loss to the Huskies.
That’s because the River Hawks held large chunks of possession time and offensive zone opportunities for much of Saturday’s blowout loss. UML’s undoing was allowing eight goals on 20 shots in what was the first eight-spot UMass Lowell has relinquished since the 2014-15 season, when Michigan marched into the Tsongas Center with an 8-4 win.
“In an odd way, I was happier with our game today than I was yesterday,” Bazin said. “But it’s not reflected in the score.”
Statistics aside, momentum continues not to be on the side of the UMass Lowell men’s hockey team. And the group’s home struggles also remain prevalent, falling to 3-11-0 at the Tsongas.
After completing the Hockey East weekend sweep on the road at the University of Vermont, the River Hawks entered a two-game home set with Northeastern with a golden opportunity to stay hot as the regular season winds down against a Huskies team that had won just one game in their last eight tries entering Friday.
But a two-goal salvo from the visitors in the opening minutes was a backbreaker.
“I didn’t see this coming,” Bazin said. “I thought we were going to come out pretty well tonight.”
UMass Lowell (12-20-0, 8-14-0 HE) outshot Northeastern (15-15-1, 10-11-0 HE) 14-6 in the first period before holding a 12-4 advantage in the middle frame. But the Huskies blocked an eye-popping 23 shots on Saturday, as opposed to UML’s three.
“Making that commitment to eating pucks for each other is something we talk about all the time,” Keefe said. “I think that kind of shows the type of guys we have in our room.”
UML has been showing plenty of fight as of late, and it looked like the hosts were beginning to piece together a late comeback when TJ Schweighardt scored a power play goal on a shot from the point at 9:32 of the middle frame to cut the Northeastern lead to 4-1.
But the Huskies’ Austen May found twine 5:42 into the final stanza to position UML in a deep hole.
Northeastern came out firing in the first period, as Eli Sebastian and Joe Connor lit the lamp in a 50-second span just 1:53 into the game. Connor’s goal will certainly be added to his highlight reel. Northeastern’s second-leading goal scorer entered the attacking zone with speed along the right wall on his forehand before sliding the puck to his backhand and roofing it as he barreled into the boards with a defender on his hip.
Noah Jones scored his first career goal with under four minutes to play in the first to provide the Huskies with a commanding 3-0 lead at the break. Bazin yanked Samuel Richard from the crease after the starter allowed three goals on five shots.
“Everything that was shot towards our net went in today,” Bazin said. “Our goalies have had good games for us this year. Today wasn’t one of those.”
Northeastern’s lead ballooned to 4-0 when Dylan Compton scored in the opening six minutes of the middle period, until Schweighardt stopped the bleeding. But the Huskies would roll to the finish line with tallies off the sticks of May, Giacomo Martino, Jack Pechar and Matthew Perkins in the third period before Lee Parks scored in garbage time. Parks also picked up an assist earlier.
Martino’s laser off the top right post and in at 9:17 cued many fans in Lowell to trickle to the exits. Only two games remain on the regular season slate for UMass Lowell. After making the quick jaunt to North Andover for a rare Thursday meeting with Merrimack on March 5 (7 p.m.), UML will host Boston University in the season finale on March 7 at 6:05 p.m.
“We’re going to have to come up with a lot of solutions here,” Bazin said. “So we’ll work on that this week. I wish we weren’t off, but we are.”
Powered by Angel Montas Jr., the UMass Lowell men’s basketball team continued to surge Thursday night.
Montas tallied 25 points and ripped down 10 rebounds to fuel the River Hawks to a 78-56 America East win over New Hampshire at the Kennedy Family Athletic Center in Lowell.
Xavier Spencer heated up in the second half and finished with 17 points and six rebounds for UML (12-15, 7-5), which has won three straight and four out of five. The River Hawks are now 8-3 on their home floor.
Darrel Yepdo, a Dracut native, collected 12 points and dished out four assists, while Austin Green was powerful inside with seven points and 12 rebounds.
UNH (8-17) won the first meeting between the schools last month, 66-61. UML dominated the rematch, bolting out to a 42-28 halftime lead. Montas scored 16 of his points in the opening half. For the game, the River Hawks (31-for-61) shot better than 50 percent from the floor.
UML has averaged 85 points during its three-game winning streak.
Women’s basketball
Paris Gilmore sparked UMass Lowell to a tough 57-54 America East victory over host New Hampshire at Lundholm Gymnasium in Durham, N.H.
The River Hawks (8-18, 2-11 AE) held on for the clutch road win thanks to free throws down the stretch from Gilmore and Jaini Edmonds.
Two free throws by Gilmore put UML up 55-52 with 1:15 remaining. The Wildcats pulled to within one point before Gilmore drained two free throws with two seconds left.
Gilmore was 4-for-8 from 3-point range. Edmonds contributed 11 points, four rebounds and five assists. Sabrina Larrson was 3-for-7 on 3-pointers and finished with nine points. UNH’s Eva DeChent led all scorers with 29 points.
It was the third road win of the season for UML, which fell 62-58 in overtime to the Wildcats last month.
SAN JOSE — A fight over sites near a BART station east of downtown San Jose might be headed to a jury trial that would pit small business owners against the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority.
The VTA is attempting to seize properties it says are needed to construct the 28th Street/Little Portugal BART Station near the interchange of U.S. Highway 101 and East Santa Clara Street. The site is bounded by North 28th Street, East St. James Street, North 30th Street, and Five Wounds Lane.
Properties bounded by Five Wounds Lane, North 28th Street, East St. James Street, and North 30th Street, that are the site of a future BART station east of downtown San Jose, marked by the lines. Boundaries are approximate. ( Google Maps )
A business already ousted from the BART site, Monarch Truck Center, moved in 2024 to a new location at 1015 Timothy Drive in San Jose because it was forced to swiftly decamp from its longtime spot at 195 North 30th St. at the request of VTA officials, according to Monarch Truck Center Chief Executive Officer Nicole Guetersloh.
“We were told we needed to leave so construction could start, but it has been almost two years, and nothing has happened,” Guetersloh told this news organization. “The building is still standing. They haven’t even taken down our signs. The extra time could have made a huge difference for us in terms of finding a new location.”
Monarch Truck Center headquarters at 1015 Timothy Road in east San Jose, seen in November 2024. (Google Maps)
In 2021, the VTA filed a lawsuit against the owner of the site as well as Monarch and other businesses at the location as part of an eminent domain proceeding to seize control of the property so the BART station could be constructed.
The transit agency at one point even asked a Santa Clara County judge to order the businesses to vacate the site before a judgment was issued authorizing VTA to take ownership of the property.
“To meet the current construction completion schedule and ensure critical path activities are not compromised, the subject property is needed by April 2023,” Gary Griggs, the VTA’s chief program officer for the BART extension in the South Bay, stated in court papers filed in 2022. “Securing possession by this date will allow the contractor(s) to begin building demolition work and site preparation, followed by archaeological testing.”
Following the VTA filing, it has been disclosed that massive funding shortfalls have engulfed BART’s extension to three San Jose train stops and one in Santa Clara.
For Monarch Truck Center, finding a new site and setting up shop wasn’t straightforward.
“Moving a company like Monarch Truck Center isn’t easy,” Guetersloh said. “There were very few available properties that fell within the boundaries we must adhere to. Even fewer were properly zoned and capable of supporting a full-service truck dealership like ours. Every time I drive by our old location, I can’t help but wonder what was the rush.”
The VTA’s lawsuit is now headed for a jury trial within the next few weeks, absent an out-of-court settlement of the case, court papers show.
“After VTA condemned the property, Monarch was forced to relocate to a subpar site with significant limitations,” Monarch Truck stated in a background document regarding the case. “The business has suffered a measurable loss of goodwill and is seeking just compensation. VTA has valued the company’s losses at $0, and the case is headed to trial.”
BOSTON — A year ago, Denzel Kisseka finished 19th in the 300 meter dash at the MIAA Division 1 State Championship meet.
That didn’t sit well with him.
So he did what elite athletes are known to do —di work tirelessly to get better. He trained, he hit the weight room and got bigger, faster and stronger while gaining better endurance and more confidence.
Fast forward to Sunday afternoon and all of his offseason workouts paid off when the senior finished second in the 600 with a season-best time of 1:20.96 during the state meet held at the Track at New Balance.
“I trained all summer and lifted a lot of weights and that helped me so much,” he said. “I used to be a 300-runner but moved up to the 600 and knew I could (have success).”
Kisseka was disappointed with his start but was ecstatic with his finish.
Lowell High’s Denzel Kisseka finished second in the 600 at Sunday’s Division State Championship meet. (Courtesy Lowell High Athletics(
“I got out slow and should’ve pushed harder in the beginning. I wanted to stay behind (Brookline’s Harry Flint, the winner), but I just couldn’t keep up because I didn’t get out too fast enough,” said Kisseka. “It means a lot to me to take second place. I finished with a personal record, so I’m just getting better every day. I’m looking forward to next week’s Meet of Champions.”
His performance helped lead the Red Raiders to a sixth place finish.
Beside Kisseka, Jordan Oge placed third in the 300 (35.44) and fifth in the long jump (20-10.50). He was also a part of the fifth-place 4×200 relay team (1:32.07) joining Jermaine Sherwood, James Njonde and Juanito DeLaCruz.
Parris Mbeca added a fifth place in the high jump (6-2).
The 4×800 relay team of Samuel De Souza, Jayden Ferreras, Timothy Schribman and Charles Mirabel finished fourth with a time of 8:16.74.
Central Catholic finished fourth as a team. Carlos Quintana won the high jump (6-6) with teammates Peter Thomas (6-4) and Max Lightfoot (6-2) placing third and sixth, respectively. Amado Ysalguez was second in the shot put (52-5), Quintana was fourth in the 55-meter hurdles (7.83) and Jeremiah Mateo Mora was seventh in the same event with a time of 7.92.
The Central 4×200 relay team of Jordan Baez, Mateo Mora, Yosuhar Diaz and Quintana finished sixth in 1:32.36.
The Lowell High girls team was led by Esther Ofodile, who placed third in the 55-meter dash (8.79) and sixth in the long jump (16-7.25). Ella Machado (3:03.73 in the 1,000), Keelyn Grady (4-10 in the high jump) and Stella Agyemang (16-5.25 in the long jump) picked up an eighth place.
The Red Raiders 4×200 relay team was fourth in 1:47.47 behind the efforts of Kelsey Malcolm, Agyemang, Ofodile and Cindy Soth, and the 4×800 relay team of Kadiatu Jalloh, Anna Samel, Sophia Aspilcueta and Ella Machado finished eighth in 10:12.79.
Central Catholic finished second as a team. The Raiders were led by freshman Avery Strickler, who won the long jump (17-7), was third in the 300 (41.04) and capped off her busy day as the anchor leg of the winning 4×400 relay team joining Lowell resident Kyla Breslin, Emma Finch and Leighton Hickey, who had a combined time of 4:01.44.
Arianna DiPetro was third in the long jump (17-4.25), which came after taking second in the 55-meter hurdles (8.28). In the 300, Finch was third (1:38.94) and Hickey was seventh (1:40.48), while Lowell Breslin picked up a seventh place in the mile (5:11.27).
Finally, the 4×200 relay team of Katelyn Renald, Finch, Addison Brosnihan and Lily McCarthy finished seventh with a combined time of 1:48.84.
The Shawsheen Tech wrestling team dominated the Division 1 North Sectional field Saturday, rolling to the title with 258.5 points.
Placing first for the Rams were Dante Giusti (126 pounds), James Tildsley (157) and Logan Holmes (190). Ethan Caceres (120) and Hadi Sibay (138) came in second place. Placing third were Tristan Lane (165), Thomas Conn (113), Kyle Dube (10 6) and Gavin Lane (132).
Mill City thrills: Lowell finished in sixth (115.5 points) in the Division 1 North field, highlighted by a first-place finish from star Emmett Logan (150). Atilio Colon came in second at 285.
Lions roar: In Division 1 West/Central action, Chelmsford’s Christian Ortiz captured the 106-pound title. He picked up the major decision over Caden Anderson of Westford Academy by a score of 12-1 to seal the victory. Elsewhere, Michael Canada placed second at 150, while Frank Molloy (126) Alex Glennie (175) and Patrick Keough (113) pinned down fourth-place honors. Chelmsford finished in eighth (92 points).
Ghost sighting: Capturing second-place honors were Caden Anderson (106) and Jacob Blacksburg (215). Thomas Bonenfant claimed third at 190 as Westford Academy placed seventh.
Taking fourths were Kieran Donaghue at 164 and Alex Luhrs at 285. Ben Chen placed fifth at 157.
Billerica shines: Representing the Indians well at the Division 2 North Sectionals was Shane Breen, who came in second place at 126. Nicholas Costa finished fourth at 138. Billerica amassed 59 points for 10th place.
Tyngsboro/Dracut roll: Headlined by first-place titles from Dylan Walker (120), Samson Xayachack (150) and Jaden Merwin, Tyngsboro/Dracut edged Gloucester for the Division 3 North Sectional title.
Anthony Martinez and Anthony Maraganis took second, while James Shaffer placed third for the champions.
Tewksbury soars: Garnering Division 3 North crowns were Nicky Desisto (126), Sean Callahan (144) and Jack Lightfoot (132).
Brooke Lightfoot (113), Carlo Desisto (157) and Ryan Callahan (138) came in fourth.
Greater Lowell shines: Antoine Jackman won by fall in 47 seconds in the 113-pound final for the Gryphons at the Division 1 North Sectional in Methuen.
Gavin Espinola placed second to Central Catholic’s Sam Winship. The Gryphons picked up a fourth-place finish by Baraka Karanja at 215. Nehemiah Nieves earned sixth at 150.
Pelham goes 1-2: The Pythons defeated Portsmouth (42-17) and fell to Windham (36-35) and Alvirne (45-33) as forfeits again proved costly. The biggest highlight came when junior 285-pounder Victor Zanonni earned his 100th career win in the Alvirne match.
Zannonni went 3-0 on the day. Also going undefeated were teammates Matt Raymond at 126, Drew Nicolosi at 157 and Ben Maslanek at 165.
Girls swimming
Ghosts excel: Westford Academy turned in an impressive performance Saturday at the MIAA Division 1 Swimming & Diving Championships at MIT’s Zesiger Pool.
WA’s 200 medley relay team of Evelyn Hale, Sherry Ye, Maria Reuther and Emily Deeks combined to finish sixth in 1:56.65. The 200 free relay team of Bree Gouldson, Rhianna Barrett, Catherine Sperry and Deeks captured seventh in 1:45.48.
The 400 free relay team of Ye, Hale, Sperry and Gouldson claimed ninth in a clocking of 3:52.35.
Individually, Gouldson had a strong meet, finishing eighth in the 100 free in 55.58 and 10th in the 100 free in 25.87. Ye, meanwhile, placed 10th in the 200 IM in 2:17.88 and 10th in the 100 backstroke in 1:03.35.
Track
Crusaders shine: The Lowell Catholic track team earned seven medals at the Division 4 state track meet at the TRACK at New Balance in Brighton on Friday.
The small but mighty team received medals from senior Sean Ouellette in the 600 meters, junior Tyler Ouellette in the 1,000 and eighth-grader Grace Morasse in the two mile. Lowell Catholic’s 4x800m team of Tyler Ouellette, Sean Ouellette, Xavier Smay and Daniel Smith also earned medals.
G-D soars: Groton-Dunstable had several fine efforts at the Division 4 state track meet at the TRACK at New Balance in Brighton.
G-D multi-event athlete Xander Crouse placed eighth in the 55 hurdles with a time of 8.61, eighth in the high jump by clearing 5 feet, 10 inches, and 14th in the shot put with a throw of 40-7.25.
In the mile, Andrew Kosiba was G-D’s top finisher, placing fourth in 4:30. He was followed by Ashvik Yadav (10th, 4:37), Ashton Duane (18th, 4:50) and Cameron Duane (25th, 5:04). Duane claimed fifth in the 1,000 in 2:35.
The distance boys also competed in the 4×800, breaking the school record again and placing fifth in 8:40.04. On the girls side, Meghan McEleney placed seventh in the mile with a time of 5:13.
McDermott sparkles: Nashoba Tech senior Tristan McDermott took home two medals from the Division 5 state track meet at the TRACK at New Balance in Brighton.
McDermott began the day running a 6.72 in the 55, which placed him into the finals. He subsequently took eighth with a 6.69. He also entered the long jump, where he finished in second place with a jump of 21-5.5.
Wildcats roll: The Wilmington girls soared to fourth place with 33 points at the Division 5 state meet.
Lexi LeBlanc captured the long jump with a leap of 16-11.25, which was also a new Wilmington record. Also, the 4×200 relay team of Kayleigh Walker, Cate MacDonald, Isabel Carriere and LeBlanc won in a meet and school record record time of 1:46.45.
Also placing for the Wildcats were Isabel Carriere with a second-place finish in the 300 meters with a personal best time of 42.28 seconds and Abby Howie with a fourth-place finish in the shot put with a personal best toss of 31-10.75.
Panthers on prowl: The Ayer Shirley girls finished fifth (31 points) at the Division 5 state meet as Sastea Cherduville earned medals with a fifth-place 7.42 in the 55, fourth-place 15-9.25 long jump and 4×200 of 1:49 with Abby Stull, J’aliyah Mayes and Roxane McKenzie, who also took third in the 55.
Lorelai Levy was runner-up in the 55 hurdles in 8.92.
On the boys side, the Panthers scored 12 points. Jake Leone finished fifth in the two mile in 9:44, Aidan Reed finished sixth in the 600 in 1:25, and they also ran the 4×800 with AJ Arakelian and Josh Bly and finished fourth.
Boys hockey
Littleton 3, Abington 2: Riding a two-goal performance from Conor Glew, Littleton stayed red hot with the tough non-league win at Rockland Ice Arena.
Andrew Archer contributed to the offense with a goal and assist, while Liam Glew dished out two assists. Goaltender Jacob Dangel turned aside 11 of 13 shots.
BG 2, Londonderry 1: Jordan O’Hearn continued to pile up the goals with a two-goal performance during the tough NHAA Division 1 win at Skate 3 in Tyngsboro.
Picking up assists were Gavin Santos and Dominic Trepanier. BG held onto its lead during a scoreless third period.
Girls basketball
Dracut 57, Bedford 34: Dracut earned a 37-15 second-half advantage to advance to the finals of the Spartan Classic on Monday (5:45 p.m.) vs Bridgewater-Raynham.
Junior guard Kaylee Maier led the offensive attack with 21 points, freshman forward Lily White poured in 15 points and sophomore center Kelsey Hudon was strong with 14 points.
Tyngsboro 42, Maynard 35: Tyngsboro defeated league rival Maynard in the first round of the Clark Tournament. The Tigers were led by Katie O’Keefe with 14 points and five rebounds. Alanna Anderson added 12 points and Maddie Marino finished with seven points.
Central 44, Chelmsford 40: The Lions were nipped by the Lawrence school during a tough MVC battle.
Chelmsford (6-12) was sparked by sophomore Karlie Maxwell, who came off the bench to drain four 3-pointers and scored 13 points. Junior Elizabeth Robinson and freshman Mary Kathleen McDonald chipped in with nine and eight points, respectively.
Bow 40, Pelham 37: Sophia Guinazzo finished with 11 points for Pelham, the only player to reach double figures, as the Pythons were nipped by Bow in a battle of NHIAA Div. 2 teams that were 11-2.
The Pythons had the lead throughout but couldn’t survive Grace Riley and Jessica Phillips fouling out.
Central 70, Burlington 34: Freshman Addison Holmes-Lavallee collected 21 points to power the Red Raiders to the non-league victory.
Central (8-11) scored 39 points in the second half to pull away. Senior McKenna Devanney was also immense offensively with 20 points, while senior Syenna Diaz contributed 14 points.
WA 52, Lincoln-Sudbury 21: Powered by Alexa Coward, who compiled seven assists, five steals and four rebounds, an extremely well-balanced Westford Academy team romped to the Dual County League victory.
Scoring eight points apiece for the Ghosts were Phoenix Philbrick (5 rebounds), Brooke Nielsen (3 assists), Olivia Pillsbury and Hannah Lupien.
Boys basketball
North Andover 52, Billerica 51: Despite a monster effort from Jackson Vincent, the Indians were nipped in a MVC nail-biter.
Vincent compiled 19 points and 11 rebounds. Ethan Nsubuga contributed nine points and four rebounds, while Braden Martin chipped in nine points and two rebounds for Billerica.
Greater Lowell Tech’s Landyn Lane, left, works for position against Central Catholic’s Lucas Cooper in a 120-pound quarterfinal match Saturday at the Division 1 North Sectionals in Methuen. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)Tewksbury’s Nick Desisto controls the action against Lynnfield/North Reading’s Jakob Hulett during their 126-pound semifinal bout Saturday at the Division 3 North Sectionals in Dracut. Desisto went on to win the title. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)Anthony Maraganis of Tyngsboro/Dracut works to escape against Wilmington’s Mason Kwiatkowski in a 157-pound semifinal Saturday at the Division 3 North Sectionals in Dracut. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
No, it wasn’t in the form of a halftime show — which is something the band has been worthy of headlining now for well over two decades. Instead, the pop-punk legends opened up the Super Bowl pregame entertainment festivities inside Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Sunday.
The East Bay band, consisting of vocalist-guitarist Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tré Cool, performed as previous Super Bowl MVPs including Tom Brady, Jalen Hurts, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and Jerry Rice made their way onto the turf.
Green Day performed a four-song set of mostly upbeat and often abbreviated fan favorites, including “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life),” “Holiday,” “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” and “American Idiot.”
And while the band and particularly Armstrong are known for their outspoken beliefs, Green Day did not use the Super Bowl forum to make any political statements, instead focusing on the excitement of the situation.
“Welcome to the Bay!” Armstrong said. “It’s Super Bowl 60!!”
The pregame entertainment began as Coco Jones delivered a soaring version of “Lift Every Voice” (aka the Black National Anthem). Jones is an immensely talented R&B/pop/soul singer, best known for the Grammy-winning hit “ICU.” She released her full-length debut album — “Why Not More?” — in 2025.
Charlie Puth handled the national anthem. The singer, known for such multi-platinum-certified hits as “Marvin Gaye” and “See You Again,” will return to the Bay Area to perform at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco on May 1.
Brandi Carlile, the acclaimed folk-rock-pop singer-songwriter with a staggering 11 Grammy victories to her credit, sang “America the Beautiful.” Carlile will be back in the Bay Area to perform on March 6 at Chase Center in San Francisco.
The singers were accompanied by ALS performers Fred Michael Beam (national anthem and “Lift Every Voice and Sing”) and Julian Ortiz (“America the Beautiful”).
The Dracut/Tyngsboro hockey team found itself in a dogfight with Bedford Saturday at Tsongas Center, scoring late to secure a 2-all tie.
Charlie Wilkie potted a pair of goals for D/T, pulling the team even late in the third period. Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the extra session, with D/T’s record going to 13-1-2 with the draw.
Bedford is now 4-9-2.
Lowell 8, Cambridge 2: Juniors Will Buckley and Kyle Novo each had two goals as Lowell defeated league rival Cambridge on Senior Day.
Senior Shane Peters, juniors Danny Gleason and Tyler Patenaude (two assists) and sophomore Brodie Anderson (two assists) each added single goals. Seniors Jeremy Dion and Matteo Gentile, junior Jack Hugo, sophomore Brendan McDonough and Connor Stevens and freshman Brennan Abrams each had single assists and senior Grady Lowell played well in net to earn the win for the Red Raiders.
Girls basketball
Hudson 49, Littleton 42: Trailing 32-21 at halftime, Littleton tried to rally but came up short in the Mid-Wach battle.
Littleton’s Annabelle Couette led all scorers with 20 points.
Boys basketball
Cambridge 61, WA 57: On Senior Night, Westford Academy suffered a tough double overtime loss to a strong Cambridge team.
For the Ghosts (7-9, 4-4 DCL), senior captain Teddy Hirbour had another monster game with 21 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals. Sophomore Sam Bramanti was immense with 16 points, seven rebounds, four steals and two blocks. Senior Liam Arnold had six points and played terrific defense, taking two charges.
NM 74, Dracut 60: During a non-league clash, North Middlesex received a memorable 36-point outing from Colin Taylor to down the Middies.
G-D 44, Oakmont 42: Patrick Twomey drained two clutch free throws to break a tie and lift Groton-Dunstable to the exciting Mid-Wach victory in Groton.
Vinnie Sinatra scored a game-high 18 points for the Crusaders.
Burlington 71, Wilmington 40: The Wildcats couldn’t slow down powerful Burlington (14-2) and they had no answer for Matt Gray, who delivered a double-double with 30 points, 13 rebounds and five steals.
Hudson 74, Littleton 54: The Tigers fell to Anthony Moura, who canned 18 points, and Hudson during a Mid-Wach clash.
ST 60, Whittier Tech 55: Shawsheen Tech received a tremendous offensive and defensive performance from Nate Smith to capturing the CAC victory.
Smith collected 23 points on the offensive end and ruled defensively with nine steals for the Rams (7-9).
Wrestling
Tigers roar: Tewksbury had a strong showing at the Division 3 state dual tournament, going 2-1 and falling to eventual champion Holliston in the semifinals.
On the day, Tewksbury topped Southwick (53-18) and Franklin Tech (60-21) before falling to Holliston, 43-36.
Going 3-0 on the day for Tewksbury were Nick Desisto (126 pounds), Jack Lightfoot (132), Sean Callahan (144), Evan Brothers (150) and Jack Leone (190). Winning twice were Josh Kazibwe (106), Joel Torres (120) and Ryan Callahan (138).
Dracut/Tyngsboro forward Jake Haubner (10) pushes through Bedford defenders on a scoring chance during the first period of Saturday’s game in Lowell. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
Freshman goaltender Austin Elliott made 21 saves to backbone the UMass Lowell hockey team to a 3-1 win over UMass during a Hockey East clash Friday night at the Tsongas Center.
The win snapped a four-game losing streak by UML (10-17-0, 5-11-0). The River Hawks received goals from senior forward Dillan Bentley (No. 12), sophomore forward Lee Parks (No. 4) and junior forward Jak Vaarwerk (No. 6) to defeat 19th-ranked UMass.
Vaarwerk’s empty-net goal with 2:07 left in regulation sealed the victory for the River Hawks. Libor Nemec and Connor Eddy picked up assists.
Bentley opened the scoring in the second period, wristing a shot from the left faceoff circle into the top right corner behind UMass goalie Michael Hrabal. Assists on the play were earned by Luke Shipley and Mirko Buttazzoni.
UMass tied it on a goal by Justin Kerr. But late in the second period, Parks tallied the game-winning goal. Nate Misskey passed behind UML’s net to TJ Schweighardt.
Situated next to the rear boards, Schweighardt feathered a pass more than 100 feet to Parks, who broke in alone on Hrabal. Parks’ low shot found the net.
UML held a 33-22 shots advantage.
UML will play at UMass (16-11-0, 9-8-0) on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. It will be the third meeting in seven days.
HOUSTON (AP) — Derrick White made six 3-pointers and scored 28 points and the Boston Celtics used a big third quarter to build the lead and cruise to a 114-93 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
White’s performance helped the Celtics win a fourth straight game despite missing star Jaylen Brown, who sat out with left hamstring tightness in the second game of a back-to-back.
Houston coach Ime Udoka was ejected at the end of the third quarter after receiving a double technical for arguing with officials, and Alperen Sengun was tossed midway through the fourth after receiving two technical fouls for yelling at an official following a no-call.
The Rockets trailed by four after a 3-pointer by Amen Thompson early in the third before Boston went on an 18-3 run to make it 67-48 with about seven minutes left in the quarter. The Celtics made five 3-pointers in that stretch, with two apiece from White and Baylor Scheierman.
Thompson made a basket for Houston before Boston used a 10-1 spurt to push the lead to 77-51 with four minutes remaining in the quarter. White led the way during that run, scoring the first eight points, with two 3-pointers.
Reed Sheppard received a loose ball foul near the end of the quarter and Udoka received two technical fouls after the call and was tossed. Boston converted four free throws off those fouls to make it 87-63 entering the fourth.
Kevin Durant led the Rockets with 15 points in his return after sitting out Monday with a sprained left ankle. Sengun, who had 39 points and 16 rebounds in Monday’s win over Indiana, had 13 points and nine rebounds.
Neemias Queta had 10 points and a career-high 19 rebounds, and Luka Garza added 19 points to help the Celtics to the victory.
The Illini Republicans club at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is facing backlash after posting an illustration on social media of a masked gunman holding a weapon to a kneeling man’s head — alongside the caption, “Only traitors help invaders.”
The Instagram post, published Friday, also says Alex Pretti and Renée Good — who were both fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis last month — had “voided their liberties the moment they decided they were above the law.”
“Our nation has come under invasion from the masses of the third world and those incompatible with Western civilization,” the post says. “Now, the current administration, as duly elected by its people to do so, has taken a stand against this invasion.”
The illustration was later deleted from the post, as first reported by the Daily Illini. But it prompted a complaint to the university’s Title VI Office, and drew a slew of criticism from U. of I. students online, who argue that it glorified the deaths of Pretti and Good as well as the unrest engulfing Minnesota.
“My first initial reaction was just disgust, horror and nausea,” said sophomore Rylee Graves, 19, a member of Illini Democrats. “For them to say that that post was not violent or they weren’t condoning violence is a lie, and they know exactly what they’re doing.”
The image, set against the backdrop of the American flag, depicts a bearded man with his back turned as the gunman looms above him. Some students said that both the man and the scene resembled the Jan. 24 killing of Pretti, who was shot multiple times in the back.
An illustration, posted by Illini Republicans on Instagram, depicts what appears to be a federal agent pointing a gun at a man’s head. The group has said it stands with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. (Illini Republicans)
Illini Republicans wrote in an email to the Tribune that the image was removed “to prevent misinterpretation while we review concerns,” but it was “not an admission of wrongdoing.” They declined a request for an interview.
“We take concerns raised by others seriously and are committed to engaging in good-faith dialogue while exercising our right to express political viewpoints as a registered student organization,” the club wrote.
“The claim that the post glorifies or endorses violence is incorrect,” the club added. “At no point did it advocate harm, violence or extrajudicial action against any individual or group.”
The post is under review by the university’s Title VI Office, which investigates civil rights complaints, according to a statement from a U. of I. spokesperson. As a registered student organization, Illini Republicans are required to follow the student code of conduct, but U. of I. “cannot discipline them for the viewpoint or content of protected speech,” the spokesperson added.
“Hate and intolerance are not aligned with our university values,” the spokesperson said. “We strive to be a campus where every member of our community has a transformative and positive experience.”
More than 1,600 people have commented on the post since Friday. It was posted the same day as “ICE Out” demonstrations across the U.S., including a walkout on the Urbana-Champaign campus.
The intensified immigration enforcement in Minneapolis, dubbed Operation Metro Surge, began in December. Good was shot during an encounter with agents Jan. 7, and Pretti was shot Jan. 24. The Trump administration said the use of force was justified — but videos of both incidents contradict those claims.
When Lillie Salas saw the Illini Republicans’ post, her emotions fluctuated from disbelief to outrage. It’s jarring knowing that some of her classmates felt comfortable using phrases such as “foreign invaders” to refer to immigrants, the 22-year-old senior said.
Citizens who stand against Trump’s immigration aren’t “traitors” either, she added. She said that type of rhetoric is “racist” and shouldn’t be acceptable on campus.
“I honestly felt very concerned and scared,” Salas said. “It kind of hits differently to see groups so close to you spewing hate so outspokenly. … I know a lot of immigrants who are the most dedicated, hardworking people I’ve ever met in my life.”
It’s a feeling Salas, who is Mexican American, said she’s grown accustomed to during Trump’s immigration crackdown. She’s sensed anxiety on campus, particularly with her Hispanic friends who’ve told her about feeling “frozen in time “and “stuck.”
Cat Lodico, a 20-year-old sophomore, likewise, said she’s seen the stress her friends who are international students have faced in recent months. They worry that if they do or say the wrong thing, their visa will get revoked, and they won’t be able to continue their studies.
U. of I. has one of the largest international student populations in the country. The Illini Republicans post calls immigrants without legal status “enemies of the American people.”
“Although the main focus is studying and getting good grades and the normal college life, because of what’s going on in the country now, there is that anxiety and worriedness in the back of everyone’s mind,” Lodico said, adding that her mom also immigrated to the U.S. from China.
Lodico said as an engineering major, she’s not the most politically involved, but she tries to stay informed. Even still, she said she was shocked and “genuinely concerned” that people her age could agree with Illini Republicans’ post.
“Saying we stand with enforcement of the law, like is it really lawful for random (immigration agents) to be killing other people,” she said. “I just feel like it’s so backward.”
College campuses have increasingly become flashpoints in national debates over free speech.
In the wake of mass student protests over the war in Gaza in 2024, Republican lawmakers have criticized elite colleges and progressive campus culture. The Trump administration froze millions in federal research funding at universities, including at Northwestern University, accusing them of failing to address antisemitism.
Meanwhile, in September, the killing of Charlie Kirk — a right-wing activist and founder of Turning Point USA — ignited a surge of conservative activism on campuses.
Lodico said it seems hypocritical for Illini Republicans to seemingly make light of the deaths of Pretti and Good, given the outcry over Kirk’s killing.
“When people die from ICE suddenly it doesn’t matter? Suddenly it’s valid to shoot people? The logic is not logic-ing, you know,” she said.
Bad Bunny had a message for the millions of TV viewers as he accepted the Best Musica Urbana Album award on Sunday night at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.
“Before I say thanks to God, I’m going to say — ICE out,” said the Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, who is set to perform during the Super Bowl Halftime Show on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. “We’re not savages. We’re not aliens. We are humans.
“And we are Americans.”
Bad Bunny would also win what’s widely regarded as the top trophy of the night — the Grammy for Album of the Year — during the ceremony in the Grammys in Los Angeles.
Bad Bunny’s ended up winning two of his six Grammy nominations. Those six nominations included three of the so-called “Big Four” general field categories — Album of the Year (which he won), Record of the Year and Song of the Year. The other nods are for Best Música Urbana Album (which he also won), Best Global Music Performance and Best Album Cover.
Bad Bunny is the first Spanish-language artist to be nominated in — or win — those three general field categories.
Bad Bunny was one of the many artists who got a shout-out from host Trevor Noah as he walked through the star-studded crowd during the mostly pointless opening monologue. (Monologue summary: “Hey, there are famous musicians at the Grammys! Who knew?”) Other artists that Noah mentioned included Queen Latifah, Billie Eilish, Olivia Dean, Jamie Foxx and Reba McEntire.
Noah later came and sat down at the same table with Bad Bunny, saying that he had just learned that there was a reason why the Puerto Rican superstar wasn’t performing at the Grammys.
“Whoever is doing the Super Bowl is contractually obligated to only do the Super Bowl so you can’t perform at the Grammy’s,” Noah said. “Is that true? You can’t perform?”
“No. I wish. But I can’t, you know?” Bad Bunny replied.
LOWELL — As Hockey East rivalries go, the Hatfields vs. the McCoys comes to mind.
And by next Saturday night, don’t expect a lot of hugs to be exchanged between UMass Lowell and UMass players.
Starting with Sunday (3:30 p.m.) at the Tsongas Center in Lowell, the River Hawks and Minutemen will play three times over a seven-day span.
UML (9-16, 5-10 HE) will host UMass (15-10, 8-7 HE) again on Friday (7:15 p.m.) and then the Minutemen will host the third game on Saturday (7:30 p.m.) at the Mullins Center.
“It’s more like a playoff series than it is a regular-season series,” UML head coach Norm Bazin said.
In-state bragging rights are on the line whenever the programs play. Despite the frigid temperatures outside, emotions on the ice may boil over due to the expected intensity level.
UML has dropped three games in a row, including a painful 6-5 overtime loss to Maine last Saturday. UML scored five straight goals to take a 5-3 lead, but then allowed the final three games to fall at home.
Senior Dillan Bentley (11-9-20) continues to lead the River Hawks in goals and points. Graduate student Jay Ahearn (9-6-15) and junior Jak Vaarwerk (5-9-14) have also supplied consistent offense.
In goal, neither Samuel Richard (2.93 GAA, .901 save %) nor Austin Elliott (2.70 GAA, .898 save %) has been able to get on a roll.
Conversely, UMass is riding a six-game winning streak. In that span, the Minutemen have posted three shutouts and only allowed five total goals.
“They’ve been hot of late,” Bazin said. “The last two or three weekends they’ve been tough to score on. From a structure standpoint, they’re playing a good brand of hockey.”
Michael Hrabal has been superb between the pipes with a 2.15 goals against average and .929 save percentage. Offensively, the top scorers have been Jack Musa (10-14-24) and Vaclav Nestrasil (11-12-23).
UMass has shined on the road, going 8-4.
UMass Lowell’s Jak Vaarwerk (29) is denied by Maine goaltender Albin Boija during Friday’s college hockey game at the Tsongas Center. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
Kroll makes jump
Due to season-ending injuries to defensemen Tnias Mathurin and Daniel Buchbinder, the River Hawks recently brought in Des Moines (USHL) captain Ryan Kroll. Kroll has seen action in two games.
A 6-1, 194-pound native of Plainville, Ill., Kroll is a sturdy, stay-at-home defenseman who plays a simple game.
“We didn’t give him a big workload, but he played well. We feel he’s going to be a good defenseman,” Bazin said. “He’s a defensive defenseman. He has a good attitude. He knows what he is.”
UML has struggled to find consistency. One reason is the lack of collegiate experience among the defensemen.
“Sometimes we show our age,” Bazin said.
Loose pucks
Bazin was encouraged by the play of sophomore forward Lee Parks, who tallied a goal and assist in Saturday’s game. He also led the River Hawks with three blocked shots.
A 6-foot-2, 210-pound native of Ontario, Parks tallied eight goals as a freshman. He has three goals and five assists this winter.
“He’s starting to really move his feet,” Bazin said, “and when he moves his feet he’s an excellent player.” … Sunday’s game can be viewed on NESN. … The River Hawks are hoping to improve on their 2-8 record at the Tsongas.
RICHMOND — As half a billion dollars from Chevron start to flow into Richmond’s coffers, city leaders want to know exactly how residents would like to see that money spent.
To get those answers, councilmembers have agreed to set aside up to $300,000 to contract out support that would facilitate community feedback. A central goal of the initiative, approved during a meeting Tuesday, is to develop a “just transition” away from the fossil fuel industry while ensuring community buy-in for how the dollars are spent.
“We’re in that moment where we actually do have to be as careful and as thoughtful as we can to make decisions for the future,” said Vice Mayor Doria Robinson, who drafted the item with Councilmember Claudia Jimenez and Mayor Eduardo Martinez. “We’re making a huge turning point for our city if we do it right. Or we can do it like the way people who win the lottery, go out and buy a bunch of fancy things and then be broke in 10 years.”
Representatives from the two local nonprofit organizations behind the Make Polluters Pay campaign – Asian Pacific Environmental Network Action and Communities for a Better Environment – endorsed the councilmembers’ plan during Tuesday’s meeting.
“The additional and hard won $550 million is a chance for Richmond to both fully fund the crucial improvements in the neighborhoods and help build that just economy independent of the fossil fuel industry,” said Emma Ishii, a local policy coordinator with the Asian Pacific Environmental Network.
Members of the public who spoke on Tuesday also backed the plan, but some alternatively said they did not want an outsider without a historical understanding of Richmond dictating the outreach process or how the dollars are kept and spent.
Councilmember Jamelia Brown, the only councilmember to vote against the measure, said spending $300,000 on the effort “seems crazy.” She asked that the maximum contract amount be reduced but was denied by her colleagues after City Manager Shasa Curl said a project with such a wide scope may require the support of multiple firms.
The firm or firms leading the project will be asked to develop a scientific approach to widely surveying the public. But councilmembers are also interested in developing investment strategies while expanding on a preliminary expenditures framework that would see funds go toward large scale projects that would generate new tax revenue, efforts the provide direct support to residents, projects proposed and developed by residents, improvements to city services and increasing staffing in areas that further the goals of the funds.
Brown shared concerns the project would result in a report that will go unused, and questioned how the city would ensure all Richmond voices were heard. Brown said those behind the Make Polluters Pay campaign are “amazing stakeholders,” but they don’t represent the entirety of Richmond.
As representative of District 1, a historically socioeconomically disadvantaged part of town, Brown said her constituents are more likely to say public safety, clean streets and youth programming are more of a concern than air quality.
“I really want us to get real about our relationship with Chevron. It’s like a person we say we don’t want to be with but we’re constantly accepting gifts and money from,” Brown said. “We say we want this just transition. We want to move away from Chevron. But we’re constantly in tango with Chevron time and time again.”
In a separate item on the Tuesday agenda, Councilmember Cesar Zepeda proposed the city seek public input on what to do with the settlement funds using only city staff and existing resources. Zepeda said he’s already been meeting with community members and argued the funds spent on contracting out services could go to other important issues.
A majority of councilmembers, including Zepeda, ultimately agreed to find a third-party contractor after finance department staff explained that the city did not currently have the capacity or the expertise to lead the project.
Councilmember Soheila Bana said she was confused by the measure and abstained from voting. She had previously argued the city needed to provide the community with more information before asking them to weigh in on a strategy for holding and spending the money.
Recognizing concerns around equitable and unbiased outreach, Councilmember Sue Wilson also requested that whatever firm is selected returns to the council to detail their community engagement plan.
“All individuals and all community groups should be equally treated regardless of whether they played a role in (the Make Polluters Pay campaign),” Wilson said.
Eager to begin the process, councilmembers asked that a request for proposals be issued as soon as possible. Other initiatives will likely need to be deprioritized to meet the council’s demands, Curl said. Staff will give the council an update on the process in March, she added.
Meanwhile, what funds the city receives from the settlement with Chevron will remain in an investment fund until a plan for what to do with the money is complete. So far, the city has received one $50 million payment.
But, in the end, the Eagles decided to carry on even without ailing guitarist-vocalist Joe Walsh and play their sold-out show at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Saturday night (Jan. 24).
The result was unlike any other show the massively popular Los Angeles band has performed during its lengthy Sphere residence, except, really, in one way:
It was still an absolute delight to behold.
Vince Gill, the country star who joined the band after original member Glenn Frey died in 2016, shouldered most of the load caused by Walsh’s absence. He sang the tunes that usually go to Walsh and played many of his regular guitar leads — with the other portion of those hot licks being handled, quite admirably, by ace touring member Chris Holt.
Walsh was out of the fold on this night, band leader Don Henley explained to the crowd, due to his coming down with the flu. Walsh had still managed to soldier through the previous night’s Sphere gig, but his doctor reportedly advised him not to take the stage on Saturday.
He was missed — especially vocally — since Gill’s angelic voice does not, in any way shape or form, resemble Walsh’s charmingly out-of-pitch squawk-talk style. And there were times during the guitar parts that it felt like Walsh might have pushed things a little further — or, at least, a little different — than his studio-session-ready counterparts.
Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).
But Walsh will hopefully be feeling better soon and be back in the mix during this blockbuster Eagles residency, which continues at the Sphere through March 28. (For exact dates and other ticket information, visit eagles.com.)
The continued success of this residency — which is the longest in Sphere history — is further proof of the undying love for the Eagles, which got their start as the backing band for Linda Ronstadt in 1971.
Want even more proof? Well, consider that the Eagles’ “Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975” recently garnered quadruple platinum certification in the U.S. Never heard of the term “quadruple platinum certification” before? Well, that’s because it had never ever happened before — the Eagles are the first act to hit that mark, which translates to 40x platinum (aka, 40 millions album units sold).
The group would underscore so many of the reasons for its vast popularity during Saturday’s approximately 2-hour show. The classic rock outfit performed all 10 of the songs featured on that quadruple diamond offering — which ranks as the best-selling album of all time in the U.S. — as well as others tunes from elsewhere in the band catalog as well as a few solo Henley and Walsh cuts.
Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).
It’s amazing how good the group — consisting of Henley, Gill, bassist Timothy B. Schmit and vocalist-guitarist Deacon Frey (son of Glenn Frey) as well as touring members Holt, Scott F. Crago on drums and Will Hollis and Michael Thompson on various keys — sounded without such an important piece of the musical puzzle.
Yet, Henley explained that the band had called an emergency two-hour practice earlier in the day, once it was clear that Walsh wasn’t going to make it to the show, and it definitely did the trick. The whole thing went really smoothly and, if you didn’t know any better, it would have been hard to even tell that the group was missing anyone at all.
Of course, the whole shebang was greatly enhanced by the venue itself, which delivered its mind-blowing mix of colorful, moving visuals across and around its unbelievable vivid and clear 16K resolution wraparound LED screen that dominates the interior of this 366-foot-fall building.
The video segments and special effects always played to the lyrics, strengthening storylines with images that moved between fantastical and rooted in reality. As far as the latter goes, the group continually took us to its hometown of L.A. — as well as the broader Southern California region — which makes sense given the pronounced role that the City of Angels has played in the group’s music.
Highlights included those famed band harmonies on “Seven Bridges Road,” delivered ever so sweetly as huge video images of the players floated well above the stage; Deacon Frey’s solid vocal work on “Peaceful Easy Feeling,” which came to a close with a big shot of papa Glenn Frey on the screen; Gill’s blistering lead work on the Walsh solo cut “In the City”; and Henley warmly dedicating “The Boys of Summer” to the dearly departed Bobby Weir.
It was a great show from start to finish. And the shows will likely get even better once Walsh returns to the stage. Fans who haven’t attended this residency yet — or those who simply want another helping of the fun — should definitely consider making a date with the Eagles at the Sphere soon.
Eagles perform at the Sphere in Las Vegas on Jan. 24, 2026 (Jim Harrington, Bay Area News Group).
It was a milestone day for the Littleton High boys hockey program Saturday.
Senior forwards Gavin Werling and Conor Glew each reached the 100-point career milestone during a 9-0 victory over visiting Gardner at the Groton School’s rink.
Werling posted a goal and two assists, while Glew netted two goals and added an assist for Littleton (11-1, 6-0 Mid-Wach C).
Blake Hannon recorded a hat trick to pace the high-powered offense. Ryan Pittorino and Justin Lefebvre added a goal each. In net, Jack Proulx made 15 saves to earn the shutout.
Wrestling
Gryphons sweep: Greater Lowell went 3-0, sweeping Malden Catholic (60-6), Weston (52-12) and Chicopee (53-12).
Picking up three wins for the Gryphons (18-7) were Gavin Espinola, Kordae Bun, Antoine Jackman, Juan Mandujano, Alex Paasewe, Nehemiah Nieves, Connor Geoffroy, Baraka Karanja and Kevin Tully. Grabbing a pair of wins were Landyn Lane, John Evangelista and Jadiel Covarribias.
Wildcats shine: Wilmington battled Saugus/Peabody, Fenwick/Northeast and Canton in a quad meet. Sophomore Gabriel Andrade earned his first varsity victory, pinning his Fenwick/Northeast opponent in the first period.
Senior captain Mason Kwiatkowski continued to set the tone with his toughness and leadership, battling through a season-long injury to post a 2–1 record. At heavyweight, senior JP Jon Panatta opened his day in impressive fashion, securing a 20–5 technical fall victory.
Rams romp: Shawsheen Tech traveled to Beverly and dominated a quad meet against Lynnfield/North Reading (60-9), Beverly (55-16) and Belmont (64-8).
Multiple winners for defending All-State champion Shawsheen were Kyle Dube, Ethan Caceres, Dante Giusti, Hadi Sibay, Aiden Pimintal, Quinn Carbone, Tristan Lane, Dominic DiCenso, Logan Holmes and Jaron Molgard.
Littleton’s Gavin Werling moves the puck up the ice during a boys hockey game Saturday in Groton. Werling scored his 100th career point in a 9-0 win over Gardner. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
Redmen go 2-1: Led by Nicky Desisto, who continues to impress from his return from injury by recording three first-period pins to remain unbeaten on the season, Tewksbury shined at a quad meet at Newton South.
The Redmen defeated Plymouth North (52-24) and Newton South (48-32), and fell to Melrose (42-30).
Going undefeated on the day were Desisto at 126, Jack Lightfoot at 132, Ryan Callahan at 138, Sean Callahan at 144 and Jack Leone at 190. Recording two wins were Evan Brothers at 150, Carlo Desisto at 157 and Louis Silva at 285.
Track
Indians excel: The Billerica boys and girls teams competed at the Coaches Invitational at Reggie Lewis.
The highlight for Billerica was Kylie Donahue’s performance in the two mile. She won in a fantastic time of 10:46, which broke Anna McElhinney’s previous record of 10:51. Before McElhinney broke it, the previous record was from 1979. Hartlie Siegal placing fifth in 11:11.
Freshman Evie Wesling placed second overall in the 600 out of the second heat with a huge personal best time of 1:36.59. That’s one of the fastest times in the state this year.
Caitlyn Donahue took fourth in the mile in 5:08.9. Eighth-grader Maya Niles was seventh overall out of the second heat, leading from wire to wire and running a time of 5:13.5, which is second nationally for eighth-graders.
Shane Leslie was second in the mile in 4:20.2, the seventh fastest in the state this year. He came back later to run the 4×800 with teammates Sahil Gandhi, Rylen Canney and Jackson Gearin. The boys placed third, running 8:11 for the third-best mark in school history.
Girls hockey
Central 2, Cambridge 0: Backboned by Sidney Foster, who posted a 30-save shutout, Central Catholic recorded the win.
Scoring goals were Molly Boyden and Natalia Cryier for the Raiders (5-5-2, 4-3-2 league). Julia O’Neil dished out two assists, while Angela Cardillo had one assist.
Westford wins: Host Westford Academy skated to a 3-2 victory over Wayland/Weston/NS during a DCL matchup at the Nashoba Valley Olympia.
Girls basketball
Merrimack Valley 49, Pelham 42: The host Pythons threw a scare into undefeated Merrimack Valley before dropping the NHIAA Div. 2 contest.
Merrimack Valley led at the half 24-12. The Pythons cut the lead to four in the waning moments, but came up short. Grace Riley and Jessie Phillips each netted a game-high 10 points. Phillips also dominated the boards and played outstanding defense. Ava Milley added nine points and was stellar on defense as usual.
Chelmsford 51, Lawrence 49: Spearheaded by freshman guard Brooke Dulong, the Lions claimed a thrilling MVC victory.
Dulong pocketed a team-high 25 points. Junior forward Anna Bierwirth chipped in eight points, while senior guard Reese Hughes added seven points.
Littleton 48, Lunenburg 31: The Tigers scored 35 points in the middle two quarters to pull away from Lunenburg and post the Mid-Wach win.
Annabelle Couette poured in a game-high 18 points for Littleton, which received 12 points from Sara Kerrigan and nine points from Caroline DeChane.
Boys basketball
Weston 66, WA 60: Westford Academy rallied several times in the DCL thriller, but ran out of gas in overtime.
Senior Captain Teddy Hirbour was immense with 19 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. Senior Liam Arnold pitched in 16 points and six rebounds. Senior Captain Jack Bussey claimed 13 points and four steals. Sophomore Sam Bramanti chipped in seven points, five rebounds, five assists and two blocks for WA (3-9, 1-3 league).
UMass Lowell was hoping a thrilling 4-3 overtime win at Boston University would be a springboard to a winning streak.
Instead the River Hawks were blanked by BU the next night in Lowell and they were shut out Friday night for the sixth time this season and the fifth time in their last 14 games.
Maine defeated UML for the seventh straight time following a 2-0 Hockey East win at the Tsongas Center in Lowell.
Maine goalie Albin Boija posted a 25-save shutout. Austin Elliott turned aside 27 of 29 shots for UML. UML went 0-for-6 on the power play to fall to 2-7 at home this winter.
Brock James opened the scoring in the first period for No. 17 Maine. He was denied on a partial breakaway by Elliott, but the puck squirted to Nicholas Peluso. Peluso centered it and James was able to poke it into the UML net.
Minutes later, UMass Lowell captain Jay Ahearn snapped a 20-foot wrist shot which clanked off the left post behind Boija. Ahearn led UML with five shots on goal.
Charlie Russell doubled Maine’s lead in the second period.
Maine has now won the first two games of the season series against UML. The teams will battle Saturday (6:05 p.m.) back at the Tsongas.
LOWELL — Week 3 of the 79th annual Golden Gloves is a special one.
As part of First Responders Night, presented by health benefits company Wellpoint, Thursday’s event will feature a special bout between Jonathan Rivera of the Lowell Police Department and Christopher Loftus of Massachusetts State Police.
The action begins at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. The Gloves, a nine-week tradition in the Mill City, will conclude March 5 when fights will determine the New England team which will compete at nationals. The 2026 National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions will be held in Tulsa, Okla., at the Cox Business Center from May 11-16.
On Thursday, the firefighters, police officers, EMTs and emergency personnel who keep local communities safe will be honored. Wellpoint will host a private reception for first responders before the first bout.
The Golden Gloves, presented by Lowell Sun Charities, is one of New England’s longest-standing traditions and showcases the region’s top amateur boxers as they compete for prestigious titles in the ring.
Several local community champions will be recognized in the ring at 7:30 p.m., including an EMT from PrideStar Trinity EMS, police officers from the Lowell Police Department and firefighters from the Lowell Fire Department. These honorees exemplify exceptional dedication to public service and positive community impact.
“First responders are the backbone of our communities, and as a health benefits company serving state and municipal employees, we are committed to supporting their health and well-being,” said David Morales, general manager of Wellpoint. “We are proud to sponsor the First Responder Reception, and honor the brave men and women who keep us safe every day.”
The Lowell Sun Charities organization was established in 1947 to respond to the ever-increasing challenges of the community.
The Lowell Memorial Auditorium, which opened in 1922, is one of the top boxing venues in New England. The building, located near the Concord and Merrimack rivers, has a capacity of 2,800.
SEATTLE (AP) — Hannah Brandt had the only goal in a shootout and Aerin Frankel finished with 36 saves to help the Boston Fleet pull out a 2-1 victory over the Seattle Torrent at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday night.
Brandt beat Seattle goaltender Corinne Schroeder to deal the Torrent the loss in their first overtime match at home in their first season in the league. Schroeder totaled 20 saves.
Megan Keller scored on a 5-on-3 power play at 12:28 in the first period to give Boston (8-1-2-2) a 1-0 lead. Four of Keller’s five goals this season have come with an extra skater. Susanna Tapani collected her fifth assist and Abby Newhook notched her first.
Seattle (3-1-2-5) outshot the Fleet 11-4 in the first 20 minutes but couldn’t take advantage of its two power-play opportunities.
The Torrent tied it 1-1 at 14:12 in the second period on a one-timer by Julia Gosling, who leads the club with 10 points on five goals and five assists. Brooke Bryant and Cayla Barnes picked up their first assists.
Boston killed a third power play late in the second to extend the Torrent’s scoreless streak with an extra skater to 17. The Fleet haved surrendered just one goal in 30 power-play opportunities by their opponents, tops in the league.
Schroeder saved a point-blank shot by Jill Sauinier in the final minute of regulation to keep it tied and also had a save on a one-on-one shot by Haley Winn in the first minute of overtime.
Boston leads the league with 28 points, six clear of the second-place New York Sirens. Seattle earns a point and is tied for last place with the first-year Vancouver Goldeneyes, although the Torrent have two matches in hand.
Green Day, one of the most successful acts in Bay Area music history, is getting in on the Super Bowl Sunday fun.
The East Bay pop-rock band, which formed in Rodeo in 1987, will perform an opening ceremony set just moments prior to the big game taking place at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Feb. 8.
The performance by Green Day — the multiplatinum trio consisting of vocalist-guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong, bassist Mike Dirnt and drummer Tré Cool — celebrates the Super Bowl’s 60th anniversary and will be used as the soundtrack to usher generations of Super Bowl MVPs onto the field.
“We are super hyped to open Super Bowl 60 right in our backyard!” Armstrong said in a press release. “We are honored to welcome the MVPs who’ve shaped the game and open the night for fans all over the world. Let’s have fun! Let’s get loud!”
Fans including Ashley Lim, of Pleasanton, center, react as Green Day performs during their Saviors Tour at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. Lim got up on stage to briefly sing with frontman Billie Joe Armstrong. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
The Green Day news was announced during halftime of the NFC Divisional Playoff matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and Chicago Bears on Sunday. This opening ceremony/performance will be aired live at 3 p.m. during the Super Bowl TV broadcast, which is being carried by NBC and Telemundo.
The game itself is set to start at 3:30 p.m.
“Celebrating 60 years of Super Bowl history with Green Day as a hometown band, while honoring the NFL Legends who’ve helped define this sport is an incredibly powerful way to kick off Super Bowl LX.” said Tim Tubito, NFL senior director, event and game presentation. “As we work alongside NBC Sports for this opening ceremony, we look forward to creating a collective celebration for fans in the stadium and around the world.”
Green Day is also set to perform an invitation-only Super Bowl week concert — with fellow Bay Area act Counting Crows — at the The FanDuel Party Powered by Spotify event on Feb. 6 at Pier 29 in San Francisco. The event is not open to the general public, nor are tickets being sold, but rather is an “invite-only” function.
Green Day performs during their Saviors Tour at Oracle Park in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
