Earlier this month I started getting emails from animal lovers saying, “Did you know that the Oakland city shelter is going to start euthanizing dogs because they’re running out of room?” So I checked it out and called Joe DeVries, the new director of Oakland Animal Services. Relax, folks. No one’s going to be killing anything.
Despite a successful recent adoption weekend, Oakland Animal Services still has dozens of dogs available for adoption, such as Baldwin above. For information about him, visit oaklandanimalservices.org/adopt/dogs. (photo courtesy of Oakland Animal Services)
“We had a huge influx of dogs at the beginning of the year. We had 105 dogs come through in 12 days, and we were well over capacity, particularly for big dogs,” he explained. “Our shelter capacity is about 65, and we were about 90, and that doesn’t even include the dogs we have in our foster program.
“So our social media team put out an urgent call-out saying we had a number of dogs facing instant euthanasia if we didn’t get our numbers under control,” DeVries said. “Two local news stations picked up the story, and that led to an amazing adoption weekend! We adopted out 39 dogs and also had 27 transferred to rescue organizations, and that brought us back down to a safe level so none of these dogs are at risk now.
“We still have 60 big dogs in our shelter who still need a home and 80 more dogs in foster care that also need a home. We want to thank Oakland for coming through and encourage people to keep looking to us if they need a dog. All the dogs we offer have been vaccinated and spayed or neutered, and our adoption fees are extremely low, just $20 out the door.”
That’s the good news. The bad news is that it’s almost springtime, and you know what that means: kitten season. All unspayed female cats are pregnant or about to be. This includes the outdoor stray or feral you are feeding and your own female house cat who sometimes goes outside. It will continue through summer and fall.
The gestation period is nine weeks, so you may start seeing babies any time now. If you don’t see kittens, don’t assume there aren’t any out there. They will leave the nest and follow Mom when they’re about six weeks old.
However, help is a phone call away. Search online for “cat rescue groups” or “low cost spay/neuter,” followed by the name of your city, or call your local animal shelter or rescue group. Call more than one group, and call more than once. Most only ask for a small donation. It’s so much easier and more economical to spay one cat, as opposed to an entire litter of up to six.
So why bother? Because for every kitten not born, that’s one more cat not in danger of being euthanized at a shelter — not to mention the hunger, diseases, starvation and accidents that befall homeless cats. Be on the lookout for any cat you’re feeding or happen to see.
Do the right thing and make that call. If you own a cat that you can’t keep, please don’t think you’re doing it a favor by dumping it in a nearby cat colony to save it from being euthanized in a shelter. For one thing, responsible shelters move heaven and earth to avoid euthanasia. Oakland Animal Services, for instance, has one of the lowest euthanasia rates in the state. For online information, visit oaklandanimalservices.org/adopt.
For another, studies show that the maximum life span for a homeless cat is two years, tops, and it’s even shorter for former house cats that suddenly find themselves outside, where they are easy prey for hawks, owls, falcons, coyotes and the most dangerous animal of all — us.
That accords with my own experience feeding the ferals in my neighborhood. I started out with four, but as word got out that there was a soft touch living on my block (me), it soon mushroomed to two dozen. Then they started disappearing one-by-one until they were all gone. That’s the reason why I never let my cat Betty go outside, much as she’d love to.
Finally, in much happier news, let me add my voice to all those who are still dazzled by watching the East Bay’s own Alysa Liu win figure skating gold at the Winter Olympics. Boy, did we need that! Her strength, daring, artistry and sheer joy almost make up for Oaktown losing the A’s, Raiders and Warriors. To quote my former editor Craig Lazzaretti, “We should throw her a parade around Lake Merritt and end this fairy tale at Fairyland!”
Presidents Day Week historically has been a prime time to purchase a new or preowned — used — motor vehicle.
While we all have been told that our first president George Washington supposedly could not tell a lie about felling that cherry tree — a myth invented by a Washington biographer after his death — our state senators want to ensure that car dealerships live up to that ethical standard.
That’s what a bill recently passed unanimously by the Senate would do, by expanding consumer protections when purchasing new or used vehicles.
“An Act modernizing protections for consumers in automobile transactions” aims to provide more recourse for drivers facing vehicle fraud or mechanical failures.
The legislation doubles the surety bond requirements for used-car dealers and introduces a grace period for leased vehicles to prevent immediate repossession.
The legislation extends the timeline for the state’s Lemon Law, allowing customers seven days after receiving delivery of a vehicle to void the sale if it fails inspection. Currently, the window begins on the purchase date.
Sen. Michael J. Rodrigues, chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, highlighted this shift as a key distinction in the bill. “This bill expands the current Lemon Law and makes an important distinction in voiding vehicle transactions by starting the seven-day window from vehicle delivery, instead of purchase date,” Rodrigues said.
He added that the bill also makes it easier for buyers who are victims of fraud to make claims.
To protect drivers buying older vehicles, the bill increases the maximum mileage for used car warranties by 50,000 miles, bringing the new limit to 175,000 miles.
Sen. Pavel M. Payano, chair of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, said the update reflects the modern marketplace.
“For many Massachusetts residents, a car is how they keep a job, get their kids to school and make medical appointments,” Payano said. He noted that without these protections, consumers are often left carrying the financial burden of a vehicle that does not meet minimum standards.
The measure also doubles the surety bond — held for the benefit of buyers who experience fraud — that used car dealers must post to receive a license, raising it to $50,000.
Sen. Paul R. Feeney, the lead sponsor of the legislation, emphasized that the bill reaffirms a commitment to shielding families from deceptive practices.
Beyond sales, the bill supports residents who lease vehicles by providing a 21-day grace period to catch up on payments before a repossession can occur.
Senate President Karen E. Spilka said the law ensures consumers have “clear rights” and “real recourse” during significant financial decisions. “For most families, buying a car is a necessity, not a luxury,” Spilka said. “When a car purchase goes wrong, the consequences can be devastating.”
Consumer advocacy groups also expressed support for the changes.
Deirdre Cummings, legislative director for MASSPIRG, noted that while the original law has worked well, it required updates to account for 40 years of changes in vehicles and marketing.
“It just makes sense that we have modern, commonsense protections to ensure no one gets squeezed by a “lemon,”” Cummings said.
The bill will now be a subject of debate by the members of the House.
This legislation isn’t a response to a rash of consumer complaints. Most car dealers operate in a professional manner.
It’s simply a recognition of changes in the industry and the expansion of consumer expectations and protections that accompany the necessary requirement of car ownership.
It’s also a reflection of the financial commitment that comes with owning or leasing a motor vehicle in this state.
The average price of a mid-sized sedan ranges from about $27,000 to $35,500, while the average SUV costs just under $40,000.
And to that you can add a 6.25% Massachusetts sales tax.
These aren’t luxury items, just vehicles that most of us would feel comfortable owning.
And “owning” a vehicle probably doesn’t accurately describe the post-sale circumstances.
According to Experian, 61% of consumers have at least one auto loan in their credit file.
And most auto loans now look more like home mortgages.
According to Experian data from June 2025, borrowers paid an average of $682 monthly for that loan.
And for the 20% of consumers that lease a motor vehicle, their monthly cost was about the same — $659.
And of course, that’s not the only additional cost associated with owning/leasing a motor vehicle.
According to Bankrate, the average yearly car insurance premium in Massachusetts works out to approximately $2,100 for full coverage, and $650 for minimum coverage.
But that varies by community, with drivers in congested urban centers paying more for the same coverage.
And don’t forget that yearly excise tax — $25 per $1,000 of valuation per vehicle — the state charges for the privilege of driving on its roadways.
For all these reasons, residents require all the consumer protections the law allows when it comes to operating a motor vehicle in this state.
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).
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)
FITCHBURG — With the start of a new year, state Sen. John Cronin, D-Fitchburg, is looking at getting things done in several areas, and chief among them is increasing the local aid to cities and towns.
“That’s absolutely a priority,” Cronin said this week … “a boost in local aid.”
“The economy is everything,” Cronin said, reminding that the state budget must be balanced every year, at stipulated by law so, “state money to the cities and towns is contingent on the state and national economy.”
State Chapter 70 education aid was up the last couple of years for Fitchburg and Leominster, Cronin said, but particularly for the rural towns in this area including Ashby, Townsend and Groton, “state aid has not kept up with the rising cost of health care and declining student population.”
Cronin said Fitchburg saw a more than $8 million increase in Chapter 70 funding, which provides state dollars for schools’ operating costs, bringing its total allotment to over $86.2 million for the current school year. The city also received $10.7 million in unrestricted aide to help fund a variety of services.
One goal for this year would be to try to increase the minimum per-pupil aid amount.
That might help battle “the pressures that school departments are facing and cities and towns are facing in getting control over rising health care costs,” Cronin said. “Year over year we’ve seen double-digit increases … the rising rate of health care is unsustainable.”
Heath care
Another priority for Cronin this year will be trying to address that rising cost in health care.
He said the state can play a role in making sure more people have access to health care and in supporting the greater use of preventative medicine, to help limit more-expensive costs once people fall victim to various maladies.
He said it’s very difficult for a state to offset the type of changes that the federal government seems to be implementing in the Affordable Care Act plans, and the expiration of subsidies that kept it “affordable.”
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill to extend the health care subsidies, but the bill now goes to the U.S. Senate, where it is expected to fail. Cronin said he’s hoping ongoing talks in the U.S. Senate will restore the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
And beyond that, he said, “a negative aspect of the Big, Beautiful Bill that passed, is that there will be a lot of people that will not have access to Medicaid. With the loss of insurance, more people will be showing up in emergency departments, and it will be more expensive in the end.”
Fitchburg housing boost
Cronin said one area where there has been recent progress is in housing.
“Over the past three or four years, we’ve brought back millions of dollars to revitalize Main Street in Fitchburg, converting two blighted properties in the downtown to housing. … It’s bearing real fruit, we’ve taken a number of properties that were historic, but were vacant and blighted, and turned them into (viable) housing.”
Cronin, along with state Rep. Michale Kushmerek, D-Fitchburg, also on Thursday highlighted $1 million in new aid to Fitchburg, which will be used to support housing production projects already underway. The funds, which were included in the Fiscal Year 2026 state budget, will be distributed between the city and the Fitchburg Redevelopment Authority, the city’s independent economic development agency tasked with facilitating infrastructure investments and development projects. Included in the final budget is $750,000 for the FRA, as well as an additional $304,000 direct funding to the city to further expand housing opportunities downtown.
Returns to “The Pitt,” the Grid and music of Kid Laroi are some of the new television, films and music headed to a device near you.
The first week of January brings a pair of sophomore efforts: Laroi’s album “Before I Forget” and the second season of the Emmy-winning hospital drama “The Pitt.” This week’s streaming offerings, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists, also include the return of “The Night Manager” after nearly a decade.
New movies to stream from Jan. 5-11
— Audiences can reenter the Grid when “Tron: Ares” hits Disney+ on Wednesday. The franchise’s third film stars Jared Leto, Greta Lee and Jodie Turner-Smith and features a return of Jeff Bridges. The 1982 original starred Bridges as a hacker who’s transported into a dangerous digital world and kicked off the cult franchise with then-state-of-the-art computer graphics and special effects. AP critic Mark Kennedy praised Leto and Lee’s performances and said despite being a movie that “bites off too much,” it was worth a watch. A bonus for music fans? The film’s Nine Inch Nails soundtrack with some throwbacks to the original film’s score.
— Grammy-nominated artist the Kid Laroi — a direct inheritor of Justin Bieber’s glossy R&B-informed pop — will release his sophomore album, “Before I Forget,” on Friday. Judging by the previously released singles, listeners can expect slow-burn breakup reflections (“A Perfect World”) and high-hat heavy tracks with lovelorn lyrics (“A Cold Play”). It’s frictionless listening to start the new year.
— In what counts as a quick turnaround these days in the world of prestige TV, “The Pitt” returns for its second season, and second day in the life of a frenetic Pittsburgh emergency room run by Noah Wyle’s beleaguered and beloved Dr. Robby. The first episode of Season 2 premieres Thursday on HBO Max at 9 p.m. Eastern. Expectations will be a lot higher this time. In the 10 months since Season 1 ended, “The Pitt” won the best drama Emmy along with four others, including best actor for Wyle and supporting actress for Katherine LaNasa, who will be returning despite her character vowing to quit after taking a punch. Ten months have also passed in the world of the show, which will again follow a single ER shift, this time on a July Fourth weekend.
— After a much, much longer absence, “The Night Manager” will return for a second season. It’s been nearly a decade since Tom Hiddleston’s hotel worker-turned-spy stalked a dirty arms dealer on the show based on a novel by John le Carré. It was meant to be a limited series for the BBC and AMC, but its creators are now bringing it back with a new and original story. This time, its airing on Prime Video in the U.S., beginning with a three-episode drop on Sunday.
Another year is in the books in the local sports scene.
2025 was filled with mind-boggling achievements, Cinderella runs and the passing of some inspirational coaches. Here’s a look back at the Lowell area’s top 10 stories from an interesting year.
1. Plenty of Hart
He wasn’t heavily recruited when he arrived at UMass Lowell in the fall of 2012. But the lanky kid from Commerce, Mich., put his head down and went to work.
He produced two memorable seasons at UMass Lowell which included Hockey East titles and the 6-foot-4 netminder leading the River Hawks to the program’s lone Frozen Four appearance. Thanks to Connor Hellebuyck, UML was an overtime goal away from advancing to the national title game.
As a pro, Hellebuyck has developed into one of the goalies in the world for the Winnipeg Jets. But his 2024-25 season was a cut above. Not only did he win his third Vezina Trophy for being the NHL’s top goaltender, Hellebuyck was named the Hart Trophy winner as the league’s MVP.
Hellebuyck, the pride of UMass Lowell, captured the most prestigious individual honor the hockey world presents after leading all NHL goalies in about every important category. He went 47-12-3 with a 2.00 goals against average and .925 save percentage.
Think about it. The best hockey player in the world wore a UMass Lowell jersey for two seasons. He won the Hart Trophy. Not Connor McDavid. Not Leon Draisaitl. Not Sidney Crosby. Not Nathan MacKinnon. Not Nikita Kucherov. Not Cale Makar.
A couple of days after winning the Hart and Vezina trophies, Hellebuyck played golf at Long Meadow GC in Lowell/Tewksbury.
2. Spinners return
Gone are the days of LeLacheur Park lying dormant in the hot summer months. The Lowell Spinners are back.
The Spinners were synonymous with family summer fun until the New York-Penn League disbanded in 2021 as part of a realignment period throughout Minor League Baseball. The 5,000-seat park was sold out more often than not, treating fans of all ages to a top-notch baseball experience and a front-row seat to the Boston Red Sox stars of tomorrow like when a baby-faced Mookie Betts dazzled at second base along the banks of the Merrimack River.
After a letter of intent was signed in July to revive the franchise as a member of the Futures Collegiate Baseball League, a new ownership group was announced in the fall ahead of the team’s debut season this spring. The FCBL is one of the premier summer baseball leagues for collegiate standouts chasing their dreams.
Lowell will play 31 of its 62-game season in Lowell, which is set to begin this spring. The team recently started to announce various players from its inaugural roster. Matthew Hall, a Chelmsford High standout who is set to play at Assumption this season, was one of the initial signings released by the team. Ownership stressed a lot of local talent will take to the field this summer. Not bad for a new spin on a lost but not forgotten summertime treasure.
3. Drew dominates
The Lowell City Golf Tournament began in 1923.
Two players through the years recorded three-round totals of 208: Doug Parigian in 2003 and Brandon Gillis in 2023. Anything lower seemed implausible.
Then Trevor Drew went out and made history. The sweet-swinging Tyngsboro native won his second straight title, but this time he did it record-breaking fashion, carding a 66-69-70-205 total to break the record by three shots.
Trevor Drew celebrates after capturing the 2025 Lowell City Golf Tournament at Mt. Pleasant Golf Club, capping off a dominant 11-under performance. His 205 three-round total broke the event record by three shots. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
He birdied 17 of the 54 holes, an eye-popping achievement.
Unless he turns pro down the line, the Cities field will have to contend with Drew, a Long Meadow member who has every shot in the bag, for many years.
The Cities has produced great players like Chick Grasse, Dick Harris, Larry Martin, Mike Buva, Phil Smith and Parigian, a 10-time winner. But no one has ever strung together three rounds at Mt. Pleasant, Vesper and Long Meadow like the cool-as-a-cucumber Drew.
4. Female power
What’s in the water in Westford?
The question must be asked after examining the exploits of three Westford Academy female athletes.
Kassidy Carmichael, Abigail Hennessy and Maddie Smith added to their trophy cases by dominating their respective sports in 2025.
Carmichael, now at Ohio State, led the Ghosts to the Division 1 state championship lacrosse game by scoring at a dizzying pace. She graduated after setting program records with 417 goals, 173 assists and 590 points. Also a top-flight hockey player, Carmichael has dreams of representing the U.S. in the Olympics. Don’t bet against her.
She’s a rare two-sport athlete at Ohio State. In hockey, she has six goals and six assists in 17 games for one of the nation’s top teams.
Westford Academy’s Abigail Hennessy powers through the chute in 17:15.13 to win the girls Division 1 cross country Meet of Champions race in Devens. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
Hennessy emerged as one of the top cross country runners in the nation. After ruling Massachusetts, she easily captured the regional championship to qualify for nationals in San Diego.
There, competing against the top high school runners in the country, Hennessy hung with the lead pack before finishing fifth in a terrific time of 17:21.9. She will take her talents in the fall the University of Washington.
Smith emerged out of the shadows of her sisters Morgan and Molly on the golf course and staged a memorable 2025 campaign.
To the surprise of no one, the Westford Academy senior was recently named Mass Golf’s Girls Junior Player of the Year.
Her year was highlighted when she captured the New England Women’s Amateur in Haverhill. Smith also won the Massachusetts Girls Junior Amateur for the second time, reached the Round of 16 in match play in the Massachusetts Women’s Amateur and helped Team Massachusetts clinch the New England Junior Amateur title.
In the fall, Maddie Smith will attend Memphis University.
5. Gridiron greats
This fall yielded one of the best high school football seasons from area high schools in recent memory. Just ask the players, coaches and fans at Shawsheen Tech, where the Rams might need to start thinking about a more spacious trophy case.
Shawsheen rallied to its second straight 13-0 season that resulted in a Division 5 Super Bowl win. Under the direction of veteran head coach Al Costabile, Shawsheen has pocketed consecutive titles over Foxboro at Gillette Stadium that capped off undefeated seasons. Sun Player of the Year Jake Banda totaled 2,046 yards with 25 touchdowns on the ground and was a force at linebacker.
Shawsheen Tech’s Eric Banda celebrates with the Div. 5 state championship trophy after the Rams defeated Foxboro 14-7 to repeat as champions at Gillette Stadium. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
And just a day later, Tewksbury was a part of what many have tabbed the best Super Bowl game in recent memory, a 42-41 slugfest defeat to Scituate. The loss is no damper on Tewksbury’s incredible season that saw the Redmen roll to an 8-0 regular season behind a myriad of playmakers. Jonny Sullivan finished the season with 13 interceptions, including two at Gillette Stadium.
How about Scott Boyle’s Red Raiders? Ever since his team impressed at 7-on-7s over the summer, the MVC was put on notice that Lowell meant business this fall. Lowell played to a 9-2 record and edged Methuen, 29-21, in a Division 1 playoff game before falling to a perennial power in Springfield Central. It marked Lowell’s second winning season in the last 10 years and broke a program record with 383 points scored.
Head coach Rob Beaudette’s Tyngsboro Tigers also impressed, posting a 7-0 regular season before coming up short in the Division 7 state tournament at the hands of Rockland. Tyngsboro (9-1) averaged 30.8 points per game and was led by dynamos Nico Faretra and TJ Bradford.
6. Coaches salute
Tom Severo, Steve Scanlon and Dave O’Hearn will forever be remembered for their laundry list of achievements beyond the bench. But the three head coaches were even better people.
Severo, a Westford resident, died at the age of 77 in May. He was a legendary soccer coach at Shawsheen Tech and Billerica High, coaching 737 games and amassing a 440-188-109 all-time record in 41 years. He won seven league titles at Billerica as the girls coach and one at Shawsheen as the boys coach. The Indians turned in undefeated seasons in 1991 and 1992 under his direction. He stepped down in 2013 before leading Shawsheen to 10 straight state tournament bids.
Scanlon, another familiar face on the soccer pitch for many years, passed away in October at age 63. Coaching boys soccer and hockey at Wilmington High, Scanlon totaled a 595-452-145 record in both sports that yielded two state championships in the rink and four league titles on the soccer field. His career saw him coach 1,473 total games at Methuen High and Westford Academy. While battling throat cancer, he coached two teams during the 2024-25 calendar year.
O’Hearn also stayed put on the bench during his battle with cancer. His fight against pancreatic cancer ended in July at the age of 48. O’Hearn was a longtime assistant coach on the highly successful Methuen/Tewksbury girls hockey team before taking over on an interim basis in 2022-23. The respected coach led the Red Rangers to their first league title since 2019 last winter amid a 19-2-3 season that came just one win shy of reaching TD Garden. Even while undergoing treatment, O’Hearn never lost his desire to show up to the rink every day for his players. He was 47-13-7 all-time as head coach.
7. Banner year
It was a year filled with ring ceremonies for the many area high school teams that captured state titles. The student-athletes from Billerica and Chelmsford know a little about what a state championship can do for the community.
The Indians revitalized their hockey program last winter, turning in an impressive 23-1-1 season en route to hoisting the Division 2 state title for the first time since 1977. The season produced countless memorable moments, including knocking off Tewksbury twice. The second meeting between the neighboring rivals is still talked about in the depths of the Hallenborg Ice Pavilion.
After Tewksbury tied the Final Four game at 1-1 with 0.9 seconds left — yes, less than a second remained on the jumbotron at the Tsongas Center — Billerica’s Ryan Johnson called game in overtime to send Billerica to the big dance with Canton. Nolan Dawson’s golden goal in double OT will forever live in Billerica hockey lore.
Chelmsford’s Matt Stuart is fired up after pitching out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh to send the game into extra innings during the Division I baseball state tournament final at Polar Park. Chelmsford topped Braintree, 8-2, in nine innings. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
And Billerica kept on winning. That spring, its lacrosse team — composed of a lot of hockey players still relishing in their glory on the ice sheet — was purely dominant. Billerica rolled to a 22-1 season that culminated in a 17-16 win over Reading in the state final at Mass Maritime for the first time since 2001.
There was a similar feeling of baseball magic across the border in Chelmsford. The 14th-seeded Lions roared their way to Polar Park, where Matt Stuart went the distance in a nine-inning thriller to best Braintree, 8-2, for the Division 1 state crown — Chelmsford’s first since 1966. The improbable and exciting run produced wins over No. 19 Shrewsbury (1-0), No. 3 Bishop Feehan (12-3), No. 11 Wellesley (1-0) and No. 2 Saint John’s (5-3).
8. Eichel soars
Jack Eichel is a Hobey Baker winner and a Stanley Cup champion. Add Olympian to the North Chelmsford native’s sparkling resume.
While Team USA is set to release its full roster on Friday for the looming 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, Eichel is a member of the select group of American standouts who have already been named to the roster.
Fans got a sneak peek of what Team USA might look like in last year’s 4 Nations Face-Off event in Boston. Players raved about the importance of representing their country, and the games were intense. The pace of play was reminiscent of a Game 7 playoff contest. Eichel recorded four assists in four games as USA fell to Canada in the final and was at the forefront of the USA offense.
Expect no different in February from the 29-year-old who learned to skate at area ponds and worked at Zwickers in nearby Bedford. After a career-best 94-point season in 2024-25, Eichel is dazzling with the Vegas Golden Knights with 12-29-41 in 31 games but has been sidelined since Dec. 13 with an injury.
9. Paige persists
She almost fell, but Makayla Paige showed the type determination that doesn’t surprise folks who watched her run at Tewksbury High.
Stumbling at a turn just 28 seconds into the 800-meter final at the 2025 NCAA Indoor nationals, the University of North Carolina senior was nearly parallel to the track when she right herself. Paige didn’t just get back into the race — she won it to become a national champion.
Tewksbury native Makayla Paige is congratulated by her University of North Carolina teammates after she won the 800-meter national title. (UNC Athletics)
She gathered herself before turning on the jets and flying to the finish line in the facility-best time of 2:00.39 to claim the national title in Virginia Beach, Va., in March.
Paige became the University of North Carolina’s first national women’s champ since Nicole Greene in 2018. Paige thought she had fallen to the ground. She heard the crowd react. But she refused to quit. Tewksbury tough.
10. Pirates ship out
After two seasons of calling the Tsongas Center in Lowell home, the Massachusetts Pirates announced they were leaving the city for a new home.
The 2024 inaugural season went smoothly on the field, as the Pirates advanced all the way to the Indoor Football League championship games. This past campaign was far rockier. The team underwent a coaching change early in the campaign and missed the playoffs, a rare stumble for a franchise with a proud history.
In the end, though, the team was unable to draw enough fans to the Tsongas. Fans enjoyed being close to the action and the Pirates did their best to get involved with the community. In the end, pro sports is a business and the Pirates decided to continue their journey in a much larger market as the Orlando Pirates in Orlando, Fla.
Members of Brownie Troop 60125 volunteered at the Family Giving Tree warehouse in Sunnyvale on Dec. 7, sorting, wrapping and organizing gifts and getting them ready for bagging for the nonprofit’s Holiday Wish Drive. The troop also hosted a Virtual Giving Tree along with Junior Troop 60174, adopting 25 wish cards, and used cookie sale proceeds to shop for gifts at Pennyland Toys in Campbell, which offered the troops a discount. Donations to the Virtual Giving Trees can be made until 9 p.m. on Jan. 15, 2026, at https://wishdrive.org/girlscouttroop60125
Founded in Milpitas and now located in Santa Clara, Family Giving Tree has already collected more than 24,000 gifts this season and is working toward helping 50,000 children and families across the Bay Area, according to Evelyn Huynh, director of community resource development.
Peninsula Symphony concert
Grammy-nominated pianist Joyce Yang will perform with the Peninsula Symphony Jan. 17, 2026, in a program balancing the First Concerto of Beethoven with three orchestral visions of the story of “Romeo and Juliet.” Works by Strauss, Prokofiev and Diamond complete this program, to be performed at Campbell’s Heritage Theatre, located at 1 W Campbell Ave.
Having spent much of the last two years celebrating the old — with the Fumbling Towards Ecstasy 30th Anniversary Tour — Sarah McLachlan is now onto something new.
“This is a brand new show, with brand new songs off the new album called ‘Better Broken,’” McLachlan told the capacity crowd at the Masonic in San Francisco on Friday. “I’m going to pepper the set with new stuff, but there will be lots of old, familiar stuff as well.”
New path, but one thing definitely remains the same as ever: her voice is better than ice cream. And, yes, that includes cookie dough ice cream.
During the course of nearly two hours, and running through 20 songs from more than 30 years of her stellar career, McLachlan’s voice was nothing short of exquisite, divine, miraculous, wondrous — take your pick of highly complementary adjectives, since they all pretty much work in this situation.
The 57-year-old Canadian singer-songwriter — who became a household name in the ’90s while leading the blockbuster Lilith Fair tours and selling millions upon millions of records — took the stage at 8:20 p.m., some 10-15 minutes before her band would join her, and opened the show with a brilliant solo-piano version of the new album’s title track.
Sarah McLachlan greets the crowd during her “Better Broken” tour at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 28, 2005. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
It was one of seven tunes performed from the recently released “Better Broken,” McLachlan’s long-overdue 10th studio album that marks her first collection of new original music since 2014’s “Shine On.” Of course, 11 years is a long time to make fans wait for new material, but this batch of music may just be worth it — ranking among the finest albums of 2025.
She’d remain alone on the stage for the first three songs (and change) — thrilling the crowd with “Fumbling” favorite “Possession” then introducing the new song “Only Human” — before the five-piece band joined a few moments into “I Will Remember You.”
As per usual, McLachlan was quite personable and charming on stage, opening up to the crowd about a number of challenges and key moments of her life. She’d use these stories, as many of the best performers do, to add depth and reveal meaning to the music.
For instance, she provided background — background that she kept to herself for quite some time — on her first-ever top five pop hit, “Adia,” from the mega-popular album “Surfacing” from 1997. McLachlan explained how the song was inspired by the pain she caused to one of her friends.
“I basically crossed a line you were never supposed to cross,” she told the crowd. “I fell in love with my best friend’s ex.”
(Audible groans from the audience)
Sarah McLachlan performs during her “Better Broken” tour at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 28, 2005. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
“Yeah,” McLachlan continued. “It was, obviously, completely unplanned. This door swung open and there was no closing it. I was young and dumb. I did not not handle it very well at all. And my friend was really, really hurt — no surprise.”
The man in the middle of the drama, McLachlan explained, is long gone, but the singer and the woman patched things up and are “still best friends.” The revelation provoked the most humorous crowd response of the night, as one female fan loudly yelled out the mission statement: “Sisters before misters!”
With a good belly laugh to move her forward, McLachlan continued to mix old and new, going from yet another “Surfacing” ’90s pop classic — “Building a Mystery” — into the “Better Broken” track “Reminds Me.” McLachlan described the latter as her attempt at writing a country song, having been inspired by hours spent binging “Yellowstone” during the pandemic.
The setlist was almost entirely built from the new album and her two huge hit platters of the ’90s — “Fumbling Toward Ecstasy” and “Surfacing” — as well a pair of tracks from the multiplatinum 2003 affair “Afterglow.” That’s understandable, since it allowed McLachlan ample opportunity to support “Better Broken” while still giving fans all the big radio hits.
Sarah McLachlan performs during her “Better Broken” tour at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 28, 2005. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Yet, it’s still a shame that McLachlan didn’t touch on her earlier material — especially 1991’s “Solace,” which may just be the finest album in her catalog — and that she ignored her very worthy, yet far-less commercially successful later records like 2010’s “Laws of Illusion.”
Also, McLachlan has built herself a pretty impressive resume as a Christmas crooner, having released two very well received seasonal efforts — the platinum-plus-selling “Wintersong” of 2006 and the 2016 follow-up “Wonderland.” So, it would have been really nice to hear her toss in a few holiday favorites into the mix — perhaps her great versions of “O Little Town of Bethlehem” or “Silent Night” — given the timing.
But it was hard to quibble about the setlist as McLachlan and her superb band just kept right on performing one winner after another, including some really memorable takes on the “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy” cuts “Elsewhere” (featuring a stellar guitar solo from Luke Doucet) and the fun crowd sing-along on “Ice Cream.”
McLachlan closed the main set with two more “Fumbling” tracks — a volcanic vocal take on “Fear” that prompted an exuberant standing ovation from the crowd and then, to close, the title track.
But McLachlan quickly returned with a two-song encore that mimicked the back-and-forth nature of the overall set — starting out with the final new song of the night, “Gravity,” before closing the night in superb fashion with longtime fan-favorite “Angel.”
Sarah McLachlan greets the crowd during her “Better Broken” tour at the Masonic Auditorium in San Francisco, Calif., on Friday, Nov. 28, 2005. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
Sarah McLachlan setlist: 1. “Better Broken” 2. “Possession” 3. “Only Human” 4. “I Will Remember You” 5. “Adia” 6. “Building a Mystery” 7. “Reminds Me” 8. “Wait” 9. “World on Fire” 10. “One in a Long Line” 11. “Sweet Surrender” 12. “The Last to Go” 13. “Answer” 14. “Elsewhere” 15. “Ice Cream” 16. “If This Is the End…” 17. “Fear” 18. “Fumbling Towards Ecstasy” Encore: 19. “Gravity” 20. “Angel”
Sometimes the best kind of motivation comes from something that also makes you snort-laugh. A little humor can go a long way in boosting your mood, calming your stress, or reminding you that you’re doing just fine.
Whether you need a quick pick-me-up or a reason to smile on a rough workday, these memes deliver both the giggles and the good vibes. Dive in and let the wholesomeness begin! “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” – Marcus Aurelius
A future Golden Gopher enjoyed a golden moment Wednesday.
Wilmington High senior Sara Reppucci signed a National Letter of Intent to swim at the University of Minnesota.
Surrounded by family and friends, Reppucci made her commitment official during an afternoon ceremony at Wilmington High.
She received interest from dozens of colleges before narrowing her choices to Minnesota and the University of Wyoming.
Reppucci developed her talents through Crimson Aquatics. She has swum in meets across the country, competing against the nation’s best in Florida, Wisconsin, New York and Virginia.
She swam last month in Westmont, Ill., in the World Aquatics World Cup. Reppucci is also an excellent student and is receiving an athletic and academic scholarship from the University of Minnesota.
Soccer stars
The Revolution Academy’s Under-18s, Under-16s, Under-15s, Under-14s, and Under-13s all resumed MLS NEXT action last weekend.
The U-15s defeated the Philadelphia Union, 2-1, on Saturday. Philadelphia came out on the front foot with a goal in the fifth minute, but New England quickly responded with the equalizer in the 22nd minute. Moments later, Shirley resident Arthur Bernardino netted the game winner.
The U-13s were defeated by Beachside in a 4-3 loss on Saturday, but Westford’s Michael Miller continues to find the back of the net. He scored another goal and leads the team in scoring.
College basketball
UMass Lowell stormed out to a 36-31 halftime lead, but the second half was another story during a non-conference men’s game at Columbia in New York, N.Y.
Columbia rebounded to top the River Hawks, 86-72, despite four double-digit performances from Austin Green (19 points), Shawn Simmons II (14 points), Xavier Spencer (12 points) and Dracut’s Darrel Yepdo (10 points).
The River Hawks were coming off a 73-67 home to loss to New Haven. They will continue their road trip Sunday at ACC member Wake Forest. Tip off is at 2 p.m.
College cross country
Just two weeks ago, UMass Lowell competed in the 2025 America East Championship at Hopkinton State Fairgrounds in Hopkinton, N.H.
The River Hawks found much success on the men’s side, claiming their sixth conference title in a row, before sophomore Georgia Brooks (Groton) led the women to a fifth-place finish with her fifth-place individual performance.
Both teams will now return to Hopkinton State Fairgrounds for the NCAA Northeast Regional on Friday, looking to see how they stack up against some of the top competition in the region.
The women will kick it off with their 6k race at 11 a.m., while the men will follow with the 10k at 12 p.m. The men rank eighth in the region.
It’s not unusual for individuals to feel attached to certain historical sites and buildings and have an emotional connection to them.
Maybe that is why many of us shed a tear when a wrecking ball recently tore a huge hole into the White House, decimating the entire iconic East Wing and ruining the elegant symmetry of the building for the construction of an oversized ballroom for President Trump.
I’m not going to get into the politics of the undertaking, the legalities or the ethics of this estimated $300 million project, but historic urban places have their own unique “personalities,” and individuals can often feel very strongly about them.
Nashua City Hall Plaza is one of these special sites for me. When it was first installed in 1965, a bronze bust of the late President John F. Kennedy stood directly in the center of the plaza, Nashua City Hall’s brick facade and its cement staircase. The symmetry was perfect as one’s eyes would travel straight from the monument all the way up to the cupola and gold eagle statue perched atop City Hall.
A school field trip once took us to visit the famous monument. I recall circling the bust mounted on top of a black granite base with my fellow classmates and gazing upward at JFK’s head. Years later, this very spot became a favorite as a reassuring sign for me whenever I drove down Main Street and was stopped at the lights at the East Hollis and West Hollis streets intersection. I know it sounds corny, but I would look over to my right and see the late president’s handsome face looking eastward to traffic and keeping a watchful eye over the city.
When the plaza was redesigned in 2016, the JFK bust was curiously moved off-center a few yards to the left and repositioned, and he now forever faces northward. Yeah, I freaked out. It’s not the end of the world, but some of us took exception to the decision.
Another site many Nashuans feel a connection to is the Hunt Memorial Building atop Main Street’s Library Hill. As a little girl, I saw the Gothic Revival design with its three-story square tower as a princess’s castle. Whenever my parents drove by it, I marveled at its unique beauty, and I still feel this way today.
At the moment, this former public library, built in 1903 by Cram and Ferguson Architects, is undergoing tower window replacement. It’s a delicate process, and a crane is handling the heavy lifting. From what I understand, these elegant, stately windows are coming from Quebec and will retain the integrity of the original Gothic wooden framing design.
Cram and Ferguson Architects, based out of Concord, MA, has an impressive background, especially in traditionally inspired religious architecture. It’s fantastic that the city has retained these gifted artists under the direction of Ethan Anthony for the Hunt’s ongoing restoration and preservation projects over the years.
The Hunt Memorial Building is a treasure and has been listed on the National Registry of Historic Places since 1971. Mayor Jim Donchess calls it “one of Nashua’s iconic pieces of history.”
But what if the Hunt building was torn down in the name of progress, as so many old buildings meet this fate?
Well, that almost happened. In the 1990s, the Board of Aldermen decided to sell the Hunt building to Grace Fellowship Church for $50,000. Then-Mayor Rob Wagner said “No way” and vetoed the sale.
A Menlo Park man and a San Jose woman died following a multi-vehicle crash in Santa Clara on Sunday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The two individuals were traveling northbound in a 2023 Hyundai Elantra on Highway 101 when they were struck from behind by an unknown vehicle, causing the first vehicle to hit the median barrier and flip over, according to CHP.
The unknown vehicle then reportedly drove away from the collision, which occurred around 1:11 a.m.
The two passengers of the Elantra managed to exit the overturned car, which was then struck by a third vehicle – a Hyundai Accent – leading to the two fatalities, according to CHP.
The driver of the Accent reportedly remained on the scene.
The victims were a 27-year-old woman from San Jose and a 44-year-old man from Menlo Park.
Information on this incident is being listed as preliminary at this point and the CHP is expected to release a full report on Monday.
When enough is enough. Has the city of Nashua reached this point?
The growing homeless encampments popping up across the Gate City have been dominating headlines. And people seem split on what should be done.
The latest challenge concerns the largest homeless encampment located on Nashua’s west side in the Millyard by the Pine Street Extension (about 80 people). A man living at the encampment was arraigned on second-degree assault charges for allegedly strangling a woman and threatening her with a knife near busy Pine Street and Veterans Memorial Parkway.
Homelessness is not going away, but how can the crisis be stemmed?
Last Tuesday evening, the Government Committee on Infrastructure met at City Hall. Mayor Jim Donchess, several aldermen and other city officials sat down trying to hammer out a thoughtful, proper approach. The room was filled with concerned citizens who took their turn at the podium.
Cynthia Whitaker, the president and CEO of Greater Nashua Mental Health, asked the committee and the Mayor to use humane and respectful approaches rather than punitive ones. She delivered perhaps the most poignant message of the evening:
“We’re asking people to be invisible without giving them anywhere to go.”
“We cannot simply remove camping and parking without providing sustainable options,” Whitaker explained. Police enforcement is costly and without alternatives, “It doesn’t reduce homelessness; it merely moves people from one location to another, often into more dangerous and isolating situations, where it becomes harder for outreach workers to connect them with the services they need.”
A few months ago, an encampment developed in Ward 1 along Celina Avenue, consisting of individuals sheltering inside a row of campers and trailers parked along the road. Nashua Police had their hands full, towing five to seven unregistered vehicles at any time and then having to find holding space in the city for these large, disabled vehicles.
The committee voted to recommend imposing a 2-hour parking limit on Celina Avenue to prevent another encampment from developing in an area where multiple companies are trying to operate their businesses.
As far as prohibiting camping on public property and giving Nashua Police the authority to enforce the ban, Mayor Donchess says the police need the tools to do something now.
Donchess says the city is in the process of establishing a resource center for the homeless, but in the meantime, Nashua and the rest of Granite State cities and towns don’t get much financial help. “The city of Lowell receives $258 million annually of school aid and $30 million of general aid,” the Mayor explained.
“Nashua receives about 20% of that amount… It’s different here. The state gives us nothing for the homeless, no general aid, no support, no help. We don’t have the resources to spend $10 to $20 million a year on any new project.”
Donchess told the crowd he understands the need to treat all individuals with humanity, but “Are we treating the people at the Pine Street Extension with humanity when we let that situation exist?”
Ward 5 Alderman Ernest Jette is against the ordinance. The longtime attorney says, “These citations are pieces of paper; they don’t have the money. How are they going to pay?” Jette asked. “Not all the homeless are criminals. Let the homeless who are not violating any laws, not a threat to anyone, live peacefully. Don’t remove the homeless people from the only place they have to live.”
The full aldermanic board will vote on these measures at its next meeting on Oct. 28.
LOWELL — U.S. News & World Report’s 2026 national rankings of top colleges and universities again this year give high marks to UMass Lowell for the education and economic value it provides to students.
The media outlet, best known for consumer advice and news analysis, places UMass Lowell at No. 11 in Massachusetts for its “Best Colleges” ranking of higher-educational institutions defined as national universities. Such institutions offer a full range of undergraduate, master’s and doctoral programs and produce groundbreaking research.
U.S. News also lists UMass Lowell as the No. 1 “best value school” in the Bay State and No. 92 in the country, up 105 spots from last year.
“UMass Lowell delivers a world-class education that is accessible and affordable while helping students succeed today and throughout their careers. We’re proud to be No. 1 among ‘best value schools’ in Massachusetts and No. 92 in the U.S. — rankings that reflect our strong return on investment and emphasis on career-connected experience,” said UMass Lowell Chancellor Julie Chen.
The rankings come just months after UMass Lowell was named a Carnegie Research 1 university, a prestigious designation used to identify the nation’s top research institutions.
In acknowledging the university’s leadership in scholarship and economic value, the rankings also reflect UMass Lowell’s commitment to the region’s economic vitality through the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor. Now underway, the initiative envisions a 1.2-million square-foot mixed-use development on and beyond UMass Lowell’s campus that includes offices and research labs, housing, retail businesses and entertainment destinations. The ecosystem is providing UMass Lowell students with paid career experiences at LINC member organizations.
For its 2026 assessments, U.S. News & World Report evaluated nearly 1,700 higher-education institutions. To determine UMass Lowell’s place on the Best Colleges list, the media outlet used 17 key measures of academic quality including student retention and graduation rates, financial resources provided per student, faculty to student ratio, number of full-time faculty and amount of published research.
To determine the “best value” ranking, the outlet additionally examined the 2024-2025 net cost of attendance for an out-of-state student who received the average level of need-based scholarship or grant aid. The higher the quality of the program and the lower the cost, the better the deal. Only schools ranked in or near the top half of their categories are included, as U.S. News considers the most significant values to be among colleges that are above average academically, according to the media outlet.
Over the last few years, Tyngsboro High’s senior football players have gone through their shares of ups and downs.
Last week was an up, a solid 24-13 win over Oxford.
This Friday at home (7 p.m.), the seniors want to continue that up trend against Mid-Wach E opponent Ayer Shirley.
“When the seniors played at the youth level, they did not win many games and were trying to learn how to win,” said THS head coach Rob Beaudette. “In eighth grade, they played a mostly JV schedule and learned how to be physical and over the last three seasons most of them have been on the field contributing to consecutive playoff berths.”
Now with the emergence of some talented underclassmen, the senior group led by captains TJ Bradford, Nico Fareta, Cole Latour and Jaden Merwin, as well as fellow seniors Nick Palumbo, Jacob Dorant, Shamus Mulligan, Jeremy Sanzo, Adrian Otieno and Dawson Vosburg, need to have big games if the Tigers want to go 2-0.
“We have veteran players on both sides of the ball that have been starting for two or three years,” said Beaudette. “These players are going to be expected to rely on their experience but also improve off of the last game individually in order to ensure a winning outcome.”
Ayer Shirley, which defeated Littleton, 22-8 last week, is led by a strong trio of running backs in Manny Gabino (139 yards, 1 TD), Dylan Bergen (68 yards, TD) and Anthony Carpentier (46 yards, TD).
Lowell’s Seth Ly completes a pass during Friday’s 24-14 victory over Westford Academy. Lowell can start 2-0 by defeating New Bedford on Saturday. (James Thomas for the Lowell Sun)
“Ayer Shirley is a well-coached team that has a ton of pride and tradition in their program,” said Beaudette. “They are low on numbers, but what they lack in numbers, they make up for in effort and team chemistry. Their offensive versatility can present problems for defenses and with having a mobile quarterback can create a numbers game that can be advantageous to them. They have a tough group of linemen that are physical and have speed on the perimeter.”
The Panthers are also strong on defense led by defensive end Mathias Pallaird and linebacker Jake Pitsios, who is coming off a 10-tackle season-opening performance.
“As a squad we have faced adversity with some injuries to an already short roster,” said Ayer Shirley head coach Billy Naylor. “For us to have a chance to win vs. Tyngsboro we must eat the clock and get first downs. Defensively, we must tackle and not give up any big plays.”
Lucky 13
Area teams will be involved in 13 other matchups over the next three days.
On Thursday, Lowell Catholic (0-1) will attempt to pull off an upset at Whittier Tech (1-0).
On Friday, Nashoba Tech (2-0) will take on Stoneham (2-0), led by former Wilmington High coach Bob Almeida, who last week won his 100th game with the Spartans after accomplishing the feat with the Wildcats.
Stoneham football coach Bob Almeida celebrated his 200th career win when his team beat Melrose. He was a longtime coach at Wilmington High. (Matt Roy photo)
Tewksbury (1-0) will take on a strong Methuen team (2-0), which will be playing without QB Josh Danella, who is out for the season with a broken collarbone. Redmen QB Will Harrison had a very impressive varsity debut two weeks ago in a win over Winthrop.
Other potential gems are Chelmsford (0-1) at Andover (1-0), Westford Academy (0-1) at Billerica (0-1)
Rounding out the action: Wilmington (1-0) at Saugus (0-1); Greater Lowell at Fitchburg (0-1); Blackstone (0-1) at Groton-Dunstable (1-1); Winthrop (0-2) at Shawsheen Tech (2-0); Windham (0-2) at Alvirne (0-2); Hanover (1-1) at Pelham (2-0); and Littleton (0-1) at St. Paul (1-0).
On Saturday, Lowell (1-0) will host New Bedford (0-1).
In case you missed it
Wilmington defeated Essex Tech behind senior captain/linebacker Timmy Watson, who had two sacks and a huge tackle on a fourth down stop. The offensive line of Noah Matton, Adam Veliz, Josue Rivera, Watson, Gabe Borges, Nelvin Panackeel and Pat DeLucia all played extremely well, opening holes for Gus Lambert, Julian Martins and Ayden Bellevy, who combined for 172 rushing yards and four touchdowns.
Wilmington captain/linebacker Timmy Watson is coming off a big game in a 26-6 win over Essex Tech. (Courtesy photo)
“The guys on the offensive line have worked extremely hard during the preseason and have gotten better as a unit each week. They have embraced a blue-collar mentality and should continue to improve as the season moves along,” said first-year head coach Joe Cavanaugh.
Nashoba Tech sophomore running back Zack Deschenes continues to dazzle. In two games, he has 18 carries for 318 yards and five rushing touchdowns. He also has a pair of interception returns for TDs and an 80-yard kickoff return TD. He certainly will be tested this week against Stoneham and next week when the Vikings face Catholic Memorial.
Elsewhere, Shawsheen Tech’s James Banda had another big game with 85 rushing yards and three TD’ in a win over Lynnfield. Pelham’s Ben Maslanek finished with 98 rushing yards and three scores, while teammate Luke Draper had 85 rushing yards, a touchdown, a 17-yard reception, a two-point conversion and six tackles in the team’s 47-0 thumping over Hanover.
The Sun’s Top 5
1. Shawsheen Tech: Still the defending champs and still undefeated.
2. Pelham: Still the defending New Hampshire state finalists and still undefeated.
3. Tewksbury: Have huge test this week with the Methuen Rangers. Huge.
4. Nashoba Tech: Did we say huge test? Vikings take on perennial state power Stoneham.
5. Lowell: Big win over Westford – this team is knocking on the MVC door.
A San Rafael mansion once owned by tennis great Brad Gilbert is for sale for $7,995,000.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
The Oakland native, who retired in 1995, ranked as high as No. 4 in his tennis career. Gilbert then went on to coach legend Andre Agassi and later stars Andy Roddick, Andy Murray and Coco Gauff.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
The 8,535-square-foot home touts five bedrooms and five baths and was completely renovated this year. It has a professional-grade tennis court with lights that hosted tennis stars, and a spa with a traditional and infrared sauna and steam room for muscle recovery. Other features of the home include a chef’s kitchen, a full gym and an au pair suite.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
Butch Haze from Compass is the listing agent.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
The compound sits on three acres of manicured grounds.
Brad Gilbert’s former Marin house for sale (Arbor Media)
Brodie Anderson fired a 1-over par 37 at Merrimack Valley Golf Course for a total of 34 points to fuel the Lowell High golf team to a 161-146 non-league victory Tuesday afternoon. Also contributing for Lowell were Matthew Casey (33 points), Danny Gleason (25 points), Michael Rillovick (25 points), Shane Peters (23 points) and Michael […]
