Call them what you want — the Dynamic Dozen, The 12 Titlists, The Penthouse Dwellers — but whatever moniker you prefer, make sure to call each and every one of them champions.
The recently concluded 2023-24 high school sports season saw 12 teams from our readership area crowned as state titlists (or the equivalent thereof, in the case of Pingree School). Four were crowned during the fall, five in the winter campaign, and three new titlists emerged in the spring — all on the same day.
Let’s talk a look back at each of these all-time teams from the last 10 months, starting with the first team to do so:
IPSWICH GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
By claiming their third consecutive Division 4 state championship, the Tigers achieved dynastic status under head coach Staci Lawrence. Ipswich went 23-0 on the season and lost only two of the 75 sets they played. Two of those came in the state championship as the Tigers trailed second seeded Bellingham, 2-1, before rallying to claim a five-set triumph, 27-25, 21-25, 25-27, 25-16, 15-9. The standouts were many for this IHS team — Addison Pillis, Claire Buletza, Ella Stein, Tess O’Flynn, Sophie DeGrappo, Emily Hannibal, Avery Brown — in a season for the ages.
DANVERS BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Almost a year to the day from finishing in second place at the same event by a mere point, the Falcons completed the job they had fixated on achieving, capturing the Division 2 crown on the course at Fort Devens with a team total of 92 points. Senior captain Sean Moore’s fourth place finish in a time of 16:10.90 set the tone of the day for the Blue-and-White, who had three runners place among the top dozen, including junior Jonathan Rooney (10th, 16:24.51) and junior captain Will Conklin (12th, 16:30.07).
PINGREE GIRLS SOCCER
After a strong regular season showing and capturing the Eastern Independent League title, the top seeded Highlanders won all three of their playoff games by a single goal to repeat as NEPSAC Class B champions. The title victory came in overtime as Ari Schwinn Clanton’s marker was the decisive tally in a 2-1 victory over Dexter Southfield. Pingree (20-2-1) still had to prevent Dexter from scoring for another 10-minute OT after that, but goalkeeper Summer Elward and her teammates held the fort and the title was theirs once again.
PINGREE FIELD HOCKEY
On that same Sunday, Nov. 19, the Pingree field hockey team completed a remarkable postseason run, going from seventh in the 8-team NEPSAC Class C field to win their second straight New England title. After a so-so regular season by their own lofty standards, the Highlanders caught fire once the playoffs began. Shaking off a loss to the same team in the Eastern Independent League title game four days earlier, Pingree shut out Newton Country Day, 1-0, in the NEPSAC quarterfinals, shaded Kimball Union, 2-1, in the semifinals, and then, behind two goals from Alexa Blaeser, took down top seeded Greens Farm Academy, 3-2, in the title tilt.
MASCONOMET GIRLS SKIING
Finishing as the top squad among 20 teams at Wachusett Mountain on Championship Tuesday in late February, the Chieftains recorded a combined time of 5:28.88 (2 minutes 37.30 seconds in the slalom, 2:51.58 in the giant slalom) to take home top honors. Amanda Schneider claimed third place in the slalom (49.63) and eighth in the GS (56.8) to lead an excellent day on the slopes.
ST. JOHN’S PREP SKIING
That very same day, the Eagles took home their third straight crown on the slopes, besting the field of 16 teams at Wachusett Mountain with an overall team score of 5:02.99 (2:19.88 in the slalom, 2:43.01 in the GS). Josh Haarmann (45.71) won the slalom and was sixth (54.45) in the GS, with Owen McLain (slalom, 46.69) and Will Harrington (GS, 53.37) each placing second.
ST. JOHN’S PREP SWIMMING
Dominance in the pool is old hat for the Eagles, who grabbed their 16th Division 1 state title in the last 18 years. But this particular time stood out in that SJP had just six swimmers and two divers taking part — all of whom earned valuable points to finish with 239 as a team, 27 better than the defending state champs from Westford Academy. Matt Church (34 points), captain Flynn McDonnell (31) and Wes Ross (25) were tops among that group.
MARBLEHEAD BOYS HOCKEY
Starting the season at 0-6, the Headers turned it around and, ironically, were the No. 6 seed in the Division 3 playoff draw. Allowing just five goals in five playoff games, Marblehead defeated the third (Scituate, 2-1), second (Shawsheen, 2-1) and top seeded teams (Nauset, 1-0) over their final three games to capture the second state title in program history. Sophomore Noah Feingold’s first period goal and some spectacular goaltending from junior Leo Burdge (30 saves) allowed MHS to upset heavily favored Nauset in the title tilt at TD Garden.
ST. JOHN’S PREP HOCKEY
Later that same evening at TD Garden, captain Johnny Tighe’s second goal of the game, coming as time expired, allowed the top seeded Eagles to win their second championship in three years thanks to a 3-2 triumph over a resilient Winchester club. Behind the netminding of junior AJ Farese (5 goals allowed in 5 playoff games) and scoring from the likes of senior captains Jake Vana, Christian Rosa and Tighe, St. John’s Prep claimed the fifth state title in program history.
ST. JOHN’S PREP LACROSSE
Beginning what would be a remarkable Saturday for North Shore teams, the Eagles won their fourth straight Division 1 crown by outlasting Needham, 17-13, on the turf at Burlington High. Having not lost a postseason game in five years — they’ve now won 19 in a row — the Eagles finished the season 20-2 while defeating all of their in-state opponents. St. John’s Prep used four goalies during the season, with sophomores Max Putney and Matteus DuPlessis each playing a half in both the semifinal and title games. Jake Vana, Drew Bossi, Cam McCarthy, Luke Kelly and Brendan Powers were just some of many scoring threats on this multi-faceted powerhouse.
HAMILTON-WENHAM GIRLS TENNIS
Less than an hour later, the top seeded Generals were basking in their own championship glory after sweeping their Cape Ann League rivals from Lynnfield, 5-0, and taking home the program’s third straight Division 4 crown. In the process, they began just the 11th girls tennis program in MIAA history to win three straight crowns. Emma Jani, Naomi Provost and Ellie Holbrook took care of business all spring at first, second and third singles, respectively, while the doubles teams of Sienna Gregory and Emily McIntosh as well as Maddie Minich and Angelina Meimeteas allowed Hamilton-Wenham to finish 19-2 and run their playoff win streak to 15 matches.
ST. JOHN’S PREP TENNIS
Capping off a magical day of success for North Shore teams, the Eagles snared the school’s first state tennis title in 23 years by taking out Concord-Carlisle, 4-1, under the lights at MIT’s duPont Courts. Finishing the season a perfect 23-0, St. John’s Prep soared all season behind the singles play of John DeAngelis, Jack Prokopis and Luke Free, not to mention excellent doubles play from the tandems of Luke Prokopis and Boris Kouzminov at first dubs, and Mark McDuffee and Alex Melville at second doubles.
Contact Phil Stacey
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