Year-End Review (Newburyport): A look back at the 2021-22 school year
Jun. 30—The 2021-22 school year is firmly in the rearview mirror.
So today, we roll out Part 1 of a five-part series where we take a look back at the athletic years for each of our local CAL schools: Amesbury, Georgetown, Newburyport, Pentucket and Triton.
We start off with the Clippers, and will get to our other schools over the course of the coming days.
Fall: The start of the 'Championship Run'
When talking about Newburyport athletics in the 2021-22 school year, it only seems fitting to start with boys track and cross country.
Led by Daily News MVP Bradford Duchesne, the Clippers (5-0) blitzed their way to a CAL Kinney title and a first-place finish at the CAL Open. A couple of weeks later, senior Nathan Barry finished in sixth overall out of 171 finishers with a 5K time of 17:13.7 to lead the team to the State Division 2 B Sectional championship. A handful of boys, including TJ Carleo, Matt Murray, Aidan Hoidal-Bui, Ethan Downs and Aimon Fadil would go on to win state championships in both indoor and outdoor track.
Both soccer teams also won outright CAL Kinney titles.
The boys, led by Daily News MVP Brady O'Donnell (10 goals, 8 assists), broke numerous school records on their memorable run to the Division 3 quarterfinals. The Clippers scored a program-record 62 goals, and fellow Daily News All-Star Graham Smith helped key a defense in front of goalie Owen Tahnk that recorded a program-record 13 shutouts.
The girls, led by Daily News MVP Deirdre McElhinney, advanced to the Division 3 Round of 16 where they fell in penalty kicks to Foxborough. Only a junior, McElhinney will be back next year to led a talented group of returners that should also include goalie Gabby Loughran. Freshman Alexis Greenblott and junior Anna Affolter were the team's top two scorers, and both should be back in the fold in 2022-23.
Elsewhere, the football team shock off a slew of injuries to qualify for the Division 4 playoffs. Finn Sullivan did it all as the team's duel-threat signal-caller, and finished his career as the program's all-time leading rusher for a quarterback.
Key 2022-23 Returners
Boys Cross Country: Matt Murray, Sr.; Aidan Hoidal-Bui, Sr.; Ethan Downs, Sr.; Bradford Duchesne, Sr.; Aimon Fadil, Jr.
Girls Cross Country: Hailey LaRosa, Sr.; Violet Moore, Jr.; Abby Kelly, Soph
Field Hockey: Lilly Ragusa, Sr.; Jane Mettling, Sr.; Delaney Woekel, Jr; Rita Cahalane, Jr.
Football: Jack Hadden, Sr.; Peter Osazuwa, Jr.; Iyobosa Osazuwa, Jr.; Jack Sullivan, Jr.
Golf: Charlie Forrest, Sr.; Brody Brown, Sr.; Parker Cowles, Jr.; Will Palermino, Jr.
Boys Soccer: Will Acquaviva, Sr.; Owen Tahnk, Sr.; Henry Acton, Sr.; James Forrest-Hay, Sr.; Caelen Twichell, Sr.
Girls Soccer: Deirdre McElhinney, Sr.; Gabby Loughran, Sr.; Alexis Greenblott, Soph.
Volleyball: Sophia Messina, Sr.
Winter: Hardwood heroes, rink runners and a state title
It was a breakout winter for a bunch Newburyport athletes.
Perhaps none more so than in basketball, where on the girls side junior Emma Foley exploded onto the scene while for the boys it was senior James Scali going from last man on the bench to All-CAL. Foley finished second in the area averaging 17.7 points per game and had seven 20-point games. She was an All-CAL selection and Daily News All-Star, and helped to lead the Clippers to the Division 2 Round of 16 along with fellow juniors Makenna Ward and Deirdre McElhinney. With all three scheduled to be back in the fold next winter, along with sharpshooting sophomore Olivia McDonald, the Clippers will have their eyes fixed on a state title.
Scali, the son of Newburyport girls coach Karen Grutchfield, was the last man off the bench as a junior, but improved to lead the team in scoring (14.4 ppg, 64 3s) this winter. He averaged a sizzling 22.1 ppg over the team's last eight games to help the Clippers win a CAL Kinney title and advance to the Division 3 Round of 16.
Hockey also saw both teams have memorable seasons.
For the girls, Triton junior Teagan Wilson decided to play for hometown Newburyport and created a dynamite 1-2 goalie punch with Ella Puleo. Behind the two netminders, and the electric scoring of 8th-grader Olivia Wilson (11 goals, 5 assists), the Clippers — in just their second season as a standalone program — qualified for the postseason. and in their lone playoff game, Wilson had a performance for the ages with a 50-save masterpiece.
On the boys side, Daily News MVP Jon Groth proved to be one of the top players in the league. His area-high 17 goals and 26 assists helped the Clippers advance to the Division 2 Round of 16, where they fell in double-OT to Norwood. Still, Max Puleo's overtime game-winner to beat Triton late in the regular season highlighted an oh-so-sweet season sweep for the Clippers over their archrivals. and goalie Jamie Brooks had one of the better seasons in program history for a netminder with seven shutouts.
Lastly, we can't forget the boys track team winning the Division 4 state title.
Key 2022-23 Returners
Boys Basketball: Owen Tahnk, Sr.; Adam Bovee, Sr.; Henry Acton, Sr.; Finn Brennan, Soph.
Girls Basketball: Emma Foley, Sr.; Deirdre McElhinney, Sr.; Makenna Ward, Sr.; Olivia McDonald, Jr.
Boys Hockey: Max Puleo, Sr.; Jamie Brooks, Sr.; Zach McHugh, Sr.
Girls Hockey: Teagan Wilson, Sr.; Hannah Gross, Sr.; Ella Puleo, Frosh.; Olivia Wilson, Frosh.
Boys Indoor Track: Will Acquaviva, Sr.; Ean Hynes, Sr.; Bradford Duchesne, Sr.; Matt Murray, Sr.; Aimon Fadil, Jr.
Girls Indoor Track: Violet Moore, Sr.; Annabel Murray, Sr.; Annie Shay, Sr.; Hailey LaRosa, Sr.; Abby Kelly, Jr.; Devin Stroope, Soph.; Morgan Felts, Soph.
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Spring: An unforgettable run to near history
During the last week of the regular season, the baseball team had three chances to clinch an outright CAL Kinney title. All it had to do was win one game.
It lost all three.
That meant the Clippers had to settle for a three-way share with Pentucket and Triton, but something bigger was now in question. Was the team going to be able to respond quickly enough for the playoffs?
The answer was a resounding yes.
Led by area hitting and pitching leader Jack Fehlner, as well as the strong arm of No. 2 starter Charlie Forrest, the Clippers just kept on winning all the way to the Division 3 state title game. That included a seventh-inning comeback win against No. 2 Medfield in the quarterfinals, and a shutout of Dighton-Rehoboth in the semis. In the finals though, the Clippers had to face top-seeded and undefeated Austin Prep — the only nationally-ranked team in the entire state. The magical run ended in a 2-1 loss, but it's a season that won't be forgotten for a long time.
However, Newburyport was still able to crown two spring state champions.
Despite some injuries to key pieces like Will Acquaviva, the boys track and field team found a way to rise to the top of Division 4. TJ Carleo was the state champion in the 800, and the 4x800 relay team also took home a gold medal.
And led by an undefeated season from No. 1 singles player Caroline Schulson, the girls tennis team was able to take down Austin Prep, 3-2, to win it all in Division 3. Kat O'Connor picked up a huge win at third singles, and the second doubles team of Carly McDermott and Harper Bradshaw won their match as well.
Elsewhere, both the boys and girls lacrosse teams won outright CAL Kinney titles. The girls will bring most of its roster back from a team that went undefeated in league play, while the boys had a young roster that came into its own as the season went along.
And lastly, watch out for the softball team in 2022-23. The Clippers will return their entire roster next year, of course led by star pitcher and hitter Emily Meleedy.
Key 2022-23 Returners
Baseball: Owen Tahnk, Sr.; Charlie Forrest, Sr.; Jack Sullivan, Sr.; Max Puleo, Jr.; Connor Stick, Jr.;
Boys Lacrosse: Jack Hadden, Sr.; Will Gagnon, Sr.; Zach McHugh, Sr.; Ryan Philbin, Sr.; Owen Kreuz, Jr.
Girls Lacrosse: Anna Affolter, Sr.; Izzy Rosa, Sr.; Kate Keller, Jr.; Olivia McDonald, Jr.; Rita Cahalane, Jr.; Lilly Pons, Jr.; Reese Bromby, Soph.; Avery Tahnk, Soph.
Softball: Nieve Morrissey, Sr.; Maddie McLeod, Sr.; Keira Dowell, Jr.; Grace Habib, Jr.; Emma Keefe, Jr.; Emily Meleedy, Jr.; Sophie LaVallee, Soph.; Cassidy Bolcome, Frosh.
Boys Tennis: Austin Yim, Jr.
Girls Tennis: Caroline Schulson, Sr.; Ana Lynch, Jr.; Delaney Woekel, Jr.;
Boys Track: Will Acquaviva, Sr.; Ean Hynes, Sr.; Bradford Duchesne, Sr.; Matt Murray, Sr.; Aimon Fadil, Jr.
Girls Track: Violet Moore, Sr.; Annabel Murray, Sr.; Annie Shay, Sr.; Hailey LaRosa, Sr.; Abby Kelly, Jr.; Devin Stroope, Soph.; Morgan Felts, Soph.
