It Is the Best of times for High School Sports Fans

There’s a reason it’s called March Madness and Lynn high school sports fans are getting an opportunity to see why many consider this to be the most exciting portion of the year.

Lynn Classical, Lynn English, and St. Mary’s High Schools all have teams still in the hunt for state championships on the second week of the State Tournament.

For the Classical boys basketball team and the English and St. Mary’s girls basketball teams, the very real possibility of a trip to the Boston Garden next week exists and is a reachable goal.

The Rams gave long-time head coach Tom Grassa his first outright NEC championship and the team is peaking at the right time. Coach Fred Hogan’s Lady Bulldogs are 23-0 and enjoying one of the best seasons in the city’s sports history. Coach Jeff Newhall’s Lady Spartans are already Catholic Central League Large champions and their phenomenal trio of seniors Brianna Rudolph, Jennie Mucciarone, and Sharell Sanders are hoping to wrap up their careers with their second state championship in four years.

The St. Mary’s High School boys hockey team, under the direction of Mark Lee, pulled off one of the most exciting victories in years, with Chris Donovan’s goal helping the Spartans best Winchester in a dramatic shootout Saturday. With the remarkable performances of senior goaltender and league co-MVP Bailey MacBurnie leading the way, the Spartans could be headed to the Garden for a shot at the Division 1 state championship.

Meanwhile, the Winthrop/Lynn girls hockey team, under the direction of coach Anthony Martucci, is continuing its quest for a Division 1 state title, but there are some challenging opponents ahead.

Maybe it’s the one-and-done format that captivates sports fans or the game-by-game buildup leading to the possible appearance on the Celtics’ parquet floor or the Bruins’ Garden ice, but the winter sports season always manages to create some of the greatest memories for our local high school teams and their supporters.

We hope that Lynn residents and the students at the respective schools will continue to support these outstanding teams as they seek to create their own special place in the annals of Lynn high school sports.