A pair of Raiders made the Boston Herald‘s All-Scholastic Field Hockey team, and a third got recognition for her season. Also, the Watertown wrestling team had a successful week, and three Raiders teams look like they will be heading to the state tournament.
The Raiders who made the Herald‘s All-Scholastic team were senior Caroline Andrade, senior Rachel Egan. Senior Adrianna Williams was an honorable mention selection. The trio completed an unbeaten career at WHS with four state titles, the latest a 2-0 win over Sandwich in the final.
Egan’s 58 goals and 19 assists was the best in the state in 2024, as well as being an honor roll student and National Honors Society member. She will play at Holy Cross next year. She was also named the Boston Globe‘s Div. 3 Athlete of the Year.
“The Middlesex League Freedom Division MVP is a two-time All-Scholastic and a two-time all-league selection, finishing with 96 goals and 48 assists,” the Herald wrote. “Egan was selected to NFHCA All-Region First Team twice and the MSFHCA Best of 60 Senior All-Star team.”
Andrade scored 27 goals and added 25 assists to finish with 105 career points. She also made the Globe‘s All-Scholastic team.
The Herald wrote: “Andrade has received Middlesex League All-Star nods from each of the last two state title runs. She’s been a three-sport athlete for four years, as well as a National Honor Society member and honor roll student.”
Wrestling
Watertown’s wrestlers went 3-0 recently, with a trio of Middlesex League victories including against the Raiders’ biggest rival.
“It was particularly great to get the victories over Belmont and Lexington as both teams have beaten us the past several years,” said Watertown Wrestling Coach Kevin Russo.
Jimmy Shrestha, Elvis Diliberto, Brady Gleason, and NJ Nichols earned victories in all three matches.
In the 45-32 win over Belmont, Watertown had key wins from Christian Barrett, Hagop Shabazyan and Billy Werra, Russo said, and Hagop pinned his opponent in 9 seconds.
Against Wilmington, a 60-19 win, Fahad Khan (15 second pin), Christian Barrett (20 seconds), Tural Gulizaba, Tessa Master, JD Colon, and Jayden Ortiz also won their matches.
JD Colon also won his match in the Raiders’ 45-30 victory over Lexington.
Two of the matches had special meaning for Russo.
“As you know, any event between Belmont and Watertown is always special. However, I used to coach there (1 year as assistant and my first 4 years as a head coach),” he said. “I also coached Lexington for 7 years, and both teams have wrestlers of people I coached. Competing against both these teams is always fun for me, although it makes me feel old when I see the children of those I coached on the mat.”
The Raiders improved to 7-4, and Russo added, “The kids are having fun and pulling together as a team.”
Tournament Position
Both Watertown’s boys and girls basketball teams, and the boys hockey team have set themselves up to make the State Tournament, according to the latest MIAA Power Rankings, which are used to create the State Tourney seedings.
The boys basketball team defeated Arlington at Watertown Middle School, 66-53, to improve to 6-5. Prior to Friday’s victory, the Raiders were 23rd in the MIAA Div. 3 Boys Basketball Power Rankings.
The Raiders girls team won at Arlington, 45-31, on Friday. The victory was the team’s second straight after a four game slide. Watertown, 6-5, sits in the 18th spot in the Div. 3 Girls Basketball Power Rankings, which came out before the latest win.
Watertown’s boys hockey team is ranked 11th in the Div. 3 Boys Hockey Power Rankings. The Raiders have a 4-7-1 record, following Friday’s 6-3 loss at Winchester.