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Sports

Fall Sports Roundup: Cheer and Golf Make History

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By Luke Curran, ’27

Sports Editor

The fall season of Hanover High sports was one to remember. Every team qualified for post-season tournaments, with all seeded high enough to host home games. All teams earned MIAA Academic Excellence Awards, and the Athletic Department secured the MIAA District 9 Sportsmanship Award. Notably, our Golf Team captured Hanover’s first-ever MIAA Division 2 South Sectional Championship — a historic accomplishment for the school. And Competition Cheer won the state title for the second consecutive year, the first back-to-back titles since 1976.

Read on for more about the outstanding achievements of our fall teams. Photos are courtesy of HHS athletics.

Competition Cheer

This year, our competition cheer team had significant success. Led by senior captains Morgan Curtis and Natalie Frank, the team won the state title for the second straight year, the first back-to-back titles since 1976. In addition, they earned first place at the Pumpkin Patch Invitational on Oct. 18 and the Think Pink Invitational on Oct. 25. They also won the Patriot League Fisher Division Championships on Nov. 6. They placed first at the South Regionals on Nov. 16, earning the grand champion title and achieving the highest score in school history. Finally, they attended States in Worcester on Nov. 22 and won for the second consecutive year.

Golf

The Hanover golf team was the champion this year, posting a 14-3 regular-season record. They won the MIAA D2 South Sectional Championship on Oct. 14, with the team +36 in very challenging conditions and solid scores from their four captains: senior Joe DaCosta (+7, T6), senior Cam Melone (+9, T10), junior Owen Crowley (+9, T10), and senior Cole Madden (+11, T19). This was Hanover’s first sectional Golf title; the team finished second in 2014. The team excelled all season, with Madden carding an 80 (+9) for a T17 finish.

Football

Led by senior captains Brandon Errico, Sebastian Brown, Peter Clarke, and Max Johnson, the team went 5-3 in the regular season and earned the No. 3 seed in the D5 tournament. In the round of 16, they faced the Weston Wildcats on Nov. 17 and won at home, 46-14. They advanced to the round of 8 on Nov. 14 against the No. 6 seed, Archbishop Williams, where their season ended in a close 28-26 home loss. Finally, they played their 59th-year Thanksgiving game on Nov. 27 against Norwell, achieving a blowout win with a final score of 49-8.

Boys Soccer

The boys soccer team also had great success this season, earning the #12 seed and posting a 9-6-3 regular-season record. Senior captains Ryan Mutschler and James McDermond led the team and beat #21 Blackstone Valley RVT 3-0 in the round of 32 on Nov. 4. Following this win, they advanced to the round of 16 on Nov. 8, losing 4-1 to Chicopee.

Volleyball

The girls volleyball team advanced far this season, led by senior captains Tess Madden and Dylan Poirier. They finished the regular season 17-3, with setter Sadie Chadwick recording her 1,000th assist. They entered the MIAA Division 3 round of 32 on Nov. 1 as the #6 seed, facing the #27-seeded Medway and beating them 3-1. They then advanced to the round of 16 at home on Nov. 4, where they lost 3-2 to Newburyport.

Field Hockey

Field hockey posted a 13-3 regular-season record, with senior captains Katie Jones, Jameson Bryan, and Grace Gilligan leading the #7 seed team to a 5-1 win against the #26-seeded North Reading in the round of 32 at the MIAA Division 3 playoffs. On Nov. 4, they advanced to the round of 16 at home against Lynnfield, where they lost 2-0. The team showed dominance this season, finishing as Patriot League Fisher Division champions.

Girls Soccer

This year, the girls’ soccer team, led by senior captains Anna Egan, Maelyn Foley, and Abby Kajunski, dominated in the regular season with a 13-3-2 record. They entered the round of 32 as the #5 seed on Nov. 5 and lost at home to East Bridgewater, 1-0.

Cross Country

The cross-country team performed well this year, with the boys finishing 1-4 and the girls 2-2. The boys’ team was led by captains Leo Galvin, Joe Lynch, Dean Gomes, and Drew Keith, while the girls’ team was led by Sawyer Bradford. At the all-league meet on Oct. 25, Ben Willis finished 18th out of 100 varsity runners and was named league all-star, and runner Mae Evans finished 15th out of 79. In their final meet on Nov. 8 at the Division 2 state tournament, Hanover competed at the challenging Northfield Mountain course, with the top seven boys and girls on the team competing. Seniors Leo Galvin (18:47.2) and Willis (18:50.93), and juniors Bradford (23:50.09) and Hazel Blum (24:16.05) were HHS’ top finishers. The team achieved significant success and strongly represented Hanover this fall.

Sports

Year Two for Drake Maye: How Has He Improved?

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By Luke Curran, ’27

Sports Editor

With the kickoff to Drake Maye’s second year in the NFL, many have begun to consider him an MVP-caliber quarterback. As of week six of the 2025 NFL season, the New England Patriots sit at a record of 4-2, taking first place in the AFC East for the first time since 2019. Maye’s performance has reflected his successful development with the team, highlighting the Patriots’ strategic moves in the offseason. So, the question is, how did he get here?

To begin with, the addition of former Titans head coach Mike Vrabel and Raiders offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels brought experienced leadership to the organization. McDaniels previously served as offensive coordinator for the Patriots under Bill Belichick, while Vrabel was a standout linebacker for the team during the Tom Brady era.

Additionally, the signing of new players such as wide receiver Stefon Diggs and defensive end Milton Williams brought more talent to the lackluster roster on both sides of the ball. Moreover, with the Patriots drafting 4th overall pick Will Campbell, the offensive line significantly improved. Overall, these additions gave Maye better weapons on offense and stronger protection up front, positioning him to take a significant step forward this season.

On Oct. 12, the Patriots’ impressive win over the New Orleans Saints brought even more attention to Maye, as he completed 18 of 26 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns. He achieved a perfect 158.3 passer rating in the first half of the game, finishing with an overall rating of 140.1 for the game. 

This performance trend suggests that Maye could be on track to contend for the 2025 NFL MVP award, potentially leading this revamped Patriots offense on a deep playoff run. It also marks a dramatic improvement from last season, when the Patriots finished 4-13. While there’s still more to be seen from Maye, his development so far has been undeniably promising.

Sports

2025 NFL Draft: Next Up

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By Luke Curran, ’27

Staff Writer

What future stars will change the game? As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, all eyes are set on the next wave of talent who might redefine the league. With several new teams receiving top draft picks this year, many questions have been raised about the future potential of these organizations.

Teams such as the Tenessee Titans, Cleveland Browns, and New York Giants currently possess the top three picks in the draft, set to take place in Green Bay, Wisc., April 24-26. The players projected to land the top three spots are Shedeur Sanders from Colorado and Cameron Ward of Miami, both QBs, and EDGE Abdul Carter from Penn State.

Sanders, the son of former NFL star and current Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, is expected to be a top-three pick in the upcoming draft. He’s one of the most talented players, having thrown for over 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns this season. Cameron Ward, Miami’s current QB, has also been impressive, with over 4,300 yards and 39 touchdowns. Meanwhile, Penn State’s Abdul Carter, an edge rusher, tallied 12 sacks in 2024. All three have showcased their skills and continue to impress with their potential.

NFL fans have been busy creating mock drafts and imagining how the event might unfold. With hopes for a brighter future, eager supporters continue to speculate about how new additions could shape their team’s roster. Many believe it’s likely that the top two quarterbacks in the draft will land with the Titans (1st pick) and the Las Vegas Raiders (6th pick).

However, the order in which players are selected is still uncertain as teams continue to evaluate their options, and trades can always shake up the draft order. This draft will be a key moment in shaping the future of the league, as teams aim to secure the talent that will carry them into the next era of professional football.

The New England Patriots earned the fourth pick after beating Buffalo 23-16 in the final game of the season. Some expressed frustration with coach Jerod Mayo, who was fired soon after, because a loss would have given the Pats a last-place finish and the top draft pick.

The draft will be key for teams looking to strengthen their rosters and prepare for the future. Although this event will not take place for another few months, anticipation continues to grow. Regardless of the outcome, this year’s draft cycle will be one to remember.

Sports

The NFL Rookie Race: Who Will Win First-Year Honors?

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By Luke Curran, ’27

Staff Writer

As the 2024-25 NFL playoffs approach, various rookies from this year’s draft have shown potential and development on both sides of the ball. Players such as Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears and Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders have handled their roles as starters since week one, displaying their talents and abilities to make decisions on and off the field. Other notable rookies have progressed throughout the season. However, the question remains: which rookie will emerge as the best?

When analyzing the development of the inexperienced, one clear sign is often statistics. Among NFL rookie quarterbacks, Denver’s Bo Nix leads the bunch with 2,842 passing yards and an impressive 17 touchdowns. Not far behind him, Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, and the Patriots’ own Drake Maye trail, throwing 1500+ passing yards and scoring more than 10 touchdowns each.

Another essential factor in determining this tightly contested race is the team surrounding each player. When examining each situation closer, many of these rookies have conveyed their talents, even while facing several issues around them. This is especially evident with Drake Maye in New England, where the team has struggled to a 3-10 record so far.

While the race for the NFL’s Rookie of the Year award is still a toss up, each contender presents a unique skillset to their team and has performed highly in their position. Whether in leading the squad as a quarterback or making impressive turnovers on defense, these rookies have shown they have bright futures ahead.

The Rookie of the Year will be announced on the eve of Super Bowl LIX, which will be played in New Orleans on Feb. 9.

Sports

AFC East: Future in Focus

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By Luke Curran

Staff Writer, ’27

The opening of the 2024-2025 NFL season for the Eastern American Football Conference has been slower than anticipated. Many of these teams’ unpleasant starts have left the rest of the season up in the air. Despite their sluggish starts, each franchise still has goals it hopes to achieve. Here’s what’s happening.

While the New England Patriots rebuild under a new and revamped offense, the New York Jets have looked to showcase a promising starting lineup for the season. The Miami Dolphins have been torn apart by injury and continue to fight for consistency. However, the Buffalo Bills have exhibited the most success, asserting dominance over the league and displaying a talented roster.

Throughout the uncertainty, the AFC East has shown licks of success and improvement, signing new players and filing career extensions as the trade deadline approaches. According to a report from NFL.com, the New York Jets, led by current HC Jeff Ulbrich, successfully acquired star wide receiver Davante Adams from the Las Vegas Raiders on October 15. Another crucial division move occurred recently, according to CNN.com, when Amari Cooper was traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Buffalo Bills.

The new additions and changes for these teams have improved the overall status of the division as the league approaches weeks 10 and 11. The current division standings in the AFC East show the Bills at the top with a steady 7-2 record. The Patriots, Dolphins and Jets lag behind with just three wins apiece.

In short, the AFC East has shown potential, even with an unfavorable start to the season. Through much discipline, these teams have the potential to develop every day for the remainder of the 18-week season.

Sports

A Rebuilding Year for the Patriots

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By Luke Curran

Staff Writer, ’27

The first four weeks of the 2024-2025 NFL season have startled many fans, from contract negotiation standoffs to exhilarating games dragging into overtime. Throughout it all, the New England Patriots have looked to establish themselves above the bottom teams in the league. Under the brand-new leadership of head coach Jerod Mayo, the Patriots have entered the season with a completely revamped offense and an even stronger defense.

The team has worked through the off-season to recruit new players, such as securing Drake Maye, the third pick in the NFL draft and the “Quarterback of the future.” With other key additions and better strategic improvements, the Patriots are trying to deliver a promising opening season for fans. The Patriots aim to make a strong statement for the future, with a bright young team ready to perform at the highest level possible.

With a road win against Cincinnati, the Patriots earned their first opening weekend victory since beating Miami at home in 2020. The win was the fourth over Cincinnati in Patriots’ history and shut down criticism from opposing fans.

However, the optimism for the season took a hit in the next three games, with the team falling to 1-3. Although the Patriots have been lackluster in their most recent games, players remain motivated to improve and grow. “I am the biggest team player, if you ever see me on the sideline in a game, I’m the biggest team player,” said star wide receiver Demario Douglas in a Patriots.com interview after the team’s close loss to the Seattle Seahawks in week 2. “Just go out there and play. Whatever coach asks me to do, I’m going to do.”

Ultimately, the New England Patriots have chosen to undertake a slow rebuild during the 2024 season, under the command of Mayo and starting veteran quarterback Jacoby Brisset. While there have been flashes of potential, inconsistency has plagued the overall performance of this new and inexperienced team. The future is bright, but the promise of this season may be dim.