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Sports

Patriots Back to Winning Ways

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By Andrew Carroll

After a rough start to the season, the New England Patriots appear to be back on track. After losing their first three games, they’ve won four straight, capped off by their 38-31 victory in Chicago on Sunday. At season’s start, the Patriots had trouble scoring the ball on offense, but in their last four outings, they averaged 39 points per game and outscored their opponents 157 to 102. The return of Julian Edelman from suspension has been a major factor for the offense. Adding star receiver Josh Gordon has been another key.

Two weeks ago, the Patriots handed the Kansas City Chiefs their first loss of the season. The Patriots got off to a hot start, scoring 24 points in the first half and forcing two turnovers while holding the Chiefs to 9 points. But in the second half, the Chiefs showed why they might have the most high-powered offense in the league. On their first three drives after halftime, the Chiefs scored, leading 30-26 going into the fourth. But the Patriots were able to withstand the blow, winning on a last second field goal from Stephen Gostkowski.

On Sunday, the Patriots showed what their offense was capable of, scoring 38 points against the Bears’ top-rated pass rush defense. Brady looked strong, throwing for 277 yards and three touchdowns. But the story was the Patriots special team doing some heavy work. They scored on a 95-yard kickoff return by Cordarrelle Patterson, then a blocked punt returned for a touchdown by Kyle Van Noy. The Bears made a late attempt to come back, but the Patriots’ defense held them on the last play of the game, securing the win and improving to 5-2 on the season.

The Patriots play the Buffalo Bills next Monday night at 8:15 pm in Buffalo on ESPN.  

 

Featured photo is from The Chicago Tribune

Entertainment

Tea Time with Tim: Ariana Grande & Pete Davidson Split

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By Tim Sullivan

In a new segment for the HHS Indian, I’ll “spill the tea” on current pop culture news and drama.

Yes, after just four months of engagement, Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson have reportedly called it all off. I can’t say I’m surprised that their whirlwind relationship has reached its end. In both celebrities’ defense, this could have been caused by recent, unforeseen events; but, was it ever meant to be?

Grande, the talented singer, and Davidson, a Saturday Night Live performer, first met on the set of SNL when Grande hosted the show a few years ago. The singer claimed she had a huge crush on him even then, and that she was going to marry him one day. Her dream almost became a reality after a (very quick) engagement led to a jam-packed summer of romance and PDA. Unfortunately, the courtship was followed by a breakup, not a wedding.

Image from ET. Grande and Davidson first meet on the set of SNL.

Davidson proposed to Grande in June with a $100,000 ring after just a few weeks of dating. The two moved in together into Ariana’s $16 million apartment in New York, according to E!News. They were constantly getting iced coffee together (pictured below), and always out in public just having a good time. Before long, they had a pet pig named PiggySmallz, whose Instagram account quickly grew to almost half a million followers. (yes, a pig’s account) They talked about their relationship on several late night shows and in radio interviews. In one, Pete proclaimed that he was “the luckiest guy in the world” when Ariana said yes to him.

A Pinterest Photograph

Throughout the short-lived relationship, the celebrities faced doubtful “haters” on Twitter and other social media sites who claimed their relationship wouldn’t last. Some even called it a publicity stunt. Whether the doubters were right all along, or if the love was indeed true until recent events, is up for debate.

No one can deny that Grande has had a very hard past year and a half. On May 22, 2017, a terrorist attack occurred at one of her Dangerous Woman Tour concerts in Manchester, England. This senseless attack took the lives of 23 people including the bomber. After Grande held a very successful benefit concert, she continued her tour and followed it up with some much needed time off from social media and the public spotlight. She needed time to heal. Grande met another tough month this past May when she and rapper Mac Miller ended things after two years of dating. The breakup was reportedly caused in part by Mac’s issues with addiction. Not long after their breakup, Grande found love with Davidson and it looked like she was finally catching a break. At the same time, though, Miller began spiraling out of control, crashed his car and received a DUI. When  Miller passed away in early September, Grande went into a panic. She was attacked on social media by thousands of awful comments that blamed her for Miller’s death. As a result, she disabled the comment function on all her Instagram photographs.

Could this be the cause of Grande and Davidson’s breakup? Was it all just too much at once for it to work out? I think so. I believe that Ariana and Pete were madly in love at the beginning of their relationship and did intend to marry each other. I think they moved way faster than normal but it was because they had found love at first sight. After Miller’s death, I think Grande was reminded of her haunting past and needed more time to heal and focus on herself. She can’t spontaneously plan her future with this guy when she hasn’t repaired the damage that has been done to her mental health in the past year and a half. On top of that, she recently released her fourth studio album and has enough on her plate with just that.

In the end, I think this whole whirlwind love story with Grande and Davidson was quite out of the ordinary. Although I was rooting for them to stay together, I think they made the right decision. They realized they weren’t ready and didn’t want to rush into their futures, and I respect them for making this decision knowing there would be thousands of “I called it” and “I told you so” comments from doubters. I fully support Ariana in her healing journey and hope she is able to spend the time that she needs on herself after quite a rollercoaster of a year and a half.

 

News

Mrs. Pereira: HHS Students’ Biggest Cheerleader

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Mrs. Pereira always knew she wanted to be a teacher. The hard part was figuring out what to teach and who to teach it to. She started her journey at UMass Dartmouth as a math major but then began to worry about what she would do with her major if she decided teaching wasn’t for her. She always wanted to have a backup plan, and so instead of majoring in math, she switched to accounting. If she didn’t like teaching, she thought, she could become an accountant. Lucky for us at Hanover High School, Mrs. P decided to teach older students because she knew she wanted kids of her own and thought it might be too much having little kids at home and at work. She is now in her 19th year at HHS, teaching business classes such as Marketing and Management and Accounting along with co-leading the Internship Program. Every year, Mrs. P also works hard to put on the “Credit for Life Fair” at HHS. This event helps students learn to make smart and safe decisions when saving, spending, and budgeting their money for the future.  

Mrs. Pereira in High School

Competitive cheerleading took up most of Mrs. P’s time at Somerset High School. Her team was ranked ninth in the country and even made an appearance on ESPN! (Fun fact: Mr. Perry and Mr. Faria also went to Somerset High School.) In addition to cheerleading, Mrs. P was involved in gymnastics, “The Future Teachers of America Club,” and National Honor Society.

Mrs. P strives to create an environment in her classroom where her students not only master the content but also work toward becoming a good person. Mrs. P wants her students to know that she genuinely cares about them, and can relate, understand and sympathize with them because of her own experiences. As funny as it sounds, Mrs. P means it when she says, “When I’m at school, you guys are my kids.”

Mrs. P has a lot going on in her life, and, like many teachers, her life is a constant balancing act between being a Mom and a Teacher. Luckily, she loves being busy and hates to be bored. She has a long commute to work every day from Fall River, and that gives her a lot of time in the car. She loves the time in the morning to wake up but can’t stand the ride home; as a result, she does very little driving on the weekends. In the summer, Mrs. P enjoys camping with her husband and three children: Olivia, Lila, and Georgia. Camping definitely isn’t for everyone, but spending a week in the outdoors with her family is one of the most relaxing places for Mrs. P. When she isn’t pitching a tent in the wilderness, her favorite travel spot is Maui, Hawaii. As far as her favorite things, she loves to exercise and is working to make that a priority again in her busy life. Mrs. P loves music and how it can make you feel different emotions or bring you back to a certain time in your life. She doesn’t really have a favorite food, but would much rather have real food then some type of dessert or candy.

Over the course of growing up, becoming a mother and going through life’s experiences, Mrs. P has found inspiration in different places. When she was a teenager, she looked up to her cheer coach who had two small children, a career, a coaching job, and had also gone back to school. She admired her drive and her success. As she got older, she grew to admire her grandmother, who had a very difficult life and yet raised 10 children mostly on her own. She didn’t understand how remarkable that was until she was a mom herself. Now that she’s older, there are so many people Mrs. P admires.

“I admire my own daughter who made the change from a small private school to a larger public middle school,” she said. “Middle school is not an easy time to be the new kid. And yet she’s running for student government. I admire her courage. I admire so many of my students for all of their accomplishments, big or small. I love hearing from them after they graduate. I admire other parents who have raised amazing kids. I admire people who persevere through some of the most heartbreaking, unimaginable events. I admire people who work hard, whether to do their jobs well or to make important changes in their lives.”  

Mrs. Pereira always has a smiling face in Room 205 and, as students, we all appreciate the energy and drive she brings to work every day. When asked to describe Mrs. P using only one word, some of her students responded with the words below:

Relatable, Generous, Funny, Real, Mom, Cop, Driven, Determined, Therapist, Heartwarming, Caring, Honest, Outgoing, Inspiring, Thoughtful, Kind

News

Spirit Week & Homecoming Energize Students

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The first Monday of October dawned with a sea of red, white, and blue at Hanover High School. Everywhere you looked, there were flags, bandanas, and a colorful array of t-shirts to celebrate America Pride Day. Thus, Spirit Week had arrived.

Each year, Spirit Week is organized by the Student Council to rally pride in our school. Students dress up according to themes chosen for each day of the week, each class decorates a hallway, and the whole school comes together for a Friday afternoon pep rally. The week culminates in the Homecoming football game and dance.

While red, white, and blue were everywhere Monday, the colors black and green dominated for Camo Day on Tuesday. For Wednesday, it was neon, scrunchies, and Converse galore as students celebrated Decade Day. One could say it was a blast from the past. On Thursday, sweatpants and comfy clothes were popular choices for Pajama Day. Who wouldn’t want to come to school all comfy in their pajamas?

The class pods were also decorated for Thursday. The Freshmen chose “Fluorescent Freshmen,” hanging bright neon colors and streamers and writing every member of the class’ name on the whiteboard. The Sophomores went with “Sub-Zero Sophomores,” decorating with Christmas lights, wrapping paper, and a giant inflatable snow globe. It was a winter wonderland! The Juniors’ theme was “Jackpot Juniors” and it was money, money, money everywhere! They were loaded! Finally, the Seniors decorated as “Shipwrecked Seniors,” and entering the pod felt like walking into a pirate ship. There was rope and treasure maps, and a giant ship made out of cardboard. It felt like the set of Pirates of the Caribbean!

Finally on Friday, the colors yellow (Freshmen), white (Sophomores), black (Juniors), and blue (Seniors) were the only ones to be found at HHS. Students were ready to show their pride not only for their school but for their grade. Spirit Week ended on a high note with the afternoon pep rally. When the classes filled the gym, the band played “Victors” and the Seniors rushed in. The cheerleaders performed a brand new routine, keeping the crowd entertained, and then students participated in a series of games that kept the crowd on its feet.

At Friday night’s Homecoming game, the Seniors from the football team, cheerleading squad and the band were recognized for their hard work. They received thunderous applause from the stands. During halftime, the cheerleaders performed a routine to Nicki Minaj’s Super Bass. They had an incredible performance and built up the energy in the stands. After the cheerleaders, the band took the field for its show, Journeys. Led by drum majors Justy Carney and Kyle Knight, the band gave a stellar performance with songs such as Country Roads, Don’t Stop Believing, The Road Home, Homeward Bound, and Life is a Highway.  As part of halftime festivities, seniors Cole Sweeney and  Kathryn Fallon were crowned Homecoming King and Queen. Despite the great energy in the stadium, and a  strong effort by the players, the football team was unable to beat Scituate and earned its first loss of the season.

To round out the festivities, students came together for the Homecoming dance Saturday night. As students filled the gym and danced the night away, there was so much energy in the room, it was exhilarating! There was food, fun, music, dancing, and laughter. How could one not be excited?

For freshmen like me, celebrating Spirit Week for the first time, this was one we’ll never forget. Mary Longueil enjoyed Decade Day the most, while Lauren Casey felt that wearing pajamas to school was a highlight of the week. Whatever their favorite part of the week, students agreed that it was awesome to see everyone get involved and get excited.

 

More Homecoming Photos

Football Game

Cheer, Football and Band Seniors

Entertainment

Game is Tough, but Offers Countless Replay Options

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By Matthew O’Hara

Divinity Original Sin II Definitive Edition is a turn-based, role-playing video game that serves as a modern spin on classic role-playing board games such as Dungeons and Dragons. Divinity II includes a variety of new maps, levels, and dialogue along with a new and improved physics engine, setting it apart and improving upon its original 2017 release for PC. Divinity II is available for the Xbox One and Playstation 4, making it more accessible for people interested in playing the game.

One of the main aspects of Divinity II is the amount of replayability and customization you can inject into your quest. You can choose your character’s appearance, class, abilities, and social background at the beginning of the quest, and can also do the same for your party members. If you do not enjoy or do not wish to use the customization options, you can choose from pre-set characters. Your actions influence the story, as the game gives you a variety of different dialogue options and decisions that change the game as you play. The story that involves the pre-set characters is about the Red Prince, a Lizardfolk fighter who was placed under arrest for studying dark magic known as sorcery. When he is thrown into captivity, he meets and forms alliances with a variety of unlikely allies that help him escape his imprisonment and accomplish his true destiny. These allies include Lohse, the cursed enchanter; Ifan Ben-Mezd, the sharpshooting wayfarer; Fane, the skeletal wizard; Beast, the destructive battlemage, and Sebille, the cunning rogue. Each of these characters has a unique personality and story that can be fleshed out in detail when completing side quests that are tailored to them. Along the way, you and your party will meet a variety of friends, foes, and monsters, each with their own unique battles and side quests for you to take part in. Each quest will yield a variety of different rewards and equipment to strengthen and level up your party so that you can progress in the main story and take on harder side quests.

While Divinity II is a very enjoyable and interesting game, it’s extremely difficult. Many of the enemies that you encounter will have more powerful skills and abilities, making you rely on strategy to survive. Divinity II also contains a variety of complicated puzzles and traps that your party must maneuver through, many of which will spell death for your characters with one wrong move. The level of difficulty is increased with the possible permanent death of your characters, forcing you to find and level up a new party member. Fortunately, Divinity II does allow you to revive your fallen characters with resurrection scrolls, but such items are rare and hard to come by. This brutal difficulty curve can be quite frustrating at times, as a simple mistake can lead to devastating consequences in the game, forcing you to reload and try again.

Overall, Divinity Original Sin II Definitive Edition is a fantastic strategy RPG, with an interesting story, diverse cast of characters, and a gigantic number of side quests that keep the game fresh and entertaining. While the game is enjoyable to play, it does cater to a specific kind of gamer, one who enjoys a challenge and strategic combat. Players who don’t fit this category will most likely become frustrated with its combat difficulty and perplexing puzzles. With these factors in mind, I give Divinity Original Sin II Definitive Edition 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Sports

Football Off to a Strong Start

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In the opening games of the 2018-2019 season, the Hanover Indians have become a force to be reckoned with. So far, the Indians have played Cardinal Spellman, East Bridgewater, Pembroke, Plymouth South and Scituate High School and have beaten all of them except Scituate, earning a 4-1 record.The Indians are second in their division, just below the undefeated Scituate Sailors.

Many standout players have contributed to the Indians’ success. Senior quarterback and captain Andrew Caroll has led the team with his skillful passes. One of Caroll’s best moments was in the final 30 seconds against Plymouth South, when he threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to junior Pat Damon,  pulling the Indians ahead of Plymouth 13-12. The Indians later won the game 15-12. Damon has been another valuable player, catching four touchdown passes in the first five games. In the defeat over Pembroke, Damon scored three touchdowns in one game.

Other major contributors this season include junior Ethan Ritchie, who played an important role in demolishing East Bridgewater with some incredible carries, and junior James Byrne who has one touchdown, one interception, and one two-point conversion. Senior Steven Gill scored two touchdowns against Cardinal Spellman, and senior Kyle Galvin widened Hanover’s lead against Pembroke with two  touchdowns in the fourth quarter of that game.

Head Coach Chris Landolfi believes the team’s tremendous hard work and skill will lead them deep into the playoffs. “Every week they find new challenges and try to improve and learn from their mistakes,” he said.

photos in story by Ralph Stevens for HHS Athletics

More pictures from Homecoming Game

Pictures from game vs Plymouth South

Entertainment

Instagram Favorites: Profiles to Follow

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1) @foodyfetish

Foody Fetish is a great profile to follow for all the die-hard foodies out there. With 3.1 million followers and counting, they feature videos of cutting into food, making food, and the classic most Instagrammable photos of food perfection. It’s a well-rounded feed, including all aspects of the foody world, rather than some profiles that only post videos of food being made or about certain restaurants. Foody Fetish makes your mouth water with and is definitely worth checking out. If you are into the restaurant and recipe scene, try @thisisinsiderfood for great informational videos.

 

2) @danceranddogs

@danceranddogs is an adorable profile that includes beautiful photos of  man’s – and woman’s – best friend. For dancers and dog lovers alike, this profile is for you. The photos range from gorgeous to sillly to downright adorable and feature some of the country’s most beautiful dancers and the most adorable puppies. Your heart will melt!

 

 

3) @amypoehlersmartgirls

@amypoehlersmartgirls is an inspiring feed. Amy Poehler is known for her work mostly in comedy. She’s famous for her roles as Leslie Knope on Parks and Recreation, Regina’s mom (“I’m not a regular mom, I’m a cool mom”) in Mean Girls, her appearances on Saturday Night Live and her duos with fellow comedian Tina Fey. This site releases videos of awesome girls doing awesome things for their communities. One of my favorites is Julia, a 13-year-old who invented a gel that can fill a the hole left behind when a painful tooth is pulled. Even boys could learn from this page. Sometimes, because we are so young, it is easy for us to feel as though we don’t have a voice, but we do. This profile proves that teens and kids can make a difference and social media is a great platform for doing good.

 

4) @hi.ur.beautiful

@hi.ur.beautiful is a great account for diversity and body positivity. When writing this article, I wanted to stay away from feeds full of models with impossibly perfect bodies, because that’s part of the reason that social media can be such a negative place. We look at a photo and we compare ourselves to it, which isn’t right. Many images are touched up, and those that aren’t often feature people who spend every day getting in shape and looking beautiful. But are they as happy as they could be? Probably not. This page is great if you’re ever feeling bad about your body.

 

5) @old_disney755

If you ever find yourself reminiscing about your Disney Channel days, this account is for you. They post videos and scenes from the golden age of the Disney Channel and it really makes you miss the days when you were a little kid. Who remembers watching Wizards of Waverly Place,That’s So Raven and Hannah Montana? I miss those shows so much. Do you?

 

6) @marvel

I saved the best for last. Marvel studios is downright awesome. Whether you’re into the comics, the movies or both, just do yourself a favor and follow this account. In the Marvel universe, one of my favorite characters is the Scarlet Witch, an opinion that may be unpopular with other fans. I also love the Guardians of the Galaxy movies; both had amazing soundtracks. If you have no idea what I’m saying, hit the follow button and reserve a weekend for a Marvel movie marathon. Scratch that, you better reserve a whole week!

 

Sports

Don’t Panic about the Patriots Yet!

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Last Sunday night, the New England Patriots suffered a 26-10 loss to the winless Detroit Lions. This was one of the worst performances by the Patriots on both offense and defense in recent years. They managed only 209 total yards on offense and just 12 first downs, compared to the Lions’ 414 yards and 25 first downs. This was the Patriots’ second consecutive loss early  in the season, and some are starting to doubt the franchise.

Reasons not to Panic

Pats fans should be familiar with the team starting the season slow. In the last 10 years, Belichick’s record in September has been 26-13. This doesn’t scream success, especially when the Patriots averaged 12.5 wins a season over these  10 years. This just goes to prove that Belichick doesn’t put a lot of stock in winning in September. His focus, instead, is on winning games in November, December and January.

After this Sunday’s game against  the Miami Dolphins, the Patriots will get back their best wide receiver in Julian Edelman. Edelman was suspended the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, and it has been difficult to fill his spot in the slot. The Pats have lacked a consistent receiver so far this season, with arguably the worst receiving corps that Brady has ever had. In an attempt to save the offense, the Patriots traded for troubled but  talented receiver Josh Gordon. This move is a boom or bust trade for the Patriots. If it works out, it could be the reason the Patriots start to pick it up offensively.

Lastly, the Patriots have three consecutive home games coming up. The team is very good at home in the month of October. This will be a very important stretch for the Pats as they face the Miami Dolphins and then the Kansas City Chiefs, who both have started the season undefeated. I believe the Patriots will once again prove everyone wrong and get back to the top of the AFC by the end of the season. They have the best quarterback in the league along with the best coach.    

 

Sports

Rugby Falls Short in Bid for Repeat State Title

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Rugby

One year ago, in its first season as a varsity sport, Hanover brought home the inaugural Division 2 State Title. This year, having stormed through the tournament, the team had hoped for the same outcome. But despite a strong season, it was not to be.

The Indians lost to Milton, their opponent in last year’s title game as well at Newton Douth High School on June 23. Hanover took the early lead on a score by Ethan Davis and kept the game close through the first half.  But they could not stop third-seeded Milton, who finshed 6-2 on the regular season. Final score was 32-14.

Led by captains Rian Boutin, JT Galvin, Jack Randall and Stephen Zinke, Hanover went 4-2 and earned 4th seed in the tournament. They beat 5th seed Weymouth (4-2-1) in the quarterfinals June 7 by a score of 48-33. In the semifinal June 14, the boys crushed top seed Catholic Memorial, 70-14. Corey Dooley, Cade Frucci, Jack Delahunt and Sam Perkins all scored for Hanover.

Dooley, Perkins, Zinke, Frucci and John Dailey were named League All-Stars. Frucci and Dooley also earned Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic.

Hanover Mariner Pictures

Baseball

This powerhouse team, loaded with players who had started for three or four years, hoped to go deep into the Division 3 South tournament. With pitcher Aidan Henderson going 9-0 on the mound, the team finished the regular season 17-3 and took home the Patriot League Fisher Division championship. They were seeded 2nd going into the tourney and scored a first-round bye.  But a heartbreaking 2-0 loss to 16th seed Falmouth knocked the team out in the second round.

Henderson, Aaron Boise, Liam Flynn and Andrew Carroll led the team as captains. The Simon brothers drove the offense, with Steve leading the league in batting for the second straight year and Mike taking the number 2 spot. Henderson, Flynn, both Simons and catcher Zach Stone were named league All-Stars. Henderson and the Simon brothers were also named Patriot Ledger All-Scholastics, while Steve received a further nod from the Boston Herald. In addition, Steve Simon was chosen to play in the MBCA Junior Select State All Star Game at Bentley College on June 17.

With Carroll, Mike and Steve Simon, and other underclassmen returning next year, hopes are high for another strong season.

Softball

Led by senior captains Lauren Gelly and Cameron Porzio, the team was a force to reckon with all season. They went  16-4 to earn 6th seed in Division 3 South. Gelly, Maegan Amsler, Caroline Zielinski and Katie Doyle were named Patriot League-Fisher Division All Stars. Zielinski, a consistent standout on the mound with 170 strikeouts on the season, also picked up league MVP.  After getting a first-round bye, the team topped 11th seed Medford 3-1 on June 9. They took 3rd seed Middleboro to 10 innings in the sectional quarterfinals on June 12, but lost 3-2.

Amsler, Gelly and Zielinski earned Patriot Ledger All-Scholastics. With Amsler, Zielinski and many others  returning next season, we’re sure to see more fight from this team.

Hanover Mariner Pictures

Girls Lacrosse

Behind the solid play of goalie Maeve McCarthy and midfielders Sydney Weber, Clare Connolly, Caitlin Park and Caroline Gordon, the team made it to the Division 2 South semifinals. Hanover finished the regular season 13-5 and earned 4th seed. The girls cruised past 13th seed Sacred Heart, 17-4 in the first round, and then topped 5th seeded Sandwich 11-6. But the championship run ended in the semifinals in a tough loss to top-seeded Norwell  on June 11.  Norwell (16-3) earned their fourth straight trip to the sectional final with a 18-2 win.

Despite the loss, the team showed great improvement from the start of the season to its end. Senior captains Jess Cully and Alyssa Wilcox set a strong example, earning MIAA Educational Athletics Achievement Awards for Leadership. Gordon, McCarthy, Weber and Megan Ross were named League All-Stars. Gordon also received a nod as a Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic.

There arehigh hopes for next season, with a lot of young talent and Cully, Wilcox and Lia Ehlers the only three seniors graduating.

Boys Lacrosse

Last year, the boys lacrosse team made it to the state semifinals of Division 3.  This year, after graduating 13 members of that team, Hanover moved to Division 2. The young team struggled with injuries and finished 4-12, earning the 15th seed and a tough first-round tournament matchup against 2nd seed Scituate. In a cold and rainy game June 4, Scituate defeated the Indians 14-6.

Team captains were Neil Calkin, Ben Fein and Chris Greene. Greene was named a Patriot League All-Star.

Pictures from the Patriot Ledger

Boys Tennis

After finishing the regular season 13-5,  the squad earned 6th seed in Division 2 South tournament. In their first-round matchup, they beat 11th seed Milton (9-9) 4-1. Nikolas Ginter racked up his 50th win during the match, on his way to becoming a League All-Star and a Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic. A 3-2 loss to 3rd seed Scituate, however, ended their season on June 8.

Captains were Ginter and Evan Suchoff.

Girls Tennis

If you could win matches based on how much fun you were having, Hanover would have been undefeated. Although the team failed to make tournament, there was a strong sense of camaraderie. They may have won only two matches, but they had a lot of fun on the courts together. Team captains were Chloe McKee and Becca Prentice, who was also named a League All-Star.

Outdoor Track

Gillian Kenney continued the legacy of her sister, Niamh, who graduated in 2017. Gillian set the school record in the mile run – twice – this season (5:03.03) and was named Patriot League-Fisher Division MVP.  The team sent several athletes to the Division 3 championship meet at North Reading High School on May 26. The boys were represented by mile-runner Chris Pacino, two-miler Nick Courtney, high jumper Jake Laprise and sprinter Garrett Madison. For the girls team, Alyssa Nee competed in the 400 meters and Audrey Wheeler ran the two mile. Nee, Wheeler, Jordanna Laprise and Erin Flynn joined for the 4×800 relay.

Captains were Bryan Hoyt, Nick O’Hara, Kevin Talbot, Jessica Blazo and Olivia Salvas.

Special Awards at HHS Sports Banquet

The recipient of the Athlete of the Year Award is a student who consistently performs at an elite level during his or her season and is integral to the overall success of the team. This year, the winners were Lauren O’Sullivan and Zach Taylor.

The Paragon Award is presented to the HHS senior athlete
that demonstrates excellence in academics, athletics,
leadership, and character. The 2018 winner was Alyssa Wilcox.

Sports

Brad Stevens, Our Hero

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The Boston Celtics were the number two seed going into the Eastern Conference playoffs, but still many people in the sports world counted them out. The main reason was because the Celtics would be missing their two best players for the entire playoffs, Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward. They also lost Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown to injuries for multiple games. But one person that can’t get hurt is Brad Stevens, manager of the team and the mastermind behind the Celtics success.

Their first round matchup was against the young and athletic Milwaukee Bucks team. After winning the first two games at home with dominant performances from Brown, Terry Rozier and Marcus Morris, the Celtics traveled to Milwaukee, where they were not as successful. They lost the next two games, which emboldened the doubters, and as the series continued, the home team proved to withstand the opponent and win every game. Luckily, the Celtics had four home games and ended up winning the series in seven games.

Their next opponent would be the Philadelphia 76ers led by Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Only three out of 20 ESPN analysts chose the Celtics to top the Sixers in this seven-game series. Having seven rookies and two injured All-Stars, the odds were against them. But what often goes overlooked is Brad Stevens, the coach of the Celtics. Brad rallied this team of role players and rookies to stomp on the Sixers in the first game at the Garden. They continued to roll, winning the next two close games. The Celtics, injured and short-handed, were up 3-0 in the series against the highly favored 76ers. No one saw this coming; in fact, a lot of people thought the Sixers were going to sweep the Celtics. After losing the fourth game in Philly, the Celtics defended the Garden once again to close out the series in just five games. The Celtics were now 7-0 in playoff games at the TD Garden this season.

But now came their biggest challenge yet: Lebron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had just swept the top-seeded Toronto Raptors. This was a true test for Brad Stevens and the heart of this  Celtics team. Lebron James, the King, had gone to eight straight NBA Finals, and now the only thing standing between him and his ninth was a Celtics team that runs strictly through heart and determination. Can Brad Stevens withstand Lebron James with his shorthanded team or will they once again fall to the hands of the King? The Celtics took the first two games, but were dominated by the Cavs in the third and fell short in the fourth. They return home to the TD Garden for Game 5 on May 23.