That was the message to the Norwell girls lacrosse team down three goals before even having possession “My college coach always said — you win the draw you rule the world," first-year coach Laura Callahan said Callahan is referring to the legendary Northwestern coach Kelly Amonte Hiller That phrase is one of the many she picked up from her college days in addition to a pair of national championships as an attacker on the 2005-06 teams This was the largest deficit Norwell High girls lacrosse team faced this season so Callahan called on sophomore Lexi Davos to take the draw from midway in the first quarter on The sophomore substitute corralled seven draw controls and scored four goals as the Clippers recovered from the six-goal deficit to defeat Sandwich "It was a good comeback," Davos said with a chuckle The early days of Callahan's tenure have been fruitful; Norwell (9-0) has yet to lose and currently stands at fifth in the Division 4 power rankings. She took over the Clippers program in October after longtime coach Kara Connerty resigned in August and resumed at rival Cohasset and she told us all of these stories (from her days at Northwestern)," said senior goalie Charlotte Pithie a captain bound to continue her career at Bryant University in Rhode Island next year most recently spent the past four seasons as a freshman coach at Notre Dame Academy under fellow ex-Northwestern Wildcat Meredith Frank McGinnis she had a short coaching stint at Fontbonne Academy in the early 2010's “I think there was some really good groundwork laid for me," said Callahan, whose program last year appeared in the Div. 4 Final Four prior to her arrival "These girls are so independent and mature I have nothing but great things to say about the program that Kara (Connerty) left me The championship teams on which Callahan played at Northwestern finished with a combined 41-1 record over the two-year span It was the start of five straight titles and seven in eight years from 2005-12 with the lone outlier being a runner-up finish in 2010 More: 'Just the right fit': Ex-Norwell coach Kara Connerty finding success with rival Cohasset Norwell has carried itself as a powerhouse winning five state championships under Connerty from 2010-2018 “She’s done a great job connecting with the girls," Norwell athletic director JJ Niamkey said of Callahan there’s always that period of getting used to the kids and she’s done a lot of great team-building exercises to build that rapport with them.” who played her final two years of high school lacrosse at Thayer Academy graduated from Northwestern with 197 career points (132 goals and we immediately made a connection with her," said Pithie and it definitely shows on the field – you see our middies sprint to every ground ball “They all have good input for us during practice and games They’re telling you to keep your head up and work your butt off to get back this year's cast of Clippers is full of recognizable names ranging from the four-year starter Pithie in net to seniors Holly Panttila Charlise Cox and Caroline Burtch spearheading the attack Panttila was last year's South Shore League Sullivan Division Player of the Year Cox tied for the lead in goals last year with 45 of her own to go along with 21 assists 1 assist) and junior Natasha Mikus also pitch in on the Clippers' attack which has collectively tallied 122 goals through the first nine games (13.5 per) “As soon as we got multiple goals up on the board we all just clicked together and got so much energy," Davos said of Wednesday's six-goal comeback ‘We know we can win this.’ We just had to work together and then we started (catching) fire and kept putting them away.” “We’re just proud that they didn’t give up," said Callahan "At any point during the first three quarters of that game Absentee and early ballots for Norwell's annual town election are now available Voters can obtain absentee or early ballots at the Town Clerk’s Office The town election will take place on Saturday To receive a ballot, voters must complete an application that includes a valid signature and an address for mailing. Applications can be found online at www.townofnorwell.net or www.mass.gov Voters may also call the Town Clerk’s Office to request a mailed application The Town Clerk’s Office hours are from 8 a.m The deadline to submit an absentee ballot application or vote by mail application for a mailed ballot is 5 p.m In-office absentee ballot applications must be submitted before noon on Friday The Town Clerk’s Office will close to the public at that time to prepare for the election Those with questions are asked to call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-659-8072 LOWELL — The Old Rochester boys basketball team nearly pulled off another tournament upset as the No. 20 Bulldogs pushed second-seeded Norwell to the brink in the MIAA Div 3 state final on Friday night at the Tsongas Center It took a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by the Clippers to force overtime as Norwell escaped with a 64-61 victory to capture the program’s first state championship “We had them,” said Old Rochester senior guard Gavin Martin Even though the Bulldogs came up short of winning it all they made history with their second straight finals appearance and third overall “It’s amazing and something I’ll remember forever from last year’s team to this year’s team,” said Martin of back-to-back trips to Lowell It’s probably the last time I’m playing basketball because I have football On the 10-year anniversary of the Bulldogs’ first and only state championship – a 61-47 win over Hoosac Valley on March 14 2015 — Old Rochester head coach Steve Carvalho reflected on how far his program has come over the past decade LIVE UPDATES: Norwell vs. Old Rochester boys basketball MIAA state championship Finish the story: Hingham, Bishop Stang took different paths to the Div. 1 title game “We’ve worked hard to put a competitive team out and not just in the South Coast Conference The Bulldogs reeled off four playoff wins with three coming over higher seeded teams they’ll remember what they did this year and remember they were in this building this year,” Carvalho said Neither team led by more than seven points as it was a battle from start to finish Norwell led 10-6 after the first quarter and 25-22 at halftime thanks to eight first-half points from senior Ronan Coffey A 3-pointer in front of Old Rochester’s bench by Martin put the Bulldogs ahead 34-33 with 2:50 left in the third but a pair of free throws by Coffey gave the Clippers a slim 41-40 lead entering the fourth “It’s not shocking,” Norwell head coach John Willis said “We didn’t have any illusions that we were going to roll through this by any stretch because of the job (coach Steve Carvalho) does “I’ll tell you I’m a big Old Rochester fan He’s one of the great coaches in Massachusetts and they’re one of the great programs in Massachusetts.”  Coffey sank a 3-pointer — one of six for him on the night — to extend Norwell’s lead to 50-45 with 5:15 left in the fourth quarter which included a 3-pointer from sophomore Grady Oliveira and a pair of layups and two free throws from Martin to go out front 54-51 with 26 seconds remaining Norwell’s ensuing 3-point attempt was off the mark but sophomore Charlie Williams got the rebound and kicked the ball out to Coffey who drained the tying 3-pointer to send the game into overtime “He’s one of the best players I’ve ever coached and it couldn’t happen to a better kid,” said Willis Coffey scored 8 of Norwell’s 10 points in overtime to seal the Clippers first state title “I give them credit and coach Willis credit They got down five or six late and they came back and took a three-point lead.” Martin gave ORR some life when he converted a 3-point play to pull within 62-61 with 8.5 seconds left in overtime “He’s our best player and the ball needs to be in his hands at critical times and he delivered,” Carvalho said “He still gave us a shot even at the end there being down four.” Norwell answered with a pair of free throws from Coffey to close out the game junior Noah Thorell and sophomore Hunter Horsey — will return use how we feel right now to go out and play even harder next year,” said Oliveira The Bulldogs graduate Martin and fellow seniors Zach Mourao The loss ended a six-game win streak for Old Rochester … Norwell completed a perfect 25-0 campaign ROCKLAND -- Stability and continuity generally are considered positives when it comes to team building if we're talking about Cohasset High girls lacrosse The Skippers are 63-12 over the last four seasons a runner-up finish and a quarterfinal berth on their resume And they've done it all despite cycling through four different head coaches This year's boss: former Norwell coach Kara Connerty who led the Clippers to five state titles and now finds herself on the opposite side of one of the best girls lacrosse rivalries around She was leaving Norwell and we had that spot open It's going to make the rivalry even more fun when we play them this year." All the coaching changes might have tripped up a lesser program They're 9-1 after Wednesday's 13-0 win over Rockland and were No "We've been fortunate to have four great coaches," senior midfielder Reese Hansen said "Each year we've learned something different from each coach." I think it's helped us a lot," agreed fellow senior midfielder Libby Schiffmann who had a natural hat trick against Rockland "We've gotten to see different coaching styles and we've learned how to work together as a team More: 'A piece of home': Hingham's Lilly Reale leans on family as she kicks off pro soccer career a Norwell High grad who still lives in that town has settled in nicely in her new address in the South Shore League "It's been such a supportive administration and the kids have been so enthusiastic from the beginning I inherited a very talented team that won the state title last year But the level of commitment and enthusiasm has been terrific." Connerty's new team already has a signature win On Tuesday the Skippers edged three-time defending Div snapping the Cougars' 58-game winning streak against in-state opponents The victory avenged a 15-7 loss at NDA on April 17 "It was a big accomplishment for all of us," said sophomore Molly Campbell who had 5 goals in the rematch and is up to 14 on the season "It was an awesome team effort," Hansen said "Before the game in the locker room we were talking about how we needed to work together and how it's not just about one person Connerty said her team "learned a lot" from the first NDA matchup and put that knowledge to good use before an appreciative home crowd Plenty of high-profile showdowns still loom The teams' last meeting came in the 2024 semis with the Skippers pulling out an 11-9 decision thanks to Greer's deciding goal with 3:32 left and Hansen's insurance tally with 2:10 remaining Asked if she had apologized yet to Connerty for scoring that dagger goal This year's Cohasset roster bears a strong resemblance to last year's 3 all-time scorer (356 career points) has moved on but Hansen (who leads the team with 19 goals and 35 points) is back juniors Aine Norton (15 goals) and Avery Regan (15 goals) and sophomore goalie Janet O'Carroll Freshman Emily Regan has been impressive with 17 goals The Skippers have taken to Connerty's demanding approach to coaching with Schiffmann noting She's also appreciative of how her new players have handled yet another new voice telling them what to do "I think it speaks to the leadership of the girls," she said "Having four different coaches (in four years) is difficult for any program To maintain that level of success is a credit to the girls as a cohesive unit I've experienced that already in my short period of time (here) that they're very close-knit and a team-first kind of program It's difficult to play for four different personalities What's better than one Boston College lineman with Norwell roots selected in this year's NFL Draft Two. Welcome to the league, Drew Kendall Kendall — a 6-foot-4 and 300-pound center — was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles with the 168th overall pick in the fifth round of NFL Draft on Saturday Kendall was an All-ACC first-teamer and started all 13 of the Eagles' games He finished his collegiate career with a streak of 31 consecutive starts and allowed five pressures of 350 quarterback drop-backs Drew Kendall height and weightKendall stands at 6-4 and 308 pounds Kendall's arms measured in at 31 ¾ inches and his hands measured in at 9 ⅝ inches NFL.com wrote this about Kendall: "The traits and athletic features don’t stand out but Kendall comes from NFL bloodlines and simply knows how to play He’s detail-oriented as a run blocker with good footwork He adjusts well to movement in-line or in space to execute his block." Pro Football Focus wrote this about Kendall: "Kendall with quick feet that show up off the snap and when running down defenders in the screen game." Pete Kendall is a Quincy native who starred at Archbishop Williams He started 188 games during his NFL career Put your worries to rest and set your brain to freeze: The opening of Hornstra Farms’ Norwell dairy bar is the clearest sign yet that summer is coming despite what several days of slush and cold may have tricked us into thinking it is opening day in Norwell Yay!!!” the post said Hornstra Farms has been a family-run dairy business for several decades and running the dairy bar as a spring-to-fall operation is just how they have done it the Hornstras held onto the Peaceful Meadows tradition of year-round ice cream The two locations have hit that sweet spot for now so wherever one may be in the 11 or so miles between the two either location can quickly satisfy anyone's flavor fix well into the fall The dairy stand is open from noon to 6 p.m The Whitman Farm Store is open daily from 10 a.m The dairy bar is open daily from noon to 8 p.m More: You know spring is really here when these ice cream and clam shops open on the South Shore Poll results are in: Who won for best Wollaston Beach clam shop So much so that most of their starters haven't seen a lot of action late in games For starting senior point guard Ronan Coffey he had not played a single minute of the fourth quarter with each of their first games being decided by no less than 20 points That all changed on Friday night when the Clippers hosted Middleboro for a marquee South Shore League matchup between two undefeated teams Norwell found itself in a tight game heading into the final quarter meaning Coffey played in crunch time for the first time this season But it didn't look that way as the senior guard posted a team-high 19 points helping Norwell (7-0) take down Middleboro (6-1) to remain undefeated and hand the Sachems their first loss of the season More: The South Shore is loaded: High school girls basketball rankings The Clippers led by just 7 with 4:48 remaining in the game Coffey attempted a 3-pointer that didn't fall The rebound went to Middleboro but within seconds Coffey pick-pocketed the ball and sent it back into the paint for an assist to get Norwell to it's largest lead of the game Coffey was affecting play on the court even after a missed shot showcasing why he was named a captain and why he has been an integral part of the Clippers' undefeated start he's as good as any point guard I've ever had," Norwell coach John Willis said Coffey started the game even better than he finished it He made three field goals and scored 7 of the team's 18 first-quarter points He then had two field goals in each of the remaining three quarters to close out the game "He's a beast," exclaimed fellow senior captain and guard Nick Adams after the game knowing he'll find you under the hoop (for a) free layup While certain scenarios can't always be perfectly emulated in practice Coffey said that the team is always practicing close-game situations More: Super Powers: 'MVP-caliber' sophomore captain starring for North Quincy girls basketball A member of the varsity roster since his freshman year he credits much of his success to the older teammates he learned under Just following the people in front of me," Coffey said The seniors last year were the best role models I could have had." this year's Clipper team is on it's way to potentially matching or even coming close to outdoing last year's team which finished 20-2 and lost in overtime against Taconic in the quarterfinals of the Div is making sure to keep those comparisons at bay heading into the middle of the season "I think we can't get ahead of ourselves yet but we just have to keep working," Coffey said "I think we'll get better as the season progresses we'll be at that point and we'll just keep going from there." NORWELL – Madison Oliver and Reagan Dowd glanced up at the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter of last year's Division 3 state final The bliss of accomplishment succumbed to a gut punch It was the first championship game played by the Norwell High girls basketball team in 35 years “It was definitely an eye-opener," Oliver said and Foxboro earned the crown for a second consecutive season Norwell graduated five players in the offseason yet retained the entirety of its rotation to prepare for another go at glory this winter and the expectations are high," head coach Matt Marani said We graduated five seniors who were a big part of that climate so I know they didn’t get the minutes some of the other kids got I’ve been so thrilled the way the group has responded.” After winning two league games to open the season, the Clippers took part in KSA Events' holiday tournament in Orlando Florida for the first time over school vacation from Dec Foxboro competed in the same tournament last year Norwell (6-1) played three out-of-state opponents winning two games comfortably over Laredo United South (of Texas) and Tappan Zee (of New York) and drawing its first loss a 60-29 final to Brecksville-Broadview Heights (of Ohio) “We learned so much from that game," Dowd said We have a joke – we have to play like Ohio even against teams we’ve played for four years.” More: Highlighting the best of the best: South Shore High School Boys XC All-Scholastic Team the Clippers have won their four league games by an average of 21.5 points and Oliver a two-time South Shore League Sullivan Division MVP is a favorite for the honor again with three double-doubles in the first six games But there’s an awareness that’s at a different level," Marani said of Oliver and Dowd "I’ve always said Reagan is a coach on the floor and Maddie’s another one I listen to them as much as they listen to me.” junior Heidi Warren and freshman Adrienne Dowd join the duo in the rotation All except the freshman Dowd were on the varsity roster from last year's tournament run which Oliver reflects on as "a humbling experience," adding "but I don’t even look at it in a negative way." "Obviously no one wants to lose in that fashion," she said it gives a lot of perspective on what we all needed to work on We all look at that game and know it’s not us “It’s definitely a constant motivator for us," Reagan Dowd agreed "I think it helps having that loss because we all want it so bad and we’re all so close that we push each other.” Oliver (19.2 points and 9.8 rebounds per game last year) and Dowd agree competing for a state championship again is their senior-season goal A month-plus of regular season play remains before tournament seeding and the Clippers' encore bid officially cues up “There are a lot of good teams in our division and we’ve just got to get ourselves so we’re as good as we can be otherwise we don’t have a chance," Marani said "The mindset from the team has been very good that way.” Dowd on Oliver's senior leadership: “Even though she’s been a captain for two years she pushes me to work hard and we go at each other at practice but she brings the team up in a really positive way.” Oliver on Dowd's senior-year improvement: “She’s always had the collectiveness but now it’s her confidence shining through and she has more confidence in her own game Oliver on her decision to stay at Norwell over leaving for a prep school: “(Prep school) It’s way more of a community than I’ve ever experienced and I wasn’t willing to give that up I know it would’ve been a given to be like ‘Oh who went to Nobles and Greenough),’ but I watched her go that route – and I’m very happy she did because she ended up (at University of Colorado) where she needs to be NORWELL — Nick Adams knows how to pick his spots Sometimes he'll defer to teammate Ronan Coffey to run the show for the Norwell High basketball team the senior captain will never back away from taking big shots Adams pocketed a pair of 3-pointers in overtime as the undefeated Clippers staved off Abington Both teams entered play in the top 4 of the Division 3 power rankings -- Norwell at No “Nicky is unselfish to a fault," Norwell coach John Willis said "Nick’s been a double-figure scorer his sophomore year but he’s capable any night of getting 30.” Adams drilled his first OT 3-pointer from the top of the key on the opening possession of the extra four-minute frame to give Norwell a 56-53 edge His second came from the left corner with 59.8 seconds to go as the Clippers asserted a commanding 63-56 lead Adams was also the primary defender on Abington swingman Kingston Maxwell who entered play averaging a South Shore League-best 22 points per game More: Block party: Brockton's Eldon Terry swats away competition for Quincy College men's hoops Adams is averaging 12.9 points per game this winter he finished in double figures in 18 of the team's 20 regular-season games as Norwell advanced to the Division 3 Elite Eight Adams scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half “I don’t feel the need to score as many points as I (could)," Adams said "I’d rather be unselfish and make the better pass for a better shot." Such a mindset unlocks the rest of his teammates who went 13-of-17 from the free throw line finished with 18 points; sophomore forward Jack Luccarelli had 17; and junior guard Keegan O'Hare had 10 The Clippers have four players averaging greater than 8 points per game on the season This was just the second time all year that Norwell played a single-digit game the other was a 58-51 win over Plymouth South on Jan Abington with an average margin of victory of 30 points Adams dubbed Monday's thriller “probably the best game we’ve played all year.” I think everyone knows that," said Abington coach Peter Serino whose team had won 10 of its last 11 games coming in We’re not satisfied with playing a close game.” Norwell had won 13 straight to open the season and the Green Wave played spoiler with a 59-56 victory on Jan 31 to deal the Clippers' their first of only two regular-season defeats This year's matchup flipped to the other side “Peter and I were talking before the game — this was a throwback to 20 years ago when Norwell and Abington played and the place was packed," Willis said One of those big shots came off the fingertips of Luccarelli who drilled his second 3-pointer of the game in overtime from the left corner big games," said Willis of the sophomore Luccarelli He can do just about anything on the floor." Coffey dropped in 6 of 8 free throws in the extra period to ice things "“Any time you have Ronan Coffey out there handling the ball For Abington, Maxwell scored a game-high 24 points, half of which came in the third quarter. Senior captain Jake McSharry scored 10 of his 14 points in the fourth and junior Tyler Staiti who less than two weeks ago tallied his 1,000th career point We didn’t come close to playing our best game Hopefully we’ll get a chance to see them again down the road.” The Norwell faithful is hoping to celebrate two wins on Friday, as both the girls and boys basketball compete in the MIAA Division 3 state championships at the Tsongas Center in Lowell The Norwell girls kick off the action at 6:15 p.m Mary's of Lynn in the first of 10 Massachusetts basketball state championships on the weekend Stick here for live updates from the boys game. Looking for the girls game? Check out here More: FOLLOW LIVE: Norwell vs. St. Mary's girls basketball MIAA Division 3 final updates Norwell's Ronan Coffey 3-pointer sends the game with overtime with a clutch shot He leads the way in overtime in an absolute thriller 20 ORR is the first and only team to play the Clippers to a one-possession game all season Old Rochester Regional 61Ronan Coffey hits both free throws Norwell's Ronan Coffey going to the free-throw line for 2 Norwell uses a timeout after struggling to get the ball inbounded Old Rochester Regional 60Ronan Coffey hits two free throws Gavin Martin finishes while drawing a foul on the other Nick Adams gets a steal to stop a fastbreak chance ORR fouls to send the Clippers to the line Gavin Martin forces his way to 2 on the other end ORR takes a timeout with Gavin Martin double-teamed Ronan Coffey scores the first four points of overtime ORR's Grady Oliveira going to the line for 2 Norwell's Charlie Williams gets an offensive rebound and he kicks it out to Ronan Coffey for the 3-pointer 34.4 SECONDS LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Old Rochester Regional 52 Norwell 51ORR takes a timeout with possession ORR currently has possession after a defensive stop Norwell's Jack Luccarelli battles for offensive rebounds and eventually draws a foul 2:55 LEFT IN THE FOURTH QUARTER: Norwell 50 Old Rochester Regional 48ORR's Gavin Martin feeds Grady Oliveira for a quick 3-pointer ORR follows it up with a turnover and timeout ORR's Gavin Martin hit a tough layup before Coffey's 3-pointer ORR's Gavin Martin puts back his own miss on one end Norwell's Jack Luccarelli converts an and-one as he crashes to the floor through traffic Nick Adams with a couple smooth drives and tough finishes for Norwell Lead changes galore to end this third quarter We should be in for a fun finish in this one 3:59 LEFT IN THE THIRD QUARTER: Old Rochester Regional 31 Norwell 30Gavin Martin drains a layup and ORR is on a 7-0 run to take their first lead of the day 4:30 LEFT IN THE THIRD QUARTER: Norwell 30 Old Rochester Regional 29ORR's Hunter Horsey drains a 3-pointer for the college line Point guards Ronan Coffey (Norwell) and Gavin Martin (ORR) have been fun to watch Ronan Coffey drains his third 3-pointer of the game and he's got 11 points for the Clippers Nick Fein (6 points) hit a pair of 3-pointers in the final minutes of the quarter to give the Clippers' a six-point edge at the break Ronan Coffey leads Norwell in scoring with 8 points and 4 assists Ronan Coffey hit a 3-pointer to stall a 9-0 ORR run A pull-up jumper by ORR's Brody Hiles spurs the timeout steal) have been at the forefront of the Clippers' stifling start defensively 4:11 LEFT IN THE FIRST QUARTER - Norwell 4 Nick Adams rejected an Old Rochester layup out of bounds on the last possession The St. Mary's girls' championship festivities have cleared The Norwell and Old Rochester boys teams have now taken the floor with 20 minutes on the clock This is Norwell's first-ever trip to the state championship ORR advanced to the state championship game last year and lost to No The Bulldogs won the state title in 2015 with a 61-47 win over Hoosac Valley 2 Clippers (24-0) entered the Division 3 state tournament following a perfect run through the 20-game regular season The program advanced to its first-ever state championship appearance with a 65-46 win over No 6 Taconic in the previous rounds to make it here No. 20 Old Rochester finished the regular season with an 11-9 record, and pulled off the upset of the bracket by taking down top-seeded St The team advanced to the state final last year and lost to No NORWELL — Is Will Bostrom at his best as a downfield blocker Norwell High sophomore quarterback Jack Luccarelli created his own answer to the multiple-choice question “This is a guy you want with you in the backfield The Luccarelli-Bostrom tandem starred at center stage yet again, as the fourth-ranked Clippers rolled to a 28-14 win over No. 5 Abington on Friday to advance to the program's first-ever Division 6 Final Four 1 Hudson (time/date/location TBD) for chance to make the Division 6 Super Bowl at Gillette Stadium “This is a first for us," said head coach John Willis whose Clippers are also the first bunch since 1999 in program history to win repeat South Shore League Sullivan Division titles Abington and Sandwich all shared it with 4-1 records in the league "From lifts in the offseason to summer practices The senior Bostrom, a recent Hamilton College commit, and Luccarelli each tallied over 100 rushing yards in Friday's win, a result that nearly (if not for a last-minute Abington TD) mirrored the Clippers' 28-7 regular-season victory over the Green Wave on Oct Luccarelli muscled in four rushing touchdowns runs in this one and Bostrom snagged the finalizing interception inside the final 10 minutes to further insure a 21-7 cushion “They work well together," Willis said of Bostrom and Luccarelli "Everyone looks at the spread offense and says everyone's going to throw the ball It’s a running offense and Jack is a running back With both of them in the backfield together Luccarelli followed Bostrom blocks on his first two touchdown runs from 43 and 29 yards out On his other two scores in the second half Luccarelli tucked it on the option and trucked in from spots deep in the red zone (1 yard Freshman kicker Connor Woodland was a perfect 4-for-4 on extra points Bostrom, the reigning South Shore League Sullivan MVP, said it was one of his most well-rounded games of the season. Last year, he rushed for over 1,400 yards and, for his Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic bio wrote in that his favorite memory of the 2023 season was a throwing a big block against East Bridgewater “He’s as good a two-way player as you want to see," Willis said of his senior lead back … We kind of nursed him last year health-wise and this year we turned him loose on defense More: MIAA quarterfinals: South Shore high school football scores and highlights More: 'We block hard for each other': Randolph football running back trio lifts team to Final 4 Bostrom leaped above the jockeying between an Abington receiver and a fellow Norwell defender to vacuum in the interception at the 40-yard line in Green Wave territory: “I’m getting comfortable back there," he said Willis said his team watched "a lot" of the film from the Oct which was a three-TD debut for Luccarelli as the sophomore was sidelined for the first three weeks of the season due to a thumb injury too," Willis said of first-year coach Ed Reilly's Abington team (7-3) They’ve gotten better and better as the year has gone on “Beating a team in football (twice) is always hard," Luccarelli said punch in the mouth (with the run game) and set the tone After being upset in the second-round by eventual champion No. 8 Fairhaven as the bracket's top seed to end last season the Clippers have now moved one round further than they did in its breakout 9-2 campaign Here comes a stage that no Norwell football team has played on before “You’re talking 25 years of not going to semis," Bostrom said It’s a special feeling knowing our hard work paid off.” “It’s been an incredible three-year journey," Willis said "We struggled a little bit that first year (4-7 in 2022) then last year we got rolling (9-2) and we graduated a lot of kids (entering this year) Credit to the players and the coaches that have worked so hard to put themselves in this situation No one deserved a state title more than John Willis No one needed a state title less to define their impact on a community than John Willis The Norwell High three-sport coach is more of a living legend with a booming voice that can be heard in the loudest of gyms “John Willis is Norwell,” said Norwell High athletic director JJ Niamkey “He means so much to the community and to the kids You don’t really have that in too many places around here.” the Norwell High boys basketball team claimed its first state title with a thrilling overtime win over Old Rochester Regional in the Division 3 final Willis’ career will never be defined by wins (there have been plenty of them) state-tournament appearances (basically every year but by the relationships he’s built with players coaches and parents across the South Shore over the decades But anyone who knows Willis knows one of those relationships is just a little more special The John Willis story cannot be told without mentioning Andrew Lawson Lawson was a Norwell native who had Down syndrome Lawson was an integral piece of the Norwell community he returned to the school as an assistant coach for Willis on the boys basketball team (and for Jack Browne on the boys soccer team) He died in 2018 at just 27 years old following a two-year battle with cancer Playing for and coaching with Willis was a key cog in how Lawson became such a massive figure in the Norwell and South Shore sports community Playing sports allowed Lawson to not only be included in the community that is something nobody with Down syndrome ever gets to do,” said Andrew’s mother Regina Lawson He gave Andrew an opportunity that most kids with Down syndrome would never get to do.” Andrew Lawson’s presence was felt throughout the state final whose time on the bench overlapped with Lawson’s wore a shirt that had Andrew Lawson’s name and No The Clippers finished the season with 25 wins and the title “The number 25 just keeps popping up,” said Regina Lawson "He is the most important player we’ve had in our program sometimes he would get upset about playing time Willis always kept a Snickers bar on hand as a peace offering who just finished his 31st season coaching basketball at Norwell was inducted into the Massachusetts Basketball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in November Regina Lawson and her husband Jim were in attendance with Willis They brought a Snickers bar to celebrate the occasion More: Biggest shot in school history: Norwell boys basketball captures first-ever title Regina and Jim Lawson were waiting outside the gym with a box of Snickers for the victors we look like groupies,’” said Regina Lawson with a laugh Willis’ most cherished basketball memory was probably not the state final triumph. That honor belongs to an unforgettable moment in Andrew Lawson’s basketball career During a 2008 state tournament game against Bellingham He made an over-the-shoulder catch on a full-court pass from classmate Bill Barrett before launching a shot from the elbow as time expired Norwell High gymnasium watched as the shot hit back iron and caromed high in the air More: New England Free Jacks honoring Hingham native with brain tumor but the Andrew Lawson shot I would say is probably (Willis') favorite moment,” said Murphy moments after Norwell’s state-title win “and having him by his side always created a joy to him.” “John gave Andrew a great experience while he was at the high school and while he was on the basketball team was all these wonderful memories,” said Regina Lawson “We have such great memories and we still talk about Andrew’s basketball experience and his teammates That allowed Andrew to get so much closer to this friends at school.”  A three-season coachWhenever a coach opening comes up at Norwell after nearly 30 years of coaching baseball took over as the softball team’s head coach It was his first experience coaching girls the softball program had struggled to consistently make the tournament the Clippers have made the state tournament in all six years a state tournament was held Norwell also has won two state tournament games the Norwell football team had an unexpected coaching search in the summer just before the season began when Mark Killinger accepted the head-coaching job at Silver Lake With two months before the first day of tryouts the school turned to Willis to accept the head coach job on an interim basis More: Stars all over the diamond: 51 South Shore baseball players to watch this season The Clippers proceeded to start 0-6 and scored just seven points in their first four games Norwell has turned a perennial contender on the gridiron “He just does it right,” said Hingham High athletic director Jim Quatromoni who used to coach against Willis when he was the boys basketball coach at Hull I don’t even know how he survives coaching three seasons with allowing to devote the time needed to coach three sports Part of that was due to a high-stress game that saw heart rates spike sophomore Charlie Williams collected a rebound in the closing seconds of regulation and kicked it out to senior captain Ronan Coffey Coffey drained the tying 3-pointer to extend the Clippers’ season “I think (Willis) thinks of (Andrew Lawson) as this little angel on his shoulder that we all turn to and go we need a little help now,’” said Regina Lawson Coffey scored eight of Norwell’s 10 points to secure the program’s first state championship despite many deep tournament runs over the years “It’s really special,” said sophomore Jack Luccarelli who spent the fall quarterbacking the football team He’s one of the … he’s the best coach in the state As the team posed for a picture with the state trophy “The kids really look forward to play high school basketball for him,” said Murphy “To finally have the culmination of this moment I think the whole community has been rallying around it Willis had the weekend to celebrate the championship but two days later marked the start of softball tryouts “It doesn’t define a career,” said Willis of the crowning achievement you coach to work with kids and hopefully create great memories for kids it wouldn’t have lessened my career or anything like that A .boston.gov website belongs to an official government organization in the City of Boston we're converting four vacant lots at the corner of Norwell Street and Park Street to become Dorchester’s newest park The Community Preservation Act provides the funding for this project Take the survey There are no related events available at this time Project team presented conceptual designs and the community provided feedback Project team presented final design and community provided feedback Stick here for live updates from the girls game. Looking for the boys game? Check out here More: LIVE UPDATES: Norwell vs. Old Rochester boys basketball MIAA state championship Bella Owumi blocks a Norwell layup in the waning moments The Spartans win their third title in the last four years Adrienne Dowd scores a layup and coach Matt Marani calls a timeout to scheme the Clippers' full-court defense The Clippers have possession on their end of the court Adrienne Dowd grabs the offensive rebound and scores a layup Norwell 33Bella Owumi and Maddie Oliver trade buckets Mary's still leading after a couple empty possessions A 3-pointer from Lily Norton has the Spartans up 7 The Clippers are within striking distance heading into the fourth quarter Bella Owumi temporarily exited the game after a collision Spartans take a timeout to preserve possession Adrienne Dowd gets a tough offensive rebound and Maddie Oliver follows with a floater Oliver is starting to heat up and momentum has swung a little bit here The Clippers are trailing by 8 as we start the second half Bella Owumi having a big impact on the game so far with 14 points Norwell 12Bella Owumi up to 11 points so far Norwell freshman Adrienne Dowd (4 points) giving Norwell some good minutes off the bench Starting lineups have been introduced and the ball has tipped off Mary's (Lynn) and Norwell are underway in the Division 3 state final About 15 minutes until the 6 p.m. tip and the Norwell girls are running layup lines. The Norwell boys will also be playing in the Div. 3 state final. Tip off against Old Rochester Regional is set for 8 p.m. in that one. Find those live updates right here 3 state final last season and fell to Foxboro That was the Clippers second state-final appearance Friday marks the Spartans' eighth trip to a state final Mary's won consecutive state titles in 2022 and 2023 Mary's went 19-3 during the regular season 3 Norwell went 19-1 during the regular season NORWELL – Police say reports of an active shooter that sent police swarming two different locations in Norwell on Wednesday were both "unfounded." Norwell police received reports of a potential active shooter at 120 Longwater Drive just before 1:45 p.m A person inside the building reported a message had started playing over the building’s intercom system that there was an active shooting in the building Employees inside reported to police that there were no sounds of an active shooter in the building and that they did not see anyone in or outside of the building that they believed was an active shooter Officers who responded searched the building and the surrounding area and did not locate a shooter it is suspected that an employee accidentally selected the code silver alert in the preprogrammed system that alerted the building and Police Department of an active shooter," the Norwell Police Department said in a statement police received a call reporting an active shooter in the area of 104 Longwater Drive who was aware of the incident at 120 Longwater Drive reported hearing “loud bangs” in the area The building was immediately locked down and officers who responded search the area but did not find a shooter All of the schools in the area were notified and placed in lock down as a precaution Both incidents are currently under investigation Many people like to read historical fiction But how might they feel about being part of the plot The locally written play, which is described as interactive, focuses on the start of the American Revolution 250 years ago. Some playgoers may decide to help recreate how local residents reacted on the South Shore after news arrived that the first shots had been fired in Lexington and Concord Admission is free but the seating is limited Communities across Greater Boston are marking the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution. More: How many Revolutionary War battles happened in MA? Here's the 9 battles to know about The historical societies in Norwell and Scituate have organized a fictional play about how some people in Scituate, Norwell and other towns on the South Shore responded to news of the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19 "Old Scituate Reacts: Patriots Day 1775," will be presented twice Monday: at 11 a.m The play was written by Wendy Bawabe, president of the Norwell Historical Society, and is based on historical research by Jim Glinski author and member of the Scituate Historical Society The play presents a fictional town meeting And audience participation will also be encouraged The actors have been rehearing for the past month and a half with the final rehearsal Saturday afternoon Bawabe's script is based on actual historic events that took place in Old Scituate Glinski is the author of "Tale of Two Towns: Scituate and Marshfield During the American Revolution." The book includes the diary of 24-year-old Sgt Israel Litchfield and official documents of both the Patriot and British governments Bawabe did part of her research at the records of the Massachusetts Historical Commission where she studied the diary or journal entries of Litchfield Playgoers will sit in the pews in each of the two parishes The playbill states: "We encourage you to review the card you received consider the position of your assigned character and be prepared to participate in this lively (and interactive) Town Meeting." is a freshman at Thayer Academy in Braintree One of the historical characters is the Rev David Barnes of Second Parish of Scituate (today's First Parish of Norwell) who is hoping the assembly with proceed smoothly despite rumors of local Old Scituate Tories who will be in attendance who will address the meeting and update the townsfolk on current events Some of the pressing issues: Have more Tories been stationed in Marshfield Does the port of Boston remain closed to all commercial traffic When will King George restore the citizens' rights The event is included on Revolution 250's website listing of events across the Greater Boston region The historical fiction event is being sponsored by the Cheever Tavern in Norwell Center WEYMOUTH -- Norwell High soccer won't get its usual double shot of state-championship celebrations this year But the Clippers boys team is still on track for a repeat thanks to some penalty-shootout heroics from goalkeeper Nolan McKenna it's because the senior has come through in these 1-on-1 Just last season McKenna made the penalty save that set up Joshua Kue's walk-off winner in last year's Division 3 state final against Pembroke making a pair of stops in a semifinal shootout as Norwell advanced past Dighton-Rehoboth after the teams had played to a 1-1 draw through 80 minutes of regulation and a pair of 10-minute overtime periods to be honest," McKenna said of his latest star turn I had a little smile on my face (when Tuesday's shootout started) You could say the same about Norwell overall. The ninth-seeded Clippers (20-1-2) will square off against No. 2 Dover-Sherborn (17-3-2) in Friday's Div. 3 state final (4:45 p.m Norwell will be aiming for its second straight crown and a third in four years The Clippers beat Belchertown on penalties in the 2021 title game "It would be an absolute honor" to win again who gave Norwell a 1-0 lead midway through the first half "We've been here before and we know what to do I have no doubt that this team can take another one home." More: 'It's our turn': Hull girls soccer team's best season ever extends into Division 5 final The girls had a chance to join the boys again by winning the opening game of Tuesday's semifinal doubleheader at Weymouth High but the top-seeded Clippers were upset by No "We didn't play to our potential today," said first-year Norwell girls coach Rob Williams I didn't feel like we went at it the way we usually play We kind of fell for a bit of a long-ball game you could see we were deflated," Williams said "Even though the last 10 minutes we pressed and pressed "They had a really good season," McKenna said about the girls not joining the boys this time in the state final "You can't put your head down (about that loss)." The Norwell boys now have won 18 straight games after a 0-0 tie with Dover-Sherborn (the Clippers' opponent in the state final) way back on Sept "This is some of the best soccer we've ever played," McKenna raved Norwell had battered Seekonk and Weston in consecutive 5-0 wins to kick off its playoff run The Clippers had to sweat out a 1-0 quarterfinal victory over Pope Francis (courtesy of a Bret Amorosino goal) and then found themselves in a rock fight with No which rallied to force OT on Jonathan Franco's goal with just under 19 minutes left in regulation He made saves in the second and fifth round of the shootout McKenna ended it by diving to his left to deny D-R's Dario Conceicao meaning the Clippers didn't have to take their final attempt "He is such a luxury," Norwell coach Michael O'Dea said of McKenna whose footwork allows the Clippers to play out of the back "I think that's the best way to put it because not a lot of teams have the kind of guy back there who has everything in his tool belt — the ability to stop a shot to come up and claim a high ball and just kickstart every attack (with his distribution) "He has two assists this year and that's kind of unheard of (for a goalie) I'm going to miss Nolan next year when we don't have him but I know he's going to be doing great things at the next level "I'm just so confident in Nolan," Blake agreed "He's a great player and he knows what to do Picklers on the South Shore will now have a place to get their fill of dink shots and lobs at a new indoor pickleball facility The 10-court space is located at 77 Accord Park Drive food and games as well as a pro exhibition The game of pickleball involves two or four players on a downsized tennis court The sport has grown in popularity and has had a U.S Boston Pickle Club opened its first Hyde Park location in April The facility is open to the public and offers memberships for preferred court booking The Norwell location has a locker room with showers a performance training area and a shop to buy drinks and snacks The hours of operation are seven days a week from 6 a.m Hannah Morse covers growth and development for The Patriot Ledger. Contact her at hmorse@patriotledger.com Ozzy Trapilo is bound for the NFL The 23-year-old Boston College offensive tackle, of Norwell, was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 56th pick in the second round of the NFL Draft on Saturday Trapilo, who starred at BC High in high school, stands 6-foot-8 and 316 pounds. As a graduate senior this past season for the Eagles he started 12 games at right tackle and received first-team All-ACC honors Trapilo made 36 starts in his collegiate career: 10 at left tackle in 2022 and 24 at right tackle in the past two seasons Trapilo was named the ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after the Eagles tallied 420 yards against North Carolina his arms measured in at 33 inches and his hands measured in at 10⅜ NFL.com wrote this about Trapilo: "Trapilo could operate as a swing tackle early on but his potential in pass protection gives him a good chance to become a starter." Pro Football Focus wrote that Trapilo could be a steal "The Boston College product performed well on true pass sets last year which may be an indication that he can outperform his likely mid-round draft slot." (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccurate headline.) There are no statistics available for this player Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here NORWELL – As communities in Massachusetts make final plans for the 250th anniversary of the start of the American Revolution "Old Scituate's" contingent is ahead of the game local historians in the towns of Scituate and Norwell The historical societies are organizing a fictional play about how some people in Scituate, Norwell and other towns on the South Shore responded to news of the battles of Lexington and Concord on April 19 "Old Scituate Reacts: Patriots Day 1775," will be presented twice on this year's Patriots' Day holiday April 21 – once in each of the first parish churches in Norwell and Scituate The play presents a fictional town meeting in a Scituate meetinghouse in the days right after news of the battles in Lexington and Concord reached the South Shore the participation of playgoers will also be encouraged More: Filmmaker Ken Burns to share early look at his new documentary in Lexington and Concord The script is based on actual historic events that took place in Old Scituate (today’s Norwell and Scituate) on and around April 19 It was written by Wendy Bawabe, president of the Norwell Historical Society, and is based on historical research by Jim Glinski Sgt. Israel Litchfield kept a very important diaryGlinski is the author of Tale of Two Towns: Scituate and Marshfield During the American Revolution. The book includes the diary of 24-year-old Sgt where she studied the diary or journal entries of Litchfield of Old Scituate imagining the mindset of residents in Scituate which was held shortly after the Lexington and Concord events of April 19 The play will be performed twice on April 21 at The First Parish Church of Norwell at 24 River St at The First Parish Church at 330 First Parish Road in Scituate a post rider will abruptly enter and bring updated news of the battles with the British up in Lexington and Concord The play has a narrator who begins with words Bawabe believes are relevant to today: "We all remember learning about the American Revolution in history class "Those lessons often portrayed every colonist as a revolutionary – forgetting that women were worried about their men going to war and leaving their farms untended that Blacks wrestled with the definition of Colonial 'freedom' and what it might mean for them and that many people questioned the soundness of treason – even against a hated king there were varied political views … including one of the most popular ones that still persists today: 'Don’t talk politics around the dinner table!' ” Bawabe focused on stories of what was happening in local hometowns "We in Old Scituate (today’s Scituate and Norwell) are fortunate to have a primary source for local knowledge – the diary of 24-year-old Sgt The play recreates some key South Shore figures from the time the colonists were asking for the restoration of their rights as citizens of the British Empire and not necessarily seeking independence fromBritain "One third of our congregation was pro-Crown one-third was leaning towards revolution and one-third just wanted to not talk about politics around the dinner table." was to have King George III repeal the Intolerable Acts of 1774 which greatly angered the majority of the town The play's director is a Thayer Academy studentThe play's director The first dress rehearsal will be Wednesday evening by Zoom Glinski's research has shown that for all but one year of the American Revolution more men from Scituate signed up to serve in the field than from any other towns in Massachusetts outside of Boston the Hingham militia will stage a celebratory musket salute in honor of the 212 Scituate soldiers who responded to the start of the revolution in April 1775 In program notes to be handed out to members of the audience Bawabe has stated: "Were women or Black men allowed to speak at a Town Meeting in 1775 But this fictional play strives to represent the viewpoints of the entire population of Old Scituate at the time: men and women “Reading these documents provides a sense of awe at the enormous hardships and courage of the soldiers and sailors of the Revolutionary War The letters and journals have one common thread: their belief in God "We of Old Scituate should be proud to know that 212 Scituate men immediately responded to the Lexington Alarm on April 19 "And this trend continued throughout the Revolutionary War – 80 percent of Scituate men between the ages of 16 and 60 performed military service "And this number does not include the women of our town who not only took over the duties previously performed by their men but also produced 125 coats for the militia in their spare time!" Reach Sue Scheible at sscheible@patriotledger.com (This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.) WORCESTER — The Norwell High boys basketball team had a tall task in Tuesday’s Division 3 semifinal against Taconic at Worcester North which were led by the post tandem of 6-7 Kyle McGrath and 6-5 Martin Boua Norwell’s season ended with an overtime heartbreaker at Taconic in the Elite Eight last season Senior captain Oliver Rice and sophomore Charlie Williams rose to the task to advance to the state championship this weekend at Tsongas Center 20 Old Rochester Regional (15-9) on Friday at 8 p.m but he finished with 6 points and 3 rebounds The turning point of Tuesday’s game came when Rice drew an over-the-back foul on McGrath That forced the Taconic star to be sidelined for the next few minutes as Norwell extended a nine-point lead (42-33) late in the third quarter to 14 (47-33) by the end of the frame “We didn’t let them push us around,” said Rice “I think we pushed them around a little bit McGrath, who came in averaging 19.8 points per game according to MassLive Boua finished with 12 points and 16 rebounds but struggled from the free-throw line (4 of 10) Rice also contributed a three-point play to push Norwell’s lead to 47-33 late in the third quarter the Clippers’ biggest advantage to that point “He’s a great kid,” said Norwell coach John Willis "You’re not going to meet a nicer kid than Ollie Ollie accepts his role and Ollie’s been getting more and more playing time as time has gone by “He brings comfort,” said Williams of playing with Rice “Knowing that we can rely on someone like that to contribute in such a big way Along with battling Taconic’s two bigs in the post Williams drained three first-half 3-pointers and finished with 11 points He hit three big 3s at the beginning of the game and got some momentum going he’s a very skilled individual basketball player and he will contribute a lot this year and the next two years."  More: Welcome back: Norwell girls basketball gets redemption on Foxboro, makes D-3 final again “Charlie Williams is going to be a great player,” said Willis he’s going to be one of the better players here Norwell’s signature depth was on display in the win Senior captain Ronan Coffey finished with a game-high 18 points Sophomore Jack Lucarelli had 8 points and was key in limiting McGrath and Boua Nick Fein (7 points) and Keegan O’Hare (6 points) chipped in off the bench More: Vote for the Chick-fil-A Hanover High School Boys Basketball Player of the Week The Norwell boys will join the girls at Tsongas Neither Norwell team has lost to an in-state opponent this winter Will Bostrom) have been playing basketball together forever,” said Rice “It’s great to come out here and all work hard together We knew we weren’t to going to lose this because we’re a whole bunch of dogs and we don’t want to lose NORWELL — At this time last year, the Norwell High football team was one of the South Shore's sleeping giants Although outside expectations for the Clippers were tempered after a 4-7 season in 2022, head coach John Willis saw a senior-led breakthrough coming last fall in the form of a five-win improvement and a South Shore League Sullivan Division crown We’re not going to catch anyone by surprise," Willis said we knew (about last year’s 9-2 season) going into it This is an even bigger year because we have to replace those (20 seniors) … There are a lot of really good programs that do it year-in and year-out The reigning South Shore League Sullivan Division MVP will lead the charge Will Bostrom is set to return for his senior season after standout campaigns in football (over 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns) and basketball last year who enters his third season as the head coach called him "one of those ‘once in every 20 years’ players.” This is my 36th year (overall) coaching at Norwell and Will is as good of an athlete as we’ve ever had "There’s nothing he can’t do on the field and nothing he can’t do on the court.” “He’s an absolute dog, really," sophomore quarterback Jack Luccarelli raved of his running back Bostrom credited the Clippers' offensive line which has blocked for him since the second grade Carter Rae and Connor Cronk were quality veterans that graduated from the unit at the end of last year but junior league All-Star Dante Tordiglione senior Brian Schindler and senior Ryan Daly are names to know on this year's line The sophomore took over the QB1 gig early in his freshman season following an injury to Day 1 starter Colin McCarthy and was named to our All-Scholastics list as an honorable mention by the end Once primarily known for his mobility and escapability Willis applauded his young quarterback's improving intermediate passing and pocket presence Both of which were on display in the team's 7-on-7 clinics this offseason “Confidence is up after we had a successful year last year as a team "But I also feel more comfortable in different scenarios.” senior Ethan Bostrom (twin brother of Will) junior Matt Penttila and junior Teddy Glynn will be among Luccarelli's top receiving targets He doesn’t look like a sophomore," Willis said 2023 rewindNorwell was one of the South Shore's most improved teams last fall the senior-heavy Clippers earned key victories over Abington (27-7 win) Middleboro (34-13 win) and Sandwich (33-6 win) last season to finish with a 9-2 record and the South Shore League Sullivan Division title 1 seed in the Division 6 bracket and lost to the eventual champion More: 'We understand our potential': Weymouth football aims high after standout '23 season More: Find all South Shore, Brockton-area high school football coverage right here senior running back/linebacker: Bostrom was named South Shore League Sullivan Division MVP last year He rushed for over 1,400 yards and 12 touchdowns as the Clippers won the Sullivan Division title Jack Luccarelli, sophomore quarterback: Luccarelli was named a Patriot Ledger All-Scholastic honorable mention He took over the QB1 job midseason last fall and now enters his second year as the starter is one of the Clippers' mainstays in the trenches after graduation claimed veterans Carter Rae and Connor Cronk in the offseason Tordiglione on Bostrom: “I’ve been blocking for him since youth Our whole line has been blocking for him since second grade He just knows when to cut and what we’re going to do Willis on what makes Bostrom an effective running back: “I wish I had the answer he keeps going up and other people are coming down." Bostrom on winning the MVP last year: “It was a great feeling Seeing all the great players in our league Maddie Reif was once the youngster among a crowded carpool of older, more experienced swimmers and divers from Norwell she'd often look around the car and idolize others' success She was a lifelong swimmer who was tempted by the prospect of crossing over to gymnastics is far removed from being that impressionable newcomer she has become the school's standard in the sport Reif set school records in the 6- (315.45) and 11-dive (521.40) categories at the Durfee Dive Invitational in Fall River as a sophomore she bested her 11-dive mark by a staggering 50 points (571) “She’ll be the one to chase for a very long time," said head coach Julie Fox Reif's sophomore numbers last year broke Grace Magee's 6-dive record of 308.85 from 2019 and Jessie Westergard's 11-dive record of 502.6 from 2013 Reif won the South Shore League Diving Championship for the third time in her career at Sandwich High last week I’m just working on self-improvement and trying to beat my own self," Reif said Norwell diving coach Chris Benisch called that a "very mature switch." Benisch who has coached diving at several South Shore high schools over the past 18 years has instructed Reif since her earliest days in the sport at age 11 you’re not diving your own meet," Benisch said Sometimes her perfectionism would hinder her from trying new things because she’d rather do what she did really well She has overcome that in the last two or three years.” "Her dives are getting more and more difficult," Fox said Once you get to that deeper (degree of difficulty) — 2.4 2.5 — you’re seeing yourself far from the pack Benisch was the one who revealed to Reif that she had broken two records at Durfee last year More: A galaxy of stars: Wrapping up our Ledger/Enterprise fall 2024 All-Scholastic teams She normally records the team's every meet “I just watched every single dive," said Lizabeth Reif ‘I should’ve been filming this one.’ But I saw it live A career of highlightsReif is a reigning All-Scholastic selection she was crowned a champion at South Sectionals before placing fourth at Division 2 states Reif has gone undefeated at dual meets over the past two seasons she placed fourth at South Sectionals and fifth at Division 2 states “It was always pretty evident that she was going to be pretty good but then there was a point two years ago where all of a sudden she started A) competing and B) suddenly beating (others)," Reif's father "When she started to really see it herself confidence came in and it became a bit of a springboard.” “It was so exciting to watch how she attacks the dive takes the feedback and put that feedback back into a change almost instantly," Fox said “Her tenacity is like nobody’s business," Lizabeth Reif said Reif was named a captain of both the swimming and diving teams as a sophomore She competes in the 200 medley relay and the 400 free relay for the swim team has a hold on her heart: “I just love my sport," Reif said She now has her own spot in Norwell High history, just like her aunt Jessie Weber who is a basketball Hall-of-Famer at the school “I knew if she stuck with it when she was 11 years old that she was going to be something great," Benisch said “She always has a smile on her face," Fox said WORCESTER -- Gavin Blake gave all that he had left in the proverbial gas tank. So, too, did his Norwell High boys soccer teammates With Blake, their leading scorer, limited to a brief second-half cameo due to a foot injury, the Clippers could not muster much offense on Friday night and lost, 2-0, to Dover-Sherborn in the Division 3 state final at Worcester State University Second-seeded Dover-Sherborn (18-3-2) claimed its third crown all time Blake made only the briefest of appearances subbed in -- and quickly taken off -- between Dover-Sherborn's two second-half goals which came almost exactly four minutes apart He's tough kid," Norwell coach Michael O'Dea said of Blake a 5-9 senior forward who led the Clippers with 13 goals this season He wanted to give it 5 minutes just to see what he had I commend him for having that bravery and that kind of mindset It's unfortunate it didn't work out and his story ended the way it did But what he gave us all year long to help us get to this point was so crucial I thought the guys that stepped up in his stead battled valiantly and had a great game We just came up a little bit short today." More: MIAA high school boys, girls soccer state semifinals scoreboard Junior forward Bret Amorosino started in Blake's place and had Norwell's best scoring chance when he shook loose down the left wing with 12 minutes left in the first half Amorosino fired just wide of the far post in a 1v1 battle with D-S goalie Patrick Driscoll and the Clippers didn't really threaten much after that even though they had a lot of possession in the offensive half of the field the rain started spitting at us as soon as we kicked off but I thought we created enough opportunities in dangerous areas to (convert) a bounce there and if you don't take your chances this is where you are It just didn't come off when we wanted it to Blake could only watch glumly as the Clippers' season slipped away. He was injured in Norwell's semifinal win over Dighton-Rehoboth on Tuesday. He scored in regulation and, after being forced out of the game late, he returned to convert his attempt in the penalty shootout, which Norwell won after playing to a 1-1 tie through overtime "It turns out that I broke something in my foot" in that game It was really tough to watch my team play their last game without me being able to do anything about it But I know they fought their hearts out and did everything they could D-S opened the scoring with 27:25 left when Wesley Bunn headed in a cross from Winston Bunn who was wiped out on a slide tackle by Norwell's Noal Simmons just after he released the ball and Wesley Bunn nodded the ball inside the right post and Martin made it 2-0 soon after when he curled in a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box "I just hit it around the wall," said Martin Asked what he liked about this Norwell team Every day at practice they're there for each other This is a culture of excellence and a culture of togetherness you guys will always have this -- this team The Clippers will graduate an 18-player senior class headlined by goalkeeper Nolan McKenna and the likes of Ronan Coffey "Some of these kids are my best friends," said Gavin Blake "We've been so bonded over the past years together We love each other so much and would do anything for each other but it's also a beautiful sadness that we got to have this opportunity to be together for all these years and be such a good team and such a dominant team."