Roundup: Charlestown knocks off unbeaten St. John’s

The state’s top ranked boys basketball team won’t go through the regular season undefeated. Charlestown made sure of that fact on Saturday as the Townies used a devastating 15-1 fourth quarter run to upset St. John’s, 72-56.”Charlestown is a very talented team and they certainly were better than us (Saturday),” Eagles coach Sean Connolly said.Pat Connaughton had 29 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Prep, which had no answer for the duo of Akosa Maduegbunam and Rony Fernandes, who combined to score 47 of the Townies 72 points.Steve Haladyna was the only other Eagle to finish in double digits with 12 points.SWIMMINGAustin Prep 87, Fenwick 81At Beverly YMCA, the Crusaders (3-4) had a pair of double winners in Katie Schmeck, who took the 100 backstroke (1:07.31) and 200 IM (2:29.28) and Jimmy Gauthier, winner of the 50 (26.56) and 100 (1:00.63) freestyle.Brandon McCauley won the 100 breaststroke (1:16.87) and the 200 medley relay of McCauley, Schmeck, Gauthier and Bridgette Townsend were first.BOYS TRACKState Coaches InvitationalSeveral local schools had standout performances on Sunday, led by a second place by St. John’s Prep’s Ben Halpin in the two-mile (9:28.30). Peabody’s Nick Christensen was fourth (9:40.08).Zach Grube of Peabody was fifth in the high jump while Swampscott’s Oliver Narcisse was sixth in the 55 dash (6.7). Fenwick’s Zach Nardone was sixth in the shot put (50-1 1/4) while Lynnfield’s Steve Knox placed seventh (49-6).The Prep also got a fifth place from Mike Galasso in the 600 (1:23.81) and a seventh by Bryan Browne in the 300 (36.44).GIRLS TRACKState Coaches InvitationalPeabody’s Catarina Rocha led the local contengent on Saturday with a second place in the mile (5:08.14). Classical’s Hulerie McGuffie was 12th in the 300 (42.12) and Fenwick’s Tina Moran was eighth in the shotput (34-4 1/2). Beverly’s 4 x 800 relay of Wendi Marciano, Alison Collins, Nicole Demars and Jessica Gomes finished eighth (10:06.9).Marblehead’s Lily Cummings placed 14th in the high jump (5-0).