Kendall Hersey of Essex Tech and Sarah Sirois of Lynn Classical both had successful seasons in their respective sports. But for one, the the hits have just kept on coming while for the other, the unforeseen played a big part in how things ended up.
Still, they have one thing in common: They are the Moynihan Lumber Student Athletes of the Month for January.
Sirois, a senior diver, set a City of Lynn record last month at the citywide meet with a score of 294, and finished fifth out of 32 divers in the state championship meet.
“I feel very honored to win this award,” said Sirois. “It shows that I work hard in school and in diving.”
She’s used to the rigors of sports and academics from her years as a gymnast.
“It was back then that I learned how to balance school and sports. I was used to it,” she said.
“In back-to-back seasons Sarah has finished the regular dual meet season undefeated among some great competition,” Classical coach Denise Silva said. “She has also placed first in both of the Northeastern Conference regular-season diving meets.”
Sirois, a two-year captain, also swims the breastroke, freestyle, and is a member of the 200 medley relay team. She qualified in diving for the sectionals and states, “which is quite an awesome accomplishment,” said Silva.
For the past three years, Sirois has received the Diver of the Year award and the Don McKenney Diving Award (citywide).
“These accolades are only possible due to her unmatched work ethic and constant drive to improve,” Silva said.
Sirois is a high honors student and maintains a 4.40 GPA at Classical and is ranked sixth out of 362 in her class. She has been accepted to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, where she will continue to dive.
In her free time Sirois also enjoys competitive crossfit and gymnastics.
Hersey has always made it a practice, when he’s taken the the basketball court, to “play every game as if it’s my last.”
He understands a little better now how much that means.
Hersey, a junior, was playing in a game against Presentation of Mary Academy of Methuen early in February when he came down from getting a rebound and landed on an opposing player’s foot. The player then fell on top of Hersey’s ankle, badly spraining it, and ending his season.
“It was right before the game at Lynn Tech that was going to determine who the (Commonwealth Conference) champion was,” said Hersey. “I tried to play but I couldn’t.”
He finished out the season on the sidelines, in street clothes. He hopes to be back in action in time for the start of spring track and AAU basketball.
Still, it was in January that Hersey made his mark for the Hawks. He averaged 21.2 points per game, tops on the North Shore, during the month, as well as 7.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists (also No. 1 in the area).
During the month, Essex Tech had a 7-3 record and entered that Feb. 2 game against Lynn Tech tied for the league lead. Lynn won the game as Hersey could merely watch.
In the classroom, Hersey made the high honor roll in the first trimester and was well on his way toward achieving that distinction again for the second..
“Obviously,” he said, “academics come first. I make sure I have all my work done in time for practice, and then I want to go all-out like it’s the last game I’ll ever play.”
He says while there are sacrifices involved in being a student-athlete, “I still have a good time hanging out with my family and my friends.”
