Two weeks into the fall sports season, student-athletes across all sports have been, well, doing their thing – some expected, others not so much. That said, let’s take a look at some standouts after two weeks of action.
Victoria Quagrello – Swampscott girls soccer
Swampscott’s girls soccer team is off to a hot start, and so is Victoria Quagrello. She has scored in all three games for the Big Blue, including two in a showdown against Bedford.
Against Gloucester on Wednesday, she tucked one off a beautiful pass from Jesse Ford near the net. When asked about Quagrello after the game, first-year coach Jaymie Caponigro said she has “put herself in opportunities in front of the goal and she’s been able to capitalize on them.”
Kaya Jackson – St. Mary’s boys soccer
Talk about starting fast – literally and figuratively. In St. Mary’s opening game against Lynn Classical (city tournament), Kaya Jackson netted a hat trick to advance to the finals against Lynn Tech. There, he scored on a direct-kick goal – passionate celebration included – for the game’s lone goal.
Despite a quiet outing against Danvers on Friday, Jackson and the Spartans (3-0) return Wednesday at Bishop Fenwick (3:30 p.m.).
Morenel Castro – KIPP football
A big-play star at its finest, Morenel Castro has made his presence felt through two weeks – both in KIPP’s tie against St. Mary’s in week 1, and victory against Boston Latin Friday.
Against the Spartans, Castro must have been excited to play football again, scoring a 41-yard touchdown in the first quarter. As for the Boston Latin game, he had three carries for 105 yards, as well as five catches for 58.
Marrietta O’Connell – Marblehead cross country
She sure is fast. In two cross country meets for the girls of Marblehead, Marrietta O’Connell finished first in both of them. She dominated against Salem in meet number one, and against Beverly, took first in a lightning-fast time of 19:40 – just 15 seconds off the course record set by a Beverly runner in 2019.
Let’s see what she does in Swampscott on Wednesday at 4 p.m.
Abby Bettencourt – Peabody volleyball
In case you didn’t know, Abby Bettencourt is quite the athlete. In volleyball, it’s no different – just look at last Thursday at Fenwick High.
She went home with 24 assists, 14 kills, and an ace. Her coach, Lisa Keene, said Bettencourt is “super intelligent and super composed” on the hardwood, also crediting her leadership to go with her skillset.
Luke Connolly – Bishop Fenwick football
No matter the sport, consistency is key. In week 1 against Marblehead, Fenwick’s Luke Connolly showed up. That was never more apparent than when he tossed a beautiful 18-yard touchdown pass to Odin Garron in the third quarter.
The next week, he made that look like it was nothing, racking up three touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 receiving). He rushed twice for 87 yards, and caught one ball for 70 yards.
