SAUGUS — A Saugus High basketball record that had stood since 1966 was broken Thursday night.
Senior guard Peyton DiBiasio became the school’s all-time leading scorer (boys and girls) with point No. 1,611. She surpassed Alex Winn’s previous mark of 1,610.
Entering Thursday’s clash against Winthrop — a 38-31 win for the Vikings — DiBiasio needed 17 points to break the record and did exactly that.
With 1:49 remaining in regulation, DiBiasio drove to her right and came off a screen set by teammate Shawn Sewell. DiBiasio rose up and buried a 3-pointer to break the record.
“When I played in high school, Peyton used to come to the games, sit on the bench, and watch our games,” said first-year Saugus coach Taylor Bogdanski, a former Sachem. “To be a part of her biggest achievement — one of the biggest achievements in this school’s athletic history — is honestly the best feeling. It shows her that she can accomplish anything that she puts her mind to, but also to these younger girls watching her and seeing that it’s possible that they can do what they want. She’s not only an inspiration to our team and to us as coaches, but to everyone that was here to watch her.”
After the game, Saugus Athletic Director Matt Serino spoke about the milestone.
“Peyton’s success reflects not only her talent and work ethic, but the countless hours of hard work, dedication, and commitment put in behind the scenes,” he said.
Both Bogdanski and Serino spoke about DiBiasio’s leadership, as her impact goes beyond the record books.
“She was a leader then and even now, we have a younger group, so I rely on her a lot because a coach’s voice gets old. I rely on her to communicate with the younger girls and they’re so receptive to her,” Bogdanski said. “She’s receptive to a new coach and to a new coaching staff. She’s got everything you’d want from a leader.”
“What makes this achievement especially meaningful is the impact it has beyond the scoreboard,” Serino said. “Peyton has become a role model for our community and for the young girls in our youth program who watch her, cheer for her, and dream of one day standing on the same court as her. She shows them what is possible through dedication, teamwork, and love for the game.”
Although a joyous night, surrounded by family members and friends, DiBiasio unfortunately had to leave the game with 29.5 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter due to a head injury.
Winthrop played spoiler and escaped victorious.
“The whole second half, our defense stepped up. To hold them to 31 (points) when they had 21 at half was good,” said Winthrop coach Anthony Hatzisavas. “We talked at halftime. We need to do this as a team. Whether you’re on the bench or on the court, we needed to bring energy.”
Winthrop’s Poli Tsiotis scored (game-high) 21 points.
“We called her number out of the half — to get her the ball in the corner. The kid has more confidence than anyone I know,” Hatzisavas said. “She’s the last one in the gym every practice. She works really hard. I have full trust in her and she’s one of the best shooters in the (Northeastern) conference, in my opinion.”
Katie Hashem scored seven points and played strong defense for the Sachems.
“Katie’s a quiet one. She’s been playing really well recently. She and Peyton play so well together and bounce off each other,” Bogdanski said. “I think Peyton is an inspiration to these younger players who are trying to make a name for themselves and Katie has done just that. If it’s not Peyton, it’s Katie. She made great defensive plays, she guards the taller girls on the other team, and she works so hard.”
Saugus travels to Danvers Monday at 6:30 p.m., while Winthrop hosts Essex Tech Saturday at 12:30 p.m.
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo
Photo: Spenser Hasak | Purchase this photo