By KEN HAMWEY

Staff Sports Writer

The 2022-23 school year for Holliston High School sports was positive on many fronts, especially in terms of Covid 19, which finally is in the rear-view mirror of coaches, players and the athletic director.

The three seasons produced seven championships, a major increase in student-athlete participation, five new varsity coaches, a new trainer and a refurbished field that’s enabled the baseball squad to play its home games in town for the second consecutive year.

Athletic Director Matt Baker, who at 44 will be starting his ninth year at the helm in September, sees a bright future ahead for the Panthers’ teams.

“We were in post-Covid mode during the 2022-23 school year,’’ he said. “It was a return to normalcy because there were no restrictions. Moving forward, we should be in the running for Tri Valley League titles. Our participation numbers are up and although some outstanding student-athletes have graduated, there’s a new group that should enable us to sustain success.’’

Baker offered Local Town Pages his views on a variety of athletic topics in what has become his annual year in review.  

*CHAMPIONSHIPS — The Panthers’ girls cross-country team won a state title and a TVL crown, the boys swimming and diving squad, which co-opts with Medway, captured its second straight TVL title, and the football team, which finished 10-2, claimed the TVL Large Division crown before it was eliminated in the state semifinals by Duxbury. The Panthers added three more crowns when baseball, softball and gymnastics teams all won TVL championships.

*PARTICIPATION — “Coming out of Covid-19 played a role in the increases we had in student participation,’’ Baker offered. “Seventy percent of our enrollment (801) competed in one sport and 60 percent of our enrollment were two-sport athletes. Outdoor track had a huge turnout — 110 boys and girls competing.’’

COACHES — Five new coaches joined the staff. They included Bob Scumaci (girls volleyball), Chris Vanesian (boys basketball), Alex Strum (wrestling), Jefferson Wood (ultimate frisbee) and Nicole Downin (boys outdoor track).

FACILITIES — Baker was effusive in his comments about the restoration of the baseball field. “Recreation Director Mark Frank; Brian McDonald, who’s president of youth baseball and softball and a member of the Park Commission; DPW Director Rob Walker; and the school administration all pushed for the upgrades,’’ he emphasized. “A new grounds crew did a great job. We’ve now had two straight years where all of our home baseball games were played in town.’’

ATHLETIC TRAINER — Whitney Howe, who previously worked at Milford for the last five years, was hired at the start of the school year. “She had lots of experience and she hit the ground running,’’ Baker said. “She’s a great fit with our coaches and athletes.’’

FALL SEASON — The Panthers wasted very little time in making a positive impression. The girls cross-country team won a TVL title and capped its season with a state championship. The football squad captured a TVL title and led the parade of teams qualifying for tourney appearances. Other playoff participants were field hockey, girls and boys soccer, and volleyball. The golf team had Mikey McGovern advance to the sectional, and the boys cross-county team was second at the Division 2B Meet. The cheerleaders qualified for the sectionals and the unified basketball team competed in the year-end jamboree at Bellingham.

“The state title and the two TVL championships were solid achievements,’’ Baker noted. “We had a lot of teams earning playoff berths and they all set a great tone for the 2022-23 year.’’

WINTER SEASON — The boys swimming and diving team that co-ops with Medway won its second straight TVL championship. The girls basketball team qualified for a berth in the tourney and the girls co-op ice hockey team (Medway, Ashland, Blackstone Valley Tech) competed in the sectionals. The girls gymnastics co-op squad (Millis, Milford and Medway) posted a 7-1 record, won a TVL title and competed admirably in the sectional and states. The team included seven Holliston girls.

Anthony Touchette, wrestling at 120 pounds, won his second straight state crown and the girls indoor track contingent finished third in the state meet and qualified six girls for the all-state meet. Carmen Luisi was crowned a state champ in the mile, winning that event at the states for the second year in a row. The boys indoor track team finished sixth in the Division 4 State Meet.

“We had good team and individual success,’’ Baker said. “Our boys swim and dive team, coached by Julie Harrington, added to its success, and our girls track team was in the running for a state title. Anthony Touchette proved what a great competitor he is and Carmen Luisi was dynamic in the mile run. The post-season was very successful.’’

SPRING SEASON — A plethora of teams qualified for the playoffs led by the baseball contingent that had a 15-8 overall record (including tourney games) and won the TVL Large Division crown. The title was Holliston’s first in baseball since 1991. 

The softball team (11-12 record overall) was a tri-champ in the TVL with Medfield and Norwood. They’ve won two straight TVL crowns, and in the tourney they beat Walpole (17-1 record) before losing to Bedford. 

Qualifying for tourney play were baseball, softball, boys and girls lacrosse, and boys and girls tennis. The boys and girls track teams advanced to division and state meets, and ultimate frisbee competed in the ultimate frisbee state tourney.

“We had strong participation numbers,’’ Baker said. “Very prolific turnouts. And, it was gratifying to see not only great numbers (325 participants), but also the teams’ successes in the regular season. Every team qualified for the tourney.’’

COLLEGE PROSPECTS — Twenty student-athletes will compete at the collegiate level and three of them will be competing at Division 1 schools. They include Tatum Cordon (girls soccer at Bryant University), Inga Jung (track and field at Sacred Heart University), and Ella Bosselman (cross-country and track at UMass-Amherst.

MIAA STUDENT AMBASSADORS — Seniors Zach Robinson and Emmeline Stoetzel and junior Kaylee MacDonald will return for their second year as ambassadors for the Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Association. “They attend meetings that are geared towards bringing  back ideas to school and they promote community service,’’ Baker noted.

HALL OF FAME — Holliston had its first induction ceremony on March 25 when it honored six players, two coaches and two teams. The trio that engineered the move to create a hall of fame was Alex Strum (wrestling coach), Jaime Murphy (girls cross-country coach) and Don Quindley (softball coach). They pushed for it and they founded it,’’ Baker said. “They also wrote the bylaws, conducted fundraisers and organized the banquet. The school supports it but what’s needed are a group of people to sustain it. Growing the membership and having volunteers as members is vitally important.’’

PRIMARY CHALLENGES — Baker lists three aspects of his job that create concerns. They are a lack of game officials, a lack of bus drivers, and finding quality individuals who have time to coach. “Plenty of schools have faced rescheduling games because officials were not available,’’ he said. “We’ve had to move events to different dates. On the coaching front, we’ve been fortunate to have dedicated coaches who are committed to our student-athletes.’’

A.D. SUPPORT STAFF — Justin Arbour, a Hudson High and Becker College graduate, is a part-time athletic department assistant. “He plays a vital role in the daily operation of the department,’’ Baker said. “Also helping out is Kenny Priest, Holliston High’s Campus Supervisor. “He assists with security, serves as a game administrator and also helps as a public address announcer at games. He’s a visible presence and a key cog in our daily operation.’’

THANKS AND GOOD LUCK — Baker says he and his department received plenty of support from Nicole Bottomley, Holliston High’s former principal who was selected to be King Philip Regional’s principal. “We worked well together for eight years,’’ Baker said. “I appreciated her leadership and support and I wish her well.’’