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St. Bernard's High School

Bernardians make it quick against Murdock

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FITCHBURG —It wasn’t the way St. Bernard’s softball head coach Tea Preston and her Bernardians drew it up, but they will certainly take the result.

The Bernardians and Murdock met on the diamond of the St. Bernard’s Activity Center Complex on Tuesday afternoon, with the Blue Devils hitting the field with nine players having already run into a handful of injuries.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning and St. Bernard’s holding a three-run lead, Destiny Cuevas hit a ball deep in the hole that Murdock shortstop Addison Brooks attempting to make a play and injured herself in the process. Paris Cuevas scored on the play to make it 4-0 before the game was halted.

Brooks was unable to continue and after a brief discussion between the coaches and umpire, the game was called with St. Bernard’s taking a forfeit win.

The Bernardians snapped a three-game losing streak and get back to .500 on the season, improving to 3-3  following the non-league win. The Blue Devils, they drop to 0-5 on the year.

“I don’t know what it goes in the book as. I’ll have to talk to my athletic director about that, but I know it’s a forfeit win,” said Preston. “I thought the girls had great energy. it was better than I’ve seen in a while. We are working on changing the mindset. This team can be competitive and can qualify for the tournament if they believe in themselves and play the way they are capable.”

After plating a run in the bottom of the first inning, the Bernardians scratched across three more runs in the second stanza before the game was stopped.

Bernardians sophomore starting pitcher Brennah McDonald did her job on Tuesday as the young St. B’s hurler faced six batters in her two innings of work and struck out five of them. The only Blue Devil to put the ball in play in this one was leadoff hitter and starting pitcher Kaleah Reilly, who grounded out to shortstop to kick off the ballgame.

“Brennah worked so hard in the offseason. She’s added velocity and movement,” said Preston. “She did a nice job today. It was only two innings but she pitched well.”

St. Bernard’s scored the game’s first run in the home half of the first. With one out, the Bernardians loaded the bases on three straight walks before first baseman Erin McNamara reached on an infield single that plated McDonald.

The Bernardians tacked on three more runs in the second inning. With two outs, Lynn Warren singled to left field before McDonald hit an RBI double to left andParis Cuevas followed with an RBI single to left field. Paris Cuevas stole second before Destiny Cuevas’ game ending infield hit.

The Bernardians will look to make it back-to-back wins when they return to action on Wednesday afternoon when Ayer-Shirley Regionals travel to Fitchburg.

Local roundup: Bernardians open season with win

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The St. Bernard’s girls lacrosse team started its spring season in strong fashion Monday, topping Monty Tech/Sizer, 19-4, at Game On Fitchburg.

The Bernardians will look to go 2-0 when they travel to Advanced Math and Science on Wednesday, while the Bulldogs hope to earn their first victory when they host Blackstone Valley Wednesday afternoon.

Baseball

Oakmont 9, Marlboro 1: The Spartans (1-0) host Tyngsboro on Wednesday afternoon.

Softball

Notre Dame 10, North Middlesex 5: The Patriots (0-1) will head to Wachusett Regional on Wednesday in search of win No. 1.

Marlboro 5, Oakmont 4: The Spartans dropped their opener on the road. They return to action Wednesday, hosting Tyngsboro.

St. Bernard’s 9, Worcester Tech 5: Paris Cuevas had a double and a pair of RBI, while Abbey Barriera notched two hits in the season-opening victory.

St. Bernard's Erin Canning drives while Monty Tech's Mabel Matheson defends Monday afternoon at Game On Fitchburg. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Alan Arsenault)
St. Bernard’s Erin Canning drives while Monty Tech’s Mabel Matheson defends Monday afternoon at Game On Fitchburg. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Alan Arsenault)

Boys tennis

Shrewsbury 4, Nashoba 1: Victor Xu earned a third singles win for the Wolves in the season opener for both programs.

Girls tennis

Leominster 5, Gardner 0: Arielle Kouadio, Kaitlyn Perrault and Caroline Bjornvig each had 6-0, 6-0 singles wins as the Blue Devils won their season opener at Doyle Field.

Gina Iacoboni and Victoria Miele were victorious in first doubles action, as were Alaina Garcia and Adrianna Lattanzio in second doubles.

Shrewsbury 4, Nashoba 1: Maryam Mulyono was the lone winner for the Wolves in their opener.

Boys volleyball

Leominster 3, South Lancaster 1: Set scores were 25-15, 25-18, 23-25 and 25-11 in favor of the Blue Devils in the opener for both teams.

Daniel Caetano and Andy Troung each had 11 service points, while right side hitter Brady Troung had a strong game in victory.

College softball

Westfield State swept a MASCAC doubleheader against Fitchburg State, winning 4-3 and 7-3 at the Donna Lee Withington Memorial Softball Field.

In the opener, the Falcons (2-13, 0-2) fell behind 2-0 before Sarah Cahill doubled to score Kiara Bigeau in the bottom of the fourth. The Owls (12-6, 2-0) responded with runs in the fifth and seventh to take a 4-1 lead to the bottom of the seventh.

Fitchburg State made things interesting courtesy of a two-run double by Molly Grass, but was unable to pull even.

Cahill took the loss, pitching all seven innings and giving up six hits while striking out 10 and walking two.

Madison Mantegani finished the first game 3-for-4 at the plate, scoring once.

In the second contest, Fitchburg State fell behind 3-0 in the top of the first before plating a run in the bottom of the frame as Mackenzie Leveille brought home Dana Cisowski with a sac fly.

The Falcons managed to pull even in the third as Grass belted an RBI double to center and later came in to score on a wild pitch.

But the visiting Owls plated a pair in the top of the fourth to take the lead back and pushed across two more in the final frame to put the game far out of reach.

Leveille suffered the loss for Fitchburg State, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing five runs on seven hits. The hurler struck out four and walked three.

Mantegani, Cisowski (two runs) and Grass each went 2-for-3 in the second game, with Grass notching a pair of doubles.

Commentary: St. Bernard’s Ginnity deserving of honor

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As one of the best high school golfers in the state, St. Bernard’s Patrick Ginnity knows the importance of patience.

The St. Bernard’s senior is even-keeled on the golf course, on the basketball court and in the classroom. And when rewarded for being an exemplary student-athlete, the always gracious Ginnity has been patient as well.

Ginnity was recently named the MIAA’s Male Student-Athlete of the Month for November, presented with the award and a $1,000 scholarship by Steve Dubzinski, the organization’s Assistant Director.

Better late than never.

Nominated by St. Bernard’s athletic director Ray Cosenza, the MIAA’s press release on Ginnity recounts what earned him the honor.

“Patrick has had an amazing career at St. Bernard’s High School. He has been a member of the golf team since eighth grade, earned five varsity letters and been the Number 1 golfer since freshman year. Patrick has been a two-year captain and team MVP and had an amazing senior season as a medalist in 12 of the 14 matches,” the MIAA’s release said. “Shooting a 4-under 68 in the state finals, Patrick captured the Division 2
Championship at Maplegate Country Club. His play led the team to a sixth-place finish. This summer, he traveled to Oregon to play in the USGA Junior Amateur Championships.

St. Bernard's senior Patrick Ginnity points to his score at the conclusion of the Division 2 state championship. (Courtesy Matt Hoeske)
St. Bernard’s senior Patrick Ginnity points to his score at the conclusion of the Division 2 state championship. (Courtesy Matt Hoeske)

“Also a basketball star, Patrick is a two-year captain and team MVP as a junior. His teachers describe him as an ‘active learner that asks engaging questions.’ He was a top achiever in English class and ‘respected the subject matter and held his education in high regard.’

“As President of the Senior Class, Patrick also volunteers in numerous youth sports programs, campus ministry, is an MIAA Student Ambassador, and interns at the Beyond Sports podcast.”

It’s quite the résumé.

Personally, I’ve written about Ginnity’s golfing exploits multiple times over the years. His achievements on the links speak for themselves. And having seen him play basketball this season, I can say he’s pretty impressive on the hardwood as well.

But what stood out to me most was the senior’s demeanor. He was respectful to opposing players and officials, which isn’t always an easy thing to do in the type of game I saw: a blowout win over Immaculate Heart of Mary. Players on the winning side, even the nicest of kids, can fall victim to cracking jokes at the expense of an overmatched opponent.

Not only was Ginnity a leader on the floor, the senior captain had instilled an air of respect in his teammates, who not once took verbal jabs at their guests. Restraint by high school students in the midst of a rout isn’t a common thing.

Furthermore, he made his way to me after the game and introduced himself, thanking me for the coverage over the years. Heck, he even offered up a firm handshake.

Maybe I’m easy to win over. But my guess is that Gingranity has been brought up to do the right things in life and he’s taken those lessons to heart.

This was a well-deserved honor for a young man who seems to excel in areas of being a student-athlete.

 

Bernardians go All In for film

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Go right ahead and call it a comeback.

No one at St. Bernard’s or Foglight Entertainment and Wonderfilm Media will argue. Not even for a minute.

That’s kind of the point.

In “All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s,” directors Gregg Backer and Evan Kanew balance two underdog stories and weave them together masterfully: that of the Bernardian football team looking to repeat as the most unlikely of state champions in 2019 and the school’s battle to remain afloat as Catholic schools throughout the state struggled with enrollment and increasing debt.

"All In: Miracle at St. Bernard's" will be released for download on iTunes and Amazon on Wednesday. (Courtesy Gravitas Ventures)
“All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s” will be released for download on iTunes and Amazon on Wednesday. (Courtesy Gravitas Ventures)

With the school on the brink of closing under mounting pressure from the Diocese of Worcester heading into the 2018-19 school year, St. Bernard’s administrators, teachers and parents came together to raise funds to keep the 100-year old institution open.

And while the threat of a closure loomed, the Bernardian football team aimed to defend its Division 8 title. A big task for any group, but this was a team of less than 30 players. Try finding another program that small that has any semblance of success.

The miracle inferred in the film’s title is two-fold and with both sides self-realized: the push to raise money and enrollment on one hand and the journey to raise a second championship banner on the other.

The 90-minute film will be released today on Apple/iTunes and Amazon and is advertised as “a true story of faith, family and football.”

It hits on all those things as it documents St. Bernard’s struggles to stay afloat both as an institution and a football program. And without spoiling much, there’s a happy ending on both ends.

“All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s” does an admirable job of balancing both storylines. And while each of the angles are fairly well known around here, directors Gregg Backer and Evan Kanew dig deeper, with in-depth interviews adding insight into just how dire the situation at St. Bernard’s was.

With this year’s senior class starting as freshmen at the time focused on in the film, I’ve spoken to Bernardians head coach Tom Bingham multiple times about the journey those kids have been on. He brought it up following the team’s Division 7 championship game loss to West Boylston on Dec. 1, noting what a special group the Class of 2023 has been.

“This senior class, if you look at all they’ve been through, it’s pretty amazing that they’ve pushed the team back to (a title game),” Bingham said. “As freshmen, there was the threat of the school closing and then COVID hit and these kids never gave up.”

St. Bernard's Central Catholic High School beat West Bridgewater in the Division 8 State Championship at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro Friday night, Dec. 6, 2019. The Head Coach Tom Binham has a huddle with his team after their win. SENTINEL & ENTERPRISE/JOHN LOVE
St. Bernard’s head coach Tom Bingham huddles up with his team after it won the 2019 Division 8 championship at Gillette Stadium. (Sentinel & Enterprise File Photo)

It’s a theme revisiting — and rightly so — time and time again throughout the documentary. From the elation of unveiling a championship banner from the 2018 to the crushing news just months later that the school faced being shut down, the Bernardians never wavered in their missions.

I was familiar with many of the straight facts covered in “All In.” I can’t lie and say there was much there in the way of revelations for me.

But what the filmmakers did a fantastic job of doing was getting the people whose story this is to open up. Watching former players explain the pressure they felt to perform and produce something positive for St. Bernard’s is both admirable and at times tough to watch; these were teenagers who felt the weight of the world on their shoulders at the time.

It wasn’t just the pressure of winning games. It was an unfair burden put on student-athletes who simply wanted to go to school and play football.

These former players come across as vulnerable and open, while also seeming battle-tested and unafraid. They’re candid and honest, recounting the highs and lows of the 2019 season and the school year that accompanied it.

And like the parents and administrators who came together — the Pinard and Boissoneau families, Nathan Bilotta, Dean of Students Paul Constantino, Principal Linda Anderson and Bingham among them — to push the school toward its fundraising goals, the students at the school faced the challenge head-on.

Unfair for everyone involved, perhaps, but that’s life. It’s not always fair or easy.

But the St. Bernard’s community never gave up on what it valued and came out stronger, united because of those challenges and efforts.

A real-life underdog story, “All In: Miracle at St. Bernard’s” captures the spirit and determination of a school that was willing to bet on itself and came out a winner — on multiple fronts.

Bernardians take to the field

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FITCHBURG — Take a look at any football field across the state and the scene was the same on Friday afternoon.

Athletes gathered and adjusted equipment. Coaches laid out their plans for the fall. Teams came together and, for the first time in 2022, gridiron practices got going.

High school football season is officially underway.

Be it Doyle Field, Crocker Field, the Bernardian Bowl or the satellite practice fields nearby. Players poured onto turf and grass alike to kick off the fall season with aspirations of future Super Bowl victories.

Under the watchful eye of new athletic director Ray Cosenza, St. Bernard’s head coach Tom Bingham assembled his players on the practice field adjacent to the Bernardian Bowl and got to work under a scorching sun, but with a smile nonetheless.

St. Bernard's football players gather on the practice field behind the Bernardian Bowl on Friday. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)
St. Bernard’s football players gather on the practice field behind the Bernardian Bowl on Friday. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)

“It’s good to be back out here,” Bingham said. “I’m excited for this group and to see what they can do. It’s (the players’) team every year and it’s really up to them what they make of it. We’re just here to keep them between the lines and let them power their way and see how far they want to go.

“These kids have a lot of energy and they’ve certainly worked hard, so we want to see how that translates out on the football field.”

In a scene likely repeated at hundreds of fields and facilities statewide on Friday, the Bernardians gathered outside the team’s clubhouse prior to practice for helmet adjustments and to collect other equipment. Though the first practice featured helmets and no pads, Bingham — who spoke with his team in the locker room about expectations and procedures for 15 minutes prior to Friday’s session — was thrilled with the turnout for his team to start the season.

St. Bernard's football players get their helmets adjusted prior to Friday's first practice of the fall season. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)
St. Bernard’s football players get their helmets adjusted prior to Friday’s first practice of the fall season. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)

“We had one of the biggest groups that we’ve ever had for our offseason weight training,” said Bingham, noting that he had 41 players lined up to play this fall. “Attitudes are good and these kids have terrific energy. We just have to get to work, win today and then start over tomorrow.”

While less than four dozen players may not seem like much, Bingham has won Super Bowl titles with similar rosters. The focus of the Bernardians, especially early on, will be working to be in peak game shape as quickly as possible, thus the emphasis on condition over the course of the first week or so of practice sessions.

St. Bernard's head coach Tom Bingham looks on as players stretch prior to Friday's practice. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)
St. Bernard’s head coach Tom Bingham looks on as players stretch prior to Friday’s practice. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)

“When you look down our sideline, we have what we have and we’re thrilled and grateful for that. We have to be in shape and be better as games go on,” Bingham said. “We need to have more wind than anyone else when the fourth quarter rolls around and that starts today.”

Cosenza, hired as the St. Bernard’s athletic director earlier this month, says he likes what he has seen from the football program in terms of philosophy and commitment in his short time back with the Bernardians. A Massachusetts Football Coaches Association’s Halls of Famer, Cosenza is optimistic about the direction that the team — and the entire athletic department at St. B’s — is headed in.

“I’ve said this to a lot of people: I was very happily retired and not looking for anything, but this came along and it’s an honor and a great opportunity to be involved here,” said Cosenza, who served as the head coach of the Bernardians football and baseball teams in the mid-1980s before beginning his storied career of three decades at Fitchburg High. “There’s great coaches, great kids and a great administration here and I’m excited to get this season going.”

Ray Cosenza named athletic director at St. Bernard’s

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FITCHBURG — Welcome back, Ray Cosenza.

The former St. Bernard’s athletic director will return to that post beginning Monday, the school announced Friday morning.

”I’m really excited, really looking forward to starting,” Cosenza said Friday afternoon. “I’m looking forward to getting going here. It’s the opportunity to be part of something that’s growing and building toward something even greater.

”I’m happy to be coming back. It’s a great opportunity.”

Cosenza replaces Ryan Walsh, who started as AD at St. Bernard’s in 2020. Walsh, who also served as the Bernardians’ head baseball coach, informed the school he wouldn’t be returning after the 2021-22 school year.

Cosenza last served as Fitchburg High’s baseball coach until stepping away from that position in 2021. He was also the athletic director for the Red Raiders for 30 years, leaving the job in 2019, and football coach at Fitchburg from 1989-2011.

He says a friend notified him of the athletic director opening for the Bernardians and, after some thought, decided to apply.

Ray Cosenza will start as St. Bernard's athletic director on Monday. (Courtesy St. Bernard's Athletics)
Ray Cosenza will start as St. Bernard’s athletic director on Monday. (Courtesy St. Bernard’s Athletics)

”I wasn’t looking for anything and I wasn’t sure I should try for this, but I started to look into it,” Cosenza admitted. “I figured it was worth a shot because it was a place that was so special to me. There’s the same feeling of excitement there now as when I first got there.

“The whole process happened really fast.”

Cosenza first arrived at St. B’s in the early 1980s to work alongside the legendary Huck Hannagan and took the reins of the baseball and football programs for the Bernardians in 1985.

Cosenza began his time at the school as a science teacher before becoming a guidance counselor and later the athletic director, serving as “an admired teacher, counselor, coach, and mentor to a generation of Bernardians” for six years, according to a release from the school.

”I like to say it was my first real job,” Cosenza said of being hired by St  B’s as a teacher. “And I really loved my time there.”

In his time on the sidelines of the St. Bernard’s and Fitchburg football programs, Cosenza put together a combined 194-116-1 record, winning three Super Bowls in 28 seasons. He also found success with the baseball programs at each school.

A member of the St. John’s of Shrewsbury, Fitchburg High and Massachusetts Football Coaches Association’s Halls of Fame, Cosenza’s leadership abilities and overall resume made the hiring an easy choice for the Bernardians.

“Ray managed to drive forward both the STB football and baseball programs to tremendous success as a gifted young coach all while building hundreds of relationships with students, families, and staff that would last through the decades,” the school’s release states.

Cosenza was a two-sport standout at St. John’s, winning a Super Bowl and a state baseball title. After graduating from the Shrewsbury institution, he went onto Springfield College and now holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Psychology.