St. Bernard's High School

‘Community and warmth’

November 25, 2023 by pkzadmin

FITCHBURG — Over 100 alumni from the St. Bernard’s High School classes of 1936 to 1963 gathered earlier this month at their alma mater for a celebratory luncheon.

Among those who attended were dozens of veterans that were honored at the Nov. 10 occasion, including several in their 90s and one that is 105 years old. Most of the alumni are from Fitchburg and Leominster and some traveled from outside the area to be a part of the event put on by the Bernardian Association, an organization comprised of volunteer alumni, current and past school families, students, and friends of St. Bernard’s.

Over 100 alumni from the St. Bernard's High School classes of 1936 to 1963 gathered at their Fitchburg alma mater on Nov. 10 for a celebratory luncheon. (COURTESY SHELLEY LEGER BOISSONEAU) — Over 100 alumni from the St. Bernard’s High School classes of 1936 to 1963 gathered at their Fitchburg alma mater on Nov. 10 for a celebratory luncheon. (COURTESY SHELLEY LEGER BOISSONEAU)

St. Bernard’s Board of Trustees member Kathy Krysiak, who graduated from the high school in 1990, said they wanted to hold the first multi-class get-together for alumni who graduated sixty or more years ago as a way to “reconnect and celebrate being part of the Bernardian community.”

“Attendees shared smiles, hugs, and plenty of laughs and reminiscing,” she said. “It was incredibly moving to bring so many Bernardians together, some of which had not been in the school since graduation or attended reunions.”

A large number of the alumni took a tour of the high school before the luncheon and entertainment. Krysiak said they honored 14 veterans, had extensive displays of photos and memorabilia, and that current students and alumni from classes in the 1970s, 80s and 90s volunteered to help out.

St. Bernard's High School Alumni Coordinator Joanne (Taitano) Pagnotta '78 and Michael Enwright '62 walked the hallways of their Fitchburg alma mater at the Nov. 10 alumni gathering. (COURTESY SHELLEY LEGER BOISSONEAU) — St. Bernard’s High School Alumni Coordinator Joanne (Taitano) Pagnotta ’78 and Michael Enwright ’62 walked the hallways of their Fitchburg alma mater at the Nov. 10 alumni gathering. (COURTESY SHELLEY LEGER BOISSONEAU)

The lunch was originally planned for 2020 but Covid prevented it from happening.

“Many older classes do not have anyone to plan reunions, but still have members who want to come together,” Krysiak said. “This event was meant to facilitate that. Amazing does not adequately convey the feeling of community and warmth that was present in these few hours together as Bernardians.”

She said the Bernardian Association plans to hold more of these in the coming years and hopefully bring even more alumni together who were unable to attend this one. Alumni are encouraged to reach out to St. Bernard’s High School Alumni Coordinator Joanne (Taitano) Pagnotta ‘78 at 978-502-6993 or email BernardianAssociation@StBernardsHighSchool.org with updated contact information so they can be invited to future events.

Football Notebook: Blue Knights grind it out in the rain

October 2, 2023 by pkzadmin

Ignore the artificial turf and it was the type of game one thinks of finding in archival footage from the college ranks.

In pouring rain and solid wind gusts, two teams battle in a physical clash. Both are forced to stick to the ground game due to elemental influences.

And in the end, it comes down to a big play in the final minute.

It’s not a Hollywood script played out on grainy black and white film. It’s how Lunenburg High improved to 3-1 on the season.

On Friday night, the Blue Knights won a nailbiter, topping Ayer-Shirley 11-8 in tough conditions at Harold Norton Memorial Field.

Old-school. Grind it out.

Call it what you will. Any way you describe it, the war of attrition on the gridiron was a victory for the Blue Knights.

Frankie Delgado (81 yards on 12 carries) and Eric Smith (67 yards on 16 carries) were workhorses for Lunenburg, while duel-threat quarterback Hunter Matson (31 yards on 12 carries, 4-for-6 passing for 48 yards and a touchdown) more than did his part on a soggy night.

Matson found Smith on a 20-yard catch-and-run for a score in the second quarter before punching in a QB keeper on the two-point conversion to tie the game at 8.

From there, the conditions slowed both teams. But the driving rain couldn’t keep back Smith’s 37-yard field goal try with 19 seconds left, which proved to be the game-winning points.

Lunenburg's Christian Kelley, left, and Eric Smith celebrate after Smith'stouchdown during Friday's game at Ayer-Shirley. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Gary Fournier) — Lunenburg’s Christian Kelley, left, and Eric Smith celebrate after Smith’s touchdown during Friday’s game at Ayer-Shirley. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Gary Fournier)

Surviving the elements and a tough rival. …. It’s the type of game that can galvanize a team, bring everyone together, not that it appears the Blue Knights need that.

They’ll try to improve to 4-1 Friday evening, traveling to Tyngsboro for the fourth of five straight contests on the road.

Blue Devils break through

It took four games, but Leominster High has claimed its first victory of the season.

Within striking distance in each of their first three contests, the Blue Devils had been unable to put it all together and get over the hump. That changed Friday evening at Westford Academy.

The Blue Devils grabbed a 21-13 victory over Westford to improve to 1-3.

Osiris Lopez rushed for a touchdown and threw a TD pass to Jaidis Delgado in the victory. Xavier Cora also ran for a score and Daniel Thompson was perfect in point-after attempts for the Blue Devils.

So, so close

Sitting at 1-3 on the season after Saturday’s 26-20 loss at Nipmuc Regional, don’t fault St. Bernard’s for playing a game or two of “What if?”

The Bernardians have been competitive in every game they’ve taken the field for, with Saturday’s six-point defeat looking like a blowout in comparison to their other two. In all, St. Bernard’s has lost three games by a total of nine points.

There was a one-point loss at Martha’s Vineyard. A two-point defeat at Northbridge.

St. Bernard’s will finally play its home opener this Friday after traveling for all four of its contests this fall. Auburn (1-2-1) heads to the Bernardian Bowl coming off its first win of the season, a 35-0 decision over Fitchburg High last Friday.

Commentary: Good to see Bernardians back

September 29, 2023 by pkzadmin

The Bernardians are back.

After disbanding the boys soccer program in 2016 due to a lack of numbers, St. Bernard’s has brought back the sport this fall. And after an absence of that length, there have been growing pains.

But with a full roster and a positive head coach in Hugo Sanchez, the Bernardians are moving forward. Though the restarted program is just in its infancy, it’s not hard to see that progress is being made.

It’s fair to say that no one at the school expected the Bernardians to take to the field and immediately become a juggernaut. There are bound to be growing pains. And so far this season, there have been plenty of those.

Take for instance the improvement between the team’s first game on Sept. 5 and where it is now. That opening contest saw Monty Tech throttle the host Bernardians in a 7-0 game that wasn’t even as close at the score suggests.

On Thursday, St. Bernard’s (1-4-1) played with confidence against Sizer at the Bernardian Bowl, but fell 3-1. It was the team’s second meeting with Sizer this fall, but a step back from the 3-all tie St. B’s left Saima Park with less than two weeks ago.

St. Bernard's Lucky Onyonka shoots during a Sept. 20 win over Southbridge. (Courtesy Shelley Boissoneau) — St. Bernard’s Lucky Onyonka shoots during a Sept. 20 win over Southbridge. (Courtesy Shelley Boissoneau)

That sort of thing is to be expected from a team just finding its collective footing. But on one afternoon this fall, the Bernardians did manage to put it all together and come away with a victory at home.

It took three games for the Bernardians to capture win No. 1 and it came in emphatic fashion. St. Bernard’s took care of business against Southbridge on Sept. 20, routing the Pioneers, 10-2. That victory saw Noah Fournier score four goals, while J.J. Hernandez potted a hat trick.

At the beginning of the season, the Bernardians featured just a pair of seniors: Matthew Rampello and the aforementioned Hernandez. While that might be tough to deal with this year, it bodes well for the future as St. B’s is chock full of youth.

Sanchez is laying the basic building blocks out for his Bernardians, focusing on teaching the fundamentals and concepts of the game and showing great patience with his group. He’s coached for several years in the Leominster Youth Soccer system, so breaking things down to basics isn’t a tough task for Sanchez.

They will almost certainly take their lumps this season and maybe for another season to come, but just seeing the Bernardians back on the field is a positive. Numbers are up, the interest is there and St. Bernard’s has a dedicated coach leading the way.

The future should be bright for the Bernardians.

Football notebook: North Middlesex stays red-hot

September 25, 2023 by pkzadmin

Jordan Murphy’s smile said much more than any words that came out of the coach’s mouth after his North Middlesex Regional football team topped Fitchburg in its season opener on Sept. 7.

The second-year head coach beamed with pride after the Patriots dispatched the host Red Raiders, 42-7, at Crocker Field. He spoke of how years of hard work and struggling through lean times was beginning to pay off for a team loaded with senior talent.

Eventually, his ear-to-ear smile gave way to a smirk that glowed confidence. Murphy wasn’t kidding when he hinted that his Patriots were capable of big things this fall.

So far, the coach’s optimism has been spot-on. The Patriots are 3-0 and putting up points like they’re the Central Mass. version of the 2023 Miami Dolphins (against the Denver Broncos, at least).

In three contests, North Middlesex has posted 119 points while allowing just 22. On Saturday, the Patriots won their third consecutive blowout, winning 35-8 at Nauset.

Ahead 14-8 at halftime, the Patriots quickly put things out of reach in the second half. And while the first two contests of the season saw the combination of quarterback Michael Reardon and wide receiver Cade Callahan step into the spotlight, it was Jackson Hendley’s turn on Cape Cod.

The senior running back carried the ball nine times for 117 yards, scoring three times on rushes while also pulling in a touchdown pass from Reardon.

Reardon completed 12 of his 20 passes for 128 yards and spread the tosses out to a quartet of receivers. In addition to Hendley (two catches for 14 yards), Brady Reardon caught four passes for 58 yards and Darien Crawford (30 yards) and Callahan (26 yards) each had three receptions.

Up next for the Patriots is Friday evening’s border war with Groton-Dunstable (0-3), slated for a 7 p.m. start at John E. Young Memorial Field.

Matson dual threat

Though Lunenburg High suffered its first gridiron loss of the fall on Friday evening, Hunter Matson continues to be a problem for opposing programs.

In a 16-13 loss at Martha’s Vineyard, the senior quarterback posted 101 yards through the air, while also rushing for over 100 yards. Matson ran for a 5-yard score, while finding Eric Smith on a 29-yard touchdown pass.

Effort improving for Fitchburg

Despite coming up on the short end of a 36-12 contest at Shepherd Hill Friday night, Fitchburg High head coach Paul DiGeronimo is beginning to see his Red Raiders improve on the gridiron.

The first-year head coach has told me that with each week, the Red Raiders’ effort has been better as the team comes together. This week’s loss saw Fitchburg put up a season-high in points as Devanni DeLeon and Lukas Beaulac each rushed for scores.

A shift at St. Bernard’s

Losses happen. A look at the box score from St. Bernard’s 7-6 loss at Gloucester might not seem that unique to those not familiar with the Bernardians, but to those who follow the team, a shift what has been effective for St. B’s this fall is apparent.

Normally a run-dependent team, the Bernardians saw senior quarterback Salvi Bilotta complete 8 of 14 passes in the loss, piling up 125 yards through the air. St. Bernard’s lone score came on a pass from Bilotta to classmate Quinn Carlson.

Sure, the Bernardians still put up more yards on the ground (137) than through the air, but it’s likely the first time in a long time that the offensive stats have been that close. Good teams take what the opponents give them and if teams are going to sleep on Bilotta’s passing prowess, the Bernardians will likely try to take advantage.

Lukas Beaulac and the Fitchburg High football team have shown improvement each week this season. (Sentinel & Enterprise File Photo)

Mason eager to lead Bernardians

September 2, 2023 by pkzadmin

FITCHBURG — The Holly Mason era at St. Bernard’s has begun.

Mason takes over as head coach of the Bernardians field hockey program following a playing career at WPI and the first-year head coach is eager to lead St. B’s into the 2023 season.

“I graduated from WPI where I played field hockey and lacrosse. After graduation, I was looking for an opportunity, not necessarily coaching, but my coach at WPI Kim Cosenza reached out to me and said that the her father, St. Bernard’s Athletic Director Ray Cosenza, was looking for a field hockey coach and I applied,” said Mason on Thursday afternoon at the St. Bernard’s Activity Center. “Things just really fell into place. It’s exciting. I’m happy to be here.”

Mason replaces Olivia Arciprete at the helm and is happy with what she’s seen from her young team thus far.

“Things are going great. I’m getting to know the girls and they are getting to know me,” said Mason. “It’s a small team with only 15 girls. We don’t have a junior varsity team, so everyone is going to get plenty of opportunity for playing time this season.”

Led by senior captains Ava Dondero, Ava Goldsmith, Karina McCormack and Bradley Waltz, the Bernardians will hope to improve on last year’s 4-14 overall record.

“This group is tight-knit. They’ve been really accepting of me and I feel we’re heading in the right direction,” said Mason. “I’ve been challenging them early and they’ve responded well to it. Our four seniors have done a nice job in the leadership role. There hasn’t been any negative feedback and that’s great.”

The St. Bernard's field hockey team opens its season Wednesday at Maynard. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Michael James LeClair) — The St. Bernard’s field hockey team opens its season Wednesday at Maynard. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Michael James LeClair)

The defense will be anchored by goalie Ava Legendre. The junior netminder is in her first year with the team and, with the help of goalie coach Beth Terho, should see steady improvement over the course of the season.

In front of Legendre, the defense will feature multiple upperclassmen as Dondero, Goldsmith, McCormack and junior Madelyn Mulhall will do their best to make Legendre’s job easier in the cage. Sophomore Charlotte Dunbar will also be a key member of the Bernardian defensive unit.

In the midfield, Mason has a plethora of athletes that will all see playing time including juniors Isabella Dee, Maryanne Pease and Alexis Sylvia. Sophomore Sophia Bellemare and freshmen Emily Terho and Maille Fluharty will also be in the mix.

On the attack, Waltz, junior Megan Richard and freshman Sophia Gauvin should provide some scoring punch.

With a short bench, conditioning and staying healthy is going to be really important for the Bernardians this season.

“With a new coach, the philosophy does change a little. I’m trying a few new things. We’re working a lot on stick skills and I’m doing my best to deliver a new mindsight to help them connect when they are on the field,” said Mason. “With the short bench, these girls will have to work really hard for the full 60 minutes. We’ve been trying to increase their fitness level and work on conditioning.”

St. Bernard’s opens the season on Wednesday when it travels to Maynard before returning home to take on Clinton on Friday.

“One of our goals is to try to put a competitive team on the field and win a few more games than we did last year,” said Mason. “We have a talented group of girls here and I like what I’ve seen from them through the first couple weeks.”

Bernardians keep running up that hill

August 22, 2023 by pkzadmin

FITCHBURG — Outside of the innermost circles of the St. Bernard’s football team, it’s likely seen as a grueling practice or a punishment for players who are tardy.

But running loops on the steep hill that sits adjacent to the Bernardian practice field isn’t a task designed to keep players in line. Rather, it’s one head coach Tom Bingham has used to make sure his crew is in the best shape it can be whenever the Bernardians take to the gridiron.

Year in and year out, St. Bernard’s is a smaller group and doesn’t have the depth of larger schools where programs carry backups for their backups. In the early stages of the preseason, there’s often nary a ball in sight as the Bernardians work hard on conditioning and coming together as a unit.

Traditionally a team committed to a run-heavy offense, it’s rare to see even the biggest lineman on St. Bernard’s ever gassed and coming out for a break.

“We keep track (of the laps) and have a goal for the year,” Bingham said, looking at the hill during Monday’s practice. “It’s not a punishment, by any means. We have to be in great shape, so we grab the guys during the day and do three, four, five, six (runs) a day whenever we can.

“There’s a love-hate with that, but I think the kids respect it and what we accomplish with it. The kids who do it and stick with, it gets to a point where they’ll have a minute or two between stations and will go run a couple on their own. When they’re done and not winded, carrying on normal conversations, that’s when we know we’re getting into the shape we want to be.”

The St. Bernard's football team heads back onto the field after a break during Monday's practice. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard) — The St. Bernard’s football team heads back onto the field after a break during Monday’s practice. (Sentinel & Enterprise / Nick Mallard)

It’s hard to argue with the results the Bernardians have posted on the field in recent years. St. Bernard’s has played for state titles three times since 2018, winning twice. Last season saw the team go 10-2, falling in the Division 7 Super Bowl to a West Boylston juggernaut.

There’s talent passing through the Fitchburg school, for sure, but the workouts certainly seem to be helping. And the infamous hill has done nothing to keep kids from coming out to play.

“We’re definitely happy to be out on the field. Our numbers are good, so we’re thrilled about that. We had a good offseason, hosting a 16-team passing league,” said Bingham, whose team opens the season Sept. 9 at Blackstone Valley Tech. “The kids got a ton of work in and our lifts have been good. Now we’ll get a chance to see if any of that translates to Friday nights.”

With a handful of organized practices and the summer league sessions under their belts, Bingham has been impressed with the attitudes and the intangibles of the Bernardians.

“We’ve got really strong leaders. Honestly, in each of the senior, junior and sophomore classes, we’ve got some great leaders,” the coach said. “With the participation we had this summer, you can see it already. It looks like a really good group.”