Danvers Boys’ Tennis Keeps Rolling

Outstanding play by talented underclassmen Nick Lisichenok, a freshman, and Gabe Ochonski, a sophomore, has been instrumental in leading the Danvers High boys’ tennis team to a 9-3 overall record (2-1 league).

The Falcons yielded only a single point while winning three matches this week. They shut out both Bishop Fenwick and Lynn English, 5-0, sweeping each of 10 individual matches in straight sets, then took the measure of Gloucester on Thursday, 4-1.

Lisichenok ran his personal record to 12-0 with three straight-set decisions while Ochonski matched him to improve to 9-2 for the year. The two have been interchangeable at first and second singles, providing coach Ken Rawson with great flexibility at the top of the ladder.

The Falcons are at home against Marblehead Monday and play at Peabody next Wednesday.

GIRLS’ TENNIS now stands at 6-3 following its 4-1 decision of Lynn English earlier this week. The Falcons swept through singles play with solid performances from No. 1 Becca Sands (6-4, 6-1), No. 2 Rachel Ziner (6-1, 6-0) and No. 3 Rebecca Hayden (6-2, 6-2). The first doubles team of Kristen Kulakowski and Danielle Comb prevailed, 6-2, 6-4.

Coach Karen Corcoran praised Ziner and Hayden for their “strong and consistent level of play.”

Danvers fell to traditionally strong Cape Ann League club Hamilton-Wenham in a non-league match on April 29, 4-1. Ziner stood out with her 7-5, 6-1 victory at second singles while Sands played well in defeat at first singles.

The Falcons face a busy week with six matches in eight days, starting this afternoon at Salem. They head to Swampscott tomorrow for a make-up match, followed by dates next Monday (at Marblehead), Tuesday (vs. Winthrop, make-up), Wednesday (vs. Peabody) and Friday (at Saugus).

GIRLS’ LACROSSE improved its overall record to 6-2 with an 11-10 non-league decision of the Cape Ann League's Pentucket and an 11-9 win against Marblehead. Janelle Parker had 15 saves against Marblehead and the Falcons played what coach Julie Bevad described as “a great defensive game all over the field.”

The Falcons were back in action this afternoon against Gloucester, then kick off a stretch of four consecutive games against Cape Ann League clubs Saturday at Masconomet (3 p.m.).

BOYS’ LACROSSE improved to 4-6 with a on April 30, and then headed into another win to start off the week against Salem, 10-4, but dropped Thursday’s match to Gloucester. The Falcons were ahead 7-6 at the half, but the Fishermen pulled ahead for a 14-13 win.

The Danvers’ boys fell to Burlington April 27 and came back for a win over Saugus April 28 before heading to Peabody last Saturday. The Falcons, 5-7, play Peabody again on Monday in Danvers then travel to Beverly May 12.

BASEBALL qualified for State Tournament play for the 14th time in 15 seasons, improving to 10-1 with a 12-7 win against Revere on Monday. The Falcons are now 10-1 (7-1 NEC Small), embroiled in a four-way race with Gloucester, Swampscott and Marblehead for regular-season supremacy. The Falcons face Peabody tonight at home (6:30), visit Salem Monday and take on Saugus next Wednesday.

SOFTBALL now sits at 5-3. The Falcons blasted Revere on Monday, 17-7, but fell to Lynn Classical on Tuesday, 1-0, in the resumption of a suspended game. Classical pushed across the game’s lone run in the bottom of the ninth. The Falcons play at Peabody this afternoon, then host Salem on Monday before trekking to Saugus on Wednesday and St. Mary's of Lynn next Friday.

GIRLS’ TRACK picked up a single point in last Saturday's Division 3 Mass State Coaches Relays at Stoneham High as the girls shot put squad placed sixth overall with a combined effort of 60 feet, 10 inches. The Falcons then dominated from start to finish in Monday’s 91-45 dual meet win against Salem, improving to 4-1. Danvers visits Marblehead Monday in a key meet.

BOYS’ TRACK dropped two points to Salem, 69-67, for another loss this season. Winners for the day were Drew Piazza (mile, 5:00.6), Brian Hebert (two-mile, 10:43.5), Nick Caldarone (110-meter hurdles, 17.9), the 4x100 relay team of Christian Veatch, Connor Rollins, Christian Goudreau and Curran Bennett (52.6), 4x400 relay team of Piazza, Hogan, Drew and Ethan Collins (3:51) and Collins in the triple jump (35-7).

In Stoneham on Saturday, the boys performed best in the Spring Medley, finishing 17th out of 34. The varsity squad hits the blocks against Marblehead on May 9.

St. John's Prep

TRACK tied New Bedford for second place with 39 points at Sunday’s Division 1 Mass State Coaches Relays at Franklin High School. The Eagles captured the discus with a combined total of 393 feet, eight inches on throws by Sean Enos, Chris Enos and Morgan Johnson.

The Prep also added third-place finishes in the javelin (417-0) and shot put (139-05.75), completing a strong showing in the throwing events. On the track, the 4x200 relay team placed second in a time of 1:32.17 and the 4x1600 sprint medley team finished fourth in 3:37.91. The long jumpers finished fifth with a combined distance of 58 feet, 7.5 inches.

The Eagles take part in tomorrow's Weston Twilight Invitational and resume Catholic Conference action Tuesday afternoon at Xaverian.

BASEBALL suffered just its second loss of the year, dropping a 6-4 non-league decision to St. John’s of Shrewsbury Tuesday. Pat Connaughton belted a three-run homer and Justin Peluso delivered an RBI single. The Eagles (9-2 overall) trek to Catholic Memorial Monday and Malden Catholic on Wednesday.

TENNIS bounced back from its first loss of the season last Saturday – 4-3 to Barrington, the top-ranked team in Rhode Island – to post 5-0 shutouts against Catholic Conference rivals B.C. High and Xaverian. St. John's (9-1) has non-league matches at Marblehead Tuesday and Wellesley Wednesday followed by a league date with Catholic Memorial Thursday at home.

VOLLEYBALL pushed its overall record to 11-2 with 3-0 shutouts of B.C. High and St. John's of Shrewsbury. The Eagles hit the road for matches at Millis Monday and B.C. High Tuesday.

LACROSSE climbed above the .500 mark with solid defensive performances in win against Malden Catholic on Tuesday, 8-3, and Xaverian on Thursday, 6-5 (OT). The Eagles, now 6-5 overall, are on the road for matches at Hingham Saturday (5 p.m.) and B.C. High Tuesday (4 p.m.).

RUGBY defeated , 44-0, to improve 5-0 for the season and takes on Xaverian Brothers at home today (5 p.m.) The varsity squad plays its last game of the season next Wednesday at home against Marshfield High School (4 p.m.)

SAILING at St. John’s defeated Manchester-Essex last Friday, 4-1, then competed in a tournament last weekend, before returning home to sail at Quannapowitt Yacht Club against Winchester High for another win, 4-0.