Weekly Sports Roundup: Nov. 7-13

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Volleyball

After dropping a grand total of six sets during 20 regular season games, the fashion in which the Melrose High volleyball team won its third-consecutive MIAA Division 2 North Sectional Tournament should come as little surprise. The Lady Raiders dominated the field and cruised into the State Tournament unblemished, thanks to three straight 3-0 victories.

Melrose downed Burlington in straight sets on Nov. 7, opening the playoffs the same way it ended the regular season—with a 3-0 win. The Lady Raiders won 25-23, 25-8 and 25-18. The win made the class of 2012 the first to record four consecutive 20-win seasons, as they improved to 20-1. Melrose was led against the Red Devils by Middlesex League co-MVP Alyssa DiRaffaele, Jill Slabacheski, Sarah McGowan, Jen Cain, Amanda Commito and Jill MacInnes.

Melrose next faced North Reading in the semifinals—again. And as in years past, the Lady Raiders proved equal to the task of ousting their rivals from the north, doing so in straight sets. Bishop Fenwick did everything right to reach the D2 North Final, but will still feel as if it drew the short straw after running up against the buzzsaw that is Melrose volleyball on Nov. 12. Fenwick was swept aside, 3-0, as Melrose again earned the right to compete for a state championship.

The Lady Raiders take on Longmeadow Nov. 15, in a state semifinal in Bolton at 7 p.m.

Football

The Red Raiders handled their final test before the annual Thanksgiving Day battle with neighboring Wakefield in fine fashion, handing the Stoneham Spartans a 20-3 defeat on their home turf.

Melrose got rushing touchdowns from three different players—C.J. Hanson, Bryan Reale and Spencer Walsh—and is now 8-2 overall and 2-2 in the Middlesex League Small School Division. The Red Raiders finished with an identical record as league champions Wakefield, but both Melrose losses came against divisional rivals, sealing their 2011 fate as league also-rans.

Melrose and Wakefield renew their 110-year-old Thanksgiving rivalry on Nov. 24 at 10:15 a.m. at Fred Green Field.

Cross Country

Boys:  The Melrose High boys and girls cross country teams took part in the Eastern Massachusetts Divisional Championships at Boston’s Franklin Park on Nov. 12, and while perhaps not doing as well as they would have liked, the Red Raiders acquitted themselves well and took 19th place overall in the team standings with 443 points. Pembroke won division 4 with 49 points.

Christian Gentile led Melrose, finishing the 5k course in 17:12, good enough for 26th place. Other Melrose runners: Chris Gonzalez (85th, 19:03); Andrew Driscoll (103rd, 19:27); Alex Wilson (107th, 19:32); Duncan Locke (122nd, 19:47); Cameron Locke (123rd, 19:47); Matthew Tagan (131st, 20:04).

Girls: The Lady Raiders ran in the EMass Divisional Cross Country Championships at Franklin Park on Nov. 12, and took 13th place overall in the team competition with 316 points. Bishop Feehan won the division 4 competition with 36 points. 

Kelli Halligan led the Lady Raiders, placing 15th overall at 20:27, while Sarah McDonald finished 49th with a time of 22:17. Other Melrose runners: Katarina Frazier (75th, 23:05); Laura Tramontozzi (79th, 23:11); Katie Cosman (98th, 23:42); Hannah Singleman (99th, 23:46); April Drafts-Johnson (131st, 25:14).

Soccer

Boys: After a 6-1 drubbing of O’Bryant in the preliminary round of the MIAA Division 2 North Sectionals, Melrose took on Salem in the first round and duly delivered a 3-2 victory at Bertram Field on Nov. 7, advancing to take on Dual County League powerhouse Concord-Carlisle on Nov. 9 in the quarterfinals.

The Red Raiders saw their season come to an end against the Patriots in a heartbreaking 1-0 loss at CCHS as the 11th-seeded home side ousted No. 14 Melrose. The Red Raiders end the season at 11-6-3.