TITLETOWN: Apponequet spring sports rack up conference crowns and MVP honors

The spring was a successful season across the board for Apponequet sports teams. Not only did five squads capture conference titles, six reached the MIAA Div. 3 Sweet 16 with three advancing to the Elite 8 and two making it to the Final Four.

Also, five Apponequet student athletes were named South Coast Conference MVPs for their respective sports.

“It’s a great time to be a Laker,” said Apponequet athletic director and baseball coach Jim Cabucio.

Here’s a look at those teams:

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BASEBALL

Apponequet won seven of its last eight games to capture a share of the South Coast Conference Blue Division championship with Somerset Berkley and wrap up the No. 4 seed in the Div. 3 tournament. The Lakers beat Gloucester 4-0 in the Round of 32, Dover-Sherborn 2-1 in the Sweet 16 and Sandwich 1-0 in the Elite 8 to make their first trip to a state semifinal since 2011 and just the second in school history. They went on to lose to top-seeded Oakmont Regional 5-1 in the Final Four. Seniors Nathan Levesque, Dylan Bradley and Caiden Cyr were named SCC All-Stars.

SOFTBALL

The Lakers won 14 out of 15 games to earn a share of the South Coast Conference Blue Division title with Dighton-Rehoboth and lock up the No. 2 seed in the Div. 3 playoffs. Apponequet opened the tournament by beating Medfield 4-1 in the Round of 32, Gloucester 6-0 in the Sweet 16 and North Reading 11-4 in the Elite 8 to reach the state semifinals for the first time in 25 years. The Lakers gave up an early lead and lost to Hudson 6-4 in the Final Four. Senior Lauren Bernaiche was named the SCC MVP while teammates Eva Zuber, a senior, and Christina Magnett, a junior, were selected to the All-Star team.

BOYS TENNIS

After capturing their fourth-straight South Coast Conference championship with an undefeated regular season, the Lakers beat Whitinsville Christian 5-0 and Foxboro 4-1 to reach the Div. 3 Elite 8. Apponequet came up short to Martha’s Vineyard, losing 3-2. Junior Will Horton won SCC MVP honors while seniors Nate Belmore and Ethan Clark and junior Ryan Abreau were named All-Stars.

BOYS LACROSSE

For the second straight year, Apponequet won the South Coast Conference Blue championship. After winning 13 regular season games, the Lakers beat Shawsheen Valley Tech 13-11 in the Round of 32 to reach the Sweet 16, where they lost to Nashoba Regional 16-8. Senior Ken Wisniewski was selected as the SCC’s MVP while seniors Jake Cusson and Kevin O’Connor and junior Will Levrault received All-Star honors.

GIRLS LACROSSE

Apponequet not only won the South Coast Conference title, it reached the Div. 3 Sweet 16 thanks to a playoff win over Watertown 18-14. The Lakers lost to Hanover 19-12 to finish the year with an overall record of 16-4. Sophomore Cece Levrault received MVP honors of the SCC while juniors Abby Bradley and Jayleigh Howarth were named All-Stars.

GIRLS TENNIS

Even though Apponequet finished as runner up to Old Rochester for the South Coast Conference Blue Division title, the Lakers beat Cape Cod Academy 4-1 in the playoffs to reach the Div. 3 Sweet 16, where they lost to Pembroke 3-2. Juniors Kohana Fontinha, Jolie Decas and Brynn McLaughlin and sophomore Lila Nielsen were named SCC All-Stars.

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GIRLS TRACK

Senior Morgan Hayward was named the South Coast Conference MVP for girls track after a stellar season. At the Div. 4 championship, she won the 400 hurdles and took second in the 400 meters with a school-record 55.82. She went on to place third in the 400 and sixth in the 400 hurdles at the Meet of Champions.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: TITLETOWN: Apponequet spring sports rack up conference crowns and MVP honors