Connect with us

Sports

2024 rewind: Biggest South Shore sports stories of the year

Published

15 hours ago

on

2024 rewind: Biggest South Shore sports stories of the year

The year 2024 is nearing its end. What a year it was.

There were several big stories in the South Shore and Brockton-area sports landscape. There were no dull moments in 2024 for The Patriot Ledger and Brockton Enterprise sports staff (Chris McDaniel, Eric McHugh, Ryan Vermette and myself).

Eleven local high school teams won state championships, and people of all ages reached milestones at every level (even the pros), including a 13-year-old earning a college football offer, a 25-year-old shine in his Major League debut and a Marshfield native get called to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Here are (some of) the biggest stories from 2024:

Brockton’s AJ Dybantsa commits to BYU

The 17-year-old from Brockton is the top player in the 2025 high school basketball recruiting class. in December, Dybantsa announced his college commitment to BYU in Provo, Utah on ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Shannon Sharpe. He chose BYU over North Carolina, Kansas and Alabama.

Cohasset’s Ben Rice shines for Yankees

The 25-year-old from Cohasset made his MLB debut with the New York Yankees in June. He had the best game of his young career against his hometown Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium on July 6, as he hit three home runs in New York’s 14-4 win. Rice played at Fenway Park for the first time in late July.

13-year-old receives college football offer from UMass

Hingham’s Hudson Garrity, an eighth-grade quarterback, received his first Div. 1 college football offer from UMass Amherst in November. He finished his eighth grade season with 52 touchdowns, 2 interceptions and 3,014 yards on 110-for-129 passing (86 percent) in nine games (9-0) and a Super Bowl title.

Former Marshfield defenseman now NHL coach

Ryan Warsofsky, at 36 years old, was named head coach of the San Jose Sharks in June. He played defenseman at Marshfield High, and in college at Sacred Heart University (Fairfield, Conn.) and Curry College in Milton. Warsofsky was previously an assistant coach in San Jose.

Ex-Thayer star heads to Hockey Hall of Fame

Jeremy Roenick, a Marshfield native and former Thayer Academy center, was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in June. He was a nine-time All-Star with 1,216 career points in his 20-year career (Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, LA Kings, San Jose Sharks).

Brockton High hires new football coach

Brockton High hired longtime assistant Jailson Silva to be the schools’ head football coach in late July, after a one-year stint with ex-New England Patriot Jermaine Wiggins. The Boxers made the Division 1 state tournament and finished the season with a 5-6 record after defeating Bridgewater-Raynham on Thanksgiving.

Scituate’s Willy Robinson dedicates OT winner to late father

Willy Robinson, then a junior on the Scituate High boys lacrosse team, scored the winning goal in overtime to defeat Falmouth in the Div. 3 semifinals just five days after his father, William, an assistant coach, died unexpectedly at age 50: “Words really don’t describe it,” coach Mark Puzzangara said. “Unbelievable. I don’t think you could have had a better ending to a game like that. The emotion is unbelievable.”

BC High hires former NFL Player as head football coach

BC High hired Paul Zukauskas to be the Eagles’ next football coach in March. The Weymouth native is a 1997 BC High graduate and was a four-year starting offensive lineman at Boston College who later played five years in the NFL (Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers). He led the Eagles to a breakout run to the Div. 1 Final Four in his first year.

Kara Connerty resigns at Norwell

Kara Connerty, one of the longest-standing local coaching figures, resigned from her positions leading the Norwell High girls soccer and girls lacrosse teams in August. The two teams won a combined eight state championships under her watch (five in girls lacrosse — 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018; and three in girls soccer — 2018, 2021, 2023).

Remembering Braintree baseball coach Don Fredericks

Don Fredericks, the former longtime Braintree High baseball coach, died in May after a short battle with cancer. He was 79 years old. “He did more for high school baseball in this state than any other single person,” said Plymouth North coach Dwayne Follette, who called Fredericks “one of a kind.”

Quincy football coaching changes

In January, Quincy principal Keith Ford was named the Presidents’ acting head football coach “in order to keep the program going in the offseason,” said athletic director Kevin Mahoney, but “would not be a candidate for the permanent head coach position.” Ford stepped down five days later. Former New England Vernon Crawford was Quincy’s previous head coach. He resigned earlier that month after one season.

In March, Quincy hired Ed DeWitt, a 2004 QHS graduate who previously coached at Oliver Ames. The Presidents (3-7) made the Division 1 state tournament this fall.

North Quincy’s ‘Miracle on Hancock Street’

The North Quincy High football team capped the 2024 season with a thriller. Quarterback Mike Galligan tossed a Hail Mary to the end zone, caught by teammate Tyler Cromwell, to force overtime vs. Quincy on Thanksgiving. NQ won, 43-41, in the city rivalry and the play was eventually the No. 1 play on SportCenter’s Top 10.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading