On Friday, January 26th at 5 p.m., two star-studded teams will clash at Excel Academy in East Boston! One of the biggest programs in the region, Lowell High School, is sending their girls to take on an All-star team of girls from different high schools in the Boston area.
The dual meet is the brainchild of Excel Academy head coach Brad Lewis. Lewis and Lowell coach Nick Logan worked together to put on a 5 v.5 girls meet last year which was only between the two schools.
“Their numbers have gone up and we’re down a little,” Lewis told The Schwartz Report, “but we wanted to keep doing the match. So I had the idea to make it an all-star team from Boston by combining a few of the schools.”
PROJECTED ROSTERS:
Boston All-Stars
106: Anni Cuddy (BLS)
114: Maria Medeiros (Malden/Everett)
114: Ai My Nguyen (BLA/OB)
114: Angie Berry (Stoughton)
120: Katelyn Vo (Malden/Everett)
120: Safiyyah Haddi (Excel)
126: Hannah Bryson (Wilmington)
132: Audrey Nguyen (Malden/Everett)
126: Anjue Liang (BLA/OB)
152: Serenity Williams (BLA/OB)
152: Ava Vieria (Stoughton)
165: Nora Hounian (Malden/Everett)
Lowell
114: Saphira Sao (Lowell)
120: Avan Pen Kieng (Lowell)
126: Elizabeth Guthrie (Lowell)
132: Mya Calderon (Lowell)
152: Ariana Yrrizarry (Lowell)
165: Amade Moundele (Lowell)
185: Giana Zayas (Lowell)
235: Ameliyah Martinez (Lowell)
235: Jenahlese Fortunato (Lowell)
In its second year, Coach Lewis is hoping the event will be a big.
“I think for this year’s event I’m expecting competition and celebration” Lewis said. “Competition because they [Lowell] have a lot tough girls and we’ll have some tough girls, and celebration because everyone involved on both sides appreciates that we have the numbers, interest, and support to be able to do this.”
Not long ago, there were no girls state championships in New England. Only in the last five years has that changed. Connecticut and Massachusetts started the trend and now Vermont remains the sole state in the region without a separate tournament for the ladies. There’s a definite uptick in the growth and popularity of girls wrestling, and coaches and New England are taking note of that.
“An event like this is all about the girls,” said Lewis. “Every one of them gets to take center stage and represent their team.
“That’s something that seemed so far away not too long ago and we appreciate that it’s now something that can be a reality—and hopefully a great tradition.”
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