Four Northeastern Conference All-Stars – including senior co-captain George Merry, the reigning Player of the Year – lead the Danvers High golf team in defense of its NEC championship this fall. The Falcons finished 10-0-1 in league play a year ago (14-4-1 overall) and placed sixth in the Division 3 North Sectional. Senior co-captain Colin Delaney and juniors Colby Sedlier and Dan McKenna will look to build off their all-star seasons of a year ago. Seniors Paul D’Orlando, Matt Bay and Kevin Daly and sophomore Trenton King add depth to this veteran squad. “We definitely have experience but …

The Danvers boys eeked by Malden Catholic on Thursday, April 7, for a 3-2 win on the court. Sophomore Gabe Ochonski and freshman Nick Lisichenok played strong singles matches while senior captain Mike DeSantis and junior Jim Grace won first doubles. The Falcons are scheduled to play Bishop Fenwick in Peabody this afternoon (3:30 p.m.) and then travel to Marblehead April 11 (4 p.m.), play a make-up match with Ipswich April 12 (3:30 p.m.) and then host Peabody April 13 (4 p.m.) The girls’ club hosts Salem today (4 p.m.), then Marblehead on April 11 (4 p.m.), travels to Peabody April 13 (4 p.m…

After a week of tournament play, the only Danvers High squad left standing is boys' basketball, which defeated Greater Lowell Technical High School on Thursday. The boys play Wayland Saturday night at Regis College in a first-round game of the Division III North tournament. Girls' basketball, on the other hand, along with boys' hockey and the girls' hockey co-op with Beverly, were defeated this week early in tournament play.

The Danvers High boys' basketball completed its turnaround season under first-year coach John Walsh with a 66-45 dismantling of Triton Regional Monday night at the high school. The Falcons (11-9) won their final four games and six of their last seven to qualify for post-season play for the first time since 2005. “It's crazy. I honestly felt that we could get here, but after some of the distractions and things that happened early in the season I just didn't know how we'd do it. This is a credit to the kids and their perseverance,” said Walsh. Tournament pairings are scheduled to be released …

Two games. One win. It's that clear-cut for the Danvers High boys basketball team, which has a 9-9 record and could qualify for upcoming Sectional play as early as tonight with a home win against rival Gloucester. Tip-off is at 7 p.m. After starting 0-4 and falling to 2-6 after a Jan. 7 loss to Northeastern Conference power Lynn English, the Falcons have executed a reversal of fortune and won seven of 10 to give themselves a chance to extend their season. Tough road wins at Winthrop (57-50) last Friday and at Swampscott (64-49) on Tuesday have put the Falcons in position to qualify at home in…

The resilient Danvers High boys basketball team will look to bounce back from Tuesday night's loss to Marblehead and begin a final push toward State Tournament qualification tonight at Winthrop (7 p.m.). The Falcons (7-9) must win three of their final four games in order to play their way in by finishing with a .500 record. It won't be easy. Second-place Winthrop is one slot ahead of the Falcons in the NEC South standings and has already qualified for the tournament. After visiting winless Swampscott next Tuesday night, Danvers closes the regular season with its final league contest against …

The Danvers High girls basketball team battled undefeated Revere to a standstill for 28 minutes Thursday night. Mistakes made during a key sequence in the fourth quarter, however, short-circuited the Falcons in a 50-46 home loss. Revere, the No. 8 team in Eastern Mass., ran its record to 13-0 (11-0 NEC North). Danvers, losers of two straight for the first time this year, dipped to 10-3 (8-3 NEC South) and fell into a first-place division tie with rival Gloucester. “It was an outstanding game. We're obviously disappointed that we lost but we played very well. I think we played with a little …

Danvers High hockey coach Kevin Brown didn't mince words when describing the magnitude of Wednesday night's 4-3 come-from-behind win against Marblehead at Salem State's Rockett Arena. “It's our biggest win of the season at this point,” said Brown, whose club trailed at one point in the second period, 3-1, before ripping off the game's final three goals for its fourth straight win. “We've shown a lot of resilience this year. We didn't panic and the kids bought into what we were doing,” he said. Sophomore Rob Buchanan's second goal of the game, set up by JD Hodgkins and Mike Trocchi with 2:34 …

A single offensive burst coupled with a steady dose of shutdown defense proved to be the right combination to elevate the Beverly-Danvers girls' hockey team into sole possession of second place in the Northeast Division of the Girls Eastern Mass. Ice Hockey League with a 2-1 win against Marblehead-Swampscott Wednesday night at Stoneham Arena. While both teams now stand at 6-4-0 overall, Beverly-Danvers stands at 3-1-0 in division play while Marblehead-Swampscott dipped to 2-2-0. High-powered Winthrop/Lynn English (4-0-0; 8-1-0) leads the division as the season swings into the second half. The…

Sophomore Eric Martin's court-length dash produced the game-winning layup with less than a second to play as the Danvers High boys' basketball team upended Beverly Tuesday night, 64-62, at Endicott College's Post Center. Danvers improved to 3-6 with the win. The Falcons entered the fourth quarter with a seemingly comfortable double-digit lead, but had to withstand a furious comeback by Beverly. Senior Sean Mahegan paced Danvers with a game-high 21 points while sophomore Nick Bates knocked down three 3-pointers in an 18-point effort. George Merry added 12 points. Danvers was back in action …

Unbeaten through its first four games, the Danvers High hockey team has suddenly hit a bit of a lull. The Falcons fell behind rival Gloucester, 2-0, after one period Wednesday night en route to a 4-3 loss at Talbot Rink in Gloucester. Danvers, now 2-2-2 overall, dipped to 1-2-1 in the NEC North. The win was the first in league action for the Fishermen (1-4-1; 2-4-1), who got two goals from John Interrante and a solid 22-save performance from goalie Mike Bresnahan to secure the win. Interrante staked Gloucester to a 1-0 lead at 6:47 of the first period, then set up Geoff Kennedy for a power …

The resurgent Danvers High boys' basketball team stepped out of its league and won its second straight game Thursday night with a 65-58 victory at Billerica of the Merrimack Valley Conference. Danvers is now 2-4 for the season. Senior Sean Mahegan led the way for Danvers with 24 points while junior Mike Scarfo knocked down four 3-pointers on the way to 16 points, his career high. Sophomore Eric Martin added 11 points. Danvers trailed at the half, 26-23, before exploding for 42 points after intermission. The Falcons were deadly from long range, draining nine 3-pointers. Danvers bounces back …

The Danvers High girls' basketball team ran its record to 4-0 with road wins against Swampscott Thursday night and Winthrop Tuesday night. The Falcons were tested for a half by Swampscott and stood tied at the half, 15-15; however, Danvers' stifling defensive pressure limited the Big Blue to seven second-half points and the Falcons pulled away for a decisive 44-22 win. Kellie Macdonald led the offense with 15 points while Kasey Sherry knocked down three 3-pointers and triggered the defense with a number of steals. Katie McKenna and Alison Tivnan cleaned the glass, combining for 19 rebounds. …

The Falcons picked up a point in their season opener Wednesday night, playing to a 1-1 draw with Saugus at Kasabuski Arena. Defenseman Peter Marshall's unassisted powerplay goal with 5:21 left in the game drew the Falcons even. Goalie Seth Kamens had 18 saves in the Danvers goal. The Falcons held a slight 22-19 edge in shots but Saugus goalie Nick Hegarty turned back 21 shots. The Sachems took a 1-0 lead on a Tyler Stretton goal at 9:57 of the second period. The Falcons then headed to Larsen Rink versus Winthrop Saturday night and took home the win, 3-2, with one goal from senior Captain …

When the Danvers High girls' soccer team kicks off Division 2 North Sectional play Saturday night against Amesbury (Dr. Deering Field, 6:30 p.m.), it will seek to add to the sparkling resume the program has built up under the guidance of Coach Jimmy Hinchion. The tourney-wise Falcons (14-2-2), the No. 2 seed in this year's draw and state semifinalists a year ago, are making their 10th consecutive post-season appearance and seeking their fourth North Sectional championship during that span. The journey starts with No. 15 Amesbury (9-6-2) of the Cape Ann League. "Every game in the tournament …

Freshmen Kylie Plaza, Stephanie Kowalski and Delaney Zecha combined for four goals and an assist as the Danvers High girls' soccer team completed its Northeastern Conference schedule with a 5-1 romp past Beverly on Thursday. Plaza sandwiched goals in the fifth and 15th minutes around Kowalski's marker in the seventh minute as the Falcons raced out to a quick 3-0 lead. Becky Landers assisted on all three scores as the Falcons moved at will through midfield. Brittany Russo stretched the lead to 4-0 in the 31st minute and Zecha (from Kowalski) scored the only goal of the second half. Allison …

The Danvers High girls' soccer team wasn't about to make the same mistake twice in its rematch with Northeastern Conference leader Peabody on Oct. 20 at Dr. Deering Field (the Tanners are ranked No. 12 team in the United States in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America poll). When the teams met in September, the Falcons saw a 2-1 lead disappear late in the second half of an eventual 3-2 loss. This time Danvers built a 2-0 lead and closed the deal, handing Peabody (12-1-1) its first regular-season loss since 2008, 2-1. Danvers (11-2-1) has now won six straight. Senior goalie…

This was supposed to be the transition year when the Danvers High golf team's string of dominance would, at the very least, be interrupted. With no returning seniors and minimal experience, it is easy to understand why early expectations may have been modest for coach Jeff Avigian's club. But after closing the regular season with a 36-36 tie against Gloucester at Bass Rocks on Oct. 14, the Falcons found themselves with their fifth Northeastern Conference championship in six years after compiling a 10-0-1 league record and now bound for their 13th straight state tournament with a 14-4-1 …