Massachusetts high school sports highlights for July 3

Team Massachusetts is helmed by Braintree coach Bill O’Connell and assisted by BC High’s Steve Healy, Walpole’s Chris Costello, and Blackstone Valley Tech’s Mike Denise.

The roster: Mac Bianchi (Nobles), Matt Blanusa (Dexter Southfield), Max Boehm (Wellesley), Owen Byrnes (Dexter Southfield), Alex Cantwell (Dexter Southfield), Chase Edgar (Austin Prep), Morrie Fried (Pittsfield), Brett Gallo (St. Sebastian’s), Luke Joyce (Braintree), Quincy Kerr (IMG), Bradley McCafferty (Austin Prep), Ryan Moreschi (Austin Prep), Braden Place (Roxbury Latin), James Rabuse (Wahconah), Nick Ranaldi (Austin Prep), Nolan Rappoli (Xaverian), Ryan Ruggiero (Winchendon), Brian Seo (Belmont Hill), Conor Secrist (St. John’s Shrewsbury), and Andrew Shute (Bishop Feehan).

In addition, four Massachusetts players were selected for the National High School Baseball Coaches Association All-Region 1 team, which includes New England and New York.

Brayden Mercier, a senior pitcher for St. John’s (Shrewsbury); Matt Stuart, a senior pitcher for Chelmsford; Paul McCarthy, a senior pitcher for Xaverian; and Randen May, a senior infielder for Bishop Feehan, were chosen.

Emmy O’Donnell, a rising junior at Concord-Carlisle, announced her verbal commitment to play women’s soccer at Duke.

The only member of the US Under-17 Women’s National Team from Massachusetts, O’Donnell is training in Fayetteville, Ga. She has 14 goals and 10 assists in two varsity seasons, earning a pair of Dual County All-League nods and selection as an Eastern Mass. All-Star.

“I would like to thank my coaches, friends, and family for supporting me through everything,” Emmy O’Donnell wrote on social media. “I especially want to thank my sister for always being there for me. Thank you to the Duke coaching staff for giving me this opportunity!”

Her older sister, Maisey O’Donnell, died in April in a car crash in Florida.

▪ Andrew Middleton, a former Canton High star who graduated from Dexter Southfield, is transferring to West Virginia after two years at UMass. A lefthanded pitcher, he struck out 29 in 11⅔ innings last season before undergoing internal brace surgery.

▪ Providence College announced its incoming men’s hockey class, which includes Newton’s Aaron Matthews. The 5-foot-11-inch goaltender split time with the Boston Jr. Bruins, Renfrew Wolves (CCHL), and Worcester Jr. Railers from 2022-24, then played for the New Jersey Rockets of the NCDC, posting a 3.60 goals-against average and .897 save percentage in 26 games.

▪ Evan Velardo, a rising senior at Masconomet, announced his commitment to play football at Colby College. The 6-foot-4-inch, 250-pound two-way lineman was named Northeastern All-Conference and also had offers from Nichols and Denison.

▪ BC High junior Kyle Hotarek, a 6-3, 260-pound left tackle and defensive lineman has committed to Bowdoin. He had offers from Trinity and Gettysburg.

▪ Mansfield rising seniors Aly and Maddie Fernandes have verbally committed to play women’s soccer at Hamilton. The sisters, who play club for Bayside FC, were both Hockomock League All-Stars.

▪ Mashpee has promoted Molly Shield to be its girls’ soccer coach. Shield had coached the Falcons’ JV team for four years and the middle schools squad for one.

A two-year captain at Bridgewater State, she will be inducted into the Mansfield High Athletics Hall of Fame this fall. She takes over a Mashpee team that went 3-12-4 last year under coach Trish Morano.

▪ Kathryn “Kat” Manigan will take the reins of Seekonk athletics as the district’s new Dean of Athletics and Programs, emerging from among eight candidates.

An indoor and outdoor track coach at Southeastern, she also served as the school’s assistant athletics and activities director.

“I’m confident that with her experience, Kay will be a great fit,” said Seekonk High principal William V. Whalen III in a statement. “Not only will she make an excellent athletics director, but she’s also a qualified administrator. We had a lot of good candidates, but Kay stood out and seemed like a perfect fit for this role.”

A Quinnipiac graduate, Manigan taught science at Southeastern for 11 years, while leading the girls’ track team to its first league championship in 2022 and the boys to their first conference crown in 26 years. She also served as an assistant volleyball, field hockey, girls’ lacrosse, and girls’ basketball coach.

“I have played and coached so many sports in my life that it is hard to find one that I have not participated in or tried, but I also have a strong passion for the musical arts,” Manigan said in a statement.

She replaces John Moran, who died in April after a battle with cancer. He had been on the job since 2019.

▪ Taylor Pirie, who grew up in Hamilton and graduated from Governor’s Academy, has been named the varsity lacrosse coach at Avon Old Farms in Connecticut.

An All-ISL selection at Governor’s, where his father, John, is the coach, he went on to play at Middlebury, then coached at Trinity-Pawling and the Millbrook School in New York.

▪ Tess Barrett, who graduated from Cohasset early and has already spent a semester at Boston College, was honored as the Massachusetts girls’ soccer Player of the Year by the United Coaches Association.

Barrett scored 29 goals with 27 assists, finishing her All-American high school career as Cohasset’s leader in points (217), goals (123), and assists (94). She will play this fall for the Eagles.

▪ St. John’s Prep football coach Brian St. Pierre will be inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Hall of Fame in the fall.

St. Pierre, an SJP alum who was born in Salem, quarterbacked the Eagles to a nine-win season in 2002, including a win in the Motor City Bowl. He threw for 5,837 yards and 48 touchdowns during his time in Chestnut Hill before being selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft by the Steelers. After six NFL seasons, he was hired at St. John’s Prep in 2014 and has led the Eagles to three Division 1 Super Bowl wins.

Brendan Kurie can be reached at brendan.kurie@globe.com. Follow him on X @BrendanKurie.