Proms and graduations are on many people’s minds, as well as state meets, MIAA tournament runs, and Senior Day celebrations.
And here’s one more: The 2026 Will McDonough sports writing contest is now accepting entries!
This year’s contest is again free to enter and open to any high school student (in grades 9-12) in New England. Winning entries will be published by the Boston Globe, and their authors will be honored in June.
Taking part is easy: First, an adult (18+) must fill out this info form HERE, and then entries can be emailed to McDonoughcontest@globe.com(One entry per person)
Deadline is May 27, 2026. More details can be found on the info form.
For more information, please contact McDonoughcontest@globe.com.
Good luck!
Shawsheen girls’ lacrosse captain Cera Salter was honored before her Senior Night game against visiting Whittier on May 7, 2026.Madeline Manning/Shawsheen Valley Technical
Captain Jack Martins was pumped for his Senior Night celebration ahead of Shawsheen’s game against visiting Melrose on May 8, 2026.Madeline Manning/Shawsheen Valley Technical
Rita Shann, mother of Emily Shann, lets go of a balloon in memory of her daughter while joined by family on what would’ve have been Emily’s Senior Day game with the Bishop Fenwick softball team on May 17, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Somerset Berkley’s Gavin Gooch waits to run during a 10-0 win over visiting Greater New Bedford on May 6, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Somerset Berkley’s Grace Kayata waits for the play to come her way during a 7-5 win over visiting Greater New Bedford on May 6, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Runners fly through the air during the 110-meter hurdles at the Lion Invitational hosted by Ludlow High School on May 8, 2026.Teddy Overtree/Hampshire Regional High School
Boston Latin Academy’s Lyla Chevoya Mendoza (63) waits for the baton as part of the 4×400 during a meet on May 12, 2026.Naomi Castellanos/Boston Latin Academy
Bishop Fenwick senior Tiffany Dorsey smiles as she approaches her doubles partner ahead of their match against visiting Swampscott on May 16, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Westford Academy’s Shreya Goyal is locked in during a 5-0 home win over Concord-Carlisle on May 11, 2026.Gabriel Freeman/Westford Academy
Sturgis junior George Foster returns a shot during a match against visiting Dennis-Yarmouth on May 4, 2026.Seamus Kehoe/Sturgis Charter West
Gavin Rodrigues upends the Seekonk goalie during Somerset Berkley’s 10-9 home win on May 4, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Wilmington senior Brayden Veazie gets knocked off his feet while scoring a goal during a 10-2 win over visiting Brookline on May 16, 2026.Braeden Foley/Wilmington High School
BABC’s Sam Owusu, who attends the Tilton School, finds contact as he drives to the rim during a New England JamFest game on May 9, 2026, at Dana Barros Basketball Club in Stoughton.Megi Stasa/Milton High School
Nantucket senior Arann Hanlon takes a shot during a 10-2 win against visiting Sandwich on May 7, 2026.Andrew Lavin/Nantucket High School
Junior Ethan Tran of the Neighborhood House Charter School track team competes in the 800 during the Atlantis Charter School Invitational on May 12, 2026.Shirlee Joaquin/Neighborhood House Charter
St. Sebastian’s students show their support for the boys’ lacrosse team during a 15-9 win over visiting Belmont Hill on May 8, 2026.Andrew MacDougall/St. Sebastian’s
Bishop Fenwick sophomore Sophie Cookie smiles after hitting a double during a 7-6 win in nine innings over visiting Arlington Catholic on May 13, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Senior captain Leo Kavey gets interviewed after Tabor Academy defeated visiting St. Sebastian’s, 14-10, for the ISL boys’ lacrosse championship on May 17, 2026.Andrew MacDougall/St. Sebastian’s
Medfield’s Adam Farne (left) and Preston Drillock run in from the outfield during a 13-3 win over visiting Millis on May 13, 2026.Maddie Unger/Medfield High School
Bishop Fenwick senior captain makes a diving catch at third base during a 7-6 win in nine innings over visiting Arlington Catholic on May 13, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Bishop Fenwick sophomore Aibhilin Sova beats the throw to third during an 11-10 extra-inning win against visiting Danvers on May 17, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Bishop Fenwick sophomore Sophia Poto celebrates with her team after scoring the deciding run in the eighth inning for an 11-10 walkoff win against visiting Danvers on May 17, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Somerset Berkley’s Owen Lambert gets a good jump during a rainy 10-0 win over visiting Greater New Bedford on May 6, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Xaverian junior Nick Corkery delivers a pitch during a 16-7 loss to visiting Catholic Memorial on May 4, 2026.Cullen Melsheimer/Xaverian High School
Medfield freshman Grayson Mesite throws the first pitch of what would be a 13-3 win over visiting Millis on May 13, 2026.Maddie Unger/Medfield High School
Wayland’s Joey Fay throws a pitch during a 9-6 loss to Cambridge on May 5, 2026. The game took place at Yetten Field in Waltham as a Dual County League “Strikes Out Cancer” game.Brandon Hill/Wayland High School
St. Sebastian’s Quincy Quillard takes a shot during a 9-8 win over visiting Governor’s Academy on May 13, 2026.Benny Fishbone/Dedham Country Day
St. Sebastian’s junior Quincy Quillard gets off a shot during a 15-9 win over visiting Belmont Hill on May 8, 2026.Andrew MacDougall/St. Sebastian’s
Nantucket senior Nolen Mosscrop scores on an open net during a 10-2 win against visiting Sandwich on May 7, 2026.Andrew Lavin/Nantucket High School
Senior captain Colin Allard battles behind the goal during a 17-9 loss to visiting Belmont on May 12, 2026.Conor Kinneen/Wilmington High School
Wilmington junior Ryan Archer joins senior Brayden Veazie (on ground) for a celebration during a 10-2 win over visiting Brookline on May 16, 2026.Braeden Foley/Wilmington High School
St. Sebastian’s players celebrate a goal during a 15-9 win over visiting Belmont Hill on May 8, 2026.Andrew MacDougall/St. Sebastian’s
St. Sebastian’s David Hahm (middle left) fights for control of a faceoff during a 9-8 win over visiting Governor’s Academy on May 13, 2026.Benny Fishbone/Dedham Country Day
Somerset Berkley’s Gabe Gonsalves prepares for the second half of what would be a 10-9 win against visiting Seekonk on May 4, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Somerset Berkley’s Katelyn McKinnon prepares for a girls’ lacrosse game with visiting Greater New Bedford on May 6, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
The Tabor Academy boys’ lacrosse team celebrates with the trophy after beating visiting St. Sebastian’s, 14-10, for the ISL championship on May 17, 2026.Andrew MacDougall/St. Sebastian’s
Bishop Fenwick captain Breanna Genzale is honored during Senior Night ceremonies before a game against visiting St. Mary’s on May 13, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Sturgis West goalie Ceci O’Connor runs up the field during a 9-4 win over rival Sturgis East on May 5, 2026, at McBarron Field.Seamus Kehoe/Sturgis Charter West
Somerset Berkley goalie Chase Vaught runs past the visiting team from Taunton before a game on May 12, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Wilmington senior goalie Luke DeProfio looks downfield after making a save during a 10-2 win over visiting Brookline on May 16, 2026.Braeden Foley/Wilmington High School
Bishop Fenwick junior Camille Yanofsky moves around a defender during a 15-9 loss to visiting Peabody on May 16, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Shawsheen Tech senior Cera Salter puts a shot on goal during a 16-1 win over visiting Whittier Tech on May 7, 2026.Conor Kinneen/Wilmington High School
Somerset Berkley’s Lauren Carr (3) evades defenders during a 7-5 win over visiting Greater New Bedford on May 6, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Shawsheen’s Josh Baker readies himself during an 18-4 win over visiting Melrose on May 8, 2026.Madeline Manning/Shawsheen Valley Technical
Bishop Fenwick captain Breanna Genzale makes a move during a 12-5 loss to visiting St. Mary’s on May 13, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Nantucket senior Noah Stringer moves around a defender during a 10-2 win against visiting Sandwich on May 7, 2026.Andrew Lavin/Nantucket High School
Bishop Fenwick senior captain CJ Masone (22) receives the Danish Cup MVP trophy after scoring seven goals in a 10-5 win over visiting Peabody on May 17, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Coach Michael Silipo hypes the St. Sebastian’s lacrosse team for what would be a 15-9 win over rival Belmont Hill on May 8, 2026.Lincoln Silva/St. Sebastian’s
Taunton’s Riley Mellin (36) sticks close to Gavin Rodrigues during Somerset Berkley’s 7-6 home win on May 12, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Old Rochester senior captain Neva Matos serves the ball up during her Senior Night match against visiting Bourne on May 15, 2026.Jack Wronski/Old Colony Regional
Westford Academy’s Melanie Chang leaps to strike the ball during a 5-0 home win over Concord-Carlisle on May 11, 2026.Gabriel Freeman/Westford Academy
BABC’s Mal Odugbela, who attends St. Andrew’s, takes a hard foul during a New England JamFest game on May 9, 2026, at Dana Barros Basketball Club in StoughtonMegi Stasa/Milton High School
Chase Alexander Levarity of Boston Latin Academy lets fly in the discus during a meet against O’Bryant on May 12, 2026.Naomi Castellanos/Boston Latin Academy
Sophomore Eli Depina of the Neighborhood House Charter School track team competes in the 110 hurdles during the Atlantis Charter School Invitational on May 12, 2026.Shirlee Joaquin/Neighborhood House Charter
Hampshire Regional senior Oscar Schiff competes in the 2-mile during the Lion Invitational at Ludlow High School on May 8, 2026.Teddy Overtree/Hampshire Regional High School
Parker Sierra Bauernfeind of Boston Latin Academy surges toward the finish of the 400 as part of a meet against Boston United on May 5, 2026.Naomi Castellanos/Boston Latin Academy
John Harry Martinez Laboriel of Boston Latin Academy (1) charges out of the blocks in the 100 during a meet against Boston United on May 5, 2026.Naomi Castellanos/Boston Latin Academy
Runners compete beneath the afternoon sun during the mile race at the Lion Invitational at Ludlow High School on May 8, 2026.Teddy Overtree/Hampshire Regional High School
The seniors on the Bishop Fenwick girls’ tennis team pose for a photo before their Senior Day matches on May 16, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
The Needham softball team celebrates during a 9-7 win over visiting Milton on May 7, 2026.Mark Hopkin/Needham High School
The Bishop Fenwick girls’ lacrosse team gathers with fatheads and smiling faces before its Senior Night game against visiting St. Mary’s on May 13, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
The Wilmington boys’ lacrosse team takes the field under a stick salute by a local youth team before a game with visiting Brookline on May 16, 2026.Braeden Foley/Wilmington High School
The Bishop Fenwick boys’ lacrosse team celebrates its 10-5 win over visiting Peabody on May 17, 2026.Lauren Cinelli/Bishop Fenwick High School
Somerset Berkley baseball players celebrate a 10-0 win over visiting Greater New Bedford on May 6, 2026.Calder Troutman/Somerset Berkley High School
Tabor Academy storms the field after beating visiting St. Sebastian’s, 14-10, for the ISL boys’ lacrosse championship on May 17, 2026.Andrew MacDougall/St. Sebastian’s
