Xaverian’s varsity hockey team skated into the 2023 season under the radar. Many counted the Hawks out after the team graduated 15 seniors last year; however, they were able to secure another deep playoff run under the leadership of Head Coach Dave Spinale, P ’22.

While they had their ups and downs along the way, the Hawks stepped up when they needed to, securing important wins against Catholic Conference opponents to improve their strength of schedule. Captain Gavin Moynihian ’23 led the team in points (24) and assists (16), while fellow captain Joe Di Martino ’23 and alternate captain Jesse Peck ’24 each scored a team-high nine goals during the season. Standout goaltender Cole Pouliot-Porter ’24 had a stellar year in net, playing a major role in the playoffs as well. 

With a 12-8-0 record in the regular season, the team earned the number seven seed in the MIAA Tournament. In the round of 32, the Hawks dominated, winning 9-1 against Saint John’s (Shrewsbury) in front of a ruckus crowd. A similar scene took place in round two, with a 5-2 victory for Xaverian over Belmont to secure a spot in the Elite Eight. With a trip to the Final Four on the line, the Hawks needed to play the best hockey of the season to stay alive. They traveled to face number two seed (and their Catholic Conference rival), Catholic Memorial.

Despite being on the road, Xaverian fans flocked to Brighton to cheer on the Hawks. A massive crowd gathered to watch the matchup, and from the moment the puck dropped, the energy was high and the game was intense. A pair of goals gave the Hawks a lead that they never gave up. Coach Spinale described the match as “the statement win for the season,” attributing the success to the cohesiveness of the team and the tremendous effort by Xaverian’s goaltender, Pouliot-Porter, who had 42 saves. “He was so focused and put us on his back that night,” he says. 

From there, Xaverian beat Reading on a Di Martino overtime goal in the Final Four, returning to the Division I State Championship against number four ranked Pope Francis High School. It was a tight game until the end, but the Hawks ended up falling short on a go-ahead goal for Pope Francis in the final minute of regulation. Despite the tough finish, it was a memorable season for Xaverian hockey, who look forward to next year for redemption.

Xaverian’s 2023 indoor track team had an exciting year, with several standout performances on the season. In the MIAA Division 1 State Championship, Xaverian had seven placements: Mitchell Kisgen ’25 finishing 8th in the 300 meter, the 4x200 meter relay team of Charlie Comella ’24, Jordan Wilson ’25, Joshua Barry ’24, and Kisgen claiming 4th place, Comella taking 4th in high jump, and Luke Toland ’23 taking 2nd in high jump. The New England High School Championship saw two more strong performances, with Kisgen finishing 17th in the 300 meter and the 4 x 200 meter relay team of Comella, Wilson, Barry, and Kisgen coming in 4th.

Xaverian’s varsity basketball team earned a 12-10 record on the season, qualifying for the state tournament for the first time since 2018 and playing their first playoff home game since 2004.

Although they suffered an unfortunate loss to #4 ranked Needham in the second round, this season was certainly one to remember. Captains Danny Edgehille ’23, Griffin Ready ’23, and Ty Cheney ’24 helped lead the team. Edgehille and teammate Lorenza Carrara ’24 were both named All-Conference due to their stellar performances. Their efforts helped Xaverian take down highly-ranked Division 2 state champions, Malden Catholic, in a regular season competition. 

Although warmer winter temperatures led to an abbreviated race season for the Hawks, Xaverian’s ski team had a strong season. Led by Coach Mike Davis, and buoyed by Declan O’Shaughessy ’26 and Rory Weston ’26, both of whom had prior racing experience, Xaverian, rocketed to a 5th place finish on the season. With 361 points, Declan finished the regular season as the 12th ranked skier in the Mass Bay Ski League East and qualified for the MIAA Alpine Ski State Championship. Cooper Witt ’24 and captain Patrick Kiernan ’23 both had standout years, improving their standings weekly. Witt finished 30th in the league with 190 points, and Kiernan 29th with 199 total points for the season. 

The 2023 swim team competed at the Division 1 State Swim and Dive meet held at M.I.T. and had a great showing, capping off an excellent season. They finished fifth overall in Division 1. The Hawks celebrated first-place performances in the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard freestyle, and second in the 200-yard relay and 500-yard freestyle. Thomas Hagar ’23 was a standout performer for the team. He broke two state records - one for the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 48.73 and one for the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 48.19. He was named the Catholic Conference League MVP and was featured in the Boston Globe and Boston Herald as an All-Star. He’s now swimming for the University of Alabama.

 

Nathan Sayers ’25 had an exceptional 2023 wrestling season, winning the Division 1 State Wrestling Tournament with a 1-2 record and finishing 4th at All-States for the 126 lb weight class. He finished the season with an overall record of 44-13.

 

Xaverian’s lacrosse team had a great run. The team was led by Catholic Conference All-Stars Griffin Ready ’23, Henry Hasselbeck ’24, and Sebastian Reyes ’24. They made it to the elite 8 but ultimately fell to BC High. The Hawks have much to be proud of with incredible wins against Marshfield, Belmont, Falmouth, Medfield, Malden Catholic, and Norwell, among others. They finished their season as #7 seed with a season record of 12-7.

 

Nine of Xaverian’s spring track and field student athletes competed at the D1 State Meet. Congratulations to our medalists, Ethan Cross ’24 (1st place - Javelin), Sam Hogan ’24 (7th place - Javelin), and Luke Luzietti ’23 (8th place - Javelin), and the 4x400 meter relay team (Tory Stuckey ’24, Brendan Murphy ’23, Justin Briggs ’25, and Mitchell Kisgen ’25 - 8th place). At the MIAA Meet of Champions, Kisgen broke the 400m hurdles school record with a time of 56.99. 

 

Xaverian varsity baseball had an exciting season with some incredible moments! In a game against Boston College High School on May 17, the Hawks won 3-2 after a walk-off two-run home run by Cam Grindle ’23. This clinched the Catholic Conference Championship for Xaverian, the second league championship distinction they’ve earned in three years. Of note, Josh Gauvain ’23 pitched seven scoreless innings during this critical game. Michael Oates ’23, Josh Gauvain ’23, Jackson Morse ’25, Danny Powers ’23, and Cam Grindle were all named Catholic Conference All-Stars. The second unforgettable moment was a three-run walk-off by Michael Oates against Algonquin Regional High School, which propelled the Hawks to a 5-3 win and onto the second round of playoffs. They made it to the round of 16 but ultimately fell to Methuen High School 2-1. They ended their season with a record of 14-8.

Congratulations to the varsity tennis team who finished the season with a 12-8 record. Noteworthy defeats were seen against Catholic Memorial, Malden Catholic, Medfield High School, Newton South, and Westwood High School. This is the second consecutive year that the tennis team has advanced to the Division 1 State Tournament. Their win against Attleboro High School advanced them to the round of 16 for the first time in a number of years. Winning matches for the Hawks were Cam Peterson ’26, Ben Buie ’23, Nate Bowers ’24, Owen Roberts ’25, Jonathan Lyder ’25, and Tripp Carven ’26. We look forward to seeing the Hawks continue to grow and build off such an amazing season next year.