Hornets beat Arlington Catholic 10-3 in D3 Final
Published June 19, 2025
By DAN ZIMMERMAN
NORTH READING — As centerfielder Gavin Brady securely closed his glove on a routine fly ball, marking the final out of the game, and the baseball season, pandemonium broke out on the finely-manicured infield of Polar Park, home of the Worcester Red Sox.
Streaming from the dugout to the field, the newly-minted MIAA Division 3 State Champion North Reading Hornets celebrated their well-deserved title with unbridled joy.
On the strength of a 5-hit, 5-run first inning and yet another masterful performance on the mound by junior fast-baller Dylan Matthews, the Hornets handed Arlington Catholic a 10-3 defeat to claim their first State Title since 2012.
That earlier championship win belonged to former coach Frank Carey, who retired two years later with a state-record 736 wins, among other noteworthy accomplishments in his 47-years at the helm of the team. Current coach Eric Archambault took over the program in 2015 and has now added a State Championship to his already impressive resume.
“We’re definitely still appreciating what transpired over the last two months,” said Archambault, referring to a 21-4 overall finish, including a five-win playoff run. “It has been a tremendous baseball season and I’m happy that it ended the way it did. But I have to pay tribute to those who paved the way over the years. I want to give a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to the North Reading community for their incredible support. Game after game, the turnout of fans and well-wishers never ceased to amaze me and it was a testament to the baseball tradition in this town, all started by the great Frank Carey.”
A brief 48 hours prior to the trip to Worcester, No. 9 North Reading had little trouble with No. 13 Wakefield, eliminating their neighbor and natural rival 6-0 in a Division 3 Final Four matchup, staged at Fraser Field in Lynn. Jason Curran and Glenn Mello each added a pair of hits to lead the offense while Christian Lava’s RBI-basehit in the third proved the eventual game-winner. And Hornet pitching continued to impress as Ethan Quan went the distance, scattering six hits and striking out a pair to finish the season at 8-2.
“The depth of our pitching staff spoke for itself this season,” said Archambault. “We only used three pitchers in the post-season but there’s another three or four that I knew I could turn to for key outs. Dylan Matthews and Ethan Quan started all five playoff games and pitched deep, putting us in great spots. In the playoffs, Glenn Mello was dialed-in and gave us no-hit innings in relief.”
Archambault also pointed out the team’s near-flawless defense throughout the playoffs, as well as the Hornets’ trademark aggressive baserunning. It’s part of the proven winning formula. As he explained, his players often found the means to get on base and when they did, got around quickly.
“The thing that separated this team from some in the past is the pride they took in the finer details of baseball,” said the coach. “They took great pride in baserunning, which is often overlooked in the high school ranks. I’ve always felt that a team that steals 100 bases in a year has accomplished something remarkable. We stole 180.”
After a few wide-eyed moments taking in their unique surroundings and the trappings of a professional ballpark, the Hornets wasted little time sending a message to their State Final opponent. At the outset, a steady procession of Hornets drilled basehits off beleaguered Arlington Catholic starter Patrick Clair, including Curran, Lava, Max Forristall and Nick Torra, who drove in a pair to make it 5-0. Matt Mancinelli, who maintained a club best .420 average this season, was 2-for-4 in the game with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.
Down, but certainly not out, Arlington Catholic closed the gap with a run in each of the next three frames. Meanwhile, North Reading hitting faltered, turning decidedly cold. The Hornets needed someone to reverse the trend. Enter Torra, who ripped a two-out double to score pinch-runner Cam Parrett and restore order.
“They were tacking on a run in each inning,” said Torra, who led the team (3-for-4, 3 RBIs) at the plate. “It was our mindset to not let it slip away. It was great to be in a take charge situation and put the momentum back in our favor. I guess I was at the right place at the right time.”
“It didn’t surprise me one bit,” said Archambault. “Nick is such a competitor and wants to be in those situations. He likes to simplify things and just put the barrel to the ball. He did a tremendous job under huge pressure.”
North Reading added a crooked number in the bottom of the sixth to climb into double figures, after Mello threw the first of his back-to-back 1-2-3 innings.
After a historic champion season, North Reading baseball will part ways with seniors Liam Blanchette, Jason Curran, Max Forristall, Tom Gazda, Ryan Labb, Cam Parrett, Antonio Ricca, and Nick Santiago.
“I’m just so incredibly proud of these kids,” said Archambault. They worked so hard over the last four years but especially these last two. This was earned every step of the way and I couldn’t be happier for them.
“They are now State Champions and no one can ever take that away from them.”
