Published June 18, 2020
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
NORTH READING — Although the high school season was canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Eastern Massachusetts Girls’ Lacrosse Association recently handed out awards for seniors for their off-field contributions.
Coaches were allowed to send nominations for their players back in May.
Three North Reading High School seniors were recognized. The three Hornets to win awards were Lauren Sullivan, Lauren Keough and Alexandra Richards. Sullivan and Keough were both captains.
Sullivan received the Community Service Award while Keough took home the Scholar-Athlete Award. Richards received the Sportsmanship Award.
“Our coaching staff is incredibly proud of Lauren, Alexandra and Lauren,” said North Reading head coach Matt Costello. “Competing on the field with your teammates and striving towards a common goal are experiences like no other. However, perhaps the most profound impact a student-athlete can have is the display of your moral character, how you positively make other people feel, and the deposits of selfless actions put forth to improve your academic and local community.
“Despite not being able to step on the field this season, Lauren, Alexandra and Lauren have positively influenced more people in their North Reading community than they will ever know. It’s been an honor to teach and coach them, along with their other senior class teammates.”
All three girls will be going to college this fall. Sullivan will be attending Syracuse while Keough will be going to Boston College. Richards will be heading out to UMass-Amherst.
“I was happy that these three got some form of recognition considering the circumstances,” said Costello, who is in his second year as head coach.
Sullivan, a three-year varsity member, had three goals, two assists, 41 ground balls and 20 caused turnovers last spring. She played both defense and midfield.
Keough, a defenseman, had 16 ground balls and nine caused turnovers last season.
Richards, a four-year player who played attack, had two goals, three assists and six ground balls last year.