2023 Boys Soccer Showcase Recap

July 25, 2023

The Boys Soccer Showcase took place July 6 - 9 at Game On in Fitchburg

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Thursday, July 6

Game 1: Central v Northeast

Central 2-1

The opening game of the Bay State Games Boys Soccer Showcase saw Central and Northeast face off in what would turn out to be a closely contested game. The first half saw both teams net a goal a piece. Northeast scored on a beautiful header by forward Dillon Reilly (Lynnfield, Lynnfield HS) assisted by Jared Halpern (Marblehead, Marblehead HS). Central evened the scoring with a tremendous rebound off a free kick from Prince Sonpon Jr (Worcester, South High Community School). Entering the second half tied 1-1, Central would open the scoring with a goal by Kingston McGee (Sutton, Sutton HS) assisted by William Baltas (Worcester, St. John’s HS). Central would not let go of the lead and the first match of the showcase ended 2-1 Central over Northeast.

Game 2: Coastal v Southeast

Coastal 3-0

Coastal came ready to play for their first game, with a commanding 3-0 win over Southeast. Keith Gillette (Tiverton, Tiverton HS) netted a powerful strike assisted by Benjamin Novo (Westport, Westport HS) to seal the deal for Coastal in the second half.

Game 3: West v Metro

West 5-2

In a display of dominance, West overpowered Metro 5-2. West got on board first with a sensational strike from forward Brayden Marta (Ludlow, Suffield Academy). Followed by a hat trick of goals from Mateo Balbino (Ludlow, Ludlow HS). Down 4-0, Metro was able to get on the board with a tremendous effort from Oscar Martinez (Boston, East Boston HS) who scored both Metro goals to bring them within two. West then scored to make it 5-2 to capitalize on a dominant win in their first match.

Game 4: Northeast v Southeast

Northeast 5-1

Northeast bounced back from an earlier loss with force defeating Southeast comfortably 5-1. Dillon Reilly (Lynnfield, Lynnfield HS) continued his scoring ways netting two of the five Northeast goals.

Game 5: West v Coastal

West 3-0

West continued their dominance with a solid 3-0 win over Coastal. Brayden Marta (Ludlow, Suffield Academy) etched another goal to his name with a beautiful strike. Followed by a goal from midfielder Benjamin Goodman (Longmeadow, Longmeadow HS). West then closed the game out with another goal.

Friday, July 7
Game 6: West v Central

West 4-0

West controlled again with a 4-0 defeat over Central. Forward Cole Bamford (Ludlow, Ludlow HS) netted the first two West goals. Shortly followed by a goal from Joe Presnal (East Longmeadow, East Longmeadow HS). West then ended the game with a late goal to seal a controlled win over Central.

Game 7: Northeast v Coastal

Northeast 3-0

Northeast resumed their winning ways with a 3-0 win over Coastal. Netting a goal early, followed up with two more goals from midfielder Kaya Jackson (Salem, St. Mary’s HS).

Game 8: Metro v Central

2-2

In a closely contested game, Central got on the board first with a goal from Davin Grace (Worcester, Doherty Memorial HS). Metro bounced back with a solid strike from Oscar Martinez (Boston, East Boston HS) his third goal of the showcase. Omar Abulail (Auburn, Auburn HS) then socred to give Central a 2-1 lead. Metro was able to score a late goal to tie the game before the last whistle.

Game 9: West v Southeast

West 6-1

West continued their winning streak with a comfortable 6-1 win over Southeast. Cole Bamford (Ludlow, Ludlow HS) netted another goal to add to his tally, while Christiano Marta (Ludlow, Suffield Academy) scored his first goal of the showcase.

Game 10: Metro v Northeast

Metro 5-0

Metro put on a show to capture their first win of the showcase. Running away early with two goals, one from David Paiva (Malden, Malden HS). Followed by two more, one from midfielder Dieff Bonhomme (Everett, Everett HS) netted his first goal of the showcase to give Metro a 4-0 lead. David Marquez (Boston, Brighton HS) rounded out the scoring giving Metro a 5-0 lead and a win.

Saturday, July 8

Game 11: Metro v Coastal

Metro 2-1

Metro opened Saturday with another win. Stevin Mejia (Revere, Revere HS) opened the scoring with his first goal of the showcase. Followed up by Brayan Medina (Revere, Revere HS) to give Metro a 2-0 lead. Coastal did get on the board with a goal late in the game but fell short.

Game 12: Central v Southeast

Central 7-2

Central dominated in their first game on Saturday, with a 7-2 win over Southeast.

Game 13: West v Northeast

West 1-0

West Finished their win streak with a 1-0 win over Northeast, ending pool play with a 5-0 record and the favorite for the Gold Medal.

Game 14: Central v Coastal

Central 2-0

Central racked up another win on Saturday with a sold 2-0 win over Coastal. Jovuan Mensah (Worcester, Burncoat HS) opened the scoring with a beautiful strike. Central rounded out the scoring with a blast from William Baltas (Worcester, St. John’s HS).

Game 15: Metro v Southeast

Metro 7-2

Metro lit up the scoreboard with a commanding 7-2 win over Southeast. Five different players scored for Metro: Bryan Toro (Revere, Revere HS) and David Paiva (Malden, Malden HS) both netted two goals. David Marquez (Boston, Brighton HS), Oscar Martinez (Boston, East Boston HS), and Stevin Mejia (Malden, Malden HS) each had a goal apiece, adding to their own individual goal tallies respectively. Southeast was able to net two goals, one from Logan Macomber (Swansea Joseph Case HS) and one from Christian Geerdes (Fair Haven, Fair Haven HS).

Sunday, July 9
Game 16: Northeast v Metro (Bronze Medal Match)

Northeast 1-0

The Bronze medal match was slated to be a fantastic match, however, it was forfeited by Metro due to travel issues. Northeast ended the showcase with a 2-3 overall record, while Metro ended with a 3-1-1 record.

Game 17: West v Central (Gold Medal Match)

West 3-2

The Gold medal match saw powerhouse West face off against Central in what would be an exhilarating and heated match. West opened the scoring within the first minute of the match with a blast from Cole Bamford (Ludlow, Ludlow HS). West then went up 2-0 with help from a penalty kick, expertly taken by Mateo Balbino (Ludlow, Ludlow HS). Swiftly followed by another goal to give them a commanding 3-0 lead. Central was able to crawl back within one with a strike from Jovuan Mensah (Worcester, Burncoat HS) and Kingston Mcgee (Sutton, Sutton HS). West ended the showcase with a dominant 5-0 record. Central ended with a 3-1-1 record.

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Bay State Games Awarded a B.A.A. Gives Back Grant

November 24, 2025

Fall edition of the B.A.A. Gives Back Grant Program awards $125,000 to local non-profit organizations

Bay State Games Announces 2025 Future Leaders Scholarship Recipients

November 18, 2025

The Bay State Games has selected six statewide scholarship recipients for the 2025 Future Leaders Scholarship Program. These student-athletes were selected from a large applicant pool after a process that included committee reviews of all applications and virtual interviews with selected applicants. These future leaders were selected based on their achievements and involvement in academics, community service, athletics, and leadership roles. The Bay State Games Future Leaders Scholarship program was established in 1989 and has since distributed nearly $400,000 in financial aid. Each of these high school seniors will receive a $1,000 scholarship for their first year of college. “Bay State Games is proud to continue the Future Leaders Scholarship program which since 1989 has provided over $400,000 in aid to support the continuing education of outstanding young leaders." said Kevin Cummings, Executive Director of the Bay State Games. “These well deserving student-athletes have excelled in the classroom, on the field and in the community, representing a variety of schools, sports and regions across Massachusetts” This year’s six scholarship recipients are Elyse Bissada, Brooke Blahut, Abigail Howie, Olivia Laaper, Sabina Mackechnie, Molly McIntyre. Elyse Bissada is a senior at Dover-Sherborn High School, where she is a four-year varsity field hockey and track & field athlete, as well as the team captain for both sports. In 2025, Elyse was a member of the Bay State Games Southeast field hockey team where she won a gold medal. Elyse is the founder of the Veterinary Medicine Club at her school and in her free time volunteers at local farms and Animal Rescue Leagues across the state. Elyse has committed to play field hockey and study biology at Hamilton College, where she plans to pursue veterinary medicine and ultimately establish an affordable low-cost clinic that serves her community. Brooke Blahut is a senior at North Quincy High School where she is a 4-year varsity member of the soccer team, and captain of the varsity ice hockey team. Brooke is also a well accomplished figure skater. She began skating at age 2 at Winterland Skating School and is now a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalist. Brooke has participated in Bay State Games annually since 2016, medaled 6 times, and is a 4-year Bay State Games High School Ambassador. Brooke is also the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Ambassador for NQHS. Brooke is Vice President of her class, a member of the National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society and academically ranks in the top 5% of her class with a 4.6 GPA. Brooke is a two-time team leader and participant in the FBI Teen Leadership Academy and plans to pursue her master’s in forensic science and criminology and become an FBI Special Agent. Abigail Howie is a senior at Wilmington High School, where she is on the varsity soccer team and is captain of the Winter and Spring Track teams. Abigail serves as President of Student Council and the Wildcat Service Council, where she founded the “Bridging Generations” community initiative. She is a member of the National Honor Society, DECA, and Best Buddies. Abigail coaches a Wilmington fourth-grade team and is a USSF-certified soccer referee. She has most recently created an Alzheimer's Awareness community service project for her senior year. She hopes to continue her athletic career in college while studying sports management and marketing. Olivia Laaper resides in Stow and is a senior at Fusion Academy in Burlington. Laaper has been a captain of multiple high school sports teams including Track & Field and Swimming. Olivia is captain of her archery team at Riverside Archers and has won multiple medals in archery at Bay State Games and state competitions. Beyond athletics, Olivia has gained hands-on experience in emergency medicine as a high school intern with Pro EMS and plans to take her EMT certification this fall. She gives back to her community by lifeguarding and coaching youth swimming at Goldfish Swim School, volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and at local food banks. In college, Olivia plans to pursue a degree in nursing with a minor in emergency medicine and psychology. Sabina Mackechnie is a senior at East Longmeadow High School where she is a three sport athlete and captain in Soccer, Basketball and Lacrosse. She has earned all-league and second-team All-Western Mass honors in soccer and lacrosse. Sabina has been a By State Games Ambassador for two years and is a member of her school's Athletic Leadership Council and Pink Ribbon Club. Sabina participates in canned food drives and fundraisers for her school sports teams. Sabina will continue her lacrosse career at Springfield College while pursuing a degree in Education. Molly McIntyre is a senior at Norton High School where she is a three-sport captain in cross country, basketball, and outdoor track, earning multiple TVL All-Star honors, and MVP awards. Molly serves in key leadership roles on Student Council, DECA, Best Buddies, and five National Honor Societies. She volunteers at local youth sports programs, community events, and the MSG Gregory Trent Foundation. Molly works part-time at a donut shop and local ice cream store. She plans on attending Stonehill College where she will compete in track and study Finance and Marketing. For more information on the Future Leaders Scholarship Program, click here. For a list of past recipients and the colleges and universities they've attended, click here . About the Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation/Bay State Games The Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 1982 to host the first sanctioned state games of the Commonwealth. It operates with the mission of promoting personal development, education, physical fitness, teamwork, and sportsmanship to Massachusetts citizens of all ages and abilities. The Foundation is recognized for hosting high quality, Olympic-style events through the Bay State Summer and Winter Games, as well as educational programs, including the Future Leaders Scholarship Program, and the High School Ambassador Program.