Inside Saints Athletics Newsletter

November 2024

A Letter from the Athletic Director

What an incredible fall season! We are beyond excited to congratulate all of our student-athletes for their dedication, hard work, and outstanding achievements. A special shout-out goes to our Girls' Soccer team, who made history with back-to-back State Championships! Your perseverance, teamwork, and determination have made us all incredibly proud. A huge thank you to Coach Hureau for leading the team to four consecutive State Championship Games—what an extraordinary accomplishment!

As we celebrate the achievements of our athletes, we also honor Coach McDonough, who is retiring after many years of exceptional leadership. Coach McDonough’s impact on our athletes, our program, and our school community cannot be overstated. We extend our deepest gratitude for his tireless commitment and guidance. Be sure to read more about Coach McDonough’s legacy in this edition of our newsletter.

With Thanksgiving now upon us, we continue to feel a deep sense of gratitude for the strength and spirit of our St. Thomas Aquinas community. Our athletes, coaches, staff, and supporters make every positive athletic experience possible, and we are so thankful for your ongoing dedication. The spirit of teamwork and commitment to excellence is alive and well here at STA.

As we look ahead to the winter season, we are excited to support our winter sports teams as they begin their seasons. We have no doubt they will bring the same passion, energy, and drive that defined our fall athletes. We can't wait to see what they will achieve!

Stay tuned for more updates and events. Here’s to another great season of STA athletics!

Go Saints!

Congratulations Girls Soccer 2024 STATE CHAMPIONS

What an incredible achievement for our Girls Soccer team! Congratulations on securing the State Championship with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Stevens!

Mallory Baker's breathtaking long-distance goal will be talked about for years to come, and Genna Bolduc’s fourth consecutive playoff shutout is nothing short of legendary. These moments truly exemplify the heart, skill, and determination of this team.

Back-to-back state championships—2023 and 2024! What an amazing accomplishment! Coach Pat Hureau’s consistent leadership has clearly been a driving force, with four consecutive championship appearances under his belt.

A massive thank you to Saints Nation for showing up and cheering on our champions—your unwavering support has been a key part of this journey. Here's to an unforgettable season and the bright future ahead for our girls!

Football Seniors

As mentioned in last month's edition, the celebration of seniors and the end of their season is a special time. Our football seniors had their celebration on their last game, November 1st, vs Plymouth High School. Although it was sad that it was the end, they fought really hard and nearly took down the undefeated Bobcats!

Brayden Jakubowski, Gary Finley, Aidan Morrison, Andrew Rodriguez, Anthony Settineri, Dillon Lassard, Jackson Roundy, Logan Campbell,

Nick Gakopoulos

Fall All-State

National Letter of Intent Signings

As the fall season comes to a close, we are excited to celebrate the achievements of five outstanding seniors who have officially signed their National Letters of Intent (NLI) to continue both their academic and athletic careers at the collegiate level. These student-athletes have not only demonstrated exceptional talent and hard work in their respective sports, but have also shown great dedication to their studies. Their commitment to their futures reflects the culmination of years of effort, and their success serves as an inspiration to their teammates and classmates.

Abigail Gaynor

Elon University, DI Softball

Skylar Knowlton

Indiana University, DI Swimming

Kensley Harris

Newberry College, DII Field Hockey

Jackson Estes

Bryant University, DI Lacrosse

Graham Willerer

Sacred Heart University, DI Baseball

Athlete Insight - What are Students Thankful for This Holiday Season?

Recently, the entire STA community came together to donate an incredible 17,668 items to the Lazarus House in Lawrence, MA, as part of our annual Thanksgiving drive. This generous outpouring of support is a cherished tradition at STA. In the spirit of gratitude, we asked some of our student-athletes what they are thankful for this time of year.

Annita Parmelee - Class of 2026

"I’m thankful to the people who guide me in making thoughtful decisions about the opportunities I am given both in and out of school. I am grateful to my friends, family, coaches, teachers, and mentors who support and encourage me to grow and reach my full potential every day."

Anthony Settineri – Class of 2025

"I am grateful to all my family and friends. I am also thankful for the many opportunities that have been given to me over my 4 years here at STA. I am further grateful for basketball and the upcoming season. I hope that everyone can take a moment this season to appreciate all that they have."

Mary Winter – Class of 2025

"I am grateful for my education, for the opportunity to attend STA since it emphasizes catholic principles and a rigorous education. I am especially grateful for STA now that I’m preparing for college– I’ve realized all the teachers and faculty members have prepared me well in order to find success hereafter."

Delaney Riley – Class of 2025

"I am grateful for the athletic opportunities and rigorous Catholic education St. Thomas provides. I am grateful to have been a part of the strong, highly motivated teams that push you to be the best you can be and get to experience several State Championship appearances and wins. I am lucky to have formed such great friendships with my teammates and classmates from STA and teammates from our Girls Hockey Co-Op. Most of all, I am grateful for the help and support provided by STA’s teachers and coaches, and my parents for providing me with the opportunity to attend St. Thomas and supporting me in everything I do."

Football Coach Ed McDonough Retires

St. Thomas Aquinas Head Football Coach Ed McDonough has announced his retirement after an impactful five-year tenure. Throughout his time at St. Thomas Aquinas, Coach McDonough built an extraordinary legacy, not just through his success on the field, but in the leadership, he demonstrated off it. His guidance, both as a mentor and a coach, embodied the core values that define St. Thomas Aquinas. Below are his notable accomplishments, along with a few words of gratitude. Coach, on behalf of the entire STA community, THANK YOU! You will forever be a Saint.

Ed McDonough Coaching Information

26 years Coaching High School Football - Career Head Coaching Record 104-76

18 years as a Head Coach
13 years at Wells HS 1985-1997 won four Western Maine Championships ('87,'92,'93,'97)
5 years at St. Thomas Aquinas 2020-2024 compiling a 24-22 record and two State Semi-Finals appearances (21,23)
He has had stints as an assistant: Timberlane HS - 4 years, St. Sebastian’s - 1 year, Hebron Academy - 2 years, and Traip Academy - 1 year (was varsity coach before they dropped down to low numbers in the program).

Ed McDonough – St Thomas Aquinas Football Coach

“I have enjoyed my five years at STA with such great young people. When we were healthy, we had some strong years, and when we suffered more than our share of injuries, while we did not have the depth of other Division II schools, we remained competitive. I am blessed to have had the opportunity to coach in such a supportive school environment with so many wonderful young men and their families. I take with me incredibly fond memories of my time at STA.”

David Morissette – Director of Athletics

"After five great years, we celebrate the retirement of Coach Ed McDonough, a true leader, coach, and mentor at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. His commitment

both on the field and in shaping young lives has left a lasting legacy. Coach McDonough’s impact extends far beyond football. He has been a role model and a family man; we can’t say enough. We are grateful for his dedication and wish him a well-deserved retirement with his family."

Logan Campbell – Class of 2025

"Playing for Coach McDonough was an experience I’ll probably never have again in my life. Coach used to say that playing the sport of football teaches us life lessons we will remember for life. This is true, but for me it is Coach himself who taught me the life lessons I will always remember. Through the game of football he has instilled accountability, dedication, and respect into every young man he has coached. Coach puts in as much work during the season as the players do. He spends countless hours watching films, scouting other teams, preparing our practices, and helping us become the best football players we could be. This is what makes Coach a true player’s coach. It is inspiring to see your coach put in just as much as you do to better the team. Throughout his entire career Coach has been an inspiration to me and hundreds of others and I have no doubt he will continue this through his well-deserved retirement."

Aidan Morrison – Class of 2025

"Playing for Coach McDonough is an experience like nothing else. He’s been around the game for decades. He’s seen it grow, change, and become what it is today. He knows the game in and out, but it’s not his knowledge of the sport that makes him who he is. He’s taught lessons that will stay with me until my last breath. He spends time with each player individually and gets to know them on more than just a player-to-coach level. He has a great sense of humor that he’s not afraid to break out at a moment’s notice and it’s something I’ve learned to love and look forward to with every word out of his mouth. He admits his faults and mistakes, though there may be few, and has no shame in being corrected which is an excellent quality for not just a coach, but anybody. After a long, successful career, I believe Coach McDonough has given the game of football everything he has and has earned his retirement."

Fall Athletic Teams Raise $2,228.00 for “My Breast Cancer Support”

President Paul Marquis, alongside the fall sports captains, recently presented Tina Saltmarsh of My Breast Cancer Support in Portsmouth, NH, with a check for $2,228. This generous donation was the result of the teams’ efforts during Homecoming Week, where they not only wore pink in honor of cancer awareness but also rallied together to raise funds for this incredible organization. A heartfelt thank you goes out to the entire STA community for their support in making this possible.

My Breast Cancer Support, based in Portsmouth, provides both financial and emotional assistance to breast cancer patients and their families in the Seacoast area of New Hampshire and Southern Maine. For more information, they can be reached at 603-759-5640.

David Morissette, Director of Athletics, shared, “This was a captain’s initiative to have all the teams unite for one cause this year, and to have it all come together during the same week. I couldn’t be prouder of what they accomplished—not only in raising awareness but also in raising funds. Morissette added, Special thanks to Stephanie Bolduc (Manager of Administrative Services and Mom) and Martha Masiello (Mom) for their help as well.”

Job well done, Saints!