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Stars shine at Hanover Theatre: T&G honors Central Mass. high school student-athletes

telegram & gazette
·4 min read

WORCESTER — The top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts filled the Hanover Theatre Wednesday night for the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.

Charlie Coyle of the Boston Bruins was the guest speaker.

MORE: Winners: Central Mass High School Sports Awards

The Central Mass. High School Sports Awards is part of the USA Today High School Sports Awards program, the largest high school sports recognition program in the country.

The event was presented by the Telegram & Gazette, part of USA Today, and DCU — Digital Federal Credit Union.

The event honored the athletes who were named T&G Hometeam all-stars this season, announcing Athletes of the Year in each sport and also naming Male and Female Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year and Team of the Year honorees. Grafton's Katelyn Fairhurst was also honored as this year's recipient of the Courage Award.

Wachusett's Tucker McDonald was named the Hometeam Male Athlete of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.
Wachusett's Tucker McDonald was named the Hometeam Male Athlete of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.

Male Athlete of the Year

Tucker McDonald, Wachusett Regional

Tucker McDonald earned a spot on the football and boys' basketball Super Teams this season after helping the Mountaineers finish 8-3 in the fall and 18-5 in the winter. McDonald, who is currently sifting through plenty of Division 1 college offers in football - including ones last week from Rutgers, Harvard, Buffalo, Rhode Island and Bryant, threw for 1,185 yards and 15 touchdowns to lead Wachusett on the gridiron.

McDonald followed it up with a team-high 11.6 points per game as a point guard to lead the Mountaineers on the basketball court. McDonald also was a standout shortstop for Wachusett, but sat out this season to focus on camps and showcases for college.

Littleton's Shae Regan was named the Hometeam Female Athlete of the Year, as well as the Girls' Cross-Country Athlete oc the Year and the Girls' Indoor Track Athlete of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.
Littleton's Shae Regan was named the Hometeam Female Athlete of the Year, as well as the Girls' Cross-Country Athlete oc the Year and the Girls' Indoor Track Athlete of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.

Female Athlete of the Year

Shae Regan, Littleton

Regan capped off a tremendous senior season for the Tigers by earning three spots on the T&G's all-star teams and was named the Athlete of the Year in cross-country and indoor track in addition to her honor on the outdoor track team. Regan set the tone in the fall, taking top spots at the Mid-Wach C meet, Central Mass. Division 2 championships, Division 3B state meet, and the D3 state championships, where she covered the 5,000-meter course at the Wrentham Development Center in 17 minutes, 47.4 seconds.

The Northeastern-bound Regan continued her tear in the winter, taking first place in the the mile and the 2 mile at the Division 5 state meet and then won the 2 mile — to complete an undefeated season in her marquee event — and also taking fourth in the mile at the All-State championships.

In the spring Regan set school records in the mile and the 2 mile and also shined in the 800 as Littleton finished second in the Division 6 state championship.

South High girls' basketball coach Diago McClain was named the Hometeam Coach of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.
South High girls' basketball coach Diago McClain was named the Hometeam Coach of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.

Coach of the Year

Diago McLean, South High girls' basketball

Changing the culture of a program is no easy task, but that's what South High's Diago McLain was able to do with the Colonels this season. Led by Grace O'Gara and Tamia Nunes, South finished 20-2 and reached the second round of the Division 2 state tournament. More importantly, South High boasted a 3.87 combined grade point average as a team in the classroom.

McClain also runs the Worcester Sting AAU program and has been instrumental with the development of many area athletes in Central Mass.

Players and coaches from the Algonquin girls' hockey team took the stage to accept the award for the Hometeam Team of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.
Players and coaches from the Algonquin girls' hockey team took the stage to accept the award for the Hometeam Team of the Year as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.

Team of the Year

Algonquin Regional girls' hockey

The Algonquin girls' hockey team made a habit of coming up big when it mattered most all season - and it paid off with a Division 2 state title. The Titans came into the postseason with the No. 10 seed and kept knocking off opponents thanks to stellar goaltending from Lana Pacific and timely scoring. Algonquin topped No. 9 Canton in overtime when sophomore Mallory Farrell scored the winner with 1:58 left to start the celebration.

The Titans finished 19-3-2 and also won a semifinal game thanks to an overtime goal from Emily Johns and won a quarterfinal with another overtime winner from Farrell.

Grafton field hockey star Kaitlyn Fairhurst was honored with the Courage Award as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.
Grafton field hockey star Kaitlyn Fairhurst was honored with the Courage Award as the top student-athletes in Central Massachusetts were honored Wednesday night at the Hanover Theatre at the Central Mass. High School Sports Awards ceremony.

Courage Award

Kaitlyn Fairhurst, Grafton field hockey

MORE: Past the sound barrier: Hearing loss doesn't stop Grafton High field hockey's Fairhurst

After undergoing 12 surgical procedures once doctors discovered a tumor on her hearing bones when she was in elementary school, Fairhurst has been an inspiration to others as she has flourished for the Grafton field hockey team. Fairhurst plays while wearing a cochlear implant, which is a surgically placed electronic device with internal and external parts. Fairhurst helped the Gators reach the second round of the Division 2 state tournament and will play for Pace University in the fall.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Stars shine at Hanover Theatre: T&G honors Central Mass. high school athletes