Sports 03-28-2018

STATE CHAMPS

Immaculate Conception takes Archdiocese state tourney

The Immaculate Conception School Boys Junior Varsity and Girls Junior Varsity basketball teams were victorious at the Archdiocese State Tournament held on March 11.  Both teams will now attend the Regional Tournament held in Hartford, Conn., in April.

This year, the boys went undefeated in the Middlesex Catholic Elementary School League and became League Champions and then Playoff Champions with a win over Our Lady’s Academy of Waltham.

The girls team worked very hard to achieve the title State Champion this year and succeeded with a win over St. Raphael’s of Medford.

This is the first time two teams from the same school have won the State title and advance to the regional tournament in the same year.  Boys Coach John Leone and Girls Coach Eric Ferguson both expressed how proud they are of what their teams have accomplished and how hard they have worked this year.

The Immaculate Conception School of Revere has classes from Pre-School through Grade 8.  Under the direction of Athletic Director Joy Leone, in addition to basketball, the school offers cross country, cheerleading, spring track and volleyball.

Coniglio will hold Marathon fundraiser at Della Russo Stadium April 7 event will benefit Martin Richard Foundation

By Cary Shuman

A former Revere High School athlete will be hosting a community fundraising event in the city to support the Martin Richard Foundation.

Ariana Coniglio, who competed for the RHS cross country and track teams at RHS and set a home course record, said the walkathon will be held on April 7, from 3 to 7 p.m., at Harry Della Russo Stadium.

Coniglio was inspired to run in the Boston Marathon and raise money for the foundation after being a spectator at the marathon in 2013 when two bombs went off near the finish line on Boylston Street. She had been standing with friends on Boylston Street in position to cheer on her friends who were running in the race.

“I will never forget that day as I was among the marathon crowd,” said Coniglio. “I will never forget the fear or panic, not knowing if my friends were okay; not knowing if another bomb was about to go off; and not knowing where it was safe. We walked miles to get to my friend’s apartment not knowing if there was going to be another explosion. It was one of the scariest things I’ve ever experienced. Luckily I was fine and my friends were fine. My friend had finished the race a half hour before the bombs went off.”

Coniglio said she was impressed with how the city and region came together as one in the days and weeks following the tragedy.

“Moreover I will never forget the solidarity experienced in Boston and the perseverance among those injured in the blasts,” who have found strength and love in the ruins of that day,” said Coniglio. “We saw as a nation what ‘Boston Strong’ truly meant.”

Coniglio had always wanted to run in the Boston Marathon and “after that day, I changed that ‘maybe’ to a yes.’ She will be running the marathon with her husband, Chad Volbert, a Minnesota native, who proposed to her at Fenway Park.

“We were married in Massachusetts, and together we thought it would be really special if we ran, so we both applied to run for the Martin Richard Foundation because it was a cause that meant a lot us and we thought it would be special if we could run together,” she said.

Coniglio remembers seeing a photo on the Internet of Martin Richard, an 8-year-old boy from Dorchester who died in the bombings, holding handmade poster that read, “No more hurting people. Peace.”

“To Martin, peace meant togetherness, teamwork, fairness, sportsmanship, inclusion, and kindness,” said Coniglio. “We will be running for Martin and everything he stood for.”

Coniglio said her goal is to raise $15,000 for Team MR8 through the Revere walkathon. Walkers can register using https://togetherforward.eventbrite.com and can form teams of their own, where each team can decide together how they will complete 26 laps, signifying each mile of the marathon.

“My husband and I think this is a great cause,” said Coniglio. “I think a lot of people find a special spot in their heart for the Boston Marathon and Martin Richard, and now more than ever, it’s important to instill values of kindness and peace – especially when you hear such tragic news a lot more often – I think it’s nice to come together and celebrate something that is so positive.”