10 MHS teams raise championship banners!

On Jan. 9, Methuen High’s Klimas Field House was packed and jazzed with energy!

Not only was the boys varsity hoops team in a back-and-forth battle with Tewksbury … which ended with the Rangers losing 47-43 … but it was Banner Night!

At halftime, a whopping 10 MHS teams that won a championship in 2025 marched onto the court to proudly display their banner before it heads to the rafters.

Here are the 10 teams and a bit about their winning season.

*Boys hockey: Methuen’s boys hockey team is the four-time consecutive league champions. In addition, the Ranger hockey program has continued to make contributions off the ice, staying involved in programs such as The Movement Family (TMF) which supports and feeds local homeless, Debbie’s Treasure Chest which provides clothing for needy children in the area, Methuen Youth Hockey and honoring Heroes Among Us.

*Girls Hockey: The MVC-DCL is one of the most talented leagues in Division 1 girls hockey. The last time the Red Rangers received the title was in 2019 when they also won the state championship. Last year, they had 15 extremely hard-working players and the league’s Coach of the Year, the late Dave O’Hearn.

*Gymnastics: Gymnastics had a 7-2 record. The team had only eight athletes, so everyone’s score counted toward the team score. The entire team worked extremely hard and came together as one.

*Girls tennis: The tone was set for the Drive for Five MVC 2 titles when twins Liv and Bree Lawrence battled for position No. 1. From there, Jillian McSweeney ruled at No. 3 singles and the double teams of Ella Duffy and Melodie Metivier as well as Sienna Firriello and Emma Ripley dominated. They were a great group who worked hard and had fun!

*Girls lacrosse: Methuen Girls Lacrosse had a historic season last year. Not only were they undefeated in the MVC, but they ranked top 16 in their division allowing them to debut as a host the first round of States. They won that game to make it into Round 2 – another first! Last season’s success was the best the program has seen to this point.

*Football: The football team had an 8-3 record, which marked the program’s 10th straight season with a winning record. The team went undefeated in league play, won the MVC Large League title and secured back-to-back league titles for the first time in football program history.

*Boys cross-country: Congrats on an outstanding season as Division 2 MVC Champions! The team finished 7-3 overall and a perfect 4-0 in their division. Led by seniors Anwar Mamdouh, Joe Nims, Alvin Nguyen and TJ O’Brien, with key contributions from sophomores Titus Baker and John Fantry and eighth-grader Ismael Montero, this group achieved a goal four years in the making! It was a team effort and every member did their job to make this a season of success.

*Swim and Dive: Even with limited pool time and a small roster, the varsity swim and dive team quietly went about its business as usual, working hard and striving to improve each day. That translated into a regular season record of 6-3, including big wins over Central Catholic, North Andover and Billerica, and a regular season MVC 2 championship. The Red Rangers have won six league titles and the last eight years.

*Boys Tennis: The “Starting 7” included junior Philip Metivier and seniors Dawson Burke, Brady Antaya, Dylan Gavin, Drew Gillespie, Isaac Gillespie and James Touma. In a sport that demands mental toughness as much as physical skill, these young men showed all their collective maturity by playing with clarity and composure throughout the season.

*Unified Track: The Rangers won all of their dual meets against tough competition, but the highlight of the season was capturing the Division 1 North Championship – for the third season in a row! Amazing work put forth by all team members and coaches! This enthusiastic team received the loudest roar from the crowd on Banner Night