<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1oNm60_1H2FHmEe00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1oNm60_1H2FHmEe00" width="714" height="441" ></figure>In an unusual development in this year’s MIAA state tournament, three RMHS athletic teams are facing Duxbury High School, with the volleyball match later this week determining the tie-breaker after boys soccer and field hockey split their games with DHS.Duxbury is almost a south-of-Boston version of Reading. Duxbury sits just 35 miles South of Boston (compared to Reading’s 12 miles north) and has a population of about 16, 500 residents, making it smaller than Reading which holds approximately 25,000 residents. They don’t root for Rockets down in Duxbury; instead, Duxbury fans will put on green &amp; white to show their support for their Dragons.This fall’s postseason sports tournament has been crazy considering RMHS sports teams likely wouldn’t have even played Duxbury in a state tournament prior to 2020. During 2020 the MIAA decided to switch the way divisions were created for the state tournament. Prior to 2020 divisions were based on enrollment and regions such as north, south, west, east. When it came to 2020 the way divisions were now going to be created was strictly based on school enrollment numbers. This meant that a team from north of Boston–like Reading–could face a team from south of Boston–like Duxbury–in the early rounds of the state tournament.RMHS athletic director Mr. Zaya acknowledged that the Reading/Duxbury situation is a bit rare. Zaya spoke of times when two Reading teams have faced the same town. “I think last year might have been like Minnechaug, or something. I think two teams played together two years ago in the state finals with us playing Walpole in both baseball and girls lacrosse. Definitely two, I’m not sure about three.” He then discussed how since the state tournament now involves both the north and south of Boston towns playing each other, towns like Reading and Duxbury with rich athletic talent will see each other more often: “In this case Reading and Duxbury are two similar communities, both have similar size schools, both have similar population numbers, both have a history of good athletic programs. So I think that has something to do with it, and I think with a new statewide tournament things are going to line up differently for different sports.” Monday night was round one between the Rockets and Dragons. Duxbury got the better of the boys soccer team in an overtime game settled by penalty kicks. Desmond Fitzgerald (’27), a senior captain of the boys soccer team, was asked if he took any comfort from the possibility that other Reading teams had a chance to defeat Duxbury. Fitzgerald stated, “It definitely (stinks) that the soccer team lost to them, but I’m looking forward to rooting for the other teams having the chance to beat Duxbury.” On Tuesday, the RMHS field hockey team settled the score with Duxbury with a 2-1 upset win down south. The volleyball team has a chance to break the state tournament tie between Reading and Duxbury. Senior Kiera Cullen of the volleyball team believes there is special significance in being the third team to face Duxbury. “This is a meaningful game because the team wants to make Reading proud, and there’s more pressure on us to win because we want the whole school to beat Duxbury.” Cullen’s mindset going into this game seems to be positive and focused, which will hopefully bring Reading a big win.#2 Reading will play #7 Duxbury later this week to advance in the MIAA D2 volleyball tournament, but also to break a tie.(Seniors Nolan Bakst, Bridget Branson, Gennaro Cresta, Ella DiRico, Mackenzie Libitz, Aidan Shaughnessy, and Michael Schulz contributed to the reporting and writing for this story)</div></body>

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In an unusual development in this year’s MIAA state tournament, three RMHS athletic teams are facing Duxbury High School, with the volleyball match later this week determining the tie-breaker after boys soccer and field hockey split their games with DHS. Duxbury is almost a south-of-Boston version of Reading. Duxbury...

Reading v. Duxbury: Round Three

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In an unusual development in this year’s MIAA state tournament, three RMHS athletic teams are facing Duxbury High School, with the volleyball match later t

Reading v. Duxbury: Round Three

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