Two of the finest football players on the North Shore have earned the most prestigious honor handed out each year by the Massachusetts High School Football Coaches Association.
Seniors Eli Batista of Peabody and Mason McSweeney of St. John’s Prep were each voted to the All-State ‘Super 26’ team by the members of the state coaches association, which announced the all-stars earlier this week.
The Salem News Defensive Player of the Year, Batista earned a spot in the secondary and had five interceptions this fall. He also graduates as the North Shore’s all-time leader in receptions (174) while setting Peabody High records in receiving yardage (2,623) and receiving touchdowns (33).
Batista is just the third Tanner to be named to the ‘Super 26’ team in this century, joining Andrew Fodera (2005) and Ray Lamonica (2000).
Having recently committed to play college football at Holy Cross, McSweeney was named Salem News Lineman of the Year after racking up 15 1/2 sacks. The Topsfield native captained St. John’s to a share of the Catholic Conference and a spot in the Division 1 Super Bowl.
This is the sixth straight year St. John’s has had at least one player named to the Super 26 squad. Along with McSweeney, they are Jesse OFurie and Joenel Aguero (2022), Jackson Delaney (2021), Collin Taylor (Fall2), Matt Crowley and Matt Duchemin (2019) and Wes Rockett (2018).
Batista and McSweeney with be honored with the other Super 26 all-stars at a banquet co-hosted by the Gridiron Club of Boston next March.