WEYMOUTH — Bill McEachern is back to being a dual threat in the coaching department.
These days, Mr. McEachern is best known as the boss of Weymouth High School's boys soccer program. His Wildcats have never missed the playoffs during his 18 years at the helm and have made back-to-back appearances in the Division I state semifinals.
But before he became obsessed with corner kicks and 4-4-2 formations, McEachern was concerned with liberos and rotations. As a junior in 1986, he played on Weymouth's first boys' volleyball team under coach Paul Fuller. He eventually succeeded Mr. Fuller in 1995 and held the position until 2009, when he resigned in the spring to concentrate on coaching club soccer.
But this spring, he had a change of heart and added volleyball back into the game. Early results are very encouraging. The Wildcats went 2-17 last season, but with the new and old coaches at the helm, they are now 9-9 and still aiming for first place in the division. 1 playoff spot.
“I'm happy to be back,” McEachern said Thursday after a 3-1 loss to Braintree on Senior Day. “It's a great game. It's a great program. They've been a great team to work with this year.”
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“I love it,” 6-3 senior middle blocker Luke Thompson said of McEachern’s influence. “He's making a huge change to the team. Practices are more organized, games are more organized, very structured. We know what we're doing. It's much better. It's completely different going from losing almost every game.'' (That) agrees. ”
Weymouth could have clinched a playoff berth with a win over Braintree, but the Wamps (10-6) instead clinched the division. 3-1 win (19-25, 26-24, 25-16, 25-23) and one ticket in the rally. Braintree is also a good story. The Wamps have appeared in the playoffs three times in a row, losing in the first round each time. This team's ceiling could be even higher.
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“It means a lot to us,” 6-2 senior outside hitter Anthony Volpe said of the clinch. “I've been with this team for several years and we've always had a good enough team to make the playoffs, but this year I can say we've really put the team together and we're ready to go.” (The last four games of the regular season) ) The goal is to win more games and get to the playoffs. ”
Braintree has continued to improve the team's overall game after graduating standout outside hitter Wilson Lynn, who set the program's record books.
“Wilson was amazing. It was like a one-man show,” coach Roberta Stannard said. “This is a huge team – 18 guys. We've never had a roster this big, but they're all good. They give each other quite a challenge on the court when they practice, so that's great. Very helpful.”
Braintree has plenty of star power in Volpe and senior middle blocker Andrew Madden, who scored the winning goal against Weymouth.
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Weymouth has a lot of talent, including standout freshman outside hitter Kobe Ripp. Yes, he is named after the late NBA superstar Kobe Bryant. “My father (named me) was a basketball player,” Lin said with a laugh. “He seems a little disappointed that I was playing this sport.”
Rip had an excellent performance, leading the team in points and serve percentage. A veteran of the club circuit, he is “a teacher, a coach, a leader and a great player for us,” McCann said. But Rip credits his seven seniors with coaching him through his first high school season at Weymouth.
Thompson, one of those seniors, has been just as impactful, outscoring the Wildcats in kills and blocks. “Luke is a reliable midfield player for us,” McEachern said. “He's really aggressive and has done a great job in attack. He's been really consistent for us there.” Ta.
Weymouth has two games left in the regular season — next Monday against Brockton (6-11) and next Tuesday against Milton (6-10). The Wildcats have already defeated both of these opponents this season. One more win and Weymouth will qualify for the play-offs for the first time since McEachern's final season in 2009. (Technically, the Wildcats were a playoff team in 2021 after going 0-13 in the regular season, but there were no eligibility criteria that year. The world has emerged from the pandemic.)
“They've accomplished a lot so far this season,” Coach McEachern said of his players. “They've had positive energy all year. I'm happy for them (no matter what happens). But it would be really exciting for them if they could make it to the tournament.”
