At the Central Mass High School Sports Awards on June 26 at the Hanover Theatre, Mike Ross of West Boylston and Jensen Shipp of Sutton High School were awarded Coach of the Year for boys and girls teams, respectively. Other boys finalists included Tim Caouette of Oakmont Regional baseball and Al Pettway of North basketball. While other girls finalists were Roger Anderson of Westborough volleyball and Kelly Rosborough of Uxbridge field hockey.
Ross has shown over the years that with a good scheme and tough players, a winning football team can be built from anything. He played a significant role in guiding West Boylston to its second consecutive Super Bowl title, securing a 13-0 season with a victory over Carver at Gillette Stadium to claim the Division 8 state championship. He has also achieved Super Bowl titles at North High, Grafton High, and West Boylston, underscoring his remarkable coaching accomplishments.
Shipp has been instrumental in Sutton winning its third consecutive state girls soccer championship, with the Suzies defeating top-seeded South Hadley 2-1 in the Division 4 state final. Their 17-4-2 season concluded with the team’s 11th state championship in school history. Shipp’s leadership has helped Sutton establish itself as one of the state’s leading soccer programs, with Division 5 championships in 2021 and 2022 adding to their legacy of success.