James McDermott, Sports Editor
Hey! My name is James McDermott, I am a senior at Westford Academy and this is my fourth year on the Ghostwriter staff. I joined the Ghostwriter because I have always loved writing and sports. In my free time I am almost always playing sports or hanging out with my family and friends. I am extremely excited to continue with the Ghostwriter and hopefully have another successful and fun year.
All content by James McDermott
Four years of high school come with a lengthy set of challenges and distractions no matter who you are, what school you attend, or what your priorities are. At a school as academically rigorous as Westford...
At the start of each season, every team in the state is 0-0. Despite this, some teams have higher expectations than others. Westford Academy Softball is a team that has earned the right to go into every...
Senior Chris Fahlman achieved his dream of being a collegiate swimmer when he announced his commitment to Assumption University on Wednesday, Feb. 28.
Fahlman began his swimming journey when he was...
Westford Academy Boys’ Basketball fell 7-9 on the season on Friday, Feb. 9, losing 51-38 at home against Lincoln-Sudbury on senior night due to the second half being littered with offensive struggles...
Westford Academy Boys’ Basketball suffered their sixth loss of the season by a score of 40-38 on Tuesday, Jan. 30 on the road against Concord-Carlisle, falling to 7-6 on the season.
It was an up and...
Westford Academy Boys’ Basketball dropped their first game of the season, losing 51-37 against Leominster at home on Tuesday, Dec. 12.
It was a tale of two halves for WA. Consistent offense and...
Beginning in 2025, a civics MCAS will be required statewide for eighth grade students. Westford Public Schools has officially introduced civics MCAS at the middle school level after years of developing...
Students are struggling with anxiety now more than ever. Many of these cases stem from non-school related factors, while many do stem from schoolwork itself. Either way, with students currently struggling...
After an up and down season last year that ended in heartbreaking fashion, Westford Academy Boys’ Basketball is more motivated than ever to hang up a victory banner at the end of this season.
A...
Every single fall sports team at Westford Academy has officially made the Massachusetts State Tournament in their respective sport. With the State Tournament season upon us for fall sports, WA teams have...
Every student, teacher, administrator, and staff member at Westford Academy uses Wi-Fi at one point or another as they go about their day. Wi-Fi has become the foundation of so much of what we do now,...
WA Boys’ Soccer's three game winning streak was snapped by Bedford, as they suffered a 2-0 loss at home on Tuesday, Oct. 10. A penalty kick resulted in a shift of momentum and an insurmountable deficit...
After a state tournament appearance and a 9-1 regular season campaign in 2022, WA Golf looks to continue raising the bar as to what is defined as success. With a new coach in physical education teacher...
WA Girls’ Lacrosse defeated Arlington 19-9 at home on Monday, May 22 in a one sided matchup. Sophomore Kassidy Carmichael scored her 300th career point with 12 minutes remaining in the first half, reaching...
Last names have been removed to protect source's identities.
Gambling has been a prominent aspect of sports culture for the majority of history. Ever since gambling online through sportsbooks became...
Playing a sport in college is an unforgettable experience for the athletes who are lucky enough and work hard enough to reach that level. It is a privilege that athletes must work towards throughout their...
After leading WA Girls’ Hockey to the state tournament after a 5-15 season in 2021-2022, head coach Jim Geraghty has been voted Dual County League/Merrimack Valley Conference Coach of the Year (DCL/MVC).
In...
It is rare to see any eighth grader begin football for the sole purpose of playing at college. With less than a 7% chance of accomplishing that goal, it is a feat most athletes do not even attempt. However,...
It is safe to say that every student, teacher, administrator, and staff member at WA has heard of the globally popular social media platform, TikTok. It has redefined social media, inspiring Instagram,...
Westford Academy Boys’ Basketball improved to 7-6 on the season after blowing out Wayland 85-41 at home on Tuesday Jan. 31 on their senior night.
A season-high 85 points, coupled with stifling defense,...
20 years, 20 preseasons, 20 regular seasons, 20 postseasons, 20 offseasons, and 20 wins per season. That is the formula necessary to win 400 games as a high school basketball coach, which explains why...
WA Girls’ Basketball improved their record to 3-5 on the season after beating Bedford at home 57-53 on Friday, Jan. 6.
WA came out with an abundance of energy to begin the first quarter, starting...
Less than eight percent of all high school athletes continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level, and just two percent of all high school athletes compete at the division 1 level. On November...
Westford Academy Football won their first DCL title since 2015, and posted a stellar 6-2 regular season record, not once losing a single DCL matchup along the way. Senior running back and captain Anthony...
Westford Academy Boys’ Cross Country dominated the DCL Championships on Friday, Oct. 28 at Franklin Park, winning 58-31 behind record-setting performances from junior Paul Bergeron and sophomore Jack...
WA Football defeated Lincoln-Sudbury 21-6 at home on Friday, Oct. 14, improving their record to 5-1 on the season.
WA dominated from the first snap of the game, opening up a huge gap to allow senior...
Every Sunday from September to December, households across the country are filled with whirlwinds of emotions. Some houses consist of people jumping up and down in celebration, while some contain people...
After kicking off their season with a 44-6 blowout win against Dracut, WA Football looks to continue dominating whoever is on the other side of the line of scrimmage every Friday night.
Following a...
The WA's Boys' Volleyball game against Lowell was a rollercoaster of a matchup. WA commandingly won the first two sets to put themselves just one set away from a trip to the State Championship. Lowell...
Senior Captain of the Westford Academy Baseball team Cole Kirby has played on the baseball fields of Westford for as long as he can remember. Although he has made the decision to not pursue playing baseball...
Driving the tee into the ground, striking the ball, and watching it soar towards the green has become a familiar feeling for Morgan Smith, and one that she will continue to experience at Phillips Exeter...
The Ghostwriter acknowledges that this is an ongoing investigation and not all the information has been shared/released with us; please read at your own discretion.
During the last week of school...
WA's starting five is introduced before the first round of the state tournament.
Note: The sample size of the survey we took regarding communication and the pandemic is small, but the responses show consistent trends
From wearing masks to being required to stay six feet away from...
Molly Callaghan has done something that not many other people have ever done, and that is return to teaching after a 14 year long absence from the profession.
Callaghan is currently filling in for English...
Westford Academy Boys' Varsity Basketball traveled to Boston Latin on Tuesday, December 21st, and came home with a winning score of 54-37, led by senior Griffin Eddy.
The first quarter was a hard-fought,...
Season 41 of "Survivor" has been one like no other. Shocking, never-before-seen twists have left viewers on the edge of their seat, but that is not the only thing that has made Season 41 special.
"Survivor"...
1. Run a turkey trot
A turkey trot is a long-distance race held on Thanksgiving Day all across the country for anyone looking to burn some calories before a traditional Thanksgiving Day feast.
2....
The Westford Academy Swim and Dive team will move their practices and meets this season from UMass Lowell to Westfit and The Beede Center after UMass Lowell drained their pool to save money after the pandemic....
The Westford Academy golf team had an extremely successful season, finishing with an impressive 8-2 record, making it to states for the first time in six years, and ending the year as DCL champions.
To...
Untold: Crime and Penalties: The Danbury Trashers is a fascinating story about a minor league hockey team created by a man named Jimmy Golante. Jimmy Golante was a crime boss who was the mastermind behind...
WA football secured a 25-8 victory over Dracut on Friday, Sept. 10 on the Trustees Field. WA dominated all aspects of the game from start to finish, including three touchdowns from running back Anthony...
In late 2020, an absolute thriller, Honest Thief was released. Honest Thief is a movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat, as you watch a former bank robber continuously outsmart two dirty FBI...
This school year has been full of ups and downs, with many unexpected challenges. Most students have faced the challenges of the hybrid learning model, but what about the students who have been completely...
WA Girls Volleyball fell to Concord-Carlisle in straight sets on Thursday, April 1st. Concord Carlisle’s (CC) efficient and aggressive style of play combined with Westford Academy’s lack of cohesiveness...
The CW Network television series All American premiered on October 10, 2018, and is now three seasons long (season three episodes are still coming out week by week). The television series is an unnecessarily...
This past year has been very different for all of us due to COVID-19, and the effects are still being felt today. February vacation is coming up next week and it is usually a time where a lot of us go...
The Netflix series Cobra Kai, based off of the Karate Kid, movies is a must-watch for people of most ages. Season one was released on May 2, 2018. Now, the series has just released its third season adding...
On December 7, 2020, the Westford School Committee voted 4-3 in favor of cancelling Westford Academy's boys and girls basketball and boys and girls ice hockey for this year’s winter sports season. This...
Anthony Brown is currently filling in as a history teacher at Westford Academy for Michael Colson. He is extremely excited to be teaching at WA and hopes to make this year the best it can possibly be.
Q:...
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