As soon as the Friday night lights turned off, a new season of high school sports began. Just games, meets, and matches into the young season, here are a few early-season standouts:

The first player that springs to mind is Engelyz Bingham of Lynn Tech girls basketball, who has been on a superb tear under coach Kaitlyn Wechsler – who also turned around quickly after coaching Tech’s volleyball team. 

Talk about stuffing the statsheet. Bingham, so far this season, has put up 17 points, eight rebounds, five assists, and four steals per game.

Just look at the sharpshooter in her team’s 73-48 triumph over Nashoba Tech, in which she registered a triple-double of 17 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists. 

Another dominant player in the girls basketball scene is Bishop Fenwick’s Cecilia Kay. 

In a game against Archbishop Williams, Kay showed American University what it’s getting next year. The star forward scored 22 points, secured 16 rebounds, dished out four assists, and was active on the defensive end with four steals. Inside or out, Kay is a threat from everywhere on the court.

Rival coach Jeff Newhall of St. Mary’s has even referred to her as “one of the best players in the state.”

Staying on the hardwood, the next player in fine form comes from Marblehead. Senior Ryan Commoss is averaging a double-double of 19 points and 14 rebounds through just a handful of games.

Commoss, who was a part of the Magicians’ run to the Elite 8 last season, is a mismatching nightmare for opposing teams. The righty can take players to the post and use his height, or spot up and shoot from the perimeter. 

Skating over to the ice, Lynn Jets’ goalie Nicholas DeNino has been making saves left and right. Even in an early-season loss against Medford, DeNino recorded 49 saves – yes, 49. In other games, he’s snatched 46 and 30.

Staying in Lynn, St. Mary’s Aidan Fitzpatrick has possessed a goal-scoring touch that would make David Pastrnak of the Bruins crack a smile. 

The Spartan scored two goals against Winchester, another against Bridgewater-Raynham, and dished out a helper against Fenwick (among other statistical accomplishments before the New Year).

For the Peabody-Lynnfield-North Reading girls hockey team, Catie Kampersal has been impressive through December. Just last Friday, she scored the opening goal in PLNR’s 4-0 win against Gloucester. 

Head coach Michelle Roach praised her forward, describing her as a “tone-setter.” 

“They try to shut her down… but she’s done a great job of breaking through and making sure she’s setting the tone for us,” said Roach, who knows a thing or two about good hockey after her St. Mary’s days.

In the pool, Lynn Classical’s Andrew Moore (100 fly) and Camille Mendonca (500 free) have been making waves, while on the track, Marblehead’s Isaias Aguasvivas Pena (40.4), Seamus Crowley (41.5), and Ethan Horgan (42.0) went one-two-three in the 300m earlier this month.

If this was about team performances, the St. John’s Prep wrestling and track and field teams would be poking their heads, but that’s for a different time.