MARBLEHEAD — It’s been quite the season for Marblehead youth sports. Both the Marblehead Marauders Grade 6 boys soccer team and the Marblehead 12U All-Star baseball team clinched state tournament berths.

Holden Philip, Landon McKay, Roy Berman, Zach Weisman and Charlie Ainlay had especially busy seasons, playing on both teams as each qualified for postseason play.

Marblehead 12U All-Star baseball coach Pat O’Leary said he “wasn’t surprised” that multiple players were members of both teams, calling the sixth-grade class “very talented” and “athletic.”

“It’s not surprising. It’s such a talented grade and a talented group of boys. If they decided to play basketball or football, we’d have the same success,” O’Leary said. “As a baseball coach, I didn’t really want them to play soccer at times because they would be leaving our game and then heading all over the place to play soccer. But when you’re that good, you play deep into the season.”

Mark Philip, one of the Marauders Grade 6 boys soccer coaches, agreed that this class is special.

“This is a deep and remarkable group of athletes,” Philip said. “For the size of Marblehead to produce the athletes we’re producing is remarkable. I can’t wait to see what this Grade 6 team looks like in 2031 and before they graduate in 2032.”

Despite successfully balancing two sports in the same season, Philip said there were challenges for players, parents and coaches.

“It poses some challenges. As a parent, getting the kids to practices and games. There were times when we had three or four games in one day. Luckily for us, most of the scheduling worked out in our favor,” Philip said. “From a player’s standpoint, when you’re spending two hours in the morning playing baseball, then having to rush from Winchester to Pingree in an hour’s time, eat on the road and roll straight into a playoff soccer game, it’s remarkable. As an athlete, to have the endurance to do that, but also the mindset to switch gears.” 

The baseball team, also coached by Jesse Ainlay and Eric Weisman, enjoyed another outstanding season.

“It’s a really special team. As far as I know, we’re the only Marblehead team to win districts and make the state tournament all five years. These kids made it when they were 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12,” O’Leary said. “Throughout their whole career, we never lost a district game, and we won the state tournament once when they were 8. This year was the next-best run.”

Marblehead went 3-1 in pool play before defeating Winchester and eventually falling to Lowell in the state semifinals.

O’Leary said the win over Winchester is one memory he’ll always cherish.

“Winchester was the second-best team in our district, and they’ve always been nipping at our heels. It’s always been close games against them,” O’Leary said. “We gave up a grand slam in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at 6. We came back in the bottom of the sixth with a hit, a walk and another hit for a walk-off victory.

“It showed the resilience of our team. It’s easy for 12-year-olds to win when they’re always winning. It’s a different thing altogether to come back and fight when the chips are down,” O’Leary said. “That was one of my proudest moments as their coach.”

For Philip and fellow coaches Andrew McKay and Eric Weisman, the team’s first goal was reaching the Essex County championship.

“Just getting to the county championship was a big milestone for us. Our record was 7-1 in the regular season. The one loss came to Beverly at the end of the regular season,” Philip said. “That’s when we had five players at a baseball game. Reaching the Essex County championship was a dream come true, especially for these kids who’ve played together for so long.”

In the championship game, Marblehead faced adversity with a rain delay before rallying to win in a penalty shootout.

“The joy and jubilation from that game was unlike anything else. It was remarkable,” Philip said. “It’s a core memory that will be etched into my mind forever.”

“This is a really special group that has been playing and growing together for several years,” Philip said. “Winning the Essex County championship and earning the chance to represent Marblehead at the state tournament is an incredibly rare accomplishment. They should be proud not only of what they achieved, but of the way they competed, supported one another and represented our town.”