The Rising Star in the Shadows
This season, a new name has surged from the periphery of the hardwood and the cinder track to command the full attention of the Bay State League. Allison Mahan, a Senior Co-Captain of Norwood High School, has spent three years as a vital but often overlooked engine of the Town’s sporting success. Now, the shadows have receded, revealing an Athlete of generational caliber.
Standing 5-10, Mahan has spent her varsity career as a Power Forward for the Norwood Basketball Team. For years, she was the silent partner to Susanne Maher, a Three-Time Globe All-Scholastic whose outside shooting drew College Scouts like moths to a flame. The two were frequently confused by casual fans due to the phonetic similarity of their surnames, but their roles on the Court were distinct. While Maher patrolled the perimeter, Mahan functioned as a Human Vacuum Cleaner under the Hoops, controlling the Glass and securing the Paint with a Strength that Veteran Coach Hank Shachoy describes as “tremendous.”
But to view Mahan solely as a Basketball Player is to miss the full scope of her Physical Talent. On the Track, she is a Four-Event Specialist who seems to have forgotten how to lose. Over the past two seasons, she has remained Undefeated in the High Jump and the 220-Yard Dash. This year, her record is nearly spotless, winning 23 out of 24 Events contested. She currently holds School Records in the High Jump (5-8, a share of the State Record), Long Jump (16-7), and the 200 Meters (25.8).
More Norwood Sports Stories
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Smelstor Leads Norwood-June 7, 1974
It was Kathy Smelstor day in Wakefield yesterday and she and her friends enjoyed every minute of it. Kathy Smelstor and friends also happen to be the Norwood High girls softball team which is coached by a very happy Kathy Burt, who had gone through a tight contest a couple of days earlier to remain…
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Lou Gehrig League Debuts in Norwood-July 11, 1973
Inaugural Season of the Lou Gehrig Baseball League On July 11, 1973, the newly formed Lou Gehrig League prepared to launch its inaugural teenage baseball season. ⠀ The debut was scheduled for a Thursday night under the lights at American Legion Stadium in Norwood, featuring two teams of 13 and 14-year-old local boys. Named in…
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Norwood Defeats Wellesley 4-1-July 10, 1973
Norwood vs. Wellesley American Legion Baseball On the evening of July 9, 1973, the Norwood American Legion baseball team traveled to Wellesley with aspirations of securing a lead in the Zone 6A standings. The team successfully achieved its goal, returning home with a 4-1 victory, which placed them just a half game ahead of Walpole…
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Norwood, Arlington tip foes set up dream EsMass final-March 12, 1972
By Kevin Wall Globe Staff A tired Billy-Clifford blasted away from the top of the left faceoff circle in sudden death overtime yesterday to carry top-seeded Norwood to a 3-2 semifinal victory over Matignon in Division I of the Eastern Mass. Hockey Tournament. Arlington had gained the final a half hour earlier before 12,092 at…
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Norwood’s Upset Victory in Zone 6A American Legion Baseball-July 14, 1971
The Patriot Ledger’s coverage of the Zone 6A American Legion baseball games on July 13, 1971, revealed a series of thrilling matches that left fans on the edge of their seats. One of the most notable upsets occurred when Norwood defeated league leader Needham in a closely contested game. As the evening began, Needham’s Jack…
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Norwood Coaches Double As Rivals-July 9, 1971
Discover the story of Norwood’s co-coaches Don McPhee and Frank Wall, who balanced Little League rivalries and Legion winning streaks during a frantic stretch of local baseball in July 1971.
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Norwood’s Gulla Stepping Down After Two Decades-May 28, 1971
After nine seasons at the helm, legendary Mustang running back turned head coach Art Gulla steps down from the gridiron for personal reasons.
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Norwood’s Art Gulla Stepping Down After Two Decades‑This Day In Norwood History‑May 28, 1971
The end of a gridiron era. In the spring of 1971, Art Gulla announced his resignation as head football coach of the Norwood Mustangs after nine seasons at the helm and nearly two decades in the program. A former 1949 Mustang star running back himself, Gulla left a lasting legacy as only the third head…
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Joe Porcello Joins Norwood’s Lineage of All-Around Baseball Superstars-April 5, 1971
Norwood High School has produced its share of standout athletes, and in 1971, Joe Porcello emerged as the latest “does‑it‑all” baseball star. Following in the footsteps of Richie Hebner and Bill Travers, Porcello earned praise for his versatility and dominance on the diamond.Porcello, a senior, excelled in hitting, fielding, and pitching, making him a rare…
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Second Line Key For Norwood in Emass Final-March 15, 1971
The Norwood shift is on for tonight’s Eastern Massachusetts Hockey Tournament 7:30 final at Boston Garden that matches the undefeated Bay State League champions against highly regarded Arlington. The reorganized second Norwood hockey showdown tonight line that was so instrumental in Saturday afternoon’s semifinal victory over Catholic Memorial remains intact. The schoolboy hockey game that…
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