The 2024 fall athletic season gets underway in the coming week with some new faces at the helm of some of the Red Devil sports teams. Naomi Mejia will be the new CHS girls soccer coach, replacing long-time coach Randy Grajal, who has accepted a promotion in the Chelsea school system that will preclude his continuing as the head soccer coach.
Mejia and her Lady Red Devil crew will open their 2024 campaign on Tuesday, September 10, when they will host Greater Boston League (GBL) rival Somerville on the turf at Chelsea Stadium at 5:45. The Chelsea girls will be playing a 17-game schedule with 14 contests against their seven GBL foes (Somerville, Malden, Medford, Everett, Revere, Lynn Classical, and Lynn English) and three matches with non-league opponents O’Bryant High (2) and Lynn Tech. On the other hand, a familiar face will be returning at the helm of the CHS boys soccer program. Mick Milutinovic is back for another season leading the Red Devils.
Milutinovic is the dean of coaches not only in the GBL, but among the coaching fraternity in the entire state. The boys are set to open their season at non-league opponent Excel Academy next Saturday afternoon (September 7). The Red Devils will meet their seven GBL foes twice apiece and will take on non-league opponents Excel, East Boston, and Boston International to complete their 17-game schedule.
The girls volleyball team, coached by Gloria Rodriguez, will open its season on Tuesday (Sept. 3) vs. non-league rival East Boston at the CHS gym and then will host GBL foe Somerville the next day. Rodriguez and her crew will meet all seven GBL opponents twice each with non-league foes East Boston (2), Latin Academy (2), New Mission, and Swampscott rounding out their 20-game schedule. David Roque is back for another season as head coach of the CHS football program, which kicks off its 2024 campaign with a Friday Night Lights contest at Chelsea Stadium against non-league opponent Tech Boston on September 6. The opening kick-off is set for 6:00.
The Red Devils will play GBL rivals Lynn English, Somerville, Malden, and Medford, and will take on non-league opponents Tech Boston, Lowell Catholic, Roxbury Prep, and Saugus as part of their pre-playoff schedule. The season finale is scheduled for the Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving (November 27) at 6:00 vs. East Boston at Chelsea Stadium.
The Chelsea High boys and girls cross-country teams will have both a new, though familiar, face at the helm, with long-time and successful indoor and outdoor track coach Cesar Hernandez assuming the duties of cross-country coach. The Red Devil squads will open their season on September 11 when they will host GBL foe Malden on their home course at Admiral’s Hill.