This Could be the Year that all Boston Sports Teams Win their Championships

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DAVID CAIRES, WRITER

All The Boston Sports Teams are proven winners, and they could really show that this year.

The Boston Red Sox are the champions of baseball.

As one of the most successful teams in recent MLB history, the Red Sox defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers four games to one in the Fall Classic this year. The Red Sox have now won four titles in the last 15 years, which is the most by any team in that span.

They won a total of 119 games from April to October and they only lost one game during the postseason. This team is filled with young talents, and they are not going anywhere anytime soon.

The Red Sox have brought home another trophy for Boston. The city, known as “Title Town,” has now won 11 championships since the start of the 21st century. All the teams this year are very competitive, and there is the possibility that every one of them could win the championship in their respective sport.

It has not been done before by any major sports city. Places such as Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles have not completed the feat yet. Boston is off to a good start with the Red Sox winning the World Series.

The Red Sox won the title due to almost everyone having career years. Mookie Betts had an MVP worthy season where he hit 32 home runs in the regular season and had a batting average that surpassed .340, which is hard to maintain over a 162 game season. J.D. Martinez, the outfielder who had gone unsigned until late February, had an incredible season where he hit 43 home runs. Martinez was also responsible for 130 runners crossing the plate throughout the season, and he had an impressive batting average of .330 on the year.

The Celtics are coming off of an impressive 2017-2018 season, where they won 55 games in the regular season and came within one game of reaching the NBA Finals. This team could be a dynasty in the making, as players like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have the potential to become two of the top players in the NBA.

The Celtics were short handed at many times last year, but this year they have stars like Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward back from injury. This gives the team the chance to improve even more in a wide open Eastern Conference after future Hall of Famer Lebron James’ departure to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The Bruins are coming off of a solid season last year where they finished second in the Eastern Conference, barely behind the Tampa Bay Lightning. David Pastrnak continued to grow as a player, with him having an 80 point season, scoring 35 goals and tallying 45 assists. Pastrnak is only 22, and he is on his way to being one of the best players in the NHL shortly.

Brad Marchand also had a career year in the 2017-2018 regular season. Marchand had a total of 85 points with 34 goals and 51 assists. Marchand has now had back to back 85 point seasons, which, furthermore, solidifies him as one of the best left wingers in the NHL.

Marchand has done some questionable things on the ice that have resulted in him being suspended and/or fined, but there’s no denying that he is one talented hockey player.  

The Patriots have been contenders since Tom Brady stepped on the field in September of 2001 in relief of Drew Bledsoe. Even though they were devastated after losing last year’s Super Bowl to the Eagles, 41-33, they still have the key game changers on their team on offense, defense, and special teams.

Dont’a Hightower has been one of the best linebackers in the NFL since he entered the league in 2012. Hightower is a “turnover machine” as his high football IQ has allowed him to make the right play at the right time.

Hightower is best known for his tackle of Marshawn Lynch at the 1-Yard line in Super Bowl XLIX that saved the game winning touchdown from being scored by the Seattle Seahawks. Everyone knows by now that the very next play executed by former Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler saved the game with his interception off of Russell Wilson.

Without Hightower’s big tackle, the Seahawks would have likely walked off the field as back-to-back champions, but instead the New England Patriots were able to win their first Super Bowl since the 2004 season.

Hightower also made another clutch play against the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI. The Patriots had trailed big in this game, as at one point they were losing 28-3. However, they had scored a touchdown and a field goal to bring it closer to 28-12, but with time running out, the Patriots needed the ball back desperately.

Hightower was able to evade the blocking from Falcons Running Back Devonta Freeman and force Quarterback Matt Ryan to fumble the ball. Defensive Tackle Alan Branch scooped up the loose ball off the ground and all the momentum was on the Patriots side now.

The Patriots would score 16 unanswered points after this key play and force overtime. They would go on to beat the Atlanta Falcons by staging the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history to win their fifth Lombardi Trophy.

Without Hightower’s huge strip sack, the Falcons likely have a much easier time winning this Super Bowl.

Matthew Slater only has one catch in his career for 46 yards, but he has been a staple in the special team’s department of the Patriots for the last eight seasons. Slater is a team captain and has made the Pro Bowl seven consecutive years in a row, tying Steve Tasker for the most Pro Bowl nominations in NFL history.

Tom Brady may be 41; he, Belichick, and Kraft may have tension; and the defense may be underperforming; however, no matter what adversity you throw the Patriots way, they are still going to find a way to win, as they’ve proven year-in and year-out.

If the “quadruple crown” is going to happen, this is the year to do it. All these teams have proven that not only can they make it to the playoffs, but they can be true contenders for victory.

Boston sports fans aren’t used to losing, and this year, there is a real possibility that the word “lose” may be eradicated from fans’ vocabulary.