By Mac Cerullo
For their accomplishments on the court, on the ice and in the classroom, Newburyport’s Jacob Robertson and Lynnfield’s Jen Flynn have been honored as Moynihan Lumber Student-Athletes of the Month for February.
Robertson recently wrapped up a stellar four-year career with the Newburyport boys basketball team, leading the Clippers to three straight Cape Ann League Kinney Division championships and a perfect 12-0 season as a senior this past winter. A two-year captain, Robertson averaged 20.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, two steals and one charge per game while earning CAL Kinney and Newburyport Daily News MVP honors, along with his second straight All-CAL selection.
The Newburyport senior played his best down the stretch, averaging 21.2 points and 4.5 made 3-pointers per game in February, and on Feb. 5 he made a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer to force overtime and help keep the Clippers unbeaten in a thrilling 86-83 win over Amesbury. He finished his career with 933 career points (fifth all-time in program history) and as the Newburyport boys’ all-time leader in 3-pointers (184).
In addition to his play on the court, Robertson is also a straight-A student who maintains a 3.7 unweighted GPA. He is a National Honors Society member and also regularly helps out at the Lawrence Boys and Girls Club, helping serve meals for children on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
“Academically I always try to put that first, and if I have homework I try to get it done right away,” Robertson said of managing his time. “And with sports, it’s about making sure I’m on time, getting things done on time and any extra time I have I try to do as much for the community as I can.”
Going forward Robertson says he is still unsure of his future plans, but right now he is looking at either the University of New England, where he would potentially continue his basketball career, or the University of New Hampshire, where he would most likely focus on his academics.
Flynn, a Lynnfield High senior, is coming off a terrific season with the Peabody/Lynnfield/North Reading girls hockey co-op. The four-year varsity player has been a team captain for the last two years, and this year Flynn took on the responsibility of being the young team’s lone senior captain amid the challenges posed by the pandemic.
“I feel like it was a lot different with COVID, and being the only captain I felt like I really had to step up,” she said. “Especially with so many freshmen and people looking up to me, I had to solidify my leadership this year and make sure I was being a leader and that everyone was involved and included.”
An outstanding two-way center, Flynn led Peabody to a 12-1 season and its third straight Northeastern Hockey League championship, as well as a program-record 10-game winning streak. She tallied seven goals and eight assists for 15 points on the season and finished with 91 career points, which ranks second all-time in program history.
In addition, Flynn was only on the ice for four goals against all season long, and in February she was not on the ice for a single goal against in six games played. After the season she was named Northeastern Hockey League MVP and is a three-time Salem News All-Star.
Off the ice, Flynn excels in the classroom with a 4.36 GPA to rank 15th out of 168 in her class. She’s also a varsity lacrosse standout, previously played both field hockey and cross country in the fall, is a National Honors Society member and volunteers for the local Learn to Skate program.
“I feel like it’s definitely really hard, but I’ve always had a busy schedule and I’ve had to learn how to manage my time really well,” Flynn said of managing her various responsibilities. “And I feel like that’s what’s made me successful.”
Next year Flynn plans to attend Bentley University, where she hopes to major in finance with a focus in economics while playing club hockey and lacrosse.
