Student feature: St. John’s athlete is team player with ‘genuine faith’

By Bill Doyle | CFP Correspondent

SHREWSBURY – While Conor Secrist recovered from shoulder surgery after his sophomore year of baseball at St. John’s High School, he often prayed in church that he’d get better and be able to resume playing sports.
His prayers were answered and he’ll never forget it. Conor, 18, said his faith is just as important to him as playing hockey and baseball.
“God gave me the ability to play sports,” he said.
He plays them very well. Conor has helped St. John’s reach the state finals in hockey and baseball, and he’s committed to play baseball next year at the U.S. Naval Academy. Conor also has a 3.75 grade point average.
“Everything you think of when it comes to someone who goes to a service academy,” St. John’s baseball coach Casey Cummins said, “Conor fits that mold. Obviously, a phenomenal athlete, he challenges himself in school, but the biggest piece is the way he carries himself outside of the classroom and on the field, the leadership that he showcases.”
“What sets Conor apart from other players,” St. John’s athletic director and hockey coach Michael Mead said, “is his commitment to the team. It isn’t about individual glory. It is all about team success. He thrives in an environment where he is called upon to support his teammates, and, as a 6-foot-3 defenseman, he is called upon to do it quite often.”
A couple of years ago, he began attending the Sunday night Masses at St. Matthew Parish in his hometown of Southborough and grew to know Father James Flynn, the pastor.
“I always noticed him, especially in high school, when he came to Mass by himself,” Father Flynn said. “He was very reverent. That’s how I basically got to know him, the way he exercises his faith. He’s not obnoxious about it. I call it a real, genuine faith that you’d like to see in all kids.”
Conor is now one of a handful of young people who assist Father Flynn. On weekends, he counts the collection, cleans up the church and fills the fonts with holy water. When needed, he shovels snow.
“He’s an extremely diligent kid too,” Father Flynn said. “He’s serious about his faith, he goes to Mass all the time, he’s involved in the youth ministry here at St. Matthew’s and just an all-around good kid.”
As a senior at St. John’s, Conor is an altar server during prayer services and he’s involved in the campus ministry program. He’s one of 10 student leaders on the Xaverian Brothers sponsored school team that meets weekly to plan such events as dodge ball tournaments, dances and homecoming.
During his sophomore hockey season, Conor’s left shoulder popped out of place while he reached for a pass. The shoulder continued to pop out nearly every week, but he decided to play through the pain for the rest of that hockey season and for the entire baseball season that spring. He didn’t tell his baseball coach or his parents that his shoulder was still bothering him.
“I just didn’t want to stop playing,” he said.
Despite the injury, Conor started every game at shortstop as a sophomore and helped St. John’s reach the Division 1 state final, where it fell to BC High, 5-1.
The day after the St. John’s baseball season ended, however, he aggravated his shoulder injury while sliding head first into second base for the Northborough American Legion team.
An MRI revealed an 80 percent labrum tear and he underwent shoulder surgery on July 9, 2024. Fortunately for him, the surgery was on his left shoulder and he throws right-handed. Believe it or not, his best friend, Jamie Herlihy, who played second base for St. John’s that season, underwent surgery on his right shoulder with the same surgeon on the same day.
After six months of rehabilitation, Conor returned to the St. John’s hockey team in mid-January of his junior year. After playing only four games, he hurt his shoulder again. Six weeks later, he returned for the state semifinals and finals.
“Watching the whole state championship run, the first round, second round, third round,” he said, “it was so hard for me to just watch and not be able to help my team.”
St. John’s lost the state final to Catholic Memorial, 4-3, at the TD Garden on a goal with 21.3 seconds remaining.
“Although the outcome in the state finals was not what we wanted,” Mr. Mead said, “it was uplifting to see Conor skating on the Boston Garden ice with the rest of the Pioneers.”
Last spring, Conor hit .405 with 30 hits, both team highs, to help St. John’s finish 18-6 and reach the state semifinals.
The highlight of the season for Conor was defeating BC High, 15-8, in the round of 16 in the state tournament after losing to that school in the state final the year before. During an 11-run sixth inning of a seven-inning game, Conor had two hits, scored a run and drove in three runs.
A tri-captain in hockey this winter, Conor had two goals and five assists while the Pioneers posted a record of 8-6 overall and 4-4 in the Catholic Conference through late January.
As a defenseman, Conor doesn’t score a lot, but he’s an imposing force on the ice.
“I’d like to say I’m a physical defender,” he said. “Pretty locked down in the defensive zone.”
Early this season, St. John’s defeated perennial powerhouses Catholic Memorial, St. John’s Prep and Xaverian. On Jan. 28, St. John’s lost a rematch against Xaverian, 4-3, in overtime, but Conor believes the Pioneers can play with anyone.
As Mr. Mead pointed out, Conor is a team player.
“I like winning,” Conor said. “I’d rather win than gain personal accolades. I think that’s more important. People remember the teams that win and not really the individual, personal kind of stuff.”
When Conor was young, he enjoyed visiting his cousin, Dillon Cooley, while he attended the Naval Academy. Last summer, he fell in love with the atmosphere during a recruiting visit.
He’s looking forward to playing for Navy when the Midshipmen visit Holy Cross his freshman year.
Conor comes from an athletic family. His mother, Deirdre, played softball for Cornell and his father, Paul, played football at Wartburg College in Iowa. His older brothers, Jeffrey and Liam, ran cross-country and track for St. John’s.
Conor has fond memories of his father coaching him in Southborough Little League. He has photos on his phone of him sitting on his father’s shoulders after winning tournaments.
Conor believes that the Pioneers should contend for state championships in hockey and baseball again this year.
“That would mean everything,” he said. “Ever since my freshman year I wanted to win a state championship, no matter what sport.”
He’s been lifting weights to try to hit for more power this coming baseball season.
“His thing is his consistency, but more importantly his ability to perform in the biggest of moments,” Mr. Cummins said.
“He’s very intelligent and he’s very humble,” Father Flynn said. “He’s got a good sense of humor and gets along well with his peers. I couldn’t be more proud of him.”