Starts season off with win over Arlington, 47-44
Published December 14, 2018
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The 2018 Middlesex League Champion Melrose High girl’s hoop team kicked off their 2018-19 campaign this week with a solid win over Arlington on Tuesday at Arlington High, 47-44. The Lady Raiders start their season at 1-0 as they hope to make a deep playoff run this year.
Coming off their best season in several years, Melrose finished 19-3 and advanced to the Div. 2 North finals last March, where they fell to a loaded Pentucket team, 59-45. Melrose lost only one starter last year, their talented, all-star guard Alexis Doherty, and now return with a ferocious starting 4 who include Lily Cunningham, Sam Smith, Samantha Dewey and Peri MacDonald. Add Mary Kate Mahoney and Abby Cunningham to the mix and you have the ingredients for another Div. 2 North run.
A big part of offensive will come from 6’1 forward/center Sam Dewey, an all-star sophomore who wowed during her freshmen year. She scored 24 points against Arlington this week and is often untouchable under the net. “She’s just a special player,” says Melrose coach Bill Hirschfeld. “She makes everyone around her step up their game.”
Serving as point guard is junior Mary Kate Mahoney. “She’s doing well and is clicking with the starters,” says her coach.
PERI MACDONALD goes for a layup for the Melrose High girl’s hoop team, who beat Arlington on Tuesday, 47-44, to start 1-0 on the season. (file photo)
Much of their playoff efforts came from now-returning seniors Lily Cunningham, Abby Cunningham, Peri MacDonald and Samantha Smith. They’re a group who will be incredibly hard to beat on the floor this winter. Says Hirschfeld, “Lily hasn’t missed a beat, and I think she and Abby [Cunningham] feed off each other out there. Peri is one of our most dedicated players, she trains so hard and so does Sam [Smith] who has great playoff experience.”
Melrose went unbeaten in pre-season play, prevailing over Swampscott at the 26th Annual Paul Duchane Jamboree at Lynn Classical. They also went 4-0 at the Tipoff Classic at Babson College in another pre-season event. On Tuesday, their 47-44 victory over a competitive Arlington team was a close—but satisfying—win. Melrose held a 37-28 lead after three quarters and prevented a Spy Ponder rally at the end.
“They all played well on both ends of the ball,” said Hirschfeld. “I thought Lily was a lock down on ‘d’ and Peri and Sam Smith had key hoops. Abby and Mary Kate passed very well. It was a total team win.”
Asked if their goal is to return to a Div. 2 North title game, the coach affirmed. “Absolutely, and we’re optimistic of that. We’re a strong defensive team who is now starting to gel offensively.”
Look for skilled newcomers like Kira Maté, Jenna Champagne, Olivia Scapa and Maggie Sullivan to see playtime while joining returning players Emily Hudson and Adriana Centrella, both nursing injuries but soon to be on the floor. Put it all together and you have a recipe for victory and a team considered the early favorite in the Middlesex Freedom League.
“Our spirits are high,” says the coach. “There is always room for improvement and these girls are motivated. In the gym, they look up at the team banner and say, “Let’s be the team that puts a Div. 2 North title back on there.”
Melrose will travel to Stoneham on Friday at 5:30 p.m. hoping to make it two in a row.
