Friday, March 6, 2009
CHAMPIONSHIP SATURDAY
at Curry Hicks Cage, UMass
Division 1
No. 2 East Longmeadow (20-2) vs. No. 5 Central (16-6), 5:45 p.m.
Championship history: East Longmeadow has never won a western Mass. title and last reached the championship game in 2002, when it lost to Pittsfield. Central won three straight sectional titles from 2005 through 2007 and lost to Northampton in last year's championship game.
Head to head: Did not play this year
How they got here: East Longmeadow beat No. 7 Agawam (50-33) and No. 3 Northampton (56-39); Central beat No. 4 Ludlow (58-54) and No. 1 Minnechaug (56-55)
Players to watch: East Longmeadow: Krista Ferrentino (junior, forward), Ashley Brodeur (senior, center), Laurie Bonano (junior, guard), Jess Schnepp (senior, guard); Central: Brisje Malone (junior, guard), A'lece Mark (junior, guard), Aleisha Hawley (senior, center), Lia Bass (junior forward).
Notes: The Spartans have been consistent all season, using an aggressive defense to win 17 of their last 18 games heading into the title game. Ferrentino is the main offensive threat, but the rest of squad can take advantage if the opponents are too focused on the junior. Pair of 6-footers Ferrentino and Brodeur dominate the glass. Central, meanwhile, took some time to hit its stride under first-year coach Jay Fenalson. But the Golden Eagles have been fantastic lately, winning 9 of 10 games and knocking off top-seeded Minnechaug twice over that time. Malone and Mark bring athleticism to the backcourt and Bass is a shutdown defender on the wing.
Pick: East Longmeadow
Division 2
No. 4 Monument Mountain (19-4) vs. No. 6 Wahconah (17-6), 2:15 p.m.
Championship history: Monument is playing in its 18th D-2 final and has won 10, the last one coming in 2000; Wahconah is 3-0 in title games with wins in 2002, 1995 and 1979
Head to head: Teams split during the season with home team winning each.
How they got here: Monument beat No. 13 Hampshire (55-36), No. 5 Mahar (63-56) and No. 1 Palmer (69-57, OT); Wahconah beat No. 11 Mount Greylock (58-36), No. 3 Mohawk (58-54) and No. 10 Belchertown (44-43)
Players to watch: Monument: Alyssa Nejaime (junior, guard), Keelyn Harris (senior, forward), Laura Ann Dinan (sophomore, guard), Sarah Mills (sophomore, forward); Wahconah: Darcey Sullivan (junior, guard), Aliah Curry (sophomore, guard), Jamy Ferris (senior, forward), Michaela Rivers (junior, guard)
Notes: The Cage will be rocking and rolling during this rivalry match for the sectional title. Monument pulled off a fantastic overtime win over previously-unbeaten Palmer in the semifinals despite losing star senior forward Mare McCormick to a knee injury in the quarters. Wahconah, meanwhile, won its semifinal in controversial style when Rivers drew a foul on a 3-point attempt with no time left in a tie game. She knocked out Belchertown with a free throw. Wahconah beat Monument in the regular season finale to earn a tie for the Berkshire North championship. Is there a better time and place for the rubber match?
Pick: Wahconah
Division 3
No. 1 Lee (17-5) vs. No. 2 Monson (18-4), 10:45 a.m.
Championship history: Lee has won 16 of the last 20 championships; Monson is in its first final since 1974, when it lost to Westfield in the one-division tourney.
Head to head: Did not play this year
How they got here: Lee beat No. 9 Lenox (52-33) and No. 4 Sabis (65-40); Monson beat No. 7 McCann (64-33) and No. 3 Ware (46-30)
Players to watch: Lee: Becca Webb (senior, guard), Megan Gangell (senior, guard), Katie Eckert (junior, guard), Alex Young, (sophomore, guard), Julia Warner (junior, center), Tara Dooley (sophomore, forward); Monson: Martine Turgeon (senior, guard), Danielle Muirhead (sophomore, center); Meghan Boyle (junior, forward)
Notes: Lee has a new head coach in long-time assistant Gary Wellington, but looked like the same old Wildcats dominating at the Cage on Tuesday against Sabis. The team is deep and talented without one standout player, but with six or seven players who can cause damage on both ends of the court. Monson, meanwhile, crushed co-Bi-County West champion Ware in their semifinal. Turgeon is a strong ball-handler, which will be key against Lee's pressure and Boyle can score in bunches.
Pick: Lee
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Here's a game-by-game look at the four western Mass. girls Division semifinals set for Wednesday at the Curry Hicks Cage and AIC.
D-3 semi record: 1-1
Overall record: 19-6
SEMIFINALS
Division 1 at AIC
No. 3 Northampton (16-5) vs. No. 2 East Longmeadow (19-2), 5:30
Head to head: EL beat Hamp 53-40 in Northampton on Feb. 12.
How they got here: Northampton beat Holyoke; East Longmeadow beat Agawam
Players to watch: Northampton: forwards Alannah Driscoll-Sbar and Cassy Sicard, guard Jenny Bell; East Longmeadow: forward/center Krista Ferrentino;
Winners gets: Trip to the finals Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the Cage
Notes: *See preview in Wednesday's Gazette* -- The first matchup was an incredibly ugly performance from Northampton and at least some of that has to be credited to the Spartans. The Blue Devils have to come out stronger this time and hope to take control early.
Pick: Northampton
No. 1 Minnechaug (18-2) vs. No. 5 Central (15-6), 7:30
Head to head: Split the season, with Minnechaug winning at the Hoophall (65-60) and Central winning in Wilbraham (64-62)
How they got here: Minnechaug beat Amherst; Central beat Ludlow
Players to watch: Minnechaug: center Bridget Crowley, forward, Briana Kelly, guard Bre Dufault; Central: guards Brisje Malone and A'Lece Mark and Center Aleisha Hawley
Winners gets: Trip to the finals Saturday at 5:45 p.m. at the Cage
Notes: Two of the region's top programs square off once again with the season on the line. The teams played two terrific regular season games and this one should be worth the (admittedly expensive) price of admission. Minnechaug's group is more seasoned in the tournament and the Falcons' defense could be the difference-maker, especially with Crowley patrolling the middle. Mark, meanwhile, could be a matchup challenge with her quickness and can drive and dish to get Malone open 18-footers.
Pick: Minnechaug
Division 2 at Curry Hicks Cage
No. 1 Palmer (21-0) vs. No. 4 Monument Mountain (18-4), 5
Head to head: Did not play this season
How they got here: Palmer beat Drury; Monument beat Hampshire Regional and Mahar Regional
Players to watch: Palmer: junior guard/forward Alyssa Orszulak, junior forward Katrina Caulfield; Monument: guards Mare McCormick and Keelyn Harris
Winners gets: Trip to the finals Saturday at 2:15 p.m.
Notes: McCormick, the Spartans top scorer, was called "very doubtful" after dislocating her kneecap early in the win over Mahar in the quarterfinals. This was a tough matchup for the Spartans -- last year's runner-up -- even with a full roster, but this turn of events makes it extremely difficult. Still, the Spartans were deep enough against Mahar and will bring an outstanding defensive effort to the Cage. The Panthers, meanwhile, survived a scare against Drury and will need a better performance to get by MM.
Pick: Palmer
No. 10 Belchertown (14-8) vs. No. 6 Wahconah (16-6), 6:30
Head to head: Did not play this season
How they got here: Belchertown beat Athol and Commerce; Wahconah beat Mount Greylock and Wahconah
Players to watch: Belchertown: senior guard Katelyn Cavanaugh, senior center Kierstin Del Valle, junior forward Briana Del Valle; Wahconah: Darcey Sullivan and Sara Hamilton
Winners gets: Trip to the finals Saturday at 2:15 p.m.
Notes: *See preview in Wednesday's Gazette* -- As with their last two games, this one will come down to whether Belchertown can avoid turnovers and then dominate on the boards. I'd love to take them here, but I'm not going to jinx the Orioles at this point.
Pick: Wahconah
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Here's a game-by-game look at the two western Mass. girls Division semifinals set for Tuesday at the Curry Hicks Cage. I'll have the Division 1 and 2 semifinal previews for Wednesday posted on Tuesday night.
Quarterfinals record: 8-4
Overall record: 18-5
SEMIFINALS
Division 3
No. 1 Lee (16-5) vs. No. 4 Sabis (15-6), 5 p.m.
Head to head: Did not play
How they got here: Lee beat Lenox 52-33; Sabis beat New Leadership 78-57
Players to watch: Lee: Katie Eckert, Megan Gangell, Rebecca Webb, Tara Dooley; Sabis: Alexis Chappell, Jaimee Collins, Olivia Schnorf, Jazmine Collins,
Winner gets: A trip to the finals on Saturday at 10:45 a.m.
Notes: Lee at the Cage? You're kidding! The Wildcats return once again to the semifinals and look to reach the championship game for the 20th time in the last 22 years. These teams were 1-2 in our rankings for a while during the midseason until Sabis struggled down the stretch, but the Bulldogs' quarterfinal win over New Leadership, which ended the career of the state's all-time leading scorer (Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir) showed that they were back on track. Lee will certainly bring the defense and fundamentals that has lead to its utter dominance of the Division 3 field for all these years. Sabis needs a near-perfect performance to knock the Wildcats off here.
Pick: Lee
No. 2. Monson (17-4) vs. No. 3 Ware (15-4), 6:30 p.m.
Head to head: Split the season with home team winning each
How they got here: Monson beat McCann 64-33; Ware beat Smith Academy 65-54
Players to watch: Monson: senior guard Martine Turgeon, junior forward Meghan Boyle; Ware: junior guard/forward Justine King and senior guard Danielle Lavalley
Winner gets: A trip to the finals on Saturday at 10:45 a.m.
Notes: Big-time Bi-County West rivals meet up in their biggest game ever. Ware is seeking its first trip to the finals since 2001, while Monson has never been the title game. After the home teams won each of this year's two games, it seems only fitting that the rubber match is on neutral ground, at the Cage. Monson takes the size advantage with Boyle, who scored 32 points in the second game (which Ware won), while King (coming off a 38-point performance in the quarters) may be the best player remaining in the D-3 field. If the two prior games are any indication, Ware won 62-58, Monson won 58-55 in OT, this could be one heck of a game.
Pick: Ware
**Become Gazette HS Coverage's Facebook friend to get updates on blog posts and game coverage.**
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Here's a game-by-game look at all 12 western Mass. quarterfinal matchups set for Thursday at 7 p.m. I went 10-1 with my picks during the first round (good job by Belchertown to knock off Athol) and will begin the quest to fall back toward .500 here.
There are a ton of good games in the mix. If you told me before the year at Amherst-Minnechaug was playing in the tourney, I would have assumed it was at least the semifinals, same with Mahar-Monument Mountain. In Division 3, I love the Sabis-New Leadership and Smith-Ware games. Plus, I think we learn a lot about defending state champion Northampton (win or lose) in Thursday's game against Holyoke.
QUARTERFINALS
Division 1
No. 9 Amherst Regional (11-10) at No. 1 Minnechaug (17-2)
Head to head: Minnechaug won 51-32 at home on Dec. 30
How they got here: Amherst beat West Springfield 51-43 in the quarterfinals; Minnechaug had a bye
Players to watch: Amherst: guards Alyssa Leonard and Jenna Klaes, center Mariah Lesure; Minnechaug: center Bridget Crowley, forward, Briana Kelly, guard Bre Dufault
Winner gets: winner of Central-Ludlow
Notes: Amherst third-year coach Christal Murphy returns to her alma mater for the second time hoping to get a win and earn her first trip to the semifinals as Hurricanes coach. It certainly won't be easy, as the Falcons have had plenty of rest and will be well prepared to take on the Hurricanes. The biggest question is whether Amherst can play at a quick enough offensive tempo to keep Minnechaug from setting up its zone. Klaes, Leonard and company love to run and that could help a lot here. Otherwise, it will take a lot of ball-control and some hot-shooting from behind the arc for Amherst to pull off the upset. Minnechaug, meanwhile, has to rebound against an Amherst team that has cleaned the glass extremely well since getting everyone back from injury. This one could definitely be close and is a very tough matchup for the No. 1 seed in the quarterfinals. Still, Chaug coach Dave Yelle isn't going to let his team overlook the Hurricanes simply because of their overall record.
Pick: Minnechaug
No. 5 Central (14-6) at No. 4 Ludlow (15-5)
Head to head: Central won 69-52 at home on Feb. 12
How they got here: Both teams had byes
Players to watch: Central: guards Brisje Malone and A'Lece Mark and Center Aleisha Hawley; Ludlow: guards Jenna Williamson and Elish Homich
Winner gets: winner of Amherst-Minnechaug
Notes: The seeds were flipped after the meeting to give the home game to Ludlow, which was clearly the right move via the way the Walker worked out. I'm just not convinced that Ludlow is athletic enough to pull this one off and if the Golden Eagles are focused they can play with anyone. For example, they looked completely disheveled at the Hoophall and lost to Minnechaug, but came back and beat the Falcons later in the season. The key questions for the Lions, meanwhile, is whether they can rebound with Central and whether they can get either Williamson or Homich (the program's first-ever 1,000-point scorer) going early.
Pick: Central
No. 7 Agawam (13-8) at No. 2 East Longmeadow (18-2)
Head to head: Split the season with the road teams winning each. Agawam won by two (12/30), EL by 16 (1/12)
How they got here: Agawam beat Chicopee Comp 50-42 in quarterfinals; EL had a bye
Players to watch: Agawam: center Mackenzie Doyle; East Longmeadow: forward/center Krista Ferrentino
Winner gets: winner of Holyoke-Northampton
Notes: Doyle was the hero against Comp, but this is a much bigger fish (or Spartan, in this case) to fry. The inside matchup of Doyle and Ferrentino is one not to be missed, but the game will likely be decided by the supporting cast, which favors EL.
Pick: East Longmeadow
No. 6 Holyoke (14-6) at No. 3 Northampton (15-5)
Head to head: Northampton swept series, winning by 37 at home (1/26) and by 8 in Holyoke (2/12)
How they got here: Both teams had byes
Players to watch: Holyoke: center Natasha Colon-Ortiz, guard Monique Heard; Northampton: forwards Alannah Driscoll-Sbar and Cassy Sicard, guard Jenny Bell
Winner gets: winner of Agawam-East Longmeadow
Notes: I think we'll know by the third quarter if Northampton has a shot to repeat. If the Blue Devils are flopping on the floor, complaining to the refs and not pushing the ball at every opportunity, their season will probably be over at AIC at best (if not here). If they are playing overwhelming defense, beating Holyoke down the floor, rebounding and letting a bad call or two slide off their backs, they could be headed back to the DCU Center. I'm betting that the senior class will kick it up a notch now that they are in a one-and-done situation.
Pick: Northampton
Division 2
No. 8 Drury (15-6) at No. 1 Palmer (20-0)
Head to head: Did not play this season
How they got here: Drury beat Hoosac Valley, 34-28; Palmer had a bye
Players to watch: Drury: senior guard Taylor DeSanty; Palmer: junior guard/forward Alyssa Orszulak, junior forward Katrina Caulfield
Winner gets: winner of Mahar-Monument
Notes: Interesting matchup in that DeSanty is the kind of player that could cause an upset, but this is a very tall task indeed. DeSanty, the program's all-time leading scorer, averages 22 points per game and is capable of much more if she gets going. But the Panthers are so good and so poised that it's hard to see them losing this early. You can be sure that Orszulak, Caulfield and company will be entirely composed here and the team's depth will likely be too much for the well-coached Blue Devils.
Pick: Palmer
No. 10 Belchertown (13-8) at No. 2 Commerce (18-2)
Head to head: Did not play this season
How they got here: Belchertown beat Athol 58-56; Commerce had a bye
Players to watch: Belchertown: senior guard Katelyn Cavanaugh, senior center Kierstin Del Valle, junior forward Briana Del Valle; Commerce: senior guard Tiaunna Nieves, senior forward Angie Couyoute
Winner gets: winner of Wahconah-Mohawk
Notes: Great job by the Orioles to hand me my one quarterfinal loss, knocking off a very hot Athol team on the road. In that game, they neutralized any issues around the perimeter and took advantage of their size inside. Commerce is more well-balanced than Athol and Nieves may be the most underrated player in Division 2. She could be a real handful here for Belchertown. Hate to be a non-believer in the local team here. This pick is more about Commerce than Belchertown.
Pick: Commerce
No. 6 Wahconah (15-6) at No. 3 Mohawk (19-2)
Head to head: Did not play this season
How they got here: Wahconah beat Mount Greylock 58-36; Mohawk beat Gateway 55-8
Players to watch: Wahconah: Darcey Sullivan and Sara Hamilton; Mohawk: senior guards Johanna Miner and Kelsey Schmidt, senior forward April Sheldon and senior center Madeline Hoeppner
Winner gets: winner of Belchertown-Commerce
Notes: It's hard to look at Mohawk's game-by-game result and not be concerned here. Losing two of their last three in games that could have clinched the Franklin North outright doesn't make me confident in their game of late and beating up on Gateway just isn't enough to cure that feeling. Wahconah, meanwhile, did just the opposite, getting healthy and then winning five straight, including a big-time win over Monument at home to end the regular season. The Warriors are deep enough to deal with Mohawk's greatest strength -- it's own depth -- and I just have a feeling that the Berkshire team is going to score the upset here.
Pick: Wahconah
No. 5 Mahar (18-3) at No. 4 Monument Mountain (17-4)
Head to head: Did not play this season
How they got here: Mahar beat Frontier 57-45; Monument beat Hampshire 55-36
Players to watch: Mahar: senior guard Mary Kovacevic and senior forward Ginny Averill; Monument: guards Mare McCormick and Keelyn Harris
Winner gets: winner of Drury-Palmer
Notes: I actually think this is going to be the game of the day in Division 2, as Mahar matches up well here with a standout point guard (Kovacevic) and a strong inside presence (Averill) -- both are 1,000-point scorers. Monument will undoubtedly bring on the defense here and the game will likely come down to whether Kovacevic and company can take care of the ball. Otherwise, the Spartans will start the layup line and we'll be seeing Tom Kinne back at the Cage once again. The only thing really holding me back here is Mahar's long, long trip West, but I'm going to go with Franklin County here after going with the Berkshire upset above.
Pick: Mahar
Division 3
No. 9 Lenox (7-14) at No. 1 Lee (15-5)
Head to head: Lee beat Lenox twice by 28 points each time
How they got here: Lenox beat Putnam 46-43; Lee had a bye
Players to watch: Lenox: Natalie Allen, Emma Poore; Lee: Katie Eckert, Megan Gangell, Rebecca Webb, Tara Dooley
Winner gets: winner of New Leadership-Sabis
Notes: Two new coaches, same old rivalry. The Wildcats are almost surely headed back where they belong -- back to the Cage -- under first-year head coach (and long-time assistant) Gary Wellington. Nicole Patella's crew, meanwhile, got a tough draw here. I would have liked to see what they could have done against a McCann, Smith or New Leadership (lost by eight in Springfield the first time).
Pick: Lee
No. 5 New Leadership (14-6) at No. 4 Sabis (14-6)
Head to head: Split the season with home team winning each game.
How they got here: Both teams had byes
Players to watch: New Leadership: senior guard Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir; Sabis: sophomore guard Alexis Chappell, junior guard/forward Jaimee Collins
Winner gets: winner of Lenox-Lee
Notes: The Wildcats' last loss was Jan. 26 to Commerce, the night Abdul-Qaadir broke Rebecca Lobo's state scoring record. Since then, they've won seven straight including wins over Monson and Sabis. This should be a great game, as Sabis has a bit more depth, but can they possibly slow Bilqis down enough after she dropped 43 and 51 against them in the past two matchups this season? I think we'd all like to see Lee vs. Bilqis at the Cage.
Pick: New Leadership
No. 6 Smith Academy (14-7) at No. 3 Ware (14-4)
Head to head: Did not play this year
How they got here: Smith beat Pathfinder 57-13; Ware had a bye
Players to watch: Smith: Junior forward Abeni Davies, sophomore guard Allison Slysz, freshman forward Alyssa Klepacki; Ware: junior guard/forward Justine King and senior guard Danielle Lavalley.
Winner gets: winner of McCann-Monson
Notes: It's either this or NLCS/Sabis as the game of the day in D-3. The big question here is whether Smith can slow down Ware's talented backcourt (King averages 19.2 points per game) enough to make it's advantage inside felt. I've had coaches tell me King (who is one of the top players I haven't gotten to see this year) is one of the five best players in western Mass. Can the Falcons' defense hold her at or below her average while also keeping Lavalley from going off? If so, Davies and Klepacki will likely make the difference underneath.
Pick: Smith Academy
No. 7 McCann Tech (12-9) at No. 2 Monson (16-4)
Head to head: Monson swept the two-game series
How they got here: McCann beat Franklin Tech 50-26; Monson had a bye
Players to watch: McCann: junior guard Nhi Nguyen, sophomore guard Katelyn Lewis; Monson: senior guard Martine Turgeon, junior forward Meghan Boyle
Winner gets: winner of Smith-Ware
Notes: Nhi Nguyen missed the second matchup (a 65-32 Monson win in Monson) to tend to her family after her father's passing and the team couldn't get the game rescheduled. I think the Mustangs' advantage inside with Boyle could be too much here.
Pick: Monson
Monday, February 23, 2009
Before we get started, I just want to point out that there are a number of differences in overall record in our official record-keeping and the information given to the MIAA by the Ads. There is a chance that something was incorrectly posted by a newspaper or something, but the main issue seems to be incorrectly submitted info to the tournament committee. That makes things extremely difficult for the committee and leads, I’m sure, to mistakes. It’s unfortunate.
I’m sure that’s what happened in the Ludlow-Central situation on Saturday, when everyone was shocked to hear that Central got the four seed ahead of Ludlow, including the Lions coach. That was eventually fixed by the committee, thankfully.
For instance, in Division 2 alone there are two incorrect records in the top four as Mohawk is listed as 19-1 (they are 18-2) and Monument at 17-3 (they are 16-4). There are more throughout the brackets. The records that were used for our Walkertology, the ones posted below and in the Gazette on Monday are all correct to the best to our knowledge. If you see something wrong, drop me a line at jpignatiello@gazettenet.com.
One last thing, I’m not sure what happened at the bottom of Division 2. Last year, Gateway got in because it was in the Tri-County and Hampshire got in via the Sullivan Rule. In that bracket last year, Hampshire was placed last and Gateway was second-to-last. This year was the same situation, but Gateway was placed last and Hampshire second-to-last. I think this makes more sense, in fact, and asked the committee about it afterward, but the reasoning didn’t seem to be that they were righting a wrong. In fact, it sounded a lot like they thought this was Gateway’s first year in the TCL, which, of course, it wasn’t.
DIVISION 1
No. 9 Amherst (10-10) vs. No. 8 West Springfield (11-9)
Head to head: Did not play this season
Players to watch: Amherst guards Alyssa Leonard and Jenna Klaes and center Mariah Lesure; West Springfield center Annie Siemanowski and guard Monica Acevedo
Winner gets: No. 1 Minnechaug (17-2)
Notes: Incredibly, Amherst played 17 games against tournament teams and squared off against eight of the other nine teams in the D-1 field. The only one the Canes didn’t face: West Side. Amherst looked good down the stretch and appears to finally be healthy. If they can rebound with the Terriers, they will be in good shape.
Pick: I’ll be a homer and go with Amherst in a close one.
No. 10 Chicopee Comp (10-10) at No. 7 Agawam (12-8)
Head to head: Did no play this season
Players to watch: Comp guards Ashley Assarian and Kellie Dwyer; Agawam center Mackenzie Doyle
Winner gets: No. 2 East Longmeadow (18-2)
Notes: The Colts really struggled against Amherst in the finale and it’s hard to see how they can match up with Doyle in the middle. They’ll need to really improve their team rebounding and the guards will have to get hot from the outside to pull off the win.
Pick: Agawam
DIVISION 2
No. 9 Hoosac Valley (12-8) at No. 8 Drury (14-6)
Head to head: Teams split the season with road team winning each game
Players to watch: Hoosac’s Courtney Delratez and Sam Lebeau; Drury’s Taylor DeSanty
Winner gets: No. 1 Palmer (20-0)
Notes: I love that this one ended up working out, as these schools are huge rivals and this will be a big deal in Northern Berkshire county. DeSanty is the school’s top career scorer and I’d love to see her get a crack at Palmer’s defense.
Pick: Drury
No. 10 Belchertown (12-8) at No. 7 Athol (16-4)
Head to head: Did not play this season
Players to watch: Belchertown guard Katelyn Cavanaugh and post players Kierstin Del Valle and Briana Del Valle; Athol guard Catie Brighenti
Winner gets: No. 2 Commerce (18-2)
Notes: Belchertown’s struggles against good backcourt defense will be the key here, as the Orioles must limit their turnovers to beat a very hot Red Raiders squad, which ended the season 7-1. If they take care of the ball, their inside advantage could be the difference.
Pick: Athol
No. 11 Mount Greylock (10-8) at No. 6 Wahconah (14-6)
Head to head: Warriors beat the Mounties 49-30 in Cheshire on Jan. 19.
Players to watch: Greylock’s Sarah Brink and Kim Houston; Wahconah’s Darcey Sullivan and Sara Hamilton
Winner gets: Winner of Gateway-Mohawk
Notes: Another Berkshire matchup, with the Warriors coming off a huge win over Monument Mountain in their regular season finale. A Wahconah-Mohawk quarterfinal could be fantastic.
Pick: Wahconah
No. 12 Frontier Regional (11-9) at No. 5 Mahar Regional (17-3)
Head to head: Mahar swept two-game series by total of 39 points.
Players to watch: Red Hawks guards Amanda Koldy and Mel Stier; Mahar guard Mary Kovacevic and forwad Genny Averill
Winner gets: Winner of Monument-Hampshire
Notes: Tough matchup for the Red Hawks, who could have jumped on an unsuspecting opponent early with their defensive pressure, but the Senators will know all about Frontier after two regular season games. The Red Hawks are very young and just the experience of reaching this point will pay off huge for the program down the road.
Pick: Mahar
No. 13 Hampshire Regional (5-15) at No. 4 Monument Mountain (17-3)
Head to head: Did not play this year
Players to watch: Hampshire guard Ashlee Moussette; Monument guard Mare McCormick and Keelynn Harris
Winner gets: Winner of Mahar-Frontier
Notes: One of the more interesting games of the day, as Monument may be better than a four seed and Hampshire is definitely better than a 13 seed. The Red Raiders played 14 games against Division 1 teams and certainly won’t be overwhelmed by anything thrown at them here, but this is a tough trip and a tough matchup.
Pick: Monument
No. 14 Gateway Regional (11-7) at No. 3 Mohawk Trail (18-2)
Head to head: Did not play this year
Players to watch: Gateway’s Kaila Arsenault; Mohawk’s Johanna Miner and Kelsey Schmidt
Winner gets: Winner of Wahconah-Greylock
Notes: A Tri-County team in the Division 2 field just can’t compete, let along against a Mohawk team that started the season with 17 straight wins.
Pick: Mohawk
DIVISION 3
No. 11 Pathfinder (10-10) at No. 6 Smith Academy (13-7)
Head to head: Did not play this year
Players to watch: Smith forwards Abeni Davies and Andrea Klepacki and guard Allison Slysz
Winner gets: No. 3 Ware (14-4)
Notes: This was probably the perfect result for Smith, which is back in the tournament after X years away. They get a very winnable game to get their feet wet in the tournament before heading to a more difficult matchup, but still winnable, at Ware. Even better than a bye in this situation.
Pick: Smith
No. 10 Franklin Tech at No. 7 McCann Tech (11-9)
Head to head: Did not play this year
Player to watch: McCann guard Nhi Nguyen
Winner gets: No. 2 Monson (16-4)
Notes: McCann has battled all kinds of adversity this year, but will almost certainly cruise here.
Pick: McCann
No. 9 Lenox (6-14) at No. 8 Putnam (18-2)
Head to head: Did not play this year
Players to watch: Lenox’s Natalie Allen and Emma Poore
Winner gets: No. 1 Lee (15-5)
Notes: I’d have been more likely to pick Putnam if it beat a non-Tri-County team this year, but that season finale loss to Granby made it impossible.
Pick: Lenox
Monday, February 9, 2009
Note: All Gazette High School Sports coverage is now free online.
The Playoff Bubble Watch will be posted on Tuesday and the first girls Walkertology will go up later this week.
Monday, Feb. 9
Ludlow at Amherst - The Hurricanes need at least two wins in their final four games to get into the tournament. The have won two straight at home and three in a row overall since the return of junior standout Alyssa Leonard, but the Lions are a tough draw here.
Cathedral at Agawam - Brownies should get their 10th win here.
Westfield at West Springfield - Terriers should clinch a postseason berth at home.
Drury at Mount Greylock - North Berkshire rivals square off in rematch of one-point Blue Devil win from earlier in the year.
Easthampton at Frontier - Eagles clinch playoff berth with win, Frontier makes its road MUCH easier with win. Last game came down to the wire, with Easthampton winning.
Holyoke Catholic at Commerce - Gaels must win out to get into the tournament. Tough matchup here.
Palmer at Sabis - Panthers enter the week 17-0. Bulldogs have had some big wins this year, but this would be most impressive, obviously.
Hopkins Academy at Greenfield - Golden Hawks must win out to get into the tournament. This is the easiest of their three remaining games.
Lee at Pittsfield - The Wildcats look to bounce back from loss to Monument on Thursday, which snapped a nine-game winning streak.
Smith Academy at Mohawk - The Falcons need a win or an Easthampton loss to clinch the Franklin South outright.
McCann at Ware - A must-win for the Warriors to make Sunday's rivalry game against Monson mean something for the league.
Tuesday, Feb. 10
Holyoke at Ludlow - Tough week for the Lions, who have Amherst, Holyoke and Central in four day span.
Monson at Hampshire - Breast Cancer Awareness night will feature plenty of pink. Also a great D-2 vs. D-3 matchup in which the Red Raiders could really use a victory.
Wednesday, Feb. 11
East Longmeadow at Northampton - The Spartans had a disappointing performance against Minnechaug over the weekend. Here's another big-time test, and it's against the Blue Devils on senior night.
Hoosac Valley at Monument - Both teams are in, but Hurricanes can accrue a bunch of believers with a win here.
Thursday, Feb. 12
Ludlow at Central - Very good late season game that could help the winner take a bunch of momentum into the postseason.
Chicopee Comp at Hampshire - The Colts scored just 33 points in the teams' first meeting (a win), but they will need another win here to greatly help their playoff chances.
Northampton at Holyoke - Could be for the league championship.
Athol at Smith Academy - Two Franklin teams already in the postseason, but both teams could use some more quality wins to please Mr. Walker.
Belchertown at Palmer - Orioles look to improve on last week's 20-point loss here in season finale.
Mohawk at Mahar - As T.O. likes to say, "Getcha popcorn ready."
Wahconah at Lee - Lee won in Dalton last time. Can the Warriors gain some momentum heading into the final week of the season?
Athol at Smith Academy - The Falcons run the gauntlet late by finishing with the Franklin North's top three teams. This one should be more competitive than the first meeting, a 78-46 loss in Athol.
Friday, Feb. 13
Amherst at East Longmeadow - The Hurricanes should be at full strength this time against the Spartans in a big Suburban matchup.
Taconic at Pittsfield - Generals will need this one to keep their slim postseason hopes alive.
Easthampton at Monson - It's a tough D-2 week for the Mustangs, who challenged themselves with their non-league schedule this year. I always hope to see those teams get rewarded with a deep run in the tourney.
Saturday, Feb. 14
Monument at Athol - Another great D-2 game in a great week of them. A whole bunch of good guards in this one.
Sunday, Feb. 15
Northampton at Westborough Tournament - First game of the tournament, which hasn't yet been seeded. Blue Devils got hot here last year, won the event and carried the momentum into the playoffs en route to the state title.
Sabis at Island Invitational - Bulldogs head to Martha's Vineyard for a couple of days.
Monson at Ware - If Ware beats McCann earlier in the week, it can earn a co-title with a win here. Monson will look to finish the season 8-0 in the league. The first meeting was a 58-55 win in Monson.
**Become Gazette HS Coverage's Facebook friend to get updates on blog posts and game coverage.**
Saturday, January 3, 2009
NOTE: All Gazette high school sports coverage is now completely free online.
Monday, Jan. 5
Lee at Amherst - The Hurricanes are 1-1 against Berkshire teams so far this season.
Drury at Monument Mountain - Spartans looks to go to 7-0 with a win at home.
Tuesday, Jan. 6
GAME OF THE WEEK: Northampton at Minnechaug - One of the top games of the year, as two of the top contenders for the D-1 crown meet up for the only time in the regular season.
West Side at East Longmeadow - Spartans are coming off their first loss of the season and will try to get back on track against a tough opponent.
Ludlow at Holyoke - Holyoke held off Agawam on Friday to stretch its win streak to four, Ludlow, meanwhile, looks to improve to 4-0.
Commerce at Sabis - Commerce knocked off NLCS with ease on Friday. Now they'll take on another charter school.
Mahar at Frontier - Frontier is much-improved after a buzzer-beater win over Hopkins moved it to 2-2, but this is a tough, tough matchup for the young Red Hawks.
Hampshire at Cathedral - Hampshire topped Easthampton in overtime Friday to snap a four-game slide and will look to make it two-straight on the road.
Smith Academy at Turners Falls - The Falcons look to make it six straight against transfer Abeni Davies' former team before a tough run of games against the three Franklin North powers.
Wednesday, Jan. 7
Agawam at Amherst - Two teams below .500 that should still get to the postseason. A win here would certainly help.
Commerce at Hoosac - Commerce is 2-0 vs. Berkshire teams after beating Wahconah and Drury to take the Gene Wein Tourney. Hoosac can show a lot with a win here.
Friday, Jan. 9
Northampton at Amherst - Big-time rivalry game up this way, but is Amherst healthy enough to run with Hamp?
New Leadership at Belchertown - Can the Orioles slow down Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir and win their fifth straight?
Frontier at Easthampton - Every matchup in the Franklin South is big from here on out.
Mohawk Trail at Smith Academy - The Falcons have taken a huge jump and are in the driver's seat in the Franklin South, but this might be asking too much of a team with no seniors.
Commerce at Ware - The Indians should be 5-0 heading into a very tough matchup at home.
**Become Gazette HS Coverage's Facebook friend to get updates on blog posts and game coverage.**
Saturday, December 20, 2008
NOTE: All Gazette high school sports coverage is now completely free online.
With everyone snowed out Friday night, I figured it made sense to get a jump on this week's girls hoop lookahead. Because of the holidays, this will run through Monday, Dec. 29. The next one will be posted late on the 29th. Top 10s will take the week off and return late on Thursday, Dec. 31.
Saturday, Dec. 20
Drury Tournament
Commerce vs. Wahconah Regional (noon) & Drury vs. Hampshire Regional (1:30) - First round doubleheader was pushed back from Friday and feature two good Division 2 matchups. This will help sort out the top 10 quite a bit. Wahconah is riding high after defeating an extremely undermanned Amherst squad last week. Can the Warriors carry that momentum to two wins and a tourney title? Hampshire, meanwhile, should concern any Division 2 team it takes the court against this year. The Red Raiders have experience, size, speed and talent. They'll need a strong defensive effort against Drury standout guard Taylor Desanty in order to advance to the finals on Monday.
Monday, Dec. 22
Drury Tournament championship/consolation games
Here's hoping for a Wahconah-Hampshire final. Would be worth the drive to North Adams.
Tuesday, Dec. 23
Easthampton at Turners Falls - The Eagles look for their first win of the season on the road and should get it behind the inside play of Allyson Rannikko.
Amherst at Holyoke - The Hurricanes did a 180 from Wahconah to Taconic. Another strong defensive effort would be huge heading into the Dec. 30 matchup at Minnechaug.
Northampton at Chicopee Comp - Blue Devils look for improved offensive effort to go with dominating defense.
Westfield at East Longmeadow - Spartans should go to 3-0 here.
Hoosac Valley at Pittsfield - Hoosac should join EL at 3-0.
Mahar Regional at Athol - A big on in the Franklin North (and D-2 overall). Amazing that this will be the Senators' opener. I'd get there early if you want a seat.
Mohawk Trail at Frontier Regional - Tough early test for the improved Red Hawks.
Hopkins Academy at Pioneer Regional - The Golden Hawks will have had 10 days off since falling to Smith Academy by 20 in their opener.
New Leadership at Sabis - Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir dropped 49 on South Hadley. What will she do for an encore?
Monson at McCann Tech - Big early game in the Bi-County West, which saw these two teams and Ware all finish 6-2 in league play last year.
Greenfield at Smith Academy - The Falcons look to make it three straight behind Abeni Davies (16.7 points per game).
Friday, Dec. 26
Mohawk Trail at Lee - Great game between Division 2 and Division 3 contenders here.
Commerce at Palmer - Two of the D-2 Cage teams from last year square off in what should be Palmer's first test of the year.
Saturday, Dec. 27
Millbury at Drury - Long trip for the Woolies out to North Adams in what should be a fantastic matchup between 5-8 guards Desanty and Cailin Bullett.
Monday, Dec. 29
Central at Newton North - Golden Eagles square off against a Tigers team that went 5-16 last year.
**Become Gazette HS Coverage's Facebook friend to get updates on blog posts and game coverage.**
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
GOOD NEWS: All of our high school coverage is now completely free! You can read all of our stories without paying a subscription, so head over to the new High School Sports homepage and check it out.
ALSO: I'll have my divisional preseason all-stars up late Tuesday night and the weekly top 10s Thursday.
This Week in Girls Hoop
There was just one game on Monday and I covered it, so let's round out the rest of the week. I'll get on the every-Sunday schedule starting this week.
Tuesday
Northampton at Agawam - Defending state champs open their season on the road.
Amherst at Wahconah - Good early season matchup between a good D-1 team and a great D-2 team. Amherst is lacking in size until it gets Mariah Lesure back from injury and has the long ride to deal with.
Ludlow at West Springfield - An interesting early Division 1 matchup between two teams with semifinal dreams.
Lenox at Lee - Two new coaches. Same great matchup.
Wednesday
Central at Hampshire - Hampshire looked great on Monday night against South Hadley, but this is a whole different ballgame. Interested to see if Ashlee Moussette and company can make this a game.
Friday (FANTASTIC DAY)
Longmeadow at Northampton - Hamp's home-opener, but there is no banner raising here. They did that long ago.
Minnechaug at West Springfield - Quite the schedule for the Terriers in the first week. This one is almost certainly the D-1 game of the week and a West Side win would make believers out of a lot of us.
Mohawk at Athol - Big early McGrath North matchup. Should be a real battle between two talented squads.
Wahconah vs. Commerce (at Drury) - Two of the best in D-2 square off at the Drury Holiday tournament.
New Leadership at Monson - Monson dominated Smith Academy, but can the Mustangs slow Bilqis Abdul-Qaadir? Can anyone?
Smith Academy at Easthampton - Early McGrath South matchup gives the Falcons a chance to measure themselves against the two-time defending league champs.
***
MONDAY'S HIGH SCHOOL SCOREBOARD (FINAL)
Boys basketball
Northampton 57, Chicopee Comp 49
Mohawk 57, Easthampton 43
Pioneer regional 77, Smith Academy 55
Frontier Regional 57, Greenfield 40
Belchertown 51, Pioneer Christian 44
Palmer 60, Granby 47
Holyoke Catholic 49, Southwick 48
Girls basketball
Hampshire Regional 69, South Hadley 30
Ice hockey
Chicopee 5, Turners Falls 2
