SAVANNAH CUMMINGS had a double-double with 10 points, 15 rebounds, 4 blocks and 2 steals in Wakefield’s win over Burlington on Friday night. Pictured in the background is Emma Shinney who finished with 10 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals. (File Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High girls’ basketball team was never in doubt of missing the Div. 2 state tournament this season – not after their 9-1 start earned them a ranking of No. 4 in the state.
Even still, the team had plenty to celebrate when they beat Burlington 53-25 on Friday night at the Charbonneau Field House as they officially punched their ticket to the tournament with their 10th win, moving to 10-2 with an emphatic victory in front of their hometown fans.
The Warriors were the better team in every facet of the game from start to finish. Through a first quarter that the Warriors won 20-4, the home team out-hustled, out-shot, out-ran, out-rebounded and out-defended the Red Devils through a statement first eight minutes of play that included points from six different players including 5 from senior captain Emma Quinn (14 pts, 5 reb, 3 stl), 4 from senior captain Emma Shinney (10 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl) and 4 from junior Savannah Cummings (10 pts, 15 reb, 4 blocks, 2 stl).
The Warriors kept their foot on the gas through the 2nd quarter, which they won by a count of 18-8 to take a resounding 38-12 lead into halftime.
JUNIOR CAPTAIN Emma Quinn led the scoring for Wakefield with 14 points and added 5 rebounds and 3 steals in the team’s win over Burlington on Friday night which officially punched their ticket to the Div. 2 state tournament. (File Photo)
Cummings, whose double-double was paired with terrific defense all night, dominated on the block in the 2nd and the Warriors got out in transition with two easy buckets for Shinney and Quinn to get the team rolling. Back-to-back baskets from sophomore Brooklyn Calder (8 pts, 7 reb, 3 blocks, 3 stl) on a second chance hoop and a nice runner in the lane made it 34-11 and a nice drive and two from freshman Emma Ickes (4 pts, 2 reb) followed by a layup from Quinn off a great Shinney full-court pass made it 38-12.
Wakefield slowed the pace in the 3rd but continued to play strong defense highlighted by Calder who picked up her third block of the game and soon followed with a floater in the lane to break 40 point for the home team.
A Quinn triple, her second of the game off a Calder dish opened the scoring in the final quarter and a well-executed pump fake and layup by Cummings broke 50 for Wakefield and made her double-double as official as Wakefield’s state tournament appearance.
The Warriors played a tough Reading team at home last night and came away with a 47-42 win to improve to 11-2. A full story will appear at a later date.
Wakefield will travel to Watertown on Friday night at 7 p.m.
