Meets CAL foe Amesbury in D3N semifinals Wednesday
Published March 6, 2019
By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI
ANDOVER — It was another good day for the Lynnfield High girls basketball team on Sunday afternoon as they beat host Greater Lawrence, 69-43, up in Andover in the quarterfinal round of the Division 3 North state tournament. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday but was postponed due to the snow.
With that victory, the sixth-seeded Pioneers improved to 14-8 while the third-seeded Reggies ended the year at 15-6.
Lynnfield got off to a great start as they led, 18-4, after the first quarter. They then continued to pull away in the second outscoring the Reggies by 11 points to go into halftime leading, 39-14.
“We came out of the chute quickly and had our fast-break game going,” said Pioneer head coach Peter Bocchino. “Our defense also challenged every shot they took.”
CATE MACDONALD followed up a 12-point performance against Charlestown with a game-high 21 points and eight rebounds to lead Lynnfield past Greater Lawrence in the quarterfinals. (Dan Pawlowski Photo)
Catherine MacDonald led the Pioneers with 21 points and eight rebounds while Melissa Morelli had 16 points and a team-high 14 rebounds.
Grace Klonsky added 12 points, four steals and three rebounds. Riley Hallahan and Ava Buonfiglio both chipped in six points.
Cruised past Charlestown
In their playoff opener on Feb. 27, the Pioneers hammered guest Charlestown, 53-8. With that loss, the 11th-seeded Townies ended the year at 9-10.
Lynnfield did not allow a field goal the entire first half as they led 14-0 after the first quarter and 29-1 at the half.
“I put my subs in early,” pointed out Bocchino. “We ended up having 11 players score.”
MacDonald led the Pioneers in scoring in this game, again with 12 points. The freshman also had five steals and four rebounds. Caroline Waisnor added nine points while Melissa and her twin sister Victoria both scored six points.
Lucy Cleary led the team in rebounds as the ninth-grader had seven.
It was the team’s first playoff win since the 2008-2009 season.
On Wednesday night (March 6) the Pioneers will take on Amesbury in the semifinal round at Whittier Tech in Haverhill. Tip-off is at 7 p.m.
The Indians enter the game at 17-4 overall and are the second seed. They beat the Pioneers by nine points in the lone meeting during the regular season.
“We were without Grace (Klonsky) because she was sick,” recalled Bocchino, about that first game. “With her playing, I think that can be the difference although Amesbury does have a very solid team.”
The winner of that game will take on the winner of the Bishop Fenwick-St. Mary’s of Lynn game this Saturday at the Tsongas Center in Lowell (time to be determined) in the North Final.
