THE MHS girls’ varsity basketball team (pictured last season) returns 10 players including their starting 5 this winter. They open on the road this week. (file photo)
Entire starting squad returns for Melrose
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—Last year, Melrose High girls’ basketball team came excruciatingly close to playoffs after a surging, late-season run. This year, Melrose returns perhaps their most promising squad in some years.
Melrose brings back a full ten players and their starting five from last season, which bodes well for their chances for establishing a playoff-bound season. They are led by senior captains Megan Casey, Chloe Gentile, Sofia Smith and Gia Vlajkovic. Returning are seniors Elaine Albuja and Lily Kavanaugh, juniors Ava Tormo, Lily Nolan and Emily Lucien, sophomore starter Scarlett D’Addio and newcomers Alex Leeman and Sofia DiCalogero.
Prior to their season opener this week on the road at Woburn, Melrose enjoyed victorious pre-season games against North Reading and Marblehead and has shown a lot of promise on both ends of the court. Against North Reading, Melrose scored over 50 points thanks to baskets from Sofia Smith, Megan Casey, Chloe Gentile, Scarlet D’Addio and Lily Nolan. There was also promising work from Ava Tormo, Emily Lucien and the debut from new players Alex Leeman and Sofia Dicogliaro, not to mention the smooth speed of Elaine Albuja and Lily Kavanaugh.
What makes this Melrose team stand out is athleticism. It’s essentially made up of many three- sport athletes—some of the best female athletes in the school. Together as a unit, coming off successful fall sports, they’re presenting as a fast and disciplined team used to high-pressure situations.
What separates this team is the experience they bring. Their six seniors are a group who’ve been playing together since middle school, thus have a chemistry that’s hard to come by. Says Melrose head coach Bill Hirschfeld, “Our strength is our experience. Many of these players are 3-year and 4-year players and starters, so as seniors this is their time. And our captains show real leadership.”
Besides their deep senior class, Melrose returns a talented junior class, along with younger players who have proved they belong in the starting rotation.
Of course, Melrose opens their season against tough opponents like juggernaut Woburn, an always-tricky Watertown and ML large rival Belmont. But the season is long and where Melrose is during week 1 most certainly won’t be where they end up twenty games from now.
“Our starting five is an advantage, and our next five very strong too. Our bench is deep, and we have a lot of options,” says coach Hirschfeld. “I asked the team early this season what kind of team we want to be, and we agreed it was to be an aggressively defensive team. They worked hard on the off-season, and it shows.”
Yet, Melrose will face their toughest teams right out of the gate, including Woburn (post deadline). Like other winter sports, they must face Middlesex Large teams from the get-go.
Says the coach, “Obviously we will have our hands full opening up against Middlesex Large teams, especially Woburn, but we’re focused and competitive. Last year is behind us and we’re moving forward.”
Melrose travels to Watertown on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. before hosting Belmont at home on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
