7-1 Lady Raiders now await undefeated Wakefield
Published in the January 12, 2018 edition
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—Each week is getting better for the Melrose Lady Raider basketball team, now 7-1 after twin wins this week over Middlesex Freedom opponents Stoneham and Watertown. Now, they are ready to challenge unbeaten Wakefield (8-0) this Friday night on the road in a battle for league supremacy. With Melrose beating all other Freedom opponents on their schedule so far, they’re in the prime position to knock the Warriors out of the top spot.
THE MELROSE Lady Raider basketball team, including Sam Smith (pictured) clamped down on Stoneham and Watertown this week as Melrose improved to 7-1 on the season. (Donna Larsson photo)
Just how strong has Melrose been?
They’ve outscored opponents 130-56 in two nights of play, beginning with a 72-37 thumping over Stoneham on the road Monday night. Melrose senior captain Alexis Doherty led with 19 points while freshman Sam Dewey scored 15 points and nine rebounds.
Just a night later, Melrose hosted Watertown and ran off with a 58-19 victory, a defensive gem that saw Melrose limit their rival Raiders to 6 points at the half and take a 44-9 lead entering the fourth. Against Watertown, Melrose enjoyed offensive work from Sam Dewey (10 points) and Alexis Doherty (11 points), while Lily Cunningham (10 points) led a powerful Melrose defense with several steals and forced turnovers, along with Doherty. It was their combined work in the first half that helped allow Melrose to take a 29-6 lead by halftime, and then hold Watertown to only 3 points in the entire third quarter alone.
Sam Smith, meanwhile, sparked a strong Melrose defense with forced turnovers both early in the game and after the half when her pressure allowed Sam Dewey to post three layups in a row that lifted Melrose 36-6 just minutes into the third. Peri McDonald was also aggressive on the court and solid on the foul line.
Melrose’s Lily Cunningham led offense in the third with a series of layups and foul shots, while also providing defensive gusto. Peri McDonald went 2-2 on the foul line to a 44-9 lead at the end of the third.
Coach Bill Hirschfeld was afforded the chance to be creative with his lineup, which allowed impressive scoring from Mary Kate Mahoney, who sank a trey before her forced steal-turned-layup made it a 49-13 game. Watertown mostly scored on the foul line, effectively at times, and that allowed them to crawl up to 15 and 17 points while Melrose players Amarea Shepard and Jazmyn Riley got some quality minutes; Riley finding the basket twice for Melrose.
Emily Hudson provided also solid rebounding and went 2-2 on the foul line, and Riley hit a final shot for Melrose that finished the game 58-19.
At 7-1, Melrose is looking as strong as any MHS girls hoop team in half a decade or more, and will face their biggest challenge of the season against undefeated Wakefield (8-0) who host the Lady Raiders at 7:00 p.m. this Friday at Wakefield High.
