Saturday, January 14, 2006
On the Road As Always
Melrose journeyed to its 'home' court Friday to take on the improved Stoneham Lady Spartans as they prepare to make the turn and complete the first go-round on the schedule. Stoneham is led by senior guard Amber Wantman and senior center Ashley Corbett both solid multisport athletes. Coach Karen Grutchfield-Scali has moved her formidable skills to Stoneham as well, emphasizing a motion offense, pressure defense, and superior conditioning.
Stoneham broke well out of the gate, seizing a 5-2 lead, before Melrose answered back with a run of its own. Melrose went hard at the basket and Stoneham elected not to press Melrose, a sensible strategy in view of Melrose's three experienced ballhandlers, Sheylani Peddy, Cara Lynch, and Lynley DeAmato.
Melrose gradually extended its first half advantage thanks to aggressive defense, playmaking by Peddy, and ten first half points by Karen Sen. Meanwhile, they blanked both Wantman and Corbett in the half, as Melrose led at intermission 26-13.
The Lady Raiders came out on fire in the second half, after surrendering a couple of free throws to Corbett. The red and white roared out on a 18 to 4 run to put the game away, sparked by scintillating drives by Peddy. Later, after some tough rebounding on the offensive glass, Grutchfield got slapped for a technical foul, and Peddy made 4 free throws and Melrose coasted to victory 52-30.
Peddy and Karen Sen both finished in double figures for Melrose, and Cara Lynch deserves great credit for shutting down Stoneham's playmaker, Wantman.
Raider Ramblings. Coming into the game, the average Melrose victory had been 27 points on the season. During the past four regular seasons in the Middlesex League, Melrose is now 60-2, and overall during that time the Lady Raiders are 75-5, including a 9-3 record in post-season play. Coach Dave Brady collected his 191st win last night as the Melrose skipper.
Stoneham broke well out of the gate, seizing a 5-2 lead, before Melrose answered back with a run of its own. Melrose went hard at the basket and Stoneham elected not to press Melrose, a sensible strategy in view of Melrose's three experienced ballhandlers, Sheylani Peddy, Cara Lynch, and Lynley DeAmato.
Melrose gradually extended its first half advantage thanks to aggressive defense, playmaking by Peddy, and ten first half points by Karen Sen. Meanwhile, they blanked both Wantman and Corbett in the half, as Melrose led at intermission 26-13.
The Lady Raiders came out on fire in the second half, after surrendering a couple of free throws to Corbett. The red and white roared out on a 18 to 4 run to put the game away, sparked by scintillating drives by Peddy. Later, after some tough rebounding on the offensive glass, Grutchfield got slapped for a technical foul, and Peddy made 4 free throws and Melrose coasted to victory 52-30.
Peddy and Karen Sen both finished in double figures for Melrose, and Cara Lynch deserves great credit for shutting down Stoneham's playmaker, Wantman.
Raider Ramblings. Coming into the game, the average Melrose victory had been 27 points on the season. During the past four regular seasons in the Middlesex League, Melrose is now 60-2, and overall during that time the Lady Raiders are 75-5, including a 9-3 record in post-season play. Coach Dave Brady collected his 191st win last night as the Melrose skipper.
Superfan Dick Collis of the 'Back Row Boys' provides us with unofficial standings for the Middlesex League after 8 games. He reports that there is a makeup game to be played between Belmont and Woburn.
Melrose faces Wakefield at 1:00 PM Monday at Stoneham and hosts Division I Haverhill from the Merrimac Valley Conference Tuesday at 6 PM at Marcoux Gymnasium.
// posted by Ron Sen, MD, FCCP @ 10:03 AM 
