Thursday, June 26, 2008
Free Press Profiles Meg Kirwan
Today's Melrose Free Press highlights former Lady Raider Co-Captain Meg Kirwan who moves on to the UMass-Lowell RiverHawks next season. Meg had a terrific senior campaign helping lead Melrose to their 9th consecutive Middlesex League title with a multitude of skills and earned the ML Most Valuable Player award.
Monday, June 23, 2008
BC Tournament: Long, Hot Summer
Through the years, the summer basketball experience has evolved. Recently, the Lady Raiders have played in the Hoops for Hope summer league with powers like Andover, Central Catholic and Masconomet, and competed in selected tournaments at area colleges.
This weekend, some of the players traveled to Chestnut Hill for the Boston College Camp tournament, featuring ten teams in seeding and tournament play. The team played one game Friday and three Saturday, going 4-0 and landing them the second seed behind a powerful Rutherford, NJ team.
Melrose defeated Concord-Carlisle by nineteen, Franklin (a perennial D1 leader in the South) by nine, and Dana Hall by fifty to come out undefeated through Saturday.
Sunday, Melrose blew out Northfield Mount Herman in the quarterfinal match, pounded Franklin by 20 in the rematch on BC's main court, and outlasted Rutherford 30-27 in a slowdown slugfest to finish 7-0 with the tournament championship.
All the players participating were effective, in various roles. Colleen Hanscom, Nicki Devereaux, and Nicole Meuse played consistently at both ends, and the frontcourt including Hannah Brickley, Sienna Mamayek, Laura Irwin, Annmarie Wiesen, Christine Viola, Amanda Peters, and Ashley Cunningham all consistently contributed.
In the semifinal contest, Franklin featured a two-three zone that the Lady Raiders shredded with pinpoint interior passing.
In the final, Melrose led 18-17 at the half, before Rutherford took the lead by one late in the game. Hannah Brickley scored a tough bucket underneath to give the Lady Raiders the lead, and Nicole Meuse iced the victory with a pair of clutch free throws on a one-and-one with about 20 seconds left.
Colleen Hanscom controlled the game from the point, and Nicki Devereaux played terrific defense before going out with an injury. Nicole Meuse filled in ably for her in the backcourt as everyone got valuable experience in a game that lacked only a sizable crowd to simulate action deep in the postseason. Brickley, Mamayek, Irwin, and Wiesen battled the bigger Rutherford squad toe-to-toe and Viera had a key steal late in the contest as well.
What was most impressive was the effort and intensity that the team has put forth in the past several summers in particular. The players have always shown plenty of dedication, but the emphasis recently has improved the overall team play.
The only negative that emerged was several Melrose players getting banged up with a variety of injuries that we hope are minor.
This weekend, some of the players traveled to Chestnut Hill for the Boston College Camp tournament, featuring ten teams in seeding and tournament play. The team played one game Friday and three Saturday, going 4-0 and landing them the second seed behind a powerful Rutherford, NJ team.
Melrose defeated Concord-Carlisle by nineteen, Franklin (a perennial D1 leader in the South) by nine, and Dana Hall by fifty to come out undefeated through Saturday.
Sunday, Melrose blew out Northfield Mount Herman in the quarterfinal match, pounded Franklin by 20 in the rematch on BC's main court, and outlasted Rutherford 30-27 in a slowdown slugfest to finish 7-0 with the tournament championship.
All the players participating were effective, in various roles. Colleen Hanscom, Nicki Devereaux, and Nicole Meuse played consistently at both ends, and the frontcourt including Hannah Brickley, Sienna Mamayek, Laura Irwin, Annmarie Wiesen, Christine Viola, Amanda Peters, and Ashley Cunningham all consistently contributed.
In the semifinal contest, Franklin featured a two-three zone that the Lady Raiders shredded with pinpoint interior passing.
In the final, Melrose led 18-17 at the half, before Rutherford took the lead by one late in the game. Hannah Brickley scored a tough bucket underneath to give the Lady Raiders the lead, and Nicole Meuse iced the victory with a pair of clutch free throws on a one-and-one with about 20 seconds left.
Colleen Hanscom controlled the game from the point, and Nicki Devereaux played terrific defense before going out with an injury. Nicole Meuse filled in ably for her in the backcourt as everyone got valuable experience in a game that lacked only a sizable crowd to simulate action deep in the postseason. Brickley, Mamayek, Irwin, and Wiesen battled the bigger Rutherford squad toe-to-toe and Viera had a key steal late in the contest as well.
What was most impressive was the effort and intensity that the team has put forth in the past several summers in particular. The players have always shown plenty of dedication, but the emphasis recently has improved the overall team play.
The only negative that emerged was several Melrose players getting banged up with a variety of injuries that we hope are minor.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Hoops for Hope Action
Melrose traveled to Plaistow, NH to face Pinkerton in the tipoff of their summer league schedule. The Lady Raiders looked to be in terrific physical condition and broke the Pinkerton 2-2-1 three-quarter court trap easily. Animation can be found here...under defense (bottom).
Generally, finding high school players who can play the forward spots with enough size and mobility to rotate and to trap effectively to execute the 'UCLA' defense made famous by Hall of Famer John Wooden is difficult.
Melrose put up 51 points in a pair of 15 minute halves. Colleen Hanscom was consistent at the point, and Hannah Brickley showed continuing growth of her formidable inside game. Siena Mamayek looked very mobile defensively and banged the boards aggressively at both ends. The effort the team put forth from top to bottom was impressive for summer league.
Each year brings forth special challenges to replace graduating seniors, and this season won't be different as the Lady Raiders look to defend their ML title, seeking ten in a row.
Generally, finding high school players who can play the forward spots with enough size and mobility to rotate and to trap effectively to execute the 'UCLA' defense made famous by Hall of Famer John Wooden is difficult.
Melrose put up 51 points in a pair of 15 minute halves. Colleen Hanscom was consistent at the point, and Hannah Brickley showed continuing growth of her formidable inside game. Siena Mamayek looked very mobile defensively and banged the boards aggressively at both ends. The effort the team put forth from top to bottom was impressive for summer league.
Each year brings forth special challenges to replace graduating seniors, and this season won't be different as the Lady Raiders look to defend their ML title, seeking ten in a row.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Realignment?
Questions swirl concerning a possible realignment within the Middlesex League. Many feel that football is the driving force, and that realignment is designed to create a large and small division. It has been widely circulated that Watertown and Stoneham feel that this might allow for fairer competition, as their enrollments are far below some of the large ML communities such as Lexington and Woburn.
The Wakefield Observer also reports that the league hopes to add two teams to the mix. Some have speculated that Wilmington and Tewksbury might be candidates, as they have a pre-existing Thanksgiving Day football rivalry.
A PDF file outlining the enr0llment-based plan already exists here.
Enrollment data is available from the MIAA Website...
Lexington 1832
Woburn 1348
Reading 1165
Belmont 1154
Wakefield 1004
Melrose 972
Burlington 929
Winchester 940
Stoneham 881
Watertown 749
Tewksbury 1098
Wilmington 885
A basketball realignment might include higher enrollment teams (ML Large) playing each other twice, and teams in the opposing division once. This would create a 16 game schedule, allowing for four non-league games. Who wouldn't want to see Melrose playing in either elite tournaments or more quality opposition?
For example, in volleyball, Melrose will face perennial Division I champion Barnstable and Division II South powerhouse Bishop Feehan this fall.
Drawbacks? Melrose has won the past nine ML girls hoop titles, and if realignment resulted in an 'unbalanced' schedule, some would argue that Melrose 'avoided' playing Reading and Lexington twice.
The Wakefield Observer also reports that the league hopes to add two teams to the mix. Some have speculated that Wilmington and Tewksbury might be candidates, as they have a pre-existing Thanksgiving Day football rivalry.
A PDF file outlining the enr0llment-based plan already exists here.
Enrollment data is available from the MIAA Website...
Lexington 1832
Woburn 1348
Reading 1165
Belmont 1154
Wakefield 1004
Melrose 972
Burlington 929
Winchester 940
Stoneham 881
Watertown 749
Tewksbury 1098
Wilmington 885
A basketball realignment might include higher enrollment teams (ML Large) playing each other twice, and teams in the opposing division once. This would create a 16 game schedule, allowing for four non-league games. Who wouldn't want to see Melrose playing in either elite tournaments or more quality opposition?
For example, in volleyball, Melrose will face perennial Division I champion Barnstable and Division II South powerhouse Bishop Feehan this fall.
Drawbacks? Melrose has won the past nine ML girls hoop titles, and if realignment resulted in an 'unbalanced' schedule, some would argue that Melrose 'avoided' playing Reading and Lexington twice.
