Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Season Opener Friday Versus Winchester
A brief recent history of highlights over the past decade plus ensues.
Lady
Raider Basketball - Back to the Future
"Basketball
is sharing." - Phil Jackson
Melrose
Girls Basketball has a proud tradition of success in the Middlesex
League, built around a winning tradition and a strong, positive
culture.
But
teams construct success not upon history or bluster but with hard
work, sacrifice, and selflessness.
Melrose
owned a vice grip on the Middlesex League title from 2000 through the
2009-2010 season playing up tempo basketball featuring aggressive
man-to-man defense and fast break basketball that led to one state
title appearance and four sectional championships.
The
Lady Raiders captured sectional championships in 2000, 2003, 2006,
and 2010, three under the stewardship of Coach Dave Brady and the
last under Coach Rob Ferrante following Coach Brady's departure in
2006. Brady's squads won over 200 games during his eleven seasons as
well as an EMASS title in 2000.
The
past decade Melrose has experienced both the rise and fall of
Middlesex League success. The Lady Raiders enjoyed a Middlesex League
Championship run through 2010 but returned to earth from the
2010-2011 through 2012-2013 seasons.
In
2003, Melrose went undefeated in the Middlesex League, led by ML MVP
Shannon Kirwan, Massachusetts Gatorade Player of the Year. Melrose
finished 24-1 defeating Salem at Tsongas in the sectional finals. The
2003 Lady Raiders fell to Fontbonne 44-22 at Boston Garden. The final
three seasons of the Class of 2003 saw Melrose go 70-4 including 53-1
during the Middlesex League schedule, ably assisted by ML All-League
forward Oyin Aderibigbe.
Freshman
Sheylani Peddy (Melrose '2007) arrived in Melrose for the 2003-2004
season. Peddy led the team to a 20-3 season in 2004, followed by
consecutive 23-1 campaigns in 2005 and 2006, for a three year record
of 66-5 (52-2 in the ML) for the Class of 2006. Peddy and Marianne Foley got all-league nods in 2004. ML all-league Peddy and Paula Sen
received All-League recognition in 2005. In 2006, led by All-League
recipients Peddy, forwards Paula and Karen Sen, Melrose found another
trip to the Garden with a Tsongas Center win over undefeated
Masconomet before losing to Oliver Ames 50-47. Sixth man Meg Kirwan
would become a future ML MVP.
The
2007 team made its third consecutive trip to the Tsongas with
three-time ML MVP Peddy (Super Team and Dream Team honoree) and
All-League guard Lynley DeAmato's club finishing 21-2. Guard Meg
Kirwan also received All-star recognition. Shey Peddy finished with a
Melrose career scoring record of 1614 points.
The
Class of 2010 continued the ML run from 2007-2008 through 2009-2010
led by Hannah Brickley, Colleen Hanscom, Siena Mamayek, and Laura
Irwin. But 2008 was Meg Kirwan's year as she was ML MVP, helped out
by Brickley and Emily Clark as All-League honorees in an 18-4
campaign.
In
2009, Melrose finished 16-5 with a heart-breaking first round playoff
55-53 loss to Lincoln-Sudbury. Hannah Brickley and Siena Mamayek were
ML All-League selections.
The
2010 season saw Melrose return to Championship form with a three-way
tie for the ML title with Reading and Stoneham, and a victory over AC
to capture the D2 North sectional title. The trip to Boston Garden
led to a 60-46 defeat to Oliver Ames. Hannah Brickley earned
All-Scholastic honors and she and Colleen Hanscom received Beantown
Hoops all-Middlesex League Honors. Melrose finished the season at
20-4 and the seniors had a 54-13 record during their final three
seasons.
After
a decade of dominance, Melrose Girls' Basketball fell on hard times
over the past three seasons, finishing 5-15, 10-11, and 6-14. The
2011-2012 team qualified for post-season play and fell to Salem.
Brooke Bell earned Middlesex All-League recognition for the 2011-2012
season. Kayla Wyland was named Middlesex League Freedom Division MVP
and All-league honoree in 2012-2013.
Following
the 2012-2013 season, former Lady Raider Lindsay Shanahan was named
new Melrose coach. Shanahan and the 2013-2014 squad look to return
Melrose basketball to prominence.
// posted by Ron Sen, MD, FCCP @ 6:45 AM 
