AMSA girls basketball dominates Maynard, Assabet coach notches first win

2021-12-24 03:07:03 By : Mr. Danny McCoy

REGION – The winter sports season has now begun with schools competing in the first full week of action last week.

Schools are continuing their winter seasons as they move into the holiday break from classes this month. 

Algonquin marched to a dominant 8-1 win over Westborough, securing a spot in the Boroughs Cup championship game while bouncing the Rangers into a consolation matchup with Wachusett on Dec. 18. The teams were initially tied 1-1 after the first period, but Algonquin mustered an immense offensive output from there, running up the score against the Rangers. 

Marlborough jumped out to an early lead and did not look back on its way to a Boroughs Cup victory over Algonquin. Both teams spent considerable amounts of time both on the power play and the penalty kill as this game racked up over a dozen penalties. Algonquin peeled off a shorthanded goal in the first period and a power play goal in the second period, but could not match the Panthers offense, ultimately losing its first game of the year.

Melissa Bibinski scored 15 points in AMSA’s decisive victory over Maynard. The teams played a quiet first quarter, with just eight total points scored, before opening up on offense in subsequent quarters. AMSA led 21-17 at the half and padded their lead from there.

Assabet lost a close game in overtime to the Gators seeing their win-loss record fall to 1-1 after a 6-1 victory over St. Paul earlier this month. 

Assabed eked out a win over their crosstown rivals, outscoring AMSA 15-10 after entering the fourth quarter with the score tied at 44-44. Four Aztecs players notched double digit scoring performances with Chris McDonald’s 20 point day leading the way. Head coach Ryan Brown notched his first career win with this result.. 

“It was a battle between two hard fighting teams,” he wrote on social media on Dec. 16. “I’m proud of my guys for pushing through and hanging tough. More practice to come.” 

Grafton’s offense dominated particularly in the third quarter of their game against David Prouty. Callum Donagher set a career high in points scored, with 22 points while teammates Arjun Ramesh and Ethan McIerny each racked up 11 points.

Grafton edged out Assabet with an overtime winner from John DeFonzo, beating the Aztecs at home in Marlborough. 

Callum Donagher dropped 27 points on Leicester, setting a new career high in single-game points scored for the second time in three days. Ethan McIerny also lit up the scoresheet for Grafton, scoring 23 points in the Gators’ victory.

Grafton headed to Western Massachusetts for its game against West Springfield, playing a close game all the way into their second overtime period of the week. They took a 2-1 lead in the first period, but saw that lead slip, with West Springfield tying the game once at 2-2 and tying it again at 3-3 after Grafton briefly answered. West Springfield then took the win in overtime over the Gators. 

Hudson mustered a comeback before expanding a 20 point lead over Burncoat, Dec. 14, to notch their first win of the year. Marcus Bass dominated in the winning effort, posting 20 points. The team as a whole racked up 57 points in the third and fourth quarters alone, erasing a slim 31-29 Burncoat lead at halftime for the victory at home at Hudson High School. 

Parker Green scored for Hudson in a difficult loss for the Hawks at home at the New England Sports Center. 

Max Person and Caleb Luz led the way in Hudson’s seven point victory over Tyngsborough, Dec. 16. Person scored 12 points for the Hawks while Luz notched 11 to improve their win-loss record to 2-1 after a loss to Grafton in their season opener earlier this month. 

Hudson kept the score close through halftime, trailing by just one point at the break. Tyngsborough expanded on its lead from there, though, outscoring the Hawks 30-16 in the third and fourth quarters.

St. John’s – 6, Mount St. Charles – 1

St. John’s – 4, Pope Francis – 7

The Panthers beat the Mountaineers in the semifinals of the Boroughs Cup tournament. In beating Wachusett, Marlborough defeated this tournament’s defending champions to secure a shot at their first Boroughs Cup title in over a decade. 

Marlborough jumped out to an early lead and did not look back on its way to a Boroughs Cup victory over Algonquin. Both teams spent considerable amounts of time both on the power play and the penalty kill as this game racked up over a dozen penalties. Algonquin peeled off a shorthanded goal in the first period and a power play goal in the second period, but could not match the Panthers offense, ultimately losing its first game of the year. 

Westborough won a close game against Holliston, holding off attempts at a comeback to maintain a slim margin of victory. The Rangers led 22-17 at halftime. Though they won the game, they saw their lead shrink slightly before the final whistle, winning by a score of 38-34 after close third and fourth quarter competition.

Algonquin marched to a dominant 8-1 win over Westborough, securing a spot in the Boroughs Cup championship game while bouncing the Rangers into a consolation matchup with Wachusett on Dec. 18. The teams were initially tied 1-1 after the first period, but Algonquin mustered an immense offensive output from there, running up the score against the Rangers.

A pair of third period goals lifted the Rangers past the Mountaineers, Dec. 18 as Westborough bounced back from its 8-1 loss to Algonquin in the Boroughs Cup semifinals just a matter of days earlier. The defending Boroughs Cup champion Wachusett team lost its semifinals game against Marlborough immediately before Westborough faced off against Algonquin. Meeting in their tournament’s consolation game, Wachusett jumped out to an early lead. They held a 1-0 advantage through two periods, but faltered in the game’s final minutes, with Westborough capitalizing to take the win. 

Algonquin/AMSA/Marlborough/Hudson – 8, Auburn – 0

Emily Johns and Mallory Farrell both picked up hat tricks in a game that saw the co-op Algonquin/AMSA/Marlborough/Hudson team quickly jump out to a 2-0 first period lead. As the team expanded their lead in the second period, they ran away with the game in its final frame, posting five goals against the Rockets in the third period. 

Algonquin/AMSA/Marlborough/Hudson – 10, Franklin – 0

The dominant Algonquin/AMSA/Marlborough/Hudson co-op girls hockey team scored an even 10 goals last week in an explosive defeat of Franklin. The team’s Elly Fernandes scored her first career varsity goal as the team improved to a win-loss record of 3-0. Another win yesterday has since elevated Algonquin to 4-0, with 34 goals scored in four games. The team has not allowed a goal yet this season.

Algonquin boys hockey advances to Borough’s Cup championship with win over Westborough

Shrewsbury girls hockey falls to Andover

Marlborough claims Boroughs Cup title with win over Algonquin

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