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Season Review: Girls’ basketball rebounds from slow start

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Senior captain and league all-star Rylie Harlow flicks up a layup. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ basketball team battled through adversity to go on a run this season.

After the bumpy start the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team got off to, it could have been easy to give up. Instead, the team did just the opposite. 

The Panthers’ first three games were postponed due to COVID-19 protocols. They were even quarantined themselves. They didn’t take the court for nearly two weeks after their first scheduled game. They’d win their opener but dropped their next two games. And it was after their second straight loss, a 54-45 setback to Hingham, where the season would change.

“I had some people from outside the organization comment and say it looked like we lacked effort that game,” said second-year head coach Mike Costa. “I told my team at practice the next day that this is what it looks like from the outside and I don’t think this is who we are.” 

The Panthers responded with a 29-point win over Duxbury, 61-32, which sparked a six-game winning streak, which included a 54-42 victory over Hingham the second time around.

“Sometimes the best remedy for a bad loss is a quick turnaround,” Costa said. “They were resilient all year. I couldn’t have been more proud of them.”

W-H went on to win two of their next four games and advanced to the Patriot Cup final, where it fell to Hanover and finished the season at 9-4. 

“We had our goals at the beginning of the season to compete for the [league] title and compete for the [Patriot] Cup and we kind of just reminded each other of that every day, and they were able to turn it around,” Costa said. “Unfortunately, those two losses [at the beginning of the season] kind of put us in a hole, but at least we were able to compete and make it exciting at the end.”

Senior captains Reese Codero and Rylie Harlow and junior Abby Martin were all named Patriot League Keenan Division All-Stars.

Costa praised Codero and Harlow for hanging tough through an unprecedented campaign. Codero will play at Roger Williams University next year, while Harlow will hit the court at Fitchburg State University. 

“I couldn’t have asked anything more from those two,” Costa said. “They showed up every day regardless of the situation, regardless of how many games were put on hold or if we were in quarantine. They continued to compete for us. They were big for us.”

Martin had a breakout season. She scored 14 points and grabbed 21 rebounds in a win over Marshfield in their second meeting, and netted 17 points and snagged nine boards in a Patriot Cup win over Plymouth North. She headlines the players set to return next season.

“Abby was awesome this year,” Costa said. “She took a big leap forward, in terms of her maturity as a player and person. She really became a leader on this team. I think when times got tough a lot of the girls on the team would look to Abby to figure it out for us. I think she is probably the best defender in the league. She can guard all five positions, she’s tough as nails and she kills the glass. She just does it all. We’re glad she has another year.”

Guards Lauren Dunn, a junior, and Caitlin Leahy, a sophomore, will also be back next year.

“I think that Duxbury game when she (Dunn) scored 20 points was her coming-out party,” Costa said. “She has always been one of our best defenders and it got to the point at the end of the season we were matching her up with the best guard on the other team. 

“I couldn’t take Caitlin Leahy off the floor. I thought she deserved to be a league all-star too, so hopefully, she can use that as motivation moving forward. She can do it all. She can handle the ball, has great vision, she can make any type of pass — another girl that can defend all five positions.”

Costa said he believes this past season was a perfect learning experience for his club. 

“I think they expected to be league champs and that didn’t happen and we know why that didn’t happen,” he said. “We didn’t focus on the little things that it takes to be league champs. I think they’re all motivated for this offseason to put a number up on that banner.” 

Season Review: For boys’ hockey team, this season a ‘big push forward’

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Senior captain Kevin Willis was named a league all-star. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ hockey team started to click at the end of the season.

Time.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ hockey team wished they had more of it together this past winter. 

After a 1-8 start to the season, the Panthers won three out of four and finally seemed to be hitting their stride. But the only issue was, their shortened campaign was finished. 

“Unfortunately, right when we were starting to play really well and really jelling and figuring out our roster and who plays well with who, the season was over,” said first-year head coach Rob Peters. “It kind of ended too quickly for a team that was starting to play really well.”

The early struggles were expected. The Panthers, who went 4-9, boasted a roster that consisted of just six seniors. Not only that, but Marshfield and Hingham joined the Patriot League this year. 

“We knew that we were going to have a lot of growing pains to get through,” Peters said. “We knew that when you’re going through those growing pains — that rebuild — it’s tough to have the schedule that we did, but it is what it is. We always know we play in one of the toughest leagues in the state and I think we got through those growing pains.”

A reason they were able to get through those growing pains was because they didn’t let wins and losses affect their approach.

“The big story with our team is we didn’t look at the record,” Peters said. “Let’s look at every shift, every period, at every game and take it as it comes. If you’re not disciplined or allow yourself to get frustrated too easily then it could be a worse year.”

Peters lauded his senior captains, Jack Allen, Bobby Siders and Kevin Willis, for keeping the group on track. 

“Those are three guys that you just don’t get in your program very often,” Peters said. “They’re special individuals and chosen by their peers to be captains this year and they really stepped up.”

Especially in W-H’s 3-2 win over Plymouth North on Feb. 6, which was the start of their three-game winning streak. 

“We went down 2-1 in the third and they just kept going,” Peters said. “We were in the game, we were outshooting them. At that point, it was a turning part of the season. 

“The captains said, ‘Guys, we’re playing better, things are coming together, we’re outshooting them, these are the things we need to start seeing.’ And we came out in the third and we scored two late goals. If you don’t have that leadership, you don’t score those two goals.”

Willis was tabbed a Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star, along with sophomore sniper Matt Solari. 

Solari paced W-H with 12 goals to complement eight assists.  

“Matt leads by his play,” Peters said. “Every day he is working hard, every day he is asking questions, every day he is trying to make other guys better. He holds himself like a true professional at the rink. I’m excited to see what he has for the next two years of his career.”

Freshman Luke Tropeano (two goals, 10 assists) and sophomore Joe Culley (three goals, three assists) formed the rest of the Panthers’ young top line. 

“With two weeks left in the season, we ended up moving Joe Culley from defense to forward and he ended up playing with Matt Solari and Luke Tropeano,” Peters explained. “He ended up having four points in the last six games. That just comes with time in the season and unfortunately, we just didn’t have time. Once we started to get going we only had about a month and a half left.” 

Juniors John Ward (three goals, seven assists) and Bobby Hunter (two goals) also found the back of the net multiple times this season. 

In net, Siders, a 2019-20 league all-star, and junior Erik Dean formed a solid tandem. Siders had 32 stops in a 4-3 win over Pembroke in the opening round of the Patriot Cup. Dean stopped 46 shots in a loss to Hingham. 

“[This season] is a big push forward,” Peters said. “We saw the best of the best a lot. I think we’re on our way. We know where we gotta be and we gotta get there.”

Season Preview: Indoor track running in a virtual space

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Courtesy photo

Indoor track has a bevy of changes this Fall II.

Indoor track meets have a different look this season.

First off, they’ll be held outside instead of inside. Second, teams won’t be boarding busses to head to the Reggie Lewis Athletic Center because that’s being used as COVID-19 vaccination center.

All meets are scheduled to be held at home in a virtual form with teammates competing with each other and then their scores will be entered online after for the rest of the league to see. Finally, there will also only be three field events: shot put, long jump and high jump. Other than that, it’s business as usual.

“Our virtual meets are essentially weekly time trails run at our facility with no opponent on campus,” explained seventh-year W-H girls’ head coach Steve George. “Our athletes compete with each other and run against the clock.”

Junior Myah Kamperides knows a thing or two about running against the clock. The reigning league all-star will lead the pack for the girls’ team this season. She competed in six running events last week and posted her best time in each of them.

She’s also brought along her younger sister, Savannah, a freshman. She competed in five individual events last week and was top three in four of them.

“We’ve got some extraordinary athletes among our distance runners in addition to the Kamperides girls,” George said. “Isabelle Amado, Anna Sullivan, Anna Flynn and Sarah Boulger all have experience and would be big factors in dual meet competition. And we have a couple of very talented sprinters/hurdlers in Hailey Minicucci and April Keyes, who also compete in the jumping events as well.”

George said the focus remains on improvement, like any other season.

“Some of the kids are trying events for the very first time as a byproduct of the jamboree format,” George said. “For example, we started working with a dozen-plus athletes on the long jump and in only four sessions they are hitting their marks and jumping like veterans.”

George said he believes this new track format could benefit his athletes in the near future.

“The virtual format really provides an opportunity for experimentation and I expect we’ll see enormous improvement among those who have joined in,” he said. “When spring track arrives, we’ll have a group of kids who are ready for anything.”

BOYS’ TEAM

The boys’ team is led by the other Kamperides, senior Theo Kamperides, who is the back-to-back boys’ cross country MVP in the Patriot League Keenan Division.

“[He] will continue to be a dominant runner this winter,” said second-year W-H boys’ head coach Stephen Schlicting.

He is joined by cross country league all-stars, seniors Liam Cafferty and Chris MacDonald and juniors Nathan Tassey and Gordon Johnson.

“We have a very strong contingent of distance runners,” Schlicting said.

Juniors Jake Caterer and Jacob Donovan should push each other in the sprints. Senior Chris Blackman runs the 300 and 600, while junior Chase Baker will lead the way in the hurdles and long jump.

The Panthers’ mission this season is to just keep working on their skills together.

“[The] goal will be to improve and to encourage all to try new events, building a strong team culture of support and togetherness and having fun as we work this winter,” Schlicting said.

Football team runs past Silver Lake to kick off season

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The football team rolled past Silver Lake in its opener.

It was worth the wait.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team legged its way to a season-opening win.

The Panthers rushed for 280 yards and three touchdowns to kick off the season with a 24-9 victory over Silver Lake.

Senior Cam Cummings (19 carries for 85 yards, 2 TDs) and junior Will Stafford (13 carries for 85 yards) ran for 85 yards apiece.

Senior captain Jason Murphy got W-H on the board first when found paydirt from 12 yards out. 

Silver Lake cut it to 6-3 on a field goal before Cummings bowled his way into the endzone from 1 yard out in the second quarter.

Sophomore Cam Burrows hooked up with senior Declan Hanaphy on a 2-yard score to give the Panthers an 18-3 lead at the half.

Cummings capped W-H’s scoring in the third quarter with his second touchdown of the game — this time from 2 yards out. 

The Panthers (1-0) are back in action next Friday, March 19, hosting Marshfield at 6 p.m. 

Vassil brothers commit to play basketball at Quincy College

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Brothers Tom Vassil (left) and Ryan Vassil (right) sign on to play basketball at Quincy College. / Courtesy photo

Brothers Tom and Ryan Vassil will play basketball together at Quincy College next year.

Ryan Vassil estimated he grew 3 to 5 inches from his sophomore to junior year of high school last year.

His older brother Tom, who stands at 6-foot-11, was gearing up for his senior season on the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ varsity basketball team. So Ryan wanted to give the game a try.

“I had a big growth spurt,” Ryan said. “I was talking with [W-H] head coach [Bob] Rodgers and said, ‘Hey, I want to try out basketball.’”

Rodgers admitted this surprised him.

“You don’t normally have a kid approach the varsity coach when he’s never really played basketball and say, ‘I want to try and learn basketball. I see what my brother does and I want to give it a shot,’” Rodgers said.

But that’s what Ryan did. He attended basketball camp in the fall and earned a spot on the junior varsity team that winter. Then when the state tournament rolled around, the varsity team called him up, and he joined his brother. They ended the season as state champs following an 18-point win at TD Garden. Tom scored seven points in the victory.

“It was an awesome experience,” Tom said.

Said Ryan: “It was definitely a special moment, getting to play with Tom.”

Now the brothers will be teammates on the court again after signing on to join the Quincy College men’s basketball team.

“It means the world that we get to play basketball together,” Tom said. “But having him, someone who lives with me, we get to work all the time.”

Tom would have been going into his sophomore year of college this upcoming fall but opted for a post-grad year at Springfield Commonwealth Academy. He only played in three scrimmages before the went fully remote. He decided to unenroll. The good news? He was able to attend all of his brother’s home games this past season.

“It’s been really cool to see how much he’s improved because when he started — just like me — we couldn’t make wide-open layups, we weren’t catching the ball, so just to see the strides that he’s made is incredible,” said Tom, who didn’t begin playing basketball until his freshman year of high school. “He’s a really hard worker.”

The two have hit the court together as much as they can together — even before Tom departed briefly for school.

“When COVID started in March, we weren’t allowed to play basketball anywhere,” Tom explained. “We went to the police station and got kicked out because we weren’t allowed to play.”

Shortly after they started seeing a skills development coach, Chantel Jordan of Champ City.

“She helped me a lot with my skill and confidence,” Ryan said. “I started getting more confident putting the ball on the floor and creating my own offense. Before that, I was an offensive rebounder and then I started making my own plays.”

Ryan averaged 4.8 ppg this past season as a senior for W-H, which went 12-0 and captured the Patriot League Keenan Division crown.

“He wasn’t just a big strong kid, he became a skilled kid,” Rodgers said. “He became somebody with great hands around the basket. He became somebody who understood the game and the little nuances of how to read a defense and how to react to what defenses do. He did it in a short period of time.”

But it’s more than what Ryan did on the court that caught Rodgers’ eye.

“I always tell my team that you win with character first and Quincy College is getting two kids that are off the charts with that,” Rodgers said.

Quincy College men’s basketball coach Doug Scott said he’s excited to infuse some of the winning mentality they established at W-H into his program.

“We are very excited to have both of them,” he said. “I love recruiting guys that come from a winning culture and great coaching. Basketball aside, we are getting two great young men that can be very successful if they put the hard work in.”

Their goals before college?

“I want to get quicker and also stronger and be able to play about the rim,” Ryan said. “I want to be able to hopefully initiate some plays — have a better game off the dribble, not too much catch and shoot.”

Said Tom: “I just need to get back into shape and get my body right. I haven’t had the opportunity to play basketball on an actual court since November. I’m really looking forward to playing with Ryan again — just having that brother connection.”

Season Preview: Football team ‘extremely happy’ to be back together

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The field on Day 1. / Courtesy photo (@coachscarps)

The football team is finally back on the field.

There’s definitely a different feeling in the air, but at the end of the day football is still football.

After being apart for nearly 15 months, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team is back on the field — and it isn’t taking it for granted.

“It felt pretty good to be running around with the kids,” said head coach Mike Driscoll, who is entering his 10th year on the Panthers sideline. “We’re very, very fortunate and we’re extremely happy to be playing football. We’re very blessed to be out there — it feels great.”

The Panthers began practice on Feb. 22 and their first game is scheduled for March 12. That’s less than three weeks to prepare.

“It’s definitely different,” Driscoll said. “In the summer, normally we have our 7-on-7s and our workouts and everything leading up to it and you kind of know what you have.”

W-H has taken a few different approaches to account for missed time.

“We can’t have our usual meetings inside, so we’ve slowed things down,” Driscoll said. “We’re going to do what we can do. We’ve limited our playbook and we’re going to teach to our best ability and get ready to go out there and compete every Friday.”

The Panthers, who are looking to bounce back from a 2-10 campaign in 2019, will have a new-look offense this season.

“We’ve made a lot of changes to our scheme and we’re hoping that scheme fits our build better than in the past where we’ve had some really good running quarterbacks,” Driscoll said. “We don’t really have that right now so we’ve gone to more of a Wing-T-type set and we’re hoping that helps us out.”

The Panthers quarterback is still to be determined, at the time. Driscoll said there are five kids battling it out. That’s because senior captain Jason Murphy, a returning Patriot League All-Star, converted back to running back after he was thrust under center last year due to an injury.

“Jason is a great kid,” Driscoll said. “He has a great work ethic and is a real leader of the football team.”

Fellow senior captain Nik Dolan could take some snaps at quarterback.

“He’s gonna play all over for us,” Driscoll said. “You could see him lineup at wingback, you could see him at wideout, you could see him at quarterback, he’s gonna play one of those positions. Defensively, he’s gonna be our safety back there and he’s gonna be running the show.”

Griffin Mountcastle, a two-year starter up front, is another senior captain.

“We expect big things out of him as well on the line,” Driscoll said.

Senior Declan Hanaphy and juniors Malcolm Alcorn-Crowder, Hunter Baker, Zach Boisjolie, and Will Stafford will also play key roles this season.

W-H is scheduled to kick off its five-game schedule at home on March 12 at 6 p.m. against Silver Lake.

“The goal is to get five games in without having any interruptions,” Driscoll said. “We’re going to be competitive every week. This team is better than any team we’ve ever had in a few years. Athletically — it’s probably the most athletes we’ve ever had. But as a unit they have a long way to go as far as jelling that together.”

Season Review: Gymnastics hit its stride — on and off mat

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The team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High gymnastics team had something to cheer about to end its season.

For the second straight year, the Whitman-Hanson Regional High gymnastics team capped its season with the Patriot League Sportsmanship Award.

“It means so much to us to have the other coaches in the league vote for W-H for this special award,” said second-year W-H head coach Alison Vance. “We were shocked and so thankful to receive it two years in a row. The girls are truly the kindest and most respectful group of girls I have coached in my 20-plus years. They are so happy to be a part of this league and love cheering on their fellow competitors.”

This season presented many changes and challenges for the Panthers. The toughest? They could only practice in their competition gym on weekends due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“We had to make use of the gym time to the best of our ability,” Vance explained. “We also got creative and used the Whitman Middle School gym on Wednesdays to go over routines and do some conditioning.”

The Panthers’ strategy worked. They started the season with a score of 123 and finished the winter with a mark of 125.6 in their last virtual meet.

Then at the Patriot League gymnastics championship meet, W-H finished in sixth place, missing fifth by 0.05.

“These girls made me so proud this year,” Vance said. “They always came to practice and meets prepared to give it 100 percent. They never gave up and improved each meet of the season. We had a few setbacks due to COVID, but the girls were so grateful to have a season, that they took those setbacks in stride. I was very impressed with their willingness to try new skills and improve the start value of their routines.”

Freshman Emma Mckeon paced the Panthers in that championship meet, placing sixth in the all-around. But her future with W-H is uncertain, as she was on loan from her club team.

“I know she had a blast this season and really wants to join us again next year,” Vance said. “I plan to speak with her club coach and my athletic director to find out if there is something we can work out next year.”

Mckeon wasn’t the only underclassman who impressed. Sophomore Riley Getchell took sixth on the beam at the championship meet, while freshman Khloe Drake was a contributor all season long.

“Riley had a great season, especially on beam, and continues to work hard,” Vance said. “She already has some exciting goals planned for next year. Khloe Drake improved her scores on beam and floor every meet. She did not compete in vault this year, but absolutely has the capability to. I am looking forward to seeing what new skills she comes up with next year.”

As for departures, senior captains Madison Scaccia and Savannah Poirier leave big shoes to fill — on and off the mat.

“Madison and Savannah not only had their best gymnastics seasons of their high school career, but they both have been the most positive role models for the underclassmen,” Vance said. “These girls are such well-rounded young ladies. They excel in athletics and in academics. They have positive attitudes and know how to encourage and support their teammates. They will be greatly missed next year.”

Vance said she hopes she can continue to build the program up.

“My plan last year was to speak with the eighth graders at both middle schools in June,” Vance said. “However, COVID made that impossible. I am hopeful I can have some sort of meeting with interested 8th graders at the end of this school year to drum up some attention and excitement. We also started a new Facebook page this year, so hopefully people in the community follow us and spread the word.”

Boys’ basketball nets Patriot Cup to cap perfect season

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The Panthers pose after winning the Patriot Cup. / Courtesy photo

The boys’ basketball team capped off a perfect season by netting the Patriot Cup.

Make it 35 straight wins and a Patriot Cup to show.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball team completed a perfect 12-0 season with a 74-61 victory over league rival Hingham in the Patriot Cup final on Saturday, Feb. 20.

The Panthers trailed the Harbormen 58-56 with 4:50 remaining, before outscoring Hingham 18-3 — highlighted by a 15-0 run — the rest of the way.

“The kids locked in defensively and just owned the glass,” said W-H head coach Bob Rodgers. “We got the stops and the boards and that allowed us to get more comfortable on offense.”

Junior Amari Jamison gave the Panthers a 61-58 lead with 3:37 left when he knocked down three of his team-high 18 points.

Senior captain Cole LeVangie led the way with 16 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while fellow senior captain Nate Amado and junior Ryan Vallancourt also scored 16 points apiece in the win.

“Not many teams challenged us this year, so it was impressive to see our kids show such poise,” Rodgers said. “I can’t say enough about our two junior guards. They both stepped up huge. Of course, we all have been privileged to watch two of the greatest players in school history in Nate Amado and Cole LeVangie and down the stretch they made the big plays when we needed them. I will sure miss both of them.

W-H, which has not lost since Dec. 26, 2020, heads into the offseason with the state’s longest winning streak at 35 straight.

“The entire team deserves so much credit for the road they had to travel to make this incredible season a reality,” Rodgers said. “COVID has taken so much away from so many people but these kids just refused to let it steal this season from them. It’s a great lesson for all of us about appreciating what you have and focusing on only that which you can control. Every member of this team should be proud of the league title and the Patriot Cup but more importantly about what kind of friends and teammates they were to each other.”

Whitman-Hanson Express Postseason Accolades: Fall I Sports

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Athletes of the Season

Boys’ cross country: Theo Kamperides | Senior – Named the Patriot League Keenan Division MVP for the second straight season, the senior captain capped his high school cross country career by winning every race during the regular season to lead the program to a 5-0 record and its first league title since 2013.

 

 

Girls’ cross country: Myah Kamperides | Junior – The junior captain, who was the Panthers’ top runner, legged out two first-place finishes, a second and a third en route to being tabbed a Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star for the second consecutive fall. Kamperides holds a personal best time of 19:32.1.

 

 

Field hockey: Olivia Phelps | Junior – The junior forward, who was named a Patriot League Keenan Division All-Star, scored a team-high six goals and dished out a co-team-high three assists. Phelps potted the only goal of the game in a 1-0 win over Marshfield in the first round of the Patriot Cup.

 

 

Boys’ golf: Aidan Miller | Senior – Named the team’s MVP, the senior captain was a league all-star for the second straight fall, shooting just north of 4-over par. Miller led all scorers with a 4-over 38 against North Quincy in the Panthers’ only win of the season.

 

 

Boys’ soccer: Brendan Nehiley | Senior – A league all-star, Nehiley found the back of the net a team-high five times and added five assists. The senior captain scored twice in the Patriot Cup, including the winner against Hanover in the first round.

 

 

Girls’ soccer: Ava Melia | Junior – An EMass All-State first-team selection and league all-star for the second straight season, the junior defender was the backbone of the young Panthers’ defense that recorded four shutouts this season. Melia was an every-minute player.

 

 

Girls’ volleyball: Sophia Berardinelli | Senior – Senior captain and league all-star led the team with 162 assists, 142 digs and 30 aces from her setter position. Berardinelli had a season-high 27 assists in a 3-0 win over Silver Lake.

 

 

Coach of the Season

Boys’ cross country: Steve George – The seventh-year head coach guided his senior-laden squad to a perfect 5-0 regular season culminating in W-H’s first league title in eight years. George said after the season: “This is my seventh year here and until this season I was never certain every athlete bought into what we were trying to accomplish and how to get there.” 

 

*All photos by Sue Moss

Dunn lifts girls’ basketball over Plymouth North at buzzer

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Junior Lauren Dunn’s tip in at the buzzer sends the girls’ basketball team to its fourth straight win.

It was Whitman-Hanson’s ball with nine seconds to go and the score tied at 43.

Junior Lauren Dunn knew just what she had to do.

“I was in the corner ready to crash,” she said.

And she came through. After Reese Cordero’s 3-pointer was off the mark, Dunn was there for the putback at the buzzer to lift W-H (5-2) over previously-unbeaten Plymouth North (6-1) and to its fourth straight win, 45-43, the final.

“Coach (Mike Costa) had the play all drawn up for Reese and it all just happened so fast,” Dunn said. “Reese shot it and I just had to go get it.”

“You always say when the shot goes up, a lot of people just watch the ball, especially at the end of the game,” said head coach Mike Costa. “But she snuck in there and was able to put one home.”

Not only was able able to put one home, but with 33 seconds remaining she threw the ball of a Plymouth North defender as she was falling out of bounds to give the Panthers new life.

“We wanted it bad,” Dunn said.

The Panthers trailed by as much as seven, 36-29, in the fourth quarter until junior Abigail Martin (14 points, seven rebounds) got going. Martin, who sat out most of the third quarter due to foul trouble, scored six points in the final frame, including a layup to put W-H up 43-41 before the Blue Eagles tied it at 43.

“She just brings a toughness that not many people in this league have,” Costa said of Martin. “She battles, she rebounds and she does the dirty work.”

W-H looks to keep its winning streak alive Friday at 6:30 p.m. when it hosts Marshfield.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” Costa said. “We’re just focused on us and not anybody else and we’re just letting the chips fall where they may.”