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Season Preview: 35-game winning streak or not, it’s a clean slate for boys’ basketball

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Senior Amari Jamison is one of the Panthers’ top returnees. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball team enters the 2021-22 season riding a 35-game winning streak.

Seven hundred and seventeen days. 

That is how long it has been since the Whitman-Hanson Regional High boys’ basketball team lost a game. 

That is right, nearly two years. 

Seriously, its last loss was Dec. 26, 2019. 

After concluding the 2019-2020 campaign with 23 straight wins en route to a share of the Div. 2 state title, W-H went a perfect 12-0 last season and won the Patriot Cup. 

It enters the new year riding a state-best 35-game winning streak. But 22-year head coach Bob Rodgers is all about wiping the slate clean this winter. 

“I don’t look at it as a 35-game winning steak,” Rodgers said. “I look at it as 2020 had a 23-game winning streak and 2021 had a 12-game winning streak and right now 2022 is 0-0. I’m trying to keep it from being a distraction to the kids.”

The Panthers once again have some giant voids to fill. This time it is the graduation of their one-two punch in Patriot League Keenan Division All-Stars Nate Amado and Cole LeVangie. 

Amado dumped in 24.2 point and snagged 9.3 rebounds per game last season en route to being voted the Patriot League Keenan Division MVP. He has moved on to Babson College, where he is second on the team averaging 11.7 ppg.

LeVangie, who scored 13.6 points, grabbed 9.1 rebounds and dished out 8.3 assists per game last season, has fit in quite well at Suffolk. The freshman is posting 9.1 ppg. 

“I think it was very easy to know that when you have Superman and Batman on the floor something good is going to happen,” Rodgers said. 

The Panthers head coach added it will be a team effort to fill their shoes. 

“Right now, we are trying to establish our identity after losing two incredible impact players,” Rodgers said. “This year, the players know they have to count on each other and they may all have to step up a little bit more.”

Fortunately for Rodgers, he didn’t just have two league all-stars last season, he had four. And two of them are back in Amari Jamison and Ryan Vallancourt. 

Vallancourt captains the Panthers. He netted 6.1 points and dished out 4.8 assists per game last season. He will start at shooting guard. 

“We’re extremely lucky to have somebody of his character and his skill level to be leading our team,” Rodgers said. 

Jamison, who will start at small forward, dumped in 9.0 ppg and shot 41.3 percent from beyond the arc. 

“He’s a dynamic player and extremely athletic,” Rodgers said. 

The 6-foot-6, 260-pound senior Malcom Alcorn-Crowder will clog up the middle. He averaged 8.1 points and 6.1 rebounds per game last winter. Senior Andrew Guardia will run the point, while classmate Dom Masone will man his post at power forward. 

W-H tips off its season on Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 6:30 on the road against Patriot League foe Scituate. 

“I want to focus on doing all of the little things that make up a successful basketball team and let the results just kind of fall into place,” Rodgers said. “It’s really easy to fall into the trap of looking at the past successes and trying to live up to state championships, winning streaks, league titles — all of that — and get lost in the idea that those happen because those teams took care of all those little details.”

Overcoming the odds: Kamperides runs to Bryant

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Kamperides sings her letter of intent to run for Bryant University. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High senior cross country captain Myah Kamperdies will run at Bryant University.

Myah Kamperides was bullied so bad her freshman year that her mother was ready to send her to a private school. 

Then she discovered running. 

“I didn’t think Whitman-Hanson was for me and wasn’t going to come back,” Kamperides said. “But then I joined the track team that winter and later that spring I decided to join cross country and knew I couldn’t leave. It wasn’t only because of the sport, but because I was so quickly making friends on the team and had such amazing coaches I just could not leave.”

She is glad she stayed. 

Now a senior captain, Kamperides is a three-time cross country team MVP, indoor track MVP and five-time Patriot League All-Star. She recently committed to continue her running career at Division 1 Bryant University. 

“I toured it and absolutely fell in love,” Kamperides said. “They are a small school which is what I need. I also met the team and coaches and every single person was so welcoming. I even communicate daily with the other commits and love them already.”

She will run both cross country and track for the Bulldogs.

“Running has changed my life in so many amazing ways,” Kamperides said. “I eat well and am constantly bettering myself. After a rough day at school, the only thing I look forward to is seeing my team and running.” 

Rough days at school are few and far between for Kamperides, who boasts a 3.94 GPA in the classroom, while taking AP Spanish, AP psych, AP English literature, and AP statistics. She is also a member of the National Honor Society. 

“I love to challenge myself and feel it makes me work harder,” she said. 

Kamperides ran 30 varsity races in cross country since she joined the team her sophomore year. She was the Panthers’ top finisher in each one. 

“She has set the bar rather high in cross country,” said W-H head coach Steve George. “She has dominated the sport at Whitman-Hanson during that time.” 

George said it is no secret why she attained a high level of success. 

“She is not only an extremely hard worker but she has supported our training plan to the letter without question,” George said. “Myah encourages her teammates to do the same without question.” 

That is not the only reason she has been a two-year captain. 

“In a literal sense Myah has provided leadership by training at the front of the pack every day for the past three years,” George said. “But it goes beyond that. She organizes summer strength and conditioning for the team. She is a vocal supporter for all her teammates. She approaches and completes each and every training session with a smile. Her enjoyment is infectious among the rest of the squad. I’ve had many incoming athletes how they can be like Myah. I suggest they follow her around — if they can.” 

And that is just the leader Kamperides wants to be. 

“I strive to be the person the underclassmen look up to,” she said. 

Kamperides and the Panthers open the indoor track season on Thursday, Dec. 9 at 4:30 p.m. at the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center. 

A big hit: Welch wins MVP in girls’ volleyball

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Lily Welch was named league MVP. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball senior captain Lily Welch was tabbed the Patriot League Keenan Division MVP.

Gyms were closed and the state was locked down. 

Remember that last year?

Of course you do. 

But it did not stop Lily Welch from getting in her reps. 

“I set up this old badminton net between two trees in my yard so I could practice hitting and peppering over it with my mom,” Welch said. 

Later that fall, Welch and the Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team stumbled to a 3-9 record during a COVID-shortened campaign. 

“It just felt like every game I was putting in my everything, during remote school I would lift before going to practice, and I wanted it so bad, but we would come so short every game,” Welch said. 

She decided to take a year off from playing basketball to focus solely on volleyball. 

It paid off. 

Welch racked up 263 kills, 190 digs and 140 blocks this past season, propelling W-H to a program-best 13-6 record. She was named the Patriot League Keenan Division MVP. 

“Aside from her dedication, her talent is what sets her apart from others on the court,” said W-H head coach Samantha Richner. “Lily is dripping in athleticism, but she is constantly working on being better. She never settles and always wants to be better, and is shows.”

Welch was the catalyst in upset wins over both Hingham (17 kills and eight blocks) and Duxbury (15 kills). 

“During the game versus Duxbury at Whitman-Hanson, she showed so much leadership,” said fellow senior captain Abby Martin. “She was telling us everything she knew about the team the day before and was getting everyone hyped up before the game.”

It was that kind of leadership which is why Welch was a two-year captain. 

“She makes everyone around her better by honestly showing up to practice everyday and staying late after practice helping girls on the team,” Martin said. “She has a passion for this sport like no one else and she is just happy doing it.”

There is more. 

“During the offseason, Lily is constantly in communication with me and her team working on ways to improve for the upcoming season,” Richner said. “She dedicates her time to hosting and participating in clinics, volunteering to help run camps, and hosting captain’s practices.”

Welch believes her passion set her apart. 

“I practice almost everyday all year, I believe there’s always a way you can be getting better,” Welch said. “You can be talented or athletic but if you don’t want it, all of that means nothing. Volleyball is something I love so much and when I’m on the court there’s nothing I want more than to be the best I can be for my team.”

While Welch doesn’t have plans to play at the next level, she intends to stay involved in the game she loves. 

“Wherever I end up, I want to coach or teach lessons for volleyball and I will definitely be back to help and watch the younger players at Whitman-Hanson,” she said.

Season Preview: Girls’ basketball out for revenge

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Senior captain Abby Martin during the Panthers’ scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team is once again shooting for a league title.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ basketball team is not happy about how last season ended. 

That was with a loss to Hanover in the Patriot Cup final. A week before, W-H was shut out in the fourth quarter and fell to Scituate. 

The Panthers still finished the season with a 9-4 record. Not bad, but not good enough for a team itching to bring the program its first league title since 2010. 

As it sets its sights on the 2021-22 campaign, W-H will have a chance to avenge a few of those late-season losses right away. 

Its first three games of this season are against Scituate, Silver Lake and then Hanover. 

“The girls definitely, at the end of last year, were a little disappointed,” said head coach Mike Costa, who enters his third year on the Panthers bench. “I don’t think we played the way we wanted to and it did kind of left a little sour taste in their mouth.”

So they put in even more work this offseason. 

“They played all spring and summer with their AAU teams,” Costa explained. “They played summer league, they played fall AAU together — something that they haven’t done in the past — to try and build that chemistry on the floor.” 

The Panthers boasted a trio of league all-stars last season in Reese Codero, Rylie Harlow and Abby Martin. 

Codero is now playing at Roger Williams, while Harlow is on Fitchburg State’s roster. However, Martin, a senior captain and forward, is back and that’s good news for the Panthers. 

Martin took over games at times last season. She netted 14 points and snagged 21 rebounds in a win over Marshfield, and pumped in 17 points and corralled nine boards in a statement win over Plymouth North. 

“We relied a lot on her last year — both offensively and defensively,” Costa said. “She kind of carried our team offensively last year. We expect big things from her again this year, especially losing two other starters in Reese and Rylie — everybody has got to pick up the slack, but we’re leaning heavily on Abby to control both ends of the floor.”

Starting point guard Caitlin Leahy (junior) and starting shooting guard Lauren Dunn (senior captain) are also back.

 

Senior captain Lauren Dunn during the Panthers’ scrimmage. / Photo by: Sue Moss

“If you look at any of the good teams, if you have a really good backcourt that can carry you,” Costa said. “Our staff is completely confident in both Caitlin and Lauren and think they’re probably two of the top guards in our league.” 

Costa said Dunn is the Panthers’ best on-ball defender and Leahy is their best passer. 

Senior captain Meg Stone is also back in the middle. Costa said he expects her and Martin to be a force on the glass together. 

“I think it’s going to be tough for teams to match up with our size,” Costa said. “We just look to exploit the matches we’re given any night. We’re versatile that we have multiple people that can score in different ways.”

Freshman Cassidy Briggs, Lillie MacKinnon and Taryn Leonard will give the senior-laden Panthers some youth. 

“They’ve been great additions to the team,” Costa said. “We’re losing so many seniors so we have to start to mold some of these younger players.” 

W-H opens the season Tuesday, Jan. 14 when it hosts Scituate at 6 p.m. 

“We’ll take it game by game and practice by practice and see what happens,” Costa said. “At the end of the day, we’re just going to trust the work we put in and let the chips fall.” 

Girls’ soccer wins first-ever state title

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They say it’s tough to beat a team three times in a season.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ soccer team proved why.

Down 1-0 late in the Div. 2 state final to Silver Lake, a team the Panthers hadn’t scored against in their previous two meetings, they finally broke through — erupting for three goals in the final 11 minutes to capture their first-ever state title.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said 26-year W-H head coach David Floeck. “We’ve worked so hard. This is a tremendous accomplishment for them.”

Senior Olivia Borgen, who was knocked out of the Panthers’ state semifinal win Wednesday with a sprained right ankle, snuck home the equalizer in the 69th minute.

“She is gutsy,” Floeck said. “She has been in a [walking] boot all the way until we got on the bus for the game. She said, ‘Coach, I’m taping it. I’m going to give everything I got.’”

“I just needed to give it my all,” Borgen said. “It was the last game. Even if I was in a boot 30 minutes before I came here, I just needed to push through and give it my all. We’ve worked so hard to get here. I’m just so proud of this whole team.”

It remained tied until the 77th minute when Lakers goalkeeper Emma Hudson got called for a foul, taking down a W-H senior captain Nora Manning in the box. The result? A penalty kick.

Fellow senior captain Ava Melia buried it for a 2-1 lead.

“Its just the best feeling ever,” Melia said. “I could not be happier. This team deserves it.”

Manning sealed it with a goal of her own in stoppage time.

“I’m so excited,” Manning said. “It was our goal from the beginning of the season. It feels so amazing to finally achieve that.”

Volleyball sinks Hingham punching tourney ticket

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Lily Welch vs Hingham. / Photo by: Sue Moss

Last Friday was Lily Welch’s mother’s birthday. 

That wasn’t all she ended up celebrating. 

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball senior captain registered 17 kills and eight total blocks to power the Panthers to a 3-1 upset win over Hingham. 

“[She’s] unstoppable,” said W-H head coach Samantha Richner of Welch. “Her athleticism just drifts. She gets up so high, but she’s also a player that works hard. Lily wants to be the best and she does it 365 all year.” 

“I literally just cried,” Welch said. “I’m so happy. We’ve never beaten Hingham. They’re an amazing team, they’ve been an amazing team. This just shows how talented we are.” 

It sure does. 

Welch and the Panthers got the home crowd into it early, setting the tone and taking the first set, 25-14. 

However, the Harborwomen turned the tide in the second set, sinking W-H, 25-18, and opened the third set on a 7-1 run. But the Panthers battled back to take set, 25-22, and never looked back. W-H clinched the win with a 25-14 victory in the fourth set. 

“When our girls are up and they play they’re game, they’re unstoppable,” Richner said. “We know the talent we have and I think they’re sick and tired of getting beat by these teams. They know what had to do and they did it.”

Fellow senior captain Abby Martin added eight kills, while classmate Riley Scott tallied 12 digs in the win, which secured W-H a spot in the Div. 2 state tournament. 

The Panthers are back in action Friday, Oct. 22 when they host Duxbury at 5:30 p.m.

“We want to be the first team to win a state tournament game at Whitman-Hanson,” Welch said. 

Season Preview: Cheer team aiming high

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The cheer team. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The cheer team is aiming for another state title.

For the Whitman-Hanson Regional High cheerleading team, this fall has been a long time coming.

“We’ve been waiting for this season for what seems like forever,” said fourth-year head coach Alyssa Pietrasik. “I am so ecstatic to be back with the team, but more importantly I’m ready to work.”

As, too, are the cheerleaders — led by senior captains Jazzy Gomes, Tiffany Joyce and Samantha Sicuranza.

“They each bring unique and different leadership to the team and truly want what is best for the program,” Pietrasik said. “They lead by example and are the first three to put in the extra time and effort to make the team successful.”

To prepare for this autumn, the team spent the the summer reading the book “Wolfpack” by Abby Wambach, which details new rules for athletes to follow in sports.

“In essence, its the idea of crashing through the glass ceiling of old rules and coming forward as your most authentic and true self to better your team,” Pietrasik said. “This season the message is just that. This is a new team and the possibilities are endless. They can achieve any single thing they set their mind to. In a way, our focus is that mindset, the rules and possibilities you create for yourself are more important than anything else.”

On the mat, Pietrasik said her team’s strength is its stunting.

“It is something I’ve been working on with them since for the last few years and this year we really seem to have a well-balanced team for it,” she said. “Mentally, their strength is in their mindset, they are workers, they want to win, and they want to bring back the legacy that is W-H cheerleading. I’m so excited to see where that drive takes them.”

The cheerleaders, who can be spotted cheering on the football team at games, opens their competition season on Saturday, Oct. 23 with the Duxbury Invitational.

“The goal, as always, is to build a team that becomes a family and make lifelong memories as we do it, but this season we also are really gunning for another league and state title,” Pietrasik said. “This team has a hunger for it. They are ready to put in the work.”

Season Preview: Girls’ volleyball on a mission

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The Panthers. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The girls’ volleyball team is aiming to make the tournament.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High girls’ volleyball team’s mission is simple this season.

“Our goal this season is to be successful and have a winning season,” said third-year head coach Samantha Richner, whose club finished 3-10 last fall. “We will achieve that by working hard, day in and day out. We have a dedicated group this season and I am confident they will be successful.”

Senior captain Lily Welch is the engine that powers the Panthers. She led the team with 73 kills and 29 blocks last season.

“Lily has always been an impressive player” Richner said. “She is extremely dedicated to the sport and is constantly improving her game. Lily is strongest in the front row, but is a well-rounded player who plays all the way around the court.”

Middle hitter Abby Martin and right-side hitter Meg Stone, both of whom are seniors, also captain the Panthers.

“When Abby gets a kill, she gets a kill,” Richner said. “Abby’s hits are a line drive, making them very difficult for our opponents to receive. Abby is a beast at the net with not only her strong hits, but her ability to block our opponents.

“This is Meg’s first season back since her injury, but you wouldn’t know it. Meg is a lefty right side, making her a difficult player for our opponents to read.”

So, as you might expect Richner said her team’s strength is its front row.

“We have multiple power house hitters that we can and will be using to our advantage,” she said.

Junior outside hitter Caitlin Leahy and senior libero Izzy Baker are also key returnees.

As for departures, reigning league all-star Sophia Berardinelli, who paced the team with 162 assists, 142 digs and 30 aces, leaves the biggest void. But freshman setter Caroline Gray has made it a seamless transition, according to Richner.

“She has made a seamless transition to our team and we are lucky to have her,” Richner said.

W-H is back in action Friday, Oct. 1 at 6 p.m. on the road at Marshfield.

“I am just looking forward to watching the girls play this year,” Richner said. “We have a tight-knit group and it is fun to watch them play and interact on the court. They have great potential this season and we are excited to see how far these players can take their talents.”

Bright spots in rough Week 2

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The second week of the fall sports season is in the books at Whitman-Hanson Regional High.

Here are how the teams fared:

Boys’ cross country (1-1) fell to Marshfield, 21-39, Tuesday, Sept. 14. Senior captains Nathan Tassey (16:53) and Gordon Johnson (17:10) paced the Panthers finishing third and fourth, respectively.

Girls’ cross country (1-1) also fell to Marshfield on Tuesday, Sept. 14 by the final score of 15-50. Senior captain Myah Kamperides (20:14) and freshman McKenna McCarthy (20:24) placed eight and ninth, respectively, to lead W-H.

Field hockey (0-3-1) opened the week with a 2-1 loss to Plymouth North on Monday, Sept. 13. Senior Lauren Dunn knotted the score at 1-1 for W-H, before the Blue Eagles pulled ahead for good. … On Wednesday, the Panthers dropped a 5-1 decision to Hingham. Senior Madelyne Guidaboni had the their lone goal. … On Friday, senior Ally Ayers stuck for a pair and senior captain Olivia Phelps added a single tally as W-H earned a 3-3 tie against West Bridgewater.

Football (0-2) was shut out by Foxboro, 38-0, on Friday, Sept. 17. Junior Will Frazier carried the ball 11 times for 53 yards. On defense, the linebacker duo of junior Evan Casey and senior Jake Guiliani combined for 13 tackles, including three tackles for loss.

Boys’ golf (0-4) suffered a 274-304 setback against Plymouth North on Monday, Sept. 13. W-H senior captain Pat McBroom was the match medalist with a 3-over par 39. … The following day, Brian Dempsey’s club was clipper by Hanover, 248-258. McBroom led all scorers once again, carding a 2-over par 36. Fellow senior captain Matt Casarano turned in a 5-over par 41. … The Panthers closed the week with a 236-306 loss to Hingham on Wednesday. McBroom led the way for W-H with a 4-over par 40.

Boys’ soccer (0-1-2) fell to Plymouth North, 3-0, on Tuesday, Sept. 14. … On Thursday, W-H played to a 2-2 draw against Hanover. Senior Adam Sousa scored both Panthers goals, the first assisted by sophomore Ethan Fostello and the second, unassisted, a strike from 35 yards out.

Girls’ soccer (2-1) dropped its first match of the season, 3-1, to Plymouth North on Tuesday, Sept. 14. Senior captain Nora Manning scored for W-H. … The Panthers rebounded on Friday for a 1-0 win over Hanover. Junior Kayla Cassidy scored the winner two minutes into the second half off a feed from senior captain Olivia Borgen. Freshman Ava Patete stopped seven shots for the shutout.

Girls’ volleyball (2-1) fell to league power Quincy, 3-1, on Wednesday, Sept. 15. The set scores were: 25-23, 8-25, 21-25 and 11-25. Senior captain Lily Welch racked up 19 kills and three solo blocks for W-H, while freshman Caroline Gray tallied a season-high 30 assists. … The Panthers rebounded on Friday for a 3-1 victory over Plymouth North. The set scores were: 25-21, 25-9, 11-25 and 25-20 in their league match. Gray had 23 serves, two of which were aces, to go along with 18 assists, seven assisted blocks and two solo blocks. Senior captain Abby Martin also tallied seven assisted blocks and seven kills, while Welch added seven kills of her own.

*Express weekly roundups include scores from Sunday to Sunday. 

Season Preview: At Whitman-Hanson, football is all about family

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First-year head coach Zack Botelho is building a family atmosphere. / Photo by: Sue Moss

The football team is looking to use its family atmosphere to its advantage amid a tough stretch of games.

Hanover, Foxboro, Rockland, Hingham, Silver Lake, Marshfield, Plymouth North, Duxbury and Abington.

The Whitman-Hanson Regional High football team’s schedule is tough.
But at the end of the day, it’s all about what you make of it — and football is the ultimate team sport.

“They like playing the underdog role a little bit,” said first-year head coach Zack Botelho, who takes over for Mike Driscoll. “They’re like, ‘We’re in this together, we believe in us more than anyone else does.’ They’ve developed our little saying this year: only the family.”

Senior captain Will Stafford is no doubt the vocal leader of the Panthers.

“He doesn’t miss the weight room, he’s at everything — he’s the perfect kind of energy guy that we need,” Botelho said of his running back. “I had an opposing coach say during our passing league that he was the best leader of all the teams there because kids actually follow him.”

And with a new coach, comes a new playbook, but the Panthers still plan to be a run-first team. And why not when you have backs like Stafford, junior Will Frazier and senior Andrew Cloutman?

“We’re going to sprinkle in the passing game when we can,” Botelho said. “Spread it out when we can, take what the defense gives us in the passing game and we’ll dial up a few shots.”

Junior Cam Burrows is back under center and has plenty of additional targets at his disposal, including seniors Collin Briggs, Jake Guiliani and Bobby Hunter and juniors Evan Casey and Braden Kain.

Seniors Malcom Alcorn-Crowder, Rocco Ruffini and junior Maddox Colclough anchor the offensive line.

And while Botelho comes to W-H after a stop as Old Colony’s offensive coordinator, he believes the defense will be his new team’s calling card — at least for now.

“We’re playing a simple, not a lot of thinking, a whole lot of playing sort of defense,” Botelho said. “We’re going to attack and make big plays.”

Alcorn-Crowder (34 tackles, 11 for loss and four sacks last season), a lineman, and linebackers Casey and Guiliani and Cloutman, a safety, key the defense.

Despite the daunting schedule, W-H plans to hang tough this season.

“I want them to know that, when the going gets tough, they can lean on each other and if they compete, good things are going to happen so really just nonstop competing ness from kickoff to final whistle,” Botelho said.

W-H returns to the field Friday, Sept. 24 at 7 p.m. when it hosts Rockland.

“We’re going to play with outstanding effort, excellent attitudes,” Botelho said. “It’s one of our goals to be playing our best football at the end of the seasons. We’re building for something, we’re going to get better every single time.”