The schools that captured NEPSAC championships this past Sunday showed the value of getting contributions throughout a rotation.
When the playoffs arrive, every possession matters. Four of the six NEPSAC girls championships were decided by six points or less.
Star performance certainly mattered, but many of the championship-deciding moments came from less-heralded players and prospects. Their efforts did not go unnoticed.
Here's a look at five unsung heroes from the title teams' playoff runs in classes AAA through B.
Maddie McCaffery, Tilton
Class of 2026, 5-8 guard
Hometown: Merrimack, N.H.
With Lindsey Lemay being sidelined due to injury, McCaffery joined Tilton's starting lineup. She proved to be a game-changing addition to an offense that needed her microwave shooting and hard-charging drives. McCaffery tallied 10 points and seven assists in Tilton's 62-51 quarterfinal victory against Dexter Southfield. Then, in the championship against Nobles, McCaffery reached another notch, finishing second on the team with 16 points (four 3-pointers).
Colleen Phiri is the centerpiece. Bela Cucuta made our All-Tournament team, Hannah Lynch won the NEPSAC AAA tournament MVP award and Brooke Golden had the last-second heroics. But the Rams don't win a championship without McCaffery stepping up.
Gracyn Barnes, Worcester Academy
Class of 2027, 5-6 guard
Hometown: Grafton, Mass.
Similarly, Barnes' quickness and tenacity showed up when it mattered most, in a physical championship game against Darrow. Coach Dan Sullivan lauded her individual defense throughout the playoffs. Barnes also stepped up with one of her best and most important shotmaking games of the season. She scored 12 points (seven in the second half), and hit the mid-range jumper and free throw that broke a 56-56 tie and secured a 59-57 championship victory.
The Hilltoppers will be graduating two senior stars in guards Elyse MacDonough and Saige Youngberg. They remain in good hands with Barnes in the backcourt.
Liv Westfort, Loomis Chaffee
Class of 2025, 6-2 forward
Hometown: Manchester, Conn.
Though Westfort isn't a leading scorer or highlight-reel player, her size and versatility embody much of what made Loomis Chaffee successful in its four-peat season. She averaged 8.3 points and 6.7 rebounds in the postseason while making 10 of 16 field goal attempts (62.5 percent). Westfort is quick enough to operate as a rotating piece of Loomis Chaffee's imposing zone defense next to center Alicia Mitchell. But when Mitchell got into foul trouble during the Class A championship game, Westfort slid to the middle and asserted herself with 10 points. She's actually playing volleyball in college at William & Mary.
Chase Anderson, Rivers
Class of 2025, 6-1 center
Hometown: Groton, Mass.
Dynamic duo Grace O'Sullivan and Natalia Hall-Rosa deservedly get plenty of shine as Rivers' leaders. But Anderson, committed to Amherst College, was literally and figuratively massive during the championship run. She averaged a double-double and nearly seven blocks per game. Anderson corralled some huge offensive rebounds (10 total rebounds) in the quarterfinals against Greens Farms and racked up five blocks in the semifinals against Berkshire. The Red Wings held every opponent to 45 or less in the postseason with Anderson as a pillar of the defense.
Joy Robinson, Rivers
Class of 2028, 5-9 guard
Hometown: Norwood, Mass.
We're going to give one more shoutout within Rivers' run of lockdown defense. Robinson had scarcely been on my radar this season, but she emerged as the go-to stopper in the playoffs and a 2028 prospect to watch. Rivers tasked Robinson with defending some of NEPSAC's best lead guards. First she went to work against Berkshire's Chloe Egan in the semifinals, but I was even more impressed by her defense against Cam Nelson — St. Luke's superstar senior and Syracuse commit.
Nelson scored 14 points against Rivers and Robinson, low by her lofty standards, with only four in the second half. I thought Robinson moved her feet extremely well to stick with Nelson's elite burst and direction changes. She's also proven capable of knocking down corner threes, even though she's low on the offensive hierarchy currently. I'm intrigued to see Robinson's growth over the summer and into next season.
