In its first year of existence, Class B Large backed up last year's Class B chaos with another thrilling season.
The champion, Berkshire, was a No. 7 seed that downed Lawrence Academy, a No. 4 seed, in overtime. That speaks to the even spread of talent across most of the B Large playoff field.
It also made for a strong pool of candidates for awards. Seven of the eight playoff teams are represented on our two All-B Large teams, plus a star from a non-playoff squad. These selections were tough; I considered stats, opposing coaches' opinions, and success in big moments as part of the decision process.
Here are our NEPSAC Class B Large girls awards.
MORE NEPSAC AWARDS:Â Class AAAÂ |Â Class AA | Class A
Player of the Year: Gianna Nichols, St. George's
Hometown: Sturbridge, Mass.
NCAA: Le Moyne
Nichols got buckets all season, averaging 20 points as the Dragons soared to the top seed in the B Large playoffs. She canned 36 percent of her 3-point looks and also tallied 6.2 rebounds and five assists per game.
Nichols separated herself with some big-time individual efforts, like 33 points against Dexter Southfield. She was a clear award winner to me. Kendra Foy at St. Luke's and Summer Warren at Brooks were also considered.
Defensive Player of the Year: Alannah Baehr, Suffield
Hometown: Colchester, Conn.
Suffield started the winter 16-0 en route to a No. 2 seed in the Class B Large postseason. Baehr's unique combination of long arms and natural athleticism helped her wreak havoc on defense. She talled 3.5 steals (and 5.1 additional deflections) to go with 1.8 blocks per game, also pulling down 9.1 rebounds.
B Large Defensive Player of the Year was among the most contentious awards this cycle. St. George's Emma Kelleher was among the premier 1-on-1 stoppers in the class along with London Powell at Greens Farms. Pearl Dickson, Berkshire's 6-foot-4 center, averaged two blocks per game and was a huge deterrent at the rim. Depending on how you weigh defensive impact, you could argue for a handful of players.
Coach of the Year: Junior De La Hoz, Berkshire
Berkshire was a preseason frontrunner and it's not a total shock that the Bears ended on top. But their road to the title was daunting, and De La Hoz helped them navigate significant off-court adversity. Chloe Egan lost her father midseason and Alivia Mauer lost her grandfather. Berkshire struggled during those times and entered the B Large playoffs as a No. 7 seed.
But the Bears managed to win three games on the road, including an overtime championship thriller in which they trailed most of the game. De La Hoz and the team deserve praise for sticking together through tragedy and uncertainty.
We saw some other notable seasons from Class B Large coaches. Maddie Bledsoe, in her first season at St. George's, helped the Dragons earn the top seed in the playoffs and reach the semifinals. There, they lost to a young Lawrence Academy roster that surprised many, including myself, with how much they grew under coach Emily Pratt.
All-Class B Large First Team
Alannah Baehr, Suffield
Hometown: Colchester, Conn.
Baehr's Defensive Player of the Year impact helped her land on the first team, but she also averaged 12.4 points per game. She's our fifth-ranked prospect in the New England 2027 class.
Chloe Egan, Berkshire
Class of 2026, 5-11 guard
Hometown: Cotuit, Mass.
NCAA: Hamilton
Egan persevered through the midseason loss of her father to lead the Bears to a Class B Large title. She paced the team in scoring at 12.6 points, adding six rebounds and three steals per game.
Kendra Foy, St. Luke's
Hometown: Bethel, Conn.
Foy made a statement in her first NEPSAC season. The electric scoring guard averaged 17.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.2 steals per game, helping St. Luke's capture the FAA championship.
Gianna Nichols, St. George's
Hometown: Sturbridge, Mass.
NCAA: Le Moyne
Nichols is our Player of the Year as listed above. She is also our 19th-ranked college prospect in New England's 2026 class.
Summer Warren, Brooks
Hometown: Canton, Mass.
NCAA: Smith
Warren's production and efficiency pushed Brooks to the semifinals. She collected 16.7 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 50.2 percent from the field.
All-Class B Large Second Team
Lana Orietas, Berkshire
Class of 2028, 6-0 forward
Hometown: Voorheesville, N.Y.
Orietas was second on the title-winning Bears with 11.5 points, also grabbing eight rebounds per game and emerging as a leading perimeter threat. She landed on our NEPSAC All-Tournament First Team.
Jali Eason, Governor's
Hometown: North Andover, Mass.
Eason turned heads with a sensational freshman season, averaging 18 points and 4.4 rebounds. She helped Gov's reach the playoffs as a No. 5 seed.
Kiera Paradis, Lawrence Academy
Class of 2028, 5-5 guard
Hometown: Goffstown, N.H.
A tough-nosed floor general, Paradis spearheaded Lawrence Academy's run to the B Large final with a team-high 12.2 points per game. She also contributed 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists.
London Powell, Greens Farms
Hometown: Milford, Conn.
Powell took another step forward as a strong two-way guard, averaging 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists. She logged three games of 20-plus points against top B Large foes Suffield, Berkshire and St. Luke's.
Sammi Santacroce, Suffield
Hometown: North Haven, Conn.
Santacroce led Suffield in scoring at 19.9 points per game. She was a prolific 3-point shooter (43 percent behind the arc) and chipped in 4.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 3.1 steals.
Honorable Mentions:Â Alana Brownstein (Lawrence Academy), Sarah von Dohlen (Greens Farms), Presley Foster (St. George's), Jules Giordano (Brooks), Cortney Howell (St. Mark's), Blue Kerr (St. Mark's), Sierra Jean (Proctor), Pearl Dickson (Berkshire), Sarah Poland (Rivers), Charlotte Theriault (Suffield)
