LOWELL, Mass. — The story of the Division 5 championship became less about who could control the Tsongas Center court and more about who could simply stay on it.
In a physical, emotional Sunday matinee, second-seeded Hoosac Valley had just enough composure to complete a 16-point comeback and beat fifth-seeded Springfield Renaissance, 64-57. The Hurricanes maintain their hold on Division 5 with a second consecutive title, their fifth in team history (including a 2020 co-championship).
By the end of the contest, five Renaissance players had been disqualified either from ejections or fouling out. Hoosac Valley (22-3) picked up two technical fouls as well, but the older leaders took charge.
"We were expecting to be physical, but not that much," Hoosac Valley senior Emma Meczywor said. "Honestly, we held our ground pretty well with them. They were physical; we were physical back."
CHAMPIONS CROWNED: Division 1: Wachusett | Division 2: Medfield | Division 3: St. Mary’s | Division 4: Cathedral
Renaissance's youth — the Phoenix (25-1) have two seniors, five sophomores and five middle-schoolers — showed early during an emotionally-charged start. Even as they used a 15-0 run to build a 22-11 first-quarter advantage, the Phoenix struggled with bad fouls. Sophomore Zh'Ni Wallace and Hoosac Valley senior Ashlyn Lesure were served up double technicals during a jump-ball skirmish, and Wallace picked up a second technical during another jump ball that disqualified her from the contest.
In the second quarter, the Phoenix calmed down. Led by eighth-grade star Zi'Yan Wallace, they moved the ball quickly for transition buckets and contained Hoosac Valley's guards on drives to the basket. The Hurricanes had bogged themselves down with fouls too and missed open attempts. Renaissance led by as much as 16 points in the first half.
"We don't really measure ourselves on the first quarter," Hoosac Valley coach Jon Frederick said. "It's more to fill everyone out and see where we're at both mentally and physically, what we can and can't do. Our shots weren't falling. We talked about that — just to keep shooting, keep playing, keep driving."
The tension ramped back up quickly and reached its peak with 4:47 left in the third quarter. As multiple players went down for a loose ball, Hoosac Valley's Genevieve Legesse took a hard shot to the face that ignited shoving matches officials needed to separate. Following several minutes of stoppage, with MIAA representatives even coming onto mid-court, officials assessed three technicals on Renaissance — two players (who were subsequently ejected) and head coach Jashua Baker — for bench violations and the initial altercation. Phoenix starter Sy'Nye Baker also fouled out on the play. Meczywor picked up a technical foul for Hoosac Valley.
"We were riled up in a good way," Meczywor said. "We had a lot of energy. I got that tech, but it didn't really matter, because we had the energy that completely swung the game in our favor."
Renaissance clung to a dwindling lead. Zi'Yan Wallace scored a game-high 20 points and dominated on the boards. She stayed emotionally calm throughout the game — but then Wallace fouled out with 4:31 remaining in the fourth quarter. With their three best players and five total players gone, the Phoenix leaned on seventh-grader J'Dore Reese, who scored eight points in the fourth quarter (13 total).
It wasn't enough. The Hurricanes started seeing shots fall from Lesure (18 points) and Reagan Shea (15 points). Meczywor (11 points) re-entered the game in the fourth quarter. She made consecutive layups, including one rebound and coast-to-coast bucket, late in the fourth quarter to give Hoosac Valley a 58-56 lead it would not relinquish.
Frederick said he expected this level of physicality, and that the game could get chippy. He appreciated how the Hurricanes didn't back down from the opponent or game script.
"When it comes down to it, these kids are tough," Frederick said. "They'll fight for everything, they'll go after every loose ball, and when push comes to shove, they'll push and shove just as much as the next kid. So I couldn't be prouder of all of them."
