We've done about as much previewing as possible for the MIAA girls basketball season — and now it's time to make our championship picks.
With the first games of the winter tipping off Thursday, the four-month sprint to Tsongas Center has begun. Who could take home this year's state championships?
On last year's preview podcast, I picked every single defending champion at the time to repeat (and went 3-for-5). This year, with several prominent schools changing divisions plus the graduation of a stellar 2025 class, a lot more seems up for grabs.
Here's who I'm predicting to win all five MIAA divisions.
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Division 1
The pick: Wachusett
Runner-up: Bishop Feehan
Dark horse: Worcester South
The defending state champions are also one of the few teams at the top of Division 1 with a significant returning core. Out of all the divisions, Wachusett might be the heaviest favorite, with Jae Scott, Sophie Gibbons and Teegan Lanpher headlining a roster that's both proven and stacked on paper. The Mountaineers went undefeated in-state last season and have the potential for a perfect winter even outside Massachusetts.
After Wachusett, though, the division is in flux at the top. I trust Bishop Feehan, which has made the last three state finals, to find a winning formula led by star guard Mollie Mullen. Worcester South is a new Div. 1 member, has a lot of roster continuity and has consistently been a thorn in the side of premier programs. I wouldn't be shocked to see either team make a run, but I frankly would be shocked if anyone knocked off Wachusett.
Division 2
The pick: Medfield
Runner-up: Whitman-Hanson
Dark horse: Archbishop Williams
The Warriors graduated one starter (Jailen Annigeri) and lost an impact starter to NEPSAC (Izzy Kittredge), but with Naya Annigeri, Tess Baacke, Abby Broderick and more back, they're still a clear favorite to three-peat. Medfield historically is filled with shooters who play with pace, but I think their defense has been an underrated critical component to sustained winning at the top of the state.
That being said, Division 2 is so strong. I've picked Whitman-Hanson as the runner-up, but you could list newcomer St. Mary's, North Quincy, Norwood, Foxboro, Oliver Ames, Notre Dame (Hingham) and more in that next tier of challengers. Archbishop Williams made a step in the right direction with new coach Sarah Behn and star transfer Jenna Mishou last winter. The Bishops could re-enter the title conversation this year after last winning it all in Division 3 in 2018.
Division 3
The pick: Bishop Fenwick
Runner-up: Cathedral
Dark horse: Pentucket
Division 3 took a hit at its highest level with Foxboro and St. Mary's departing. But with Bishop Fenwick moving down and Cathedral moving up from Division 4, this is still a field with talent at the top. The Crusaders boast two Division 1-caliber stars in Caitlin Boyle (Stonehill commit) and Celia Neilson. Coach Adam DeBaggis knows how to mold a physical team and stingy defense, and I expect the supporting cast to improve.
Similarly, Cathedral has one of the state's better duos in Tamia Darling and Keyona Raines, and it's up to coach Clinton Lassiter to develop new supporting players. After the Catholic Central League powers, Pembroke and Pentucket have both generated hype. I've picked the Panthers as a dark horse because they've consistently been on the cusp of real statewide contention in Division 3. But I'm hearing great things about Pembroke, which has a handful of college-bound leaders.
Division 4
The pick: South Hadley
Runner-up: Millis
Dark horse: Carver
Cathedral's grip on Division 4 is over. That means South Hadley, runner-up the last two years, finally has a championship runway. The Tigers' most productive players are back: juniors Cara Dean and Kate Phillips as well as sophomore Olivia Athas. Millis is always in the state championship hunt and has its own sophomore standout in Caroline Connors. These two programs seem a step above the field.
Division 5
The pick: Springfield Renaissance
Runner-up: Hoosac Valley
Dark horse: Hopedale
I actually might be most confident in predicting this state championship rematch. Hoosac Valley is always at the end of the Division 5 postseason, with two titles and a runner-up finish since the statewide tournament began in 2021-22. Renaissance, meanwhile, nearly went undefeated and was up double digits in the last championship game before a meltdown. A potential rematch would be tense after Hoosac Valley's chaotic comeback win last season.
Editor's note: Star Zi'Yan Wallace is no longer at Springfield Renaissance and has transferred to Springfield Central, along with her sister, Zh'nai. That has been corrected.
