We're approaching the halfway mark of the MIAA girls basketball season. And as I predicted — this winter has been difficult to predict.
We've seen some typical contenders assert themselves in the two months so far. But I've been more impressed by the volume of rising programs proving they can hang with the state's long-tenured powers. And with that has come a slew of new individual stars making waves around the MIAA.
It looks like state championships will be hotly-contested in every division. We're here to round up the key thoughts on top teams, surprises, Player of the Year candidates and second-half questions.
Here are our big-picture takeaways from the winter season to date.
MIDSEASON REPORTS: NEPSAC boys | NEPSAC girls | MIAA boys
As good as advertised
Medfield (8-0) — The Warriors have somehow exceeded their high preseason expectations. Not only have they cruised through their Tri-Valley League schedule, but in the Londonderry Holiday Classic, they went 3-0 against New Hampshire giants (including a technical scrimmage against Londonderry). They're No. 1 in our current Top 10 with every single victory coming by double digits.
Springfield Central (7-1) — Once I learned Zi'Yan and Zh'ni Wallace had transferred from Renaissance, I immediately vaulted the Golden Eagles into the Top 10. They've proven they're a tier above the rest of the Western Mass. stalwarts, and their only loss has come out of state. Zi'Yan Wallace, a freshman averaging 16.3 points, and sophomore Giavanna Mars (team-high 17.9 points) are star underclassmen leading the way.
Bishop Fenwick (8-0) — The Crusaders are cruising atop the Division 3 power rankings entering a Friday night showdown with Catholic Central League rival Bishop Feehan. After winning some ugly games to start, their offense has come alive recently, including in big wins against St. Mary's and Archbishop Williams. Star seniors Celia Neilson and Caitlin Boyle have been among the best duos in MIAA so far.
Whitman-Hanson (8-1) — The Panthers' only loss came in California over winter vacation. They've won some wild thrillers so far, including a 19-point comeback against North Quincy, but that's the team's calling card at this point. Maliah Pierre, Dylan Hurley and Leah Daley each affect winning on both ends of the floor and pace the squad.
St. Mary's (9-1) — Road loss to Bishop Fenwick aside, the Spartans have again proven they can overcome youth. They've powered past opponents like Archbishop Williams and Mansfield. Sophomore Gabi Lorenzini was balling prior to injury, but classmate Charleigh Green plus freshmen SySy Mcausland Emmanuel and McKenna O'Connell have kept the season on course. They'll be a contender once we get to the Div. 2 playoffs.
3 surprises so far
A crowded Bay State Conference — Entering this winter, I expected Natick and Braintree to be leaders in the suburban Boston-area conference. Both schools have lived up to my outlook. But we have multiple others making noise.
I did not expect Needham, in its first year under coach Lindsay Miller, to start 9-1 and be near the top of Division 1. The Rockets won't have senior leader Annie Camozzi all season due to a torn ACL, but that hasn't slowed them down. Bowdoin commit Eva Andrews has been one of the state's top interior defenders so far, and the rest of the roster is loaded with shooting led by Hannah Levine.
Walpole has given teams like Needham and Bishop Fenwick some of their toughest games so far this season. Bella Bingham remains a star for the Timberwolves. And even middle-tier teams like Newton North and Brookline have proven feisty, with Brookline scoring a notable win against Cathedral. The conference as a whole has given us plenty of thrillers already and should be active in the Division 1 playoff hunt.
Make way for Minnechaug — Arguably the most significant result of the winter to date is Minnechaug upsetting Division 1 reigning champ Wachusett, 64-55, at home. Not only did it show the powerhouse Mountaineers are vulnerable, but it also affirmed Minnechaug's contender status in a crowd of Div. 2 hopefuls. Freshman Zahara Wilson, a transfer from Springfield International, scored 28 points in that game and is averaging 16.5 points on the season. Minnechaug has not been a part of our Top 10 yet, but that's likely to change by the next update.
Re-tooling stalwarts stay winning — My biggest question entering the winter: Would some of the MIAA's perennial powers who lost a lot of talent to graduation be able to overcome the turnover? Some schools have surprised me with an emphatic "yes." That includes undefeated Woburn (9-0), who remains as dominant as ever in the Middlesex League under coach Steve Sullivan. Foxboro (9-0) and coach Lisa Downs have also rolled through the Hockomock League even as other rising schools try to knock them down. Even Bishop Feehan (7-2) fits here. The Shamrocks lost most of their rotation from last year's runner-up finish but have found multiple breakout players to support star senior Mollie Mullen.
It's not easy to lose star talent like these programs did, but they've developed a new wave of leaders that keep them in the state championship mix.
Who's in the Player of the Year conversation?
We gave our inaugural MIAA Girls Player of the Year award to Wachusett's Jae Scott last season. It's time to check on who's in the hunt for this year's top honor.
Scott remains a fixture in the race as a senior, averaging 18.4 points for 6-2 Wachusett thus far. Also unsurprising is Medfield's Naya Annigeri, who's putting up 19.4 points in blowout results for the top-ranked Warriors. I'd consider those two the frontrunners right now, but we have some interesting names behind them.
It's hard to ignore the sophomore breakout from Kayla Dunlap at Natick. Dunlap's putting up an impressive 23.9 points on a 9-1 Redhawks team and was named MVP of the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic. Sticking with underclassmen: Springfield Central sophomore Giavanna Mars and Minnechaug freshman Zahara Wilson, as mentioned above, have legitimately been some of the most impactful players in the state despite their ages.
A trio of senior guards have made waves in Eastern Mass.: Celia Neilson (Bishop Fenwick), Mollie Mullen (Bishop Feehan) and Adrianna Porazzo (Foxboro). I'd also shout out Whitman-Hanson's Maliah Pierre, who has backed up last year's Patriot League MVP campaign with an even better junior year.
3 questions for the second half
Who's the primary challenger to Medfield in Division 2?
The Warriors are the widespread pick for No. 1 MIAA team and heavy favorite to three-peat in Division 2. But the division itself has surpassed even my lofty expectations. I'd throw five teams — Whitman-Hanson, St. Mary's, Minnechaug, Foxboro and Archbishop Williams — in a second tier of finalist contenders. I wouldn't be shocked to see any of North Quincy, Duxbury, Walpole, Hingham, Mansfield, Norwood, Northampton and Oliver Ames pull off an upset or two. That's essentially the top 14 teams in the Div. 2 power rankings including Medfield. It's going to be a gauntlet of a playoff bracket.
Is Division 1 more open than expected?
The consensus belief is that Division 1 is Wachusett's to lose after the Mountaineers returned almost their entire core from last year's championship run. That may still be true, but it won't be easy. Wachusett actually suffered its first MIAA regular season loss in more than two years this past week by falling to Div. 2 Minnechaug.
Springfield Central has the talent and is plenty familiar with deep postseason runs, most recently winning the Div. 1 title in 2022. Bishop Feehan remains an elite program in the state. Bay State Conference contenders Natick, Needham and Braintree all factor into Div. 1. Woburn's defense will frustrate any opponent. And don't forget about new Division 1 member Worcester South. The Colonels are a No. 12 seed in the latest MIAA power rankings, but they beat Bishop Feehan and I'd almost guarantee they enter the playoffs with better seeding.
What can the Comcast Tournament tell us?
The Comcast/Board 27 Tournament, held at Emmanuel College during February vacation, routinely brings together the best of the MIAA. Last year, Foxboro came out of the tournament as our No. 1 ranked team in the state after huge wins against Medfield and Bishop Feehan. This is our best chance to see some premier statewide matchups before teams funnel into their divisions for the postseason.
The two girls brackets are loaded once again. Braintree, Woburn, Walpole and Cathedral will compete in one. Then it's Medfield, North Quincy, Bishop Feehan and Wachusett in another. The latter bracket's first round starts with a Division 2 semifinal rematch and a Div. 1 title rematch, and it's possible we get Medfield vs. Wachusett in the bracket championship.
