This was quite a week for Holliston Youth Basketball. Not only were 18 teams in games this
week, but HYBA in conjunction with Holliston High School Basketball hosted our inaugural
Basketball Madness on Friday December 8 th . The youth players were able to participate in a host
of games and activities run by our own Holliston High School basketball players as well as
watching the high school teams’ scrimmage. A lot of fun was had by the large crowd and the
energy was electric. Big thanks go out to Chris Vanesian, HHS Boys Head Coach, and Kurt
Lorenzen, HHS Girls Head Coach, for all their help with our youth basketball program and
support of the Basketball Madness Night. Thank you to Matt Baker, HHS Athletic Director for
his assistance and guidance as well as Kenny Priest who was the announcer for the occasion.
We’d be remiss if we did not thank our volunteer coordinators – Katie Vaughn, Carrie Salem,
Andrea McHugh, Sheila Lyons, Denise Simpson, Jennifer St. John and the HHS Boosters for all
their support and efforts. Lastly, a huge thanks goes to our HYBA President, Jason Cooper, for
all his time and determination to make the Basketball Madness event a reality! Thank you all to
others I may not have mentioned as there were so many more that did so much to support this
fantastic event.
Now…..Let’s Go Panthers!

4 th Grade Boys (White)
The Holliston 4th grade boys team traveled to Southboro to take on an extremely strong
Southboro (Maroon) team.  Although the game was not close (42-8), Holliston played hard all 4
quarters.  Passing was a highlight as most possessions we were able to take a quality shot. 
Unfortunately, most of those shots did not go in and the tall Southboro team made it hard to get
many rebounds.

Tyler Crean was Holliston’s player of the game as he guarded Southboro’s best player. 
Although he picked up four fouls, he kept up his defensive intensity, and even scored a nice
layup at the end of the game.  Lucas Zhang set some great picks and grabbed several
rebounds and had a steal.  Shyam Kollu had a steal and a couple rebounds in the game.  Jake
Looney and Andrew Levasseur each scored and played great defense throughout the game. 
Grady Gum had 3 blocks and grabbed multiple rebounds.  Darian Harris played great defense
and had multiple great passes, including passes up ahead on fast breaks.
Holliston will host Wellesley (White) this coming Saturday 12/16 at 5:30 for their first home
game of the year.
 
4 th Grade Boys (Red)
The Holliston 4th grade boys (red) team took on Westwood in an early morning game last
Sunday. The boys dropped a tough one 43-26 but this was a game of two halves. In the first half
the Panthers came out with lots of fire and intensity but just could not get a shot to fall and
quickly fell behind 23-6 at halftime. However, the second half of the game might be looked at as
a turning point of the season for these boys as they matched them bucket for bucket for the
whole half. Sam “Kobe” Wagner dialed up the intensity, scored 4 quick points, ran the offense,
and dialed up the defensive intensity. Yamori Richardson crashed the boards for a pair of

rebounds and scored his first points of the season and Harrison Cirillo kept up his intense
scoring pouring in 10 of his 12 points in the second half. The scoring was rounded out by
Konnor d’Anjou (5) and Max Cohen (2). The team looks to build off this second half with a pair
of games this weekend. First, they will host Sommerville this Saturday, December 16th at
4:15pm in the Robert Adams Jungle. Then on Sunday, December 17th the boys and the best
fans in division D4D will hit the road for an early 9am game in Southboro.

5 th Grade Boys (Red)
The Holliston 5 th  grade boys (red) are tackling the hardest teams on their schedule first.  On Sunday the
team fought hard against Needham but lost 45-26.  The team fell behind in the first half and could not
fully recover.  However, the real story happened in the 4 th  quarter and final minutes of the game.  In the
4 th  quarter Holliston outscored the opponent 14-4, with 8 of those points coming in the final 2 minutes,
as the boys put on a show about how to apply a press.   After that flurry of scoring, the Panthers had
eight scorers on the board led by Teddy Miller (9) and Ty Looney (7).  Timmy Klaus, Anderson Langlois,
George Floeckher, Declan Aldredge, Paul Antony, and Jacob Snow all added points as well.   The team
heads to Medfield this Sunday to face yet another 2-0 team but hope to right the ship and pull down
their first W.

5 th Grade Boys (White)
The Holliston 5th Grade Boys team (White) got their second win of the season on Sunday night
at home against Milford 30-27. Milford got off to a hot start and had a 22-14 lead at halftime.
Holliston played tremendous defense in the second half, holding Milford to just 5 points. After
being down 26-20 going into the 4th quarter, Holliston made a great comeback to tie the game
at 26 with just 2:45 to go. Ryan Baker sealed the win by hitting a jumper and free throws in the
final minutes. Ryan finished the game with 21 points, 4 rebounds and 6 steals. David Blackerby,
Austin Cordero, and Max Metivier cleaned up on the boards. Holliston is looking to keep their
winning streak alive on Sunday afternoon against Watertown at Adams Middle School. 

6 th Grade Boys (Red)
Holliston 6th Grade Boys Red team started off their season winning against Hopkinton 44-12.
 After a close first half, the boys turned up the defensive intensity that fueled a runaway second
half.  As a team, the boys forced 29 steals and had 24 rebounds, to go with 5 three-pointers to
secure the win.  Joseph Lawendi was the leading scorer with 11 points, followed by Gavin
Bausch with 9 points and Nathan Eppinger with 8 points.  Ryan Magoon (7 steals, 4 rebounds,
& 3 points), Devon Doray (8 steals & 7 points), Brody Stanley (6 points) and Austin McGuire (5
rebounds), Dylan Dimmick and Dylan Perrett supplied the defensive pressure to open the game
up. Next up is Westwood at home on Sunday at 4:40.

6 th Grade Boys (White)
The Holliston 6th grade boys (white) team lost a hard-fought game today to Parkway at Roxbury
Latin.  The boys played solid team defense to hold Parkway’s 5’11” center to only modest
points.   Playing with patient hustle, the boys were able to create consistent open shooting
opportunities which is a testament to their improvement in such a short time.  Leading the team
in rebounds was John Gebski with 4, followed by Leo Wagner (2), Noah Keller (2), Logan
Kanavich (1), Nolan Burke (1), Kirill Stotski (1), and Leo DeFazio (1).  Logan Kanavich led the
team in points (6), followed by Leo Wagner (4), and Nolan Burke (2).  The team’s “Silver
Swoosh” award was given to Noah Keller for his disruptive defensive presence, team spirit, and containment of Parkway’s big man.  The team will host Blackstone for its first home game
Sunday at 8:40 am at Robert Adams Middle School. 

7th Grade Boys (Red)
The Holliston 7th Grade (Red) Boys team continued their hot start with a win against Millis this
past weekend, 51-18.  William Hayes led all scorers with 12 points, followed by Quinn McErlean
(10),  Eli Boggess (9), Jack Firmani (7) and Orson Daniels (5).   We continued to be very strong
on defense with the team utilizing the 2-3 zone.  Orson was a force in the paint with 11
rebounds, followed by Charlie Bowser (9) and Andrew Ferguson (8).  The team has been very
fun to watch and are really coming together.  We look forward to a double header this weekend
against Milton on Saturday and a rematch (from the Hopkinton tournament) against
Westborough on Sunday.  

7th Grade Boys (White)
The Holliston 7th Grade Boys (White) showcased their mettle in a weekend double-feature,
clinching a 39-32 win over Ashland and eventually losing a close 35-27 contest with Northboro.
Against Ashland, Achyut Pingali led the scoring with 15 points, enhanced by two key three-
pointers, while Jake Miranda stepped up as point guard, orchestrating the offense, pulling down
6 rebounds, and delivering outstanding one-on-one defense. Despite a loss to Northboro, the
team’s performance didn’t falter, with Aaron Javier grabbing 14 rebounds and Ben Rebello
making pivotal plays post-injury. The weekend was a testament to Holliston’s commitment to
intense, team-oriented basketball, overcoming the physicality of their opponents with unyielding
defense and selfless play, a true hallmark of their style and strategy.  Next Sunday, the
Panthers travel to Hopkinton to face a division rival.

8th Grade Boys (Red)
In a thrilling basketball matchup, the Holliston 8th Grade Boys Red basketball team secured a
noteworthy victory against Westwood with a final score of 44-37. The standout performance of
center Nate Howell stole the spotlight as he emerged as a breakout star, contributing seven
crucial points, including a pivotal three-pointer, and showcasing his versatility with four
rebounds. Nick Flannery led the team’s scoring effort with an impressive 21 points, while Jesse
Brodsky demonstrated his defensive prowess with two rebounds, a steal, and a block.
Westwood played scrappy and gave us a hard time, but steady play particularly in the fourth
quarter cemented the victory. Next up is a home tilt against Milton on Sunday the 17th at
4:40pm as the first part of a RAMS doubleheader followed by the 8th grade girls.

8th Grade Boys (White)
The Holliston 8th Grade Boys (White) Team won their first game of the season at home against
Somerville by a score of 43-23. Holliston’s backcourt of Colin Doherty (14 points/6-8 foul shots)
and Brady Hastings (12 points/6 steals) helped lead the way. Will Dietrich shot well from the
perimeter making two three-pointers and 17-foot shot to finish with 8 points. Center Alex
Cataldo did a great job on the glass rebounding the ball while adding 6 points. Jake Rosenfeld
helped get Holliston off to a strong start with an early mid-range jump shot and outstanding
defense. Forward Leo Pasquariello scored 4 points, played great defense, and rebounded the
ball well all game long. Holliston heads on the road this weekend to take on a 3-0 Westborough
team.

4 th Grade Girls (Red)
The Holliston 4GG (Red) got their first W this week against the other 4GG team here in
Holliston.  Both teams have been working hard together at practice this season, and it could
have been anyone’s game!  It has been great to see both teams improving each week and
supporting each other in the process.  In this week’s game, Josie Brower stood out as a defense
specialist with 5 steals!  Brooke McGrath also played a solid defensive game overall.  Scoring
was balanced in the game with contributions from Winnie McHugh, Millie Guellnitz, Maggie
Mulik, Bella DiPippo, Izzy Bartels and Lennon King.  Both teams look forward to getting back in
the gym together this week to prepare for their upcoming games!

4 th Grade Girls (White)
The 4th grade girls basketball team experienced a tough loss to the other Holliston girls team
this past Sunday.  The team played hard, but unfortunately, shots were just not falling for the
girls. Katelyn Klein did a great job driving to the hoop and got us on the board with 4 points. 
Nora Corcoran and Richa Yedugani both helped the team with their amazingly aggressive
rebounding skills and Richa put up 2 points as well! Willa Drummey’s high-energy defense kept
the opposing team on their toes. Olivia Darling also supported the team with her quick feet and
tight defense. Olivia Wing and Olive Bennett both had some fierce assists and worked hard to
help their teammates with some screens. The team was sad to lose, but tried their hardest and
hope to rebound with a win at their upcoming game.

5 th Grade Girls (Red)
Holliston 5th Grade Girls (RED) – The team took advantage of their bye-week by watching
exciting games at the Adams Gym on Sunday, gaining a few pointers from prior teammates.
They will be home this coming Sunday playing Milton for the first time this season. (Note: last
week Lauren de Vlaam’s name was misspelled.) 

5 th Grade Girls (White)
Holliston’s 5th Grade Girls (White) took Winchester down to the wire but fell short 20-17.  It was
not without its fireworks as Holliston brought the game within 5 points with 3:30 remaining on a
Cora McGillicudy put-back (2 points).  The home crowd was then sent into a frenzy when
Brianna Cooper (8 points) hit a jump shot with 1:17 on the clock, bringing the Panthers within 3.
 The Panther’s full court press in the last minute was tenacious, but not enough to overcome
Winchester.  The team saw six players in the scoring column with first career baskets by
McGillicudy and Ailla Howden.  Howden also complimented her basket with a game leading 7
rebounds.  Emma Sochanek, Emma Whitehead, and Molly Starr rounded out the scoring with 2
points each.  Holliston’s home stand continues next week against Natick.

6 th Grade Girls (Red)
Holliston 6 th Grade Girls (Red) took on Milton in their first home game of the season. The
Panthers once again started slowly taking a 4-2 lead after the 1 st quarter. After an emotional
speech by Asst coach Katie Malvey the team came out firing on all cylinders in the 2 nd quarter

with 12 points scored by 5 players leading to a 14-4 1 st half lead. Holliston’s lock down full court
press resulted in a total of 24 steals for the team. Every player had at least 1 steal in the game.
The intensity stifled their opponent and resulted in multiple turnovers as well. The team was
able to capitalize on the intense defense leading to a 28-19 win. Audrey Mancuso and Ella
Bennett both played amazingly and led the team with 6 points each to go along with 4 rebounds
collectively. Danika Do Rosario was a defensive machine with an eye popping 9 steals to go
along with 4 rebounds and 4 points. Louisa Bigelow commanded the boards with a team
leading 5 rebounds and continued toughness battling taller opponents. Mia Malvey played her
signature game of tough defense and timely scoring with 4 points, 2 rebounds and a steal. The
2-0 Panthers host 2-0 Blackstone-Millville in a battle for 1 st place this weekend.

6 th Grade Girls (White)
Holliston took on Medway at home in an exciting second game of the season. During the first
quarter, Holliston worked to find their grove, integrating new skills and plays, and taking
important opportunities for players to try out different positions. With 3 of the 7 players being
new to basketball, the players channeled their talent and drive to move past a 0-8 first quarter
into a basket-for-basket game there on out.  Just as in the previous game, the court was loud
with Holliston’s communication and enthusiasm for teammates’ baskets, rebounds, and assists.
Domenica Bellamy ignited the second quarter with the team’s first basket and her first points of
the season (and her Holliston basketball career!). Throughout the second and third quarters she
added 6 more points from the paint, contributing a total of 8 points in the game. With every
basket Medway scored, Holliston responded with baskets and smiles including those from
Kennedy Black (2 – first of the season), Chloe Roche (2), Lindsay Haynes (2), Sophya Teixera
(2) and Elle Lessard (2 – first of the season and her career!). Conversions to baskets only
happen with excellence in passing, dribbling, and solid defense with rebounding and steals. To
that end, Selah Tetrault grabbed a huge rebound in the fourth quarter that led to a score. She
also had a terrific steal and was in good company with the rest of her teammates whose steals
added to a whopping 19! Although the score ended with a Holliston loss 18-26, the team play
was solid and the energy alive! Holliston is on the road next week when they match up with
Westborough. Holliston is a thrilling team to watch, and this away game will be a drive well
worth it (for those who can handle the excitement)!

7 th Grade Girls (Red)
The seventh-grade girls, team red, faced another tough opponent this week, hosting
Medway.  Medway’s ten-point lead in the first quarter suggested it was going to be a very long
day, but the girls confirmed their willingness to battle as their physical play slowed Medway’s roll
and kept the game manageable.  The girls caught Medway’s attention by shrinking the lead to
eight points late in the third quarter, but Medway’s impressive offense lead them to a 27-13
victory.  Chelsea Dufault and Mackenzie McDonald had eight rebounds each, Sedona
Cicciarella pulled down six.  True to their nature, Emmerson Harrington and Olivia Kerchner
were a thorn in the side of Medway’s ball handlers all day.  Next week, the girls travel to
Medfield.

7 th Grade Girls (White)
Holliston battled hard all game but could not ultimately solve Ashland’s tough 2-3 zone.  Ashten
Arsenault led a strong defensive effort from the girls with several key steals and playing
suffocating defense at the top of the Holliston zone.  Lucy Downin had several critical steals late in the game as Holliston stormed back in the fourth quarter utilizing a full court press.  Finally,
Emma Starr battled hard on the boards all game, pulling down several key rebounds and
facilitating Holliston’s fast break on the offensive end.

8 th Grade Girls
The 8th Grade Girls traveled to Newton last Sunday.  Although the final score was a 10 point
loss, 37-27, it was a close contest throughout most of the game. Cate McCarron had 8 boards
to go along with her 5 points and 4 steals. Gianna Sgarano chipped in with 5 points and 5
rebounds. Lily Ingoldsby played key minutes with her intense defense and hustle. The girls will
be at Adams closing out the HYB weekend with the 6:00pm game, following the 8th grade boys
game.  The girls will host Brookline; these two teams have battled out some close games over
the past several years, so expect a good matchup once again.