Week 8 was a great week for basketball in Holliston.  The 5^th grade boys (red) and 6^th grade boys (red) both managed to get their impressive 6^th wins of the season.   Congratulations.  Spotlight of the week goes to two current 5^th grade players and one former Holliston youth basketball player.  Brianna Cooper dropped an amazing 32 points in the 5^th grade girls (red) teams two wins huge wins.  Teddy Miller scored 12 big points in the 5^th grade (red) 8-point victory at Walpole.  Last, but not least Holliston youth basketball alum (and current HYB ref), Megan Simpson, scored her 1000th point of her Holliston high school career on Tuesday night.  A truly remarkable achievement.

Now let’s go Panthers!

4^th Grade Boys (White) 

The Holliston 4th Grade Boys lost a hard-fought game @ Southboro (White) on Sunday 32-22.  Darian Harris had a monster game with 8 points, 10 boards, 2 blocks, 2 steals, and 2 assists.  Jesiah Varghese also had 8 points, Grady Gum had 4 points, and Andrew Levasseur had 2 points.  But it wasn’t enough as Southboro had 2 players score double digits and were just too good on the boards.  

Holliston hosts undefeated Hopkinton (Pantera), who have been beating teams by an average of 20 points, next Sunday at 6pm. 

4^th Grade Boys (Red) 

The Holliston 4th grade boys (red) team hit the road this week to take on Westborough. During the first half offense was hard to come by, with the boys only scoring 1 point off a made free throw. However, tight defense sent Holliston to the locker room for halftime only down 8-1. In the second half, the defensive intensity didn’t drop off. Emerson Vail ramped up the defense causing multiple turnovers and pulling down some key rebounds and Quinn Duffy once again brough the energy. Finally, George Taylor invited everyone to the block party late in the third with three huge blocks on one possession. Offensively, the story of the game was Konnor d’Anjou who poured in a season high 7 points to go along with a handful of rebounds. Scoring was rounded out by Harrison Cirillo (2) and George Taylor(3). However, with all the defensive promise this week, and Holliston winning the second half, ultimately the team dropped a hard-fought game 16-12. The boys will look for their first win of the season this weekend with a pair of home games against Bellingham at 8pm Saturday night and Bedford 3:20pm Sunday afternoon.

5^th Grade Boys (White) 

The Holliston 5th Grade Boys team (White) got their sixth consecutive win of the season on Sunday morning against Parkway 31-26. Parkway held the lead for most of the game, leading 24-19 going into the 4th quarter. Holliston was determined to keep their winning streak alive, scoring 12 points in the quarter by executing their offense, sharing the ball, and tightening up their defense to hold Parkway to just 2 points. The win was a team effort, with 7 Holliston players scoring and 9 grabbing rebounds. Ryan Baker led Holliston with 12 points and 2 steals. Cole Dennison had 7 points and 8 rebounds, including a clutch basket with 5:55 to go to give Holliston the lead. Austin Cordero had a basket, 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Donovan Vail had 2 clutch free throws in the 3rd quarter to boost the comeback. Oliver Bennett played tough defense to keep Holliston in the game. Holliston looks to keep their winning streak alive in Everett on Saturday morning. 

5^th Grade Boys (Red) 

The Holliston 5^th grade boys (Red) got their first win this past Saturday night vs. Walpole 31-23.  Although the team found it difficult to make shots consistently, there were plenty of second chances with 18 offensive rebounds, and 40 rebounds overall.  Scoring was led by Teddy Miller (12), Ty Looney (6), and Declan Aldredge (6).  Anderson Langlois added 5 points and Jacob Snow grabbed a key bucket in the second quarter.   The team’s “chaos” style defense is giving other teams fits and this game was no different with double digit steals and blocks.  The effort was relentless and key contributions by Paul Antony, Connor Lydon, and Wyatt Chamberlin helped keep the other team off balance.   Overall, it was a well-earned victory and a full team effort.  In their next game, the team hosts Parkway at home this Saturday evening.

6^th Grade Boys (White)

Despite trailing by as close 5 points in the third quarter, the 6B panthers lost 23-50 to Arlington.   The Panthers move to 3-6 (2-4 in division) for the year.  The team was led by the aggressive play of John Gebski (8 points) and Leo Wagner (7 points).  Also contributing were Logan Kanavich (2 points), Leo DeFazio (2), Laksh Khatri (2), and Nolan Burke (2).  Leading the team in rebounds was Laksh Khatri (14), followed by John Gebski (4), Logan Kanavich (4), Kirill Stotski (3), Noah Keller (2), Micah Baltisoto (2), Leo DeFazio (2), Leo Wagner (2), Nolan Burke (1), and Lincoln Daniels (1).  Earning the teams “Silver Swoosh” chain was Laksh Khatri for his rebounding prowess and aggressive play in the paint.  The team returns to Adams Middle School on Sunday at 2:00 pm.  

6^th Grade Boys (Red) 

The Holliston 6th Grade (Red) Boys got back on the winning track with an extremely hard fought 43-36 victory over Dedham. While Holliston led most of the way, Dedham never gave up and the game came down to an incredibly stressful fourth quarter with Holliston making key baskets in the last couple of minutes.  All 10 boys contributed to the win in one way or another as everyone scored a point and played with fantastic defensive intensity.  Joseph Lawendi was the leading scorer with 13 points, while Gavin Bausch, Nathan Eppinger and Austin McGuire each contributed five points in the win.  The boys have a double header next weekend against two Blackstone teams as they try to improve on their 6-1 in season record.

7th Grade Boys (White)

Last Saturday, the Holliston 7th Grade boys basketball team (white) traveled to Framingham for a Saturday evening game, leaving with a 30-13 victory.  Showcasing the stingy, tenacious defense that has defined their season thus far, the Panthers held Framinham to 0 points in the first quarter.  On offense, the boys had to adjust their approach against Framingham’s 2-3 zone, relying on outside shooting from Colton McGrath, who drained two three-pointers in the game.  It was a team effort, with 9 different kids scoring and each pulling down at least one rebound.  Cameron Baker, at the guard position, ended the game with 7 rebounds!  With this win, the Panthers improved to 6-1 on the season, facing Somerville at home next Sunday.

7th Grade Boys (Red)

The Holliston 7th Grade Boys (Red) team played a double header this week.  First, we traveled to Concord Carlisle.  It was a hard-fought game, but in the end we fell 46-40.  Quinn McErlean led our offense with 12 points, followed by Charlie Bowser (9), Ben Furey (7), Orson Daniels (4), Sam Israel (3), Tristan Snyder (3) and Chris Baker (2).

In the afternoon, we hosted Dedham at Adams.  After a slow start (zero points in the first quarter!), we battled back and chipped away at Dedham’s lead, ultimately winning the game 36-28.  Quinn McErlean and Ben Furey led the offense with 7 points each, with Ben going 7 of 8 from the free throw line.  Most of the team got in on the scoring action and everyone played stellar defense all game.  Charlie Bowser, Marcus Burian and Jack Firmani each chipped in with 4 points. followed by Eli Boggess (3), Chris Baker (2), Tristan Snyder (2), Orson Daniels (2) and Will Hayes (1).  Next week we are travelling to Watertown.  

8th Grade Boys (White)

The Holliston Boys 8th Grade White team travelled to Raynham for an early morning tip-off on Sunday. Holliston jumped out to a 12-4 league. However, a strong second quarter by Raynham allowed them to take control of the game and win 40—27. Holliston was led by Alex Cataldo’s 9 points. Leo Pasquariello and Will Dietrich each chipped in 6 points. With Colin Doherty out due to injury, Brady Hastings and Bradyn Cotting did a great job at the guard position. Jake Rosenfeld played an excellent floor game for Holliston on both ends of the court. Holliston returns to action this weekend vs Ashland at RAMS.

8th Grade Boys (Red)

The Holliston 8th Grade Boys Red team continued their winning ways and saw 9 players in the scoring column, this time taking their show on the road to win at Newton 46-26.  The game was a physical, scrappy affair, but Nick Flannery and Anthony Faletra combined for 26 points to lead the scoring, while Jacob Lewendi and Nayan Alluri each chipped in two key buckets, with Nayan ripping seven boards for good measure. Next up for the boys is another roadie, with a 3:30pm Sunday tip against Everett.

4^th Grade Girls (White) 

After Holliston’s 4th grade girls tough loss last weekend, the team really brought their A game vs King Phillip on Sunday.  All the girls played aggressively and hustled the entire game. Even though the team did not walk away with a win, it was a close game (12 to 18) and the girls worked very hard, pushing themselves every step of the way. Olivia Wing did a great job setting screens throughout the game and one of her successful screens led to Amelia Parker scoring a basket.  Nora Corcoran paid close attention to the ball and had several steals during the game. Katelyn Klein did an excellent job dribbling around defenders and had multiple successful jump shots. Willa Drummey helped out the team with her quick feet and strong rebounding skills and made 1 of her foul shots. The game was by far the best of the season and we hope to bring the same determination and spirit to our next game on Saturday vs. Walpole.

4^th Grade Girls (Red) 

The Holliston 4th Grade Girls (Team King) played their best game of the season out in Walpole last weekend.  Although they didn’t come out with a victory, it was by far their most fierce and competitive game yet against one of the most talented opponents they have played.  Players who stood out included Sonia Szabtura, Brooke McGrath, Millie Guellnitz, and Josie Brower for their stellar defense.  Winnie McHugh, Izzy Bartels, and Katelyn Klein (making a guest appearance from Team Wing!) created a number of scoring opportunities for the team, and Bella DiPippo grabbed a few critical boards to keep the team in the game.  All of the players demonstrated a never give up attitude and played hard until the end!  Back at it this weekend against Medway!

5^th Grade Girls (White)

The Holliston 5th Grade Girls White team picked up two wins over the weekend and there was one constant theme that would make the likes of Wojo proud: lock down defense.  In the first game of the weekend, the Panthers beat Weston 24-10 behind a combined 14 steals from Ailla Howden, Cora McGillicuddy, and Bridget McAuley.  Brianna Cooper led the Panthers in scoring with 16 points while Emma Whitehead (4 points), Molly Starr (2 points) and Ryckie Reichheld (2 points) contributed key baskets.  

In the second game of the weekend, the Panthers beat Lexington 29-24.  Do not tell Taylor Swift, but 16 was Brianna Cooper’s lucky number this weekend, pacing the Panthers with another 16 points in back-to-back games.  The paint was dominated by the interior play of Ryckie Reichheld (8 rebounds and 4 points) and tenacious defense by Brooke Sawicki kept Lexington off balance the entire game.  Emma Sochanek, Molly Starr, and Emma “Edog” Whitehead were not shy to enter the scoring column, combining for 9 points.  The play of the game came at the 4:33 mark of the second quarter when Mary Toohey grabbed a monster board and took the ball full court for a dazzling layup.  Toohey will be a player to watch in the second half of the season. 

5^th Grade Girls (Red)

Holliston 22, Canton 26.   The excitement of this game started with the first play – if ever there was a passing game this was surely it!  Ellie Brown started the game off with a 9-foot bucket putting Holliston on the board, Sam Baweja continued the tear with another two points. The first half yielded 10 points for Holliston and 12 for Canton. Things were looking way up and continued into the third quarter where Holliston took by storm Canton outscoring 12:1. Rosen had an impressive 8 points in just the third quarter, followed by a game total of 13 rebounds and 3 steals.  Holliston led Canton by 6 going into the fourth quarter, Holliston however, succumbed to Canton’s tough defense and multiple offensive fast-breaks, unable to put up points. The final score does not reflect the passing skills and rebounding of this high performing team. Brown and Rosen each totaled 10 points with Baweja’s 2 points.  Holliston is taking it on the road this weekend to play Mansfield – hoping to fight back a win. 

The Holliston 6th grade girls (White) played two games over the weekend. On Saturday 1/27, they travelled to Needham to take on a very strong team. Needham had a deep bench and took to scoring right from the start. Holliston had 6 players who never gave up, and despite the 7-32 loss, we’re very proud of the 6 who gave it their all until the end. Players needed to take on new positions, try new ways to break full court press from the start of the game, and be flexible in the moment as Needham learned how to defend the team’s offensive plays. There were many bright notes throughout the game for Holliston. Selah Tetrault scored the first basket for the team to start the first quarter. Sophya Teixeira grabbed 6 boards and made the team’s first 3 pointer at the end of the game! It was a site to see! Kennedy Black also added a basket in the fourth quarter and pulled down 4 rebounds, while Chloe Roche and Lindsey Walsh gave 100% bringing the ball up the court and running plays with confidence. Mila Szabatura was down low looking to score, but Needham’s defense provided a challenge to pass into the paint. The Team left exhausted but in great spirit and ready to take on another game Sunday on 1/28 at home against Dedham. That game was phenomenal and a nailbiter to the end! Everyone played a stand-out game with Chloe Roche earning 6 of Holliston’s 14 points leading the scoring with Kennedy Black and Sophya Teixiera with 4 points apiece. Chloe Roche also led the team in rebounds with 6 while Elle Lessard grabbed 5 and added to it 4 steals. Lindsey Walsh was strong on defense, and both Mila Szabatura and Lindsay Haynes worked hard down low to grab passes and attempt challenging turn-and-shoot baskets. The game came down to the wire where Holliston successfully kept their lead of 2 points and clinched a win at 14-12. The team plays their final home game at RAMS on Sunday 2/4 at 12:40. Please come cheer us on!

6^th Grade Girls (Red)

The 6^th grade girls (red) were on a bye this weekend.  The Panthers will be travelling to Westwood in a battle for 1^st place in the division this upcoming weekend.  

A tough loss against the best team the Holiston girls have seen all year.  Kaylin Hayes led the team with key points in the paint and dominating on the glass.  Diya Samjadri was crucial in creating opportunities on the offensive end and playing great defense on the backline.  Finally, Ellory Avakian made several key steals, leading to transition opportunities. 

7^th Grade Girls (Red)

The seventh-grade girls, team red, had a double header this weekend and stepped up to the challenge.  First, they hosted a gritty Milford team.  In typical fashion, the Holliston girls were slow out of the gate holding a 4-2 lead after the first quarter, but before long they were back in their fast passed groove, and giving it their all.  On the offensive side of the ball, the girls upped their game significantly as they unselfishly worked a passing game that typically led to three or four passes before a player took an uncontested high percentage shot.  Through their play, the girls confirmed that team points matter more than individual as reflected in the diverse scoring.  Mackenzie McDonald scored 10, and Emma Arsenault, Shamili Potturi and Caroline Caughlin each scored 6.  Caroline Caughlin led the team with 7 rebounds, and Emmerson Harrington led the team with 4 assists as the girls sailed to a 37-16 win.  There wasn’t much time to celebrate as they traveled to Milton the following morning.

Milton, who has a comparable record against similar opponents, are a very physical group, and the Holliston crew needed to adjust after a 6-5 first half deficit.  In the second half, both teams opted to press one another, and Holliston gained the edge.  Shamili Potturi and Olivia Kerchner were key contributors to our press leading to several turnovers and made baskets, while Brooklyn Lessard, Riya Yedugani, Emerson Harrington and others effectively dissected Milton’s press.  Again, the story of the day was the fantastic passing by every player on the floor, leading to 22 second half points and a 27-17 victory.  Mackenzie McDonald led the team in scoring with 9 points and Sedona Cicciarella scored 7 while also leading the team in rebounds with 7.  Next week the girls travel to Milford for a rematch of an early season game where Holliston lost by 11.

8^th Grade Girls

The 8th grade girls faced a very tall and tough Lexington team in the opening Saturday afternoon matchup at RAMS. According to records, numbers, and division placement, Lexington arrived at the gym thinking this would be an easy win. The Holliston girls came out with intensity and quickly posted some nice numbers themselves going 8 for 12 from the floor, while racking up 8 assists as a team to go along with 7 rebounds in the first quarter alone. Center Corinne Bailey grabbed 4 rebounds in the opening minutes and finished the game with 4 assists and 4 points as well. Despite holding the lead at half, Holliston could not quite pull out the victory, finishing up the game a bit shy at 46-41, with the teams playing much of the second half within a few points of each other.  Point guard Mia Faletra led all scorers with a career high of 25 points. She shot 11 for 18 from the floor overall, including 3-6 from behind the arc. Skylar MacDonald played well at both ends, grabbing 5 rebounds despite playing against much taller players to go along with 4 points.  Overall, this group of girls has been improving each week.  They notched 33 team rebounds due to their work boxing out taller players and moved the ball as a team creating offense and dishing out 13 assists. The girls will next host Lincoln-Sudbury in a Sunday morning game at RAMS.