Holliston Youth Basketball Recaps (1/4 & 1/5 games)
GIRLS:
4th Grade Girls Coach: Cooper
Despite the Winter break time-off, the 4th grade girls came out on fire to start the game against Parkway in the team’s first game of 2025. Alaina Chaufty’s New Year’s resolution must have been to score 4 points in the first two minutes of the game because she wasted no time grabbing two offensive rebounds with put backs, quickly putting the Panthers up 4-0 1:32 into the game. The team then proceeded to take a season high for first half field goal attempts, but could not buy a bucket, and trailed 10-4 at halftime. The Panthers played a hard fought game, receiving 4 points from Lily Ennis in the second half, which included her signature bank shot, but lost the game 24-14. Sadie Adamson led the game in rebounds with 6, and Addy Cicciarella and Reagan Taylor joined in the second half scoring fun, each recording a basket. Madeline Cooper contributed at both ends of the court, scoring 2 points to go along with 5 steals. The team travels to Concord-Carlise next week.
5th Grade Girls (Red) Coach: King
The Grade 5 Girls (red) had a fun game in Winchester this past weekend with a 30-16 victory on the road. The team played strong defense against a much taller Winchester team and outrebounded their opponents due to great box-outs and impressive hustle. Offensively, the girls were organized and executed their in-game and out of bounds plays with precision! It was awesome to see them getting open shots when running a play correctly. They also saw the benefit of playing strong defense as their intensity led to steals and created fast break offensive opportunities. The scoring leaders for the game were Lennon King with 14 points and Josie Brower with 10 points. Lennon benefited from excellent picks set by her teammates which allowed her to get open lay-ups; she also added a few assists to teammates. Josie worked hard in the paint and muscled out some taller opponents to finish a bunch of lay-ups inside. Signe Strand added 4 points and had her hands ready for open passes under the basket. Millie Guellnitz hustled hard on both sides of the floor creating many offensive opportunities, grabbing a bunch of rebounds, and playing strong on ball and help defense. Overall, it was a solid team victory to which everyone contributed. The girls look forward to their first home game next week against Wellesley!
5th Grade Girls (Black) Coach: Wing
The Holliston 5th grade girls (black) traveled to Bedford to play the Bedford Buccaneers. Holliston proudly walked away with another win, continuing their undefeated streak. The girls worked hard, had good ball movement and hustled for rebounds.
Bedford had a difficult time maintaining possession of the ball with Olivia Darling’s aggressive defense and sneaky steals resulting in multiple turnovers. Katelyn Klein continued showcasing her strong ball handling skills and added an “and 1” to her resume in the process. Amelia Parker displayed no fear, driving to the paint several times and added to her season s oring stats. Olivia Wing also had a great shot in the paint after making her way around several defenders.
Everyone put in a solid effort and we are looking forward to our next game bright and early on Sunday January 12th vs. Dover/Sherborn.
6th Grade Girls (White) Coach: Smith
Holliston’s 8th grade girls (white) started 2025 at the famed John Barry Boys & Girls Club in the City of Newton. This small town had heard of teams like this but did not yet see in action this type of front office. Sam Baweja took home 3 steals while setting up numerous quick picks to help guards Emma Whitehead and Charley Marcuard force the ball to the paint. Marcuard put down two buckets to add 4 points and 3 steals, her shooting practice has been paying dividends. Elise Ferguson and Aarya Sharma were recently taken off the DL and put back on the roster, with Sharma getting one bucket and numerous rebounds; Ferguson took it to the paint by provided not one but two turn overs in our favor. Lauren de Vlaam and Ruby Smith each provided several rebounds and valuable in bounds plays to help the offense. Lastly Brooke Sawicki owned the court while playing several positions each with more east then the last, and she contributed heavily to the steals. Whitehead managed to get a bucket and a few steals in the second half, her quick and keen skills lead to her making some unbelievable passes downtown. The team will be hosting their 2025 opener at RAMS on Saturday (January 11th) against Belmont, hoping to make some magic.
6th Grade Girls (Red) Coach: Cooper
The 6th grade girls (red) team were on the road this week to face an undefeated Northboro team. The team came out of the gate ready to play after the Winter break layoff, but were outpaced by Northboro, 34-9. Emma Sochanek and Ellie Brown created multiple shot opportunities while Rebecca Lindross and Ryckie Reichheld played lock down defense. Molly Starr had 4 steals and Kendall Hanlon had 3 assists to lead the team each category. Scoring came from Gwen Rosen (4), Brianna Cooper (3), and Ailla Howden (2). Rosen, who spent the Winter break working on a Charles Barkley signature low post move, will be relied up for interior scoring as the season progresses. The team’s New Year Resolution is to make crisp passes and move to open space. The girls will be back at home next week to take on Westborough.
7th Grade Girls (White) Coach: Roche
The Holliston 7th grade girls (white) traveled to Natick Sunday to play the Lady Redhawks. After a tight 1st half, the Panthers couldn’t buy a basket in the 2nd half and every shot Natick put up went in. Natick ended up winning 32-17.
Elle Lessard had an outstanding overall game with 6 points, 2 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Louisa Bigelow was great on boards and led the Panthers with 11 rebounds. Lindsey Walsh hit huge 3 to start the game and Sophya Teixeira end up with 6pts.
The team travels to play a quality Arlington team this coming Sunday (January 12th).
7th Grade Girls (Red) Coach: McAdams
The 7th grade girls (red) team had a thrilling last second victory over Dover Sherborn this week. The score was tied with 9 seconds to go. Gwen Miranda ran down the court and set the perfect off-ball screen to free Ella Bennett. Addy McAdams tossed the ball to half court where Ella caught the pass and drove to the hoop. The Dover Sherborn defender fouled Ella with only 4 seconds on the clock. Ella calmly swished the first shot giving Holliston the 20-19 win. Avery Palma was everywhere in the game scoring 4 points to go along with 6 rebounds. Jackie Schiavoni and Gwen Miranda controlled the boards with an amazing 9 rebounds each. Ella Bennett led the team with 6 points to go along with 6 steals. Addy McAdams added 4 points and 6 rebounds. Mia Maley was a defensive stopper with 6 steals, 2 points and 4 rebounds. Holliston takes on undefeated Northboro in next week’s match up.
8th Grade Girls (Red) Coach: McDonald
In what has become an annual HYBA tradition for the 8th graders, the boys and girls Red teams participated in the Winter Championship tournament at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. Each year, HYBA sends the players to participate as they close out their youth basketball careers and venture off to high school. The kids got to enjoy some great basketball, learn a little bit about teamwork and camaraderie, and enjoy a memorable time with their friends. A great time was had by all.
The 8th grade girls (red) team played three games, all against teams from Connecticut, and impressively won two of the three. Saturday evening, they opened with a 29-20 win over Weston, CT. Mackenzie McDonald scored 7 points and had 4 rebounds, while Chelsea Dufault scored 6 points and had 6 rebounds. The big story was the relentless press applied by Shamili Potturi, Brooklyn Lessard, Olivia Kerchner and Emerson Harrington. “The press crew” caused havoc all night creating endless steals and turnovers. Game two was a tough matchup against Colchester, CT resulting in a 30-9 loss. To the girl’s credit, they never gave up even as their game went late into the night. Caroline Coughlin led the team with 4 rebounds, and Riya Yedugani grabbed 2 rebounds and had 2 blocked shots. On Sunday, the girls played Madison, CT and took a 22-5 win. From go, the girls were very aggressive in their play. “The press crew” re-emerged creating chaos and stressing out the opposing ball handlers. Likewise, Sedona Cicciarella and Emma Arsenault were forces to be reckon with under the glass. Emma boxed out like a pro and Sedona grabbed 4 rebounds and had 2 blocked shots. Mackenzie McDonald led the team with 8 points, and Olivia Kerchner scored 4. Next week, the girls return to Holliston for games against Barrington, RI and Boston’s Eliot School.
8th Grade Girls (White) Coach: Arsenault
The Holliston girls (white) won their second game in a row in dominating fashion controlling both ends of the floor resulting in a 28 to 12 victory over Westwood. Lucy Downin led the scoring with 16 points, her highest game point total of her career! Diya Simhadri and Riley Whitehead were absolutely critical contributors off the bench playing multiple positions as the team faced some early foul trouble. Finally, Kaylin Hayes was a menace on the boards as the girls significantly outrebounded a much taller Westwood team.
BOYS:
4th Grade Boys (Red) Coach: Flannery
The Holliston 4th Grade Boys (red) squad had an early 8AM tilt Sunday Morning in Norwood. Sadly, the team left town with a double whammy of disappointment…. A defeat against the fierce Mustangs and empty bellies, as the world-famous Lewis’ doesn’t open its doors until 11am on Sundays.
The boys shook off the early start with good energy and hustle. The first quarter was the team’s strongest of the day by far. Holliston jolted out to an early lead, controlling the scoreboard until midway through the second quarter. However, by halftime Norwood had gained the upper hand leading by three at the break. The second half the Holliston boys could not get any sustained offense flowing as Norwood’s size and defensive intensity proved to be too much. The final score was 31-16.
The team was led by Declan Langlois’ 6 points/2 rebounds. Tommy Baker battled through injury to finish with 4 points/4 rebounds. Cam Chiantera returned to action following a stint on the IR with a groin injury…perhaps a first for a 4th grader. Cam responded with a great drive to the hoop and his first bucket of the season. Henry Paine had an impressive Jayson Tatum like jumper coming off a screen from the free throw line and Keagan Shaw showed what Heart is all about, fighting to the very end hitting a nice shot as time expired. Keegan Flannery fought hard against the Norwood “Bigs” and displayed some excellent ball handling skills. Robert Chung, JT Barry and Jameson Drake battled all game contributing several rebounds and steals.
The boys will have a weekend off to lick their wounds and prepare for a tough Westwood team. Their next game is Saturday Jan 18th at RAMS.
4th Grade Boys (White) Coach: Peterson
The 4th Grade Boys (white) returned to action this past Sunday, with a tough matchup against neighboring Hopkinton at Adams Middle School. Offense for the hometown Panthers was hard to come-by in the first half, as the boys went into the break down 20-0. The score didn’t dampen the Panther’s spirit or effort, and they put together a better second half, ultimately falling 37-6.
Defense and rebounding remain the focus for the squad, and to that extent Youssef Lahaini led the way with confidence, ferociously swatting a Hopkinton shot away from its intended target. David Girgis also harassed the opponent with his quick hands and feet.
The “Effort Award” this week goes to Leo Patka, who has been working on his form shooting before practice, and is always the first one to the line when we are ready to start our first drill.
Next Sunday, (January 12th), the team travels to Natick for a morning tip against the Redhawks.
5th Grade Boys (White) Coach: Lyskowski
Coming off their big win against Ashland the Holliston Boys grade 5 (white) team took on the undefeated Waltham this past Saturday afternoon. The team started off strong in the first quarter and ended down two, but struggled in the second quarter getting outscored 11-4. Down 9 at the half the boys found their energy and came out aggressive. It was a great match throughout the second half with the Holliston boys giving it all they had and were able to go point for point with their opponent. But in the end the nine point deficit from the first half was too much to overcome, ending the game 22-31 Waltham. Jake Looney put on a show of defense forcing multiple turnovers and scoring 4 and added 5 rebounds. Tyler Crean and Emerson Vail were the top scorers with 7 and 6. The tough defense can be attributed to the hard work of Trevor Lyskowski, Smayan Alladi, Sham Kollu, and Landon Maillet, giving it all they had and forcing multiple turnovers. The boys are eager to get back to work this week and prepare to host Lincoln Sudbury this coming Sunday at 4.
5th Grade Boys (Red) (Played January 4th & 5th) Coach: Taylor
The Holliston 5th grade boys (red) team bookended their holiday break with a pair of tough road games against two great opponents. First the team hit the road into the city to take on Somerville. The game was tight at halftime with a score of 16-16. However, in the second half the boys from Holliston turned up the defensive pressure and outscored the boys from Somerville 18-7 to take a win home by the score of 34-23. Scoring was led by Harrison Cirillo (17) followed by Ayen Hemaratne (6). Max Cohen (2pts) took the task of once again sticking with Somerville’s top player most of the game playing excellent defense. George Taylor (5), Liam O’Leary (2) and Sam Wagner (2) also contributed to the scoring.
Next, this past weekend the boys brought in the new year with another road game, this time to Westwood. The boys played a tough first half trailing only by 2 by a score of 14-12. However, in the second half the boys were not able to get any shots to fall and Weston hit some very impressive shots. The boys from Holliston ultimately fell by a score of 32-19 to equal their record at 2-2. Scoring was led by Harrison Cirillo (8), George Taylor (6), Sam Wagner (4), and Max Cohen (2). Brennan Carroll and Declan Carroll also played very hard pulled down a couple tough rebound for playing good defense. The boys finally return home for their next game this Sunday, 1/12/24 at 9:30am vs. Somerville back in the Robert Adams Jungle.
5th Grade Boys (Black) Coach: Gum
The Holliston 5th grade boys (black) hosted Medfield on Sunday January 5th and played their most complete game yet. Andrew Levasseur helped Holliston get off to a fast start with 6 first quarter points. Although Medfield had some skilled players and much more height than Holliston, the intensity of the Holliston defense set the tone for the game.
Jack Donahue once again was a force on the boards with 5 rebounds, delivered some nice passes, and had 6 points. Grady Gum had 6 points, 3 boards, played solid defense, and had a nice block. Darian Harris played an all around great game with 4 points, 6 boards, 4 assists, and 4 steals. Cade Burke played a great game defensively and had 4 points and 3 rebounds. Ronan Ojha had 2 points, 4 boards, handled the ball well, and played aggressive defense. Yamori Richardson played a strong overall game with great defense, good ball handling and passing, and had multiple good shot attempts that just rimmed out. Cooper Garran played great defense and had a nice rebound. Logan Rivard played his most aggressive defense of the season and had a nice steal.
Now 2-2, the boys hope to build on the positivity from this victory as it they travel to Parkway (Blue) next Sunday (January 12th) at 11:40.
6th Grade Boys (White) Coach: Cordero
The Holliston 6 grade boys (white) battled it out against Framingham (gray) this weekend. Owen Callahan had an assist and a defensive rebound, Oliver Bennet had a defensive rebound, Max Metivier had an offensive rebound, Clay Duffy and William Finneran played their hearts out but it was not enough to defeat Framingham (gray) who proved to be a formidable foe. The final score was 14-54. Despite the loss, the team played their hardest and are ready to keep improving. They’ll be taking on Watertown (red) next on Jan 12th.
6th Grade Boys (Red) Coach: Sgarano
The Holliston 6th Grade Boys Team (red) won their second straight game on Sunday in Bedford, 50-17. Holliston was dominant from the start, getting out to a 12-2 lead after the first quarter, thanks to a hot start from Logan McDonough. Holliston scored a season high 30 points in the second half on their way to their biggest victory of the season.
Holliston is playing their best basketball of the season during their winning streak. They are working hard on defense, moving the ball on offense, and most importantly are being great teammates.
The win was a team effort, with every player contributing. Nine different players scored and every player had a rebound and a steal. Logan McDonough led the way with a season high 14 points. Owen Jacquet had 7 points, including two strong drives to the basket. Anderson Langlois had 4 rebounds and Ty Looney had a big basket in the 3rd quarter. Holliston plays their fourth game of their 5 game road trip on Sunday January 12th in Lexington.
7th Grade Boys (Black) Coach: Keller
The Holliston Grade 7 Boys (black) faced a tough challenge Saturday against an undefeated Norwood team averaging a 27 point margin in each of their victories. While the final score (14-42) was similar to those that came before us, there were many signs of encouragement on both offense and defense. Kirill Stotski and Tanyin Holley were strong on the boards. Laksh Khatri and Leo Wagner led the team with 4 points each, followed by Leo DeFazio, Evan Utke, and Kirill Stotski who all added a bucket. The team plays host to Blackstone-Millville this Saturday (January 11th) at 5:30.
7th Grade Boys (Red) Coach: Magoon
Holliston’s 7th Grade Boys Red team fought through a challenging shooting day to hold on for a 29-25 win against Parkway. Shots were not falling for the boys, so defense was the main driver of the win. Ryan Magoon’s fourth quarter defense forced many Parkway turnovers, helping to secure the win. Gavin Bausch (7 points) and Devon Doray (6 points) led the way in scoring, followed by Ryan (4 points), Brody Stanley (3 points), while Joseph Lawendi, Austin McGuire and Nathan Eppinger all contributed 2 points each. John Gebski and Nick Gorham rounded out the defensive effort helping frustrate Parkway as they tried to claw back into the game. While low scoring, it was a great game for the boys as they had to learn how to win without putting up a lot of points. They all played a very composed second half and their patience with the ball helped keep the game under control – it was a great team win.
8th Grade Boys (Red) Coach: Furey
In what has become an annual HYBA tradition for the 8th graders, the boys and girls Red teams participated in the Winter Championship tournament at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods. Each year, HYBA sends the players to participate as they close out their youth basketball careers and venture off to high school. The kids got to enjoy some great basketball, learn a little bit about teamwork and camaraderie, and enjoy a memorable time with their friends. A great time was had by all.
The Holliston 8th Grade Boys (red) team faced two teams from Connecticut. First up was St. Theresa’s. The boys were down early, battled back to take a small lead, but ultimately fell 35-32. Next up was HYSA (Harwinton Youth Sports Association), a team that intimidated the boys when they first watched them play. However, they played great and overmatched the opponent, taking away a confident 28-21 victory. In the end all three teams ended up 1-1. Holliston lost the point differential tiebreaker for a trip to the Championship playoff bracket by 1 heart breaking point. In the consolation bracket on Sunday, Holliston played the Roslyn Bulldogs, a scrappy team from NY. This reporter is unsure if it was the late return to the hotel or the early morning wake up, but Roslyn handed Holliston a 33-21 defeat. Offensively, Tristan Snyder led the team on the weekend with 19 points. Three other players ended in double figures – Quinn McErlean with 13, Achyut Pingali with 12 and Eli Boggess with 10. In the end, it wasn’t about wins and losses. It was a tremendous weekend of friends hanging out, making memories and having the time of their lives. Next week, Holliston will return to Metrowest action, when they travel to Winchester.
8th Grade Boys (Black) Coach: Ennis
After a few weeks off from team organized activities, the 8th Grade Boys team (black) came out in full force against the Parkway Team from West Roxbury.
Holliston was trailing 28 to 14 at halftime. In the 3rd quarter, the boys were able to turn on defensive pressure which led to a couple of easy buckets. This cut the lead down to only 4 points. However, the Parkway Team hit their shots in the 4th shielding a score of 60 to 36.
Leading the team in scoring was Zorik Sahakyan with 9 points and 4 rebounds. Sam Peters had 8 points, 1 rebound, and 4 assists. Vinny Lima had 8 points with 2 rebounds and 3 steals. Zach Ennis had 5 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 steals. Jahan Haider had 4 points. CJ Landers scored 2 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocks.
The boys played their best game of the season. We are looking for that same effort on court as they travel to battle Foxboro next weekend.
8th Grade Boys (Black) (recaps from 12/21 & 1/5) Coach: Negri
On December 21st, the Panthers secured their second win of the season with a commanding 39-19 victory over Framingham. Down by 3 points at the half, the boys rallied and outscored their opponent 31-8 in the second half, fueled by crisp passing, transition offense, and a disciplined zone press. It was a true team effort, as every player scored and contributed with multiple rebounds. The turning point came from the intensity and defensive energy brought by Liam Forbes, Ben Rebello, and James Negri, whose relentless effort sparked the second-half run that propelled the Panthers to victory.
After the holiday break, the Panthers faced local rival Milford this past Sunday, a team Holliston memorably defeated last year in a playoff buzzer-beater. In a tightly contested defensive battle, Holliston led after three quarters but eventually fell 42-46. Despite the loss, the team’s defense and determination were unwavering. Ben Rebello hit two three-pointers on his way to 8 points, while Cam Baker led all scorers with 11 points. The Panthers will look to rebound next Sunday (January 12th) as they travel to Lincoln-Sudbury.
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