By Bill Gilman
Hometown Weekly Editor
LOWELL – It’s a dynasty.
Medfield High made history Friday night, becoming the first Division 2 girls basketball team to win three consecutive state championships with a 72-38 romp over St. Mary’s of Lynn, at the Tsongas Center.
Sophomore Abby Broderick poured in a game high 25 points and pulled down seven rebounds to lead the Warriors. Junior Naya Annigeri added 17 points, including three 3-pointers, to go along with five steals, five rebounds, four assists and a blocked shot.
The victory gave Medfield its fifth, overall, state title and put a thunderous exclamation point on a dominant 24-0 season. The Warriors won each game by double digits with an average margin over victory of more than 36 points. Medfield’s most competitive game (66-55) came against Division 1 state finalist Wachusett Regional.
“It’s pretty great. This is a special group of talented basketball players. They work really hard,” said Medfield Head Coach Mark Nickerson. “I’m very lucky to coach them. They make me look pretty good.”
St. Mary’s (23-4), the No. 3 seed, was playing its first season in Division 2, after having won Division 3 state titles in three of the last four seasons. But any hope the Spartans might be able to provide Medfield with a test in the D2 title game were dashed in the first 16 minutes of play. After a sluggish start, Medfield built a 30-16 halftime lead, then used an 11-2 run in the third quarter to go up 41-20.
The Warriors’ defense, their calling card all season, was relentless and brutally efficient, forcing 22 St. Mary’s turnovers. The tone was set on St. Mary’s opening possession, with Medfield forcing a shot-clock violation.
Medfield played a tight man-to-man defense much of the game, but blended in some halfcourt traps, full court pressure and even the occasional 2-3 zone. The Spartans, often looking rattled and confused, managed just four points in the first quarter and were never able to mount a challenge.
“Coming out of halftime, I said our defense did a really nice job, slowing down a good offensive team,” said Nickerson. “(I said) ‘Our offense hasn’t really been clicking yet, but let’s make sure our defense is just as good in the second half. We’ll get our offense going and we’ll be just fine.’ And that’s what happened.”
Senior Tess Baacke, playing her final game in a Medfield uniform, scored 12 of her 17 points in the second half, including a trio of three-pointers, as the Warriors turned the game into a blowout. The only senior in the starting lineup, Baacke has played a key role in building the Warriors’ dynasty.
“She’s a great player, an unbelievable defender, a good shooter, obviously. She does all the stuff that nobody really notices,” said Nickerson. “She’s really the heart and soul of the team and I think everyone else follows her lead.”
For her part, Baacke said she tried to stay in the moment and not get distracted by the historic nature of the game or her career at Medfield, which has posted a 94-6 record in her four seasons.
“Obviously, I was thinking about all of the ‘lasts’ but I was just trying, as hard as I could, to focus on the game,” said Baacke, who also had seven rebounds, four steals and a blocked shot. “This team is one of the best teams I’ve ever played for. They’re truly my best friends.”
Janae Holmes had 10 points and Sky Watson added seven to lead St. Mary’s, which was able to match Medfield’s defensive intensity in the first half. But the Spartans had no answer for Broderick, who had 15 points in the first half, including 11 in the second quarter.
“She’s so good, she’s just so good,” said Nickerson. “She scores in so many different ways. You leave her alone, she makes shots. She goes to the rim and finishes. She’s an amazing player.”
It remains to be seen if Nickerson will be around to watch Broderick
and the other Medfield underclassmen try to make it four straight state titles. Rumors have circulated for months that the coach was planning to retire. After Friday night’s win, he declined to commit one way or the other.
“It don’t know. I’m going to enjoy this one, spend some time and think about it, then go from there,” said Nickerson.
