THE SENIORS were honored before their win over Melrose on Friday night. Pictured from left to right is Mia Forti, Sydney Lombardi and Emma Shinney. (WMHS Athletics Photo)
By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — Wakefield’s girls’ basketball senior captains, Mia Forti and Emma Shinney have committed years of hard work and dedication to the team.
Although their final chapters have yet to be written, the captains got a chance to celebrate with teammates, family and friends during their 39-25 victory over rival Melrose on Friday night at the Charbonneau Field House.
“I can’t say enough about Emma and Mia,” said head coach Jason Pavey. “Great players but even better people. I told them all week that they’re leaving the program in a better place than they found it. The attitude, the commitment, the culture – they’ve been instrumental in setting a standard.”
Shinney and Forti were joined at half court before the game with senior team manager Sydney Lombardi, a three-year basketball player who had to step away from the court but has continued to be a big part of the team.
“We’re lucky Syd decided to stick around as a manager because she connects with the team and is a big part of the chemistry,” said Pavey. “All three will be missed for sure. I’m just glad we have more time with them this season.”
It’s no surprise to Pavey that every year they’ve been in the program, the Warriors have increased their win total.
Now, the seniors are leading a team that is currently 15-2 and ranked 4th in Div. 2.
Their 14th win, and 5th in a row, started slow on senior night with Melrose leading 10-7 after one quarter before Wakefield took a slight 21-19 lead into the break.
The Warriors turned up their patented defensive intensity to shut out the visitors in the 3rd quarter and allow just 6 points in the 4th on their way to another convincing win.
“Sometimes with all the excitement around Senior Night, you can lose focus on the game,” said Pavey. “I think we weren’t totally locked in to start and it showed. We just seemed a step slow on our rotations. Lot of credit to the team though, we called some timeouts to regroup and got some momentum going into halftime. Then that second half was more like the team I know. We pushed the ball and our defensive intensity was back.”
Shinney (5 pts, 4 reb, 8 ast, 5 stl) focused more on setting up her teammates as Melrose played a box-and-one on her for most of the game while Forti added 4 rebounds and added phenomenal defense once again, matched up against a tall and tough Melrose forward group.
The juniors stepped up offensively to get the win for their seniors as junior captain Emma Quinn led the way with 13 points and 2 steals while Savannah Cummings had 9 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 steals.
“Emma Quinn and Savannah Cummings were big reasons for the win,” said Pavey. “Emma’s been not only shooting great, but attacking the basket. Savannah is our 6th man and immediately comes in and anchors our defense. Both of them were great.”
Quinn had 10 points in the first half to keep the Warriors in the game. Known as a knock-down 3-point shooter, Quinn identified how her defenders were playing her and proved she’s just as comfortable getting to the rim as all of her first-half points came on drives and layups.
Trailing 15-11 in the 2nd, sophomore Brooklyn Calder (8 pts, 4 reb, 4 stl, 3 blk) drew her first of two charges to turn the tide and Quinn got to the hoop followed by a steal and two from Shinney to tie it. Later, after a Forti block, Shinney found Quinn in transition to tie it 19-19.
The Warriors pressured Melrose relentlessly in the 3rd, especially Shinney and sophomore Shea Suntken (4 pts, 2 reb) at the point of attack. Cummings had a great switch and a block early on and as the offense continued to figure out the box-and-one with both teams scoreless in the first four minutes, the Warriors finally broke out of it on an in-bounds pass in which Shinney found Quinn for a wide open 3 in front of the Red Sea for a 25-19 lead.
That play seemed to unlock the Warriors as Shinney had another great find to an open Cummings down low and followed with a runner in the lane at the buzzer to make it 29-19 after three.
Shinney continued to pick apart the Melrose defense to start the 4th, lofting another perfect pass to Cummings on the block who caught it and finished through a foul, knocking down the free throw for an and-one and a 32-19 lead.
All in all, from the mid-point of the 2nd quarter to the 4th, Wakefield went on a 19-0 run.
Shinney and Forti checked out late for a couple well-deserved curtain calls and the Warriors added another victory to their historic season.
Wakefield made it six in a row with a 60-38 win over Stoneham last night. They have three games left in the regular season to get ready for the Div. 2 state tournament. They host Acton-Boxborough (11-6, 31st in D1) tomorrow night at 6 p.m. and travel to Burlington (6-9, 33rd in D2) Friday night at 5:30 p.m.