Old Colony girls basketball is once again leaning on its youth.
Three players. That’s all Old Colony varsity girls basketball has leftover from its 2018-19 team: Savanna Halle, Isabel Souza, and senior captain Kat Kirby. Lauren McGowan, Hannah L’Heureux, Lauren Patnaude, and Mackenzie Vieiraare all gone, leaving Old Colony coach Craig Lincoln to look to players from last year’s junior varsity team, as well as freshmen, to help carry the load.
“We’ve always been young and small. No different this year,” he said. “We’re taking our early-season growing pains.”
But Lincoln still has his captain, Kirby, who he can lean on. From the start, the senior has helped show Old Colony’s younger players how to approach things the right way.
“She’s made the transition from a great volleyball season,” Lincoln said. “Like Savanna, she was at all the pre-season conditioning workouts and all that stuff and doing what she needs to do to lead the new group.”
In the early going, Lincoln has turned to three freshmen. Hailey Hathawayand Olivia Perryare starting guards for the Cougars, while Allison Bumpusis making contributions off the bench.
Through the first three games of the year, Hathaway has caught Old Colony’s opposition off guard. She leads the Cougars in scoring, averaging 17.3 points per game, while Halle is second (9.7), Kirby is third (7.3) and Souza is fourth (4.0).
But all three freshmen still have plenty to learn. Luckily for the trio, Lincoln is used to working with freshmen at the varsity level.
“As a coach, it’s about being patient and letting them understand how we run things within the program, and what’s expected at the high school level. How it’s a little different than playing youth basketball and AAU even is different from what we do,” Lincoln said. “So, getting them systematically ready for our program and letting them understand how we’re going to run things and how every day works. And it’s difficult sometimes because they’re used to doing things a certain way and we’re trying to break them into the Old Colony way.”
And Lincoln has no doubt his new additions to the varsity squad, which also include Katherine Ashleyand Dakota Richard, will grow and understand the system, based on what he has seen to this point in the year.
“I’m pleased with where we’re at so far in the season,” Lincoln said. “We’re just going to keep working. As long as they keep showing up with an open mind and great effort every day, we’ll be where I want by the end of the season.”
Tabor Academy
Tabor Academy’s girls hockey took care of business at this year’s Taft tournament, surrendering only two goals in their four wins. Both goals came in the 6-2 win over the Taft school. The Seawolves also knocked off Phillips Andover academy 3-0, Coate Rosemary Hall 4-0 and Kent 2-0 in the final game of the tournament.
Tabor remains undefeated at 8-0. They are off until January 11 when they host Williston Northhampton at Travis Roy Rink.
Old Rochester Regional
Old Rochester Regional boys hockey dropped another tough game in their match-up against Bishop Stang. The Bulldogs, who co-op with Fairhaven, lost 6-0.
High School Sports Update
By Nick Friar