Medway Girls Quintet Achieves Goal — Tourney Date on Tap

The girls’ basketball team at Medway High is athletic, possesses a high hoop IQ, and relies on a strong work ethic and a variety of skills.
Although coach Joe Iannone’s Mustangs are young and still in need of more experience in big-game situations, Medway once again has qualified for a berth in the sectional tourney. Their playoff date was achieved in spite of losing all-star guard Sarah DiPillo, a 1,000-point scorer, and center Devin McCarthy to graduation.
Medway’s present, and its future, are very bright because there are only two seniors and two juniors on the 13-player roster. The Mustangs were 11-6 at Local Town Pages deadline.
“Our goals at the start of the season were to qualify for the tourney, improve daily and be better at the end of the season than we were at the start,’’ said Iannone, who’s guided the Mustangs to six tourney appearances in his eight years at the helm. “We rely on athleticism, an ability to learn quickly, leadership, a strong work ethic and diversity in our skills. We have girls who can shoot threes, run the floor and play defense.’’
Medway’s senior captains — forwards Kelly Sheehan and Kaelyn Beach — are a good starting point when the focus turns to leadership.
“Kelly has exceeded my expectations as a leader,’’ Iannone said. “She leads by example in games and practice. She also provides constructive feedback to her teammates. An all-around player, she averages seven points a game, can shoot threes, scores in a set offense and is consistent, especially in transition.’’
Beach, who has yet to play a game because of a leg injury suffered during soccer season, remains a valuable asset in Medway’s arsenal. “Kaelyn’s role is as a liaison between coaches and the players,’’ Iannone said. “She’s a leader in practice and on the bench. If healthy, she would be one of our top three scorers. She’s athletic, strong on the boards and quick to the ball. We’re still not sure if she’ll play this season.’’
Riley Childs, a 5-10 junior who can play any position, is a high-profile competitor, currently leading the Mustangs in scoring (15.1 average) and rebounding (10 per game). “Riley can slash to the hoop, shoot threes or post-up,’’ Iannone said. “On defense, she’s averaging three steals a game. Her quick hands also lead to lots of deflections. She’s also very effective in transition.’’
Three other key players are sophomores Samantha Murray (5-9 forward-center) and point guard Rachel Costello, and junior guard Meg Downing.
“Samantha is a good athlete who runs the floor well and can shoot a mid-range jumper,’’ Iannone said. “She’s averaging 10 points and is our No. 2 rebounder with seven a game. She’s got a lot of potential. Rachel is very unsung. Strong on defense, she guards our opponents’ top backcourt player. On offense, I’d like her to shoot more. She’s protects the ball effectively and she’s improving as a distributor. Meg is feisty, competitive and energetic. A sparkplug on defense, she just provides us with lot of energy.’’
Mary Kate Gould, a 5-11 freshman center, has been a plus off the bench, giving Medway another quality rebounder with low-post moves. “Mary Kate is a high-potential player who gives us a lot of help in the frontcourt,’’ Iannone noted.
A pair of sophomores and freshmen are developing quickly and enabling Iannone to mix and match, depending on game situations and the strengths and weaknesses of Medway’s opposition. The players include sophs Mary Monaghan and Nikki Sheehan and freshmen Julia Dowling and Lizzy White.
“They’re young, but they all can shoot, they’re learning, and they have different skill sets,’’ Iannone said. “They also give us depth. Mary and Lizzy are solid rebounders, Nikki is an adept ball-handler, and Julia is a quality defender.’’
Two players Iannone rates high on potential are 5-foot-11 sophomore center Katie Guilmartin and freshman point guard Brenna Lorenzen. “My goals this year for Katie and Brenna are to practice with varisty-caliber players and improve daily,’’ Iannone said. “Katie is a high-potential competitor and Brenna plays well when she gets an opportunity to play.’’
Iannone’s philosophy of coaching is to compete hard, strive for victory, reach one’s potential and have fun. He also stresses how life lessons can be learned from athletics. That attribute shined bright and clear on Jan. 27 when Medway hosted Ashland. The team received an award from the Mass. Interscholastic Athletic Association for its work and effort given to the Best Buddies Program, which helps youths who are developmentally challenged.
“It was a great night for the youths and for our players,’’ Iannone said. “The girls’ effort and assistance with that program is very rewarding.’’
The girls’ basketball team at Medway High is quite impressive — on and off the court.