Archive for February, 2010
Tigers conquer the Rebels 59-44 to end tourney run
Feb 28th
From the WHSTheRebellion.com website:
Senior Liz Malone defends an Oliver Ames player.
Since day one, Walpole Rebels Girls Basketball has fought against adversity. After losing so many star seniors on the ‘09 team, the team had to rebuild and “reload” all year long, finding ways to maintain the winning status they have had for many years. Despite all of the challenges of the 2010 season, the Lady Rebels still managed to earn a tournament berth, and even defeat their first round opponents, Holliston. Unfortunately, after coming so far, the Rebels season finally came to an end last Thursday as the Oliver Ames Tigers defeated Walpole 59-44.
Although the rest of the game did not fare well for the Rebels, the first quarter was dominated by the Rebels as they put up 15 points to Oliver Ames’ 11. Making good passes and draining shots allowed the early domination. A three pointer to end the quarter gave the Rebels the momentum going into the second quarter, but it would not last.
Three straight Oliver Ames lay-ups started the second quarter, catapulting the Tigers from a four point deficit to a one point lead. A drive to the hoop by senior captain Brooke Waite and a jump shot by senior captain Molly Grimes got the Rebels back on board in the quarter. Two more OA lay-ups continued their run and put the score at 26-21 with 2 minutes left in the half. A three pointer by Grimes off a senior Liz Malone steal brought the deficit to two. However, the Tigers were able to put 3 more points on the board with a lay-up and a foul shot to put the score at 30-25 going into halftime.
The third quarter revealed a new sense of energy in the Tigers team as they came up putting lay-up after lay-up on the board. Two foul shots and a lay-up by OA’s Lauren Battista started the run for the Tigers. Despite drives by Waite and Grimes, OA’s lead stretched as good shot opportunities were presenting themselves for the Tigers. The quarter ended with the Tigers holding onto a comfortable, 42-32 lead.
A lay-up by senior Christine Carty and a three point play by Grimes halved the Tigers lead, but that quick run was as close as Walpole could get for the rest of the quarter. Halfway through the quarter OA was still up 47-39, with Battista making shot after shot. After several OA foul shots in the final minutes, the Tigers put an end to the Rebel season with the score at 59-44.
Despite such a discouraging loss for a hard-working Rebel team, the season was hard-fought, battling through injuries and the replacement of players. The 2010 Rebels can enjoy the legacy they left behind—no team should back down to the adversity a new season may present.
Read “Tigers conquer the Rebels 59-44 to end tourney run” on the whstherebellion.com website
#1 Amherst Wins 2nd NESCAC Title in 3 Years
Feb 28th
From the Topix.com website:
AMHERST, MA The top-seeded Amherst College women’s basketball team played host to No.
Read #1 Amherst Wins 2nd NESCAC Title in 3 Years on the Topix.com website
WYFC Online Registration opens March 1, 2010
Feb 27th
From the Walpole Youth Football & Cheerleading website:
ONLINE REGISTRATION FOR FALL 2010 WILL BE OPEN FROM MARCH 1, 2010 THROUGH APRIL 30, 2010
Football and Cheerleader registration for 2010 will be opening very soon in March. The WYFC is working hard to set up online registration for your convenience.
As we work on the online registration system, watch your mail for registration reminder postcards sent to returning players and cheerleaders. We’ll also be notifying all of Walpole by placing an ad in the Walpole Times.
Read “WYFC Online Registration opens March 1, 2010″ on the WYFC website
Girls Hockey Begins Playoffs with Victory
Feb 26th
From the WHSTheRebellion.com website:
Walpole senior Captain takes a shot on the Dedham net.
The Walpole and Dedham teams faced each other at the Noble and Greenough’s Flood Rink on Wednesday February 25, 2010. The rink was packed and with the cheers from the crowd, this playoff game truly felt like a professional sporting event.
The Walpole girls’ offense was extremely powerful in the game; however, Dedham’s defense was also an immovable force. Out of 32 shots on goal, Marauder senior captain goalie Sarah Mosca only let three pucks into the goal. The Marauders had 16 shots on goal and freshman goalie Bethany Welch let in two goals. The game ended with a score of 3-2 and with the Rebels advancing on to the quarter finals at Fontbonne Academy.
The game had no clear favorite. In the season opener the Rebels lost to the Marauders 3-1, but the two teams tied 2-2 the next time they played at Iorio Arena. The Rebels just seemed to keep getting better and better, and they ended their third, and final, game against Dedham with a victory.
The first half of the first period remained 0-0, but the Marauders broke that score 8:30 into the game. Senior Captain Kelly Celata knocked the puck into the net, bringing the score to 1-0 and putting the Rebels behind.
The lead remained intact until 2:57 into the second period. Sophomore Cori Donahue won a faceoff in the right circle and made a shot on net, but Mosca saved Donahue’s attempted goal. Fortunately for the Rebels senior Captain Kellie Duffy got a hold of the puck and get it past Mosca, scoring the first of three goals for the Rebels. This score would hold up for the rest of the period, as spectacular goalie play shut down both offenses.
The third period proved to be the most exciting. With 5:17 left in the game the Rebels added to their lead when Duffy, assisted by junior Lauren Whitmore, scored yet another goal when she put the puck right over Mosca’s shoulder. However, the Marauders did not give up. When Whitmore was put in the penalty box for tripping, the Dedham girls took advantage of having more players on the ice. With 3:34 left junior Meaghan Dwan successfully got the puck into Walpole’s net assisted by Celata and junior Samantha Parr.
With two minutes left in the third quarter, Walpole senior Kristen Morrissey was sent to the penalty box for checking, giving the Mauraders a power play opportunity. The Marauders were unable to take advantage of this, being held scoreless on the power play and Walpole skated away with a 3-2 victory.
After the game, Rebel coach Joe Verderber commented on the Rebel’s victory. He said, “We did what we had to do. It was a tight game and we did just enough to get it done.” The Rebels hope to add another victory when they play Fontbonne Academy, a very competitive team.
Read “Girls Hockey Begins Playoffs with Victory” on the whstherebellion.com website
Team Dinners – Varisity
Feb 25th
Team Dinners – Varisity
From the WalpoleLacrosse.vnsports.com website:
Read “Team Dinners – Varisity” on the Walpole Lacrosse website
Whitmore leads Rebel hockey past Dedham, 3-2
Feb 25th
Read the entire article on the Wicked Local Walpole website:
When the Walpole and Dedham High School girls’ hockey teams squared off in front of a packed house at Nobles Rink Wednesday night, it was a case of the proverbial irresistible force confronting the immovable object.
The immovable object in this case was Dedham goalie and senior Captain Sarah Mosca, who has had Walpole’s number so many times before.
The irresistible force was the highest scoring line in the Bay State League, of center Stephanie Frye and wings Kellie Duffy and Kelsey Cosby, helping the visitors outshoot the Marauders 32-16.
The teams were equal enough heading in that one could not outright predict a favorite. They were each Bay State Herget co-champions with near identical records, and the two times they met the games were toss-ups with the Marauders winning the season opener at home, 3-1 and the Rebels coming back to tie 2-2 at the Iorio Arena.
Each team had a major advantage coming into the tourney opener; Dedham had home ice advantage at Nobles where they had never lost to a Walpole team, but Walpole was the hottest …
Rebel hoopsters open tourney with 69-54 win
Feb 25th
Read the entire article on the Wicked Local Walpole website:
Less than a week after they barely escaped Walpole High School with their 19-1 record, the Oliver Ames basketball girls were back in full force at the home of Rebels Tuesday night, sitting squarely across the court from the home bench.
What they saw had to have them talking all the way back to North Easton as the team that lost to them just 61-60 in the championship game of the Rebel Hoop Classic rolled past visiting Holliston 69-54 in a preliminary round game to decide which team would get to visit Oliver Ames Thursday.
Not only did the Rebels score a season-high total in the win, but if it came against OA, which Walpole visits at 7:00 Thursday night, it would have been the highest total of the year against the second-seeded Hockomock League champions.
The Rebels raced to leads of 14-7 and 28-16 after the first two quarters, thanks to extremely balanced scoring.
It seemed every time the Panthers shut someone …
Ron Black leaving quite a baseball legacy in Walpole
Feb 25th
Read the entire article on the Wicked Local Walpole website:
People who believe that one must be hard-nosed, bullhorn voiced and obstinate by nature to be a successful coach obviously never met Walpole’s Ron Black.
Black, the winningest coach in the history of Walpole Little League, got into coaching a few years after mustering out of the United States Marines, but he never acted the part of a drill seargent with any of the kids he coached.
Black was soft-spoken on the field and in the dugout, and was more interested in his charges knowing the fundamentals of the game rather than the score of the game. He also was just as apt to praise an opposing player as his own, which he did with regularity by nature.
Whenever he spoke on the field it wasn’t his voice that carried but the message it delivered.
Black coached the game – and the WLL Orioles for 37 years – the way he felt it should be played, and that’s the main reason …
Walpole High AD needs spring forms by March 15
Feb 23rd
Read the entire article on the Wicked Local Walpole website:
Walpole High Athletic Director Bill Tompkins wishes to remind all candidates for spring sports that all their paperwork for the spring must be in order and turned in by the first day of practice, which this year falls on Monday, March 15.
In order to participate in practices, athletes must have a signed, three-part permission form, and an updated medical clearance, or physical, form turned in by March 15. No one will be allowed to practice until these forms are turned in.
Physical forms dated on or after Feb. 16, 2009, are good for the whole upcoming spring season for candidates for any spring sports. All physical and permission forms may be obtained from either the varsity coach or the athletics office, and must be turned in to AD Bill Tompkins before the first day of practice for any sport. Those with any further questions may call the Athletic Department office at 508-660-7257, x2).
Listings of all times and locations of 2010 spring sports tryouts at Walpole High will be appearing shortly in the Walpole Times print and online editions.
<a href="http://www.wickedlocal.com/walpole/sports/high_school/x1650250352/Walpole-High-AD-needs-spring-forms-by-March-15" …
Rebels Clinch Tournament Birth in Impressive Win Over Norwood
Feb 23rd
From the WHSTheRebellion.com website:
The Rebels Girls Basketball Team has faced an unbelievable amount of adversity this season. Coming into the season, very few considered the inexperienced, unproven Rebels as contenders. Head Coach, Stacy Bilodeau, has done an incredible job of keeping this young team focused throughout the season. The Rebels have showcased the incredible backbone of the Rebel program all season. Even when the injury bug has bitten the Rebels, they have simply plugged a reserve into the starting lineup, without skipping a beat. When senior point gaurd Liz Malone went down with an injury, Freshman Bridget Nicholsen stepped into the starting lineup and proved herself to be a future star. The Rebels were able to do this all season due to the incredible preparation by Bilodeau and the rest of the Rebels coaching staff.
The Rebels rollercoaster ride of a season, brought them to a 8-8 record, leaving them an outside candidate for clinching a spot in the tournament. The playoff scenario for Walpole, one more loss, and they would be virtually eliminated from playoff contention. The Rebels thrived under this intense pressure on senior night at the high school in an impressive 63-38 victory over the Milton Wildcats. The charge against Milton was lead by the Walpole veterans. Captain Molly Grimes delivered in this important game with 2o points. Seniors Liz Malone and Captain Brooke Waite both produced big nights against the Wildcats. Walpole turned many heads with this easy victory over Milton, but they still had their work cut out for them, as they faced Norwood, with a tournament bid on the line.
The Rebels would need to showcase the fortitude they have owned all season to be able to come out on top against Norwood. The pressure on the shoulders of the Rebels would be nearly unsurrmountable for many teams in the Bay State league, but the Rebels have been known to have some of the strongest shoulders in the state. Behind strong performances from Waite and Senior Christi Villa, the Rebels came out on top by a score of 59-47. This exciting victory clinched the Rebels the tournament spot that tried so hard to avoid them all season. The Rebs proved that their incredible fortitude can overcome anything, even what seems like destiny. The Rebels look forward to continue their Cinderella story deep into the tournament, a spot where they have become familiar with over the past decade.
Hoop, ice teams have potential to do tourney damage
Feb 22nd
Read the entire article on the Wicked Local Walpole website:
The MIAA tourney pairings came out this past weekend, with one Walpole team getting to start the postseason at home and the one not but probably should be.
The team getting to enjoy a home game to open the postseason is the girls’ basketball team, which only earned the honor after surprising Medfield in the opening round of the Rebel Hoop Classic, handing the Warriors just their third loss of the season.
The Rebels come in as the 15th seed, but they’ve been in this situation before, last year in fact.
After struggling to stay with Coach Stacy Bilodeau’s patented transition game and to overcome major height problems, last year’s squad came together at just the right time, its highlight of the season handing unbeaten league rival Wellesley its first loss of the season during the Division 2 South sectionals.
The Raiders have since moved up to Div. 1, but that doesn’t make the Rebels any less dangerous.
Since an embarrassing loss at Natick High in a game the Rebels should have won but stopped scoring in during the …
MIAA tourney pairings out
Feb 22nd
Read the entire article on the Wicked Local Walpole website:
For at least a couple of days, Walpole High sports fans don’t have far to go to follow its teams.
The basketball pairings came out this weekend, and thanks to the Rebels surprising Tri-Valley League champion Medfield, putting Walpole in the 15th seed with an 11-9 record, the locals get to enjoy a home game at Walpole High School. the Rebels will open their tourney run by hosting Holliston, the 18th seed with a 10-10 record, Tuesday night at 7:00.
If the Rebels move on, they get a second crack at second-seeded Oliver Ames in Easton Thursday inght at 7:00. A victory there would move the Rebels on to the home court of the winner of the Hopkinton and Silver Lake duel. If they get that far, the Rebels will play either in Hopkinton or Silver Lake Saturday afternoon at 1:00.
Meanwhile, the girls’ hockey team will open against league rival Dedham on the Marauder home ice at Nobles Rink in Dedham Wednesday night at 7:00. The winner of that game moves on to face second-seeded Fontbonne Academy in the quarterfinals, date and time TBA.
