'This is the way we’re supposed to play': Wachusett overcomes tall task, rolls past Weymouth to reach D1 semifinals

HOLDEN — The Wachusett Regional girls’ basketball team put a lot of work into preparing for its Division 1 state tournament quarterfinal opponent, Weymouth, and neutralizing the Wildcats’ strengths, namely their talented frontcourt of 6-foot-1 Meghan Doyle and 6-4 Callie Flynn.

Doyle and Flynn combined for 41 points and 31 rebounds in Weymouth’s round of 16 win over Needham.

Wachusett coach Jim Oxford tasked senior Hannah Best with fronting Doyle in the post and senior Liz Cain with doing the same to Flynn and keeping her off the offensive glass, while bringing backside defensive help. The Mountaineers executed exceptionally and, in the first half, held Doyle to four points and Flynn to three while building a 24-point lead.

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“We were right on point,” Oxford said.

Four Wachusett starters scored in double figures and the No. 2 seed Mountaineers moved another step closer to their ultimate goal with a 67-44 victory over No. 7 Weymouth.

“We did what we were supposed to do,” Oxford said, “and this is what happens when we do what we’re supposed to do – we do well.”

For the third straight year, the Mountaineers raised the MIAA Division 1 Final Four trophy.

“It’s an awesome feeling,” said senior Mary Gibbons, who scored a team-high 19 points and sank four 3-pointers. “I can’t stop smiling. I’m so proud of the dedication everyone on this team has put in to get to this point. I’m so happy for everyone on this team and so grateful we get to go to the semifinals, but we’re not done yet.”

Wachusett (23-0) will face the winner of Saturday’s game between Springfield Central and Central Catholic in a semifinal next week. The day, time and location are to be announced.

Weymouth ended its season 18-5.

Wachusett sophomore Jae Scott added 16 points, Cain 12 and Best 10. Scott was sensational at both ends and had 10 steals, which created numerous breakaway opportunities, and 6 rebounds. Scott also did an excellent job defending Weymouth’s inbound plays.

“She’s a problem defensively,” Oxford said. “She creates so much stuff out at the top. If she gets her hand on the ball, she’s in for a layup.

“Mary hit 3s, Hannah and Liz did a great job and (senior) Rileigh (Leary) dug in defensively,” Oxford said, praising his starting five. “This is the way we’re supposed to play. (Weymouth) is a very, very good basketball team.”

Doyle finished with 22 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, and Flynn with 10.

“We knew they definitely had a size advantage,” said the 5-11 Best, “but we faced big kids before, like in the Bishop Fenwick game, and we knew if we get low, the low girl wins on the box outs.”

The Mountaineers led, 20-10, after one quarter. Best, with a putback, Gibbons with a 3, and Scott with a steal and layup, combined to score the first seven points of the second quarter.

Later in the second, Wachusett put together a 6-0 spurt, highlighted by another steal and layup from Scott and Gibbons’ rebound, which she took for an end-to-end layup.

Gibbons buried back-to-back 3s to conclude Wachusett’s first-half scoring and the Mountaineers led, 40-16, at the break.

The Wildcats pressed, trapped and doubled Wachusett to open the second half and limited the Mountaineers to just eight points in the third quarter. Wachusett, though, held Weymouth to one field goal in the quarter. Doyle made 6 of 6 free throws.

Wachusett maintained a 22-point lead heading to the fourth. Cain scored an early basket underneath off a nice feed from Leary, and Scott tossed in a layup off a perfect Leary inbound pass.

The Mountaineers led by as many as 30 following a Gibbons 3 with 3:05 left.

Wachusett, which is seeking the program’s first state championship, fell to Andover in last year’s semifinals and to Springfield Central in the 2022 semis. In their careers, Wachusett's seniors went 43-0 at home, including nine state tournament wins.

“We are so excited to be going back to the semifinals,” Cain said. “For us seven seniors it’s our last go around, and everyone on the team just wants that state championship. We’re going to work really hard to try to get it.”

—Contact Jennifer Toland at jennifer.toland@telegram.com. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, @JenTolandTG.

This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Undefeated Wachusett overcomes tall task, rolls into Division 1 semifinals