Girls basketball: English defeats Beverly

Getting to the top is one thing, staying there is another.The English girls basketball team accomplished the first part by finishing 16-0 in the Northeastern Conference last year. Now the Bulldogs have the equally difficult task of getting back there. They took the first step Tuesday with a 51-33 win over Beverly at Beverly.”Our defense was outstanding tonight,” English coach Fred Hogan said. “That’s what we’ll need to get us over the top this year.”Jenicia Duggins led the effort with 20 points (7 rebounds, 5 assists). Miranda Hogan nailed four threes and finished with 13 points (4 steals). LaShaunda Hogan had four points, as did Taylor Newhall, in her first start. English’s Kayla Murkison is sidelined with a knee injury, but is expected back on Friday. Jen Ashton led Beverly with six points.St. Mary’s 62, Matignon 28At Matignon, the Spartans took a 16-4 lead in the first quarter and a 32-11 lead at the half. Bria Tiro led the pack with 14 points (6 assists), followed by Tori Faieta (13 points, 15 rebounds); Cassi Amenta (12 points, 9 rebounds) and Ann Marie Idusuyi (7 points, 13 rebounds, 5 blocks). Kirsten Ferrari (6 points, 9 assists) also played well.”We have high expectations, but there were some first-game jitters. We have some new kids in the lineup,” coach Jeff Newhall said. “We have some things to shore up, but all the mistakes are correctable.”Peabody 59, Classical 31At Classical, the Tanners (1-0) got a lift from Brandeis-bound Janelle Rodriguez, who had 13 points, six rebounds and six steals. Julia Kayal (9 points) also helped the cause.Classical trailed 26-4 at one point, but closed the gap to 12 points in the fourth quarter before the Tanners put the game away. Diamond Doe had 11 points and Hannah Byrne, eight points, for Classical (0-1). Dora Milila had 10 rebounds.Whittier 56, Tech 35At Tech, senior Fanice Jean-Baptiste and junior Jenna Kulakowski each contributed nine points and did a nice job on the boards, with Jean-Baptiste pulling down 17 rebounds and Kulakowski, 12. Whittier led 27-17 at the half. Tech is 0-1.Gloucester 48, Swampscott 35At Swampscott, the Fishermen led 19-15 at the half. Heather Cain and Oilvia Lufkin each had 14 points and Hannah Cain was good for 11.Revere 53, Salem 34At Revere, the Patriots are off and running under new coach Diana DeCristoforo, a 1,000 career-point-scorer when she played at Revere High (she graduated in 1999). DeCristoforo, who teaches English at Revere High, took over for Pam Call-MacDonald.The Patriots had plenty of firepower from junior guard Marisa Parent (19 points) and freshman Gena Restiano (12 points).Ipswich 56, Lynnfield 24At Lynnfield, the Pioneers couldn’t contain Ipswich’s Hannah O’Flynn, who scored 22 points to go with 25 in her first game. Jamie Harris had nine points for Lynnfield and Sarah Goldstein, five points and 10 rebounds.Danvers 64, Saugus 30At Danvers, the Falcons’ Kellie Macdonald scored 28 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and blocked four shots. Freshman guard Kasey Sherry, younger sister of former Danvers High sharpshooter Danielle Sherry, had 11 points (three threes).Jill Kotowski led Saugus with eight points.Winthrop 35, Marblehead 30At Winthrop, Marblehead’s Bridget Forbes had a career-high 19 points, going 8-for-11 from the free-throw line. Winthrop’s Johnna Fisher had a game-high 20 points.