English looks to defend NEC title

The English High girls basketball team won?t be flying under anyone?s radar this season, but that?s what happens when you put together back-to-back 21-3 seasons and win the Northeastern Conference North title twice in a row.The Bulldogs return minus Shannon Calnan and Dolores Latimer, but most of the rest of the cast is back for another year. The fearsome foursome of seniors Diondra Woumn, Catherine Stinson, Deidra Newson and Makayla Everette gives coach Fred Hogan a nice launch pad for what he?s hoping will be a big season.Woumn, a guard, has already committed to play at Franklin Pierce University. Stinson and Newson, also guards, are still working on their college plans, as is forward Everette, but all three plan to play in college, Hogan said.?This team has the potential to be one of the best we?ve had in my nine years,” Hogan said.Hogan, however, is quick to note that potential doesn?t win games.?Potential is a crazy word. Last year, we walked into Revere and lost our opening game. This year we?re going one step at a time. Right now I?m worried about Salem,” he said.The four senior captains got thrown into the fire early. They all saw significant time as freshmen, a move Hogan hoped would pay off in the future. The future arrived early.Hogan said what makes them so tough is that they (Woumn, Newson and Stinson) are all tall guards. They (including Everette) are all 5-8 or 5-9 and they all can do multiple things, Hogan said.?Diondra can go from being a point guard to a forward. So can Newson. They all rebound well. That makes them special,” he said.The talent doesn?t stop at those four. Hogan is looking for 6-2 sophomore forward Regina Ngaleu and Brianna Goulet, who is coming back from an ACL injury, to give the Bulldogs a lift at forward. Senior guard Kiana Cedeno, junior guard Sam Holey and junior Narrobis Rodriguez provide even more depth at guard.The Bulldogs will also have a new face in the lineup. Divanya Robinson grew up in Lynn, but played at Lawrence High last year, where she started at guard. Hogan is looking for her to contribute as well. Freshman Rachael Calnan will also be in the mix.Hogan said he had about 55 girls come out for the team. Rachel Bradley will be his assistant varsity coach (she coached junior varsity last year). James Anderson and Miranda Hogan will coach the junior varsity and Gabby Stinson, a former player like Miranda Hogan, will coach the freshman team.Hogan is expecting the Northeastern Conference to be tough this year. English is in the North division with Classical, Peabody, Salem, Revere and Beverly. Hogan has some tough non-conference competition, including Newton North in the Spartan Classic, possibly St. Mary?s in the Lynn Boverini Tournament and Arlington Catholic.The Bulldogs will be scrimmaging Westford Academy, which made it to the Tsongas Center and lost to Central Catholic last year, in the Duchane Jamboree and earlier that same day.?We?re going for a third Northeastern Conference title in a row. That would give the girls (the seniors) three out of four years. We definitely have the program going the right way. I?m hoping we can keep it going that way,” Hogan said.