LYNNFIELD — Despite losing three senior starters to graduation, things are looking bright for the Lynnfield girls basketball team.
The Pioneers finished the 2024 regular season 9-11, earning the No. 30 seed in the Division 4 tournament, where they were narrowly eliminated in the preliminary round against No. 35 Groton-Dunstable (39-37 final).
Coach Sue Breen believes this year’s team has what it takes to be successful.
“This team has been with me for my four years and they are all great kids,” Breen said. “They’ve been such a big part of my time here. They showed up and they came back. Most of them are multi-sport athletes, so it’s awesome. They played all summer together, so they are always building. I think the kids are up for it.”
While there are no returning seniors, this year’s team includes a talented group of juniors, a list that begins with Cape Ann League First Team All-Star Hayden Valiton.
Valiton and fellow junior Maeve Wertz will serve as captains.
“Hayden and Maeve are great kids,” Breen said. “As juniors, they’ll have the opportunity to be great leaders. They’ve been in the program since the eighth grade when they played on the JV (junior varsity) team. Both of them started last year and they’ve really grown up. They’re just really all about the team.”
With 24 hopeful players showing up at tryouts, both captains believe the program is moving in a positive direction.
“We definitely have more kids this year than in the past two years,” Valiton said. “I think everyone this year is taking it a lot more seriously, so, hopefully, it will be a better season. We lost three seniors, but it’s relatively the same team.”
“I really think that we’re going to be good this year,” Wertz said. “We’re already a really close-knit team, so I think we will work together to make this a really good season and next year, too, with basically the same people coming back because we have no seniors this year.”
Both captains agree the Pioneers can exceed the accomplishments of the 2024 team, one that struggled offensively at times and was plagued by turnovers.
Other returning juniors include Faith Angelo, Jordan Calichman, and Hannah Doherty.
The returning sophomore group begins with Chloe Grieves, a CAL Second Team All-Star last year as a freshman. Olivia Braley, Calleigh Caprio, and Vanessa Champy, who all saw quality minutes last year, also return.
“They got a lot of time last year, especially Olivia and Calleigh,” Breen said. “With Faith, Jordan, and Vanessa also, you just hope that they will become big parts of this team because there are minutes and more opportunities for all of them. Hopefully, they are a year older and know that they belong here and can contribute. They should be more confident, too.”
A promising newcomer is junior Chloe Bergeron, who transferred from St. Mary’s.
“She was with us in the eighth grade and it’s awesome to have her back,” Breen said. “We know her well and she’s a great addition.”
Wertz believes the team’s athleticism is its primary strength.
“We’re really athletic and are fast,” she said. “I think we can use that effectively, especially on defense to stay ahead of the other team.”
The Pioneers tune up for the regular season with scrimmages against Swampscott Dec. 9 (4 p.m.) and Tewksbury Dec. 10 (4 p.m.). Both games are at home.
They open the regular season with a Cape Ann League tilt against Newburyport Dec. 12. That one is slated for 5:30 p.m. in Lynnfield.
“They’re one of the best teams in the league, so it will be a challenge,” Valiton said of the Clippers.
Wertz expects North Reading and Pentucket will also be tough. Breen agreed.
“It’s tough because we play those teams right off the bat and Triton is also always strong,” Breen said. “There are just no days off in the Cape Ann League. You see with Ipswich now — playing as an independent like Rockport did a few years ago — there are no easy games anymore.”
Non-league games include Waltham at home and a home-and-away series against Wakefield.
“Already, we have a really tough league schedule with two games each against Newburyport, Pentucket, North Reading, and Triton,” Breen said. “With Waltham and Wakefield, our power ranking should be pretty good.”
