Here is our preseason girls basketball primer for Division 2 North and South. Look for the preview in Thursday's editions of the Boston Herald.
PRESEASON SUPER SIX FOR DIVISION 2 NORTH
1. Watertown (21-4) – Shannon Murphy will be asked to shoulder much of the burden on both sides of the floor.
2. Belmont (14-10) – Marauders surprised some by getting to the North finals last year. It won't be that much of a shocker if they did it again.
3. Arlington Catholic (17-5) – Nice backcourt tandem of Erin Donlan and Alex Ball will win some games.
4. Swampscott (16-6) – Three all-league players are back for the Big Blue.
5. Triton (16-7) – Vikings looking for big things from Tessa LaFrance and Erin Savage.
6. Pentucket (16-6) – Always expect John McNamara to get the most out of whatever talent his team has.
PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH IN DIVISION 2 NORTH
C/F – Caroline Anderson (Wilmington); Jenny Call (Belmont); Julia Fitzgerald (Winchester); Tessa LaFrance (Triton); Hannah Leahy (Swampscott); Shannon Murphy (Watertown); Ella Parker (Swampscott); Cat Torpey (Melrose)
G – Alex Ball (Arlington Catholic); Samantha Blumsack (Winchester); Jaymie Caponigro (Swampscott); Carli Christofori (Belmont); Christina Costa (Weston); Alexis Doherty (Melrose); Erin Donlan (Arlington Catholic); Jacqueline Fibbe (Hamilton-Wenham); Erin Gallella (Tewksbury); Karenna Groff (Weston); Colleen Jameson (Pentucket); Hannah McMahon (Watertown); Krsyta Padellaro (Newburyport); Natalie Pettirossi (Weston); Erin Savage (Triton); Kelly Walsh (Hamilton-Wenham); Lindsay Walker (Marblehead); Nicole White (Danvers)
PRESEASON SUPER SIX FOR DIVISION 2 SOUTH
1. Westwood (22-3) – Lots of talent back from a team which got to the sectional semifinals.
2. Oliver Ames (21-4) – If the Tigers get any consistent guard play, they could be back on the parquet.
3. Foxboro (15-7) – Ashley Sampson had a terrific sophomore season and she's got plenty of help in the starting lineup.
4. Hingham (17-7) – Seems like Haley Blasetti has been there forever.
5. Norwood (15-7) – A double dose of Reens will give opposing coaches sleepless nights.
6. Walpole (9-11) – You don't want to play horse with sharp-shooting Kelly Fogarty.
PRESEASON PLAYERS TO WATCH IN DIVISION 2 SOUTH
C – Chloe Eressy (Dennis-Yarmouth); Gywn Tatton (Dighton-Rehoboth)
F – Nicole Callander (Duxbury); *Julia Canestrari (Hopkinton); *Lauren Casieri (Medfield); *Ivy Gogolin (Hopkinton); Shannon Joyce (Hingham); Abby Landry (Hingham); Taylor McVeigh (Whitman-Hanson); Niyera Mitchell (Oliver Ames); Emma Murphy (Canton); Kayla Raymond (Oliver Ames); Carly Sughrue (Westwood); Grace Tamulionis (Foxboro)
G – Ashley Ahearn (North Attleboro); Haley Blasetti (Hingham); Kristen Bortolotti (Foxboro); Lastarsha Bradham (West Roxbury); #Francesca Calabraro (Oliver Ames); Julia Campezato (Dighton-Rehoboth); *Riley Childs (Medway); Allison Cohen (Pembroke); Haley Connaughton (Westwood); Jenny DiCecco (Falmouth); *Grace Dzindolet (Holliston); Kelly Fogarty (Walpole); Fran Gonnella (Nauset); Joie Grassi (Plymouth North); Jordan Hunter-Coleman (O'Bryant); Bridget Lancaster (Walpole); *Darby Leid (Wayland); *Maggie McCarthy (Medfield); Reagan Meehan (Nauset); Allison Morin (Westwood); Sophie O'Brien (Whitman-Hanson); *Allie Petit (Medfield); *Mikayla Pucci (Hopkinton); Meghan Reen (Norwood); Kaylin Reen (Norwood); Ashley Sampson (Foxboro); Molly Silvestri (Sandwich); Lily Sykes (Foxboro)
