 |
MCNAMARA |
Globe South Sports Notebook
Steve Windwer does not keep track of statistics for his players. He does not have a set starting lineup. Over six years, however, the Milton resident has guided the Bay State Magic Elite AAU girls’ basketball team to five Division 1 state titles. With a roster featuring nine varsity players from the area, the Magic captured the Under-16 title this season and will travel to the D1 national tournament in Orlando in July.
“This team has become unlike most AAU teams, in that I don’t hold tryouts and I’ve retained a lot of the same kids over the years,’’ said Windwer, who led the squad to the New England Super Regional title in 2009 as 14-year-olds.
“Our kids and their parents have bought into our team-first attitude.’’
Because the AAU girls’ program tops out at the U-16 level, this is the last hurrah for the Magic. The team had a phenomenal 27-1 run in its six state tournament appearances.
“I put out an e-mail after the states and the reaction was ‘Let’s go to nationals for our last tournament,’ ’’ said Windwer, who played high school basketball on Long Island and attended Boston University.
“It’s bittersweet but definitely an exciting way to go out.’’
The roster includes Windwer’s daughter, Lexi (Thayer Academy), Samantha Curley and Katherine Krauss (both from Milton High), Erin Doherty (Marshfield High), Aidan Duquette of Plymouth (Archbishop Williams), Paige Marshall (Braintree High), Giovanna Pickering of Hull (Thayer Academy), Sara Ryan of Quincy (Archbishop Williams) and Courtney Yost of Halifax (Silver Lake).
Among the “veterans,’’ Windwer, Marshall, and Ryan have been Magic teammates since their U-10 days. Doherty joined the Magic as a U-11, Krauss as a U-12, and Yost and Curley as U-13’s.
Bob Duquette, who keeps the scorebook for the Magic, said his daughter’s skill level has improved since joining the team two years ago.
“They’re an unselfish group whose players pick one another up,’’ said Duquette, athletic director at Sacred Heart High of Kingston. “When I look at the book after a game, there are usually six or seven players in double figures or close to it. Opponents can’t key on one or two players.’’
Curley, who can play guard or the post, was a Bay State Conference all-star and is “a competitive and passionate athlete,’’ according to Windwer. Krauss, a lock-down defender who could not play with the Magic this year because of a knee injury, was described by Windwer as “the ultimate teammate who was on the bench for all of our five wins at the state tournament.’’ Doherty, a “dominant rebounder,’’ he said, has been an all-Patriot League player for two seasons.
Windwer said Duquette is a “superior athlete,’’ who has started at guard in high school since her freshman year. Marshall, a Bay State Conference all-star, is a “coach on the court and a pass-first point guard,’’ he said. Windwer described Pickering as a “great defender’’ who led Thayer in scoring.
“It’s been awesome to see how far everyone’s come since we were running around the court as 10-year olds,’’ said Marshall. “We’re best friends no matter where we go to high school. I loved playing with them and I’ll definitely miss them. And coach is one of the best I’ve played for.’’
Windwer said Ryan, a two-time Catholic Central League all-star, has been “an electrifying player,’’ and his daughter, Lexi, an Independent School League all-star, is “always in the right place at the right time and a big 3-point threat.’’
Yost, a 1,000-point scorer and three-time All-Patriot League selection for 2010-11 league champ Silver Lake, sank the deciding basket in this year’s AAU state championship game, a 2-point win.
“She can beat you with a drive, a three, or a post move,’’ said Windwer. This time, Yost did it with a 12-foot jumper from the left side on a bang-bang inbound play.
“Coach called a timeout with two seconds left and it was a play we practice a lot,’’ recalled Yost. “It was pretty much a catch-and-shoot and since we didn’t win the state championship last year we wanted this one, so it was pretty awesome to hit that shot.’’
Keady running wild for Bentley squad Bentley University freshman centerfielder Sean Keady (Norwood High), who shattered the school record with 34 stolen bases (in 37 attempts), was selected to the Northeast-10 Conference All-Rookie Team. The team’s leadoff hitter, Keady had a .280 batting average, the second-highest on the team. He led the Falcons in runs (39) and his 47 hits included eight bunt singles.
Wheaton pair earn Pilgrim League honors Senior Ben Cederberg of Duxbury and junior Billy McNamara of Mansfield, two of the most prolific scorers in program history at Wheaton College, received Pilgrim League All-Conference men’s lacrosse first-team honors for the second consecutive season.
With 43 goals and 52 points, Cederberg led the league in goals per game. He had a career-best seven goals and tied his career high with eight points in a win over Massachusetts Maritime Academy. He also hit the 200-point mark for his career. McNamara, who scored 22 goals and added 40 assists (second most in school history), led the league in assists. He had at least one point in every game, including career highs of six goals and nine points in a victory at Husson University. He led the Lyons in points, assists, and shot percentage (.458).
Marvin Pave can be reached at marvin.pave@rcn.com. 
© Copyright 2011 Globe Newspaper Company.
