Her first season coaching the varsity girls’ basketball team at Walpole High, a squad she once captained to a state title, was a difficult one.

Following a Division 2 state title in 2002, the Rebels fell to 6-14 in Bilodeau’s first season as head coach. It was an unsettling fall from grace for a historically strong basketball program.

The following season, however, Bilodeau directed Walpole to another state title, the sixth in program history.

Fast-forward nearly a decade, and there’s a very similar situation unfolding. The Rebels’ 6-12 finish of a year ago has been all but forgotten with a 10-1 start this season.

“We’ve been very blessed with athletes that can take us deep in the tourney and teams that have done very well,’’ said Bilodeau. “To end that run, these kids know what our teams do each year. Hopefully that left a sour taste in our mouths, and we’re back to do some damage this year.’’

Since a season-opening 62-49 loss to Braintree (now 11-0), Walpole has ripped off 10 straight wins, including a 53-34 conquest over visiting Needham on Tuesday night.

The Rebels have received quite a boost with the addition of 6-foot freshman center/forward Summer King, who has been a contributor since Day 1.

“King has been unbelievable,’’ said Bilodeau. “She’s not playing like a freshman. She’s been our go-to scorer when we need points or rebounds. She plays defensively, runs the floor, she’s an amazing kid. She’s been kind of that missing link that we’ve needed underneath.’’

King has teamed with senior 6-footer Shannon Cullen to give the Rebels a pair of tall, physical players in the paint. A year ago, as the team’s lone presence inside, Cullen was often double-teamed.

Having Cullen alongside has also helped to ease King’s transition to the varsity game.

“It’s amazing,’’ said King. “We both get to try the high post, ducking it and the low post. It’s so much fun getting to be with someone who’s just like me.’’

With defenses trying to cope with Cullen and King in the post, senior Adrianna Frattasio and the other guards have thrived.

In one play against Needham, Frattasio penetrated just inside the paint before dishing a feed to a wide-open King on the baseline. With defensive pressure approaching, King chose to go to her shot rather than relying on her size and strength for a layup. She pulled up and rimmed in two of her team-high 17 points.

“Summer has been huge for us. I love it. I love having [Shannon and Summer],’’ said Frattasio. “It changes the game so much because, as a program, we’ve never really had two 6-feet posts. It puts less pressure on the guards.’’

Frattasio and junior Bridget Nichoson have alternated time at the point, giving foes different looks.

“They’re doing a great job,’’ said Bilodeau. “[Point guard] is not their prime position, but they’ve been doing a nice job with it.’’

At the defensive end, King, Nicholson, and junior guard Lauren Bodin have been stellar.

King is averaging nearly 10 rebounds per game, Nicholson is responsible for guarding the opposing team’s best scorer, and Bodin absorbs a charge or two per game.

With a deeper, more experienced roster and a strong desire to make amends from last year, this season has become one of redemption for many players.

“We’re trying to beat the teams that beat us last year,’’ said Cullen. “Give them a taste of their own medicine, [and] I think we’re doing pretty well.’’

The Rebels have high expectations, but the focus is to focus on each game. The Rebels want to be peaking at the end of the season.

“We want to be that better team come February and March,’’ said Bilodeau. “Even if [the evolution of our game] is slow, those teams in the tourney are the ones peaking at the right time, so if we peak at the right time, I think we can do some damage.’’

Burrill unstoppable for Norton

In a season and a half, since his transfer from Bishop Feehan after his sophomore year, Steve Burrill has developed into a scoring machine at Norton High.

On Tuesday night, the 6-3 senior guard matched his career high with 31 points in a 74-63 win over Dover-Sherborn, to eclipse 500 career points at Norton. The Lancers (10-1) also clinched a playoff berth in the Division 3 South tourney with the win.

“He’s averaging 22 points per game, and [in the Tri-Valley League], that’s hard to do,’’ said coach Marc Liberatore. “Ten games in, everyone knows he’s the leading scorer in the league, and everyone tries to limit his scoring. We see funky defenses that try to take him out of game offensively, and he still scores.’’

Earlier this season against Ashland, Burrill went off for 27 points, draining seven 3-pointers. He also has been a rugged defender at the other end of the court, rarely taking a break.

“As tired as I think he gets, I think he wants to be that 32-minute-a-game guy, and we don’t give him a break defensively, either,’’ said Liberatore. “We ask him to cover the other team’s best guard.’’

Here and there

With a 16-point effort on Tuesday night, senior forward Megan Otto became the third girls’ player at Scituate to reach 1,000 career points, the first since center Kate Carlezon reached the milestone during the 2005-2006 season.

Otto “has the ability to shoot from outside, drive to the basket, and she’s a tremendous post player,’’ said Sailors coach Brian Buckley. “She’s played all five positions for us in four years. She’s gotten better every single year. She works extremely hard in the offseason by playing summer ball and doing a lot of conditioning and training. She’s made herself a 1,000-point scorer.’’

The four-year varsity starter, averaging 15.1 points per game for the 10-0 Sailors, is headed to Babson in the fall. . . .

Ava Small, a sophomore forward at the Woodward School in Quincy, is closing in on the 1,000-point mark. After a 33-26 win over defending Independent Girls Conference champion Montrose on Wednesday, Small was at 922 points for her varsity career. Woodard is off to a 12-0 start under coach Bob Giordano, who earned his 200th career win a few weeks back.

Andrew MacDougall can be reached at andrew.macdougall@globe.com.