Girls basketball team success spans several seasons
By Ken Powers Community Reporter

Westborough - If it seems like it's been years since a Westborough High girls basketball team has lost, that's because, well, it has.

Entering play this week the Rangers' varsity, junior varsity and freshman teams were all 16-0, making the program a combined 48-0 for the season. Last year the teams were a combined 55-0, and the streak goes back to the end of the 2005-2006 season, when the varsity and junior varsity teams each won their final game of the season.

That makes 105 consecu- tive wins combined for the three teams, and counting.

Combined victory No. 100 in a row came Feb. 6 in Milford, which was also the opponent for victories 99 and 101.

"I think it's a unique accomplishment in the sense that at the sub-varsity level, winning is not the top priority," varsity basketball coach Scott Kittredge said, "and at the varsity level, winning is certainly not the only priority.

"At the sub-varsity level, though, the main focus is to learn the technical aspects of the game and have fun," Kittredge said. "At the same time, it's a chance to have some success, gain some confidence and develop a winning attitude while playing with friends and developing some social camaraderie."

Kittredge credited the work and dedication of his assistant coaches as well as the varsity and junior varsity coaches as key reasons the combined winning streak has endured.

Kelly Collins is Kittredge's assistant coach at the varsity level this year. He previously spent time as the junior varsity coach. Helene Desjardins served as varsity assistant for the two seasons prior to this year. She didn't coach this year, Kittredge explained, because she recently had a baby. He's hoping she will return to the staff next season.

Justin Richards has been the junior varsity coach the past two seasons. John Wentzell coached the freshman team this season while Marci Smith served in that capacity last year.

"A big key to the success is everyone being willing to teach the same principles and a similar style," Kittredge said. "The terminology is consistent throughout the program and that allows players to move up and down between teams in midseason and not feel like they have to relearn a particular system.

"Justin, at the JV level, has been particularly terrific at that, mirroring what we do at the varsity level," Kittredge said. "Every single set isn't the same, but the structure and the framework are the same and it just makes it that much easier for the girls. It's one less thing they have to worry about."

Kittredge feels another component in the overall success of the program is the fact that all the coaches are also teachers at the school - Smith is a science teacher, Wentzell is in the physical education department and Kittredge himself, along with Richards and Collins, teaches math.

Despite losses in personnel, each team has made a seamless transition from last year.

At the varsity level, that's been accomplished thanks to the work of four senior captains - Laura Keaney, Annette Kristiansen, Danielle Coff ey and Emily Mongeau - and classmate Emily Driscoll.

Juniors on the team are Liz Power, Molly Hession and Jessy Bready, while the sophomore class is represented by Leah Murphy, Maddie Fryer, Becky Mongeau and Karly Murphy.