The Everett High girls basketball team is off to a fast start in the opening week of the delayed 2021 winter sports season, winning its first three contests in convincing fashion against a trio of Greater Boston League opponents.
First-year head coach Riley Dunn’s Crimson Tide defeated Medford last Wednesday, 59-48, behind the superb performance of senior captain Maya Kirnon, who forwarded a powerful double-double with 22 points and 13 rebounds.
Junior Andrea Manley also turned in a double-double with 21 points and 10 rebounds.
Two nights later, the Everett girls turned aside Malden, 56-44. Manley led the Crimson Tide in the scoring department with 17 points, while Kirnon once again double-doubled with 12 points and 13 boards.
Junior Ashley Cordeiro made a major contribution coming off the bench, hitting for 11 points against the Golden Tornadoes.
Everett kept the good times rolling this past Monday with a runaway 61-36 triumph over Revere on the EHS court. The Crimson Tide led from start to finish, sprinting to a 16-2 advantage after the first period, and never were seriously challenged. Everett continued to hold commanding leads at the other quarter-markers, 32-15 at the half and 42-29 after three periods.
Kirnon continued her torrid pace at both ends of the floor to achieve her third double-double in as many games, pouring in 23 points and pulling down 14 caroms. Maya also showed her defensive prowess, making five steals.
Manley reached double figures for the third straight game, hitting for 14 points. Sophomore Kayley Rossi was a thorn in the side of the visitors from the Beach City, scoring six points, grabbing eight rebounds, and making three steals.
“We’re off to a great start,” said Dunn, who served for seven years as assistant coach under long-time EHS girls head coach Tammy Turner, who now is the Everett schools’ Athletic Director. “We’re looking forward to working hard and getting better every day at practice.”
The 2021 edition of the Crimson Tide are led by a pair of senior captains, Maya Kirnon and Ashley Fitzgerald.
“Maya is tenacious and is one of the hardest-working players I’ve coached,” noted Dunn, “and Ashley is a hard worker, communicator, and great motivator.”
Dunn has three other Crimson Tide girls back from 2021, junior Andrea Manley, sophomore Kayley Rossi, and junior Jane Odiari.
Newcomers include junior Gigi Boyce, junior Ashley Cordeiro, and sophomore Tatiana Moran.
“We have a young team and I’m really excited for what the future holds,” said Dunn, who has been a ninth grade English teacher in the Everett schools for seven years. “My returning players all will play key roles during this season in games and also will be leaders on and off the court. Every single girl has a role that will make this team successful.
“We’re excited for the season and for the girls to have an opportunity to play,” continued Dunn, who played her high school basketball at Central Catholic in Lawrence, where she was the captain of the 2007 team that went to the state finals. Dunn then went to Division 3 Ithaca College, where she played for three years.
Prior to becoming the EHS assistant coach, Dunn coached for many years at the AAU level and was the assistant coach of the Lesley University women’s team in 2014 while she was attaining her Master’s Degree in secondary education.
“This is a shortened season, so we’re looking forward to coming out strong, working hard every possession, and to keep getting better every day,” Dunn added. “I’m really lucky to have a group of girls who work hard every day, no matter what’s going on in the world.”
Dunn and her crew were scheduled to meet Chelsea today (Wednesday) and then will play at Lynn Classical on Friday. The Crimson Tide will host Lynn English next Wednesday.
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