By Lorenzo Recupero
Everett High School girls basketball is having one of its best years on record.
With a 72-64 win over Somerville Monday, they improve to 15-2 overall.
The number 15 means a lot, in this instance.
It means the Lady Tide not only clinched the Greater Boston League championship, but it means one of the best records in school history and it means the most wins in Head Coach Tammy Turner’s long coaching career.
Turner has been a coach for 13 years and her best season before clinching the GBL title against longtime rival Somerville was a 14-win campaign.
The record so far shows a season like no other for her and the Tide, but it’s being a part of a special team that has made living between the numbers a success for Turner this season.
“I have a lot of confidence in this team. It’s such a great group of kids who are very athletic, who don’t give up,” said Turner of her senior-led squad this year. “It’s been a lot of fun,” said Turner.
The senior duo of Carolanne Cardinale and Maddy Duraes, who were honored prior to the Somerville game, are spark plugs in a season that has epitomized what it means to grow from one season to the next. Cardinale has led the team all year in rebounds and Duraes has provided instant energy on offense and defense when its needed most.
Senior Night
“They are instant sparks for us,” said Turner of her senior duo. The length of Cardinale and the athleticism of Duraes and the entire roster has made dealing with them on the court a problem for other teams.
“I feel like In different games it’s been different players to come up and help us win. I can’t just give you one certain player. In certain situations different players have stepped up,” said Turner on the team effort that’s driven EHS this year.
Finishing 10-10 overall in last year’s regular season, the Lady Tide needed every game to clinch a playoff spot. This year, they did so with eight games left on the schedule.
If the stellar play continues, the Tide have a chance to put together the best regular-season record in EHS history.
They get a chance to try and snag win 16 over Arlington Catholic Wednesday, at 7PM in the EHS gymnasium.
That win means a lot because last time they played AC, one of only two teams to beat them, it was a double-overtime single-possession loss.
“The girls are ready for redemption,” said Turner, who noted the players have been hungry to get a get back on the court against Arlington Catholic to prove to themselves they’ve improved. According to Turner, communication has been the key the season.
And that means, if you’re following, that this season’s mean is anything but average, it’s some of the best to ever hit the court at Everett High School.