When Lea Chapman, Kait Trudeau, Trinity Doane and Kyra Goodell joined the Franklin Tech girls basketball team as freshmen four years ago, the Eagles went 6-4 in a COVID-shortened season. 

Since then — with that core in place — Franklin Tech has been on an upward trajectory. The Eagles went 16-6 in 2021-22, and last year, Franklin Tech lost just one game during the regular season, earned the No. 17 seed in the MIAA Div. 5 state tournament, then went on the road and knocked off St. Bernard’s before falling to top-seeded Millis in the Round of 16. 

The Eagles also won their second straight state vocational tournament title and took home the Franklin County League South championship. 

With those four seniors back, along with junior Hannah Gilbert who led Tech in scoring last year, Franklin Tech is poised to continue building on that success from the past few years. 

“We’re starting to get more comfortable with each other,” Franklin Tech head coach Joe Gamache said. “We have a core group of returners which helps that process out. Four of our five starters from last year are back so we have experience. The girls are battle tested. We have four seniors who have been with the program all four years and have made major contributions. I’d be nice to end their high school careers on a high note.” 

The one hole to fill from last year is at point guard following the graduation of Kendra Campbell. Campbell ran the point for Franklin Tech the last two years, bringing a scoring and distributing element to the backcourt. 

Doane is tasked with replacing that spot, playing more as a traditional point guard. 

“Trinity has had some varsity minutes already so playing at this level is nothing new to her,” Gamache said. “So far she’s handling the increase in minutes well. She’s a different type of point guard than what we’ve had in previous years. Defensively she plays well and positions herself well there and she doesn't turn the ball over. She’s not necessarily going to take a game over but she’s comfortable shooting and knows that we want her to take the shots she should be taking.” 

The Eagles have been able to hang their hat the past few years on the defensive end of the floor. 

Franklin Tech allowed just 32.6 points per game in 24 contests last winter, with its press giving opposing offenses troubles throughout the year. If last week’s Eagle Holiday Classic was any indication, that defense will be just as difficult to go against this year, as the Eagles gave up 21 points to St. Mary’s and 27 points to Mount Greylock. 

“Our strength is on defense,” Gamache said. “We have some athletes and we have some speed. We use that to our advantage on defense and generate our offense through that.” 

It helps a defense when you have a player like Chapman on the back end of it. Using her height and length, Chapman makes things difficult for opponents around the rim and averaged 3.1 blocks per game last year. She also added 3.7 steals per game. After winning tournament MVP of the Eagle Holiday Classic, Chapman is in line for a big senior season. 

“All of those seniors have improved throughout their years here but Lea has made tremendous strides,” Gamache said. “She’s developed into a solid athlete. Her footwork has come a long way and that shows in her ability to score, rebound and defend. Against Greylock she got back quickly in the third level of our press and had double-digit steals anticipating passes. Her length can alter a lot of shots at the rim.” 

Cordelia Guerin and Lilianna Inman are returning juniors who will also play roles for Franklin Tech while the Eagles have a number of young players Gamache said he has seen make improvement in the offseason. 

“We have a lot of kids that I think will improve as the season goes on,” Gamache said. “Our sophomore class won’t get a ton of minutes early on but as the season goes on, they’re going to fill out the bench nicely.” 

The Eagles have high goals for this season, and with a strengthened regular season schedule, Tech is hoping to earn a higher seed in the state tournament in hopes of making a run at a title. 

“We set the bar high every year,” Gamache said. “We have yet to totally fulfill our goals but have done a nice job of knocking off some of them. If we can be a little bit better than we were last year, a realistic goal for us is to host a game or two [in the state tournament] this year. As long as we do what we need to do, hopefully we can get a higher ranking.” 

Winning the Franklin County League South won’t be a gimme for the Eagles. Pioneer played Tech tough, won a state tournament game and is also returning the core of its roster. Putnam returns a talented team while Ware is a newcomer to the league. 

Over in the FCL North, Frontier, Mahar and Greenfield will be in the mix for a league title and what is shaping up to be a competitive league top-to-bottom.

Here’s a peek at how each team looks heading into the season:  

Athol

COACH: Conor Morrissey

LEAGUE/DIVISION: FCL South/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 8-12

ROSTER: Abigail Spooner, Olivia Horrigan, Emily King, Ava Martin, Allison Robertson, Abigail Lutz, Brooke Bernier, Brooklyn Hopkins, Anna Duquette, Jenna Bonenfant

OUTLOOK: Morrissey takes over a Bear program that lost its four leading scorers from a year ago, including Emma Bacigalupo who had led Athol in scoring each of the past three seasons. 

Horrigan, Lutz, Hopkins, Duquette, Bonenfant and Robertson are the returning Bear players who saw varsity minutes last year.

Duquette and Bonenfant will serve as captains and leaders for Athol while Horrigan will take over point guard duties. 

Franklin Tech

COACH: Joe Gamache

LEAGUE/DIVISION: FCL South/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 21-3, lost in Div. 5 Round of 16

ROSTER: Lea Chapman, Trinity Doane, Kyra Goodell, Kaitlin Trudeau, Haleigh Benoit, Abigail Carlo, Hannah Gilbert, Cordelia Guerin, Lilianna Inman, Laken Woodard, Samantha Duncan, Madyson Lynde, Jenna Petrowicz, Lindsey Taylor 

Frontier

COACH: Dave Machon

LEAGUE/DIVISION: FCL North/4

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 13-8, lost in Div. 4 Round of 32

ROSTER: Whitney Campbell, Ashley Taylor, Skyler Steele, Claire Kirkendall, Macy Demaio, Harper Modestow, Olivia Machon, Hailey Hutkoski, Molly Gates, Jazzy Hayes, Abby Schreiber

OUTLOOK: The Redhawks nearly won the Franklin County League North a season ago, reached the MIAA Div. 4 tournament and return a roster capable of taking home the league title this winter. 

In order to do so, Frontier will need to find a way to replace the scoring production of Kylie Laford, whose 14.8 points per game a season ago were more than double the Redhawks’ second leading scorer. 

Hutkoski, who was second on Frontier with 7.2 points per game last season, is in line for a big senior season. She got things going by leading the Redhawks with 13 points in a win over Palmer last week. 

Hayes will run the point while Steele, Modestow and Kirkendall are all players who figure to see big minutes this year. 

Greenfield

COACH: Ben Johnson

LEAGUE/DIVISION: FCL North/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 7-13

ROSTER: Amber Bergeron, Tayler Bergeron, Carly Blanchard, Anna Bucala, Annie Cobileanschi, Natalia Cody, Ever Kennedy, Kristina Kostov, Sarah McCloud, Gloria McDonald, Amy Mihailicenco, Niya Strohman, Zee Torres

OUTLOOK: It all starts with Amber Bergeron for the Green Wave. 

The senior led the Recorder area with 19.3 points per game a season ago despite getting the full attention of opposing defenses who often played a box-and-one to try to slow her down. 

How Greenfield plays around her will determine their ceiling. Tayler Bergeron and Bucala are two players Johnson wants to see play more aggressively on offense, as they have the skill to handle the ball and create their own shots. 

McDonald and Blanchard are players Johnson said look more comfortable in their second year on varsity. Both provide defense and can score in the post while also have the ability to stretch the floor by shooting from the perimeter. 

Kennedy will see a lot of time at guard with her shooting ability, Strohman will be in the rotation as a defender and rebounding at the forward spot while Mihailicenco, Kostov, Cobileanschi, Cody, McCloud and Torres are all young/new players fighting for minutes. 

“We are very versatile on offense and defense this year,” Johnson said. “We have a lot of players who can guard one-through-five on defense which makes things so much easier on that end of the court. We also have a lot of players who can play in the post but also step out and shoot the ball. We’re going to be looking for other girls to step up and be more involved and more aggressive on offense to take some of that scoring pressure off Amber.”

Mahar

COACH: Stephen Bonk

LEAGUE/DIVISION: FCL North/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 12-10, lost in Div. 4 Round of 32

ROSTER: Dakota Cleveland, Alivia Patch, Nevaeh Scribner, Thea Whitmore, Irati Martinez, Shea Woods, Hayden Comeau, Haylee Paluk, Julia Hatch, Taylor Paluk 

OUTLOOK: The Sens took a step forward last year and will be looking to build off that success of reaching the Div. 4 state tournament as the No. 26 seed and defeating PV Christian in the prelims. 

Mahar must replace leading scorer Kendrah Doane, but Comeau (10 PPG) and Scribner (9.8 PPG) are players who are more than ready to carry the scoring load for Mahar this winter. Playing in the backcourt, the Sens should have one of the best duos in the league. 

Martinez and Haylee Paluk are forwards Bonk said to watch this year. Cleveland and Patch are the lone seniors on the Senators roster. 

Mahar will be competing in the Div. 5 state tournament this season. 

Mohawk Trail

COACH: Steve Bzomowski

LEAGUE/DIVISION: FCL South/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 1-18

ROSTER: Rachel Pease, Kaylin Sumner, Riley Giard, Bella Pettengill, Payton Tierney, Valerie Bzomowski, Natalie Lanoue, Abi Dobias, Zephyr Jetzon, Sarah Beckwith, Maddie Finn, Aurora Moynihan, Jordyn Gilmore

OUTLOOK: After a rough 2022-23, new coach Steve Bzomowski is looking to start from scratch with the Warriors. 

It’ll be a year where Mohawk Trail is looking to grow with each game, as five of its nine rotation players are either eighth graders or freshmen. 

Pease, Sumner and Giard are seniors who bring experience to the lineup, with Pease the top returning scorer. Look for her to once again key the Warrior offense. Valerie Bzomowski and Lanoue are freshmen who are expected to be big contributors this winter. 

“We had an excellent preseason,” Steve Bzomowski said. “We’re approaching the season with baby steps. One day, one practice, one quarter at a time.” 

Pioneer

COACH: Kevin Harrington

LEAGUE/DIVISION: FCL South/5

LAST YEAR’S RECORD: 13-9, lost in Div. 5 Round of 32

ROSTER: Fota N’Diaye, Hailey Ring, Kyler McClelland, Leah Potter, Addie Harrington, Natalie Rios, Kiara Gruszkowski

OUTLOOK: Kevin Harrington, a 1,000 point scorer during his time with the Panthers, returns for his second year running the Pioneer program, with his young Panther squad bringing back a number of key cogs from a team that reached the MIAA Div. 5 Round of 32. 

McClelland can shoot the ball with anyone and returns after leading Pioneer in scoring (11.2 PPG). Addie Harrington averaged 10.4 points per game as an eighth grader and has the ability to score from all levels while also serving as a distributor. 

Ring is one of the best defenders in the area while using her athleticism to score 8.6 PPG last winter. N’Diaye is also a returning starter while Potter saw varsity minutes as an eighth grader last season. 

Ring and N’Diaye are the lone seniors while the remainder of the Panther roster is comprised of sophomores and freshman.