Scarlet Hawks look to compete in tough league

By Chris Villani

The Milford High School’s girls’ basketball team has some high aspirations this winter, and the program appears as strong as ever with an influx of new players. MHS had so many freshmen come out for this year’s team that Head Coach Austin Costa said he was able to field a freshman team for the first time in eight years.

“The numbers are great,” Costa said. “And the girls are enjoying themselves and having a lot of fun.”

While the younger players develop and prepare to make contributions for the program down the road, Milford has a duo of veterans leading the way for the varsity squad. 

“This is our third year with Ava Baglione and Katelyn Kearnan in the starting lineup,” Costa said of two of his standout seniors. “They look much more comfortable and poised and they are able to contribute at a high level.”

Baglione came out of the gate averaging nearly 15 points per game through the early part of the season. Kearnan has the ability to put together monster games, including one early season contest in which she scored 23 points, pulled down nine rebounds, and notched eight steals.

“We lean a lot on Katelyn for defense, but she is also a combination of speed and length so she is kind of a matchup nightmare on offense for the other team,” Costa said. “Ava is definitely our shooter from the outside. When the other team goes to a zone, we expect Ava to break them out of that.”

Costa said the junior class is also strong this season, pointing to forward Reagan Cunningham as a player to watch for the Scarlet Hawks. The coach said the focus for his team is the same as it has been - to play excellent defense and have that be the team’s identity. Last winter, MHS allowed around 50 points per game. This season, Costa said he would like to see that number be closer to 44 points for the opponent on average.

“We love to play all out,” he said. “We keep the pace of the game very fast, high intensity with lots of trapping and lots of transition basketball.”

Costa said he wants to see MHS be a postseason team this winter and also make some noise in the ultra-competitive Kelley Rex division of the Hockomock League.

“I think everyone else has lost some players and, meanwhile, our best players have been doing this for three years in a row and it’s their turn,” he said. “We are looking to be near the top of the Kelley Rex.”

Milford girls' basketball has intentions to compete in one of the area's top leagues. Source: Instagram, Peter Boucher @hawknationad