Success within Shepherd Hill’s Reach

NORTHBOROUGH – The Shepherd Hill girls’ basketball team gave an experienced and talented Algonquin squad all they could handle for three quarters in their first game of the season two weeks ago.

The Rams used an aggressive style defense to jump out to a 25-21 lead by halftime. “We got our hands on a lot of balls,” said Rams head coach Maura Hackenson. “We were pretty active on defense. We picked Algonquin up pretty high in our 2-3 zone. We pressed on our makes with a man trapping which created some turnovers for Algonquin. Our girls were ready to go.”

With the score tied at 35 points apiece heading into the fourth quarter, that’s when Algonquin’s size and experienced front court took over the game. Their senior all-star forwards, Anna Grace Hjerpe and Danielle Adams were formidable in the paint and shooting beyond the arch. Hjerpe scored eight buckets close to the hoop, with three points from the free throw line for 19 points in the game, while Adams hit four three-pointers for 12 points. And if one Hjerpe wasn’t enough, the Rams had to contend with Anna’s equally dangerous sophomore sister, Sophie Hjerpe, who scored 14 points. Shepherd Hill junior Emery Mullen was able to match Anna with 19 points of her own, but Algonquin had too much firepower in the end. The Rams were outscored 21-10 in the final quarter to lose to Algonquin, 56-47.

Shepherd Hill senior captain Raegan Peck and junior and team scoring leader Emery Mullen

“We were playing against an experienced Algonquin team,” Hackenson said. “That team’s been playing together for years and years now. They have some tall forwards that have a little bit more experience than our forwards, so I think that’s something that we’ll have to work on. These girls aren’t accustomed to forwards that shoot three pointers … Those are the kind of things we’ll need to learn to defend.”

The Algonquin game was the first the Rams played in two years because last season was canceled due to the pandemic. Shepherd Hill senior captain Raegan Peck was encouraged by her team’s performance and optimistic about the upcoming season. “It’s really exciting to be back and playing and back with my friends,” she said. “Algonquin is an experienced team so we are excited we played so well, especially not playing together for two years. We’re excited for this season. We just need to work on the small things that we missed and what we know we can work on. It’s not anything detrimental. We can fix it.

“It’s really the little things we can do better,” she said. “Offensively we can play faster and just make our layups, you know, easy shots will go a long way. We know how to make them and defensively, we were really good, but we just could be more vocal on the floor and keep our arms big and looking bigger than we are because we’re a relatively small team. When we get better court awareness, we’ll be better.”

Mullen is their top scorer, but the Rams were able to spread the scoring production throughout the roster. Shaylan Cashman, Olivia Krukonis, and Amanda Adamuska each scored four points in the game and Emma Drake, Aryanna Sheehan, Sydney Fitzgerald, and Katie Cullen each hit a basket to get on the scoresheet.

In order to get in the win column, Mullen said the team has to stay positive and continue to work in practice to get better for the next game. “It’s about keeping people together,” she said. “Even when we’re down or if we’re going through a rough part of the game, it’s about keeping spirits up and always being positive no matter what school we are facing.”

Mullen said she looks up to Peck as a role model and leader of the team. Peck has the knack of setting a positive tone for the team. “She’s always held her head high,” Mullen said. “She’s always leading the team no matter what. Even when she was sophomore, whatever year, she’s always been positive. She never gets down, which is super important, being a leader and as a person. I really look up to her.”

Shepherd Hill was able to get in win-column in their very next game against Marlborough the following week. Mullen had game-high 15 points and 13 steals and Peck followed with 12 points in the 44-20 victory.

“Much improvement versus Marlborough on Friday,” said Hackenson. “Total team effort and defensive tenacity and unselfish play. Great first win!”

The story of the game, like Hackenson said, was the team’s aggressive defense in the first half, limiting Marlboro to only seven points before the break. Sheehan also contributed with six points and Drake had five points for the Rams.

“We have a very interchangeable squad,” Hackenson said. “We don’t have set starters and are hoping to use our depth to run a fast-paced game. The overall goal of the season is to get some solid wins within the league and capitalize in non-league games. We are hopeful to be successful in the end of the season Westborough tourney and newly adopted state tourney.”