PEABODY – Score round one in favor of Bishop Fenwick.

In a battle of undefeated girls basketball teams, Fenwick protected its home floor, defeating St. Mary’s of Lynn, 55-46, in a back-and-forth game that was decided in the fourth quarter.

Fenwick (6-0) saved its best basketball for the final frame, with senior captains Celia Neilson and Caitlin Boyle imposing their will on St. Mary’s (7-1) over the last eight minutes.

“Composure is the word we’ve used all week,” said Fenwick coach Adam DeBaggis. “That’s what won us the game – our patience, seeing the trap and passing through it, the back door cuts, all of which is very hard against a team as talented as St. Mary’s. But we stayed composed under pressure.”

Despite this being their first meeting of the season, there is a rich history between these Catholic Central rivals. St. Mary’s celebrated a state title at Fenwick’s expense in 2023, which was when Neilson and Boyle were ninth graders – and both still remember the bitter feeling of defeat.

“It’s the best feeling to beat your rival, especially since they’re the ones that beat us for the state title during our freshman year,” said Neilson (22 points, 4 rebounds, 7 assists). “This is a great win for us, and I love playing with this team. We look out for each other like one big family – and I love playing with Caitlin. She’s my best friend.”

Teammates since middle school travel league, Nelson and Boyle make a phenomenal duo on the floor. Both are prolific scorers, yet their playmaking ability is what elevates them to the next tier. That was on full display in the fourth, giving a young St. Mary’s team fits with their ability to find each other whenever a hoop was needed.

“St. Mary’s is our rival, so obviously this means a lot,” said Boyle (18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 blocks), who plays both the point and the post at 6-foot-2. “There was a lot of energy and emotion because they’re our rival, but we really focused on just playing our game.”

This was physical from the jump. St. Mary’s grabbed an early four-point lead to start the game, yet that did not last. Fenwick finished the quarter on a 10-0 run, taking a 14-8 advantage after one. The frenetic pace continued in the second quarter, but St. Mary’s narrowed the gap, turning a seven-point deficit into a tie before Fenwick pulled ahead, 22-19, at the half.

A turnover-fest ensued in the third quarter, with neither team able to hold onto the ball. Fenwick led by a point, 32-31, after three, and that was when Neilson and Boyle seized full control. The senior duo combined for 18 points – three more than St. Mary’s – in the fourth.

“Sometimes you need to lose to learn,” said St. Mary’s coach Jeff Newhall. “We’ve played some very good basketball so far this season, and we’ve beat some tough teams. But we weren’t ready for this one. That’s on me, too. This was uncharacteristic of us, but give Fenwick credit.”

During key stretches of the game, Newhall played three freshmen (McKenna O’Connell, Sysy Emmanuel, and Jaylin Frye), a sophomore (Charleigh Green), and a senior (Sky Watson), putting full trust in his players. It paid dividends – with O’Connell (10 points, 6 rebounds) and Emmanuel (8 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals) playing excellent basketball, and getting senior leadership from Jillian Roberts (8 points, 5 steals), even if the final score did not end in their desired outcome.

The teams will meet in Lynn for the rematch at the end of the month. Until then, there is plenty of work to be accomplished.

“We have a very tough stretch coming up, beginning with a road game at Archbishop Williams,” said DeBaggis. “It’s great to get this win, but now it’s back to practice to prepare for the next one.”