NORWOOD – In a matchup between two of the top girls’ basketball programs in the Tri-Valley League, Medfield showed why the hype is warranted.

In a gritty defensive effort, the Warriors limited the Norwood offense to less than 10 points in each of the four quarters en route to a 52-25 win. Medfield was able to exceed 10 points in each quarter, but head coach Mark Nickerson said the strong play on the defensive end of the court was what drove the offensive output.

“We defended well, we clogged the paint,” Nickerson said. “We did a great job defending perimeter shots while staying inside, not giving up open lanes to the hoop. Our guards worked really hard at the top, it was a great rotation with great communication.”

That doesn’t mean the game was free of adversity for the Warriors, however. Freshman guard Naya Annigeri had a strong start in the opening quarter, scoring five points and helping Medfield jump out to a sizeable lead. However, a scrum for a loose ball resulted in a mouth injury that knocked her from the game.

Nickerson acknowledged that the injury was a blow to the Warriors, but he was proud of how his team rebounded.

“We need her, she’s an outstanding player,” Nickerson said. “But everybody stepped up. When you lose a really important player like Naya, you really need everyone else to step up and they did that.”

The Warriors jumped out to a 16-8 lead after the opening quarter, but Norwood rallied and pulled within five points in the second quarter. Following this, the Warriors took control once again and exited the opening half with a 28-15 lead.

Norwood struggled to keep up with Medfield the rest of the way, getting outscored 24-10 the rest of the way and only managing three points in the final quarter. Medfield captain Sadie Cumming attributed the dominance to the seamless play on defense and how that allowed the offense to function very effectively.

“We rotated really well this game,” Cumming said. “I feel like those opportunities come from the whole team playing great defense and focusing on positioning.”

Sophomore Izzy Kittredge was the Warriors leading scorer with 14 points. She credited the team’s communication and taking advantage of prime opportunities as keys to the victory.

“I feel like we had good ball movement and great communication,” Kittredge said. “We really focus on fast breaks and taking advantage of those when we get them.”

Cumming scored 12 points for Medfield and Mary Palladino chipped in nine. Norwood was led by 10 points apiece from Ava Mourad and Alexa Coras.

With the first victory of 2024 locked in against a quality opponent, Kittredge emphasized moving to the next challenge as the Warriors focus.

“It’s a great win but we also have to move on and keep working hard,” Kittredge said. “We need to focus on the next game.”