This season is not the first in which the Manchester Essex girls basketball team has scheduled non-league opponents with the goal of “tempering steel” during the regular season. The notion is that the pressure and hardship that a team faces now could pay dividends later on when the postseason begins and the games include tougher opponents and higher stakes.
It’s what the Hornets did in 2024-25, beginning the winter 5-11 but winning three of their last four to qualify for the tournament. The hope is that something similar can happen for the Hornets this season, with Manchester Essex facing tournament-caliber opponents now so that the team will be prepared later on when the stakes are raised.
“We have a very tough non-league schedule this season, and we have faced the top teams in the CAL Large already this season,” explains ME girls basketball coach Lauren Dubois. “We are hoping that this tough competition will better prepare us for difficult games down the stretch.”
In 2025-26, the Hornets have gone 3-5 out of the gate, and have faced some of the tougher teams found on the North Shore, including out-of-league matchups with traditionally strong programs like Danvers (a 61-44 loss on Dec. 18) and Masconomet (a close 46-41 loss on Dec. 29). The Hornets have done a good job against divisional opponents, splitting their record against Cape Ann League Baker Division opponents so far (3-3, including wins over Amesbury, Hamilton-Wenham and Georgetown).
In addition to that, the caliber of opponent hasn’t been the only obstacle Manchester Essex has had to overcome during that time.
“We have had all tough games this season against strong opponents and need to come to play our best in every outing,” says Dubois. “We have dealt with some injuries and some illness as well, so different people have stepped up on both ends of the court to give us a spark when we needed it.”
The Hornets have looked to their upperclassmen to find that spark.
“We have some great senior leadership,” explains Dubois. “Harper Brooks has been our leading scorer averaging 15.6 points per game and Lily Oliver has 10 ppg. Harper is also giving us 12.5 rebounds a night and 3.5 assists. Anna Gardner and Penelope Riggs have both stepped up on the defensive end as well.”
The team has also gotten a boost from players who might be younger or new to the varsity game.
“We have seen some bright spots from our younger players like sophomore Ema Mustafa in the paint, and freshmen Hadley Johnson and Sofia Colarusso have given us some energy in big moments,” says Dubois.
Things don’t get any easier for the Hornets in the near future. Newburyport was on the schedule for the team on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, followed by a rematch with Danvers on Jan. 21 and another non-league test against Saugus on the road on Jan. 23 (6 p.m., Saugus High School). In between the busy schedule, Dubois says the team is working hard to improve consistency on offense, scoring more in the paint and to keep the defensive effort going at a high level.
“I think our first game of the season against Amesbury, who is having an excellent season, showed what we are capable of when we are playing good team basketball, generating offense from our defense and finding the open player,” explains Dubois. “I also think our first game against Hamilton Wenham was a great all-around game for us.”
Jason Brisbois covers all things sports for the Manchester Cricket. Contact him at jason@thecricket.com.
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