"Franklin should be confident that it is battle-tested and ready"

From Hockomock Sports we find and share the playoff preview for the FHS girls basketball team:

Franklin (16-4) - No. 2 seed in Div. 1 Central, host winner of No. 7 Westford/No. 10 Algonquin 

The Panthers tied for second in the Kelley-Rex this season and then took second in the end of season Westboro Tournament, without point guard Julianne Pisani in the final. Franklin looks poised to make a deep run in the tournament with an experienced lineup, but while plenty is known about the Panthers there is also plenty of mystery about many of their opponents from the Central. 

Lexi Martin was missing for last season’s tournament games and Franklin will be looking to the Merrimack-commit to be the star player in her final postseason. She has the talent to take over games and could be the biggest factor in how far the Panthers go. Martin will have plenty of help from classmate Jillian Spolidoro, who has become a dangerous and consistent threat from the outside and been one of Franklin’s leading scorers this season.  

Sarah Deyo (32) of Attleboro and Jillian Spolidoro (20) of Franklin will be two key players for Hockomock teams as the playoffs get underway this week. (Josh Perry/HockomockSports.com)

The Pisani twins, Julianne and Tracy, are tenacious defenders and Julianne was the team’s primary scorer in Martin’s absence last year and could once again be a key factor on the offensive end. Junior Aubrie Kutil should also be a factor in giving the Panthers size on the post on both ends of the floor. 

Franklin coach John Leighton uses a deep rotation but expect that it will be a little smaller in the tournament and the top players will be counted on to get the Panthers over the hump and win a sectional title. 

It won’t be easy with talented teams like Westford Academy, Holy Name, and Lincoln-Sudbury on their side of the bracket and with top seed Wachusett looming for a potential final, but Franklin should be confident that it is battle-tested and ready for the tournament. A run to the sectional final would be the expectation for this team.

For the other Hockomock League playoff previews, visit here
http://www.hockomocksports.com/blog/hockomock-league-playoff-preview-girls-basketball-15