This isn't a case of David vs. Goliath in girls basketball circles.
What it is, this Northeastern Conference between visiting Peabody (10-2) and host Winthrop (10-1), is a collision of two top notch teams who have already qualified for their respective state tournament brackets.
Winthop has been a small school nuisance to big school opponents for years, especially in football. But these Lady Vikings aren't small; they play big, are feisty and competitive, and guess what? - they are great homers, having won 27 straight in their bandbox gym.
"I don't want to advertise that with Peabody coming to town," Winthrop coach Peter Grimes said tongue-in-cheek. "Peabody's strong. They've had a great program for a long time."
In Courtney Finn, a junior who was the NEC MVP as a sophomore, Winthrop has a go-to person who has already potted 1,000 points and may turn out to be the best female hoopster in school history.
This particular Vikings' team may also evolve as the seaside community's best, too. If it doesn't win a state title this season, then next year is likely. Winthrop has only one senior, Kristin Finn, who is headed for Bates to play basketball and softball.
Finn's sister Courtney already has Boston University on her trail. A complete player who averages 20 points a contest, she's also ambidextrous. Grimes can't recall having another player who could put it up with either the right or left hand.
The Finns, Katerina Mallios and point guard Nicole Gianquinto are known as Winthrop's Four Horsemen. All are underclassmen. The fifth starter is a newly turned 14-year-old freshman, Jana Johanna, a 6-footer who is projected to be 6-foot-4.
The juniors on this club are 52-6 overall since their freshman season.
Mallios, a 5-foot-9 junior, comes from rich hoop stock. She's the daughter of Peabody native Steve Mallios, a one-time superstar rebounder at Bishop Fenwick. It was Winthrop's good luck that he married into the well-known Tsiotis clan in Winthrop. The Mallios' reside six doors down from the coach.
"Katerina is like a firecracker, up and down," Grimes said, noting her explosiveness.
Kristen Finn, at 5-foot-8, is Winthrop's top rebounder and averages 9.9 ppg. Grimes said she's the glue of the team.
Not having Mallios for a full game was the difference factor in Winthrop's one loss at Swampscott, Grimes said.
"Katerina was in the locker room (throwing up) the whole first half," he said. "She came out for the second half, scored a quick basket, and sprained an ankle (not returning the rest of the night)." Obviously, he's anxious to face Swampscott with a full team on his court.
The one thing Winthrop does not have is depth, something that Peabody - which uses 12, sometimes 13 players a game - has in abundance.
Swampscott, coincidentally, also handed Peabody its only loss. The Tanners are still 5-0 in NEC North play and 9-1 overall in the NEC. The other loss was administered by Winnacunnet Regional of New Hampton, N.H.
Swampscott left a lasting impression on Peabody coach Jane Heil after beating the Tanners, 75-67, at Peabody last Friday.
"That's a great Swampscott team," Heil said. "I can't remember losing when we've scored 67 points. Swampscott's game plan was better than ours.
"Winthrop is much the same, with a real potent offense. They have a tremendous scorer in Courtney Finn, and Katerina Mallios is quite a player; active on offense and defense. She plays with a lot of confidence. That whole team is very athletic. You see a lot of unselfishness on that team."
Peabody will have a slight height advantage tonight, and its depth could be vital.
"I saw Peabody play twice before we played. The first time I saw them rotating two teams in, I thought it was a form of punishment or something," Swampscott coach Jack Hughes. "Those kids in the second rotation can play."
Peabody's pacesetters on offense - and notice the balanced scoring - have been Michelle Grifoni (11.1 ppg.), Tawny Palmieri (10.1), Kristen Federico (8.3), Janelle Rodriguez (7.3) and Lindsey Consoles (7.0).
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Beverly High has decided to wait until March 1 before advertising for a new athletic director. But why wait that long? There could be some well-qualified candidates out there who would be lost if current high school openings included AD positions were available at the present time.
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Peabody's hockey team played brilliantly at Gloucester two Saturdays ago in a 7-1 win, then came home this past weekend and lost to Revere by the same score.
"We were flat coming out, but still outshot them, 15-3, in the first period. We really outplayed them the whole game," Tanners' coach Mark Leonard said. "It was really a 4-1, 5-1 game. We had our fourth line out and Revere's best player, Chris Mastropietro, scored two goals in the last two minutes.
"It was not our best night; I can't figure it out. If I could, I would be the coach of Boston College or something."
Inconsistency has plagued the Tanners (9-4) all season, who give their best accounts in the bigger games.
"It's been a big problem all year," Leonard allowed. "The Northeastern Conference is tough, but I love it. It's where we belong. I also think we make the league better."
Bill Kipouras is a staff writer at The Salem News. He can be reached at 978-338-2615 or by email: bkipouras@salemnews.com.
