RallyNorth.net

When you play in a conference as tough as the Cape Ann League and you don't have any seniors on your team, odds are there will be some lopsided scores from time to time.

Rockport (2-8, 0-6) continued to experience growing pains as it fell 55-12 to visiting North Andover (6-5, 4-2).

Tia Nelson, Rockport: The junior had 15 points in a 73-28 loss to Newburyport and she tallied 16 points in a 40-29 loss to North Reading.

Hannah Cain, Gloucester: The freshman was leading scorer for the Fishermen in a pair of victories. She scored 14 points in a 47-35 win over Beverly and netted 19 in a 47-42 win over Salem.

After playing its best half of the season (jumping out to a 25-12 lead), the Manchester Essex girls basketball team survived a scoreless third quarter and took a 35-27 win over Cape Ann League foe Lynnfield.

Which teams (no matter what sport) have been the most surprising so far this season?

Leave your answers below. Make sure to list the sport along with the team you are talking about.

The same can be said for the Manchester Essex girls, who carry a 4-4 record and are just a couple wins shy of qualifying for the Division 4 tourney.

Last year, all it took was a 6-14 record to gain entry to the postseason, and the Hornets appear to be way ahead of schedule with a balanced scoring attack that is led by Dani Ciccone's 8.3 ppg. Once the Hornets get to the playoffs, anything is possible, as proven by last year's trip to the North finals. Finally, the Gloucester girls have rebounded nicely from last year's four-win campaign and look poised to get back to the postseason.

1.Pentucket (9-0): Defending Division 3 North champion is perfect this season including a Haverhill Holiday Hoops Classic title. The smallest margin of victory this far is seven against Timberlane Dec. 26.

Natalie Gomez-Martinez, Andover: The freshman guard scored a season-high 19 points to lead the Golden Warriors in a 64-43 win over Arlington Catholic.

Tiffany Aguirre, Greater Lawrence: The sophomore guard scored 18 points to lead the Reggies over Presentation of Mary, 50-46.

PEABODY | Even when they don't play their best, it's usually enough for the Peabody High girls basketball team to prevail.

While Peabody head coach Jane Heil wasn't happy about some aspects of the game, her Tanners played well enough to earn their sixth straight win in Northeastern Conference play, beating a scrappy Gloucester team, 62-50, at the Veterans Memorial gym.

The host Vikings were no match for the powerful Chieftains (5-1, 2-0), arguably the best girls team on the North Shore and one of the top Cape Ann League squads. Masconomet senior center Caroline Stewart (who's headed to Boston University to play basketball) had a game-high 19 points. Rockport (1-4) got strong performances from sophomore guard Rebeccah Tibert (11 points including three 3-pointers) and junior forward and captain Emily Hurst (6 points).

Manchester Essex girls basketball player Lizzie Ball was in the zone last night and her team needed all of her career-high 20 points as the Hornets (4-3, 1-1) held off visiting Amesbury (2-4, 1-1) in a Cape Ann League game.

After one quarter last night, the Manchester Essex girls basketball team found itself down 9-4 at Northeast Regional. Despite that slow start, the Hornets responded to post a dominating 47-19 win in Wakefield over the Knights.

Last year's Gloucester girls basketball team and this year's Fishermen squad currently share something in common, and the stress in on the word currently.

As of now, Gloucester has won four games, which matches the team's total from last year's disappointing 4-14 record. Of course, it doesn't appear that the similarity will be here for the long run, because this year's Fishermen have a 4-2 record and appear poised to rack up several more victories with more than half of the season remaining.

The high school basketball season isn't even half over yet, but the Gloucester girls basketball team has already equalled its success of last year.

The Fishermen picked up a 66-42 win over Amesbury last night to improve to 4-2 on the season. Gloucester finished with just a 4-14 record one year ago.

For three quarters, the Gloucester girls basketball team played evenly with Dover-Sherborn in the Mustang Classic Holiday Tournament Final at Marian. The teams were tied 40-40 heading into the fourth quarter, but foul trouble caught up with the Fishermen in the final frame as the Raiders eventually prevailed, 66-47.

The Gloucester girls basketball team will have the chance to close out 2007 as champions.

They earned that opportunity by defeating Marian High School, 49-30, in the Mustang Classic girls basketball holiday tournament in Framingham. The Fishermen will play Dover-Sherborn in the tourney championship game today (4:15 p.m.).