Lady Sachems basketball opens new season with familiar standard

By Dom Nicastro

The standard doesn’t change for Saugus High School girls’ basketball, even when the voice on the sideline does.

Taylor Bogdanski begins her first season as varsity head coach after serving as an assistant during a 2024–2025 campaign that delivered another Northeastern Conference title, a 14–8 record and a second straight season that featured an MIAA Division 3 tournament win. A Saugus alum and former Endicott College standout, Bogdanski steps into the role with deep ties to the program, its players and its expectations.

At the center of it all is senior Peyton DiBiasio, the program’s all-time leading scorer and the lone captain entering the season. After leading Saugus through another championship run and a dominant postseason win over Auburn last winter, DiBiasio now anchors a roster that blends experience with opportunity.

DiBiasio has an outside chance to eclipse 2,000 points for her career this winter; it will take around 25 points per game. She passed former Saugus assistant coach Norma Waggett (now at Reading; more on that in a bit) on the leaderboard last winter.

“She’s absolutely a leader off the floor, too,” Bogdanski said of DiBiasio. “She’s always advocating for other players. She’s always getting them together, and she’s always reiterating what I’m saying to the younger kids.”

Bogdanski sees DiBiasio’s growth extending beyond scoring. With several starters graduating, including Taylor Deleidi, Madison Botta and Ella Castle, DiBiasio’s expanded role includes directing traffic, setting the tone in practice and helping younger players settle into bigger responsibilities.

“I feel like within the week that we’ve had, she’s really amplified her voice on the court,” Bogdanski said. “She’s directing more, explaining more and stepping into that role of being our only captain.”

The next wave is already pushing forward. Sophomore Katie Hashem has impressed with her versatility and confidence, while sophomore Angelina Dow brings defensive intensity that Bogdanski values across matchups. Freshman Georgia Condakes is stepping into a larger role after time at the sub-varsity level and has drawn early praise for her potential.

“We have a young crew coming in, but they’re hungry,” Bogdanski said. “And that’s all you can want.”

That hunger could translate into more balance offensively, especially as defenses focus on DiBiasio. Bogdanski believes the attention her senior leader draws can open opportunities throughout the lineup.

“It’s not just, ‘You have to worry about Peyton,’” she said. “You’re guarding Peyton, but here comes Katie. You’re guarding Peyton and Katie, but here comes Georgia.”

Defensively, Saugus plans to stay flexible. Pressure, half-court traps and matchup-based adjustments are all on the table, depending on the opponent.

“Every matchup is different, every game is different,” Bogdanski said. “It’s how are we adapting to them, and they’re really open to that.”

Saugus opened this week with games against Gloucester and Marblehead. One of the early highlights on the schedule comes at the Reading Invitational (Dec. 28), where Saugus will face Reading and former co-coach Waggett, the program’s second all-time leading scorer. Waggett and Bogdanski coached together last season after Joe Lowe stepped away late in the year, guiding the Sachems through adversity and into another postseason run.

“I’m honestly really excited,” Bogdanski said. “I love Norma. There’s no bad blood. It really is all love, and I think it’ll just be a really fun game for us.”

Off the court, Bogdanski’s connection to her players runs just as deep. She teaches fourth grade at Belmonte Elementary School in Saugus and understands the academic and personal pressures her players face, having recently navigated them herself.

“It’s honestly so full circle,” Bogdanski said. “I still feel like I’m on the court. That passion and that love for the game and Saugus, especially, has not changed. I feel that just shows my team how much I really do care and how much I really want to see them succeed, which builds that trust, and I’m also able to guide them through school, too.”