The first signature win during this historic season for the Wilbraham & Monson Academy Girls Basketball team came in December against Holderness School of New Hampshire.

Guess who the Titans’ first-round opponent is the playoffs?

Second-seeded WMA will host #7 Holderness in a New England Prep School Athletic Council Class C quarterfinal Wednesday, March 1, at 4 p.m.

The teams met in a semifinal of the Kingswood Invitational Tournament before Winter Break. Holderness led 27-25 before the Titans answered with a huge second half en route to a 68-41 victory.

“That win became our first signature win of the season,” Coach Durelle Brown said. “Holderness is a very good team, well coached and athletic. We won the game, which was a fantastic win, and made this group for the first time understand how good they could be if they believed in themselves and each other.”

The Titans completed the regular season 20-5, which Coach Brown believes is the first time in school history the program has hit the 20-win mark.

“I believe our strengths to be our togetherness, conditioning and depth,” Coach Brown explained. “We can start players 1-10, so there is confidence and belief in the whole. I believe we can run with anyone, and I think when the game is in the balance we will be better late. And I think our togetherness and belief in one goal is our greatest attribute.”

WMA earned the #2 seed, behind only Hamden Hall Country Day School of Connecticut, which beat the Titans on a shot in the closing seconds Feb. 10.

“We are proud of earning the #2 seed in our Class C Tournament,” Coach Brown beamed. “It has always been a goal of our program to be the #1 or #2 seed because that secures us two tournament home games on Wednesday and Saturday, as long as we survive and advance, so we can check off another goal on our list. But we are still very hungry and determined.”

WMA was determined in its final regular season game, rallying from five points down in the fourth quarter to beat archrival Suffield Academy 60-58, giving the Titans their 20^th win.

“We are playing well heading into the tournament,” Coach Brown said. “We are winners of six straight games, and coming off an emotional, gut-check rivalry win versus Suffield Academy. A game that came down to the last possession, where we got the stop and rebound needed to secure the win. Our girls are all starting to play well in their own right, and it has made us stronger as a team. Strength in numbers, and depending on the whole, rather than some of our parts.”