Erin Hill of Edgartown last week became only the third girl in Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) history to score 1,000 career points. She joined Vanessa Pisano and Kara Shemeth in the school record books.
Erin, a junior, became the first Vineyarder in 15 years to achieve the rare scoring plateau, and joins her mother, Maureen (McManus) Hill, coach of the MVRHS girls varsity squad, who was also a 1,000-point scorer at Winthrop High School in her youth. Together they form an even more rare achievement, a 1,000-point-scoring mother-daughter duo. Erin Hill scored her landmark point at a Feb. 15 away game against St. Mary’s of Lynn High School, which neighbors Winthrop.
The star center was recognized for her achievement in a presentation Sunday afternoon at the Sancy Pachico gym during the MVRHS boys basketball game versus Weston High School. MVRHS Principal Peg Regan presented Ms. Hill with the game ball she used to score her 1,000th point.
The Times spoke with Ms. Hill on Monday about her bountiful season as the Vineyarders (14-6 in regular season) ready themselves for the state championship playoffs, which begin Monday, Feb. 29: “This is an unbelievable feeling. And to do it so close to where my mom played makes it even more special. She is a role model, my mentor. She never pushed me to basketball. But once I began playing, at the Boys and Girls Club, I just loved it.
“This is a team thing. My teammates are responsible for it … It’s important to recognize the girls’ teams. The guys’ teams get more recognition. Basketball is a great sport, and I hope something like this can attract more girls to play basketball on the Island.”
Ms. Hill, a National Honor Society student, is an articulate, balanced student-athlete who has set both athletic and life goals: “I aspire to become a doctor and work with kids in underdeveloped countries. I had a chance to spend two weeks in Ecuador on the Galapagos Islands last August, working in villages. I loved the work, and hope to do similar work in Africa someday.”
Someday may be a few years away. The MVRHS co-captain has been attracting attention, and has competed nationally. She was named to an under-14 all-star team at a tournament hosted by Nike in Washington, D.C., two years ago.
Division 1 college programs have come calling, as well. “We’ve heard from schools, but I don’t have a firm plan yet for after high school. I don’t know yet what I’ll do,” she said of the recruiting dance.
Maureen Hill is quietly proud of her daughter’s approach to her game and her life. “She is a center, and they don’t get to handle the ball all the time. She knows how much the Mariah Duartes, Molly deBettencourts and Sam[antha] Hargys, all these kids, have contributed to her success,” Coach Hill said.
As for reliving past glory last week, Coach Hill was happy to let her daughter bask in the limelight. “No, I wouldn’t say it was a déjà vu moment for me. It was her moment. I’m glad it happened close to Winthrop, so my dad and my family could be there. I have to say, I loved that Cary Shuman of the Winthrop Transcript weekly newspaper, who covered my high school team, came and covered Erin’s game last week.”
“She wants to go to medical school and to play college basketball, and it’s been done, but it’s a tough grind; we’ll see how it goes,” said Coach Hill, who has experienced the recruiting process. Maureen Hill attended Lafayette College, where her 1,813 collegiate career points earned her entry into the school’s athletic hall of fame.
“She’s heard from a lot of schools, including Brown, Princeton, William and Mary, Lehigh, and Colgate. We’ll see how it goes,” Mom said.
The Hills live in the present. “We all have to step up our game next week for the tournament,” Erin Hill said. “We won’t have Sam [Hargy]. She’s participating in a Model U.N. [United Nations] event in New York next week.”
Island fans can look forward to next year, however. Turns out there’s another Hill, Devin Hill, an eighth-grade student at the Edgartown School and a sparkplug for the Edgartown Eagles team, who is itching to play with her big sister.