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Sports

Girls High School Basketball Round-Up

Some are in, others are out, but all should be proud of their seasons. For Tolland, Monday can't come soon enough. The Eagles have all the ingredients of a championship team.

THE BIG WIN

The E.O. Smith girls’ basketball team will make its first appearance in a state title game next weekend after defeating Torrington 52-49 Friday night.

The victory showcased the very things any team needs to win a championship:

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  • A top offensive talent. Maggie Sundberg scored a team-high 16 points in the victory, despite leaving the game twice with a bloody nose. More importantly, she made Sarah Royals, Torrington’s best player, work on defense, which helped the Panthers contain her at the other end of the floor.
  • Secondary options. Murphy Murad chipped in 15 points for E.O. Smith, which is one of the reasons the Panthers are in the title game. One player, no matter how good, can be defended. Murad provides an offensive option to prevent teams from concentrating solely on Sundberg.
  • Clutch plays. Morgan Olander (and what a week it’s been for that family) made 6-of-8 free throws late in the game to clinch the victory.
  • Defense. Sundberg led the team in scoring but her biggest contribution may have been a steal with 1:18 left in the game and the Panthers clinging to a four-point lead. At various times this season, the Panthers have gotten key defensive contributions from Olander, Murad and Morgan Stewart.
  • These are the ingredients of a champion.

THE OPPONENT

Folks in Mansfield may not yet heard of Bria Holmes, but they soon will.

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The 6-foot junior is the main obstacle between E.O. Smith and its first state title in girls’ basketball. Holmes had 21 points and 13 rebounds for Hillhouse-New Haven in a 58-34 Class L semifinal victory over previously unbeaten Bacon Academy-Colchester. She is a legitimate top-level Division I prospect and will no doubt be the focus of the Panthers as they prepare for the title game at Mohegan Sun.

Holmes has help, of course. The Academics get scoring help from Courtney Brown and Kalinka DeRoche Point guard Andreana Thomas will play Division I basketball next year and Quanisha Solomon is a gifted defender. The main challenge will be to stop Holmes, who is unlike any player the Panthers have yet to face.

TOLLAND WAITS

Most times a long weekend is a good thing but for Tolland, Monday can’t come soon enough.

The Eagles, like E.O. Smith, have all the ingredients of a championship team. Kristin Schatzlein (35 points in the quarterfinal win against Plainfield) is a top scoring threat, but Tolland has gotten points from a diverse group all season, including Brianna Bishop, Jess Olsen and Allison Gallo. Many of the Eagles have played together for years, which explains their cohesive defense. The one thing coach Rocco Sansone worries about is foul shooting.

The Eagles meet Windham (20-3) in the quarterfinals Monday at 7 p.m. at Coventry High School.

A DREAM ENDS

For a long time, it was a magical run through the state tournament for Windsor Locks, but that magic ended Friday night.

Mariah Brown had nine points and Shannon Lynch added eight, but the Raiders were overwhelmed by 58-28 in their Class S semifinals loss at East Catholic High School.

The end should not diminish the journey. Few athletes ever to get to be part of a Cinderella story the way Brown, Lynch, Jenna Wotjas, Nikki LaPierre, Jessica Kuzmickas and all the Raiders did. Their run through the tournament was built on the foundation coach Doug Knowe had preached all season, which was one of defense. The seeds and the records said the Raiders’ story was improbable but no team that can defend should ever be overlooked.

THE WRONG MATCHUPS

Sometimes the vagaries of the CIAC bracket process work against you. Manchester beat everyone this year, but could not beat Glastonbury. Manchester finished 22-3. All three loses were to the Tomahawks.

Glastonbury simply had the right personnel and plan to beat the Indians, including an ability to take advantage of tightly officiated game in the quarterfinals. Glastonbury made 32 of 39 free throws (82 percent) and that was the main difference in its 68-52 victory.

There is no telling how far Manchester might have gone if the brackets had fallen differently. And there is no way of knowing if Glastonbury might have been there at the end. Perhaps there is a team out there with Glastonbury’s number.

All that can be said is that Ashley Perez (36 points in the quarterfinal) and all of her teammates will be back next season, which means Manchester’s title hopes may well only have been deferred.

Speaking of the wrong matchup, Ellington had the misfortune to run in to Weaver-Hartford in both the boys and girls brackets. In the girls bracket, Julie Gage had 20 points but it wasn’t enough as Weaver, which plays a rugged schedule, was in control throughout.

SPRING IS HERE

While E.O. Smith and Tolland are trying to keep winter alive for one more week, the rest of the region has moved on to spring. So take note in Vernon and Enfield and Windsor, the first day of spring practice is one week from Monday. The totally unreliable 10-day forecast calls for partly sunny skis and a high of 49ºF.

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