Pictured: Cromwell girls basketball coach Kelly Maher, pictured with family members and her team before Tuesday’s home game against Old Lyme, was presented with the game ball from her 300th win. Maher reached the milestone when the Panthers beat Pomperaug on Dec. 23. (Photo by AJ Calabro)
North Branford senior Braeden LeBeau scored the 1,000th point of her high school career and finished with a game-high 21 Tuesday night in the Thunderbirds’ 60-34 girls basketball victory over host Coginchaug.
LeBeau, the leading scorer in the Shoreline Conference, and sophomore guard Keana Criscuolo, who scored 19 points, led the Thunderbirds to their third straight win.
“It was such an amazing moment and a well-earned accomplishment,” North Branford coach Sabrina LeMere said after the game. “Braeden puts her heart into everything she does and that is the reason she is so successful. The team is extremely proud of her.”
North Branford won for the ninth time in 13 games after turning a close game at halftime into a rout by outscoring Coginchaug (5-5) 19-4 in the third quarter.
“Our defensive game has really been coming together lately,” LeMere said. “Our intensity on that end of the court is leading to great transition looks on offense. At halftime the girls had a three-point lead but knew it wasn’t enough. They really turned it on and kept their foot on the gas to finish the game strong.”
LeMere also praised the individual efforts of Criscuolo and senior captain Hanna Senerchia.
“Keana has really come out of her shell lately and put up great numbers, and leading the pack,” the coach said. “And Hanna has also been doing a great job keeping composure and using her strong ballhandling skills to protect the ball on offense and finding some great looks offensively.”
Coginchaug suffered its fourth straight loss. Chloe Shafir led the Blue Devils with 11 points.
NORTH BRANFORD (9-4)
Hanna Senerchia 2 0-0 4, Callie Holzer 3 0-0 7, Braeden LeBeau 9 3-5 21, Keana Criscuolo 9 1-3 19, Marissa Ricardo 3 0-0 7, Tessa Juniver 1 0-0 2. Totals: 27 4-8 60.
COGINCHAUG (5-5)
Sophie Farr 1 0-0 2, Serena Fournier 1 0-0 2, Katie Farr 3 1-2 7, Alyssa Woodward 0 2-2 2, Mia Poturnicki 2 0-0 4, Allison Strang 3 0-0 6, Chloe Shafir 4 2-2 11. Totals: 14 5-6 34.
Score By Quarters
North Branford…13 12 19 16–60
Coginchaug………4 18 4 8–34
3-pointers: North Branford–Holzer 1, Ricardo 1; Coginchaug–Shafir 1.
Up next: Coginchaug vs. Valley Regional, Thursday, 6; North Branford at Cromwell, Wednesday, 6.
In other girls basketball games Tuesday:
Cromwell 53, Old Lyme 35
OLD LYME (5-5)
Ava Roth 1 0-2 2, Kate Walsh 4 1-2 9, Melanie Warren 0 0-0 0, Ali Kyle 2 0-0 6, Alexis Fenton 1 4-6 7, Megan Loflin 0 5-10 5, Kelly Sheehan 2 0-2 4, Mary Suprenant 0 0-0 0, Ella Curtiss-Reardon 1 0-0 2, Kanan Oharu 0 0-0 0, Grace Ferman 0 0-0 0. Totals: 11 10-22 35.
CROMWELL (7-1)
Grace Mikan 2 0-0 6, Cameryn Hickey 3 0-0 7, Jessica Grodzicki 3 0-0 8, Nevaeh Clark 4 2-2 10, Adela Cecunjanin 6 4-4 19, Kayla Nappi 0 1-4 1, Abigail Burgess 0 0-0 0, Leah Pepe 0 0-0 0, Sophia Santangelo 0 0-0 0, Hope Greaves 1 0-0 2, Annika Peters 0 0-0 0. Totals: 19 7-10 53.
Score By Quarters
Old Lyme……6 9 7 13–35
Cromwell….10 17 19 7–53
3-pointers: Old Lyme–Kyle 2, Fenton 1; Cromwell–Cecunjanin 3, Mikan 2, Grodzicki 2, Hickey 1.
Of note: Warren had 7 boards for the Wildcats; Cecunjanin had a double-double with 10 rebounds and Clark pulled down a team-high 11. Clark also had 4 assists and 3 steals.
Up next: Cromwell vs. North Branford, Wednesday, 6; Old Lyme at East Lyme, Thursday, 7.
Valley Regional 58, Hale-Ray 18
HALE-RAY (0-8)
Brooke Praskievicz 6 3 15, Kayla Bartolotta 0 0 0, Gabby Aguilera 0 0 0, Jenna Faye Haentjers 1 1 3, Kenzie Purdell 0 0 0, Julie Anderson 0 0 0, Jackie Goetz 0 0 0, Mackenzie Albert 0 0 0, Kayla Haentjers 0 0 0, Autumn Smith 0 0 0, Bridget Kennedy 0 0 0. Totals: 7 4 18
VALLEY REGIONAL (10-0)
Ava Cunningham 1 0 2, Abby Bradbury 9 2 24, Bitzy Klomp 2 0 4, Liz Allen 1 0 2, Olivia Cunningham 5 1 11, Siena Schaller 2 1 5, Regan Grow 5 0 10, Rubee Cecchini 0 0 0. Totals: 25 4 58.
Score By Quarters
Hale-Ray…..5 5 4 4–18
Valley…….27 15 7 9–58
3-pointers: Valley–Bradbury 4.
Up next: Hale-Ray at Cromwell, Friday, 7; Valley at Coginchaug, Thursday, 6.
East Hampton 53, Old Saybrook 19
OLD SAYBROOK (2-9)
Breleigh Cooke 0 1 1, Alex Ling 0 0 0, Nora Kulmann 1 0 3, Meghan Wilcox 0 0 0, Sophia Barker 1 0 2, Sanai Baker 1 0 2, Cassie Johnson 1 0 3, Ella Hagelston 2 0 4, Mackenna Cooke 1 2 4. Totals: 7 3 19.
EAST HAMPTON (11-1)
Amber Murphy 1 0 3, Olivia DeMartino 4 1 9, Liana Salamone 1 5 7, Delaney Russell 1 1 4, Jackie Russell 4 12 24, Gabby Wiesner 0 0 0, Jordan Murphy 2 0 4, Katie Ireland 0 1 1, Madison Yorker 0 1 1, Leah Kohler 0 0 0, Liz MacDonald 0 0 0. Totals: 13 21 53.
Score By Quarters
Old Saybrook……5 3 3 8–19
East Hampton…13 15 14 11–53
3-pointers: Old Saybrook–Kulmann 1, Johnson 1; East Hampton–J. Russell 4, D. Russell 1, A. Murphy 1.
Up next: Old Saybrook vs. H-K, Friday, 7; East Hampton at Old Lyme, Friday, 5:30.
Morgan 39, Westbrook 32
MORGAN (7-4)
Maeve Madura 1 1 3, Caeley Ayer 2 7 12, Ava Johnson 5 1 14, Katie Martin 3 1 8, Sofie Passante 1 0 2, Eva O’Sullivan 0 0 0. Totals: 12 11 39.
WESTBROOK (6-6)
Adriana Stranieri 2 0 4, Leticia Pires 1 1 3, Jami Sacco 6 5 18, Alex Zanzalari 1 0 2, Sadie Susi 2 0 5, Gianni Salisbury 0 0 0 , Allison Brajcezwski 0 0 0. Totals: 12 6 32.
Score By Quarters
Morgan……..2 10 16 11–39
Westbrook…8 10 7 7–32
3-pointers: Morgan–Johnson 2, Ayer 1, Martin 1; Westbrook–Sacco 1, Susi 1.
Of note: Sacco had 10 rebounds and 4 assists to go with her 18 points.
Up next: Morgan vs. Portland, Thursday, 7; Westbrook at North Branford, Friday, 5:30.
Mercy 63, Cheshire 43
CHESHIRE (6-5)
Mimi Perlini 1 0-0 2, Taylor Fitzgerald 1 2-2 4, Jenna Stickney 2 2-4 6, Tess Givens 1 0-0 2, Grace Lurz 4 3-4 12, Emily Grayson 1 0-0 2, Anna Hurbut 0 3-4 3, Eva Catalanotto 4 2-2 10, Ella Kulas 1 0-0 2. Totals: 15 12-16 43.
MERCY (8-3)
Avery Kohs 1 1-2 3, Sophie Hedge 3 4-5 11, Ava Giansiracusa 9 2-4 20, Melina Ford 5 1-1 11, Winnie Ciccarello 2 0-0 5, Rose Szeghy 0 2-2 2, Lily Schoonmaker 2 0-0 4, Caelyn McMahon-Egan 1 0-0 3, Bella Gonzalez 1 0-0 2, Mercedes Artaiz 1 0-0 2. Totals: 25 10-14 63.
Score By Quarters
Cheshire….9 12 13 9–43
Mercy…….11 18 23 11–63
3-pointers: Cheshire–Lurz 1; Mercy–Hedge 1, Ciccarello 1, McMahon-Egan 1.
Up next: Mercy vs. NFA, Thursday, 7.
Portland 44, Haddam-Killingworth 34
H-K (3-8)
Kaleigh Bodak 5 1-4 11, Julia Favalora 2 0-0 6, Audra Yazmer 2 0-0 4, Ella Commerford 2 0-0 5, Ava Ramino 3 0-2 6, Ana Garcia 1 0-0 2. Totals: 15 1-6 34.
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PORTLAND (2-8)
Izzy McClelland 3 0-0 7, Hannah Brunk 6 3-4 15, Allison Scott 2 1-2 7, Kendra Schoeps 0 2-2 2, Sam Lasky 5 3-3 13, Leah May 0 0-0 0. Totals: 16 9-11 44.
Score By Quarters
H-K………17 6 5 6–34
Portland…6 10 14 12–44
3-pointers: H-K–Favalora 2, Commerford 1; Portland–Scott 2, McClelland 1.
Up next: H-K at Old Saybrook, Friday, 7; Portland at Morgan, Thursday, 7.