The Coventry girls basketball team lost to Somers three times last year – twice during the season then a third time in the second round of the Class S tournament. Somers went on to win the Class S title.
This season, Coventry played Somers in the season opener and won 52-36.
“That was very nice,” Coventry coach Kevin Clancy said.
The Patriots (8-0) haven’t lost since. They had a big win over Ellington Friday, 50-32, a team Coventry hadn’t beaten in at least four years.
Coventry, which advanced to the Class S final in 2022 but lost to Thomaston, has no seniors. Three key juniors – guards Ava Vieira, Jianna Foran and Ava Topliff – who lead the team and a strong freshman class, which includes 6-foot-1 center Hailey Mayo. Reese Jeamel is a 5-10 freshman and Danielle Wheeler is the third freshman contributor.
“Those three are the leaders on the court that a very skilled freshman group looks to,” Clancy said. “They have taught the freshmen how we run our program, how hard we work. The freshman have bought into it. They mesh well.”
Coventry will have a tough week coming up, with Woodstock Academy (7-1) on Monday and East Granby (7-1) Tuesday.
Top performances
Maddie Benigni, Mercy: Benigni had 30 points in a 56-30 win over Hand Tuesday and 19 in a loss to Sheehan Thursday.
Kamaria Bowens, Bristol Central: Bowens had 29 points in an 82-67 loss to Northwest Catholic Tuesday.
Abby Casper, Northwest Catholic: Casper scored 28 points in a win over Bristol Central Tuesday.
Zola Cudjoe, St. Paul: Cudjoe had 19 points and 11 rebounds in a 59-36 win over Kennedy Friday and 18 points and 10 rebounds and seven steals in a 57-49 win over Ansonia Tuesday.
Jazzy Garcia, New Britain: Garcia scored 22 points as New Britain knocked off previously-unbeaten Plainville 77-51 Monday.
Kylie Lake, Old Saybrook: Lake had 24 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks in a 66-52 win over North Branford Thursday and had 10 rebounds and 10 blocks and five points in a loss to Haddam-Killingworth Monday.
Katelyn Novak, Bacon Academy: Novak had a double-double (22 points, 12 rebounds) in Bacon’s 51-46 win over Ledyard Tuesday.
Skylynn Martell, International/Aerospace: Martell scored 17 points and had nine steals and eight rebounds in a 39-31 win over HMTCA Friday.
Emma Teuner, Morgan: Teuner scored 20 points in 75-26 win over Portland Tuesday.
Sophie Tumulis, Stafford: Tumulis had 12 points, eight rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a 36-34 win over SMSA and 13 points in a 29-28 win over Bolton Tuesday.
Megan Wresien, Sheehan: Wresien led her team in scoring with 25 points, with five in overtime, as Sheehan beat Mercy 53-49 in overtime.
Storylines
Urielle Abrokwa had 24 points to reach the 1,000-point milestone Friday in an 84-44 win over RHAM. Abrokwa is only a junior. East Catholic is 7-2 and has won four straight.
Northwest Catholic knocked off Bristol Central 82-67 in a game of two of the top teams currently in the Class L rankings Tuesday. Northwest (10-0) is ranked No. 1 and Bristol Central (7-2) is No. 3. Abby Casper had 28 points and Maeve Staunton had 25 for the Lions.
Sheehan coach Mike Busillo hasn’t beaten SCC opponent Mercy that much over his 19-year career, but his team rallied from a 13-point deficit to beat the Tigers 53-49 in overtime Thursday. “I’ve lost to them, it seems like 100 times,” Busillo said. It doesn’t get easier – Sheehan will face Class LL runner-up Sacred Heart Tuesday.
Sophomore Zoee Robbins sealed Windham’s 42-38 win over Bacon Academy Saturday with a free throw with 3.8 seconds left, two days after Windham, last year’s Class M runner-up, had its first loss of the season to New London, 40-35. Bacon Academy and East Catholic are both 7-2 and Windham handed both teams one of their two losses.
Games to watch
Sacred Heart (8-1) at Sheehan (9-1), Tuesday, 6 p.m.: Sheehan has already knocked off Class LL champion Hamden and SCC nemesis Mercy and next up for the Titans is Sacred Heart, last year’s Class LL runner-up.
Coventry (8-0) at East Granby (7-1), Tuesday, 6:45 p.m.: Coventry will have a tough game Monday against Woodstock Academy, which lost its first game Saturday, then head over to East Granby for a big NCCC game the next day.
East Catholic (7-2) at Rocky Hill (6-2), Wednesday, 6:45 p.m.: These two CCC teams are right next to each other in the Class MM rankings – East Catholic is ninth and Rocky Hill is 10th.