By Ron P. Coderre

The 2014-2015 girls’ high school basketball season got underway with six local quintets seeing action on the hardwood with varying results.  Woodstock Academy, under second-year coach Willie Bousquet, Tourtellotte and Plainfield all picked up victories, while Ellis Tech, Putnam and Killingly all must wait another week or longer before they hit the win column.

In the prep ranks, Hyde-Woodstock and Pomfret School both recorded victories but also suffered a loss.

Woodstock Picks Up 

Early Season Win

Looking to establish a winning girls’ basketball program, Woodstock Academy looked to Putnam last year and enticed successful veteran coach Willie Bousquet to join its ranks.  The Lady Centaurs managed three wins last season.  After two games they’re already a third of the way to reaching that number this year.

The Acads opened against a strong Windham team and despite demonstrating glimpses of greatness were dropped by the Lady Whippets 67-50 in their opener.  Bousquet’s charges responded nicely by defeating Wheeler 51-35.

In the victory over Wheeler the Lady Centaurs built a 27-22 halftime advantage and secured the win, placing three players in double figures led by Taylor Littell with 13 points.  Colleen Topliff and Galina Gruder each added a dozen markers in the win.  Abby Willis had three three-pointers.

Gruder with 14 points and Topliff with 10 were the top point producers for the 1-1 Lady Centaurs in the loss to Windham.

Tourtellotte opened on the road at Plainfield and was defeated 57-35 despite 17 points from Allie Ablondi and 10 from Abby Poirier.  Plainfield was paced by Julie Jordan (16 points) and the L’Orange sisters Madeline (14) and Adrienne (10).

The Lady Tigers of coach Carla Faucher avenged the loss to Plainfield by taking the measure of Parish Hill 63-25, raising their record to 1-1.  Deanna Lazzarra was Tourtellotte’s big gun, firing in 17 points, while Poirier added 12 and Jess Dodd also had a dozen.

Plainfield opened its season against powerhouse New London, putting up a strong effort before succumbing 67-55.  Once again it was the trio of Jordan (16), Madeline L’Orange (15) and Adrienne L’Orange (10) leading the way for the 1-1 Lady Panthers.

Killingly went 0-2, losing to St. Bernard 41-32 and Montville 43-35.  Megan Bianchi with 10 points against the Saints and 17 against Montville was Killingly’s leading scorer.  Putnam could only muster 13 points as it was defeated 41-13 by Wheeler.  Ellis Tech could only put 21 points on the board in its opening loss to Wolcott Tech 62-21.

Hyde-Woodstock and Pomfret 

Hit the Win Column

The Hyde-Woodstock Wolfpack picked up a significant victory, besting Marianapolis V2 50-46 in a closely contested game.  Trayniece Mims was virtually unstoppable as she scored 29 points in the win.  She received offensive support from Dossou Ndiaye with 13 points.  Caitlin Cryan, with 17 points, and Rachel Roach, with 15, were the top scorers for the Lady Knights.

The Lincoln School invaded Woodstock and dropped Hyde 46-39.  Mims once again was an offensive force, netting 31 points in the loss that dropped Hyde-Woodstock to 2-1 on the year.

Marianapolis V2 fell to 1-2 when it was beaten 31-28 in overtime by Northfield- Mount Hermon junior varsity.  Shauna Harney with 18 rebounds to go along with her six points was immense for Marianapolis.

Providence College-bound Rachel Aho had 17 points and 17 boards but her effort wasn’t enough as the Marianapolis V1 squad fell at the hands of Tilton Academy 56-51 at the Blackburn Invitational Tournament in Worcester.  Jordan Frye had 12 points and Caroline Soucy added 11 for the 1-2 Lady Knights.

Pomfret School rebounded from an opening season 46-33 loss to The Taft School, beating Loomis Chaffee School 60-59 on an Alyzae Davis free throw with three ticks remaining on the clock.  Deja Ross had 26 points, including five three-pointers, to lead the way for the Lady Griffins, while Davis added 14.

After trailing by only four points at halftime 25-21 to Taft, Pomfret was unable to keep up the pace in the second half in the loss to the hosts.  Juliette Lawless with 17 points was 1-1 Pomfret’s top scorer.