Girls’ Wrap-up
Teams creep
up on
tournament 
qualification
By Ron P. Coderre
The girls’ high school basketball season is moving along at a rapid pace. Most teams are approaching the three quarter mark of the season with four staring qualifying for the CIAC postseason directly in the eye.  In order to qualify teams need eight victories.
Three teams, Woodstock Academy, Killingly and Putnam need only one more win to reach the State tournament.  Plainfield needs two wins to make the cut and Tourtellotte must win three of its final seven games to get into the postseason.  Ellis Tech currently at 2-8 is a longshot at best to make the tourney.
Putnam picked up a pair of victories last week, while Woodstock, Plainfield and Killingly were 1-1.  Tourtellotte and Ellis Tech took the collar for the week.
The preps had a light week with Pomfret continuing to win, while winless Hyde-Woodstock lost its only game of the week.
Putnam Marching Toward The Tournament
The Lady Clippers of coach Mandy Hogan picked up two easy victories but also experienced a disappointment in a three-game week.  The team opened the week with a cake walk over Academy of the Holy Family 54-15.  Alyssa Espinosa had her biggest offensive performance of the season when she tallied 25 points in the win.
The team closed out the week with another big offensive showing, beating Grasso Tech 71-33.  Again it was Espinosa leading the way with 17 points.  She was joined this time in double figures by Maria Fredette who chipped in 10 points and Mackenzie Livingston who contributed 11 markers.
Sandwiched between the wins was a disappointing loss to Griswold 52-21.  The Lady Clippers couldn’t pass the test against the Lady Wolverines as they failed to reach double figures in all four periods.  With 14 games under its belt, Putnam is 7-7 and 6-2 in the Constitution State Conference East Division.
Woodstock Academy lost to Fitch on the road 43-29.  The Lady Centaurs rebounded with a 49-40 win over Griswold.  On the season Woodstock is 7-6 and 0-5 in the Eastern Connecticut Conference Large Division.
Plainfield split a pair of games easily beating Wheeler 64-37 and losing big to Waterford 57-34.  Four players were in double figures in the victory over the Lions, led by Madeline Lorange who posted a double-double with a game-high 22 points and 10 rebounds.  She was joined in double digits by Julie Jordan (12), Madison Kelley (10) and Emily Gray (12).  In the loss to Waterford, Jordan was the lone double figure scorer with 10 points.  The Lady Panthers are 6-5 on the year and 2-3 in the ECC Medium Division.
Killingly had very little trouble with struggling Tourtellotte, winning 65-36 as they got a strong inside performance from Ally Conde with 26 points and Reagan Morin who had 17 points.  Meagan Bianchi chipped in 13 markers.  Abby Poirier had 12 and Emily Vincent 10 for the losing Lady Tigers.
Against a solid Stonington team the Redgals fell 43-32 as Bianchi with 15 points and Morgan LeSage with 11 were the only offensive weapons for coach Mark Lowell.  Killingly, enjoying one of its best seasons in memory is 7-5 on the year and 1-4 in the ECC Medium Division.
Tourtellotte looking for victories at 5-8 was beaten badly by East Lyme 67-29.  Ellis Tech at 2-8 lost to Parish Hill 46-17.
Pomfret Continues Winning Ways
The Pomfret Lady Griffins cruising along at 9-2 on the season got by Suffield Academy 47-43.  Alyzae Davis was the major weapon for Pomfret with 18 points while Olivia Batastini had 13 including three from beyond the arc.
Hyde-Woodstock, winless on the year, fell to 0-5 when it was beaten by Williams School 33-21.  
 
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