The Woodstock Academy girls’ basketball team is off to a good start.
The Centaurs went into the holiday break with a 2-1 record after a 48-29 win over Fitch High School in Groton Dec. 21.
“Our defense created turnovers that created offense for us. It was a complete team win,” said Centaurs coach Will Fleeton.
The Centaurs trailed after the first quarter, 13-12, but outscored the Falcons (0-4), 19-4, in the second quarter to put the contest away.
Senior Heather Converse led the way with 11 points and was the only player in double figures. Aislin Tracey added nine and Katie Papp tossed in eight.
The girls’ team began the week with a 38-23 loss to Bacon Academy in its home opener at the Alumni Fieldhouse.
The positive for the Centaurs was the defense.
The Bobcats (4-1) have the majority of their team back from last season including senior center Kellie Nudd who will play basketball for Division II Mercy College (Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.) next year.
Nudd got her points as she accounted for almost half of Bacon’s production with 18, but five of those came from the free throw line in the final quarter.
The defense did its job. The Centaurs closed to within three, 25-22, on a Converse basket with 53 seconds left in the third quarter.
It was the 10th point of the game for the senior forward and, unfortunately for the Centaurs, the last field goal of the game.
The only point of the fourth quarter for the Centaurs came on a Converse free throw as the Bobcats outscored them, 11-1. Woodstock Academy opened the season on the right note with a 61-45 win over Plainfield on Dec. 15.
The game was close early with the Centaurs up, 13-11, at the end of the first quarter which they extended to seven points, 28-21, at the half.
But it was Plainfield that came out with a little more energy to start the second half. The Centaurs ended up with a 21-9 advantage in the quarter to take the 49-30 lead into the final period which made life a lot easier on the road.
Papp and Converse played well inside against Plainfield. Papp finished with a game-high 20 points, even stepping outside for a 3-pointer.
Converse added 12 points, getting some of those on putbacks from her four offensive rebounds. She added 13 rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
The work of Converse and Papp inside, opened up the outside for Tracey and the senior guard took advantage.
She finished with 19 points including three 3-pointers. "She shot the ball well and ran the team pretty well,” Fleeton said.
The Centaurs get almost a week-long break for the holiday. They play E. Greenwich, R.I. at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 27 at home and host New Britain at 4 p.m. Dec. 28.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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