By Joe Palladino

Nonnewaug girls basketball coach Adam Brutting has the early lead for quote of the year: “Step into any Berkshire League gym this year and what you expect may not be what you get.”

Spot on coach, and we can swap out Berkshire League for Naugatuck Valley League there and the quote still works.

Waterbury Career Academy coach Stephen Barbieri offers this NVL assessment: “The top of the league is stacked. St. Paul, Holy Cross and Sacred Heart are the teams to beat.

After that, there is a very good group of teams that can beat anybody on any given night.”

Barbieri added, “A lot can happen.”

We’re counting on it, and let us also chip in a keen observation from Lewis Mills coach, Al Ciarlo: “You will have lots of exciting and close game nights in the BL this winter.”

Again, insert your league of choice.

The area’s best team may be the crew at Pomperaug, where coach Joe Fortier returns everyone, and by everyone we mean everyone.

“The SWC has a lot of quality teams in the top half of the league with a chance to win it all,” Fortier said. “Hopefully we can be one of those teams playing on the final night.”

The BL title may be anyone’s title to win. Thomaston won its sixth straight BL crown last season, a shared title with Housatonic Valley. The Mountaineers may be the early pick as team to beat. You might put Mills in there too, Thomaston of course, and Northwestern, where The Legend, Fred Williams, is six victories away from 600.

“The League is as balanced as I have seen in a while,” Williams said. “On any given night anyone can win. Wamogo, Mills, Gilbert, and Housatonic look to return the most, with Nonnewaug, Thomaston, Shepaug, Litchfield, and Terryville all returning key players from last year.”

Well, that’s every team, but it amplifies this thought from Thomaston’s Bob McMahon: “The league doesn’t seem to have any pushovers.”

All wins will be earned this season.

The NVL is top heavy, as Barbieri noted, but not as decidedly as in the past. Yes, the parochials are a step ahead, starting with St. Paul. The Falcons lost a lot to graduation, but return Janessa Gonzalez who was All NVL as a freshman and NVL tournament MVP. That’s a good place to start.

Perennial finalist Holy Cross has more roster questions that usual. Century McCartney, who would have entered the season as the league’s best player, withdrew to attend Carolina Prep Academy in Chapel Hill, N.C., where she will repeat her junior year and attempt to recover from knee surgery. But Cross also lost point-guard designate Natalie Hodak, who now attends Taft. Shed no tears for the Crusaders. They’ll be fine.

One team that may leap into the title fray is Sacred Heart. With Treasure Coleman and Aamaya Rivera the backcourt dynamos, the Hearts, a Class S semifinalist, are a contender.

What teams will join the chase? Watertown? Wolcott? Seymour again? Have we missed a team?

“There is parity in the league, with many teams ready to finish at the top,” said Hearts’ coach Ron Picard. “We hope to be one of those teams.”

Picard added: “Let the fun begin.”

Send comments to jpalladino@rep-am.com, and follow on Twitter at @RAOffTheRecord.

By Mark Jaffee

Ansonia High football coach Tom Brockett didn’t hold anything back when describing St. Joseph of Trumbull junior quarterback David Summers.

“David Summers is the best high school passing quarterback I’ve seen since Casey

Summers, in his first year as a starter, has thrown for 3,100 yards and 44 touchdowns and only four interceptions for the second-seeded Cadets (11-1), who meet the top-seeded Chargers (12-0) Monday at 6:30 p.m. at Cheshire High (UPDATE: game was ppd. from original Saturday time).

Of the four interceptions thrown by Summers, St. Joseph head coach Joe Della Vecchia said that a few of them “were tipped. But David still was not too happy about that. He’s been a real quick study with his reads. He has a really strong arm and a very quick release.”

Brockett said that he has noticed that Summers doesn’t take sacks. It helps to have a core of receivers like the Cadets feature, most notably Jared Mallozzi (70 receptions, 965 yards, 18 TDs). His other favorite targets are Philip Pasmeg (48 receptions, 746 yards, 10 TDs), William Diamantis (40 receptions, 557 yards, 8 TDs) and Jesse Bike (32 receptions, 469 yards, 4 TDs).

“Mallozzi is a tremendous athlete,” said Brockett. “He runs great routes, has great hands and gets open. In every game, he makes at least three or four spectacular plays. But they also have other really good receivers who make big-time plays.”

While the Cadets’ aerial attack is as good as any in the state, Jaden Shirden isn’t too shabby, either. having rushed for 1,006 yards and 18 TDs.

“We can’t get complacent,” said Ansonia two-way tarting lineman Kevin Rascoe, “We are very respectful of their coaching staff and players and the program they have.”

“We know that St. Joseph has a great team,” added Ansonia linebacker Michael LaRovera. “They have a great offense, a great quarterback and a whole bunch of receivers who can make an impact. We have to play great defense for us to have a chance to win. Defense will be the key for us. We have to take advantage of our opportunities.”

Ansonia has won 25 straight games, dating back to the 2015 Class S title game when it lost to Bloomfield, 31-20.

“We have to stop Mr. Dobbs,” said Della Vecchia referring to Markell Dobbs, Ansonia’s senior tailback. “He’s very elusive. He looks very fast on tape, just like his brother Montreal.”

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Montreal Dobbs was the only senior starter on the Ansonia roster when the Cadets topped Ansonia, 49-28, in the 2010 Class S title game at Rentschler Field.

“Ansonia has a very good team,” said Della Vecchia.

The Cadets have won nine in a row since a dropping a 42-10 decision to Darien on Sept. 23. A turning point came at midseason when the Cadets rallied from a 25-0 deficit to edge Ridgefield, 38-35,

“We were on the ropes and gradually came back and it started with a lot of defensive stops,” recalled Mallozzi. “From that game on, we have gotten better and better. Against Ansonia, we know that we must secure the ball and move the chains and score often. Defensively, we can’t try to arm-tackle Markell Dobbs. We will not be away to get away with that. He’s just too good.”

Reach Mark Jaffee at mjaffee@rep-am.com or follow him on Twitter@TheRealJaffman

The Ansonia Chargers are facing St. Joseph in the Class S football state title game tonight in Cheshire.

Here is some of the action:

Markell Dobbs scores TD

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• Ansonia led at this point, 8-7.

Darwin Amaya TD run

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• Amaya scored on a tough 12-yard run.

Dobbs scores on 4th down

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• Ansonia led 22-7 at halftime

QB Lopez with nice TD run

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St. Joseph scores on TD pass

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St. Joseph ties game in 4th quarter

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Dobbs converts 2-pt. PAT

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Chargers take field

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By JOE PALLADINO

SOUTHBURY — Karli Opalka got the milestone moment out of the way on opening night. Now she and the Panthers can focus on winning a championship.

Opalka, the Pomperaug High senior who already has 1,000 career rebounds, reached the 1,000 point plateau as well as the Panthers rolled over St. Joseph of Trumbull, 58-36, on Monday night at Frank Sippy Gymnasium.

The game was part of the SWC-FCIAC Challenge to tip off the season. In the first game of the doubleheader, Newtown defeated Danbury, 57-34. On Wednesday evening back at the Pomp-O-Dome, Newtown plays St. Joseph at 5 p.m., and Pomperaug meets Danbury at 7 p.m.

Back to Opalka. She needed 16 points to reach 1,000, and that total seemed in doubt early. The Panthers and Opalka had a rough opening eight minutes. It was defense that turned things around.

“We started running our fast break,” Opalka explained. “The first quarter was kind of slow, but once we started running down the floor and playing our game we kind of took off.”

Especially in the third quarter. Pomperaug (1-0) clicked on the break, went off on a 16-4 run, and three of the hoops belonged to Opalka. Her final hoop in the 16-point evening came with 58 seconds left to play in the third quarter. She had 1,000, and she was through for the night.

“It feels so good,” Opalka added. “I’ve been thinking about it since last season, so I am so happy it is finally done.”

Opalka added 10 rebounds for the double-double. Claudine Legato scored nine, with 10 rebounds, Maggie Lee added 11 points, and Ally McCormick had six rebounds, four assists, and three steals to go along with five points.

Elena Ball led St. Joseph (0-1) with eight points, four rebounds, and three steals.

POMPERAUG 58, ST. JOSEPH 36

St. Joseph (0-1): Veronica Lubas 0 3 3, Liz Adzioma 0 1 1, Kathryn Zito 1 3 5, Tessie Hynes 2 1 6, Sarah Johnson 0 1 1, McKenna Herman 0 0 0, Rahmia Johnston 2 0 4, Becca Kery 2 0 4, Maddie Johnson 1 0 2, Elena Ball 3 1 8, Emma Elrod 0 0 0, Kaitlin Capobianco 1 0 2. Totals: 12 10 36 .

Pomperaug (1-0): Karli Opalka 8 0 16, Megan Todhunter 2 1 6, Maggie Lee 4 3 11, Allison McCormick 2 1 5, Kelly Powers 1 0 2, Claudine Legato 2 3 9, Molly Flanagan 0 0 0, Ashleigh Whiten 0 0 0, Maddie Villa 3 0 6, Alex Rafferty 0 0 0,  Cara McGettigan 0 0 0, Lindsay Ouellette 1 0 3, Colleen Worgan 0 0 0. Totals: 3 8 58 .

St. Joseph 9 5 7 15 — 36

Pomperaug 12 15 23 8 — 58

3-point field goals: StJ — Balls 1, Hynes 1; P— Ouellette 1, Toddhunter 1, Legato 2.

Despite holding a 22-7 halftime lead and getting another big game out of Markell Dobbs, the Ansonia Chargers came up short in the state tiel game, losing 42-36 to St. Joseph Monday night.

JOEL BARLOW 52, KAYNOR TECH 25
Kaynor Tech (0-1): Sarah Wisniewski 6 4 18, Maggie DeSantis 0 1 1, Toyin Bilewu 1 0 2, Julia Mongelluzzo 1 0 2, Nicole Morris 1 0 2, Haley Romaniello 0 0 0, Danielle Salvati 0 0 0, Bernie Hernandez 0 0 0, Antia Ozuna 0 0 0, Se’Raya Steward 0 0 0. Totals: 9 5 25.
Joel Barlow (1-0): Julia Shapiro 2 0 5, Scotland Davis, 5 0 10 Lisi Chaplin 0 0 0, Emily Grob 2 1 5, Annie Tamallang 6 1 15, Julia Mullin 1 1 3, Kinsey Colby 2 0 4, Elisabeth Eastus 1 0 2, Rachel Wagner 2 0 4, Abby Ota 2 0 4. Totals: 23 3 52.
Kaynor Tech 3 8 5 9—25
Joel Barlow 21 13 12 6—52
3-point goals: KT—Sarah Wisniewski 2; JB—Annie Tamallang 2, Julia Shapiro 1.

POMPERAUG 58, ST. JOSEPH 36
St. Joseph (0-1): Veronica Lubas 0 3 3, Liz Adzioma 0 1 1, Kathryn Zito 1 3 5, Tessie Hynes 2 1 6, Sarah Johnson 0 1 1, McKenna Herman 0 0 0, Rahmia Johnston 2 0 4, Becca Kery 2 0 4, Maddie Johnson 1 0 2, Elena Ball 3 1 8, Emma Elrod 0 0 0, Kaitlin Capobianco 1 0 2. Totals: 12 10 36.
Pomperaug (1-0): Karli Opalka 8 0 16, Megan Todhunter 2 1 6, Maggie Lee 4 3 11, Allison McCormick 2 1 5, Kelly Powers 1 0 2, Claudine Legato 2 3 9, Molly Flanagan 0 0 0, Ashleigh Whiten 0 0 0, Maddie Villa 3 0 6, Alex Rafferty 0 0 0, Cara McGettigan 0 0 0, Lindsay Ouellette 1 0 3, Colleen Worgan 0 0 0. Totals: 23 8 58.
St. Joseph 9 5 7 15 —36
Pomperaug 12 15 23 8—58
3-point field goals: SJ—Ball 1, Hynes 1; P—Legato 2, Ouellette 1, Todhunter 1.

WILBRAHAM & MONSON 63, WESTOVER 41
Westover (3-3): Maddie Therrien 2 0 4, Madison Burns 0 0 0, Katie Protzmann 0 1 1, Ellie Dunn 0 0 0, Chaylee Mcadam 1 0 2, Gabbie Dunn 7 5 19, Natalie Calo 1 0 2, Kayla Surajnoth 4 1 9, Paige Carroll 0 0 0, Mia Izzi 1 0 2, Maddie Hurtgen 0 0 0, Grace Bollard 0 0 0, Tegan McBride 1 0 2. Totals: 17 7 41
Wilbraham & Monson (4-0): Alana Perkins 10 1 27, Ashley Ambrosino 3 0 6, Marta Estony 1 0 2, Ingrid Salvador 1 1 3, Emily Faford 1 0 2, Kayla Mokwuah 9 5 23, Alex Garrison 0 0 0. Totals: 25 7 63.
Westover 19 22—41
Wilbraham & Monson 31 32—63
3-point field goals: WM—Perkins 6.

BY ROGER CLEAVELAND

CHESHIRE — The St. Joseph Cadets rallied from a 21-point deficit in the second half to win the Class S football state championship final, 42-36, over Ansonia on Monday night, in a game in which the Chargers appeared on several occasions to be well on their way to a 21st state title.

“This is going to sting for a long time,” Ansonia coach Tom Brockett said. “But we have to be grateful for the kids we have and how hard they fought tonight. This is top-level high school football where you battle and 1-2 plays make the difference. St. Joe’s hung in there and made plays when they needed them. But I appreciate the way both teams played. I’m proud of my kids.”

Even after Ansonia scored on a 75-yard touchdown run by Markell Dobbs to take a 36-35 lead with 6:16 to play in the game, the Cadets weren’t willing to relinquish the momentum they had built throughout most of the second half.

St. Joe’s quarterback David Summers responded with what proved to be the game-winning touchdown pass, his fifth scoring strike of the game, with a 56-yard pass to Jared Mallozzi on the first play from scrimmage after Dobbs had given the Chargers the lead.

“When they scored there to take the lead back, it was just one bump in the road,” Summers said. “We knew we were going to go right back out there and score anyway to get the lead back. I thought my line just got better and better down the stretch and did a great job giving me the time to hit the deep balls, and that really helped.”

The St. Joe’s comeback spoiled a spectacular effort from Ansonia’s Dobbs, who finished the game with 251 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 40 carries.

“Markell is tremendous,” Brockett said. “He is probably the best football player in the state of Connecticut. He is a warrior. He left everything on the field. All our kids did. Our kids played really hard. It was a great high school football game.”

Summers played under duress almost the entire first half as the Ansonia defense used speed to keep the pressure on the junior quarterback. But he rebounded from a first half in which he completed only 4 of 10 passes for 62 yards by finishing the game 15-for-29 for 270 yards and five touchdowns.

“I said before the game that they had a great quarterback,” Brockett said. “We knew what we were up against. He is the best quarterback in the state, and all four of his wide receivers are all outstanding. The kid (Pasmeg) might be the most underrated player in the state, and Mallozzi makes his plays. They are a tough offense.”

Pasmeg caught touchdown passes of 25 and 70 yards from Summers while Bill Diamantis scored on a 10-yard pass and Jesse Bike scored on an 11-yard pass.

“We just had to leave our hearts out in the field tonight,” Pasmeg said. “Every just left everything out there. Anything we could take, we just took advantage of it. Mike Diorio was a huge leader for us on defense. Ace Luzietti came up huge for us with those two interceptions, and he has never done that before. When he did that we were like, ‘Oh alright, I guess we can actually win this.’”

It didn’t look like that early as the Chargers seemed in complete control of the game in the first half. After falling behind, 7-0, when a high snap on a punt attempt gave the Cadets the ball at the Ansonia 25-yard line, the Chargers scored the next 22 points to go into intermission leading, 22-7. The lead could have even been bigger, but Justin Lopez’s 41-yard run on the last play of the half came up two yards short of the end zone.

The Chargers (12-1) still appeared to be in great shape when they drove the ball 63 yards in five plays to take a 28-7 lead on a 13-yard touchdown run by Lopez.

But then St. Joe’s put together the biggest drive of the game, going 70 yards on 14 to plays to score on a 10-yard pass to Diamantis and get within two touchdowns. On the very next possession, the Cadets scored in just two plays with Pasmeg taking a pass 70 yards for the score and moment had clearly shifted.

When Lopez dropped the ensuing kickoff and recovered it at his own 5-yard line, the Chargers were in trouble. The possession ended with a Lopez fumble on the 11-yard line, and it took St. Joe’s just one play to score on an 11-yard pass to Bike.

St. Joe’s was on a roll. Even when the Cadets started on their own 9-yard line after one of two interceptions by Ace Luzietti, they drove the length of the field to score on a 58-yard run by Jaden Shirden.

“We said we just had to get tougher, and I think we wore them down a bit,” St. Joe’s coach Joe Della Vecchia said. “They got tired in the second half.

“We said we just had to get tougher, and I think we wore them down a bit,” Della Vecchia said. “They got tired in the second half, and we played a great game. To do this against Ansonia, the top program in Connecticut with 20 state championships, and come back and win the way we did, this is way up there among the best wins in our program history.”

There are many fine basketball players in our area, but who are the best of the best? Forget about leagues and conferences, just the top five players. The staff at The Hoop Zone worked to determine this and as a result came up with our first preseason All-Hoop Zone team.

The team

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Highlights

• Here are individual highlights of each player:

All-Hoop Zone preseason girls team
Show embedded map in full-screen mode

The best

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Berkshire League
Lewis Mills at Wamogo, 7
Litchfield at Gilbert, 7
Others
Gunnery at Westover, 2:30
Abbott Tech at Shepaug, 7
Housatonic at New Fairfield, 7
SWC-FCIAC Challenge
at Pomperaug
St. Joseph vs. Newtown, 5
Danbury vs. Pomperaug, 7
Nonnewaug Tip-Off Classic
Bassick vs. Joel Barlow, 5:15
Masuk vs. Nonnewaug, 7
WRESTLING
Nonnewaug at Northwestern, 6
Oxford at Derby, 6
Gilbert at Thomaston-Litchfield-Holy Cross, 7
Others
New Fairfield at Pomperaug, 6

GIRLS BASKETBALL
Naugatuck Valley League
Ansonia 40, Kennedy 32
Woodland 41, Derby 29
Sacred Heart 51, Naugatuck 23
Seymour 50, Torrington 19
Holy Cross 56, Watertown 41
St. Paul 64, WCA 37
Wolcott 83, Wilby 23
Berkshire League
Northwestern 59, Thomaston 42
Shepaug 44, Terryville 36
Litchfield at Gilbert, ppd. to today
Lewis Mills at Wamogo, ppd. to today
Others
Wilton 79, Cheshire 63
Crosby 57, Kaynor Tech 43
WRESTLING
Amity 75, Cheshire 0

By JOE PALLADINO

WATERTOWN — Aiyana Ward scored 29 points as Holy Cross rallied to a 56-41 victory over Watertown on Tuesday in the NVL opening game for both teams.

Cross won despite a field-goal drought of 10 minutes, 30 seconds in the first half.

The Crusaders trailed by as many as five points in the third quarter, but Ward made three consecutive field goals, and then Cross received 3-point field goals from Julia Mecca, Jasmine Thorpe, and Hannah Brown. All of that happened in a four-minute run.

Ward added 11 rebounds and four steals. Meah Austin added 14 despite missing minutes to foul trouble, and she had eight boards and three steals.

“It’s definitely a 1-2 punch when we’re both in there,” Ward said of her and Austin in the post for Cross. “But when somebody’s not in there, one of us has to pick it up, and I just felt like it had to be me in that time when we were really close.”

Chloe Defeo led Watertown with nine points and four steals, Emily Deptula added eight points and seven rebounds, Bri Nolan scored eight, with four boards and three steals, and Allie Mazzarella also added eight points. Jordyn Forte had 10 rebounds and five assists for the Indians.

HOLY CROSS 56, WATERTOWN 41

Holy Cross (1-0): Julia Mecca 1 0 3, Allie Brown 0 0 0, Hannah Brown 2 0 5, Jenna Mowad 0 0 0, Lizzy Diorio 0 0 0, Meah Austin 2 10 14, Ashley Davis 0 0 0, Jasmine Thorpe 2 0 5, Nadia French-Graham 0 0 0, Ja’Lin Waters 0 0 0, Mariah Grady 0 0 0, Aiyana Ward 11 7 29. Totals: 18 17 56.

Watertown (0-1): Jordyn Forte 0 2 2, Bri Nolan 3 2 8, Alyssa Santangelli 1 0 2, Emily Deptula 4 0 8, Chloe Defeo 3 3 9, Kayla Fac 2 0 4, Allie Mazzarella 3 2 8, Kayla D’Elia 0 0 0. Totals: 16 9 41.

Holy Cross 4 17 17 18 — 56

Watertown 8 15 11 7 — 41

3 point field goals: HC — H. Brown 1, Thorpe 1, Mecca 1. W — none.

COMMENTARY BY ROGER CLEAVELAND

It’s not often that high school football players get to play Monday Night Football, but this year’s Class S championship game between the two best teams in the state proved worthy of such a distinction. If it had been on ESPN, St. Joe’s 42-36 win over Ansonia would have been made into an instant classic and immediately replayed somewhere on the network.
But since this was only high school kids playing their hearts out for memories, thrills and the fulfillment of dreams rather than for mega contracts, you’ll have to find the game on the National Federation of High Schools’ website (NFHSnetwork.com).
Trust me, it’s worth your time and the $9.95 one-month membership fee.
This epic battle provided shifts of momentum, dramatic twists and emotional swings all night.
There were periods of dominance for both sides — Ansonia’s 28-7 lead; St. Joe’s ensuing 28 straight points — that made you think the game was over. At the same time, doubt and hope lingered due to the abundance of explosive athletes on each roster. To be a classic, you need electric playmakers, and this game exuded them.
There were five plays of 50 yards or more and six of 40-plus yards, three for each team. You throw in another three of 22 yards or more and three more of 18-19 yards, and excitement was plentiful. But this wasn’t a game just dominated by offense. There were no less than seven huge defensive plays that shifted momentum.
The Chargers forced St. Joe’s to turn the ball over on downs in Ansonia territory once and also had an interception by Lopez that they turned into a touchdown on the ensuing possession.
The St. Joe’s defense turned a Chargers punt miscue (long snap over Lopez’s head), one interception and a forced fumble into touchdowns. The Cadets also made a potential game-saving tackle on Lopez at the two-yard line at the end of a 41-yard run on the last play of first half, and then used another interception with 2:12 to play in the game to take away Ansonia’s last opportunity to win.
The game also provided that Monday Night Football aura, the feeling that anyone who cared about football had to be watching. This one would dictate who should be No. 1 in the state.
If the Chargers had won, they could have easily staked their claim. Tiny little Ansonia with its roster half the size of St. Joe’s had an opportunity to dispel the notion it was a paper tiger built upon a resume of wins over weak opponents. The Chargers could prove they could play even with a team from the Fairfield County Interscholastic Athletic Conference with its reputation for dominance within the championship landscape.
The Chargers gained that respect even in a loss. And by virtue of its win over such a worthy opponent in a dramatic classic, St. Joe’s made a strong case for it being voted No. 1 ahead of Class LL champion Darien, a team embroiled in controversy because the coach allowed his star quarterback to play despite his arrest in an assault case.
But this game was all about proving greatness rather than overcoming controversy.
Dobbs proved to the real deal with a sensational performance that included 251 yards rushing, three touchdowns and three two-point conversions. Playing against the team that now has the second-most CIAC state titles (13) behind the Chargers’ 20, he left no doubt the electric plays he made all season were not simply the result of playing outmatched competition.
The Cadets boasted all sorts of athletes and playmakers, and no one shined more than Dobbs. He made outstanding plays on both sides of the ball, showcasing his incredible cutbacks, determination, strength, vision and speed.
Speed, energy and determination early allowed the Ansonia defense to harass the state’s best quarterback, David Summers. The Chargers constantly pressured him in the first half, forcing him to scramble to avoid catastrophe and a rout. But he made enough plays with his feet to keep his team within striking distance. Given his arm and poise, that distance proved to be a three-touchdown deficit.
After completing just four of 10 first-half passes, Summers finished 15-for-29 for 270 yards and five touchdowns by utilizing all of his playmaking receivers: Jared Mallozzi, Phil Pasmeg, Bill Diamantis and Jesse Bike.
To compete against all that talent, Ansonia needed more than just Dobbs and got it. On several occasions, Lopez was on the verge of winning the game for the Chargers. He intercepted a pass tipped by Dobbs and had runs of 41 and 62 yards in addition to a 13-yard touchdown run.
Darwin Amaya caught passes of 22 and 38 yards that kept drives alive, and he also scored on a 12-yard touchdown scrum.
The Chargers left the field understandably disappointed, but there was no shame in being part of what will go down as the most meaningful, dramatic and entertaining game played this season.

COMMENTARY BY JOE PALLADINO
Holy Cross’s Meah Austin put it perfectly: “There is no star player. We are all in this together. If we all work hard we’re going to have good results. I can’t stress that any more than I am. No star player equals success.”
That is the motto for the Cross girls basketball team which attempts to do something this season that I can’t ever recall before: Rebuild a team that has lost nine players from last season. Nine. From an NVL and Class L finalist. Nine.
Of course, there was a star turn on Tuesday night for Cross in the 56-41 win over Watertown, the season opener for both teams.
Aiyana Ward scored 29 points to lift the Crusaders, and it was needed, because Austin, the other key senior on the squad, missed minutes due to foul trouble.
This win was hardly routine for Cross, a team that endured a field-goal drought of 10 minutes, 30 seconds in the first half.
But the Crusaders seem like a team that must find a way to endure night after night.
“Although it looks like it comes from just me and Meah, it definitely comes from everyone,” Ward said.
That’s correct. Austin had a night, too, with 14 points, eight rebounds and three steals. And Ward added 11 boards and four steals. But Cross won this game because of a mountain of small moments.
In a four-minute, second-half run, Ward hit three consecutive hoops, but then Cross received 3-point field goals from Julia Mecca, Jasmine Thorpe and Hannah Brown. Nadia French-Graham, who didn’t score a point, snagged three key second-half rebounds.
It will be a village for Cross.
“We are definitely coming in as a new team,” Ward added. “It is definitely a rebuilding year. But we have a little bit of a different vibe. We are the underdogs, so, we play like we have nothing to lose, which I think is better than playing like you’re trying to stay on top. It’s a little bit more fun.”
Chloe Defeo led Watertown with nine points and four steals, Emily Deptula added eight points and seven rebounds, Bri Nolan scored eight, with four boards and three steals, and freshman Allie Mazzarella added eight. Jordyn Forte had 10 rebounds and five assists for the Indians.
It was a game that the Indians could have won, and, quite possibly, a game they might win later in the season. When you make only nine of 21 free throws, that’s an ouch.
And talk about young, Watertown is in that category as well. The Indians lost seven players off the roster from last season.
“This is a good challenge for us,” said Watertown coach Jason Hurdle. “This game let me know where we stand, and we’re a team that is learning how to play together.”
Opening night in the NVL. A lot was learned. More lessons are to come.
Send comments to jpalladino@rep-am.com, and follow on Twitter at @RAOffTheRecord.

Sacred Heart got eight steals from Treasure Coleman and seven steals from Aamya Rivera in a 51-23 win over Naugatuck on Tuesday in NVL girls basketball action. Rivera led the Hearts with 19 points while Mikayla Mosley tallied 11.
Raven Cody scored 30 points and Wolcott cruised to a season-opening victory against Wilby, 83-23. Morgan Kiely chipped in 12 points for Wolcott.
Liz Wilson scored 16 points with five assists, and Natasha Rivera added 10 points and 10 rebounds in Ansonia’s 40-32 NVL win over visiting Kennedy.
Morgan Kolb led four St. Paul players in double figures with 18 points in a 64-37 win over WCA.
Janessa Gonzalez had 11 points while Aidrianna Lopez and Jade Udoh added 10 points apiece. Armani Weaver led the Spartans with 13 points.
In a non-league Waterbury matchup, Tiahna Pulliam-Bishop scored a game-high 17 points and Shyan Perez added 13 points to lead Crosby over Kaynor Tech, 57-43, in the season opener.
Brooke Donaghey had 13 points and Lucy Puskas bagged 11 points in Shepaug’s 44-36 win over Terryville.
Lauren Jacobs had 11 rebounds for the Kangaroos.
Morgan Teodosio and Grace Hayes had nine points each for Seymour in a 50-19 win over Torrington.
Mia Juodaitis led four Cheshire players in double figures with 18 points in a 79-63 loss at Wilton.
Sara Mulligan and Julia Schaff each had 13 points while Emily Yonych added 11 points.
Maddie Patrick had a monster double-double with 29 points and 13 rebounds in Chase’s 55-35 win over Wooster.
Sam Crone filled the stat sheet with eight points, seven assists and four steals.
Hana Bojka led all scorers with 13 points and Woodland topped Derby, 41-29, in the season opener for both teams.

CROSBY 57, KAYNOR TECH 34
Kaynor Tech (0-1): Haley Romaniello 1 0 2, Danielle Salyati 2 0 4, Sarah Wisniewki 5 9 20, Maggie DeSantis 2 0 4, Toyin Bilewv 1 0 2, Nicole Morris 0 0 0, Se’Raya Steward 1 0 2. Totals: 12 9 34.
Crosby (1-0): Ana Lala 0 0 0, Destiny Cancel 2 0 5, Erica Soares 5 2 12, Shyan Perez 4 1 13, Leyda Colon 3 0 6, Venus Calderon 0 0 0, Amayah Benjamin 1 0 2, Tiahna Pulliam-Bishop 5 6 17, Briana Jackson 0 0 0, Destiny Parris 1 0 2. Totals: 21 9 57.
3-point goals: KT—Sara Wisniewski 1; C—Destiny Cancel 1, Shyan Perez 4, Tiahna Pulliam-Bishop 3.

SACRED HEART 51,
NAUGATUCK 23
Sacred Heart (1-0): Aamya Rivera 7 4 19, Adalena Francis 0 2 2, Jenna Madigan 1 0 3, Treasure Coleman 3 0 6, Hayley Tucker 2 0 4, Mikayla Mobley 4 1 11, Trista Caron 1 0 2, Takia Lewis 2 0 4. Totals: 20 7 51.
Naugatuck (0-1): Alexis Woods 3 0 6, Alyana Sosa 2 0 4, Bridget Rosikiewicz 2 0 4, Hailey Deitelbaum 3 0 6, Brielle Behuniak 1 0 2, Evelyn Diaz 0 1 1. Totals: 11 1 23.
Sacred Heart 15 10 14 12—51
Naugatuck 6 6 4 7—23
3-point goals: SH—Rivera 1, Madigan 1, Moseley 2; N—none.

HOLY CROSS 56, WATERTOWN 41
Holy Cross (1-0): Julia Mecca 1 0 3, Allie Brown 0 0 0, Hannah Brown 2 0 5, Jenna Mowad 0 0 0, Lizzy Diorio 0 0 0, Meah Austin 2 10 14, Ashley Davis 0 0 0, Jasmine Thorpe 2 0 5, Nadia French-Graham 0 0 0, Ja’Lin Waters 0 0 0, Mariah Grady 0 0 0, Aiyana Ward 11 7 29. Totals: 18 17 56.
Watertown (0-1): Jordyn Forte 0 2 2, Bri Nolan 3 2 8, Alyssa Santangelli 1 0 2, Emily Deptula 4 0 8, Chloe Defeo 3 3 9, Kayla Fac 2 0 4, Allie Mazzarella 3 2 8, Kayla D’Elia 0 0 0. Totals: 16 9 41.
Holy Cross 4 17 17 18—56
Watertown 8 15 11 7—41
3-point goals: HC—H. Brown 1, Thorpe 1, Mecca 1; W—none.

ANSONIA 40, KENNEDY 32
Kennedy (0-1): Hannah West 4 0 8, Yakira Edwards 2 1 6, Ashley Lamb 1 1 3, Phoebe Cassette 0 0 0, Aniyyah Watson 1 1 3, Amaryllies Rivera 2 0 6, Vivian Bunker 2 2 6. Totals: 12 5 32.
Ansonia (1-0): Hailey Belido 1 0 2, Larissa Rodriguez 3 1 10, Josenia Lopez 1 0 2, Natasha Rivera 4 2 10, Liz Wilson 4 7 16, Jayda Sanchez 0 0 0, Whisper Sanders 0 0 0. Totals: 13 10 40.
Kennedy 12 5 7 8—32
Ansonia 5 7 11 17—40
3-point goals: A—Rodriguez 3, Wilson 1; K—Edwards 1, Rivera 2.

SEYMOUR 50, TORRINGTON 19
Seymour (1-0): Kolby Sirowich 3 1 7, Alyssa Johnson 2 0 4, Alyssa Cosciello 1 0 2, Bella Andrade 0 0 0, Sydnie Drezek 2 1 5, Kiley Drezek 0 0 0, Morgan Teodosio 4 1 9, Jacey Cosciello 1 0 2, Izzy Calabro 0 0 0, Arlinda Peraj 2 0 4, Grace Hayes 4 1 9, Molly Kennedy 2 3 8. Totals: 20 7 50.
Torrington (0-1): Julia McCarthy 1 0 3, Suzie Navin 0 0 0, Shannon Reardon 0 1 1, Kate Mooney 1 2 4, Alyssa Maraia 2 2 6, Kristen Gray 0 1 1, Maggie Thompson 0 0 0, Amelia Mierzwinski 0 0 0, Kayla Williams 1 0 2, Alicia Caskey 1 0 2. Totals: 6 6 19.
Seymour 15 11 14 10—50
Torrington 2 6 3 8—19
3-point goals: S—Kennedy 1; T—McCarthy 1.

ST. PAUL 64, WCA 37
St. Paul (1-0): Taylor Crawford 1 0 2, McKenzie Gauthier 1 0 2, Aidrianna Lopez 5 0 10, Emma Cretella 0 0 0, Molly Hooks 3 0 6, Janessa Gonzalez 5 0 11, Olivia Stump 1 0 3, Brie Giantonio 1 0 2, Catherine Ciampi 0 0 0, Morgan Kolb 8 1 18, Megan Fortier 0 0 0, Lindsey O’Bright 0 0 0, Ashley Suzio 0 0 0, Jade Udoh 5 0 10, Kailyn Bielecki 0 0 0, Olivia Heslin 0 0 0. Totals: 30 1 64.
WCA (0-1): Janelle Goodman 0 0 0, Shyra Fisher 2 1 6, Alyssah Chouinard 2 2 6, Dianne Samaroo 1 0 2, Taylor Dunn 1 0 2, Shynia Moore 0 1 1, Allaysia Murrell 0 1 1, Leila Lazaro 0 2 2, Alexus Lee 0 0 0, Michalyn Vaichus 2 0 4, Jonna Pierce 0 0 0, Armani Weaver 3 5 13, Kendra McPherson 0 0 0. Totals: 11 12 37.
St. Paul 15 20 18 11—64
WCA 11 7 7 12—37
3-point goals: SP—Gonzalez 1, Stump 1, Kolb 1; W—Weaver 2, Fisher 1.

NORTHWESTERN 59,
THOMASTON 42
Northwestern (0-0): Frankie DeSanti 1 0 2, Skylar Dimartino 1 0 2, Emma Propfe 3 7 13, Addie Hester 3 5 11, Jana Sanden 1 0 2, Morgan Daley 8 0 16, Natalie Lederman 6 1 13. Totals: 23 13 59.
Thomaston (0-0): Alexa Milius 3 0 8, Alexa Sanson 0 0 0, Kaitlyn Root 4 0 12, Mackenzie Doyle 0 0 0, Anna Colavecchio 3 0 6, Emily Root 1 7 9, Evan Doyle 2 0 5, Alana Veronesi 1 0 2, Sydney Stevenson 0 0 0. Totals: 14 7 42.
Northwestern 10 15 14 20—59
Thomaston 13 7 4 18—42
3-point goals: T—K. Root 4, A. Milius 2, E. Doyle 1; N—none.

SHEPAUG 44, TERRYVILLE 36
Shepaug (1-0): Eilish Crossley 1 0 2, Olivia Moore 1 1 3, Brooke Donaghey 4 3 13, Rachel Andrews 2 0 4, Lucy Puskas 4 3 11, Haylie Lasky 2 3 7, Avery Serra 0 2 2, Abby Harty 1 0 2. Totals: 15 12 44.
Terryville (0-1): Jordan Conklin 0 0 0, Jacki Johnson 0 0 0, Hailey Marin 1 1 3, Mackenzie Huria 4 3 12, Tiffany Pires 0 0 0, Amy Roqi 2 0 5, Samantha Stone 2-0-4, Lauren Jacobs 1 1 3, Alana Girch 4 1 9, Devin Girch 0 0 0. Totals: 14 6 36.
3-point goals: S—Donaghey 2; T—Huria 1, Roqi 1.

WOODLAND 41, DERBY 29
Woodland (1-0): Katie Sirowich 1 2 4, Haley Andrews 3 1 7, Eliza Smith 4 1 9, Paige Resnick 2 0 5, Hana Bojka 6 1 13, Joanna Emin 0 1 1, Jenna Palmieri 0 0 0, Ava DeLuccia 0 0 0, Jillian Barbarito 1 0 2. Totals: 17 6 41.
Derby (0-1): Cristina Carloni 1 1 3, Madison Koval 0 5 5, Kiara Swilling 2 0 4, Isabelle Chevarella 2 1 5, Lucy Lane 1 2 4, Devina Lopez 4 0 8, Emily Borowski 0 0 0, Kaylee Olenoski 0 0 0. Totals: 10 9 29.
Woodland 12 11 9 9—41
Derby 7 4 9 9—29
3-point goals: W—Resnick 1; D—none.

CHASE 55, WOOSTER 35
Chase (1-0): Sam Crone 4 0 8, Sam Dassatti 3 0 6, Angelina Guglielmo 4 0 8, Phoebe DeRiu-Crowley 2 0 4, Maddie Patrick 12 4 29, Emma Denihan 0 0 0, Meris Rosenberg 0 0 0, Jill Knies 0 0 0, Jilly Carleton 0 0 0, Ally Dassatti 0 0 0, Karen Sun 0 0 0. Totals: 25 4 55.
Wooster: Laura Arcola 0 0 0, Gabby Binghi 0 0 0, Ruiying Huang 0 0 0, Caylynn Maldonado 1 0 2, Morgan McCutcheon 5 1 11, Lizzie Nicoletti 0 0 0, Brittany Reid 6 0 12, Alicia Nicoletti 1 0 2, Alison Lopes 0 0 0, Hannah Matteson 0 0 0, Emma Shorten 4 0 8. Totals: 17 1 35.
3-point goals: C—Patrick 1; W—none.

THOMASTON — The Northwestern High girls basketball team made a statement on opening night Tuesday with a 59-42 victory over defending Berkshire League champion Thomaston at the Cave.
“I think we have the potential to be in the top three if we just continue to work on moving to get open and finishing our shots,” said junior forward Emma Propfe, who netted 13 points for the Highlanders.
Thomaston led after one quarter, 13-10, and was hitting its long-range shots. But Northwestern pulled ahead in the second period for a 25-20 lead at halftime and put the game away in the third quarter with a 14-4 run.
“We knew going into the third quarter that we needed to play harder and more aggressively to play to our potential. I feel that we did that,” said Propfe.
Morgan Daley led the Highlanders with 16 points while Natalie Lederman added 13 and Addie Hester 11. Kaitlyn Root had 12 points, all on 3-pointers, for Thomaston and Emily Root added nine.