Box Scores: Girls Show Down in SWC Semis by Newtown; Boys Roll On

Girls Basketball SWC Semi-Finals:

Heading into their SWC semi-final game against No. 2 Newtown played at Bunnell Tuesday night, No. 6 Brookfield was faced with the same task they were faced with when they defeated Kolbe Cathedral in the quarterfinal Saturday, defeating a team that had already beaten them twice during the year.  

A fast start by the Lady Nighthawks put a quick end to any thoughts of an upset, as Newtown opened the game by outscoring the Lady Bobcats 17-4 in the first quarter in part of a 23-5 run that propelled them to a 57-40 win.  The victory puts Newtown in their first SWC Championship game since 2003.

Early in the season the two teams matched up in a thrilling overtime game in the semi-final of the SWC Holiday tournament played at Abbott Tech that Newtown won 63-59. Unfortunately for Brookfield, this semi-final was more reminiscent of the mid-season 56-43 lop-sided loss played at Newtown. That win was game five of a current 12-game wining streak that the Lady Nighthawks are riding.

Jess Lynch led Newtown with 21 points while their all-purpose player Riley Wurtz scored 15.  Brookfield was led by Julia DePoi, who scored a game-high 23 points. No other Lady Bobcat scored in double-figures.

Newtown will move on to face No. 1 Lauralton Hall in the championship game to be played Thursday night at Pomperaug.  

The Lady Crusaders also defeated a team for the third time in the semis, knocking off Pomperaug 53-47 in the second game of the night. It is the second straight season that Lauralton Hall will be in the final. They came up short against Pomperaug in the championship game last year. Newtown defeated Lauralton Hall 40-33 at home in a game played just two weeks ago.

Brookfield will now wait to see when and where they will play in the Class L State Championship tournament. They are currently ranked 15th in the polls.

BROOKFIELD (14-8, 11-6)

Julia DePoi 9 2-2 23; Maureen Vetter 1 0-0 3; Tara Schang 0 0-0 0; Krista Melchione 2 0-3 4; Jaimie Bickelhaupt 2 4-6 8; Kerry Fleming 1 0-0 2; Corrine Bogle 0 0-0 0; Courtney Morlock 0 0-0 0. Totals: 15 6-11 40

NEWTOWN (19-3, 14-2)

Riley Wurtz 6 2-4 15; Bridget Power 3 2-4 8; Jess Lynch 10 1-1 21; Erin Kenning 2 0-0 4; Taylor Benson 0 1-2 1; Maddy Good 2 0-0 5; Cassie Eckstrom 0 1-2 1; Abbey Doski 0 0-0 0 Sarah Pettinelli 0 0-0 0. Totals: 23 7-13 57

BROOKFIELD 4 8 10 18 — 40

NEWTOWN   17 11 13 16 — 57

3-pointers: B—DePoi 3, Vetter; N—Wurtz, Good

Boys Basketball (12-7, 8-5):

The Bobcats sent off senior captains Nick Paez and Austin Yusko in winning style on Senior Night as they cruised to their sixth straight win, defeating winless Oxford (0-19) 75-59.  It was the second blowout win in three days for Brookfield, as they pounded Rocky Hill 81-61 on Saturday night.

Both Paez and Yusko had big games in the celebration Monday night. Paez led the team in scoring by knocking down four three-point shots en route to a game-high 18 points. He also chipped in with eight rebounds and seven assists.  

Yusko hit six shots from the field as he scored 13 points in the easy win.

Underclassmen Ryan Korb and Danny Burkhart helped to make sure the Bobcats winning streak would continue as sophomore Korb had a double-double, scoring 14 points while grabbing ten rebounds and coming up with five steals.  Junior Burkhart added 16 points.

Brookfield will finish up their regular season Wednesday night at Masuk (13-5, 9-4) in a matchup of teams jockeying for postion in the SWC playoffs that begin on Saturday. Masuk is currently one-game ahead of Brookfield in the standings as the 5th place team.

OXFORD              9 18 11 21 — 59

BROOKFIELD 22 22 18 13 — 75

OXFORD (59): Seth Calvanese 5 0-1 10; Caithon Pratt 1 1-3 3; Alex Miller 1 0-0 3; J.T. Van Kamerik 3 0-0 6; Jordan Biagioni 1 0-0 2; Ty Moore 0 3-4 3; Kevin Severson 1 1-2 3; Kevin Fanelli 3 0-0 9; Shaquille Squire 3 1-3 7; Mraz 1 0-0 2; Chudoba 2 1-2 5; Mahoney 2 0-0 6. TOTALS: 17 7-15 59.

BROOKFIELD (75): Austin Yusko 6 1-2 13; Nick Paez 7 0-3 18; Danny Burkhart 6 3-6 16; Ralph Schatz 4 0-2 8; Boeing Brown 0 0-0 0; Ryan Korb 4 5-8 14; Joey Acquanita 1 1-2 4; Brad Leverence 0 2-3 2; David DePoi 0 0-0 0; Scott Gruda 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 21 12-26 75.

3-POINT GOALS: O—Fanelli 3, Mahoney 2, Miller; B—Paez 4, Burkhart, Korb, Acquanita.

ROCKY HILL   15 15 13 18 — 61

BROOKFIELD 17 23 18 23 — 81

ROCKY HILL (61): Steve Brennan 1 2-2 4; Albert Figoroa 3 0-0 6; Mike Vallarie 2 5-8 9; Chris Stoneburner 5 2-2 15; Dashawn Jones 3 0-0 6; Tom Vallarie 1 0-0 3; Kenichi Nezianya 6 0-1 12; Tom Seaver 3 0-0 6. TOTALS: 24 9-13 61.

BROOKFIELD (81): Austin Yusko 7 0-0 15; Nick Paez 6 1-1 15; Danny Burkhart 10 1-2 21; Ralph Schatz 8 1-1 17; Boeing Brown 1 0-0 2; Ryan Korb 4 1-3 9; Joey Acquanita 0 0-0 0; Brad Leverence 0 2-2 2; David DePoi 0 0-0 0; Scott Gruda 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 33 6-9 81.

3-POINT GOALS: RH—Stoneburner 3, T. Vallarie; B—Paez 2, Yusko.

HIGHLIGHTS: B—Schatz 12 rebounds, 4 steals, 4 blocks; Paez 5 assists; Korb 4 steals.