Greyhounds battle Torrington

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Red Raiders heat up, pull away from Naugatuck in Class L opener

Naugatuck’s Molly Kennedy (0) works against Torrington’s Shannon Reardon (20) Monday during the first round of the Class L tournament in Torrington. Torrington won, 61-34. –KEN MORSE

TORRINGTON — The Greyhounds came into the season looking to qualify for the state tournament for the first time in two years and rejuvenate an offense that averaged around 30 points a game the past two seasons.

Inconsistency on offense led to a one-step-forward-and-two-steps-back kind of season for Naugatuck, as first-year head coach Ron Plasky sought to blend the experience of his upperclassmen with a young core of talented players.

Seven times this year Naugy scored 40 points or more and put six of those games in the win column. Six times the team scored in the 20s and lost every one.

“I take full responsibility for what we didn’t accomplish this season,” Plasky said.

In spite of all the adversity the team faced during the season, especially losing junior Alyssa Peterson to injury, the Greyhounds managed to reach the Class L state tournament.

The No. 26-seeded Greyhounds traveled to Torrington on Monday to take on the No. 7-seeded Red Raiders in the first round of the tournament.

The two NVL foes met twice during the regular season. Torrington took both meetings, winning by 31 points the first time and 18 the second time around.

Playing on the road in hostile territory wasn’t exactly on the Greyhounds’ wish list, and no one would have flinched if it all came down around them. Despite falling 61-34 to Torrington, the Greyhounds (7-14) showed how much they have grown over the year.

Behind a team-high 14 points from Molly Kennedy and eight points from Alyana Sosa, Naugatuck took a 23-22 lead into the locker room at the half.

Sosa kicked a pass out on the wing to Mia Rotatori, who hit a 3-pointer, and Naugy was still out in front 28-26 at the midway point of the third quarter.

Over the final four minutes of the quarter, Torrington’s Brie Pergola (31 points) caught fire. She scored 19 of the Red Raiders’ 27 third quarter points to put Torrington (17-5) in complete control. Torrington went into the final quarter out in front 47-32, and Naugy never recovered.

“Talent will get you only do far,” Plasky said. “Effort and hard work is what will equal success. I’m so proud of my girls. No one expected us to be here and they certainly didn’t expect the effort these girls put into it.”

Naugatuck’s Alexis Woods pulls down a rebound against Torrington Monday during the first round of the Class L tournament in Torrington. Torrington won, 61-34. –KEN MORSE

“We still had some stretches where we broke down,” Plasky added. “But I thought for the most part we responded well. I loved our fight, but once Brie (Pergola) got hot we couldn’t stay with Torrington.”

Alexis Woods added four points and pulled down seven rebounds with two blocks for Naugatuck.

What Naugatuck showed in the first half will go a long way in establishing a base to build on for next season. The team will only lose two players — seniors Michelle Cordova and Katie Jones — to graduation.

The Greyhounds will come back next season with a strong stable of players who gained experience and confidence this season.

Juniors Kennedy, Sosa, Peterson, Woods and Bridget Rosikiewicz will be looked to for senior leadership next year. Sophomores Rotatori, Hailey Deitelbaum and Shannon Burns along with freshmen Brielle Behuniak, Alissa McNeil and Hailey Russell showed signs of potential this year.

“If we can keep the momentum that we built over the past two weeks and take that into next season, we will be all right,” Plasky said. “I was very encouraged by the amount of growth I saw in the past two weeks and with confidence will come consistency, the one thing we have struggled with all season.”