By Peter Wallace
pwallace@registercitizen.com
@PWallaceSports on Twitter
TORRINGTON >> Torrington’s girls basketball team turned lots of new faces and a few familiar ones into a 42-31 win over Woodland in the season opener Tuesday night at Torrington High School.
The Red Raiders started a senior, three juniors and a freshman. Forwards Caitlyn Cornish and Brie Pergola were starters on last year’s NVL championship team. The others are a work in progress.
“I was worried about this game because we’re new and raw,” said Coach Mike Fritch Sr. “It’s early. We’ve just had 12 days; that’s not enough time to put everything in. So we have no press and we haven’t put in a zone.”
Fortunately for the Raiders, Woodland is in similar shape. The Hawks were 5-15 as a young team last year. Senior guards Cameron Caswell and Carla Piccolo (game-high 14 points) are experienced captains, but the team is assimilating junior transfer Morina Bojka (Chase Collegiate) and still in the growing stage.
For what they have, both coaches came out happy.
“The young kids did a nice job under pressure,” said Fritch.
The Raiders committed 10 turnovers in a nervous first half, then settled down to just three in the second.
Woodland coach Jess Moffo was happy with her defense.
“The effort and hustle were there,” she said. “We did a great job on (All-Stater Pergola).”
Pergola (13 points) had just six points in the first half, but an unofficial four blocks and two steals while keeping Torrington in the rebounding game with nine.
With just three more points in the third period, she came alive for eight in the final stretch.
“Brie came through when we needed her,” said Fritch.
Meanwhile, the youngsters had their moments.
Freshman point guard Alyssa Maria came out and nailed the first basket of the game, a 10-footer on the baseline.
“I started playing Elks in the second grade and PAL and AAU in the fifth grade,” she said. “The team makes me feel comfortable.”
Torrington built an 8-2 lead on two baskets underneath from Cornish and a foul line bank from sophomore Alexis Tyrrell.
Then it was new and raw looking, with eight turnovers in the last three minutes of the first period (Woodland finished with 15 for the game).
The Raiders held their lead though the second while shaking nerves off the newcomers: senior Ashlynn Cook hit outside; sophomore Shannon Reardon (9 points) sank a three; junior Lindsey Mathieu made an impressive move underneath; sophomore Kirsten Gray finished the half with a drive, 19-12.
Woodland came alive in the third.
After a steal and three-point play by Pergola, Bojka, a quick 5-10 rebounding ball-handler who led her team to a 24-24 tie on the boards, made a put-back on the third try of one possession, then stole the ball and laid it in.
It sparked the Hawks to a 12-0 run and a 24-24 tie with 1:39 left in the third period.
Reardon yanked the lead back to Torrington with back-to-back baskets, 28-24.
Pergola and Piccolo, the best players on the floor, battled through half of the final period – Piccolo with a drive and an outside shot, Pergola with her own put-back, a wild drive and a pair of foul shots
By the time she was done, the Raiders led 36-27 and Bojka fouled out of the game.
The rest was lessons in ball control, starring Pergola, for the brand new Raider team.
“Learning is being done,” smiled Fritch.
Torrington 42, Woodland 31
At Torrington High School
Woodland 4 8 12 7 – 31
Torrington 8 11 9 14 – 42
Woodland (31): Maddie Hupprich 0-0-0; Haley Andrews 2-0-5; Carla Piccolo 5-3-14; Cameron Caswell 2-0-4; Morina Bojka 2-2-6; Jenna Pannone 0-2-4; Totals 11-7-31.
Torrington (42): Alexis Tyrrell 2-2-6; Ashlynn Cook 1-0-2; Brie Pergola 3-7-13; Jessica Teti 0-0-0; Shannon Reardon 4-0-9; Sara Bardwell 0-0-0; Alyssa Maria 1-0-2; Kirsten Gray 1-0-2; Lindsey Mathieu 2-0-4; Caitlyn Cornish 2-0-4; Totals: 16-9-42.
3-point goals: W – Andrews; Piccolo. T – Reardon.
Records: Woodland 0-1; Torrington 1-0.