Everette, Cross rally past Westies

WEST HAVEN — It is not always how you start, but how you finish. Just ask Kandie Everette of Wilbur Cross.

Hitting on just one field goal entering the fourth quarter, Everette broke a 43-43 tie with a pair of buckets, leading the Governors to a 58-47 Southern Connecticut Conference interdivision victory at Neil Cavallaro Court at West Haven High on Friday.

For Everette, who was in foul trouble and saw limited action in the third quarter, the redemption was one of beauty as her first two baskets of the second half helped Cross overcome an 11-point deficit and gave the team a 47-43 lead.

“It feels good,” Everette said after finishing with eight points. “I am glad I was able to pull it together and help my teammates.”

The baskets were the daggers in the hearts of the

WILBUR CROSS

Westies, who completely lost their offensive touch in the fourth quarter, hitting on just one field goal by Tenique Gates with 3 minutes, 54 seconds to go to get the Westies within 47-45.

West Haven missed a ton of open looks and was just 2-for-7 from the free throw line in the final eight minutes.

“We completely fell apart in the second half,” West Haven coach Jessica Moriarty said after her team fell to 5-4. “We were not shooting. It looked as if we were trying to just throw the ball to get fouled. I am extremely disappointed. Ty (Thomas) does a great job. He is a great coach. Our problem is our youth. It completely showed in the second half.”

The Westies looked as if they were in great position twice in the third quarter when they took 11-point leads on a bucket by Amani Abuhatab and again on a 3-pointer by Gates for a 40-29 lead.

The Governors answered with a 14-3 run to close out the third quarter, including nine points from Dejah Middleton. When Madison McCaulay hit a 3-pointer late in the third, the two teams went to the fourth quarter even at 43.

West Haven twice had opportunities to open the scoring in the fourth, but could not convert, setting the tone for Everette. The senior then gave her team a 52-45 advantage with 1:52 remaining, before the Governors iced the contest with four free throws, and a clinching bucket by Jaylice Rosario.

“We had to stick together,” Everette said. “We kept our heads up and kept the energy going. We knew if we kept the energy up, we could win.”

Trailing 13-12 in the second quarter, West Haven took a 27-21 lead at the half when Kassidy Carrano opened the quarter with a 3-pointer, then added another bucket for a 24-19 lead. A basket by Mya Flemming and a free throw by Carrano extended the margin to six points at the break.

“We had the lead, then our youth showed,” Moriarty said. “We beat ourselves tonight. Give them credit. They came back, but we have to make some of those shots.”

April Artis led all scorers with 17 points for Wilbur Cross, while Middleton had 15. Carrano led West Haven with 15 points, while Abuhatab added 12 and Gates finished with nine.

PLAYERS OF THE GAME

April Artis and Kandie Everette: Cross seniors led the way in a comeback victory as Artis scored 17 points and Everette finished with eight, including six in the decisive fourth quarter.

Both teams struggled from the foul line as Cross finished 10-of-18, and West Haven finished 10-of-19.

QUOTABLE

“We had to stick together. We kept our heads up and kept the energy going. We knew if we kept the energy up, we could win.”

HAMDEN — KC Ndefo posted 15 points, seven rebounds and three blocks as St. Peter’s defeated Quinnipiac 66-64 on Friday.

Daryl Banks III had 13 points for St. Peter’s (13-10, 10-8 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference). Doug Edert added 11 points. Matthew Lee had eight assists. He also had seven turnovers.

Banks’ 3-pointer with 1:44 remaining gave St. Peter’s the lead for good. Quinnipiac’s Tymu Chenery made two free throws with two seconds left for the final margin.

Luis Kortright had 18 points for the Bobcats (9-12, 7-10). Brendan McGuire added 13 points as did Seth Pinkney, who had four blocks.

The Peacocks split the season series. Quinnipiac defeated St. Peter’s 65-60 on Thursday.

MEN’S HOCKEY

Quinnipiac 4, Colgate 2: At Hamden, Odeen Tufto had a goal and two assists to help lead the Bobcats to an ECAC Hockey win.

Peter DiLiberatore, Christophwe Fillion and Michael Lombardi also added goals for Quinnipiac (17-5-4, 10-3-4), while Keith Petruzzelli finished with 31 saves.

Colgate fell to 5-10-5 (4-9-4 ECAC).

WOMEN’S HOCKEY

Colgate 2, Quinnipiac 1: At Hamilton, N.Y., Taylor House scored in the third period for the Bobcats (10-6-0) in an ECAC semifinal loss.

Colgate (14-6-1) entered the final frame with a two-goal lead with scores from Kaitlyn O’Donohoe and Sammy Smigliani.

FIELD HOCKEY

Quinnipiac 2, Providence 1: At Hamden, Julianna Cappello scored the go-ahead goal in the fourth quarter as the Bobcats won their season opener.

Olivia Howard had a goal and assist for Quinnipiac, while Nina Santore made a pair of saves in her collegiate debut in goal.

MINNEAPOLIS — A member of the “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team has died at a treatment center for mental illness.

Officials in Anoka County, Minn., confirmed Friday that 63-year-old Mark Pavelich died at the Eagle’s Healing Nest in Sauk Centre, Minnesota, on Thursday morning. The cause and manner of death are still pending.

“We are saddened to hear about the passing of 1980 Olympic gold medalist Mark Pavelich,” USA Hockey said in a statement. “We extend our deepest condolences to Mark’s family & friends. (He is) forever a part of hockey history.”

Pavelich was undergoing treatment at the home as part of a civil commitment for assaulting his neighbor in Cook County, Minn., in August 2019, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported. Pavelich thought the man had spiked his beer.

He was charged with felony assault but Judge Michael Cuzzo found he was incompetent to stand trial because he was mentally ill and dangerous. According to the judge’s order from December 2019, a psychologist found Pavelich was suffering from delusions and paranoia. Another psychologist found he suffered from a mild neurocognitive disorder due to traumatic brain injury, likely related to repeated head injuries.

Pavelich starred at the University of MinnesotaDuluth and assisted Mike Eruzione on the winning goal against the heavily favored Soviet Union in the 1980 Olympics. That U.S. team went on to win the gold medal.

Pavelich spent five seasons with the NHL’s New York Rangers and played briefly for the Minnesota North Stars and San Jose Sharks. He sold his gold medal for more than $250,000 in 2014, two years after his wife, Kara, died in an accidental fall.

Pavelich’s sister, Jean Gevik, didn’t immediately respond to a message.

The Rangers said in a statement they were saddened by Pavelich’s death.

“His determination, passion and dazzling playmaking ability earned him the adoration of Rangers fans during his five-year tenure in New York,” the team said.

Pavelich