Northwestern keeps on rolling

GIRLS BASKETBALL: NORTHWESTERN 58, HOUSATONIC 28

WINSTED — Three days after winning its first Berkshire League girls basketball championship since 2004, the Northwestern girls basketball team (17-1; 16-1 BL) stuck an oversized jewel in their crown with a 58-28 dismantling of second-place Housatonic (12-7; 12-5 BL) Monday evening at Northwestern High School.

The win was much more a product of what Northwestern did right than what the Mountaineers did wrong.

“We put it all together tonight,” said coach Fred Williams.

It started with a feature Housatonic has traded on all year — hustle.

“They outhustled us tonight,” said coach Steve Dodge, three days after beating top-tier Lewis Mills with that same feature.

Monday, the list of aspects was much longer in a win that was just five points (42-37) over this same team a month ago.

“I’ve been blessed with great assistant coaches over the years,” said Williams, citing Ric Fritch’s contributions over many years and now his daughters Lindsey and Stacy. “There’s no ego involved; I run the practices, but they give me ideas.”

The attitude shows up on the floor.

“It’s teamwork,” said sophomore Natalie Lederman (13 points). “When we play together, we’re just in a zone and the score is a bonus.”

“We’re very versatile,” said senior Gina Weingart (12 points). “We have girls down low and guards who can run with anybody.”

And still, more than anything, it seems to come back to the attitude.

Junior Emma Propfe (seven points) is one of the most talented girls on the team but rarely puts up big scoring numbers.

“I focus on defense and rebounding,” she smiled. “I like to pass to people with a better shot than mine.”

So, while Propfe and others were doing that kind of job Monday, Lederman carried the Highlanders to a 12-9 lead in the first quarter with eight points.

Weingart took over with six points in the second toward a 28-13 halftime lead.

Guard Addie Hester pulled out the stops for 10 of her team-high 14 points in the second half, carrying the Highlanders

as a unit to 42-20 after three quarters.

Housatonic’s Olivia Forstmann led all scorers with 15 points in a lonely battle underneath. Northwestern 58, Housatonic 28

At Northwestern High School

Housatonic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 4 7 8 — 28

Northwestern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 16 14 16 — 58 Housatonic (28): Anna Coon 0-0-0; Caroline Hurlburt 1-1-3; Sierra O’Niel 1-0-2; Alison Holmes 3-0-6; Emily Geyselaers 1-0-2; Christina Winburn 0-0-0; Madelynn Olownia 0-0-0; Olivia Forstmann 7-1-15; Ella Segalla 0-0-0; Totals: 13-2-28.

Northwestern (58): Frankie DeSanti 0-0-0; Sydney Sanden 0-0-0; Skylar Dimartino 0-2-2; Emma Propfe 3-0-7; Addie Hester 6-2-14; Jana Sanden 1-3-5; Morgan Daley 2-1-5; Natalie Lederman 4-5-13; Gina Weingart 6-0-12; Totals: 22-13-58.

3-point goal: NW — Propfe.

Halftime score: 28-13 Northwestern Records: Housatonic 12-7; 12-5 Berkshire League. Northwestern 17-1; 16-1 BL.

Peter Wallace / Hearst Connecticut Media Veteran Northwestern coach Fred Williams had his Berkshire League champions running like a well-oiled machine in a lopsided win over second-place Housatonic Monday night at Northwestern High School.