Teams try to play through COVID-19 issues
The Enfield girls basketball team is 6-1. Like many other teams, it has played through injuries, COVID-19 issues and a postponed game due to too few healthy players. Welcome to 2022.
“You think you have a game plan, then it changes,” Enfield coach Jay Gaucher said. “I was talking to my coaches the other day and I’m like, ‘We need to install this and that,’ and they’re like, ‘Well, we have three girls coming back and they missed this that and the other thing.’ ”
Gaucher is rolling with the punches. He, too, was quarantined due to a positive COVID-19 test. He and missed two games. Monday was his first day back.
“When we played East Hartford, they didn’t have Shailyn [Pinkney, who’s heading to Seton Hall next season],” he said. “Half our team has been out with COVID or close contact. We get a bunch back, but another girl tested positive [Saturday]. It’s just everywhere.
“We had to postpone the Southington game. We had seven healthy girls and we were playing Lewis Mills and one of our girls got hurt so we were down to six healthy players. Hopefully we get a bunch of the girls back [Monday].”
Enfield has been led by a pair of juniors: Alyssa Rossignol, averaging 16.8 points per game, and Amyah Rosado (17.3 ppg). In the Eagles’ only loss, to E.O. Smith, both had to play limited time due to ankle injuries. Now, both are now healthy.
Players of the week
Shadae Bushay, Middletown: Bushay scored 22 points in a 73-40 win over Platt last Tuesday.
Ciara Collins, Bristol Eastern: Collins had 21 points in a 43-42 win over Berlin last Tuesday.
Lily Cooper, Southington: Cooper, a freshman guard, had 10 points and made some big defensive plays, including a steal in the last few seconds of the game, to help Southington beat Simsbury 36-33 last Tuesday.
Callie Cosgrove, Conard: Despite 25 points from Cosgrove, Conard lost 53-50 in overtime to Wethersfield on Thursday.
Riley Mills, Lewis Mills: Mills had 23 points, nine rebounds, three assists and three steals, but Lewis Mills lost 51-43 to unbeaten Maloney last Tuesday.
Mia Poturnicki, Coginchaug: Poturnicki scored 21 points in a 54-28 win over Westbrook on Saturday.
Jaylice Rosario, Maloney: Rosario had 24 points, 17 rebounds and eight steals in a 51-43 win over Lewis Mills last Tuesday.
Alyssa Rossignol, Enfield: Rossignol had 20 points in a 44-36 victory over East Hartford last Tuesday.
Vanessa Venditti, Wethersfield: Venditti scored 23 points in a 53-50 victory over Conard for the Eagles’ second win on Thursday.
Bailey Winner, East Windsor: Winner had 31 points in a 44-18 win over SMSA last Tuesday.
Teams of the week
RHAM: The Raptors (7-0) had two close wins last week. Last Monday, they edged Manchester 48-47, with Kathy Chapman leading the offense with 11 points. On Thursday, the Raptors beat Farmington 45-43 behind Chapman’s 14 points.
Maloney: The Spartans are 5-0 after a 51-43 win over Lewis Mills last Tuesday, led by Rosario, a junior forward who transferred from Wilbur Cross and averaged a double-double last year as the SCC West Player of the Year.
Middletown: Middletown beat Platt 73-40 last Tuesday to improve to 6-1. Seniors Tyah Petteway (16.3 ppg) and Shadae Bushay (15 ppg) lead the Blue Dragons.
Southington: The undefeated Blue Knights had a big defensive win over previously unbeaten Simsbury last Tuesday, clawing back from a nine-point first quarter deficit to win 36-33.
Storylines of the week
Newington hasn’t lost a game since Feb. 22, 2020, when the Nor’easters fell to Bloomfield 53-42 in the CCC tournament. They went 15-0 in 2021 during the pandemic-abbreviated season and won the CCC tournament title. This season, they are 8-0 after a 49-37 victory over Trumbull on Saturday. Senior Lily Ferguson, who had 25 points against Trumbull, is approaching her 1,000th point and should get it this week.
Bacon Academy beat New London 53-45 last Monday in a key ECC contest. Bacon (7-1) was trailing 42-41 with three minutes left when Ashley Lizotte and Valerie Luizzi hit back to back 3-pointers for the Bobcats and Bacon took the lead. Luizzi had 14 points, six rebounds, six assists and six steals in the game. New London is 5-2. Bacon’s only loss came to E.O. Smith, 50-38, on Dec. 29.
What to watch this week
Hamden at Hand, Wednesday: Hamden’s only loss came Thursday to Sacred Heart Academy, whose 92-4 win over Lyman Hall caused the Sacred Heart coach to be suspended for the game. Hand (4-1) was scheduled to face Sacred Heart on Monday, Foran on Tuesday, Hamden Wednesday and then go to Hillhouse on Friday.
Coginchaug at East Hampton, Friday: A good Shoreline Conference matchup pitting East Hampton (5-1 with its only loss to Valley Regional) against Coginchaug (4-1 with its only loss to Pomperaug).