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03/04/2018 11:00 PMThe Morgan girls’ basketball team returned to the Class M State Tournament last week after a one-year absence from the bracket. On Feb. 26, the 25th-seeded Huskies had a first-round matchup at No. 8 seed Granby and lost a close game by the final score of 54-49. The Huskies finished the season with an overall record of 10-12, which marks a six-win improvement from the previous year.
It was a back-and-forth game, and Morgan led by nine points at halftime. However, after that, the Bears locked down on defense to slow down the Huskies’ offense and come away with the five-point victory.
Morgan Head Coach Caitlin Woods thought her team played its best at certain points of the game, but just couldn’t overcome Granby’s defensive effort in the second half.
“It was a great high-school basketball game, but we were disappointed with the loss. We had glimpses of the best basketball we’ve played this season,” said Woods. “Granby just played extremely well on defense in the second half. They had some huge baskets in the fourth quarter. Our kids were absolute fighters throughout the game. I was very proud of them for playing the way they did.”
The Huskies received a strong performance from senior captain Brianna Navarra, who had 13 points, four rebounds, three assists, and five steals. Navarra was recently named to All-Shoreline Conference Second Team, and Coach Woods said that she’s been a force on both sides of the ball all year.
“She’s tremendous. Defensively, no one can get by her,” Woods said. “She reads the ball incredibly well, and she reads players incredibly well. It’s nice to have a kid who can take the ball from a player’s hands, turn around, and score.”
Freshman Caitlyn Donadio put together another solid performance to cap off her breakout season. Donadio, who made All-Shoreline Honorable Mention, scored 16 points to go with five rebounds, six steals, and two assists. From the beginning of the year, Coach Woods knew that Donadio deserved her role as the Huskies’ starting point guard, and she was happy that everyone on the team felt the same way.
“When she has the ball, it’s incredible to watch,” said Woods. “I think it was obvious to everyone there was no question that she belonged in that starting spot...The team supported her 100 percent, no matter what. They made sure that she knew they were confident with her at the point guard. They wanted her on the court with them.”
Kylee Clifton provided six points and six steals on the night. Coach Woods said that Clifton’s quickness was on display against the Bears. Woods knows that the junior captain’s skills as a combo guard will be important for her squad next season.
“She’s so quick and she can steal the ball, and she had six steals against Granby,” Woods said. “She’s a tremendous passer. She’s at the [shooting guard position] mostly. Often times, I’ll put her at the point to can deliver the ball to [Donadio] for the outside shot.”
Rebecca Shamp scores eight points and hauled in eight rebounds for the Huskies. Woods said that Morgan depended on the junior to use her strength on the glass this year, but she added that Shamp also has the ability to score when necessary.
“She’s one of the strongest kids on the team,” said Woods. “She allows herself to be a role player and goes to grab rebounds, but she also moves to the basket well. She’s another key for us.”
Sophomore Leah McComiskey held down the center position for the Huskies this season, and finished the campaign by notching six points, three boards, and an assist versus Granby. Coach Woods said that McComiskey’s versatility is crucial for the Huskies.
“She can play on four different spots on the court, and…she’ll be a key in the future,” Woods said. “When Leah plays well, it makes a huge difference for our team, and it’s all a matter of confidence.”
Junior Joelle Vuilleumier and sophomore Alyse Olcott also saw their share of playing time this year. Both athletes logged some important minutes for the Huskies and also started a few games during the season.
“They worked really hard. Alyse Olcott, she’s an absolute warrior. She makes such a difference, and she’s physical and tough. She’s tiny, but she always wants to play the physical players on the other team, and does a great job defending them,” said Coach Woods. “Joelle Vuilleumier has incredibly good footwork, and she’ll do anything for the team. I think she’ll be a very good player next year. Her post moves are tremendous. It makes difference for us.”
The Huskies were glad that they returned to the postseason, but they wanted to achieve more than just qualifying. Still, Coach Woods feels proud about the hunger that her team displayed this year, and she believes that type of demeanor bodes well for the future.
“I realize it takes a while, time, and experience, and working with each other to figure yourselves out. We were very happy to get into Shoreline and states,” Woods said. “What I loved was that they weren’t content with just settling for getting into the tournaments. They wanted to make a name for themselves, and the way they played it showed that.”
From the Sidelines
The Morgan girls’ basketball squad’s varsity roster consisted of senior captain Brianna Navarra; senior Daniela Gallardo; junior captain Kylie Clifton, juniors Joelle Vuilleumier and Rebecca Shamp; sophomores Rachel Lehn, Leah McComiskey, Annalyse Olcott, and Cassidy Shepard; and freshmen Caitlyn Donadio and Alexandra Kelly.
Caitlin Woods completed her second season as the head coach of Morgan girls’ hoops and was assisted by Jessica Lynch.
The Huskies’ 10 wins this season came against Haddam-Killingworth (45-39), Amistad (53-47), Valley Regional (41-37 and 43-31), Creed (57-21), Hale-Ray (51-19), Old Saybrook (41-32), Westbrook (54-49), Portland (53-29), and Old Lyme (42-38).