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01/19/2019 11:00 PMThe East Haven girls’ basketball team claimed victory all three of its matchups last week to push its winning streak to seven straight games, while securing its berth in the Southern Connecticut Conference and Class L State tournaments. The Yellowjackets improved to 10-2 overall and 3-0 in the SCC Oronoque Division by defeating Lyman Hall, Branford, and Bassick in last week’s matchups.
After East Haven won the Class M state title last year, Head Coach Anthony Russell is making sure that his athletes are ready for the opposition’s best effort in each and every game this winter.
“We do feel we have a target on our back because, no matter who we are playing—whether it’s Mercy, New London, Branford, Lyman Hall—we’re going to get their A-game. We need to be prepared,” said Russell, whose team is going to the playoffs for the eighth straight year. “It’s unique to be a defending state champion, because we still have some expectations, because we have a lot of kids back, but we’re trying to keep it in perspective, and keep it one game at a time.”
East Haven started off last week by posting a 51-48 road triumph over SCC Oronoque opponent Lyman Hall on Jan. 15. It was a come-from-behind win for the Yellowjackets, who outscored the Trojans 19-10 during the fourth quarter to escape with the victory.
“We got lucky. They were the better team. They were more physical and wanted it more. We squeaked out with a win, and we’re lucky,” Coach Russell said. “I think it put a little scare into the girls, which you could see in our next two games, where we came out focused and took care of business relatively quickly.”
Senior captain Makenzie Helms scored 14 of her game-high 33 points in the final frame to lead the Easties to the win. Coach Russell had nothing but praise for Helms, who has committed to play Division I basketball at the University of Nebraska next year.
“Makenzie is a very unique player. I think she’s the best player in the state. Somebody with that type of skillset is very rare to see. She can handle the ball, pass, shoot, rebound; she defends. She’s a great team player,” Russell said. “She loves to see the girls on the team do great things. She’s the first to cheer girls on when they’re doing good, and the first to pick them up when they make mistakes. She’s a player every coach wants to have on the team.”
Following the Lyman Hall game, East Haven went into Branford and defeated the Hornets by a decisive 66-32 final on Jan. 18. The Yellowjackets built a 39-15 halftime advantage and continued running away with the game by outscoring the Hornets 19-4 during the third quarter. Helms scored a game-high 18 points, sophomore Taylor Salato had 17 points, and junior captain Bella Ragaini added 10 points for the Easties.
East Haven lost last year’s dynamic inside duo of Kylie Schlottman and Jessica Stettinger to graduation, but Coach Russell said that Salato, senior Alannah Doheny, and sophomore Angelina Munoz have been filling in nicely down low this season.
“You’re not going to replace a Kylie Schlottman. Between her and Jess, they ran our stuff for four years,” said Russell. “You lose a lot of maturity and leadership without them on the team, but the three of them are doing a good job of getting better individually and more comfortable with what we run. As the season wears on, they’re going to get better and better.”
East Haven closed out its week by recording an 82-43 home victory versus Bassick. East Haven stormed out to a 27-5 lead in the opening quarter and then scored 27 points in the second quarter to take a 54-22 advantage into intermission. Helms scored 20 points, Salato had 13 points, and Ragaini scored 11 in the win.
Junior captain Alexis Pendziwater finished the game with 14 points, including four 3-pointers, to break East Haven’s all-time record by making the 143rd three of her career. Pendizwater broke the record of 142 threes set by current assistant coach Cathy Celotto.
“She broke the single-season mark as a freshman and added to it last year, setting our single-season mark at 68. She now holds our all-time mark at 143 and counting,” Coach Russell said of Pendziwater. “We have good guards that penetrate and see the floor, putting her in situations offensively to catch and shoot.”
Doheny and Munoz scored seven points apiece, and sophomore guard Erin Curran added five points in the win. The emergence of Curren, along with freshmen Kate Pycela and Tanner Punzo, has allowed Coach Russell to go deeper into his bench this season.
“Erin has an excellent skillset. She plays [point guard], but when you’re on a team with Makenzie, Alexis, and Bella, you can get overshadowed. Coming in, she can do great things. She can shoot and get to the basket,” Russell said. “The other two freshmen are giving us meaningful minutes as well, so besides our four seniors, we’re still relatively young, which bodes well for the future.”
• The East Haven girls’ basketball team’s roster features senior captains Makenzie Helms and Jamie Gallo; fellow seniors Karen Solorzano and Alannah Doheny; junior captains Alexis Pendziwater and Bella Ragaini; sophomores Erin Curran, Francesca Caputo, Brooke Mortimer, Angelina Munoz, Nicole Pendziwater, Taylor Salato, and Samantha Samo; and freshmen Kate Pycela, Camryn Lendroth, Tanner Punzo, and Teresa Vitello.
• Anthony Russell is in his 11th year as the Yellowjackets’ head coach. He is assisted by Jeff Crisafi, Alyssa Guarino, and Cathy Celotto.
• East Haven has posted two victories against Hand (59-37 and 59-53) and Branford (60-41 and 66-32) this season, in addition to one win apiece versus Career (53-33), Mercy (54-52), West Haven (75-27), Lauralton Hall (77-56), Lyman Hall (51-48), and Bassick (82-43). The Easties have also taken two defeats versus New London (66-63) and East Lyme (56-55).
• For the rest of the year, East Haven has road games against Amity, West Haven, and Hamden. The Yellowjackets also have home games with Lauralton Hall, Lyman Hall, Amity, and Mercy on the way.