Southwick-Tolland Regional's Melissa O'Neill drives past Athol's Rielley Richards. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Southwick-Tolland's Morgan Harriman (14) puts up a shot. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Southwick's Mariah Collins (21) makes an aggressive drive to the hoop. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Lady Rams' Millan Andreoli attempts to squeeze through the Athol defense last night. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Lady Rams' Brie Navone (13) looks to make a pass. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Rams' Lindsey Wilcox readies a free throw. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Southwick's Taylor LeClair attempts to shake off a defender. (Photo by Chris Putz)
The Southwick-Tolland Regional Rams and Athol Red Raiders battled in the first round of the Western Massachusetts Division II girls' basketball tournament last night. (Photo by Chris Putz)
Southwick played at Athol in the first round of the WMass D2 girls' tourney last night. (Photo by Chris Putz)
O’Neill nets 25 in Lady Rams’ tourney loss
By CHRIS PUTZ
Staff Writer
ATHOL – Southwick-Tolland Regional senior forward Melissa O’Neill hit a memorable shot with 24 seconds remaining in regulation after driving to the hoop in a postseason road game.
The basket, while not a game-winner, will go down as O’Neill’s final one in the 11th-seeded Lady Rams’ 68-41 road loss at No. 6 Athol in the first round of the Western Massachusetts Division II girls’ basketball tournament last night.
O’Neill finished with 25 points.
“We gave it our all and played with our hearts,” said a disheartened O’Neill, following the loss.
Athol (15-6) set its gym ablaze with a super quick offense, and smothering defense. Two Red Raiders combined for 36 points.
“They were really fast,” O’Neill said of the opposition. “We had to adjust to the speed of the game.”
Athol quickly built a double-digit lead, and never relented. The Red Raiders led 37-20 at the half. Southwick (12-8) never threatened to overtake the opposition in the second half.
O’Neill, who plans to enter Westfield State University this fall with a major in social work, exited the game with 10.5 seconds left, to much applause from the Ram faithful.
“We are going to miss her,” Southwick coach Mike Gill said. “She was a great captain, great leader. Obviously, we couldn’t get help for her tonight.”
Athol’s defense clamped down on every other Ram’s player, allowing no more than four points from any other individual.
“We knew we were going to have a really tough game,” coach Gill said. “We have zero tournament experience. You try to create that stuff in practice, but it’s just not the same.”
It was Southwick’s first postseason game in recent memory. Gill hopes it will not be the last.
Southwick will lose only O’Neill to graduation and inherit additional players from a junior varsity team that won its regular season league title.
“Now these players have had a little taste of it [the tournament],” Gill said. “Hopefully now they will compete (in the offseason) and try out next year.”
Gill said the program took a hit over the last several years because some local girls’ basketball players have chosen to go prep rather than attend the high school.
Southwick came within two points of winning the Bi-County West title this season, losing to Holyoke Catholic 31-30 on Valentine’s Day. But the Lady Rams’ quest for postseason re-entry would not end on that heartbreaker.
“Our goal this year was to make the tournament,” Gill said. “Twelve wins is a big step for this program. …I hope the girls in town come to Southwick High and take us (one more) step.
“Hopefully next year, we will go the tournament and win.
The 2011-12 Southwick Rams varsity team consisted of O’Neill; juniors Cassie Bay, Jill Brown, Mariah Collins, Krissy Coughlin, Megan Jansen, and Lindsey Wilcox; sophomores Tara Dowd, Millan Andreoli, Brie Navone; and, freshmen Taylor LeClair, Jenn Yelin, Morgan Harriman, Jacyln Maziarz, and Monica Kucienski.
Chris Putz can be reached at [email protected]
