By Chris Paul
As the winter sports regular season heads into it’s final two-weeks, the Londonderry High School Girls’ Basketball team made good use of a short, one game week and was able to extend its winning streak to four games as they defeated the Winnacunnet Warriors 40-29.
The victory on Friday night, Feb. 10, put the Lady Lancers season record at 8-6 and the evening also served as the team’s Senior Night, giving some of the graduating players, who don’t normally get a lot of playing time, a chance to see some time on the floor.
The Winnacunnet High School squad was looking for its second win of the season, beginning the night at 1-12, but despite the record, the match-up made it very difficult for LHS to put up baskets through the tall Warrior defense.
The Londonderry offense began quite slow, hitting on just four baskets by four players and missing the two free throws they were given, but led 8-4 by the end of the first quarter.
The second period was even more dismal for the Lancers, putting up just four-points, as the tall Warrior defense seemed impenetrable. The LHS girls finished the half, trailing by one, with a score of 13-12.
Londonderry started to gain momentum in the third quarter equaling what they had scored in the first half and having success at the foul line.
Starting the fourth quarter with a 24-20 lead, the Lancers created a number of turnovers and outscored Winnacunnet 16-9 for the victory.
Seniors Cassidy Dillon, Izzy Pucillo, and Emily Smith all had baskets in the final quarter, elevating the noise of the large crowd that attended the Senior Night event. Pucillo’s was a three-pointer and Smith had one from the foul line.
Regular starting seniors Jordon Furlong and Shannon Ball played all four quarters with Ball getting a bucket and Furlong scoring six-points. Senior Emma Arnott also saw playing time.
The Lancers top scorer, freshman Sammy Sullivan, who was coming off an illness, scored 16-points including two three-pointers and six free-throws.
Sophomore guard, Kate Sloper, finished with six-points.
The team will try to continue its winning streak on Tuesday night, Feb. 14, in Windham against the 9-5 Jaguars. The week will end with a home game against the Goffstown Grizzlies (10-3) on Friday night starting at 7 p.m.