Mystic Valley 5th & 6th Grade Girls Advance to Finals
The Mystic Valley 5th & 6th grade girls’ basketball team has advanced to the final round of their league tournament. The girls will seek to repeat as champions on Saturday, March 16th when they play in the championship game at 3:45 at the Veterans Middle School, 217 Pleasant Street, Marblehead. They will play the winner of the Saugus v. Danvers game. The girls have already beaten both Saugus and Danvers during the tournament.
The girls advanced to the finals after dispatching Saugus by a score of 38-14 on Thursday night. The Eagles opened up a double digit lead midway through the first half but a determined Saugus team battled back as the half neared the end. The Saugus momentum was stopped dead in its tracks when with under ten seconds left in the first half Anastasia Bessler intercepted a Saugus pass at half court and took the ball to the basket for a layup. From the point when she intercepted the pass to the end of the game the Eagle went on a 21-4 run. The Eagles played an unbelievably tough second half defense ony allowing 4 points in the second half.
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The girls were led on offense by Bessler who scored 10 points off the bench in what coach Brunelli described as the best game of the year. Lauren Carlino also came off the bench to contribute 6 points. Rachel Wronski and Sophia Mercurio each had 4 points. Mercurio was all over the court throughout the game running the offense and playing tough defense. Tara Foley had three points and was also very strong on defense. Madison Sullivan, Michela Correale, Erin Zibell, Heather DiGiovanni and Lauren Sasso all scored two points. Mary Eileen d’Entremont played a tough game on defense as did Camryn Ryan, Lilly Spero and Ashley O’Rourke.
After the game coach Jane Brunelli was visibly pleased with her team’s performance, especially in the second half. She said that Anastasia’s steal and basket was the turning point of the game and that she was very pleased with the team’s second half play.
