Category Archives: Charlestown

(Amesbury MA) No contest.

Amesbury (11-8) jumped on visiting Charlestown (8-9) early and often on their way to an 83-40 win in the First Round of the D3 North tournament on Monday night.

The Townies brought only six players and the Indians were quick to apply as much pressure as possible in an attempt to wear the visitors down.

Amesbury harassed Charlestown into twelve first-quarter turnovers and put up the game’s first nineteen points. AHS had those 19 points in the first 3 ½ minutes. Maddie Napoli (11 points) hit a three in the breakaway segment but everything else came from high-percentage, inside attempts.

Amesbury coach Matt Willis, in an act of early mercy in my opinion, pulled off full-court pressure with the nineteen points lead and Charlestown got a chance to show how they won eight games in the Boston City League.

Charlestown mounted a bit of a comeback and the sizable home crowd got a good look at the Townies Rae Miles-Willis (28 points) and her ability to dribble in traffic and put up shots in traffic. The junior lefty didn’t launch long ones but connected on a variety of pull-up jumpers inside the arc.

Rae’s offense, twelve points in the second quarter, enabled Charlestown to trail only, 39-22, at the half.

In the third quarter things went seriously downhill for the Townies. Amesbury collected thirty-two points (that’s four per minute!) on one layup after another. The miscues mounted for C’Town and the Indians had numerous breakaways.

Freshman Flannery O’Connor (27 points) ran her own personal layup drill getting ahead of the pack or loose underneath for ten baskets in the third quarter alone.

By then this game was begging for a basketball mercy rule like softball has. The point separation did give Coach Willis a chance to give all of his players tournament experience.

#7 seed Amesbury will now take on #2 seed Bishop Fenwick at St. John’s Prep (Danvers) on Friday night (7PM). The Indians will have their hands full in that one.

Charlestown ended their season losing seven of their last nine games.

Amesbury finished 7-2 at home. Good turnout in support of the Indians including the boys basketball team. The boys play at home on Wednesday against Saugus.

The Indians shot well from the outside early on but cooled off significantly during the last three quarters. They will definitely need outside shooting against a tall Bishop Fenwick team.

Flannery O’Connor, Megan Reid (12 points), and Julie LaMontagne (12 points) were strong on the boards for Amesbury.

Charlestown finished winless against the Cape Ann League in five attempts. None of the games, including tonight’s, were close. #1 seed North Reading had 71-20 and 59-19 victories over the Townies.

Amesbury boxscore

Charlestown boxscore

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)