Tag Archives: Beth Castantini

January 17, 2012 · 4:24 pm

Newburyport Defeats Marblehead With Late Surge 43-25 in Girls Basketball

Beth Castantini (20 points) puts up a lefthanded layup.

Emily Freedland (8 points) defends Aly Leahy (12 points).

(Newburyport) Newburyport defeated non-league Marblehead, 43-25, thanks to dominating (16-3) final quarter on Monday (MLK Day) afternoon at NHS.

This game was as much about who didn’t play as it was about who did. Kathryn DiGiammarino and Sydney Pliner for the Magicians and Molly Rowe for the Clippers did not play. All three girls had injuries.

(To get a sense of the level of loss this was: Kathryn had twenty rebounds and fourteen points in Marblehead’s last game, Sydney generally defends the other team’s best player, and I saw Molly put up twenty-six points and handle the ball versus pressure against a strong Ipswich team.)

Let’s just say both coaches (Greg Dollas & Skip Likins) were looking at Plan B in this matchup.

Beth Castantini layup in traffic

How did Newburyport (8-3) win the game? The Magicians had no answers for Beth Castantini. The Clipper senior saw large and small defenders but never was discouraged from taking shots and putting up twenty points. She dominated the boards and held Marblehead’s inside player (Lindsey Cohen) to a quiet four points.

Minus someone to defend Beth, the Magicians (7-5) were going to have to score a lot of points to win.

But, this is one of those games where the final score would give the wrong impression of how the game went. That’s one of the reasons I script games……so I can sort games out for those who are interested yet couldn’t attend them.

Marblehead, despite its undermanned status, was very much in this one until the final quarter. How? They refused to go away. Down 15-4, after four minutes in the second period, they put together a 12-4 response to trail just, 19-16, three minutes into the third quarter.

The Magician rally featured making eight of ten free throw attempts plus two McKenna Barrett layups.

McKenna Barrett layup

The visitors completed the comeback when a McKenna jump shot tied the score at 22-22 with only a minute to go in the third quarter. Unfortunately, for Marblehead, the rest of the quarter shows a Beth Castantini triple, two missed free throws (Mia Bongiorno), and two Aly Leahy free throws – 27-22 after three periods.

The fourth quarter started harmlessly enough – an Emily Freedland layup and a McKenna free throw surrounded a Beth Castantini converted rebound of her own miss – 29-25 with 6:50 left. No one on hand expected what happened the rest of the way.

Marblehead didn’t score another point while the Clippers totaled fourteen. That’s a long time to go scoreless……and very frustrating to be on the scoreless end. Coach Skip Likins picked up a technical near the end and was seen looking for the names of the officials afterwards.

Aly Leahy (12 points) scored seven in the final run including 3-of-4 from the foul line.

Emily Freedland was Marblehead’s top scorer with eight points.

The effects of an afternoon holiday game? The Clippers missed five shots on their first possession and neither team scored during the first four minutes.

A key in this game was Aly Leahy’s ability to handle Marblehead pressure. Usually she shares that responsibility with Molly Rowe.

Mark Rowe & Molly Rowe

Molly was in uniform and looked ready to play despite an icepack on her knee before the game. Instead, she sat this one out next to her father on the NHS bench.

Newburyport’s next game is home on Friday night against North Reading.

Why is this entry so late? Good question. I had the opportunity to go to the Celtics reunion with Kendrick Perkins (Oklahoma City Thunder) and took it. TNT made a game that started shortly after eight last nearly three hours. Then the ride home……….Route 1 and 128 snowy, icy and untreated! That resulted in an arrival time home (Newburyport) after 12:30AM. That’s the best excuse I could think of for the delay………and I’m sticking with it!

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

Beth Castantini fouled

Lindsey Cohen shoots against Lea Tomasz

McKenna Barrett (20) & Mary Pettigrew (33)

Mia Bongiorno collides with Cady Bennett

Lindsey Cohen shoots – Casey Barlow defends.

Emily Freedland shoots free throws at the end of first half.

Caroline Helms

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Filed under Marblehead, Newburyport

January 7, 2012 · 12:44 am

Molly Rowe (24 points) Leads Newburyport Past Ipswich 55-53 in Girls Basketball

Molly Rowe (24 points) dribbles past Caroline Soucy.

Beth Castantini (15 points) hit two free throws with twelve seconds left.

(Newburyport) The Newburyport girls surprised a whole bunch of folks as they upset Ipswich, 55-53, Friday night at NHS in Cape Ann League action.

Molly Rowe led the way for the Clippers (5-3) with twenty-four points including eleven straight free throws after missing her first two attempts.

Eight days ago, same place, same teams, Ipswich (6-1) had won easily, 46-27. A rematch seemed like a good opportunity for the Tigers to stretch their unbeaten streak to seven and the Clippers looked willing to do their part as they got down by ten early in the second quarter (16-6).

What happened next was unexpected. Instead of fading further away, the Clippers ran twelve unanswered points over the next four minutes to take a shocking, 18-16, lead with 2:42 left in the second period. Aly Leahy had a layup and Molly Rowe hit a jumper but the rest of the points were on 8-for-8 foul shooting.

The next ten minutes were entertaining, back-and-forth action, with eight lead changes, until Newburyport took the lead for good, 42-41, on two Molly Rowe free throws with thirty seconds left in the third quarter.

The Clippers extended that lead to five (51-46) on a daring three by Beth Castantini (15 points) with 1:24 left. Game over? Not quite! With defender Mary Pettigrew sidelined, Julia Davis (11 points) notched a layup and thirty seconds later Brigid O’Flynn (10 points) did the same thing. Now that Newburyport lead was only, 51-50, with plenty of time (twenty-eight seconds) left.

Julia Davis (32) layup late in the game.

If you want to pinpoint where the Clippers won this game, it was at the foul line the rest of the way. Molly Rowe got the first chance with 26 seconds left shooting one-and-one. How large were these when you’re only ahead by one? She makes both.

Aly Leahy then fouls out fouling Shannon McFayden. Shannon makes one of two – Newburyport 53-Ipswich 51 with nineteen seconds left.

Now it’s Beth Castantini’s turn to face the pressure with twelve seconds left, shooting one-and-one. She makes both. Brigid O’Flynn puts in a layup for Ipswich at the buzzer to close out the scoring.

This was clearly one of those games where you never had a clear sense of how it would end up………….until it ended up.

Credit Newburyport’s Mary Pettigrew for limiting the inside for the Tigers’ Julia Davis (11 points) and forcing the Tigers to launch long ones. Ipswich made five from out there but I’m guessing they took at least twenty 3’s, if not more.

Aly Leahy (10 points) layup

Aly Leahy (10 points) and Masey Zegarowski (10 points) were the best matchup to watch on both ends of the court – athletic, tireless, and adept at getting the ball into the front court.

This was a game with very few turnovers and many missed shots. The shooting exception was in the second period when Newburyport tallied 24 points and Ipswich 21.

There was game-long whining from both sidelines and stands. You know how partisan the complaining is when every call results in a noticeable negative reaction from one side or the other.

No question there were plenty of foul calls and foul shots. Newburyport missed ten free throws but made four straight in the final twenty-six seconds.

Newburyport next plays Lynnfield at home on Monday (7PM). Ipswich is at Triton on the same night (6:30PM).

Newburyport box score

Ipswich box score

(The pictures above and below enlarge if you click on them.)

Brigid OFlynn looks to shoot

Caroline Soucy shoots

loose ball

Masey Zegarowski (5) and Cady Bennett

Coach Mandy Zegarowski and the referee

Molly Rowe surrounded

Beth Castantini three

Lily Donovan drives

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Filed under Ipswich, Newburyport

Tagged as Beth Castantini, Julia Davis, Mary Pettigrew, Masey Zegarowski, Molly Rowe

December 12, 2011 · 11:43 pm

Strong Finish Gives Pentucket Girls 2011 Provident Bank Tip Off Classic 44-37 Over Newburyport

Beth Castantini surrounded by three Pentucket players.

Game MVP Coley Viselli puts up layup in traffic.

(Newburyport) Two of the best girls’ teams in the area opened the 2011-12 basketball season against each other in the Provident Bank Tip Off Classic on Monday night.

A strong final quarter gave the visiting Pentucket Sachems a 44-37 win over the Newburyport Clippers.

Pentucket (20-5 in 2010-11) predictably came at the Clippers in defensive waves all over the court and let the long ones fly with abandon on offense. Sometimes it worked……….sometimes it didn’t.

After a fast start (3-for-5) Pentucket’s long ball accuracy vanished, as 2-for-16 the rest of the way would suggest. But three minutes into the final quarter junior Alex Moore hit one and was fouled by Meri Adsit. Alex completed the 4-point play to give the Sachems a 39-33 advantage.

Newburyport rallied nearly all the way back after trailing, 18-4, early in the second quarter. Pitiful Pentucket shooting in the 3rd quarter (1-for-13) opened the door for the Clippers (5-for-9 shooting) to erase a 27-14 halftime deficit. A Lea Tomasz three with two seconds left put this one in the “very interesting” category (31-29) with a quarter left.

Leigh McNamara (25) sails in for a first half layup.

As I said, Alex Moore hit a huge three in the final quarter but it was the Pentucket pressure over the final 5+ minutes that really did in the Clippers. The pressure seemed to work best in the half-court as there were no turn-2’s (steal and get a layup) in the decisive final minutes.

Newburyport got within one (32-31) on a Lea Tomasz converted rebound and two (35-33) on a Beth Castantini jump shot with 5:40 left.

Plenty of time left and certainly close enough score-wise for the home team to pull the upset.

However, the Pentucket defense gave up only one point (Beth Castantini free throw) over the next 5 ½ minutes! Molly Rowe hit a three with a few seconds left but by then, as they say in farm country, the cows had left the barn.

The shocking numbers for the Clippers during those game-deciding 5 ½ minutes were: one point in eleven possessions, eight turnovers, three shots in one possession and only one shot in the other ten. Those are dream/nightmare numbers depending on which bench you were sitting on.

Speaking of nightmares, Clipper coach Gregg Dollas will probably remember this game for a while as one where he learned something about the numbers on his players’ uniforms.

Cady Bennett

As the game was about to start the Clippers were assessed a technical foul because Cady Bennett was in the scorebook as #14 but was wearing #21. Coley Viselli sank both technical foul shots.

Later in the first quarter, Lilly Donovan was put in the game wearing #9. Players can’t wear single digit numbers above 5.…….probably because officials can’t finger signal 6-9 without possibly confusing the scorekeepers. Coley made one of the technical foul shots.

That’s three points, and in a close game like this one, they were a tough giveaway.

Coley Viselli was chosen MVP of the game. Good thing they didn’t ask me. I’d have given it either to teammate Sarah Higgins and her 16 points or to Alex Moore for her 4th quarter heroics. Alex had the 4-point play and less than a minute before that had an old-fashioned 3-point play. Those seven points were huge in this low scoring game.

Molly McDonough and Molly Rowe were given student/athlete scholarships afterwards thanks to Provident Bank.

A good crowd of Sachem support was on hand.

We saw the debut of a couple of Pentucket freshman – McKenna Kilian & Kelsi McNamara.

The Clippers will be able to count on points from seniors Beth Castantini (15) and Molly Rowe (11). Bettering last year’s 13-7 record could well depend on steady scoring from other players.

Molly Rowe gets student-athlete scholarship from Coach Gregg Dollas.

Tess Nogueira and Leigh McNamara both spent time defending Beth Castantini. Both players picked up their fourth foul in the final period.

The quickness and all-out approach of junior Meri Adsit was impressive.

Newburyport box score

Pentucket box score

(The pictures will enlarge to normal size if you click on them.)

Beth Castantini (10) & Leigh McNamara (25)

Coley Viselli – Lilly Donovan – Sarah Higgins

Tess Nogueira (32) & Mary Pettigrew (33)

Pentucket coach John McNamara

Beth Castantini

Meri Adsit (5) & Sydney Snow (3)

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Filed under 2011 Provident Bank Tip Off Classic, Newburyport, Pentucket

Tagged as Alex Moore, Beth Castantini, Coach Gregg Dollas, Coach John McNamara, Coley Viselli, Molly McDonough, Molly Rowe, Sarah Higgins, Tess Nogueira

June 4, 2011 · 10:47 pm

Newburyport Rallies Over Arlington 6-5 in D2 North Softball With 3-Run Seventh

Sam Wahlgren get congrats from JV teammate Casey Barlow at game’s end after Sam delivered a key hit in the final inning.

Taylor Summit heads home with the game-winner in the bottom of the seventh.

(Newburyport) Plenty of excitement at Cashman Park on Saturday afternoon as Newburyport defeated Arlington, 6-5, in the first round of Division 2 North softball.

There were five lead changes and the Clippers (17-4) entered their last at-bats trailing, 5-3, after the Spy Ponders (there is a pond in Arlington called Spy Pond!) had grabbed the lead with three runs in the top of the 7th.

Lea Tomasz led the final inning with a single to right. She reached second on a fielder’s choice and third on a passed ball. Rachel Webster earned a 2-strike walk on a pitch that went past the Arlington catcher. Lea scored Newburyport’s 4th run on that wild pitch. Kendra Dow reached on a fielder’s choice but the Clippers were down to their last out. The Clippers, in fact, got down to their last strike with their next batter (Taylor Summit) before she singled to center sending Kendra to 3B with two outs.

Still with two outs, junior varsity call-up Sam Wahlgren drilled a shot to left easily scoring Kendra from third with the tying run. The other runner on the bases, (Taylor Summit) was off from first on contact with two outs and looked content to pull up at third on Sam’s hit but when Arlington botched the relay Taylor flew home with the game winner and scored standing up.

Kaleigh Tomaszewski reaches third on Courtney Sacca’s double in the second inning.

This was a game with plenty of hitting (each team had ten hits) and plenty of opportunities to score (runners were stranded by both teams in every inning).

Arlington (12-9) picked up three runs in the top of the seventh on five hits. A key piece of strategy was when NHS coach Peter Murray’s opted to walk the very dangerous Courtney Sacca (two doubles) to load the bases with two outs. Pitcher Beth Castantini got the next batter (Kayleen McLaughlin) to pop to second to limit Arlington to three runs and a 2-run (5-3) advantage.

Another piece of strategy that also worked was Coach Murray’s willingness to use the sophomore from the JV’s (Sam Wahlgren) in the last two innings. She delivered hits in both innings and had plenty to do with extending Newburyport’s season into Monday when they will travel to play #4 seed Reading (18-3) in the D2 North quarter finals. The MIAA site currently has game-time listed at 3:45 AM! I suspect that time will be changed.

Kayleen McLaughlin out at home in the second.

Cassie Davis out at home in the first.

Sophomore leadoff batter Kaitlyn Morse led Arlington hitters with three singles. She also scored a run. Courtney Sacca had two doubles and also scored a run.

For Newburyport, Lea Tomasz, Taylor Summit, and Sam Wahlgren had two hit’s apiece. Each of them had a key hit in the crucial seventh inning. Lea ended up scoring three times while Taylor reached home twice including the seventh inning game winner.

Newburyport opened the scoring in the first as Cassie Davis’ triple to left drove in Maddy Stanton who had singled. Later in the same inning Cassie was thrown out at the plate attempting to score in a delayed fashion after Kendra Dow had bunted.

Leah Tomasz – two hits and scored three runs

Arlington jumped into the lead in the second inning with two runs, one of them unearned. Kaleigh Tomaszewski walked, went to third on Courtney Sacca’s double and scored on Kayleen McLaughlin’s single. Courtney came around to score when Taylor Summit dropped a throw covering first.

Newburyport tied the score with a single run in the 4th. Taylor Summit singled to center, reached second on a passed ball, and scored on Eleni Kacher’s single on the ground into right field.

The Clippers pulled ahead (3-2) in the fifth inning with another single run. Lea Tomasz reached on an infield single and advanced to third on two ground outs. Kendra Dow hit a ground single to left to score Lea.

The Ponders collected five hits in a bat-around top of the seventh. Natalie Tarantino (double), Michelle Reilly (single), and Kaleigh Tomaszewski (single) had the RBI for Arlington. Three runs were scored and the visitors left the bases loaded. Those runs, and the 2-run lead they gave Arlington, looked to be enough but weren’t as Newburyport rallied in the bottom of the seventh.

Eleni Kacher steals second base in the 4th inning.

Kayleen McLaughlin was thrown out at the plate to end the second inning.

The weather was fabulous – sunny with a light breeze. Certainly not what we’ve been used to over the past two months!

Both pitchers (Beth Castantini and Erica County) pitched complete games.

Newburyport AD John Daileanes delivered timely rosters for the good-sized crowd on hand. Some potential spectators were probably watching the NHS baseball team in action about the same time at the high school.

That roster was especially helpful for identifying Sam Wahlgren.

#1 seed Amesbury lost today to Marblehead. I wasn’t totally surprised by that because I had seen Marblehead defeat Triton on Thursday. The Magicians didn’t use their top pitcher versus Triton so she was available for Amesbury.

(I collect my own information and take my own pictures. Inaccuracies can result for which I apologize for in advance.)

Leadoff batter Kaitlyn Morse (reaching third) paced Arlington with three hits.

Natalie Tarantino – a hit, an RBI, and a run scored

Shortstop Kendra Dow catches a popup to end the sixth inning.

Courtney Sacca smiles after fourth inning double.

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Filed under Arlington, Newburyport

Tagged as Arlington, Beth Castantini, Cassie Davis, Claire Morris, Coach Peter Murray, Courtney Sacca, Eleni Kacher, Erica County, Kaitlyn Morse, Kaleigh Tomaszewski, Kayleen McLaughlin, Kendra Dow, Lea Tomasz, Maddy Stanton, Michelle Reilly, Natalie Tarantino, Newburyport High School, Rachel Webster, Sam Wahlgren, Taylor Summit

May 24, 2011 · 9:15 pm

Newburyport Downs Ipswich 7-0 to Win 14th

Taylor Summit, Beth Castantini, and Kendra Dow are all smiles after Win #14.

(Newburyport) The Newburyport Clippers (14-3) are on a big-time roll.

On the last regular-season home game, the Clippers defeated Ipswich, 7-0, on surprisingly warm (for spring 2011) Tuesday afternoon at Cashman Park.

The red-hot Clippers have won eleven of their last twelve games and now get to play Amesbury (Wednesday at Amesbury) and sort out which of them is the best team in Division 2 in the Cape Ann League. Amesbury won the first meeting, 10-9, at Cashman Park.

The loss eliminated Ipswich (7-11) from any chance of making the post-season. In this one the Tigers did themselves in early in the field and didn’t have the hitting against Beth Castantini (four hitter with eight K’s) to recover as the innings went by.

Liz Glavin – Tiger slugger was intentionally walked twice.

A key piece of strategy kept Tiger Liz Glavin (CAL’s most dangerous hitter?) from hurting the Clippers. In the first and third innings Newburyport intentionally walked Liz even though there already were runners on. The batters after Liz (Sam Wideberg and Rachel Glaubitz) couldn’t deliver.

In the fifth, the Tigers had runners on first and second when it was Liz’s turn. Newburyport, with a 5-0 lead, opted not to walk her. This strategy also worked as Liz hit a hard grounder to third that Maddy Stanton fielded and stepped on third to retire the side.

Liz will be continuing her softball at Wentworth Institute in 2012.

The opportunistic Clippers took full advantage of some low-light film defense by the Tigers in the first. Newburyport gathered four runs on just two hits (Maddy Stanton & Ashley Casellini). Ipswich committed three errors and had two wild pitches. It wasn’t pretty stuff if you watching from the Ipswich sidelines.

Pitcher Katie Gaubitz (allowed five hits in five innings) fielded a one-hopper hit by second batter Lea Tomasz and went for the force-out at second. Good idea except neither second baseman Becca Dunlop nor shortstop Carolyn Lynch covered second. Katie’s throw went into centerfield.

Before the inning ended, catcher Liz Glavin had a bad throw to second and Carolyn Lynch had bobbled a grounder.

Ashley Casellini drove in the only earned run of the first with a single to center.

Newburyport added a single run in the second as Cassie Davis tripled (to center) to drive in Maddy Stanton.

In the fifth, Cassie Davis put herself into a rundown past first and Lea Tomasz (who had singled) slipped home from third for Newburyport’s sixth run.

Lea Tomasz’s single in the sixth inning drove in Rachel Webster with the Clippers’ seventh, and final, run.

Lea Tomasz starts the play in which she will throw Rachel Glaubitz out at 3B in the sixth inning.

Ipswich killed a developing big inning in the 6th when Clipper left fielder Lea Tomasz threw out Rachel Glaubitz at third on a Carolyn Lynch single.

There were balloons attached to the Newburyport bench for their six seniors: Cassie Davis, Taylor Summit, Shannon Brunault, Rachel Webster, Eleni Kacher, and Corrie Benton.

Jill Lombard recorded the Tigers first hit (infield grounder) with two out in the 5th.

Lea Tomasz had two hits, scored two runs, and had an RBI to pace Newburyport’s hitters.

(I collect my own stats and take my own pictures. Any mistakes are unintentional.)

senior Corrie Benton

senior Eleni Kacher

senior Rachel Webster

senior Taylor Summit

senior Cassie Davis

senior Shannon Brunault

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Filed under Ipswich, Newburyport

Tagged as Ashley Casellini, Beth Castantini, Carolyn Lynch, Cassie Davis, Corrie Benton, Eleni Kacher, Ipswich High softball, Jill Lombard, Katie Glaubitz, Lea Tomasz, Liz Glavin, Maddy Stanton, Newburyport softball, Rachel Glaubitz, Sam Wideberg, Shannon Brunault, Taylor Summit

May 11, 2011 · 9:11 pm

Julianne Meehan K’s Thirteen in 3-1 Pentucket Win Over Newburyport

Bernadette Corrado stretches for the throw beating Cassie Davis for the final out as Julianne Meehan (#12) watches.

Julianne Meehan – thirteen strikouts/ two hits/1 run scored/1 RBI

(Newburyport) Pentucket scored three runs in the first and they held up as the Sachems defeated Newburyport, 3-1, in Cape Ann League softball on Wednesday afternoon at Cashman Park.

Weather conditions were challenging with a steady gale blowing in from right field under a cloudy sky. I thought I saw whitecaps on the Merrimac River in the distance!

Julianne Meehan struck out thirteen batters after she had those three runs to work with in the top of the first.

The Sachem runs were the result of two Clipper errors. Taylor Summit’s bobble on a grounder allowed Colleen Jenkins to reach safely and she was driven home on Julianne Meehan’s double to left. Beth Castantini had the next batter (Megan Haley) struck out but catcher Cassie Davis dropped the ball and then threw it into right field scoring Julianne with the second run. Bernadette Corrado long triple to left scored Megan with Pentucket’s third and final run.

Megan Haley rounds third heading home as Bernadette Corrado runs out an RBI triple in the background.

Those runs didn’t seem like that many early on but as Julianne flashed the K pitch it became difficult for the Clippers to string hits together. In fact, they didn’t get their first hit until Shannon Brunault’s infield one in the 5th.

The Clippers (8-3) didn’t lack base runners through five innings. They stranded eight. The key for Julianne was her ability to strike out Kendra Dow. She did it in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th. Each time for the last out of the inning with runners aboard. Kendra ended up stranding seven runners.

The Clippers broke through for an unearned run in the sixth inning. Molly Rowe, who had replaced Beth Castantini in the fifth, hit a sinking liner to right that got by right fielder Julia Torvi and Molly reached third. Taylor Summit’s single to center drove in the run.

Molly Rowe reaches third in the sixth inning.

Newburyport didn’t get another hit or base runner over the final inning and 2/3.

Pentucket (7-5) has now won two straight.

CF Eleni Kacher and SS Kendra Dow had a near collision in the sixth chasing a pop fly.

Sarah Dickinson made several strong throws from short for Pentucket.

Pentucket stranded runners in every inning.

Julianna allowed just four hits.

Pentucket had seven hits including two infield hits by Kaci Dumas.

( I collect my own stats and take my own pictures. Mistakes sometimes happen.)

Eleni Kacher and Kendra Dow converge on a pop up. They did collide but Eleni held onto the ball and neither player was injured.

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Filed under Newburyport, Pentucket

Tagged as Beth Castantini, Cassie Davis, Eleni Kacher, Julia Torvi, Julianne Meehan, Kaci Dumas, Kendra Dow, Megan Haley MK Corrado, Molly Rowe, Newburyport High School, Pentucket Regional High School, Sarah Dickinson, Shannon Brunault, Taylor Summit

April 27, 2011 · 8:29 pm

Newburyport Takes Triton 2-1 in Softball

Cori Simons slides in under Cassie Davis while Molly Rowe backs up the play.

(Newburyport) I hoped to take in/write about the Newburyport/Triton softball game this afternoon but was misguided by the online edition of the Newburyport Daily News to Byfield rather than Cashman Park.

Beth Castantini catches the final out for Newburyport

I did end up seeing almost all of the game and watched Newburyport (4-2) prevail, 2-1, in a Cape Ann League contest on Wednesday afternoon that was undecided until Beth Castantini, playing first, latched onto a last-out popup in the top of the 7th.

Beth at first base was a bit of a novelty by her account. “I haven’t played there since, like, seventh grade,” I overheard her say during between-innings practice after she had taken over first. She did fine there. She handled a low throw from Maddie Stanton (3B) and later took in the final out.

Before that final out, the Vikings (2-5) had runners on second and third and were in excellent position to tie or even go ahead, but it didn’t happen.

Molly Rowe (six strikeouts) was the complete-game winner for the Clippers. Marion Dullea (eight strikeouts) went the distance for Triton.

Rachel Webster heads for third after a long triple to center. Her pinch runner (Molly Sullivan) would later score what turned out to be the winning run with Eleni Kacher getting the RBI.

A long triple by Rachel Webster set up Newburyport’s winning run in the 4th.

Cori Simons scored Triton’s only run in the 6th.

(I take my own pictures and collect my own stats……as best I can.)

Taylor Summit takes the throw as Cori Simons slides into 2B

Everyone wanted to play!

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Filed under Newburyport, Triton

Tagged as Beth Castantini, Brooke Jamison, Cassie Davis, Cori Simons, Emily Jutras, Molly Rowe, Newburyport High School, Rachel Webster, Taylor Summit, Triton Regional

March 2, 2011 · 10:48 pm

Twenty-Seven Point Second Quarter Helps Newburyport Girls Rout Snowden 69-26 in D3 North First Round

Beth Castantini (15 points) prepares for a shot from in close.

The Clippers dominated the paint on both ends.

(Newburyport) The Newburyport Clippers blew away Snowden in the second quarter and cruised to an easy, 69-26, victory in the first round of Division 3 North. The Newburyport girls are now on an eight-game winning streak.

The Clippers next opponent will be Ipswich on Friday night (7PM) at Ipswich. Newburyport has already faced, and defeated, the Tigers twice this season………..but neither game was at Ipswich which is where this one will be played. I can assure you that that game will be a whole lot tighter than the Clipper/Cougar one was that I’m attempting to describe in this space.

For 7 ½ minutes it looked as if the visiting Cougars might be able to make a game of it. Though very small (tallest player is 5-9), the team from the Boston City League made shots and only trailed, 16-13.

After that, the “making shots” part of it vanished. Meanwhile, the Clippers continued to shoot ‘til they scored on most possessions.

Sam Leahy (14 points) gets a clean look.

Over the next 13 ½ minutes of playing time, the Clippers outscored the Cougars, 41-4! That’s not a typo. Newburyport shredded the Cougars’ zone defense by giving up high percentage shots to get teammates even higher percentage shots.

The Clippers shot 50% in the decisive second quarter (12-for-24) and didn’t have a single turnover during a twenty-seven point explosion. There was textbook offense and defense.

I had to wonder how serious Snowden (5-8) was about the game. They didn’t have a single fan that I ever heard. Plus, their coaching staff didn’t call a timeout until the team was down, 39-15, with 2:15 left in the second quarter. By that time, Newburyport was on a 23-2 run. By then, not only had the cows left the barn, they had moved to another state!

The Clippers (14-7) led, 45-17, at the half.

The Clipper starters were very relaxed as they awaited the beginning of the second half with a 45-17 lead.

Beth Castantini (15 points), Sam Leahy (14 points), and Molly Rowe (12 points) were in their usual spots as the Clippers top point getters despite short minutes in the second half. The three of them looked for each other on offense and dug in on defense. They will certainly be facing tougher competition ahead.

Haley Johnson (8 points) seldom shoots but her rebounding, defending, and passing were important in this game and are a big reason why the team is having such a good season.

Jovanna Sandifer (6 points) scored the most for Snowden. She was a very fancy dribbler but at 5-4 got into trouble when she got close to the basket and nearer to Newburyport’s taller defenders.

(I collect my own stats, take my own pictures, and draw my own conclusions. Mistakes are unintentional.)

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Filed under Newburyport, Snowden

Tagged as Beth Castantini, Haley Johnson, Jovanna Sandifer, Molly Rowe, Newburyport High School girls basketball, Sam Leahy, Snowden

February 26, 2011 · 9:47 pm

Regular season pictures I’ve taken of MIAA tournament-qualifying basketball team members

The pictures are sorted by Divisions and boys/girls.

Click on a picture to enlarge it.

Division 1 North

#1 seed – St. John’s Prep (19-1)

Pat Connaughton

Mike Carbone

#3 seed – Lynn English (19-2)

Keandre Stanton

Travonne Berry-Rogers

#5 seed – Central Catholic (19-2)

Jimmy Zenevitch

Luis Puello

#11 seed – Andover (14-5)

Joe Bramanti

#14 seed – Everett (12-8)

Emo Deschommes

Alain Jeanty

Division 2 North

#1 seed – Wilmington (17-3)

: Vinny Scifo

: Tim McCarthy

#5 seed – Salem (15-5)

: Antonio Reyes

: Dario/Raphy Medrano

#3 seed – North Andover (16-4)

: Zach Karalis

Derek Collins

#11 seed – Masconomet

: Adam Bramanti

: Zach Zaniewski

Division 3 North

#1 seed – Hamilton-Wenham (15-3)

: Stephen Tam

#5 seed – Newburyport (13-7)

Matt Leavitt

Eric Meyer

#8 seed – Pentucket (11-9)

Corey McNamara

Will Angelini

Division 4 North

#2 seed – Manchester-Essex (16-4)

Joe Mussachia

Sean Nally

#8 seed – Georgetown (12-8)

: Johnny Spears and Tyler Wade

Division 1 North (Girls)

#6 seed – Masconomet (15-3)

: Brooke Stewart

Division 3 North

#4 seed – Ipswich (13-7)

Hannah O'Flynn

Nyra Constant

#5 seed – Newburyport (13-7)

Molly Rowe

Beth Castantini

#7 seed – Triton (11-9)

Jen Rock

Alyssa Conley

#3 seed – Pentucket (18-4)

Alex Moore

Tess Nogueira

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Filed under Everett, Uncategorized

Tagged as Adam Bramanti, Alex Moore, Alyssa Conley, Beth Castantini, Corey McNamara, Derek Collins, Eric Meyer, Hannah O'Flynn, Jen Rock, Jimmy Zenevitch, Joe Bramanti, Joe Mussachia, Johnny Spears, Keandre Stanton, Luis Puello, Matt Leavitt, Mike Carbone, Molly Rowe, Nyra Constant, Pat Connaughton, Stephen Tam, Tess Nogueira, Tim McCarthy, Travonne Berry-Rogers, Tyler Wade, Vinny Scifo, Will Angelini

February 4, 2011 · 11:39 pm

Newburyport Girls Defeat Ipswich Again 52-39

Hannah O’Flynn (#34) is defended by Haley Johnson (#11).

Molly Rowe (18 points) led all scorers and made 8-of-9 free throws.

(Newburyport) The Clippers got scoring from Molly Rowe (18) and Beth Castantini (15) and solid defense from Haley Johnson (on Hannah O’Flynn) and defeated Ipswich, 52-39, on Friday night.

The Clippers (7-7) earlier had beaten Ipswich (9-3) at Triton’s tournament in December. The Tigers had won six straight since then.

This was a game that Newburyport led from start (first seven points) to finish.

The Tigers made their run late in the 3rd quarter by making three straight long ones (two by Nyra Constant and one by Hannah O’Flynn) to close to, 30-28, with 1:50 left.

The rest of the quarter Ipswich didn’t score a point while Newburyport ran seven straight points. The killer basket was a last second three from sophomore Lea Tomasz which gave the Clippers a, 37-28, advantage at the end of the quarter. The Tigers were reduced to firing long range and fouling the rest of the game but on this night that strategy didn‘t work.

Turnovers were plentiful (43) as both teams played tight defense and denied passing lanes.

Despite the tight defense, Newburyport’s better organized offensive schemes turned up more high percentage shots. Eight of the Clipper’s sixteen baskets were from in close. On the other hand, Ipswich had only four layups out of their fifteen baskets.

Hannah O’Flynn recorded sixteen points for Ipswich but seven of them came in the final quarter after the outcome was decided. Credit Haley Johnson. She, with an occasional helping hand from a teammate or two, kept Hannah on the perimeter most of the time.

A Clipper strength this season has been their foul shooting. In this game they were 17-for-22 despite missing their last three attempts. Beth Castantini was five-for-six while Molly Rowe was eight-for-nine. Those numbers certainly explain why both players frequently take the ball to the basket hoping at least to draw foul shots.

Nyra Constant (#15) launches a long one over Molly Rowe.

Nyra Constant connected on three long ones for Ipswich.

Julia Davis hurt her wrist during a collision.

Plenty of action during inbound plays.

When Ipswich took the ball out under the basket they were shooting at, there was enough pushing and shoving by both teams to give almost every player a foul. The Tigers wanted to get Hannah the ball in close and Newburyport refused to allow it.