Tag Archives: Morgan Johnston

January 23, 2015 · 11:28 pm

Amesbury girls win the rematch 53-35 over Newburyport

McKenzie Cloutier (12 points) readies a block attempt against Emily Pettigrew (13 points)

Megan Reid (11 points) gets off a shot

(Amesbury MA) Amesbury put runs of points together in both halves and defeated Newburyport, 53-35, on Friday night in Cape Ann League play. The win avenges an earlier loss to the Clippers.

In the first half the Indians (6-5) put a 13-2 segment together to build up a ten-point league. In the second half the home team ran fourteen unanswered points and with it ended any curiosity about the final outcome.

The Clippers (3-9) missed a ton of shots but credit the Amesbury defense for allowing very few uncontested shot attempts.

McKenzie Cloutier (12 points) led the AHS scorers getting ten of them in the second quarter. After Newburyport had moved to within seven points (17-10) in the second quarter on a driving layup by freshman Krysta Padellaro, McKenzie tallied three straight baskets to set up Amesbury with a, 23-10, halftime advantage.

Morgan Johnston (10 points) puts up a shot in the paint

The Clippers finally were able to get some shots to fall in the third quarter. Krysta, Morgan Johnston (10 points), and Emily Pettigrew (13 points) combined for fifteen points for NHS in the first 4 1/2 minutes of the third quarter and the visitors were within ten, 35-25. When Emily drained a three-pointer the Amesbury lead was sliced to seven.

Plenty of game left for Newburyport to finish the comeback. The Clippers hopes were further buoyed by word that Amanda Martin had fouled out with 2:18 left in that 3rd quarter.

But rather than being in trouble, the Indians took their seven-point lead (35-28) and added fourteen straight points to it while holding Newburyport scoreless. Shut out for 6+ minutes, the Clippers emerged from the dry spell down and out, 49-28, with four minutes left.

Zoe Fitzgerald looks for someone to pass to

Megan Reid, Julia LaMontagne, Abbie Sartori, McKenzie Cloutier, and Zoe Fitzgerald scored points in the game-deciding Amesbury streak.

Junior Megan Reid finished with eleven points for Amesbury.

Newburyport has now lost four of their last five games. Amesbury has won three of four.

Newburyport won the first meeting between the two teams, 50-48, on January 5th. Olivia Olson had twenty points in that one. This time around the AHS defense held Olivia to a quiet two points.

The Indians won despite little playing time for Cape Ann League All-Star Amanda Martin. Amanda was a foul-magnet from the very outset getting two fouls in the first forty-nine seconds. She picked up a 3rd in the second quarter and in the third quarter two more. The 5th one came on an Amesbury 2-on-1 fastbreak and didn’t sit well with the Amesbury faithful. But on this evening it didn’t matter because the Indians had tight defense no matter who was playing and shots were falling for their team.

waiting for play to resume

The free throw shooting wasn’t very good in this game: Amesbury (11-for-19) and Newburyport (4-for-13).

Both teams resume play on Tuesday. Newburyport hosts Lynnfield while Amesbury visits Triton. Tessa Lafrance and Erin Savage from the Triton team were in the house tonight.

Amesbury boxscore

Newburyport boxscore

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

Abbie Sartori gets in for two

Olivia Olson tries to finish as Abbie Sartori defends

Tight defense by Amesbury

Polly Corbett shoots a three

Emily Pettigrew goes for a block on Zoe Fitzgerald

Olivia Olson (#5)

Clutch free throws help Newburyport hold off Georgetown 50-47

Emily Pettigrew (15 points) passes ahead to teammate Morgan Johnston (21 points)

Clippers celebrate the 3-point win

(Newburyport MA) Newburyport (3-8) made four straight free throws in the final twenty-six seconds to defeat Georgetown, 50-47, on Friday night in Cape Ann League action.

Morgan Johnston (21 points) led the Clippers’ inside approach that accounted for every field goal except Kaitlin Ahern’s jumper in the second quarter. I don’t recall NHS even attempting a 3-pointer.

Georgetown, on the other hand, was willing to fire from long-range on every opportunity. They connected nine times from beyond the arc including two times in the final thirty-two seconds. The Royals Cayla Durkee missed a game-tying three with a second left.

Maya Spence (17 points) gets airborne in the lane

Five different G’town players had 3-pointers. Junior Maya Spence (17 points) clicked from downtown three times.

The Clippers got off to a terrific start (10-0) and later late in the third quarter had a comfortable, 41-28, advantage. But Cayla Durkee and Maya Spence hit three’s in the final minute of the third quarter to give the visitors some life going into the last quarter.

Georgetown (5-5) turned up the defensive heat in the final quarter and things started getting real interesting. Twelve turnovers (that is not a misprint!) later the Newburyport lead was just two (46-44) after Rory Donoghue nailed a three with thirty-two seconds left.

At this point, the Clippers had struggled mightily at the free throw line making only 8-of-22. It made perfect sense for Georgetown to foul. They did and sent Emily Pettigrew to the line. Emily had missed three of her last four attempts but with twenty-six seconds left made two straight. Newburyport now up by four (48-44).

Nicole Hogan makes one of nine Royals 3-pointers

The Royals went looking for a three and found one from Isabel Block with thirteen second remaining. Georgetown within one (48-47).

Newburyport inbounded the ball successfully to Emily Pettigrew. Inbounding was not a sure thing with twelve NHS turnovers already committed in the quarter. I am quite sure Newburyport coach Gregg Dollas wanted Emily shooting foul shots in a one-point game but she passed the ball back to Morgan Johnston. Morgan was quickly fouled.

Morgan had missed five of her last six free throws but in a one-point game with nine seconds left she swished both attempts. Those make’s gave Newburyport a three-point lead that held up when G’town’s final shot missed.

The Clippers ended a three-game losing streak. They will resume playing next Friday at Amesbury.

Rory Donoghue covered by Shelby OBrien

A likely reason for Georgetown’s poor start was losing starter Rory Donoghue after less than two minutes with two fouls. Rory had fifteen points and sixteen rebounds in the G’town win over Hamilton-Wenham.

Morgan Johnston set up close to the basket and was able to spin either way to get high-percentage shots. Emily Pettigrew stayed away from the basket and that gave Morgan room to operate. Most of Morgan’s baskets were assisted baskets.

Morgan scored the first basket in every quarter and the last two points of the game.

Emily Pettigrew had fifteen points for NHS. Kayla Durkee added ten for the Royals.

The 12 turnovers by the Clippers in the final quarter were a big surprise after they had only three miscues in the entire first half.

Georgetown was 6-of-13 from the foul line.

Newburyport scored the first ten points in the first half and the first seven points in the second half. Georgetown never led but did tie the score, 26-26, on a three (Maya Spence) in the last minute of the first half.

The Royals’ next game is Sunday (10AM) at Saugus.

Newburyport boxscore

Georgetown boxscore

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

Morgan Johnston in for two

Maya Spence hit three 3-pointers

Shelby OBrien on the break

Michaela Corvi drives on Nicole Hogan

Morgan Johnston gives the Clippers a 3-point lead

Cassidy Troy looks for an opening

Morgan Johnston plays defense

Graceann Conte and Kristin Giovino

Newburyport gets wild 16-15 walkoff win over Amesbury

Morgan Johnston walks home the winning run for Newburyport

Maddie Napoli puts the tag on Lauren Singer

(Newburyport) Newburyport batted around in two of the last three innings and overtook Amesbury, 16-15, on a very windy Monday afternoon in Cape Ann League softball.

The Clippers (2-2) were down by two runs with two outs in the bottom of the seventh but a two-run single by Lauren Singer tied things at 15-15. A catcher’s interference call followed loading the bases and pitcher Rachel Cyr’s walk to Morgan Johnston forced across the game winner.

This game was anything but smooth. The 20-30 MPH gusty winds made every ball in the air an adventure. Infield popups dropped among players. Outfield flies sailed over the heads of outfielders. In fact, line drives right at players were dropped.

Lucy Scholz races to third

Things weren’t much better on the ground. Part of the trouble for the infielders was the steady collection of baserunners serving up distractions. There were way too many throws to the wrong bases.

The Indians (2-1) dominated the first four innings. They led, 8-3, and already had eleven hits off of NHS starter Vicki Allman while AHS starter Rachel Cyr was limiting the Clippers to just three hits.

Newburyport turned things around in the fifth inning. They sent twelve players to the plate and collected eight runs on just four hits. Junior Morgan Kelley tripled in two of the runs. Amy Sullivan scored twice.

Alexi Boswell

Amesbury hit the ball hard all game and finished with seventeen hits. Five of the hits came in their sixth inning and they made Newburyport’s 11-8 lead disappear in a six-run inning. The Indians sent eleven batters to the plate. Alexi Boswell had two hits in the inning.

Newburyport went quietly in their sixth inning and trailed, 14-11.

The Indians added another run in the seventh as Amanda Schell hit a ball sharply to right. NHS rightfielder Morgan Johnston looked to have a chance on the ball but it got by her to the fence. Amanda was able to circle the bases for Amesbury’s fifteenth run.

Sammy Stone pitched the scoreless sixth for the Indians and 2/3 of the seventh inning.

In the seventh Newburyport got down to its final out before five straight Clippers reached to win on a walkoff walk by Morgan Johnston.

One reason for the Clippers win may well have been that despite getting hit hard pitcher Vicki Allman only walked two.