Classical girls bow out against Arlington Catholic

ARLINGTON – It might have been a tall order for the Classical girls basketball team to upset Arlington Catholic in the first round of the Division 2 North tournament Monday night, but the Rams at least made it interesting for a while.The Cougars won the game, 66-42. But if you went out for a cup of coffee after the first quarter, when it was 20-4, AC, and then came back midway through the second period, you’d have been shocked. Classical didn’t allow a point over that period and scored 13 of its own to pull within three, at 20-17.That was Classical’s last stand, however. Once the Cougars pulled away again, in the final four minutes of the period, they stayed comfortably ahead for the rest of the game.”We put a scare into them in that second quarter,” coach Tom Sawyer said, “especially after having given up 20 in the first quarter.”But that’s our team,” he said. “I’ve said all year long we’re resilient. We just keep coming back.”Still, AC had too much firepower for Classical, starting with Emma Roberson, who scored 19 points; Maura Buckley, who had 14; and Nicole Catizone, who had four three-pointers and 15 points.”Roberson is a wonderful player,” said Sawyer, whose Rams finish the season at 13-8. “She’s tall and long. And Catizone is a very good shooter.”The rest of them,” he said, “are fundamentally very sound. It makes them tough to defend.”AC got off to the hot start, but Classical cooled off the Cougars through the first four-plus minutes of the second quarter, outscoring them 13-0. That was all. For the rest of the half, the Cougars got revenge, putting up 14 points to Classical’s two to take a 34-19 lead into the locker room at the half.Hannah Byrne (team-high 16 points) got two quick hoops to start the second half, and it looked as if Classical would, once again, mount a brief comeback. But not this time. By the time the third quarter ended, it was 54-33, AC, and pretty much all over but the shouting.Classical wouldn’t exactly go away, but every time the Rams appeared to make somewhat of a run, AC would roar right back.Another one of Classical’s shining lights was sophomore Monta Connolly, who was second to Byrne in team scoring with 12 points.”She is going to be outstanding,” said Sawyer of his first player off the bench. “If she stays healthy she’s going to be a real good one.”She’s quick, and she’s silky smooth,” he said.Monday’s game represented the end of the line for seniors Byrne, Tashanna Brown, Jenna Kulakowski and Rosane Batista. Brown fouled out early in the final quarter and received a nice ovation from the crowd. Sawyer also took Byrne out, even though she had only four fouls, with about three minutes to go and the game long past doubt. She received a good hand too from the Classical crowd.