Classical bows out against Andover

ANDOVER – The Classical girls basketball team got off to a rocky start against a perennially tough Andover team and could never find its way back in a 66-45 loss in a Division 1 North quarterfinal matchup at Andover.With the loss, the Rams finish the season 11-12. Andover (16-5) moves on to the quarterfinals Saturday against Masconomet.The first quarter was a total loss for Classical. Andover rolled out to a 14-0 lead before Franki Galeazzi, who finished with 22 points, spoiled the shutout. It was all uphill for the Rams. Andover was dominating the offensive boards and hitting from everywhere.Alyssa Casey and Jessica Witten were pretty much unstoppable for Andover in the early going. Casey finished with 12 points (10 of them in the first half) and Witten, who led all scorers with 24 points, was devastating from behind the arc. She had six threes, five of them coming in the first half.?They were very good,” Classical coach Tom Sawyer said, adding that Witten was deadly.?We played zone, she killed us. We played man-on-man, she killed us,” Sawyer said.By the half, Andover had a 41-19 lead. Although Classical outscored Andover 26-25 in the second half, the damage had been done. Galeazzi breathed a little life into the offense with nine points in the third quarter, but it was too little, too late. Christine Connolly, who is one of three seniors (Galeazzi and Kristin Lauria being the other two), played what Sawyer said was probably her best game of the season. She had eight points.Lauria, who has battled injuries off and on all season, finished with four points, but it was a hard-fought four. She went down with a leg injury about 2:30 into the game and didn?t return until early in the second quarter.?She was a warrior,” Sawyer said.Sawyer wasn?t happy with the outcome, but he was pleased with the effort his team gave.?They have big hearts. They played as hard as they could. I?m proud of the effort,” he said.Andover coach E.J. Perry said Witten was the one in this game. He said throughout the season, different players have stepped up on different nights and last night it was Witten?s night to shine. Rebecca Alois had a huge game as well with 15 points and 18 rebounds.Perry was impressed with the play of Galeazzi and Chenysse Hill for Classical.?No. 12 (Hill) can control a game. She did a nice job,” Perry said.For Galeazzi and Lauria, the game marked the end of a long playing career together. The two played CYO basketball back in elementary school and stuck together through high school. Lauria said she plans to play at Westfield State next year.