Momentum turned against the Peabody High girls basketball team with a minute and a half left in the third quarter of the Tanners? 59-41 D1 North quarterfinal loss to host Central Catholic on Saturday.As Central got called for traveling, Peabody center Carolyn Scacchi sustained an elbow above her eyebrow. The Tanners had cut the lead to four points at that point.?She had blood over her face,” Tanners coach Jane Heil said. “She?s one tough cookie. She came out, they got it back to eight.”Scaccchi returned to start the fourth quarter and with four minutes left, Central led 44-40.?We?re really gathering momentum,” Heil recalled. “We started figuring how to break their press, we?re attacking the basket. The kids are sky-high. Momentum can be the best thing in the fourth quarter.”However, Scacchi was bleeding through her bandages, and left the game again.After the allotted 30 seconds passed, Heil took her final timeout. When the Tanners returned to the court, another starter, Olivia Summit, fouled out. Thirty seconds after that, Alex Lomasney fouled out, and Central closed the game on a 15-1 run.?They gave Central a scare,” Heil said. “I will forever think, ?What if??”Scacchi, who also chipped a tooth in the first half, finished with 19 points, seven rebounds, three steals, three blocks and two assists.?We went for ice cream, and she went to the hospital and got seven stitches after that,” Heil said.Scacchi averaged 20.5 in the Tanners? last 10 games. Peabody closed its season going 7-1.?What this kid has done for this team is nothing short of a miracle,” Heil said. “Everybody else brought their level up, too.”Summit finished with six rebounds. Danielle Sullivan had eight rebounds, Lomasney had three assists, while Sara Hosman had two assists and three steals and Courtney Bua had two assists. Peabody finished 16-6.Heil coached in her 701st game. She is 528-173.Asked about her offseason plans, the coach said, “As always, the girls will try to get into a tough summer league. Last year they went to the Merrimack Valley. It helped them.”The Tanners have a more immediate plan … to cheer on Lynn English in the semis.?We said, ?Let?s turn all our focus to Lynn English and cheer them on,?” Heil said. “We want Lynn English to go all the way. We have the utmost respect for their athleticism, how they worked for four years.”She quipped: “(Coach) Freddie (Hogan), as crazy as he is, we love him.”And, she added, “I will be there Thursday night to cheer English on.”GIRLS HOCKEYBeverly/Danvers 3, Hingham 2At Salem State, the host Panthers edged the Harborwomen to advance to the Division 1 quarterfinals. Beverly/Danvers, the No. 2 seed, will play No. 10 Austin Prep on Wednesday (7) in Stoneham with a trip to the final four at stake.BOYS BASKETBALLDanvers 56, North Andover 45At Danvers, the Falcons advanced to the Division 2 North semifinals with a victory over the visiting Scarlet Knights. Danvers will play the winner of tonight?s Salem/Belmont game on Wednesday (7) in Beverly.MATCH 70, KIPP 60Top performers for KIPP were: Danya Smith (16 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals); Jonathan Mola (9 points, 10 rebounds) Pedro Morales (11 points, 3 steals); Tayjuan Mckenzie (8 points, 7 rebounds); and Dave Metelus (9 points).KIPP is 9-3 overall, 9-2 in the MCSAO North Division. It will finish second overall in the North Division behind MATCH.GIRLS BASKETBALLFenwick 59, Lynnfield 38At Fenwick, the No. 5 Crusaders defeated the No. 4 Pioneers. Next up for Fenwick is St. Mary?s, the top seed, Tuesday at Hamilton-Wenham (7) in the semifinals.Winthrop 48, N. Reading 27At Winthrop, the second-seeded Vikings advanced to the semifinals, where they will face No. 6 Manchester-Essex Wednesday at St. John?s (7).
