LYNN — There are plenty of things to talk about from Tuesday’s Sweet 16 matchup between St. Mary’s and Sandwich in Division III, a game the Spartans won 75-22 in their home gym.
There was the 19-0 run in the first quarter and, frankly, the grand total at the end. That said, a moment with 2:29 remaining in the second quarter took the cake.
St. Mary’s senior Kellyn Preira came in needing 10 points to eclipse 1,000. Sitting on nine, she got the ball in the corner for a wide open three. As soon as it left her hands, there was no doubt – well, maybe a little from her.
“I was hoping it was in,” Preira said. “I had taken a couple before that and they hadn’t gone in… I just knew one was going to go in eventually.”
She was right. Preira buried the triple, followed by a roar from the fans who love her most. The buzzer went off to stop the game, followed by a celebratory plaque, flowers, and some pictures.
“It meant so much to me… it definitely didn’t feel real and it was kind of like a dream,” Preira said. “It felt amazing.”
Granted, she has 1,007 points now (17 in the game), but the achievement was never on her mind until recently.
“I definitely hadn’t thought about it,” Preira said. “But to know that I could achieve this accomplishment, it definitely feels great.”
On top of calling Preira his team’s best defender, St. Mary’s head coach Jeff Newhall said she has scored her 1,000 points “in every which way.”
“She can attack the hoop [and] she’s a really smooth finisher,” Newhall said. “And as you can see… she’s a shooter. She can do a little bit of everything.”
And the compliments go both ways between the player and her coach.
“I would like to thank Coach Newhall, obviously,” Preira said.
As for the rest of the game, the first quarter was quite indicative of the rest. The Spartans led 24-3 after one with eighth grader Bella Owumi scoring 12 points in the frame.
“Bella was just outstanding in the first half, I thought on both ends,” Newhall said. “Attacking on offense [and] attacking the glass on defense.”
Last Friday, in St. Mary’s 81-38 victory against Ipswich, Newhall said he expected more from his team regarding its intensity. Fast forward to Tuesday, and he got it.
“It was just the opposite of what happened Friday night,” Newhall said. “We had talked about it in practice pretty well over the past few days, and we came out flying.”
Flying indeed. St. Mary’s did that until the end, winning by 53 points and cementing its spot in the Elite 8. Owumi scored 18 points, followed by Niya Morgen’s 14.
“It was much better,” Newhall said. “If we play with that type of energy and intensity, and speed, on both ends of the floor, I like our chances most nights.”
Point leaders – St. Mary’s
Bella Owumi (18)
Kellyn Preira (17)
Niya Morgen (14)
AJ Hyacinthe (8)
Reese Matela (4)
Sky Watson (4)
Yirsy Queliz (3)
Jillian Roberts (3)
Juliana Conte (2)
Lily Norton (2)
