Thomaston head coach Bob McMahon talks with Julia Quinn lead the Golden Bears against Housatonic on Wednesday night.
Jim Shannon Republican-American
By RICK WILSON
Republican-American
FALLS VILLAGE — Let’s be honest here, the calendar is misleading. Late January, when it’s slightly past midseason, normally tempers the importance of a game. The Housatonic High girls basketball team isn’t buying it, nor is Thomaston under the present circumstances.
The Golden Bears bring their basketball dynasty, which includes five straight Berkshire League titles and six in the last seven years, to Falls Village Wednesday night.
With both teams tied for the top spot with 9-1 records in a league that decides its champion based on the regular season, make no mistake about it” This one is huge. This is the biggest game in Housy hoops in a long, long time.
While no team will be claiming the title or conceding it after the result is registered, clearly the winner has a leg up and will have a taken a major step in at least claiming a share of the title, since the BL does not play off ties.
Certainly, a Mountaineer victory against a team that has been so dominant for so long would be one of seismic importance for the school and in the league.
“We’re taking it like a championship game and the captains, Chloe (Dakers) and Amanda (Jacquier), know they have an opportunity to do something big,” said first-year coach Steve Dodge . “We are excited by the opportunity.”
“I totally agree,” said Thomaston coach Bob McMahon about the championship implications.
There is also a bit of confidence in the Mountaineers’ camp fueled by a 12-1 record, a 10-game win streak and a near-miss against the Bears in their third game of the season. Housatonic led at the half only to come up on the short end of a 48-45 Golden Bears victory.
“After playing them the last time, it wasn’t just a close game,” said Dodge. “We were up at halftime and only lost by three because we had a bad third quarter. We are comfortable knowing that if we do the right things, we can come out on top. We could taste victory. We knew that Thomaston could be gotten.”
“They have an opportunity to prove that, and we’ll know by about 8:30,” responded McMahon.
How the Bears react to the situation will be interesting. Their 38-game BL win streak lasting just 10 days less than two years was snapped, 57-51 in overtime, by Northwestern on Friday night in uncharacteristic style.
The Bears led big early and still held a five-point lead with a little more than two minutes to go in regulation. It has been a long time since a loss happened and particularly in that manner.
Housatonic’s Chloe Dakers (RA archive)
“Northwestern played us man-to-man for 32 minutes and put up 57 points,” said McMahon. “They took on the challenge and beat us at our own game. We’ll find out (what kind of effect) it had on us.”
It had been a long time since the Bears have tasted a defeat on the BL. Yet the Bears, despite losing four starters and five of their top seven players from a year ago, have found a way to keep winning. Their only other two losses came in competitive matchups against two teams in the state’s top 15, Hand and Notre Dame of Fairfield.
Clearly, the focal point of the Bears is their one-two senior punch of 6-foot All-State center Casey Carangelo and dangerous shooting guard Julia Quinn.
What mood will the Bears be in? Angry? A little bit shaken?
“We have lost games before and we’ll lose them again,” said McMahon. “We have another opportunity in this game. Contrary to what many people hope for, we are going to get off the bus and play, and if you ask me to pick a roster in the league I’m taking ours.”
Yep, this is a big one.