Avon girls close out season with two straight wins and CCC Pool 4 title

Avon’s Sophie Mango (5) brings the ball upcourt in a recent game against Southington.

AVON, March 26, 2021 – Jocee Powers scored a career-high 14 points as the Avon High girls basketball team closed out the 2021 season with two straight wins and a championship in the CCC’s Pool 4 tournament with a 33-29 win over Bristol Central on Friday.

All 31 teams in the Central Connecticut Conference received a berth in the CCC Tournament, which was split up into pools of eight teams each. Avon was the top seed in Pool 4.

In the pool championship game, the Falcons used a 15-7 surge in the fourth quarter to erase a four-point deficit and earn their fifth win of the season. Powers had 14 with a pair of three-point shots while Sophia Mango added 10 points for Avon (5-9).

“We faced our fair share of adversity during this strange season, but through it all the girls kept supporting each other and working hard,” Avon High’s first year coach Drew Faucher said. “So, it was great to see them end the season on a high note. I am so proud of not just these last two victories, but of our season as a whole.”

In this pandemic-shortened season that didn’t begin until February 10, the Falcons had to play several games without a full lineup with players not able to attend games due to COVID-19 protocols – usually contact tracing.

As the top seed in Pool 4, Avon had a first-round bye because there were just seven teams in this pool. In the semifinals, the Falcons beat Lewis Mills for the second time in three games this season, 28-14. Mya Hall had a career-high nine points for Avon while Powers chipped in with seven and Mango scored six.

Faucher added, “I have to thank the CCC for providing a postseason experience for teams.”

Final: Avon 33, Bristol Central 29
At Avon
Bristol Central (29) Damani Hough 0-0-0, Brooke Watson 2-0-5, Arianna Rivera 0-0-0, Janessa Bartell 2-6-10, Gwen Torreso 0-0-0, Elle Watson 2-0-5, Sophia Torreso 3-0-9. Totals 9-6-29
Avon (33) Jocee Powers 6-0-14, Sophie Mango 3-4-10, Lindsey Arigoni 0-0-0, Ashley Blackmore 0-0-0, Erin Geary 2-0-4, Katelyn Wankier 1-0-2, Adi Standish 1-1-3, May Hall 0-0-0. Totals 13-5-33
Bristol Central (4-11)        8  8  6   7  — 29
Avon (5-9)                        12  2  4  15 – 33
Three-point shots: B. Watson (BC), E. Watson (BC). S. Torreso (BC) 3, Powers (A) 2

Avon 28, Lewis Mills 14
At Avon
Lewis Mills (14) Lauren Searle 0-0-0, Jordan Anderson 0-0-0, Kristina DeMichiel 0-0-0, Grace Annonson 0-0-0, Kiana Bolleyer 0-0-0, Lillian Martineau 2-0-4, Abby Jankoski 3-0-6, Brianna Pelchar 1-0-2, Kayleigh Smith 0-2-2. Totals 6-2-14
Avon (28) Jocee Powers 3-0-7, Sophie Mango 3-0-6, Lindsey Arigoni 0-0-0, Ashley Blackmore 1-0-2, Erin Geary 0-0-0, Katelyn Wankier 1-0-2, Adi Standish 1-0-2, Mya Hall 3-1-9, Sophia DiBella 0-0-0. Totals 12-1
Lewis Mills (2-12)            6    2  4  2  — 14
Avon (4-9)                        3  15  4  6  — 28
Three-point shots: Powers (A) 2, Hall (A)

CCC Tournament Pool 4
Tuesday, March 23
(4) Lewis Mills 28, (5) Maloney 27
(3) Bristol Central 70, (6) Bulkeley/SMSA 19
(2) NW Catholic 59, (7) Tolland 57
Thursday, March 25
(1) Avon 28, Lewis Mills 14
Bristol Central 52, NW Catholic 42
Consolation
Maloney 33, Bulkeley/SMSA 29
Friday, March 26
Final: Avon 33, Bristol Central 29