Avon wins to secure spot in the state tournament; No. 8 Simsbury prevails

Sophie Mango drives past a Simsbury defender earlier this year. Mango and the Falcons qualified for the CIAC state tournament with a win on Tuesday night.

The Avon High girls basketball team outscored host Tollland by 13 points in the third quarter to pull away and secure a 39-31 victory in Central Connecticut Conference play on Tuesday night and secured a spot in the CIAC Class L state tournament.

The Falcons (8-4) clinched their first state tournament berth since 2020 with the win. Adi Standish had 16 points while Gianna Godbout added 11 for Avon.

Annelise Martens had 24 of Tolland’s 31 points in the game. The Eagles are now 4-8.

Avon 39, Tolland 31
At Tolland
Avon (39) Sophie Mango 2-0-4, Lindsey Arigoni 2-0-5, Gianna Godbout 4-1-11, Mya Hall 0-0-0, Adi Standish 4-8-16, Lila Aguilar 0-0-0 , Haley Chisholm 1-0-2, Lisa Bosanac 0-0-0, Claire Cawley 0-1-1, Katelyn Cifaldi 0-0-0. Totals 13-10
Tolland (31) Kelis Hurst 0-2-2, Julia Santini 1-0-3, Annelise Martens 8-7-24, Taylor Sztaba 1-0-2, Mackenzie Wood 0-0-0, Cadyn Grassr, 0-0-0, Audrey Cadman 0-0-0, Madison Dombek 0-0-0, Sophie Leach 0-0-0, Cecilea Martens 0-0-0, Kiera Hill 0-0-0, Evelyn Cadman 0-0-0. Totals 10-9
Avon (8-4)                   7  11  13   8  — 39
Tolland (4-8)              3    8    0  20  — 31
Three-point goals: A. Martens (T), Arigoni (A), Godbout (A) 2

Simsbury 39, E.O. Smith 31
SIMSBURY, Jan. 24, 2023 – Amanda Gallagher had a game-high 21 points, including four baskets from three-point range and Olivia Jarvis had 16 points, 12 rebounds and five steals as No. 8 Simsbury outlasted No. 11 E.O. Smith in Central Connecticut Conference play Tuesday night.

The Trojans (12-2) gave up just four points in the fourth quarter to secure the victory. Maddy Hughes had 20 points for E.O. Smith (10-3), including five shots from three-point range.

Simsbury 39, E.O. Smith 31
At Simsbury
E.O. Smith (31) Jill Dingler 1 2 5, Paige Raynor 1 0 2, Emily Miller 0 1 1, Bella Mallory 1 0 2, Maddy Hughes 7 1 20, Lilli Clark 1 0 2.Totals 11 4 31.
Simsbury (39) Moira Hughes 0 0 0, Olivia Jarvis 5 6 16, Faye Kaplinski 1 0 2, Amanda Gallagher 7 3 21, Reece Willison 0 0 0.Totals 13 9 39.
Simsbury (12-2)        6  16  8  9 — 39
E.O. Smith (10-3)      7  11  9  4 – 31
Three-point goals: Dingler (EOS), Gallagher (S) 4, Hughes (EOS) 5