By Michael Letendre 

BURLINGTON – The first time around against Bristol Eastern, the Lewis Mills girls basketball team played a physical game, held the lead at the half but could not hold on in the end – losing by a 47-31 final in Bristol back on February 23.

But in the rematch, this time from the Thunderdome in Burlington this past Monday, the Lancers never gave the Spartans a chance to seize any kind of advantage in the contest.

Eastern’s early pressure defense led to several steals and quick hoops and once the visitors nabbed a double-figure lead, Mills was never able to make it a game – falling by a 65-33 final in a CCC Region B contest.

The Lancers moved to 9-2 on the season and can win its tenth game on Thursday at New Britain.

Lewis Mills fell to 1-10 overall with just one game left to play at Bristol Central on Thursday.

Two damaging runs doomed the Spartans as an 18-0 burst by the Lancers midway through the first frame turned a 5-4 deficit into a 22-5 cushion for the visitors.

And after Mills chopped the lead down to ten early in the second stanza, the Kingstreeters closed out the half with a 16-0 run, propelling Eastern to a 38-12 lead at the break.

There wouldn’t be any second half comeback by the Spartans as the home team couldn’t get any closer than 24 points the rest of the way.

Ciara Collins gave another masterful performance for Eastern, etching up a game-high 19 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field to go along with 12 rebounds, two assists and three steals.

She connected on all six of her shots in the first quarter, setting the tone of the game.

Janessa Gonzalez scored 11 points, gobbled up six rebounds and had a season-high four steals while Alyssa Kehler kicked in 10 points, hitting two 3-pointers, while adding six rebounds, three assists, and five steals.

Sage Scarritt just missed a double-double with nine points, 12 rebounds, and three blocked shots, Cali Doyon added five points, five assists, and five steals, Taigan Parent had four points and three assists while Emma Stavens zipped up two points, four rebounds, and two assists.

Audrey Tice hit for three points and Sarah Lacouture kicked in a hoop at the buzzer for the winners.

Lillian Martineau scored 10 points while Brianna Pelchar tallied nine for the Spartans.

The Lancers hit 9-of-16 shots from the field over the first eight minutes of play, generated nine steals and then turned defense into offense.

And trailing by one early in the opening quarter, Eastern went on its first big run.

Collins hit for seven straight points and Scarritt followed up with a hoop, and with 3:50 remaining in the first frame, a Doyon 3 made it a 16-5 contest.

Then two baskets by Collins and a couple Parent free throws ended the quarter with Eastern in front by a 22-5 tally.

Mills fired back to open the second period, closing the deficit to 22-12 with 6:40 to go in the half via a 7-0 run before Eastern put the game out of reach for good.

Parent flipped in a jumper, Doyon made a steal and lay-up, Collins hit two consecutive shots, Stavens nailed a long hoop and when Kehler skipped a pass to Scarritt – converting a conventional three-point play with 1:40 to go in the second – Eastern’s edge was 35-12.

To end the half, Scarritt flipped a quick pass to Kehler for a baseline 3 as Eastern led it 38-12 at intermission.

Just over two minutes into the third quarter, Gonzalez created a steal for a lay-up and when she put in a charity shot, the Lancers snatched a 43-12 push.

Mills went on a ten-minute stretch without scoring a point and never made it a game again.

To end the third, Gonzalez hit another hoop via an offensive rebound and when Kehler drained another baseline three-pointer, Eastern’s lead was 45-21 with eight minutes to play.

Late in the game, the Mills deficit reached 35 points at 56-21 as several reserves came into the game for both squads.

To end the encounter, Lauren Ayotte found Lacouture for one last basket at the horn as the Lancers came away from Burlington as 32-point winners, 65-33.

CCC Region B girls basketball  

BRISTOL EASTERN 65, LEWIS MILLS 33

from the Thunderdome, Burlington 

Bristol Eastern (9-2) 22 16 12 15 – 65

Lewis Mills (1-10)      5 7 9 12 – 33 

BRISTOL EASTERN (65): Taigan Parent 1 2 4, Ciara Collins 9 0 19, Cali Doyon 2 0 5, Alyssa Kehler 4 0 10, Sage Scarritt 4 1 9, Janessa Gonzalez 5 1 11, Audrey Tice 1 1 3, Emma Stavens 1 0 2, Sarah Lacouture 1 0 2, Lauren Ayotte 0 0 0, Gracie Lamar 0 0 0, Vanessa Drury 0 0 0. Totals: 28 5 65.

LEWIS MILLS (33): Jordan Anderson 1 2 4, Ava Beach 0 1 1, Lillian Martineau 3 4 10, Brianna Pelchar 3 1 9, Kristina DeMichiel 0 0 0, Kacee Schmidt 0 0 0, Kayleigh Smith 1 0 2, Sami Nestor 0 0 0, Grace Annonson 1 0 2, Cassie Martinotti 2 1 5. Totals: 11 9 33.

Three-point goals: Kehler (BE) 2, Collins (BE), Doyon (BE), Pelchar (LM) 2. 

Records: Bristol Eastern 9-2; Lewis Mills 1-10