By Michael Letendre
BERLIN – COVID has attempted to derail the season for the Bristol Eastern girls basketball team.
Well, the pandemic failed because during all the chaos the Lancers were able to eke out a victory against double-tough Berlin last Tuesday.
And over the wild affair, Eastern’s Emily Piendak ended up hitting the go-ahead free throw as the Lancers nabbed a huge 43-42 victory over the Redcoats from Berlin high school.
It was the first win for the Kingstreeters this season (1-2) while Berlin fell to 2-3 overall.
For the third straight game, senior Ciara Collins led her squad in scoring – collecting a game-high 21 points to go along with eight rebounds, seven assists, two steals and two blocked shots.
The last time Collins did not lead her team in scoring was during her sophomore campaign.
Once again, it was another primetime performance by Collins to get her team to the pay window.
Taigan Parent added eight points, four assists, and two steals while Janessa Gonzalez came off the pine for eight points and four rebounds.
Piendak added three points and four rebounds, Leah Roy earned the start – adding two points and two steals – while Vanessa Drury grabbed four rebounds in a reserve role.
Due to sickness and the like, Lauren Ayotte (two rebounds) and Amanda Noel both started for the first time ever at the varsity level for Eastern as head coach Tony Floyd used eight players in the win over Berlin.
Jenna Wenzel and Kailee DeMaio each scored 10 points to lead the Redcoats.
Berlin led by four early in the first frame but lost that edge in the second as Parent canned a lay-up with 2:23 left before the half to make it a 20-18 contest in Eastern’s favor.
The Redcoats then used a 10-3 run to nab a 28-23 push midway through the third tilt but the Lancers had answers.
Collins drained a late 3 and two free throws and when Parent hit a lay-up at the third period buzzer, the visiting aggression led 34-33 with eight minutes to play.
The teams traded the lead to open the fourth frame and when Alivia Halkias flipped in a free throw with 4:19 left, the contest was a 38-38 stalemate.
The game slowed down to a crawl from there but Gonzalez slipped in a late jumper and when Piendak added a hoop, it was a 42-38 contest with 2:40 remaining.
Both teams missed opportunities late but when DeMaio hit a shot in the lane, the deficit was chopped to 42-40 with 42.4 seconds remaining.
Drury then missed the front end of a 1-and-1 situation with 22.4 seconds left but Piendak grabbed the offensive rebound and was quickly fouled.
With Eastern in the double-bonus, Piendak drained the second of two free throws as Eastern’s edge grew to 43-40.
Berlin simply couldn’t get a good shot off the rest of the way as Wenzel missed a late 3.
Maddy Sadowski nabbed the miss but her put-back at the buzzer wasn’t enough to tie things up as the Kingstreeters posted a huge 43-42 win.
Hornets too much for Lancers
Two days later, East Hartford grabbed an early edge against Eastern and never looked back in posting a 53-27 victory on Thursday night.
The game took place from East Hartford as the Hornets moved to 6-1 overall while the Lancers fell to 1-3.
East Hartford led 15-6 after the first quarter and surged in front, 34-14, at the half.
Eastern never made it close the rest of the way.
Collins led the Lancers in scoring once again with 14 points while Parent added six.
East Hartford’s Kayla Henry led all scorers with 16 points, All-State talent Shailyn Pinkney added 14, and Nia Edens dropped in 12 to lead a balanced attack.
Near miss at Windsor
Worthy of note, back on December 17 – in Eastern’s 63-57 overtime loss at Windsor – Collins tallied another remarkable game.
Collins flashed in a career-high 32 points, on 12-of-21 shooting from the field, while grabbing 18 rebounds – also a new standard for the soon to be Pace standout.
The senior grabbed nine offensive boards, added three assists, blocked four shots, and nabbed three steals over another complete game effort.
Parent added nine points and five assists while Emma Stavens also played well – collecting seven points, six rebounds, and seven assists.
Gonzalez and Piendak each scooped in six rebounds.
Roy had five rebounds while Gracie Lamar had her best scholastic game with a career-high four boards and two blocked shots.
If the schedule holds…
This week, Eastern will be home for a couple as East Catholic is in town on Tuesday (5:15 p.m.) while Platt of Meriden battles the Lancers on Thursday (6:45 p.m.) from the Thomas M. Monahan Gymnasium.
BRISTOL EASTERN GIRLS BASKETBALL
BRISTOL EASTERN 43, BERLIN 42
from Berlin high school – Tuesday, January 4
Bristol Eastern (1-2)12 11 11 9 – 43
Berlin (1-2)16 10 7 9 – 42
BRISTOL EASTERN (43): Taigan Parent 4 0 8, Vanessa Drury 0 1 1, Emily Piendak 1 1 3, Ciara Collins 7 4 21, Leah Roy 1 0 2, Janessa Gonzalez 4 0 8, Lauren Ayotte 0 0 0, Amanda Noel 0 0 0.Totals: 17 6 43.
BERLIN (42): Jenna Wenzel 2 5 10, Maddy Sadowski 2 3 7, Emma Ellison 4 0 8, Alivia Halkias 2 5 9, Kailee DeMaio 5 0 10.Totals: 14 13 42.
Three Point Goals: Collins (BE) 3, Wenzel (BER).
Records: Bristol Eastern 1-2; Berlin 1-2
EAST HARTFORD 53, BRISTOL EASTERN 27
from East Hartford high school – Thursday, January 6
Bristol Eastern (1-3)6 8 2 11 – 27
East Hartford (6-1)15 19 6 13 – 53
BRISTOL EASTERN (27): Taigan Parent 2 0 6, Vanessa Drury 0 0 0, Emily Piendak 0 0 0, Ciara Collins 5 2 14, Leah Roy 1 0 2, Janessa Gonzalez 1 1 3, Lauren Ayotte 1 0 2, Amanda Noel 0 0 0.Totals: 10 3 27.
EAST HARTFORD (53): Shanai James 0 0 0, Alyssa DeLeon 0 0 0, Zoe Mercado 1 0 2, Kayla Henry 6 3 16, Victoria Silva-Soto 2 0 5, Nia Edens 4 1 12, Elizebeth Morgan 2 0 4, Elizabeth Kalugira 0 0 0, Janiya Henry 0 0 0, Shailyn Pinkney 5 2 14.Totals: 20 6 53.
Three Point Goals: Parent (BE) 2, Collins (BE) 2, Edens (EH) 3, Pinkney (EH) 2, K. Henry (EH), Silva-Soto (EH).
Records: East Hartford 6-1 overall; Bristol Eastern 1-3