Girls' Varsity Basketball: Archives

• This was a close game much of the way -- 23-20 at the half and 34-33 with under six minutes to go -- but it took an unfortunate turn for the home team when Taft's shooting went ice cold down the stretch of this New England Quarter-final Class A playoff game. With just over five minutes left, a short jumper by Madison Haskins (3 points) put the Rhinos up one. It would be Taft's last field goal of the contest. The Big Red defended hard but could only get so many stops, and Northfield Mount Hermon hit some tough shots to slowly put the game away. Katie Harpin led Taft with 9 points, Maggie O'Neil netted 6, Taylor Peucker and Ashley Petrarca scored 5 each, Lindsay Karcher (ten rebounds) had 4, Lexi Dwyer had a bucket and Dominique Moise hit a free throw.

• Thank you to all the parents and fans among faculty and students for their support over the course of a season which by virtually any measure was a success. Another Founders League championship and a trip to the New Englands were goals set by the team in December -- and achieved in February. More important, this group was a pleasure for Coach Moriah Petersen and me to coach. Seniors Lexi Dwyer, Ellen Kalnins, Ashley Petrarca, Alex Pite, Taylor Peucker, and captain Lindsay Karcher set a hard-working but fun-loving tone early on; as a result, the team improved substantially at both ends as the season progressed. And while they will have a tough act to follow, rising seniors Katie Harpin, Morgan Manz and Maggie O'Neil, rising junior Dominique Moise, and soon-to-be sophomores Lauren Drakeley and Madison Haskins are a solid core around which to build looking to 2012-'13.

Coach Willson

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• Maggie O'Neil nailed a long 3-pointer with five seconds to play to lift the Rhinos to a one-point victory in Lakeville -- Taft's third win over Hotchkiss this season. Her clutch shot nullified a remarkable, crowd-pleasing second-half comeback by Hotchkiss, who trailed by 12 at the half and was still behind 36-26 with about five minutes to play. But Taft turnovers and cold shooting, combined with hot shooting by the home team, fueled a Bearcat run, and Hotchkiss took the lead twice in the last minute. The winning shot came after a missed free-throw by Hotchkiss, a rebound by Lindsay Karcher (one of her 9 on the day) and some crisp ball movement at the Taft end, culminating in Maggie's 3-ball from straight on; her third of the game (she also had nine boards). Ashley Petrarca led Taft in scoring with 12 critical first-half points, including three 3s of her own. Madison Haskins was big off the bench with 7 points and 5 rebounds, while Taylor Peucker netted 5 and pulled down 9 boards. Katie Harpin shrugged off a minor injury to contribute 6 points, 5 caroms and 4 assists, while Alex Pite (5 points) combined with Lexi Dwyer to hold Hotchkiss' leading scorer to 6 points for the afternoon. Taft will likely play in the Class A New England playoffs starting this coming Wednesday. Please check this space for details.

Coach Willson

• One day removed from defeating one Class B power (Porter's), Taft took on a second Class B power at home on our Senior Day...and fell just short. The Big Red played sound enough defense to be there at end, but couldn't muster enough offense -- including a 10-for-24 effort from the foul line -- to catch the visiting Berkshire Bears, who hit their foul shots in the last 30 seconds to seal the game. Seniors Lexi Dwyer, Ellen Kalnins, Lindsay Karcher, Ashley Petrarca and Alex Pite started each half and played outstanding defense, especially against Berkshire's talented perimeter players. The team has two days to re-group before the regular season finale against Hotchkiss in Lakeville.

Coach Willson

• The Girls' Varsity Basketball Team scored one of its most dramatic home victories in years, besting Miss Porter's School to win the Founders League title outright and remain undefeated in league play for the second consecutive season. Down 20-14 with a few minutes to play before halftime, the Rhinos battled back to even the score by intermission, hit the first basket of the second half, and never trailed again. Porter's did whittle an eleven-point Taft lead to just two at 37-35 with three-and-a-half minutes to play, and they had a player at the line with a chance to tie the game. But she missed the front half of a one-and-one, Taft secured the rebound...and a few seconds later Maggie O'Neil calmly knocked down her third 3-pointer of the game to extend the lead to five. The Big Red's defense took care of the rest. Chief among those defenders were Alex Pite and Lexi Dwyer, who tag-teamed to severely limit the easy looks allowed Porter's leading scorer. At the offensive end, the scoring was, for this team, uncharacteristically concentrated as just four players scored, with three in double figures. Katie Harpin scored all 4 of her points and collected all four of her blocks in the second half while O'Neil netted 13 to go with her eight rebounds. But it was our "bigs" who carried us today. Captain Lindsay Karcher banged her way to 10 points and ten rebounds while Taylor Peucker was dominant with 18 points and sixteen caroms. The team will need another exceptional collective effort tomorrow as Class B power Berkshire, looking to avenge a January loss to Taft, visits Watertown.

Coach Willson

The Rhinos' winning streak came to an abrupt halt Saturday afternoon in Wallingford as the Wild Boars of Choate, on their Senior Day, played inspired basketball and defeated the visitors by seven. Down eight at the half, Taft cut the lead to two with about eight minutes to play. But Choate responded with the first of several clutch, long-range jumpers they would hit to keep the game just out of reach for the Big Red, who could not string together baskets from the field or from the line (where the team shot 3 for 11) all day.

Taylor Peucker

was the team's lone offensive bright spot; she poured in 18 points, and eight of her fourteen rebounds were at the offensive end. She'll need much more help from her teammates than she got today if Taft is to challenge an exceptionally strong Miss Porter's team in Watertown this Tuesday.

Coach Willson

• Playing at home for the fourth straight game and enjoying a hot shooting day, the Big Red ran its winning streak to eleven in a row. Morgan Manz, Maggie O'Neil (seven rebounds, four assists) and Madison Haskins led the Rhinos' scoring punch with 17, 13 and 13 points, respectively. Lindsay Karcher had 8 points, seven boards and five steals. Ashley Petrarca netted 6, Taylor Peucker contributed 5 and Katie Harpin chipped in with a field goal. Taft's re-match with Choate is this Saturday in Wallingford.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red, taking advantage of a Hotchkiss team that was missing one of its best players, jumped out to an 11-0 lead and held a double-digit advantage the rest of the way. The Rhinos remain undefeated in Founders League play and the team's win streak now stands at ten straight. Dominating inside all day was Taylor Peucker, who scored 18 points to go with five boards and two assists. Morgan Manz (three steals) contributed 9 points and four boards, Maggie O'Neil tallied 8 points and five assists, Ashley Petrarca nailed a couple of 3 balls, Alex Pite netted 5, Katie Harpin (three assists) and Lindsay Karcher each had 4, and Dominique Moise scored 3. Taft again squares off against Hotchkiss in two weeks -- but it has four tough games prior to that re-match, starting with a home tilt versus Williston-Northampton this Wednesday at 4:00 PM.

Coach Willson

• The Rhinos picked up another Founders League victory and extended the team's winning streak to nine straight in a home tilt versus Westminster. This was not a pretty game by any stretch as Taft struggled to hit shots against Westminster's zone -- although Maggie O'Neil (9 points) and Ashley Petrarca (5 points) did hit a few from long range -- and when the Big Red got the ball inside, the bunnies just wouldn't fall. Taft will have to play better in all respects this Saturday if it hopes to best arch rival Hotchkiss, which is having its strongest season in years, in another Founders League contest.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red's winning streak continued into the new month today as the team clamped down defensively against the visitors from Kent, holding them to 8 first-half points. And while the Rhinos let up too much on the defensive end after the break, their lead was 20-plus points with nine or ten minutes to go, and playing time was fairly evenly distributed down the stretch. Maggie O'Neil led Taft in scoring with 9 points. Morgan Manz had an atypical "double double" with 10 rebounds and a remarkable 11 assists to go with her 7 points. Joining her with 7 were Lindsay Karcher and Madison Haskins. Just behind them was Taylor Peucker with 6 points. Ashley Petrarca, Alex Pite, Dominique Moise and Lexi Dwyer chipped in with 5, 4, 4, and 3, respectively, and Katie Harpin (seven boards) and Lauren Drakeley (two for two from the line) each had 2.

Five of Taft's seven remaining games will be played in Watertown, starting with Westminster next Wednesday after the long weekend break.

Coach Willson

• Competing in its second game in less than 24 hours following a compressed academic week and, for the team's three juniors, a morning of SAT-taking prior to the long drive to Greenwich, the Rhinos looked a bit sluggish early on. Meanwhile, the partisan "Heart" crowd boisterously backed their team, which played with energy and passion. Taft took just a 21-19 lead into the halftime locker room. But the second half was all Big Red as the visitors held the opposition to just four field goals while heating up at the offensive end. Maggie O'Neil (13 points) and Taylor Peucker (12 points, six rebounds) paced Taft in scoring, Morgan Manz (9 points, 11 boards, five assists and two steals) and Lindsay Karcher (8 points, five caroms, a pair of assists) played excellent all-around games, and Dominique Moise (5 points), Katie Harpin (4, and four boards) and Lexi Dwyer (3 points and six hustling rebounds) rounded out the team's scoring. Kent, looking to avenge a loss to Taft earlier this month, visits Watertown this Wednesday.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red picked up its sixth straight win overall and moved to 4-0 in Founders League play with a home victory over Choate in the first of two meetings between these teams. The Wild Boars were missing an important player, but they played aggressively at both ends, giving the Rhinos all they could handle and serving notice that the re-match in Wallingford in a few weeks will be a battle. Morgan Manz paced Taft at the offensive end with 15 points. She also pulled down eight rebounds, as did Taylor Peucker, who netted 8 as well. Both Ashley Petrarca and Maggie O'Neil drained two 3-balls for their six points while captain Lindsay Karcher chipped in with 5 points and five boards. Lexi Dwyer, Alex Pite and Katie Harpin contributed 4 points each, and both Dominique Moise and Madison Haskins added a field goal. The team travels south to Greenwich Saturday to take on a much-improved Sacred Heart team.

Coach Willson

• With the game knotted at 46 and no time left at the end of overtime, Maggie O'Neil calmly sank the second of two free throws to pull out the victory for the visiting Rhinos in a re-match of these two teams, who had battled at Taft just four days ago. The dramatic free throw was set up by Morgan Manz' offensive rebound and put-back to tie the game up with just five seconds to go in OT. Loomis turned the ball over inbounding it, but a Taft shot missed the mark and went out of bounds with just .5 seconds to go. This time, Loomis committed a violation on their inbounds play, and Taft had the ball under its own hoop. Katie Harpin found Maggie, who was fouled as she attempted a catch-and-finish lay-up. Manz (9 points, ten rebounds) and Taylor Peucker (9 points) led the balanced Big Red attack. Just behind them were Alex Pite (8 second-half points including a timely three-ball in the OT, three assists), Katie Harpin (7 points, five boards, two steals), and Ashley Petrarca (6 points on a couple of deep 3s, two assists), while 2 points each were contributed by O'Neil, Lindsay Karcher, Lauren Drakeley, and Dominique Moise. The Wild Boars of Choate visit Watertown this coming Friday at 4:30.

Coach Willson

• Taft 58 Loomis 34

• (Team Record: 7-4)

• On a snowy day which saw many games across the region canceled or postponed, the Loomis Chaffee Pelicans weathered the trip to Watertown -- and ran into a hot-shooting home team at Taft. Maggie O'Neil (9 points, five rebounds, three steals) opened the scoring with a theft and length-of-the-court lay-up. Several minutes later, after 3 point buckets by Morgan Manz (16 points, three assists) and Alex Pite and old-fashioned three-point plays by Lindsay Karcher (5 points, eleven boards) and Taylor Peucker (11 points, six caroms), Taft enjoyed a double-digit lead it would never relinquish. While each Taft player scored, contributing significantly to the win were Lexi Dwyer (2 points, three rebounds and two assists), Katie Harpin (2 points, four boards), Ashley Petrarca (5 points, three rebounds and two assists) and Madison Haskins (2 points, five caroms, three assists).The Rhinos move to 3-0 in the Founders League and 7-4 overall, but they face Loomis again -- this time in Windsor -- on Wednesday.

Coach Willson

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The Big Red picked up its third consecutive win and its second Founders League victory (against zero losses) at Kent today. Still stinging from last year's season-ending defeat in the New Englands at the hands of the Lions in Kent, the Rhinos were overly determined and did not play with composure in the early going. Down 11-3, Taft gathered itself after a timeout and started to climb back into the game. A late first half jumper by Ashley Petrarca (7 points) and two tough lay-ups by Dominique Moise (4 points) saw the visitors take a 21-20 lead into the locker room. The second half started off sloppily at both ends, but the Rhinos rode the inspired play of senior captain Lindsay Karcher (11 points, ten boards, two steals and countless hustle plays) to a ten point advantage with about nine minutes to play, and Taft's lead remained in double digits the rest of the way. Joining Lindsay in a double-digit rebounding effort with ten was Taylor Peucker (7 points). Morgan Manz netted all of her 8 points in the second stanza, as did Maggie O'Neil (4 points plus seven rebounds and two assists). Alex Pite scored Taft's first five points of the game on long-range jumpers and defended Kent's talented guard well, while Madison Haskins and Ellen Kalnins rounded out the scoring with a field goal each. The team faces Loomis at home on Saturday in the first of back-to-back games. Team Record: 6-4

Coach Willson

• The Rhinos moved above .500 for the season with a tough road win against a talented team. The Berkshire Bears rode their dominant post player to a 22-18 halftime advantage. But as Taft stayed composed, moved the ball and, at the other end, tried to challenge every shot the home team attempted, it scored the first seven points of the second half and never relinquished the lead thereafter -- although the game stayed close throughout. Morgan Manz played her best all-around game in her one-and-a-half seasons with the Big Red; she scored 13 points, pulled down fourteen rebounds, ran the show on offense without committing a single turnover -- and defended Berkshire's best player most of the game. Taylor Peucker was impressive all night inside, gathering eleven boards to go with her 11 points while her fellow "big," captain Lindsay Karcher, played her typical workman-like and unselfish game with seven rebounds and a pair of assists. Alex Pite (2 points) and Lexi Dwyer joined forces to limit the Bears' point guard to a single field goal, just as Maggie O'Neil (7 points, four assists, three boards) and Ashley Petrarca (4 points and a beautiful assist) combined to keep Berkshire's wing player in single digits on the night. Madison Haskins (3 for 4 from the free throw line) and Katie Harpin (3 points, five rebounds) contributed quality minutes, and undersized inside player Ellen Kalnins found her teammates well and scrapped her way to three rebounds in limited time. This was a team win which should help the players realize that if they dig in on defense and are aggressive but smart on offense, they can play with any opponent.

Coach Willson

Girls' Varsity Basketball picked up a win in their first home game of 2012 -- but it wasn't as resounding as the score would indicate. Just about every shot the home team threw up over the first several minutes went in, and the lead was soon double digits. But the visitors -- tall, athletic, determined and well-coached -- did not fold, and they bested Taft in the second and third "quarters" of the game. But Deerfield would score its last points with seven minutes to play while the Big Red's hot hand returned, and the game's final seventeen points went to the home team.
Maggie O'Neil played an exceptional all-around game with 15 points, six steals and four assists. Right behind her in the scoring column with 12 points each were Morgan Manz and Taylor Peucker; Morgan also had five assists while Taylor pulled down nine rebounds. Alex Pite nailed two 3-balls and a nifty left-handed layup for her 8 points, Ashley Petrarca had a trifecta and a lay-up for 5, Katie Harpin put in a long field goal and Lexi Dwyer contributed a free throw.

The team looks to move above .500 in a night game this Saturday evening on the road against Berkshire.

Coach Willson

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• Improving on past performances, the Rhinos' offense proved stronger on Saturday at Suffield, but it wasn't quite enough to overcome the scoring of the home team's shifty point guard and solid supporting cast. Down four at the half, Taft kept it close until midway through the second stanza when a few Rhino turnovers helped fuel a Suffield run, which extended their lead to ten points. Thereafter, the Big Red fought but couldn't get closer than six points down. It was a difficult loss but one with some offensive silver lining.

Morgan Manz and Taylor Peucker each scored 11 points a piece, and Taylor also contributed eleven rebounds. Katie Harpin netted 6 on three short jumpers, Lexi Dwyer had 5, Ashley Petrarca contributed a 3 ball and Maggie O'Neil sank a field goal. The team hopes that playing a game on its home court for the first time in over a month will bring good fortune this Wednesday against Deerfield.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red started 2012 at Pomfret the same way it ended 2011: tough defensively and ice cold offensively. But despite holding a second straight opponent under thirty points, the Rhinos couldn't get enough shots to fall to get the win. With a strong Suffield Academy team looming this Saturday, Taft has little time to get untracked.

Coach Willson

• At noon on Friday, rivals Taft and Hotchkiss -- who already play each other twice each February -- found themselves squaring off in a consolation game at the Suffield Holiday Tournament. And when I write "squaring off," that's what I mean; this was one of the most physical high school girls' games I've ever witnessed. Forty-four personal fouls were registered -- and the refs weren't even calling it close. Hotchkiss led by one with about four minutes to go, and the game easily could have gone either way. In the end the difference was a few clutch jumpers by Ashley Petrarca (8 points) and 3-for-4, down-the-stretch free throw shooting by Taylor Peucker.

• Lindsay Karcher

was named to the All-Tournament team for her inside presence at both ends and overall leadership.

• Thank you to all the parents for their support at the games, to the Peuckers for hosting the players at their house Thursday evening, and to Lisa Perkins (Lindsay's mom) for taping the Marianapolis and Hotchkiss games.

• At 3-2, the team heads into the holiday break knowing it can compete with every squad on its schedule if it digs in at the defensive end all game and takes care of the ball while seeking high percentage shots on offense. Our first game after the break is at Pomfret.

Coach Willson

• At noon on Friday, rivals Taft and Hotchkiss -- who already play each other twice each February -- found themselves squaring off in a consolation game at the Suffield Holiday Tournament. And when I write "squaring off," that's what I mean; this was one of the most physical high school girls' games I've ever witnessed. Forty-four personal fouls were registered -- and the refs weren't even calling it close. Hotchkiss led by one with about four minutes to go, and the game easily could have gone either way. In the end the difference was a few clutch jumpers by Ashley Petrarca (8 points) and 3-for-4, down-the-stretch free throw shooting by Taylor Peucker. Lindsay Karcher was named to the All-Tournament team for her inside presence at both ends and overall leadership.

  Thank you to all the parents for their support at the games, to the Peuckers for hosting the players at their house Thursday evening, and to Lisa Perkins (Lindsay's mom) for taping the Marianapolis and Hotchkiss games.

  At 3-2, the team heads into the holiday break knowing it can compete with every squad on its schedule if it digs in at the defensive end all game and takes care of the ball while seeking high percentage shots on offense. Our first game after the break is at Pomfret.

   ­­-- Coach Willson

• The Big Red emerged from exam week looking surprisingly sharp in defeating St. Andrew's of Rhode Island 52-29 in an opening round game of the Suffield Academy Holiday Tournament. Appropriately enough, Suffield graduate (and Taft post-graduate) Taylor Peucker led the Rhinos with a double double: 13 points and eleven rebounds. But this was a team effort at both ends of the floor, and everyone contributed. Maggie O'Neil and Morgan Manz netted 9 points each, Island School returnee Katie Harpin shook the rust off her game to chip in with 6 points, Lindsay Karcher and Alex Pite had 5 a piece, and Madison Haskins, Ashley Petrarca and Dominique Moise also scored.

• The team faces Marianapolis Prep Thursday at 1:30 PM in the semi-final round.

Coach Willson

• In their second game of the season and initial Founders League contest, the Rhinos picked up their first win of the 2011-'12 campaign Wednesday against the visitors from Kingswood-Oxford. K-O's offensive style was aggressive and dribble-drive oriented, and Taft committed too many fouls throughout the game. Nonetheless, the Big Red controlled the glass at both ends, limiting the visitors' second chance opportunities while also fueling several fast-break opportunities of their own -- a key to the victory.
Senior captain Lindsay Karcher led the way for the home team, garnering eleven rebounds to go with her 9 points. Also netting 9 were junoir Morgan Manz and senior Ashley Petrarca; Ashley also had four assists and ran the floor extremely well. Freshman Madison Haskins (7 points) and senior Taylor Peucker (6 points) provided inside scoring punch, seniors Alex Pite (2 points) and Lexi Dwyer (3 assists) hassled K-O's point guard most of the game, junior Maggie O'Neil played aggressive defense and blocked two shots, senior Ellen Kalnins banged underneath for a bucket and three boards, while sophomore Dominique Moise (4 points) and freshman Lauren Drakeley (2 points) played hard and well off the bench.

• After a week off for exams, the team is back in action next Wednesday at the Suffield Holiday Tournament against New England Class E defending champions St. Andrew's of Rhode Island.

Coach Willson

• A 10-8 game at the seven minute mark of the first half quickly got away from the home team as the Rhinos failed to execute at the offensive end and at the defensive end allowed Nobles too many open looks. The result was a 19-5 run by the visitors to close out the half, and the sixteen-point halftime deficit was too much to overcome for the Big Red in the second stanza against the tall, strong, quick, aggressive, well-coached Nobles squad.

• Taft has a chance to bounce back from the defeat when it hosts Kingswood-Oxford in its first Founders League game of the season this Wednesday.

Coach Willson

• Drawing inspiration from the dozens of Taft students, faculty and parents who traveled to Kent to support the team, the Rhinos mustered their best defensive game of the season in holding the high-powered Lions to just seven field goals and 27 points overall. But Kent's defense was equally fierce. And even when a Taft player did shake free for an open look or get to the free throw line, the shots just would not fall. A one-woman, late-game rally by captain Claire Wilson, who scored 7 points down the stretch and 10 for the game, was not enough to get the Big Red over the hump.
• The team represented Taft basketball and the school well in the loss, playing with enormous pride and effort. In that sense, it was a proper bookend to a thrilling season.

 

Coach Willson

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• Three-year varsity player Erin McPhee got the first start of her Taft career on Senior Day and wasted no time demonstrating her specialty, hitting two 3-pointers to help propel the Rhinos to an early lead they would never relinquish. Fellow senior Grace Kalnins -- who fittingly scored Taft's last basket of the game on an assist from McPhee -- contributed mostly at the other end, making life difficult for Hotchkiss' primary ball handler. Assistant captain and senior Kate Karraker poured in 13 points to lead the Big Red in scoring as she has so many times during her three-year Taft career. And captain Claire Wilson, guarding Hotchkiss' best player, fought through foul trouble to contribute 4 points to go with two assists.

 

• The 2010-'11Rhinos finish the regular season at 20-2, which ties them for the most regular season wins in Taft girls' varsity basketball history. No matter what happens in the New Englands, which begin this Wednesday, every player on the team should feel she contributed significantly to a season that surpassed the expectations of players, parents and coaches. Thank you, seniors, for leading the way.

 

 

Coach Willson

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The Big Red survived woefully poor shooting in the second half to hold on for victory in Sheffield, Mass. Morgan Manz led the way for Taft with 12 points, and after that the Rhinos had nine players score in single digits.
The regular season finale is this Saturday at home against arch rival Hotchkiss.
Coach Willson

The Big Red traveled to Farmington for its annual "off day" game against Porter's, which is enjoying a successful season. With a chance to finish the 2010-'11 campaign undefeated in Founders League play on the line, Taft came out tentatively -- and the result was an eight point Porter's lead at the half. But the Rhinos were more aggressive defensively after the intermission, and that aggressiveness carried over into the offensive end, where better ball movement led to open looks...and made shots. A 12-1 Taft run in the middle of the half transformed a seven point Porter's lead (31-24) into a four point Rhino lead (36-32). Taft took the lead for good on a Katie Harpin 3, Ashley Petrarca and Lexi Dwyer soon followed with 3 balls of their own, and the defense did the rest. A quality road win was a satisfying way for Taft to win the Founders League title outright for the first time in six years.
Kate Karraker led Taft with 14 points, four rebounds and four assists. But she had plenty of help, especially in the second half, from Harpin (11 points, four boards three assists), Petrarca (7 points),  Dwyer (5 points, four rebounds), Morgan Manz (4 points and nine rebounds) and Claire Wilson (3 points, three assists, two steals).
Taft's last two games are on the road at Berkshire on Wednesday and home against Hotchkiss this Saturday.
Coach Willson

The visitors from Wallingford started two players who had not suited up in the teams' first contest a few weeks ago. That plus Taft's cold shooting in the second half meant this was a closer game than the first affair. But despite conceding a few layups against the Wild Boars' active, back door-based offense, the Rhinos' defense was stingy overall and the result was a reasonably comfortable Taft win.
Kate Karraker and Morgan Manz led the Big Red with 15 and 14 points, respectively, with Manz also contributing seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Katie Harpin's eleven rebounds included eight at the offensive end and nicely complemented her 5 points and three steals. Claire Wilson hit a field goal, Grace Kalnins (two assists) and Alex Pite (two free throws) garnered two steals a piece, while Lexi Dwyer had 4 points to go with her two boards, two assists and one steal. Ashley Petrarca nailed a 3 ball, Lindsay Karcher went three-for-four from the line and collected three caroms, Josie Traberg had a nifty driving lay-up, Erin McPhee ripped down two rebounds, and Ellen Kalnins gave her usual all defensively.
The Rhinos have a three game week to finish up the season, starting with a tough road game against Porter's on Tuesday.
Coach Willson

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• Four Rhinos scored in double figures in the annual Taft-Williston tilt, played this year in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Kate Karraker poured in 16, and netting 11 each were Claire Wilson, Morgan Manz and Katie Harpin. Manz also dominated inside, pulling down fifteen rebounds. Harpin, meanwhile, defended intelligently and physically against the Wildcats’ most dangerous player, and she got some help along the way from Lindsay Karcher, who also scored 5 points. Rounding out the scoring for Taft were Grace Kalnins with 4 points and Lexi Dwyer with 2.

 

• The Wild Boars from Choate seek to avenge a loss to Taft earlier this season when they visit Watertown this Saturday.

 

 

Coach Willson

• As hot as the Rhinos shot from the opening tip a few weeks ago at home against Kent, that's how cold the team shot in the Kent gym last night. The Big Red managed just three first-half field goals -- although it must be noted that Kent's stingy defense was as responsible for Taft's inability to score as was Taft's plain cold shooting. At the other end, the Rhinos defended well early on, holding Kent's high-powered offense to just twenty-two first half points. But in the second stanza, the Kent players' ability to create their own shots led to several easy scoring opportunities for the Saints, and the game was pretty well decided with many minutes left to play. Morgan Manz, the sole offensive bright spot for the Big Red, scored 20 points. Taft travels north to face Williston-Northampton on Wednesday.

Coach Willson

•  
  • The baskets in Lakeville historically have been kind to the Rhinos. Today they were not. Up by just three at the half, Taft relied on its defense to generate offense after the intermission and eventually led by twenty plus before going cold again down the stretch. In short, it was an ugly offensive game for the Big Red but the defense was strong enough (most of the team’s twenty-two steals came in the second half) that the result was a comfortable win.

   

  • Kate Karraker, with 15, was the sole Rhino to score in double figures and she also led the team in rebounds with six. Maggie O’Neil had 7 points and five steals, both Claire Wilson and Katie Harpin had 6 points and five steals, Morgan Manz netted 6 and assisted on five, Grace Kalnins contributed two much-needed jumpers off the bench, and Lexi Dwyer, Lindsay Karcher and Ellen Kalnins each hit one field goal.

   

   

  • Taft’s much-anticipated rematch against Kent – postponed from a couple weeks ago – is this coming Monday in Kent.

   

  Coach Willson

• Eleven days removed from its last game, the Big Red showed few signs of rust in Simsbury today against the Martlets. Morgan Manz (17 points), Kate Karraker (15) and Claire Wilson (10) shot welll and reached double digits in scoring. Also impressive were Grace Kalnins (9 points), Katie Harpin (7), Ashley Petrarca and Erin McPhee (5 each). The offensive play of the game was executed by Josie Traberg, who hit Kalnins on a needle-threading interior bounce pass for a left-handed finish by Grace just before halftime.

 

• The Rhinos face arch-rival Hotchkiss this Saturday in Lakeville.

 

 

Coach Willson

Despite not shooting well as a team in its home gym and perhaps experiencing something of a let-down after its road win over Choate the day before, the Rhinos nonetheless played solid defense in downing Convent of the Sacred Heart of Greenwich on Saturday. Morgan Manz scored all 8 of her points to start the game (she also had eight rebounds and three assists). Kate Karraker then heated up and ultimately led Taft in scoring with 17 points. Claire Wilson and Ashley Petrarca had 4 points each, Lexi Dwyer had 3, and Grace Kalnins, Josie Traberg, Katie Harpin and Maggie O'Neil (who had five boards and three assists) all scored a bucket. 

The Big Red travels to Kent on Wednesday for a re-match that promises to be hard fought.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red rebounded well from Wednesday's loss, playing a more disciplined and intelligent game in Wallingford in a rare Friday afternoon contest. Katie Harpin played aggressively and shot well from the opening tap, and led the team with 13 points. Three other Rhinos scored in double figures: Morgan Manz and Maggie O'Neil netted 12 each and Kate Karraker had 10. Claire Wilson had 7 on three jumpers, Ashley Petrarca 5 on a beatiful post move and a three ball, Grace Kalnins 4 on two long jump shots, Erin McPhee 3 on a high-arcing shot from deep, and Lindsay Karcher 2 on a baseline dribble-drive-and-finish. Finally, hard-nosed Lexi Dwyer drew two second-half offensive fouls long after the game was decided.

 

• One of Taft's few remaining home games is today against Convent of the Sacred Heart from Greenwich.

 

 

Coach Willson

• The Big Red dropped its first game of the season to a Pelicans team that crept back from a nine-point, halftime deficit and throughout the game executed with more poise than did the Rhinos, who were plagued by turnovers (eighteen for the game) and generally poor decision-making with the ball. Loomis led by four with a few minutes to play, Taft knotted it at 37 each, then Loomis was back up by three with less than twenty seconds to play when Kate Karraker (Taft's leading scorer with 19 points) nailed a step-back 3 pointer to tie it up and delight the loud and partisan home crowd. Taft then struck first in overtime, with Maggie O'Neil (5 points, seven rebounds) knocking down a 3 ball from the corner off an inside-out feed from Katie Harpin (9 points, three rebounds, three assists). But Loomis' point guard (who led all scorers with 26 points) drained a long 3 of her own to make it a "new game" again -- and from then on free throw shooting was the difference as neither tired team could muster a field goal. Loomis was four-for-four in the extra period, while Taft was zero-for-three.

 

• Taft has a chance to apply lessons it may have learned about execution under pressure this Friday at Choate and Saturday at home against Convent of the Sacred Heart.

 

 

Coach Willson

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• In the first of consecutive games against each other, the Rhinos weathered an early shooting exhibition by the Pelicans, gained the lead early in the second half, and sustained it through the final horn. Loomis led 32-23 about twelve minutes into the contest. The Big Red then went on a 15-0 run to close out the first half and start the second. Loomis cut into the lead several times, but the combination of foul trouble to one of their key players and Taft's accurate shooting was too much for them to overcome.

 

• Sophomore Maggie O'Neil led Taft, playing probably her strongest game to date as a Rhino, finishing with 17 points (including five for six from the free throw line), six assists and four rebounds. But she got plenty of help from Morgan Manz (13, one and three), Kate Karraker (13, two and four), Katie Harpin (7, two and four) and Claire Wilson (3, four and one). Important contributions off the bench came from Ashley Petrarca (who had 4 critical points to help keep us close when Loomis couldn't miss early on), Lexi Dwyer (2 points), Grace Kalnins and Lindsay Karcher.

 

 

• The re-match, in Watertown, is this Wednesday.

 

 

 

Coach Willson

• The Rhinos came out shooting and within a few minutes surged to a double digit lead they would never relinquish against the talented visitors from Kent. The lead was fifteeen at the half after Kent's point guard nailed a 35-footer as the buzzer sounded, and the blue and gray cut the Big Red's lead to ten a few minutes into the second stanza at 40-30. But an old-fashioned three-pointer by assistant captain Kate Karraker off a feed by captain Claire Wilson halted Kent's run, Taft's collective hot hand returned as did its concentration on transition defense...and Kent did not get close again.

 

• The Wilson and Karraker combination was devastating offensively for Taft; Wilson poured in 19 points and dished out four assists while Karraker went for 20. Maggie O'Neil (six rebounds and three assists), Katie Harpin (7 points, six rebounds, two assists) and Morgan Manz (9 points, six rebounds, six assists) played fine all-around games and took care of much of the dirty work inside -- although they were ably assisted by Lindsay Karcher, who provided quality minutes off the bench with 4 points and three boards. Lexi Dwyer (6 points) also checked in and produced, as did Grace Kalnins (two rebounds). In short, this was a big team win over a high-quality opponent.

 

 

• But Taft can't rest on its laurels as it faces always-strong Loomis at their place on Saturday.

 

Coach Willson

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• Before a sizeable crowd in its only night game of the season, the Big Red enjoyed a game when everything seemed to go its way. Shots fell, loose balls found Taft hands, and the visitors couldn't buy a bucket. Morgan Manz (14 points) and Kate Karraker (12) were the Rhinos' two double-digit scorers but fine performances were also turned in by Lindsay Karcher (6 points and twice as many rebounds), Claire Wilson (5 points), Katie Harpin (6 points), Maggie O'Neil (7 points), Ashley Petrarca (4 points) and Alex Pite (3 points). Ellen Kalnins and Josie Traberg (2 points each) were also impressive at both ends over the game's last several minutes.
• But Taft's faces Kent, its most powerful opponent of the season, at home this Wednesday.

Coach Willson

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• The visiting Rhinos came out focused and jumped out to a 14-1 lead at Deerfield...but then got complacent and allowed the home team to climb back into the game. So Taft's lead was just two points at the half. A 26-7 Rhino run to open the second half left the Big Red in command. But Deerfield continued to scrap and started to hit shots, and ultimately Taft's starters had to re-enter the contest with under two minutes to play to put the game away.
• Eleven players scored for Taft. Morgan Manz led the way in all categories, finishing with 12 points, ten rebounds and four assists. Kate Karraker added 9 points and four boards, Katie Harpin had 6 and six, Maggie O'Neil 3 and six, and Claire Wilson dished out three assists to go with her 4 points and three rebounds.

 

• Berkshire visits Watertown this Saturday for a 7:00 PM game.

 

Coach Willson

• In a re-match of the Suffield Holiday Tournament final from a few weeks ago, the visiting Tigers scored the game's first two buckets. But the Rhinos soon found their offensive rhythm, and by halftime Taft's lead was 26-15. Suffield battled in the second stanza, but the partisan crowd helped the Big Red sustain its lead until the final whistle. 
• Morgan Manz (13 points) and Kate Karraker (11) led Taft in scoring. But impressive all-around efforts were also turned in by Maggie O'Neil (8 points, five rebounds, two assists), Claire Wilson (5 points, six boards), Katie Harpin (6 points, four boards, two assists and three steals) and Ashley Petrarca (4 points, three rebounds). Lindsay Karcher (four rebounds) and Lexi Dwyer (five boards) helped out on the glass, while Grace Kalnins and Alex Pite (2 points) were their typical, effective selves pressuring the ball on defense.
• Next up is Deerfield on the road this Wednesday.

Coach Willson

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• The Rhinos won their home opener this afternoon in a back-and-forth game that featured plenty of hustle but uneven offensive execution by both teams. In the end, Taft's timely shooting -- especially by senior captain Claire Wilson (10 points) and senior assistant captain Kate Karraker (12 points) -- was critical. Still, the victory was very much a team effort. Morgan Manz netted all 7 of her points in the first half and led the team in rebounds (eight) and assists (three). Maggie O'Neil made several big plays in the second half, scoring six of her 8 points then, and pulling down four boards. Lexi Dwyer and Katie Harpin each snared six caroms. Ashley Petrarca and Grace Kalnins were unusually efficient off the bench; Petrarca scored 4 points and hauled in four rebounds while Kalnins also had four boards to go with a couple assists and a free throw. And Erin McPhee dished out an assist and hit a big three-pointer toward the end of the first half.

 

The Suffield Tigers look to avenge a Holiday Tournament loss to Taft when they visit Watertown on Saturday.

 

Coach Willson

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A battle of two unbeaten teams in the championship game of the Suffield Holiday Tournament was just that – a battle – for the first five or six minutes of the contest, as strong defense and jittery offense at both ends meant no field goals for either team. Taft’s first bucket came in the middle of the first half on a layup by Grace Kalnins (3 points, two steals) off a beautiful feed by Ashley Petrarca, and the team relaxed some after that. But at the half Taft was up by just four.

The first several minutes of the second half would prove decisive. Kate Karraker (9 points, four rebounds, four assists) scored all of her points in a short span on an old-fashioned three point play followed by two 3 balls, and Maggie O’Neil (8 points, six rebounds, two steals) hit a 3 and then a nifty layup to put Taft up by ten. Later in the half, Claire Wilson (11 points, five rebounds) hit a driving layup and a long, two-point field goal. And Katie Harpin (8 points, six rebounds) hit a 3 ball at a critical point to help stifle a Suffield comeback. Meanwhile, Morgan Manz (4 points, six boards, two assists, two steals) was tough inside despite foul trouble and got help in there from Lindsay Karcher, who came off the bench to grab a couple tough caroms. Finally, Lexi Dwyer (1 point, seven boards, three assists) and Kalnins were a tough one-two defensive punch versus Suffield’s dynamic point guard.

A special thank you to Samantha Morrill and team parents Jon Karraker and Dan O’Neil for their help in keeping the scorebook during the tournament, and to parents Linn McPhee and Sandy O’Neil for their videotaping of the Suffield game.

This is the first holiday tournament championship won by a Taft team in my nine-year coaching tenure. And while assistant captain Kate Karraker – who tallied 39 points in Taft’s three games – was named the Most Valuable Player, the wins were total team efforts. Led by captain Claire Wilson, who has already done much to promote team chemistry, each player has dedicated herself to playing aggressive, team-oriented defense, the common denominator in our wins thus far. We’ll need every bit of that defense when we return to Taft in January, as our home opener is against reigning New England Class B champions Pomfret.

Coach Willson

The Big Red bested the Martlets in the second game of the Suffield Holiday Tournament for both teams. In the first half, Taft, showing few signs of fatigue from the previous day’s game, jumped out to an early lead behind the outside shooting of Maggie O’Neil (11 points), Kate Karraker (10 points), Morgan Manz (9 points) and Claire Wilson (8 points) and enjoyed a big lead by halftime. Nine players would score for Taft, including Josie Traberg, who scored her first points as a Rhino on a 3 pointer in the first half. 

Coach Willson

• In an opening round game of the Suffield Holiday Tournament between two undefeated teams which have seldom if ever met, the Big Red came away with a win over Marianapolis. Up 29-25 at the half, Taft then clamped down defensively, was fortunate to shoot well, and soon extended its lead into double digits, where it would stay the rest of the contest.

 

• Leading the way offensively for Taft were Kate Karraker (20 points), Morgan Manz (18 points and eight rebounds), Claire Wilson (8 points) and Maggie O'Neil (8 points and eight boards). Lexi Dwyer (2 points) played outstanding defense on Marianapolis' tough point guard.

 

 

• The Rhinos square off against Westminster on Thursday in the next round of the tournament.

 

 

 

Coach Willson

• The girls' varsity basketball team earned its second road win of the young season by defeating Kingswood-Oxford in West Hartford. Eleven players scored for the Rhinos. Kate Karraker led the way with 14, followed by Morgan Manz with 8 (to go with five rebounds, four assists and four steals) and Ashley Petrarca with 5. Katie Harpin, Lindsay Karcher and Ellen Kalnins each scored 4 points, with Karcher and Kalnins also turning in impressive rebounding performances (seven and five boards, respectively). Maggie O'Neil (2 points) was also tough on the glass with seven rebounds.

 

 

 

• The Big Red takes a break for exams and then meets Marianapolis Prep next Wednesday, December 15th, in the first round of the Suffield Holiday Tournament.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coach Willson

• For the first time since girls' varsity basketball began opening the season against Nobles six years ago, the Big Red came away with the victory. It was a typical first game in that neither squad could establish much offensive rhythm. But after Nobles came out cold and Taft jumped out to a 9-0 lead, it was the visitor's turn to struggle -- and a prolonged struggle it was as Nobles surged ahead by halftime, 16-13, and was up 25-19 with about seven minutes to play. At that point Nobles' shooting again went cold and Taft went on a decisive 15-4 run: captain Claire Wilson stuck a 12 footer; Morgan Manz drilled four foul shots (both ends of a one-and-one, twice) within a one-minute span; assistant captain Kate Karraker hit a free throw, a driving layup and then a 15 footer; and Manz nailed a pull-up 18 footer and soon after found Katie Harpin on a bullet pass for a lay-up. So while the game revealed weaknesses that Taft needs to concentrate on in practice over the next few days, it also revealed a team-wide determination not to give up even when down several points against a quality opponent in their gym.

 

 

 

• Manz (six rebounds) and Karraker led Taft in scoring with 14 and 11 points, respectively, while Wilson added 3, Harpin 2 to go with five boards, and Maggie O'Neil -- a foul trouble victim -- added 3. Lexi Dwyer (1 point) pulled down five rebounds and played smart and tough at both ends, while Ashley Petrarca chipped in with a timely, second-half bucket.

 

 

 

 

• The Big Red stays on the road this Wednesday against Kingswood-Oxford.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coach Willson

• The Rhinos usually shoot well in Lakeville but that pattern didn't hold early on as the young and determined Hotchkiss team, bent on avenging its loss in Watertown two weeks ago, held a 20-14 lead toward the end of the first half. Then Taft's defense tightened up as the Hotchkiss rims loosened up, and the Big Red went on a 14-2 run to close out the first half, which ended with Taft ahead 28-22. The third "quarter" saw the Rhinos extend their lead to fifteen points as the team played some of its most effective basketball of the season at the offensive end. But over the last several minutes of the game the Bearcats battled back and came within striking distance: a seven point margin. Down the stretch, 5-for-6 free throw shooting by Claire Wilson (11 points) ensured that Taft would get the win.
• Wilson and Kate Karraker (also 11 points) shared the scoring honors for Taft -- those two also had three assists each -- but it was a team offensive effort. Lexi Dwyer kept Taft in the contest early, scoring all 8 of her points before that 14-2 run. Maggie O'Neil also netted 8 and gathered in six rebounds. Lindsay Karcher scored 6, two of them on a beautiful driving layup in the second half. Grace Kalnins played well in all aspects of the game, scoring 4 points, collecting four boards and dishing out two assists. Alex Pite chipped in with a second half layup. And co-captain Sarah Perda, playing in her last game as a Rhino, went out on a winning note with 6 points and savvy all-around play.
• When a basketball team has lost five players, including three starters and all of its size, to graduation the previous spring, it is safe to say that it is in "re-building" mode -- especially when all but one of the newcomers to the team are lower classmen. Yet this team showed early on that it didn't accept the idea that it wouldn't be able to compete with the stronger teams on its schedule. As a result, it was rarely not in position to win games in the second half this season. Sometimes lack of height or cold shooting or player injury and/or illness were obstacles it could not overcome. But the overall tenor of the team remained positive and the work rate among the players during practice continued to be impressive even when the number of losses reached double digits. The season's final game, then, which allowed this team to actually surpass last year's win total, was simultaneously a reflection of the individual and team progress made since November and, one hopes, a foreshadowing of even better things to come next year, when ten return from the twelve-player roster.

Coach Willson

• The Rhinos bounced back from yesterday's loss to record their second win of the season against Berkshire. Playing its last home game, Taft started slowly but then fed off the energy of Maggie O'Neil, who scored eleven first half points, and some sharp shooting by Kate Karraker from deep. Berkshire hung around, however, and it was just a four point spread at the half: 20-16. A short halftime talk enabled Taft to get back on the floor quickly to get some more shooting in; perhaps that was the reason the Big Red scored thirty-five second half points. Karraker rained in a couple more 3 balls and finished with 20 points for the game, serving notice that she is about fully recovered from her strength-draining illness. Lexi Dwyer -- who spent more time than anyone guarding Berkshire's skilled point guard -- netted all 9 of her points after halftime and demonstrated impressive "ball hunger" on the offensive glass, often keeping balls alive that others then collected. Ashley Petrarca knocked down a 3 and scored 7 for the game, while Grace Kalnins' jumper was the game's last bucket. And O'Neil's numbers for the game were impressive: 14 points, eleven rebounds, three assists, three steals.
• Meanwhile, all game long, senior co-captain Sarah Perda quietly did on Senior Day what she has done better than anyone the past two years: play great help defense while rarely allowing her own man to score. Sarah came out of the game with just a few seconds left to a well-deserved standing ovation.
• Taft's season finishes up this Saturday at Hotchkiss.

Coach Willson

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• The Big Red sunk almost as many field goals in the first half of this game as it had made in the entire game against Choate a few days ago. And Taft's hot shooting didn't let up in the second half as the team hit eight 3 pointers on the day. But all that just wasn't enough to keep pace with the high octane offense of the visitors from Farmington. Most of 17-2 Porter's points came off transition opportunities and free throws (they went to the line twenty-eight times to Taft's seven) as their athleticism and size were too much for Taft in the end. Still, Taft showed heart in keeping it close until the last few minutes and in limiting the easy looks for Porter's most dangerous player.
• Claire Wilson (5 points) guarded that player most of the game (and had the bumps, bruises and exhausted visage in the team room afterward to prove it), Lindsay Karcher (2 points) and Maggie O'Neil (4 points) banged hard against Porter's inside players, and Lexi Dwyer (4 points) reduced the efficacy of Porters' point guard with smart, scrappy defensive play. Offensively, the Rhinos welcomed back from illness Kate Karraker, who led the team with 13 points while co-captain Sarah Perda (6 points) had two big, second-half 3s. But the most pleasant surprise of the day was the output of Erin McPhee. Erin has been luckless much of the season, watching her long-range jumpers hit back rim or rattle around and drop out; today, however, she nailed her first attempt, gained confidence, and finished with 11 points on three 3s and a traditional field goal. Taft's ability to hang around as long as it did was due largely to Erin's unanticipated shot-making.
• Taft's last home game of the season is today against Berkshire.

Coach Willson

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• Facing a boisterous Senior Day crowd in Wallingford, Taft was looking to sweep the season series against Choate for the first time in four years, having defeated the Wild Boars in Watertown by ten points a few weeks ago. But while the Rhinos' defense was strong, its offense wasn't up to the task. An 18-15 Big Red lead at the half became a 27-19 Choate advantage with just over six minutes to play as Taft missed its first fifteen field goal attempts of the second half. Then, in succession, Claire Wilson (12 points) buried a jumper, Maggie O'Neil (11 points) nailed a 3 and Wilson hit a 3 -- and it was all tied up at 27. Then the lid went back on the basket for Taft; all it could manage down the stretch was two clutch free throws by Grace Kalnins, and Choate won when one of its players dramatically hit a free throw with under a minute to play.
• Accurate shooting comes and goes in basketball, and other than during a two-minute stretch it truly "went" for the Rhinos in the second half of this game. But the team -- and in particular Lindsay Karcher, who defended Choate's strong inside player -- deserves credit for continuing to dig in defensively when it couldn't buy a hoop to continue to give itself a chance to be there at the end. So there is real success for Taft to draw on as it prepares to face an exceptionally talented Miss Porter's team at home this coming Tuesday.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red lost a chance to even its record on the season when it let slip a five point, second half lead against Williston at home on Wednesday. The first half was a defensive battle that ended with Williston up 16-12. But the Rhinos -- and Claire Wilson in particular -- came out firing in the second stanza and quickly gained the advantage. The lead changed hands several times and was last knotted at 32 each with about seven minutes to play. After that point, Taft could manage just one bucket while Williston's two all-Western New England players took control, scoring their team's last ten points.
• Wilson netted all 12 of her points in the third "quarter" of the game to lead the Big Red, while Katie Harpin and Maggie O'Neil had 8 and 7, respectively. Also scoring for Taft were Lexi Dwyer (3 points), and Sarah Perda and Lindsay Karcher with a basket each.
• But Taft -- already playing without its own all-star, Kate Karraker, who has missed the last three games due to illness -- lost Harpin for the rest of the season when she collided with another player and went down hard with a concussion. So the Rhinos' head into the last four games of the season, starting with Choate in Wallingford on Saturday, a little short-handed but with an above-.500 record still a possibility.

Coach Willson

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• For the second time in three days, the Big Red jumped out to a big, early lead on its home floor. This time, however, Taft was unable to cruise home for the victory. The visitors from Lakeville, down 35-19 at the half and 46-23 with about eight minutes to play, continued to scrap and hustle -- and ultimately cut the Rhinos lead to seven with just under three minutes to go. So while the final margin of victory was solid, Hotchkiss' young players definitely served notice that when Taft travels there in two weeks for the re-match, it had better be prepared to play hard and smart for thirty-two minutes.
• Setting the pace for the Big Red for the second straight game were its two freshmen, Katie Harpin and Maggie O'Neil. Both scored in double digits in the first half en route to 15 and 16 points, respectively. O'Neil also had eight steals. Lexi Dwyer was next in the scoring column with 7, Ashley Petrarca had 5, Erin McPhee a 3 ball, and Grace Kalnins and Sarah Perda a bucket each.
• Taft's modest, two-game winning streak will face a severe challenge Wednesday when a powerful Williston team visits from Massachusetts.

Coach Willson

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• Perhaps due to the eight day layoff for both teams, the game started off sloppily on the offensive end; after more than five minutes of play, it was a 2-1 game. Then, after Taft and the visitors traded baskets, the Big Red went on a 10-0 run to take an 18-10 lead -- one it would never relinquish.
• The Rhinos' two freshmen, Maggie O'Neil and Katie Harpin, led the way for Taft. O'Neil netted 14 points and gathered nine rebounds, while Harpin went for 10 and seven. Sophomore Alex Pite played her best game as a Rhino, tossing in three jumpers for her 6 points -- and she, Lexi Dwyer and Grace Kalnins defended well the Martlets' most dangerous player. Lindsay Karcher banged her way to five rebounds, three steals and a field goal, Ashley Petrarca contributed 4 points and three assists, and Sarah Perda nailed a 3 pointer in the second half. Finally, Taft welcomed back from injury Claire Wilson, who scored a bucket in limited minutes.
• The first of two Taft-Hotchkiss games is this Saturday in Watertown.

Coach Willson

• Looking to win its fourth in a row, Taft took the floor with hopes of upsetting the visiting Lions. And for a while, the Big Red more than held its own, playing Kent even through the first eight minutes. Then Taft started missing shots and playing passively -- and against a talented team such as Kent, that's dangerous. Sure enough, Kent went on a 13-0 run to close out the first half. The Rhinos came out strong in the second half and cut into the lead, at one point getting it down to six, but could never generate enough offense to make things really interesting, so Kent won handily in the end.
• Kate Karraker provided much of Taft's offense on the day, pouring in 19 points. Lexi Dwyer (5 points) snuck inside often enough to lead Taft in rebounds with seven, while Katie Harpin contributed five rebounds, four assists, three steals and a free throw. Maggie O'Neil and Ashley Petrarca rounded out Taft's scoring with 6 and 4 points, respectively.
• The Rhinos look to get on track after the long weekend with a home game against Westminster.

Coach Willson

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• The Big Red picked up its third consecutive victory Monday against Kingswood-Oxford in a game re-scheduled (due to inclement weather) from early December. Taft came out strong and jumped out to a large lead early on -- but then allowed K-O too many good looks at the basket and the result was just an eight point lead at the half (27-19). In the second stanza, the Rhinos came out flat and the Wyverns cut the lead to three. But Taft clamped down defensively, generated some turnovers that led to easy buckets, and went on a 16-0 run to put the game away.
• Kate Karraker led the way for Taft at the offensive end with 16 points, followed by Ashley Petrarca with 13 and Katie Harpin (who also collected six rebounds) with 10. Maggie O'Neil scored 5 points and gathered seven rebounds, while Grace Kalnins (3 points) had seven steals.
• Kent visits Taft on Wednesday as the Rhinos look to avenge a road loss two weeks ago.

Coach Willson

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• The Big Red travelled south to square off against Convent of the Sacred Heart in Greenwich and came away with its second straight double-digit win despite some very poor shooting in the second half. The Rhinos played well in the first half and carried a 28-17 lead into the locker room. But when Sacred Heart turned up the defensive pressure in the second half, Taft did not respond well, managing just four field goals over the last sixteen minutes. Still, Taft's defense limited the home team's good looks at the hoop, so the Big Red survived its second half scoring struggles.
• Leading the way for Taft was Maggie O'Neil with 12 points and ten rebounds. Kate Karraker and Katie Harpin each scored 9 points (Harpin also had seven boards), and Sarah Perda (3 pts), Grace Kalnins (a big 3-pointer in the second half) and Ashley Petrarca (2) rounded out Taft's scoring.
• The Rhinos play their third game in four days this Monday against Kingswood-0xford in a game re-scheduled from early December.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red notched a much-needed win against the visitors from Wallingford. In a change from recent games, the Rhinos were hot early on and jumped out to a double digit lead. But Choate started to click and never allowed the game to get out of hand; it was 27-18 at the half, and the largest the lead ever got was sixteen before it ended at ten.
• Playing exceptional all-around basketball for Taft were Maggie O'Neil and Ashley Petrarca. O'Neil finished with 17 points, six rebounds and six steals, while Petrarca had 12 points to go with her six boards.
• Taft travels to Greenwich to play Sacred Heart on Saturday.

Coach Willson

Coach Willson

• Loomis' superior size and strength plus Taft's ice cold first half shooting (5 for 28) meant that this game was all but decided by the intermission, which saw the Big Red trailing by ten. The Pelicans' lead grew to sixteen early in the second half; but the home team dug in on defense, hit a few shots, and cut the bulge to seven at one point, making interesting a game that looked like it might be a blowout. In the end, though, the deficit was too much for the Rhinos to overcome, and Loomis cruised to victory.
• Sparking Taft in the second half was co-captain Sarah Perda (12 points), who hit three of her four 3-pointers after the break. Kate Karraker led Taft in scoring with 16 points, and Maggie O'Neil followed with 6. O'Neil, Lindsay Karcher, and Katie Harpin's (2 points) rugged play inside were instrumental in keeping the game close, as were Lexi Dwyer, Grace Kalnins, and Alex Pite's perimeter defense.
• Taft's chance to even the season series with the Pelicans comes immediately as it visits Loomis this Wednesday at 2:30.

Coach Willson

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• For the second consecutive game, the Rhinos shot terribly on the road. Last Saturday at Berkshire, Taft managed to pull out the win despite that cold shooting; against Kent, poor marksmanship cost the Big Red a chance to stay close against a strong opponent. After starting slowly and trailing by fourteen several minutes into the game, Taft re-grouped and pulled to within ten by halftime. Two Rhino buckets in the first minute of the second half made it a 27-21 game, and it appeared the game would be closely contested. Then the lid went on the bucket for Taft -- and stayed on. The Big Red would score just eleven points the rest of the half, and three of those came on a 3 pointer by Sarah Perda in the last minute when the outcome had long since been decided. The offensive execution and shots were there...they just wouldn't fall for Taft. So despite determined defense by the visitors, Kent slowly pulled away for the win. Kate Karraker (8 points) and Maggie O'Neil (7) led Taft in scoring, while Lexi Dwyer (5) and Ashley Petrarca (4) each scored two hoops.

The team looks forward to playing at home again this Saturday evening against Loomis.

Coach Willson

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• In a re-match of a game that represents Taft's sole win of the season thus far (in the second round of the Loomis Tournament), the Tigers of Suffield, playing at home this time, outlasted the Big Red. Taft shot well early on and jumped out to a 10-2 lead but cooled down quickly and could muster just a few buckets over the last ten minutes of the first half, which ended with Suffield up 21-17. The Rhinos tied it up midway through the second frame and played hard throughout. In the end, though, the Tigers height, strength, and shot-making combined with more icy outside shooting by Taft meant that the Big Red's last minute rally would fall short.
• Claire Wilson, who had three down-the-stretch hoops including an old-fashioned three point play off a steal, drive and "and one" bucket, led Taft offensively with 15 points. Kate Karraker had 14 (including 4-for-4 from the free throw line) and Maggie O'Neil followed with 8, all in the second half. Rounding out Taft's scoring were Lexi Dwyer (5), Katie Harpin (3) and Sarah Perda (3) -- all of whom also played hustling, hard-nosed defense. And despite not scoring, Lindsay Karcher, Grace Kalnins and Ashley Petrarca contributed nicely off the bench.
• The Rhinos look to pick up their first win of the new year against Deerfield at home this Wednesday.

Coach Willson

• The Big Red made the long drive to Pomfret Wednesday afternoon....and found out in short order why Pomfret is undefeated. Taft's defense early on was formidable, but the home team still jumped out to a 10-2 lead by the middle of the half -- and the Rhinos never got close as they could not establish any offensive rhythm or make shots the few times they did. A 25-12 Pomfret lead at the half bulged to twenty plus points a few minutes into the second frame as Taft's shooting woes continued while Pomfret heated up and also outhustled the Rhinos until the final buzzer.

• Taft's next chance to play well comes this Saturday on the road against Suffield. Doubtless the Tigers will be looking to avenge their loss to Taft in the Loomis Tournament, so it will be yet another challenging game for the Big Red.

Coach Willson

• On Friday, Taft squared off against Worcester in the third game of the Loomis Tournament -- and quickly discovered why Worcester is one of the elite Class A teams in New England this year. Coached by Taft alum Katie McCabe, the Worcester players are skilled and experienced, and Coach McCabe has them playing hard and cohesively. The result was a 32-10 halftime lead for Worcester. The second half was a different story as Taft picked up its defensive intensity, executed its offense more crisply, and played Worcester even. But the Rhinos never got closer than fourteen points down, and had no answer for Worcester's center, who scored 32 of their points.
• Particularly impressive at the defensive end for Taft were Grace Kalnins (5 points), Ashley Petrarca (2 points), Katie Harpin and Alex Pite, while Lindsay Karcher pulled in five tough defensive rebounds. Maggie O'Neil (9 points) and Claire Wilson (6 points, five assists) led the Big Red offensively.
• Four games into the season, the Taft players are starting to understand how they need to play if they want to have a chance to win against strong opponents. And opponents don't come any stronger than Taft's first one after the winter break: 7-0 Pomfret, winners of the Loomis Tournament.

Coach Willson

• On Thursday, in its second game of Loomis Tournament, the Big Red picked up its first win of the 2009-10 campaign against the Tigers of Suffield. Down 27-21 at the half, Taft came out on fire after the intermission, took the lead midway through the second stanza, and held on with just enough free throw shooting accuracy and defensive stops down the stretch.

• The game was unusual in that literally every player in red contributed in some significant way to a victory against a quality opponent. Kate Karraker (five assists) paced Taft with 16 gradually accrued points: eight in the first half and eight in the second. In contrast, the team's other high scorers scored all their points in the second half; Claire Wilson (four assists) tossed in three 3 balls en route to 15 points, and Maggie O'Neil -- who had picked up two early fouls and had to sit out much of the first half -- powered her way to 11 points to go with her five boards. And starters Lexi Dwyer (five assists) and co-captain Sarah Perda (three points) each sunk a 3 pointer before the intermission. But again, Taft's bench play was outstanding. Lindsay Karcher gave the Rhinos hard-nosed interior defense, two rebounds and a field goal in about ten minutes of play without a rest in the first half. Grace Kalnins had a couple of boards and an assist to go with her 5 points, Erin McPhee hit her first basket of the year (a 3), and Ashley Petrarca (4 points, three boards) hit two pressure jumpers in the second frame. And while Caroline Castellano, Alex Pite and Katie Harpin did not score, they scrambled and scrapped and helped the team to victory.

• In the final round of the tournament, Taft faces always-powerful Worcester Academy.

Coach Willson

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• On Wednesday, in a game that was a bit closer than the final score indicates, Taft fell to Tabor by twelve in the opening round of the Loomis Tournament. With 2:45 to play in the game, the Big Red was still within striking distance, trailing by just six; but Tabor's superior size was decisive in the end -- that, plus the fact that the Seawolves hit their free throws down the stretch. There were many individual and team-wide bright spots in the loss for Taft. As a unit, and to a player, the girls played intense defense, forcing Tabor into several turnovers and rarely allowing an open shot. Offensively, Taft showed much more poise than it had in its opener. And that poise -- and the proper execution that follwed -- translated into made shots, with Kate Karraker (15 points, three assists), Claire Wilson (11 points, one assist) and Maggie O'Neil (11 points, nine rebounds, two assists) leading the charge. Lexi Dwyer (4 points, six boards, two assists) also hit two jumpers, and Ashley Petrarca and Katie Harpin (four rebounds) each scored a bucket.
• Next up is Suffield Academy.

Coach Willson

Opening the season at home, the Rhinos played hard-nosed defense and looked to push the ball on offense. In the end, though, Taft missed an opportunity to pick up a win against perennial power Noble and Greenough school. Traveling for hours through difficult weather conditions and missing an important player, Nobles had trouble finding the bucket in the first half. But Taft had similar problems scoring, and went into the locker room up just 12-10. There was plenty more scoring and excitement -- and very physical play by both teams -- in the second half, and the lead changed hands several times. The difference down the stretch was that Nobles played with a bit more poise while Taft made too many mental errors.

Still, there were many bright spots for Taft beyond the team defense. Kate Karraker was the game's sole double-digit scorer, netting 12 points. Just behind her in the scoring column was newcomer Maggie O'Neil who had 9 and also led the team in rebounding with thirteen. Claire Wilson had 7 points -- 6 coming on two big 3 pointers late in the game -- and four assists while Lexi Dwyer chipped in with eight boards and 2 points. Frosh Katie Harpin rounded out Taft's scoring with 3 off the bench, and co-captain Sarah Perda had five rebounds.

Taft looks to get on the winning track in its Founders League opener against Kingswood-Oxford at home on Wednesday.

Coach Willson

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