By Russ Waterman
MaxPreps.com
With 29 points, 18 rebounds and 5 blocks, Mary Nwachukwu of No. 6 Dighton-Rehoboth didn't do it all by herself in a Division 2 South sectional quarterfinal win, 53-42, over No. 11 Duxbury. It just seemed that way.
"She's an unbelievably talented young lady who can do it all and proved why she is going to Boston College with her performance tonight," Falcon head coach Jon Pacheco said.
The 6-foot-2 senior, who averaged 21 points, 16 rebounds and 6 blocked shots this season was typically doubled down low again by the Dragons. But she still erupted for 14 of the team's 21 points in the final quarter to hold off the Dragons.
Cousins Kelly Curley and Katie Curley provided much of Duxbury's offense. And with Kelly posting down low for 17 points and Katie stepping outside to score 10, the visitors remained close until the third quarter.
But then the Falcons began slipping the ball inside to Nwachukwu, who had her usual support from a core of standout juniors: Sadie Gosselin, Robyn Catarius and Kelsey Mikkelson.
"They always added some scoring and helped the offense to click and take pressure off Mary," Pacheco said.
Medfield eliminated the Falcons from the postseason with a 52-44 victory, but Pacheco thinks his senior star, who finished her career with 1,590 points, will succeed at the next level.
"She knows the game inside and out," Pacheco said. "She's a dangerous player and a great rebounder who understands positioning offensively and defensively. At 6-2 she also handles the ball remarkably well."
GIRLS PLAYOFF ROUNDUP
Division 1 South
* Sabree Rodriguez scored 12 points but it was her last four points, including two free throws with six seconds left that clinched a quarterfinal victory for No. 4 Brockton, 43-42, over Big Three Conference rival, No. 5 New Bedford.
* Twin sisters Samantha (22 points) and Nicole Marotta (15) combined to propel No. 1 Bridgewater-Raynham past Weymouth, 54-33.
* No. 10 Sophie Bikofsky had 21 points for No. 10 Newton South in a 68-49 upset win over No. 2 Marshfield.
Division 1 North
* Merrimack Valley League rivals – No. 1 Lowell, No. 3 Central Catholic and No. 4 Andover – easily advanced in their quarterfinal contests.
* Jeannette Anderson dominated inside with 20 points and 15 rebounds for No. 2 Lynn English which overwhelmed No. 7 Acton-Boxborough, 65-40.
Division 1 Central
* No. 1 Shepherd Hill got 12 points each from Megan Boutilette and Mary Barbale in a 59-38 triumph over No. 12 St. Peter-Marian.
Division 1 West
* Briana Kelly had 18 points and Bridget Crowley ruled inside with 17 points for top seed Minnechaug in a 58-43 decision over Amherst.
* Krista Ferrentino's 22 points lifted No. 2 East Longmeadow past No. 7 Agawam, 50-33.
* Northampton, defending state champion and No. 3 seed, got 15 points from Alannah Driscoll-Sbar in a 59-30 victory over No. Holyoke.
* Aleisha Malone's team-high 18 points boosted No. 4 Central past No. 5 Ludlow, 58-54.
Division 2 North
* Arlington Catholic, MaxPreps' No. 1 Bay State squad, opened up with a 63-37 win over Pope John with Cara Paladino posting 18 points, Meredith Soper 14 and Kelsey Roberson with 10.
* The biggest surprise came when No. 8 Bishop Fenwick throttled No. 1 Brighton, 54-39, behind stiff team defense and 19 points by Bridget Dullea.
Division 2 South
* The run is over for defending state champion Wellesley. No. 9 Walpole survived a frantic Raiders' comeback in regulation, before prevailing, 64-60, and snapping No. 1 Wellesley's 38-game win streak. Sydni Salvatore had 20 points for the Rebels, a total matched by Raiders' center Jesse Miller.
Division 2 Central
* Julie Frankian scored a game-high 23 points while Cailin Bullett added 17 as No. 1 Millbury advanced to the Division 2 girls’ final with a 60-46 win over No. 4 St. Bernard’s.
Division 2 West
* No. 10 Belchertown stunned No. 2 Commerce, 45-44, on 14 points from Olivia Pare, offsetting a great 23-point effort by Tianna Nieves.
* No. 1 Palmer needed second-half heroics and a near triple-double by Alyssa Orzulak (18 points, 12 rebounds and 9 steals) in a 48-42 win over No. 8 Drury.
Division 3 West
* A 51-point career-ending performance by Bilquis Abdul-Qaadir, who finished with 3,070 points for her career, was not enough as No. 4 Sabis eliminated No. 5 New Leadership, 84-57, thanks to a combined 54 points from eighth-grader Jazmine Collins, Olivia Schnorf and Alexis Chappell.
* No. 1 Lee had 14 points from Katie Eckhart and 10 from Becca Webb in a 52-33 victory over No. 9 Lenox.
* Meghan Boyle paced No. 2 Monson with 15 points in a 64-33 win over No. 7 McCann.
* Justine King sizzled with 36 points for No. 3 Ware in its 65-54 win over No. 6 Smith Academy.
Division 3 Central
* Meaghan O'Keefe was game-high scorer with 26 points for undefeated No. 1 Quaboag, which finally took over in a 53-44 win over No. 9 Whitingsville Christian.
* Two giant slayers will meet in one semifinal as No. 11 University Park defeated No. 3 Parker Charter, 49-42, and No. 10 Maynard stifled No. 2 Littleton, 48-25.
Division 3 South
* Defending state champion Archbishop Williams is only a No. 15 seed this time but with 6-3 center Valerie Driscoll ruling inside with 29 points, the Bishops rolled to a 50-45 upset over No. 2 seed Coyle-Cassidy.
* Courtney Donovan scored 26 points to help top-seed Bourne avert a major upset in a 63-1 overtime win over No. 8 Medway.
Division 3 North
* Kirsten Daamen had 17 points and 9 rebounds for No. 1 Pentucket in a 72-24 romp over No. 9 Pope John.
* Center Tori Faieta had 16 points and 12 rebounds for No. 5 St. Mary's 63-37 over No. 13 Bedford.
Division 4 South
* Defending state champion Cohasset got 13 points from Meredith Kelly and held No. 9 Chatham to a tournament-low point total in a 43-13 conquest.
* Molly Cahill had a game-high 18 points and Ali Lyons added 14 as No. 15 Sacred Heart recorded its second upset, 53-45, over No. 10 West Bridgewater.
Division 4 North
* Cleusa Saquira had 16 points for No. 2 Fenway in a 56-48 win over No. 7 Whittier Tech, 56-48.
* A brilliant performance by Taryn O'Connell (27 points, 10 rebounds) in a Georgetown 65-57 win over No. 6 Minuteman earned the surprising No. 14 Mustangs a spot in the semifinals.
