Panthers race past RHAM
Feb. 18—STORRS — Claire Greene scored nine of her game- high 11 points in the second half and E. O. Smith advanced to the quarterfinals of the Central Connecticut Conference girls basketball tournament Thursday night with a 41-22 first-round win over RHAM.
Maddie Hughes added seven points and Lilli Clark had five points for the seventh- seeded Panthers ( 16-5), who out-scored the 10th seeded Raptors (14-7) by a 26- 5 margin in the second half.
Maddy Evans led RHAM with nine points while Kathy Chapman added seven.
E. O. Smith will take on No. 2 seed Newington, the No. 1- ranked team in the state, on Saturday at 7 p. m. at Enfield High School. Newington advanced with a 63-39 first-round win over No. 16 Bristol Eastern.
In other conference tournament games. ...
Sienna Ortiz finished with 15 points, six assists and six steals in helping lead Windham in its 60- 27 Eastern Connecticut Conference Division II tournament quarterfinal victory over Lyman Memorial at Callaghan Gymnasium.
Ady Gonzalez added 11 points and three steals while Alyssa Figueroa had nine points, seven rebounds and five assists for the third- seeded Whips (14-7).
Taylor Pankowski ( 9 points) and Kassidy LaTour ( 8 points) paced the sixth- seeded Bulldogs ( 10-11).
Windham will face No. 2 seed Stonington in a semifinal game Saturday at 11 a. m. at Plainfield High School. The Bears ( 12- 9) advanced on Thursday with a 54-27 quarterfinal victory over No. 7 Griswold.
The Whips won both regular- season meetings with Stonington — 48-41 at home on Dec. 21 and 59-57 in overtime last week on the road.
Top- seeded St. Bernard and No. 4 Plainfield meet in the second semifinal on Saturday at 1 p.m. The semifinal winners will play for the Division II title on Tuesday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena at 6 p. m.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Parish Hill saw a potential game- winning shot at the buzzer rattle out as host Grasso Tech held on for a 49-47 non-conference victory in Groton.
Senior co- captains Brandon DeGrasse ( 17 points, 4 assists, 2 steals) and Parker Richard (12 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals) paced the Pirates ( 0- 20).
Michael Monroe added 10 points and three steals while Tony Tatulli finished with six points, four rebounds and two assists for the Hill.
HOCKEY
Conor O'Brien gave E.O. Smith/ Tolland the lead for good with 3: 03 remaining in the third period in what eventually became a 6- 3 CCC victory over Enfield-Stafford- East Granby at Enfield Twin Rinks.
O'Brien's goal put the Bucks (14-2-1) ahead 4-3.
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Quentin Wray added some empty- net insurance before Cole Schoen scored with 90 seconds remaining.
Kaleb Van Horn had a goal and two assists while Keegan Hodgkinson and Zack Stoltenberg also scored goals for the Bucks. Goaltender Dan Polgun made 12 saves.
