Woodland not enough for Royals, Raiders
WATERBURY — All season, Woodland couldn’t take down the royalty of the Naugatuck Valley League. Sarah Royals and Torrington made sure that didn’t change in Monday’s NVL tournament semifinal at Kennedy High, as the Red Raiders eliminated the resilient Hawks, 53-49.
Woodland couldn’t hold on to a lead that ballooned to as many as six points in the third quarter, as Royals (game-high 21 points) engineered an impressive comeback for top-seeded Torrington. 
Hawks come back, top AHS in NVL 1st round
WATERBURY — For 2 1/2 quarters, the Woodland girls looked like the same Hawks who had lost their last four games to end the regular season, trailing Ansonia, 33-21, with three minutes, 39 seconds to go in the third.
But over the final 11:39 of Saturday’s Naugatuck Valley League tournament quarterfinal matchup with the Chargers at Holy Cross High School, Woodland put together its most brilliant stretch of basketball this season. The Black and Gold outscored the No. 4 seed, 31-8, thanks to a suddenly-resurgent offense and a stifling man-to-man defense to pull away with a 52-41 win.
Woodland boys’ loss sets up win-or-out
BEACON FALLS — The Hawks’ playoff hopes will be realized or dashed in the final game of the regular season. Woodland (7-12, 6-12 NVL) sustained a 62-61 defeat against St. Paul (10-7, 10-7 NVL) Thursday night, setting up a win-or-out scenario for Tuesday’s senior night contest with Seymour (11-7, 10-7 NVL).
The game against the Falcons was tight throughout. The teams were tied, 33-33, at the half, and the Black and Gold led by one, entering the fourth quarter. Yahmad Rountree had a big night for Woodland, scoring 17 points and pulling down 10 rebounds, but St. Paul’s Byron Jones was even better. The senior, who recently committed to play football at UConn, poured in 23 and 15 to lead the visitors.
Hawks within a game of state tourney
OXFORD — Five players tallied double-digit points, the Hawks outscored the Wolverines by a dozen in the second quarter, and the Woodland boys’ basketball...
WRHS girls lose 4th straight, slip to No. 5
BRISTOL — The Woodland girls’ basketball team knew it would be stumbling into the Naugatuck Valley League tournament, after consecutive losses to Holy Cross,...
Girls’ NVL hoops tourney field set
With the regular season in the books one day late, because of snow, the Naugatuck Valley League girls’ basketball tournament field is set.
Torrington (18-2,...
Torrington spoils WRHS girls’ senior night
BEACON FALLS — Woodland girls’ basketball seniors Katie Alfiere and Jen Fredericks had never beaten Torrington, heading into their senior night matchup with the Red Raiders Friday. Unfortunately for those two, they’ll graduate without ever defeating Torrington—at least in the regular season—after a 58-50 loss to the top squad in the Naugatuck Valley League.
Just like the Hawks’ previous contests against the NVL’s best, Woodland (13-6) stayed with Torrington (17-2) the entire game and held the lead several times during the first half. But the league’s leading scorer, Sarah Royals, scored a game-high 21 points, while two other Raiders hit double figures to help Torrington pull away at the end of the first half and stay ahead the rest of the way.
Hounds girls clinch state tourney berth
NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck girls’ basketball team made senior night extra special Friday by qualifying for the Class L state tournament with a 54-33 win over Wolcott in the last game of the regular season.
It was a special night for the Greyhounds’ six seniors, who played the final home game of their careers and turned it into a momentous occasion. Naugatuck, 7-12 entering the contest, needed one more victory to extend its season and fought off an early deficit to come away with the W.
24-0 run powers Ansonia past WRHS
BEACON FALLS — The Woodland Hawks came into Tuesday’s battle with Ansonia with all the incentive they needed. Only two wins separate the Black and Gold from their goal of extending the season into the state tournament.
Woodland lost an earlier Brass Division contest to the Chargers by a slim, 64-57 margin so there was no reason to believe this one wouldn’t go down to the wire. Apparently, Ansonia didn’t get the memo; it led by as many as 20 and went on to win, 81-73. The Chargers (10-6) have been red hot, winning 9 of their last 11 games and are poised to battle Seymour next Tuesday with the Brass Division hanging in the balance.
Alfiere, Framski not enough in Hawks loss
BEACON FALLS — This season has been all about trying to get over the hump for the Woodland girls’ basketball squad. The Hawks have been near the top of the Naugatuck Valley League, but haven’t been able to overcome the league’s best and have suffered a few letdowns along the way. The Black and Gold had another chance to get over that hump last Friday against Holy Cross.
But Woodland squandered a halftime lead and double-doubles by both Katie Alfiere and Heather Framski en route to a 58-50 loss to the Crusaders in Beacon Falls.
Hanging onto a 30-29 lead at halftime, the Hawks went back and forth with Holy Cross throughout the first 2 ½ minutes of the third quarter before the Green and Gold went on a 7-2 run to open up a 42-36 lead—their largest edge to that point—with 2:55 remaining in the third. Woodland closed the gap to 42-40 with 1:26 left in the period, but Cross responded by outscoring the Hawks, 13-6, from that point until the 3:25 mark of the fourth to seal the win.
