Hollis Brookline girls basketball able to hold off Souhegan to pick up win

HOLLIS – The Hollis Brookline High School girls basketball team was in control of Tuesday’s game against Souhegan from start to finish.

But that doesn’t mean the Sabers didn’t make it interesting.

The Cavaliers led by as many as 22 points in the second half, but Souhegan fought back and got within eight points late before HB pulled away for a 67-55 win in Division II action.

Four players scored in double figures for the Cavs, led by Cassandra Stapelfeld, who had 17 points and was 8 for 8 from the free throw line. Kenzie Day (two 3-pointers) and Joanna Balsamo (5 of 7 at the line) each added 14 points while Elizabeth Atkinson had all 10 of her points in the first half for HB (9-2).

“My two key guards, Cassandra (Stapelfeld) and Kenzie Day, they hit some key shots all night long,” HB coach Bob Murphy said. “(Balsamo) is our point guard and she hits outside shots. She also gets a lot of rebounds.

“When you have multiple kids scoring, it’s a lot easier to win that way then when you’re relying on one or two kids. Cassandra had their toughest defender in her face all night, and she handled it really well.”

The loss was the fourth in a row for Souhegan (4-7) and fifth in the last six games. The Sabers got 17 points from Mia Len, including three 3s, while Katie O’Brien came off the bench to add 12 points and 13 rebounds. Beth Greenwood chipped in with eight points.

“It’s hard when you coach kids, because they’re hanging their heads that they lost, and I’m in there saying, none of us are about moral victories, but I was incredibly proud of us,” Souhegan coach Mike Heaney said. “Most of the game was a 10- or 12-point lead (for HB), but we never quit. It was easily out best offensive game of the year.”

Neither team was sharp on offense in the first half, although the Cavs got out to an 8-0 start behind 3-pointers by Stapelfeld and Day. HB led 15-8 at the end of the first quarter and went into halftime with a 26-16 lead over the Sabers.

But the Cavs came out strong in the second half, outscoring Souhegan 19-7 over the first five minutes of the third. That run ended with back-to-back 3s by Day and Balsamo, and another basket Balsamo that made it 45-23 before the Sabers took a timeout.

“At one point, I looked and wondered if it was time to start clearing the bench,” Heaney said. “No, let’s keep working against a good team.”

Murphy wondered the same thing, but both sides stuck to their rotations, and Souhegan started to pick up its offense, outscoring the Cavs 10-5 to close out the quarter. The Sabers carried that over into the fourth, extending the run to 20-9 to cut the lead to 54-43 with 4:45 to play.

But after a timeout by the Cavs, Balsamo took over, scoring seven straight points to push the lead back to 15 points. A pair of 3s by Len and baskets by O’Brien and Greenwood got Souhegan within eight, 61-53, with 1:44 to play, but HB made enough free throws (6 of 10) over the final 80 seconds to hold on for the win.

“This was a game we needed to win and should have won,” Murphy said. “We had a game plan and they followed it. I’m happy with the kids.”