Milford girls basketball holds off Souhegan for 10th straight win

MILFORD – In two games against the Souhegan High School girls basketball, Milford accomplished its defensive goal of holding the Sabers to under 40 points.

Only problem for the Spartans was that they’d failed to crack 30 themselves.

That changed Thursday night, as Milford executed its game plan on both ends of the floor and held off Souhegan 48-39 to win its 10th game in a row. The win moves the Spartans to 14-1 and keeps them at the top of the Division II standings.

“These girls really focus on the total team and that every girl has to do her job, no matter what that job is,” Milford coach Steve Signor said. “The biggest thing we were trying to do was get some baskets by attacking them inside. We held them in the 30s three times now, which was our goal. We finally got the offense moving and attacking the rim, and good things happened.”

Freshman Erin McGuire came off the bench to lead Milford with 12 points while Jennifer Dupuis added eight points and Adelle Pitsas and Jessica Ryan had seven apiece.

Souhegan (11-4) got a game-high 13 points from Cammie Formby-Lavertu and eight each from Jaime King and Morgan Brady, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Sabers from dropping their third in a row.

“(Milford) plays like a team on a mission that believes it can win a championship, and they should,” Souhegan coach Mike Heaney said. “That’s why they are 14-1 right now and that’s what sets them apart. They play with an intensity and a desire that we do not have.

“When you see teams rebound missed free throws, it’s a great indicator of how badly they want to win that game. My message in the locker room was that I thought they played without heart. I think we have all the skill in the world, I think we’re a good basketball team, but right now, I question their heart and desire. That’s why the lost that game.”

Milford had a seven-point lead at halftime, but Souhegan was able to cut it down to one with a 9-3 run to open the second half. But on its next two possessions, Souhegan turned the ball over and the Spartans were able to push the lead to five, 28-23.

The Sabers were able to get within three on a basket by Formby-Lavertu with 4:42 left, but Milford answered on a Pitsas layup that started the Spartans on a 7-0 run.

“What they’re missing right now is that they get back in the game, and again, we played a good third quarter,” Heaney said. “But when the game is on the line and there is a loose ball, there is no effort to get it. They don’t understand how to value each possession at the end of the game, offensively and defensively.”

For the Milford girls, it was the 12th time in 15 games that the Spartans have held their opponents under 40 points, and they won despite not attempting a 3-pointer.

“I didn’t want to settle for outside shots,” Signor said. “Our strength comes from within, even though we’re little. Our strength comes from that inside game, getting those rebounds, getting second-chance points.”

With three games left against Kingswood (5-9), Hollis Brookline (7-7) and St. Thomas (6-8), Milford would wrap up the No. 1 seed by winning out. A loss would open the door for Hanover (12-2) to get the top spot, but second seems to be the worst the Spartans could end up. Milford would have to lose out to fall to third.

“I only take it one game at a time,” Signor said. “We don’t really worry about streaks and who is winning this or that. Yeah, the girls check the (NHIAA) website, they see the standings, but we don’t talk about potential matchups. We care about the game we’re doing.”