Girls Basketball Final Stop: State Finals
For the first time in 14 years, the girls varsity basketball team plays in the state championship.
The girls huddle in effort to rally during the final.
After beating the well-talented Northampton by eight points, the Hopkinton Girls Varsity Basketball team took on Foxboro at the MassMutual Center in Springfield on Saturday, March 17.
In the state semifinals, the team was led by top scorer Regan Keavany, scoring a personal high 24 points.
Senior Ivy Gogolin finished the game scoring her 1,000th point off of a free throw. The game was an overall win for the players in many ways.
Hopkinton girls basketball lines up during the National Anthem.
Senior player Kate Huebner said, “I am especially excited, and nervous, for this upcoming game because there is a lot riding on us to represent the entire town well in hopes of bringing back the state trophy to Hopkinton. But I am also saddened by the fact this will be the last time I step on the court with some of my best friends.”
The girls did not achieve the outcome they had hoped for while most of the starters played in their last basketball game ever.
The team left HHS Friday morning, shortly after having a team breakfast. They made the hour and a half track with their normal sing-along style bus ride.
Later that day, they had their final practice of the season at a local college.
Coach Kerri Chatten told the girls, “Not many teams have the opportunity to know when their last practice will be, but you guys do. Appreciate that.”
Their afternoon finished with a banquet with all of the teams, boys and girls, competing the following day.
On Saturday morning, MassMutual Center was filled with Hopkinton fans dressed in all green to show their support for the town.
The girls basketball team takes on Foxboro in a fight for a state title.
Senior Elizabeth Liberta said, “We started the game strong, leading with nearly 10 points for a majority of the game. The second half was slow for us, similar to the last time we played them. They truly are a second-half team and were able to pull it together despite the score deficit.”
Hopkinton finished the first half up by ten with a score of 27-17.
During halftime, Coach Greco reminded his team how much time was still left to be played. He told the team to treat the game like the score was 0-0, and that they could not give up just because they had the lead.
This is how he has coached all season long, instructing players to forget what happened in the first half and play their game.
Foxboro came out strong in the second half, allowing Hopkinton to score less than ten points in the third quarter. Still, Hopkinton led.
Elizabeth Liberta fills up her water before going in her final basketball game.
Keavany started a rally by hitting multiple threes. Yet, she entered the fourth quarter in foul trouble.
Foxboro answered with their own three’s, swishing every one of them.
With Hopkinton down by two, Keavany fouled out.
“It was sad to foul out of my last basketball game ever. It was not how I wanted it to end. I wish I was able to help my teammates try to pull out a win in those final three minutes,” Keavany said.
Coach Greco instructed players to foul the other team in hopes of missed free-throws.
As Foxboro kept hitting their free throws, the gap grew.
Greco said to senior Elizabeth Liberta, “It is your last 30 seconds of basketball ever. Are you ready? Get out there.”
With all seniors out on the court, Greco eventually pulled them out and put in underclassmen, so they could walk off the court together for the last time.
The final score was 49-41 as Foxboro became the D2 State Champions.
Coach Greco said, “Not the result we wanted, but we are immensely proud of this group. Played incredibly tough all season. Congratulations to Foxboro on a great win. Most of all, thank you to our six seniors who have represented our program with class every step of the way.”
