The night started as a nightmare and ended with at least some smiles for the Berkshire girls basketball team, now down to eight total players as injuries take their toll.
It was an injury to junior Anna Carlson that halted warmups and sent a chill across Berkshire High’s gymnasium with 20 minutes before tip-off.
But it was a basket by junior Megan Arnold, as time expired, that gave the Badgers their third win of the season, a 35-33 win over rival Newbury.
Carlson was going about her warmups when she dislocated her left knee. Both Berkshire coach Dennis Lory and Newbury coach Carla Richarson attended to Carlson, who was carried off the court on a stretcher, giving a quick wave to applause.
Richardson knew Carlson well, as she was Lory’s assistant coach for years before taking over the Newbury program this season.
“It was scary because she’s a big part of our team,” said Berkshire sophomore Erin Drew. “But at the same we knew we needed to win for her.”
“It was so nerve-wracking,” said Arnold. “Not only is she one of my teammates, but she’s one of my best friends. It was really hard.”
Alexis Johnson, a junior, is very close to Carlson, her coach said. Lory thought Johnson was affected in her play.
The Black Knights started Cary Morin, Emily Carney, Kate Hess, Hess, Nicole Iden and Jocelyn Schanzel, but soon Hess and Schanzel went to the bench in foul trouble.
It was 8-7 after the first quarter.
Berkshire, who started two freshmen, a sophomore, a junior and a senior, took the lead on a Peyton Neumore 3-pointer. Still, the game went back and forth, with Newbury leading 16-15 at halftime.
The Badgers built a nine-point lead in the second half before the Black Knights scored nine straight points to end the game. With 1:05 left, Iden’s basket tied the game at 33.
“Iden is one heck of a good basketball player,” coach Lory said.
Berkshire had the basketball for the final shot of the game, when Arnold grabbed the offensive rebound and laid it into the basket with three seconds to play.
“It was amazing,” Arnold said. “I mean, we’ve had a really rough season, we’ve faced a lot of adversity. And it just feels so good to win and beat one of our rivals.”
Arnold finished with eight points on four field goals. It was the first time she had ever scored a game-winning basket. “It was the best feeling ever,” she said.
“She doesn’t look flashy, but her work ethic is very, very good,” Lory said of Arnold. “She got that rebound. She knew the play. She doesn’t stop until the horn goes off.”
Arnold said she expected Newbury to try and take away Neumore, the team’s top scorer, who finished with 15 points.
“We were expecting a lot of pressure on her,” Arnold said. “So everyone knew we kind of had to step up. And then when Anna got injured in warmups I just knew I needed to step up today, so I was just ready and I played the game.”
The Badgers started the week 3-12, but have won all three close games this season. Kyle Scott and Breanna Pennypacker both start as freshmen.
Erin Drew plays some point guard. Danielle Young, a senior, provides quality minutes off the bench, as does freshman Katie Dingman.
Nicole Rider and McKenna Brown round out the varsity roster.
Newbury’s hard work was wasted without the win, and the team was distraught after the game.
Coach Richardson didn’t even talk to the players in the locker room.
“I told them we’d talk when we get back,” she said. “Honestly, we didn’t execute much of our game plan.”
Richardson said she stays in contact with Berkshire throughout the year, so being back in the gymnasium where she had been an assistant was a normal feeling.
The Black Knights’ scoring was well distributed. Morin and Iden each scored eight points; Carney added seven; and Schanzel and Autumn Grossman had four points.
After the game, Anna Carlson was seen re-entering the high school on crutches. Lory and teammates received the word that she was going to be OK, although her basketball future for this season remains in doubt.
“I wish you the best,” said one person.
“Thank you,” said Carlson.
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