SOMERS, N.Y. - On Friday, Feb. 20, Somers opened sectional play at Croton-Harmon determined to flip the script.
“We weren’t going to be beat by them three times in one season,” said guard Eli Contreras. But pulling off the upset required more than words.
After watching Julia Junkovic and Johanna Hough do most of the damage in previous meetings, Somers adjusted defensively.
“We did a triangle-and-two,” Contreras revealed — and the lockdown scheme paid off in a 45-38 victory.
Hough opened the scoring with a putback, but Caitlyn Mayfield answered by spinning through the paint for two. From there, the defense took over. Junkovic and Hough were double-teamed from the outset.
“The definition of insanity is letting the same things happen over and over and expecting a different result,” Coach Rogers said of the strategic shift.
Contreras was the first to benefit offensively, grabbing an easy rebound off a Mayfield miss and calmly knocking down a jumper.
Still, Croton-Harmon found ways to score. Junkovic drew a foul battling Kacey McCullough for a rebound and hit two free throws for a 7-4 lead with 4:12 left in the first quarter.
The Tigers’ size was evident defensively as well. Hough stayed stride for stride with Emma Flores and registered a clean block.
But Somers continued to double down. Forcing a turnover, Mayfield dribbled into a short jumper to keep it close. Junkovic’s work inside helped Croton-Harmon close the quarter ahead 11-7.
In the second, Mayfield took control. She scored on a jumper in the paint, converted a running layup off the glass and turned an Ashley Kuchinsky miss into a putback.
“She’s such a unique player and such a coachable kid,” Rogers said.
The teams were tied 13-13 when Croton-Harmon called timeout. Hough answered with a tough turnaround jumper despite tight coverage from Mayfield.
At 5:30, Mayfield showed her versatility, drawing the defense before kicking out to Contreras, who was fouled and hit two free throws to knot the game at 15-15.
A 7-0 run followed, sparked by Somers’ defense. Forced into long-range shots, Croton-Harmon struggled while Mayfield, Flores and Contreras attacked inside for a 20-15 lead.
Juliet Sarcone stopped the run briefly with a floating layup and two free throws as the Tigers increased their pressure.
Much of that pressure fell on Shea Mullins, who handled it well. She curled around a screen for a jumper with 54.9 seconds left, then found Flores inside, who dished to Mayfield for a baseline floater.
Somers took a 24-19 lead into halftime.
The third quarter began with missed opportunities on both sides. Junkovic drew a foul but missed two free throws. Addison Caputo and Sarcone followed with misses of their own in a stretch of six consecutive missed foul shots.
Somers seized the momentum midway through the quarter. McCullough corralled a loose ball and shoveled it to Contreras for the team’s first points of the half, extending the lead to 27-21 with 3:21 left.
Mayfield continued her strong play, scoring on a drive into the paint and later stepping into the passing lane for a fast-break layup after a Contreras floater.
The defensive pressure intensified. Trapped in the corner, Caputo lost control, and Junkovic eventually dribbled out of bounds under pressure. Mayfield added two free throws to push the lead to 13 entering the final quarter.
Croton-Harmon made one last push with a 7-2 run. Abby DeBeer hit a 3-pointer, and Laila Asghar followed to cut the deficit to 41-34.
With 1:30 remaining, the Tigers began fouling. Mayfield went 2-for-2 from the line at 1:17, but Caputo answered with a putback, and Mullins missed two free throws to keep the door slightly open.
Somers closed it out on defense. Kuchinsky got a hand on an entry pass, and Contreras secured the ball. She hit one free throw to push the lead to seven, and Kuchinsky added the final points to seal the 45-38 win.
“It was execution and paying attention to the little things,” Rogers said.
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