Trinity Catholic's Cayleigh Griffin (right) pressures Danbury's Casey Smith during Saturday's game. (Kathleen O'Rourke/The Stamford Advocate).
This was supposed to be the most wide open FCIAC Girls Basketball Tournament in recent memory, the one in which unpredictability would be the rule.
Maybe that will still happen, but there was hardly any mystery in today’s three afternoon quarterfinal games. No. 2 Trinity Catholic routed Danbury by 22 points. No. 3 Ridgefield was 23 points better than Staples. Fourth-seeded New Canaan had the most difficult time, a 20-point win against Stamford.
Maybe Brien McMahon will pull off a surprise against top-seeded St. Joseph tonight, or else we could have the most one-sided opening rounds in a long time.
The four semifinalists will all have a realistic chance to win the title, but right now it would be foolish to bet against Trinity, which has now won 18 of its last 19 games since opening the year with two straight losses.
The Crusaders are arguably the most balanced team in the league, get a strong 1-2 scoring punch from sisters Cayleigh and Mackenzie Griffin, have quality depth and play punishing defense. Today they did a superb job of shutting down Casey Smith, the Hatters’ superb sophomore center, who was held to nine points.
Trinity got a very strong game today out of point guard Erin Sottosanti, who scored 11 points and did an outstanding job running the offense.
Tuesday’s semifinal game with Ridgefield will be tough — the teams played last Monday, with Trinity grinding out a four-point win — and if they can get by that the Crusaders could be looking at a final against either St. Joseph or New Canaan, the teams responsible for two of their three losses.
Right now there is no team playing better than Trinity. And given what happened this afternoon, maybe that will be good enough to hold and get the program its fourth league title in the last five years.
Dave,
A couple of my friends went to see the DHS-TC game today. They told me that TC shut down Casy Smith. Without her, her team does not have too much offense. I knew if TC could stop her, they would win the game. DHS lost 2 very good players from last year. Without Casey scoring her 20 pts plus, Danbury would be in trouble. DHS has 4 players that are coming back from torn ACL’s. I credit the TC coaches for there game plan. Stop Casey and DHS would be in trouble. The plan worked. Casey is a very good player, but the rest of her team don’t put up too much offense. TC is a roll. They are playing some good basketball. They are peaking at the right time. The Griffin girls, had to do a outstanding job on Casey, to hold her to 9 pts. At this time of year, you need a balance team to win. I still pick TC to win the FCICA.
Comment by Donald C — February 20th, 2010 @ 8:36 pm
Donald you’re a genius. Way to predict that Danbury would’t win if Casey Smith didn’t play well. Did you also predict the team who scored the most points would win?
Comment by DDD — February 20th, 2010 @ 10:54 pm
DDD…..lets not get upset here. My guess is you are a Danbury fan? I believe I saw that comment before?? The 2nd sentence. Remember one thing, the team that plays the best….wins. The best 2 teams will play in the FCICA finals. I like TC….
Comment by Donald C — February 20th, 2010 @ 11:13 pm
Actually I’m a Trinity fan. I’m also a fan of Dave Ruden’s blog and I’m just getting tired of seeing your lengthy and uninformed comments on every single story Dave posts.
Comment by DDD — February 21st, 2010 @ 12:50 am
I am here to eat crow … In an earlier post, I had commented that I thought Brien McMahon could sweep their way through the girls tournament with their pressure defense and athleticism.
I was wrong. I didn’t expect them to perform such a disappearing act in the second half (out-scored 43-24) and I also didn’t expect Michelle Gorman to be back for SJs.
So I am now eating crow … and it tastes just like chicken.
Comment by Hoops Junkie — February 21st, 2010 @ 9:23 am
DDD….I am also a Dave Ruden fan. I been around sports for a very long time. I bet much longer than you have. Nobody ask you to read what I have to write. If you don’t like what have to write, then just go to another blog. I like what Dave Ruben writes, that’s why I respond. So DDD, you can always read another paper. Remember we are in American?????? Maybe you can do better and write something on Dave’s blog???? Let see what you know in sports????
Comment by Donald C — February 21st, 2010 @ 11:53 am
Guys I truly appreciate all the support. Hopefully we can keep this as forum without arguing and if you disagree with someone to express it in a more productive manner. Thanks.
Comment by Dave Ruden — February 21st, 2010 @ 12:02 pm
This season has to be one of Tom Kriz and staff’s best coaching jobs in a long time…Erin S. has done a great job handling the ball, although her strength is the 2 spot…Younger Griffin will be All FCIAC player for next two years…Senior leadership has been terrific….Kudos go out to a class coach, and a clas program…TCHS administration should be proud of what Tom Kriz and his staff bring to the school
Comment by Norm Treglia — February 21st, 2010 @ 5:16 pm
I do agree with Norm. Trinity has surprised me this year, too.
But I think Coach Kriz did an even better job last season. Even though he had Trimboli and Roemmele, he had lost all those kids two years ago, including one of the best players in the Big East Conference this year and still made it back to the FCIAC Semifinals.
Stamford’s record surprised me, too, but I think they’ve fallen back to earth a bit now.
Comment by Hoops Junkie — February 21st, 2010 @ 8:38 pm
Norm – Nice to see you a positive tone about a Coach at TCHS..haha…
As for the FCIAC this season, does anyone know if any of the kids are being recruited or looked at by UCONN and Geno Auriemma ?
We have seen a LOT of talented girls play in the FCIAC yet none have found the path to Storrs CT….
Thanks for your insights on this bloggers…..
Full
Comment by Full Disclosure — February 22nd, 2010 @ 10:47 am
There is no one close to being of UConn caliber this season. We are talking about the top players in the country. You seldom ever get one out of this area.
Comment by Dave Ruden — February 22nd, 2010 @ 10:52 am
Great point Dave….I think Amanda Pape (to name a Superstar of late) would have been able to play at that level…..
Stevens is a solid Big East player for St. Johns….
I wonder if Geno has ever sent any one of his Coaches down to look at anyone.
Comment by Full Disclosure — February 22nd, 2010 @ 11:17 am
Full Disclosure — I give credit where credit is due…Tom Kriz is a class act as a coach, a mentor, and a teacher..After all, in the end it’s about educating young adults about respect/teamwork…Let’s just leave it at that…Regarding Amanda Pape — She couldn’t have picked a better program to play with. I think she’ll tell you she had a great experience under Swanson, and played close to home. Hoops Junkie makes a good point, Kriz did a great job last year as well.
Comment by Norm Treglia — February 22nd, 2010 @ 12:44 pm
Norm, Just curious did Uconn recruit her ? I know it’s past history was only wondering if Geno recruits at all in Fairfield County CT ?
As for your point up top, “let’s just leave it at that” not sure what you mean there ..
Comment by Full Disclosure — February 22nd, 2010 @ 1:16 pm
Last person he really went after was Rita Williams.
Comment by Dave Ruden — February 22nd, 2010 @ 1:40 pm
Recruited her lightly — never got too serious…I think they considered Amanda a “tweener”
Comment by Norm Treglia — February 22nd, 2010 @ 2:50 pm
They never went after her. Still chuckle that Fairfield U coach at the time told me she wasn’t a high priority recruit.
Comment by Dave Ruden — February 22nd, 2010 @ 3:03 pm
It’s off topic here, but Ed Swanson has done a very nice job at Sacred Heart…has quietly built a very stable, succcessful program.
Comment by fciacfootballfan — February 22nd, 2010 @ 6:36 pm
TC has definitely worked hard this season and its paid off and congrats to them. However it’s interesting how tc recruits many player and takes talent away from Stamford high and Westhill. The town of Stamford would be more of a powerhouse in the FCIAC if TC did not take players away from their districted schools.
Comment by local fan — February 22nd, 2010 @ 6:58 pm
LOL Local Fan,
If the other schools took an interest in the said players, I am sure they would and maybe wind up at the public schools. I don’t think that they are “recruiting” girls to play on their basketball teams.
There is so much jealousy about what these TC girls accomplish. There is always a “reason” behind someone else’s success and someone else’s lack thereof.
By the way, I am a Stamford Public High School Graduate and I feel that over the years the Catholic School kids and their Coaches never get the respect they deserve. If you are a Coach reading this go out there and do something for your team. I don’t see the Girls Softball Coaches whining at SHS and WHS….that would be Coach Esposito and Coach Pia for those keeping score at home……
Full
Comment by Full Disclosure — February 23rd, 2010 @ 9:42 am
Dear Full,
As one of the bloggers posted on another website many of the players on the Catholic school teams are not Catholic. Why would a parent send their child to a religious school wheather it be Catholic, Jewish, Buddhist or Muslim if they weren’t somehow enticed to so so either by it’s athletic teams or they feel the school might be a safer enviorment for their child. Of course the coaches should get respect-they work hard and do a tremendous job teaching and coaching their players. The only difference between the sports Public School teams and private school teams is the public schools work with the students who are in their district while the Private schools can go out and get a player from any nearby town to fill their positions.
I would like to know if any players on these private school teams are receiving free or partial tuition payments in order to play on their teams. If so then this is recruting 101 wheather one liikes it or not.
Comment by Jeb — February 23rd, 2010 @ 11:17 am
Amanada Pape was a tremendous player and an outstanding person -she could not play at UCONN.
Comment by gman — February 23rd, 2010 @ 11:25 am
Fairfild would have been a great fit for Amanda and Fairield.
Comment by gman — February 23rd, 2010 @ 11:28 am
A lot of people were critical at the time that Amanda did not pick a school with a bigger reputation or play at a higher level. She ended up having an unbelievable career, played in the NCAA Tournament and set the Sacred Heart scoring record. I keep in touch with her and saw her last month and she is doing great. Fortunately she followed her head and heart and not what others thought! And Fairfield did make a big mistake.
Comment by Dave Ruden — February 23rd, 2010 @ 11:42 am
Thanks for filling me in Dave on this. I saw Amanda play a few times and I think Uconn made a mistake not recruiting her..how about that ? Forget Fairfield …the Huskies should have recruited her.
Hard to argue with success that Amanda had. To me she is the type of athlete that would have succeeded anywhere.
In any event, all interesting information.
Comment by Full Disclosure — February 23rd, 2010 @ 1:08 pm