By Michael Letendre
BURLINGTON – The Bristol Central girls basketball team continued its winning ways on Tuesday night as the squad paid a trip to Burlington to square off against Lewis Mills in a CCC South engagement.
Notching its fifth straight victory, the Rams knocked off the Spartans by a 41-30 final from the Thunder Dome on the campus of Lewis Mills.
Central improved to 14-4 overall on the campaign and are having their best season in over 20 years under head coach Steve Gaudet.
If the Rams can split their final two games, it would leave the program at 15-5 which would match the team’s best record since 1999-00.
That 1999 program was under the guidance of then coach Ginny Torreso, winning a couple postseason games along the way.
It was a bit of an uphill battle against Mills at first as the game was all knotted up at 17-17 heading into the halftime break.
But the Rams used an 18-10 third quarter surge to salt away the showdown.
Central’s Arianna Rivera led all players with 19 points while Brooke Watson cashed in nine – hitting the only 3 for the team that day.
Slick shooting Leilani Jackson-Mills posted six points while ever-improving center Nicole Riemer notched four.
The Spartans did not have a double-figure scorer as Abriana Wroblewski led her squad with nine.
Central outscored Mills 11-9 to open first period play but could not sustain the small edge by the break.
The Spartans held the Rams to just six second period points as the 17-17 score was the halftime tally.
Central then went for 18 third-period points to secure a 35-27 edge after three completed frames.
Finally, the Rams allowed just three points the rest of the way as Central nabbed a big 41-30 road victory for its 14th triumph of the year.
Two more games
Central battles against Berlin on Friday in Bristol and its final regular season game of the season commences next Monday when rival Bristol Eastern travels to the campus of BCHS.
Both CCC South showdowns begin at 6:45 from the Charles C. Marsh Gymnasium.
The Rams last two losses were to non-conference opponents as Gaudet said he wanted his squad to see some non-CCC competition.
Last Loss
There haven’t been many losses this season by the Rams.
Central fell to North Haven (57-30) back on January 21 while one week previous, the Rams lost at Sheehan (63-39).
Both those programs have winning records this year while Central’s other two setbacks against South Windsor (42-39) and Middletown (55-51) were by a combined seven points.
Bristol Central Girls Basketball – CCC South Tilt
BRISTOL CENTRAL 41, LEWIS MILLS 30
from the Thunder Dome on the campus of Lewis Mills High School. Burlington
Bristol Central (14-4) 11 6 18 6 – 41
Lewis Mills (4-13) 9 8 10 3 – 30
BRISTOL CENTRAL (41): Leilani Jackson-Mills 3 0 6, Molly McMahon 0 0 0, Brooke Watson 4 0 9, Kaley Laird 0 0 0, Arianna Rivera 8 3 19, Callie Lodovico 1 0 2, Nicole Riemer 2 0 4. Totals: 18 4 41.
LEWIS MILLS (30): Jordan Anderson 3 0 7, Brooke Martineau 1 0 2, Abriana Wroblewski 3 3 9, Cassandra Martinotti 3 0 6, Lillian Martineau 1 0 2, Abby Jankoski 2 0 4, Ava Beach 0 0 0. Totals: 13 3 30.
Three-point goals: Watson (BC), Anderson (LM).
Records: Bristol Central 14-4 overall; Lewis Mills 4-13.
