Girls Basketball Soars to Regional Semifinals

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Senior Brittany Panetti preparing to hit the ball in the tip off towards one of her teamates.

Trailing down the court, senior and varsity basketball shooting guard and senior Kim Lauritano searches for a clear shot. Protecting the orange ball Lauritano defends from an opponent then goes up for a shot. The ball goes up and rebounds off the rim into the hands of fellow senior Kendall Rollins. Finally after another attempt from Rollins the orange ball sinks through the net and the score goes up two points in OTHS favor.

“After scoring we take a minute to congratulate each other, but at the same time we know the game isn’t over so we make it brief, ” Lauritano said. “When we get a point it gives us the fuel we need to go for another one.”

As members of the first graduating class many of the seniors have been playing on the OTHS girls basketball team sinces the very creation of the team itself. Numerous hours of practice and preparation went into making such a great team. After months of practice and winning as many games as they could, the team made it to the Regional Tournament.

“It is so cool that we made it so far, especially because we are a new team from a new school,” Lauratino said. “I do not think other schools thought we would be any good, much less progress so far.”

The girls basketball team continued to progress as Regional Semifinals drew closer. Excitement grew with the more games won. Despite all the practice and hours put into creating a great team they lost in the Regional Semifinals to North Shore High School.

“As one of the seniors who has been there since day one, it makes me sad to know it is all over,” Rollins said. “It is very bittersweet because I am proud of how far we have come but i know for some of my teammates this is the last time they will play basketball.”