http://www.vermontjournal.com/content/cosmo-girls-hoopsters-looking-forward-second-half
Cosmo Girls Hoopsters Looking Forward To Second Half Submitted by VT Journal on Tue, 01/14/2014 - 2:00pm By BY BILL MURPHY SPRINGFIELD, VT -The first eight games are in the book and Coach Joe Brown and his Springfield Cosmo Girls Basketball team are not pleased with the 2-6 mark attached to their seasons work thus far. "Injuries and depth have hurt us, but the truth is, we could have played better too," was the way Brown looks at the first forty percent of the season, going on to mention, "but we'll get better for sure." The campaign opened at Fair Haven and the 54-37 defeat suffered there, may have been one of those opening night things. Since then, more than half of the games have gone down to the final moments, so the team is showing growth. The starting line-up for the Cosmos on most nights, includes two seniors, two juniors and a sophomore. The two seniors are Julia Stein (5-5/small forward) and Kendra Dana (5-7/power forward). Stein has missed part of the season with a concussion and the athlete, who Brown says "is a smart player, who works hard, plays tough defense and is a strong rebounder for her size" could have made a difference in some close games. The workload under the boards became much tougher for classmate Dana during Stein's absence and Brown appreciates the job Dana has done all winter. He says, "She is a great rebounder, who really knows how to position." The two junior starters are a significant part of the Cosmos scoring offense. Chelsea McAllister (5-8/guard) "is a real competitor, who leads us in scoring," says Brown. Not only does McAllister lead the team in scoring, but she has been the leading scorer in each of the teams' eight games. McAllister had two clutch free throws to send the second game of the season at Burr + Burton into overtime, before the Cosmos prevailed 50-47. McAllister had a season high 27 in the game. Other high point totals for the junior came in a 49-47 win over Green Mountain (24) in the fourth game, 23 in the opening loss, and 21 in a tough 50-43 setback versus Hartford in Game five at home. The other junior is Nicole Patterson (5-5/guard), who Brown says is "a good shooter, when she sets herself." Patterson scored a season high 10 in the Fair Haven game and provided some big hoops in the most recent loss to Burr + Burton, which saw the Lady Bulldogs pull away at the end 50-34. There are two more seniors and juniors on Springfield's roster. The seniors are KK Haskell (5-6/forward) and Sara Locke (5-3/Point guard) and the juniors are Corina Nichols (5-7/power forward) and Jordan Phelps (5-4/guard). Brown says Haskell "is a great leader, who has a strong understanding of the game for a player, who has been away from the sport for two years." Locke is one of the critical missing pieces. "We miss her tons," was Brown's reference to the veteran, who broke her wrist in soccer and quite possibly won't return. Nichols is (Brown-"very athletic and helps off the bench") one of the most used reserves on the team. Nichols was a versatile player "who did everything we needed") in the exciting win over Burr + Burton. Brown sees Phelps as "a good defensive player." Brooke Willey is the sophomore starter and is a strong contributor. Brown remarks "she is an overall tough player, who does a lot for us on the court." Willey (5-1/guard) had 12 big points in the close Green Mountain win, but is presently part of the problem with the team becoming consistent, due to the fact she is out with a broken elbow. Two additional sophomores round out the roster. They are Diamond Druso (5-9/F/C) and Lizzie Mackenzie (5-3/guard). Brown sees Druso (who "played very well in our last game") as "a very strong workhorse who just goes after it" and Mackenzie as "a natural scorer." Two of the Cosmo other losses this season were against Division I teams, who are beyond their competition level (Brattleboro 57-25/Mount Anthony 74-32), while the game with Mount Saint Joseph (a 53-45 loss) could have gone either way. Those games are in the past now though, for as this paper was rolling on the presses on Tuesday night, the Cosmos were at Leland and Gray looking for a jump start to turn around their season.
