Johnson sends Hurricanes past Cosmos

Hartford’s Taylor Johnson probably will remember Monday night’s girls basketball game with Springfield for a long time.
http://www.rutlandherald.com/article/20130115/SPORTS02/701159796

Published January 15, 2013 in the Rutland Herald Johnson sends Hurricanes past Cosmos By POODY WALSH Correspondent SPRINGFIELD — Hartford’s Taylor Johnson probably will remember Monday night’s girls basketball game with Springfield for a long time. After a first quarter that caused Hartford coach Ed Kehoe to say, “We were awful in the beginning,” Johnson came to the rescue with a 14-point second period that included a quartet of 3-pointers as the Hurricanes went from a doghouse start to a penthouse finish with a 60-47 Marble Valley League win over the Cosmos. “She’s capable of doing that,” Kehoesaid. “That certainly brought us to life.” Hartford certainly needed some sort of boost after scoring the game’s first three points then going 9:53 without scoring again. While the Hurricanes were struggling, Springfield wasn’t exactly torching the nets, but did lead 12-3 before Johnson dropped in a 2-pointer. As it turned out, that was just the appetizer as she delivered the entrée the rest of the period with four 3-pointers. When the horn blew for the half the Hurricanes were in front 28-27. “That was the best shooting performance I’ve ever see her have,” Kehoesaid. As good as Johnson in that second quarter, sophomore Chelsea Dow was good all night as she came through with a 25-point game in her first appearance in a long time. The duo of Johnson and Dow combined for 42 of the Hartford points. While the night turned out to be a delightful one for the Hurricanes, it was a disappointing night for Springfield, which had been playing pretty well. “You know, we did not help ourselves,” Springfield coach Joe Brownsaid. “We didn’t contest shots and we didn’t work hard enough. This was a step back for us.” The win brought Hartford to 6-2 while Springfield evened off its record at 4-4. While Hartford had a one-point lead at the break, the Hurricanes still needed to take charge of the game and that didn’t really happen until late in the fourth quarter. Hartford had 48-38 edge after three periods, but the Cosmos cut it to six at 48-42with 6:29 to go. Hartford then scored the next 12 points as the foul-laden Cosmos began losing people and the Hurricanes put the game away. Chelsea McAllister had a 19-point game for the Cosmos who also got eight from Abi Cox. Rutland came to Hartford on Thursday while Springfield travels to Mill River on Friday.