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Sports

Introduction to the Coginchaug Girls' Basketball Team

Injured team captain looks forward to helping team, despite injury

The Lady Devils of Coginchaug have some high expectations for this basketball season. 

As a senior, I was excited for this last chance to win a shoreline or state title before I graduate.  During the fall soccer season, I tore my ACL, a crucial ligament attaching the tibia to the femur.  This injury would require a reconstruction surgery and about six months of recovery.  My basketball season had ended before it even started. I didn't want to allow this injury to defeat me, so through the soccer season I continued to have an active role on the team.  My teammates came to me as a go-to person, asking for tips or advice; my coach, Megan Kavanaugh, even called me her unofficial assistant.  I plan on continuing a role similar to this throughout basketball season, especially as a captain.  I plan to play an active role on the team once I regain my mobility.  This task has proven difficult, especially because I will not be playing alongside my teammates, but I've found them to be my best support through this injury.  Over the next few months I will share updates on our season, games, and schedule for Patch.

The Lady Devils finished off the 2009-2010 season with a record of 21-5.  This was a big accomplishment for the Coginchaug girls basketball team, since it was a record-breaking season.  Although the record is impressive, we were disappointed to finish the season without a shoreline or a state title.  This season, we are determined to work hard towards this goal.  We know that we now have a target on our backs, but our young team is up to the challenge.  After graduating three seniors, the team is left with few upperclassmen and freshmen make up half the team.  Although we are a young group, we hope that our playing experience together will bring us great success this season and a title we are hungry to obtain.

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The freshmen are not the only ones new to the team this year.  Rett Mancinelli, the assistant varsity coach last year, has become the head coach this year. Rett along with a group of parents started the Durham girls travel basketball league in 2003.  The league began with one team and has now grown to four teams of different age groups. Another new member of the coaching staff is Steve Saunders. Rett and Steve met as a result of their love for coaching and basketball.  Steve lives in North Branford, and has a daughter, a senior, who plays on the girls basketball team at North Branford High School.  Although she has also been recovering from a torn ACL, she plans to return to the court later in the season. Due to the rivalry between North Branford and Coginchaug, it may be difficult for Steve to put on blue instead of purple, but he has great history with our girls and we look forward to his positive encouragement throughout the season. A returning member of the coaching staff is Megan Kavanaugh.  Megan teaches math at Coginchaug and coaches the varsity girls soccer team.  After a record-breaking season this fall for Coginchaug, Megan must now shift gears to coach her JV girls for basketball.  Coach Kavanaugh has personal relationships with most of the players from the soccer season and is a go-to mentor both in school and at practices.

The Coginchaug Lady Devils are looking forward to another successful basketball season.  We are excited to provide fast pace games that we hope our spectators will enjoy.  We are looking for support from both the school and the community and hope for a consistent following throughout this challenging season.  Our first game is this Wednesday December 8th at our home gym at 7:30 against Valley Regional.  Please come out and support your Lady Devils!

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