Girls Basketball-Norwood, Westwood Move to Finals-March 15, 1978

Norwood scored the last six points in regulation and the first five in overtime to win the girl’s Division 1 semifinals over Cambridge Rindge & Latin yesterday, 47-44, at Norwell.

Patty Shinkwin kept Cambridge in the game, scoring 10 of R&L’s 19 first-half points. However, Norwood’s superior rebounding and shot selection gave Norwood the edge at the half, 20-19. The third quarter ended even, 30-30. Shinkwin broke the tie in the fourth with two free throws and a layup.

Norwood’s Jacqui Troiani tied the game again on an offensive rebound basket. Shinkwin then led an 8-2 Cambridge blitz, and With 1:10 left, Norwood trailed, 42-36. A Lisa Troiani 20-footer cut the lead to four and Coleen Mahan dropped in a layup. Lisa then set up the overtime with two foul shots in the final 44 seconds. Sister Jacqui’s 17-footer opened the scoring in overtime and Lisa’s two free throws with 50 seconds left iced it for Norwood.

Norwood moves on to the Division 1 final against Chicopee Comprehensive Saturday at Holy Cross. Chicopee advanced with a 65-53 win over St. Peter’s-Marian. In Division 2 play, undefeated Westwood rallied for its 26th straight win with 46-4 decision over Newburyport (23-2). Newburyport led, 28-20, at the half on a 15-5 second-quarter blitz sparked by Kathy Ladd, who scored 12 of her team-high 14 points.

Westwood’s Madeline McCoy, hampered the first half with fouls, returned in the second half and turned things around. She knocked in 12 points after a scoreless second quarter and it was Ladd’s turn to fight the rim. Ladd was blanked through the third quarter, scored only two in the fourth and Newbu-ryport’s offense disappeared. With guards Lynne Walsh and Val Irvine pressing, Westwood forced numerous Newburyport turnovers and allowed the Clippers only 12 points in the second half. Westwood moves into Saturday’s Division 2 finals at.

Holy Cross against Western champ Drury, a 55-49 overtime winner over Gardner last night at Springfield Cathedral. In Division 3 matchups, Harwich upset Ipswich, 37-30, at Marshfield. Once-beaten Ipswich had ousted all previous tourney challengers by an average of 25 points per game. Harwich’s Charlene Peterson led the scoring with 16 points and picked up a dozen rebounds in the second half. Amy MacDonald and Kari Dolan kept Harwich in charge with their backcourt finesse.

Ipswich had threatened to run away with the game in the first half when it jumped to a 17-11 lead. But a persistent 3-2 defense by Harwich finally stopped center Jayne Benirowski’s (14 points) dominance and turned the game around. Harwich will face Hampshire Regional, a 50-36 winner over Quaboog Regional last night at Assumption College, Saturday at Holy Cross for the final.

(Boston Globe)