Mansfield Girls Overtake Sharon 52-47

The Mansfield girls' varsity basketball team beat Sharon, 52-47, in a barnburner Friday night.

While Mansfield had the upper hand in the first half, Sharon came back fighting and the teams were neck and neck in the fourth period.

“We showed a lot more poise in the second half than we did in the first,” Sharon head coach Kate Horsmann said. “We missed a lot of easy shots in the first half that we should have made.” 

Mansfield started off the scoring in the first half, keeping up a strong 10-point lead most of the time.

“We led the whole game, but they’re very good; we couldn’t put them away,” Mansfield head coach Michael Redding said. “It looked like we’d get the lead to seven or eight and all of a sudden it’s back down. “

The second half saw a change in Sharon’s playing, getting turnovers and rebounds at least double of what they had before.

“We gave them way too many second chances in the first half,” Horsmann said. “That was one of the things we talked about at halftime. We still turned over too many times down the stretch.”

Sharon shrunk Mansfield’s lead in the third period, getting as close as three points away from tying, but Mansfield kept them at bay. The fourth period saw a much more exciting and even-matched game. Halfway through the fourth period, Sharon took the lead by one point.

Mansfield and Sharon went back to back for the lead for two minutes, but Mansfield took the lead back with 54 seconds left in the game at 48-47.

“All of a sudden in two minutes, they’re up by one,” Redding said. “We played with some poise; even though we lost the lead we never lost our composure.”

Sharon had a chance to take back the and another chance to tie, but were too aggressive trying to get the ball. They lost possession twice on fouls.

“[Sharon] is like us,” Redding said. “Both teams shoot the three, both teams can drive, very athletic. Not a big kid on the floor, but a lot of athletes and a lot of skill.”

Michaela Bowes led Mansfield in the scoring, netting 14 points for the game. Kelly English followed with nine points, trailed by Kaitlyn McCarthy with eight and Gina Stoyle and Julie Campbell with seven respectively. Jessica Stoyle hit for two points and Jessica Stoyle hit for five.

Karlie O’Driscoll was the top scorer for Sharon with 22 points for the game. Jessican Shenkel and Andrea Bender followed netted seven points each, followed by Katie Lowrre with six and Lily Abarbanel with five.