Chronicled Panthers Take Home Class M State Title

By Kathleen Pulek Lindsay Langenauer didnt want any regrets after Friday nights Class M state championship game against Notre Dame-Fairfield at Mohegan Sun Arena. This was my last game so I knew that I wanted to leave the floor and have no regrets, the 5-10 senior said in the Cromwell locker room. I didnt want to come home after the game and think, I should have dove for the ball. I should have taken the open shot. The top-seeded Panthers got off to a slow start, with Notre Dames Jovan Kingwood and Amber James combining for 16 first half points to give the number two seed leads of 1410 and 18-16 at the end of the first two quarters as the Lancers outshot Cromwell, 34.8 percent (8-23) 22.7 percent (5-22). At halftime, Panthers coach Kelly Maher told her players, Weve probably just played the worst half weve played all season and were only down two. We just have to come back and play our style of game and rebound. We did that, especially toward the end of the game. We focus on defense every day and thats what won the game, she said. The Panthers took Mahers words to heart and responded with tough defense that limited Notre Dame (24-5) to a single point in the third period while Langenauer and junior Janelle Harrison combined to stake Cromwell to a 23-19 lead before the Panthers hit their stride in the final period and ensured a Class M state championship title and an undefeated season (28-0), with the 42-28 victory. I think the second half really was a wake up call, Langenauer said. We thought coming in this wasnt going to be an easy game so the second half we came out and showed we deserved to win. I think it just all hit us that this was our last game together as a team. Were never going to play together again with the same exact people, so I think we really wanted to go out with a win. It wasnt our goal to be undefeated, the senior continued. Our goal was to come to the Sun and win the championship. Being undefeated just came along with all of the hard work we put in. The victory snapped a state championship drought for the Panthers, who had come up short in their Class S title bids in 1989, 1990 and 2011. Notre Dame, now unsuccessful in five bids for a Class M title, found the basket at 6:02 of the final quarter when Alex Danas hit from long range to cut the Cromwell lead to 2522. Senior co-captain Kelly Flanigans three-point play gave the Panthers a bit of breathing room, 30-24, with 5:30 left on the clock. A three-point play from Harrison put Cromwell ahead, 33-26, with 3:52 left between the Panthers and the

The Panthers, after winning the Class M state title against Notre Dame, show whos number one.

Class M title. Langenauer topped all players with 18 points, followed by 16 from Harrison. The due combined to out rebound Notre Dame, 27-24. Harrisons game-high 18 rebounds were split off the offensive and defensive glass. This was almost unbelievable, said Harrison, the Shoreline Conference Player-of-the-Year who scored her 1,000th career point in the semi-final win over defending Class M champion Weaver last week. We knew we werent going home with a loss, but then the buzzer sounded and we knew we actually won. What an amazing feeling. I couldnt be prouder of this group of kids, for what theyve done all year and for the way they battled tonight, said Maher. They could have lost their composure. They just fought deeper and harder on each and every possession. Lindsay was spectacular, Maher added. She wanted to win this more than anything. She got every rebound we needed. Shes a senior; its her last game. I cant say enough about how well she played. A smiling Flanigan called the victory, Everything we wanted. And it came true. When it really mattered, all season long, we came together and won. Flanigan finished with nine points, seven rebounds and a

Notre Dames Nakin Mabin defends against Lindsay Langenauer (40).

trio of assists. It doesnt seem real, Alexa Riley said after her final scholastic game. Winning every game is unbelievable. Were state champions and were 28-0. Riley chipped in two points, three rebounds, a pair of assists and a block. I thought we did a really good job of containing them, at times, Notre Dame coach Eric DeMarco said. Thats a team that, when you let your guard down, can make a 10-12 point run in a minute and a half. The better team wore us down. Their post players did a great job inside and their guards played pretty well. Despite our best efforts, we couldnt get some shots to fall, and a lot of that was due to Cromwells defense. The Lancers shot 11.5 percent (3-26) in the second half. The Panthers become the first high school team to go undefeated in Connecticut since Holy Cross in 2007.

Senior co-captain Kelly Flanigan (34) directs the Cromwell attack.

Junior Janelle Harrison drives to the basket in Cromwells Class M championship victory.

Photos by Dave Burnham, ESNAP Sport www.esnapsport.wordpress.com

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The Chronicle Chronicle -- January April 2013 The 2012