UNCASVILLE — When the St. Paul Falcons girl basketball team entered the season there was high hope in the locker room that the team would be competitive as long as they played tough defense and rebound the ball.
The St. Paul culture is all about playing unselfish and scrappy defense. It’s a culture that the Falcons rode all the way to the Class M State Championship where they defeated No. 5 Windham 49-42 at Mohegan Sun.
The Falcons claimed the school’s, as well as coach Joe Mone’s, third championship in 29 years. It is the first state championship appearance since 2014 and the first victory since 2010.
Senior and Class M Most Outstanding Player, Rebecca Kelly, said the joy of winning the state championship this season can’t quite be described, but it’s a testament to the work that the team put in all year.
“It’s incredible,” Kelly said. “This was a dream all four years for myself and my team and to finally get what we deserved feels amazing. I’m really proud of myself and our team, especially. I’m very happy.”
Kelly led the Falcons to victory after posting a crucial double-double. Kelly recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds and was the lone player for St. Paul to score double digits. Her Most Outstanding Player award is the second this season.
She was also named Most Outstanding Player in the Naugatuck Valley League Championship when she scored the final eight points to secure the 43-38 victory over Holy Cross and to give the Falcons back-to-back NVL titles for the first time in school history.
“This was a hard team especially because they were fast, quick and aggressive so to win this award is amazing,” Kelly said. “It’s very unbelievable.”
Coach Mone said throughout the state tournament that if the Falcons wanted to advance to the state championship the three seniors in Kelly, Audrey Tice and Oliva Dahn would have to bring the team there.
He said after that anyone could have a great game in the championship game to close out the season.
That’s exactly what happened this season. The three seniors were the main catalysts to lift St. Paul to the Class M Championship, but while Kelly was named MOP it was freshmen Kiley Bohn who made a number of crucial plays in her 18 minutes of play.
Bohn finished with nine points and eight rebounds, second in both categories.
“I’ve been on her a little bit and this week I just kept telling her you have to be a key part of this. We really need an extra guard.., and she played a tremendous game,” Mone said. “She did a really great job. Had some big shots and rebounds.”
He said it’s always that one player that pushes the team over.
“Obviously, Becca dominated in the post, but I think Kiley coming off the bench was huge for us,” he added.
He said after being to the finals six times in the last 29 years, every time is different and each group is special. He said this group in particular are a great group of kids that worked hard throughout the season to become league champs and state champions.
“I told Audrey, I was sitting next to her at the end of the game. I told her that I’m really happy I got to do this with you three seniors,” Mone said. “They have been the epitome of leadership from day one. They’ve been very unselfish.”
In a season of team success, there has also been a great deal of individual success between Kelly’s Most Outstanding Player awards or Audrey Tice becoming just the fifth girls player to eclipse 1,000 career points.
Mone said with how great and dominant Tice can be he praises how she impacts the game all around. Tice finished with eight points, five assists and three steals, however, it was her calmness and patience that made the rest of the team settle down and play Falcon basketball.
“That was really important for us because if your leader panics then everybody panics,” he said. “I’m really proud of all of them. Go down the list of who played and everybody did something…It’s all about the kids. If you got players, you’re a great coach and if you don't, no one thinks you can coach at all. I’ve just been blessed with great players in the 29 years that I’ve been here.”
