Meczywor, LaCasse Named Athletes of the Week

'Tis the season for getting to the post-season, and this week a pair of super sophomores played key roles in helping their teams clinch playoff berths.

 

Isabella LaCasse is the leading scorer for McCann Tech this winter, averaging just more than 17 points per game.

 

On Friday, she scored 16 in a Valentine's Day win over Pope Francis that gave the Hornets their 10th win of the season.

 

Earlier in the week, she poured in 14 to help beat Easthampton.

 

She has been instrumental in helping the Hornets bounce back from a mid-season lull to win five straight games.

 

They will put that streak on the line on Tuesday and Wednesday when McCann Tech finishes up with a pair of road games at Smith Academy and Smith Vocational.

 

With nine wins and three games left -- all in the rugged Berkshire County North Division -- the Hoosac Valley boys faced a tall order in looking for their 10th win of the season.

 

On Friday night in Cheshire, the Hurricanes knocked off rival Drury for the first time since the 2015-16 season, and Carson Meczywor led the way 18 points and some key plays down the stretch.

 

Meczywor set up senior Zack Swistak for a bucket to cap a late 9-0 rally that gave the Hurricanes a 51-42 lead in an eventual 59-54 win. The underlcassman later drained a pair of free throws with 14.6 seconds left to help put the game away.

 

Meczywor did not start the season in uniform after recovering from an injury sustained while quarterbacking Hoosac Valley's football team to a perfect regular season and a playoff bid.

 

He came back in time to quarterback the cagers.

 

"That's a big one," Izaha Stubbs said of Meczwyor's return.

 

Stubbs, a senior and 1,000-point scorer who avergages 20 points per game, said that Meczywor has been a key addition.

 

"Finally, we have someone who can bring the ball up the court besides me," Stubbs said. "He can get me off the off-screen ball, backdoor cuts. It makes me better, makes me better, makes the whole team better."

 

Hoosac Valley finishes the regular season this week with games against Taconic and Wahconah.

 

The iBerkshires.com Athlete of the Week is sponsored by Southwestern Vermont Medical Center.