Hoosac Valley's Rosse Scores Thousandth in Season Opener

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- Midway through the fourth quarter on Friday night at Taconic High School, Hoosac Valley's girls basketball fans were on the edges of their seats.

 

The game was well in hand. The moment was yet to come.

 

With 3 minutes, 41 seconds left on the clock, the moment finally came.

 

Fallon Field dished the ball to Emily Rosse high on the right wing, and Rosse drained a 3-pointer for the 1,000th point of her standout career.

 

Hoosac went on to win the season opener, 71-33, behind 25 points from Rosse, who came into the season needing just that many points to reach a personal milestone.

 

With that behind her, she keep her eyes focused on other things like defending the Hurricanes' back-to-back Western Massachusetts titles ... or at least winning Hoosac's next game on Monday night at Lee.

 

"It's like a weight lifted off my shoulders," Rosse said. "Now I can just play every game hard and keep pushing."

 

For all that she and the Hurricanes have done over the last couple of seasons, Rosse said that joining the 1,000-point club ranks high on her list of personal highlights.

 

"Right now, this is on top of the list," Rosse said. "It's like a great accomplishment. I've always wanted to do it since my sister played in high school."

 

Rosse's coach was thrilled to see her reach that goal.

 

"She's a great kid, and I couldn't be happier for her," Ron Wojcik said. "She's worked, and it's paid off -- all the off-season work and the AAU and everything else."

 

Rosse went to the locker room on Friday night with seven points -- second on her own team to sophomore Field's 11 at the break.

 

In the third quarter, Hoosac's players made a concerted effort to get the ball in Rosse's hands. Time and again, Hurricanes appeared to pass up scoring opportunites while their teammates on the floor could be heard calling Rosse's name.

 

She responded with 13 third-quarter points, including a couple of 3s, to get in position for the milestone.

 

"Once coach Bob [LeClair] told me on the bench she needed five going into the fourth quarter -- with a big lead, you might think about taking her out, but I said, 'Let's give her a couple of cracks at it,' Wojcik said. "Fortunately, she was able to do it.

 

"I think she pressed on a few of them. I never scored a thousand, so I can't imagine the pressure of trying to get that point. But it was great when she got it."

 

Rosse scored a bucket in the post early in the fourth to make it 61-28. Then, after Hoosac got baskets from Madi Ryan (nine points) and McKenzie Robinson (12 points), Field did the honors of setting up Rosse for the historic triple.

 

Field did plenty to help the cause in the first half. In addition to scoring 11 of her 14 points before the break, she also grabbed seven rebounds and made three steals in the first quarters.

 

"Fallon's been playing great all spring, summer and early season for us," Wojcik said. "She's aggressive going to the basket. She shoots the ball well. And she hustles. She's going to be a big contributor to this team this year."

 

Taconic (0-1) was led by sophomore Maddy Quinto with eight points and four rebounds. Four Taconic players had five rebounds apiece.

 

It was a 13-11 game in favor of Hoosac Valley when senior Cortnee Clemons scored late in the first quarter, but the Hurricanes went on a 22-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters to build a 24-point lead.

 

Jasmine Rodriguez snapped the drought by knocking down a long two with just less than three minutes left until half-time.

 

Rosse capped a 22-4 second quarter for Hoosac with a bucket just before the break to send her team to the locker room with a 40-15 lead.