McDermott, Furlong Earn Athlete of the Week Recognition

Perfect seasons are rare this time of year. One of this week's iBerkshires.com/Southwestern Vermont Medical Center Athletes of the Week helped his team stay unbeaten. The other helped trim the list of perfect teams down by one.

 

The Taconic girls basketball team was the last remaining unbeaten squad on the Berkshire County hardwoods, but that run came to an end on Saturday with a three-point loss at Wahconah.

 

Junior Noelle Furlong scored 18 points an grabbed 12 rebounds -- both game-highs. And she hit a pair of 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, including the one that gave Wahconah the winning margin.

 

For the season, she is averaging a little more than two 3-pointers per game, and she is one of two players averaging double digit points (11.4 ppg) on a Wahconah team that has been defense first in running its record to 13-4.

 

Earlier this season, Wahconah coach Liz Kay sang Furlong's praises after she scored 17 in a win over Quabbin.

 

"When she's aggressive, she could be the best player in the county when she decides to be," Kay said. "But she's also the nicest kid in the world. So sometimes she defers a bit too much.

 

"Obviously, that's a strange conversation to have: to tell somebody to be a little more selfish. But that's been a pivotal discussion for us this year. She's stepped up to be more aggressive."

 

Wahconah has its Senior Night Monday against Monument Mountain before finishing the regular season against Pittsfield in the North-South Crossover games at Mount Greylock on Saturday and on the road at Granby next week.

 

Berkshire County Nordic skiers have one more regular season race before the state championship -- hopefully on Feb. 25 at Notchview Reservation.

 

That means the boys in the Berkshire County League have to more chances to do what they have not been able to do yet this winter: catch Col McDermott.

 

The Mount Greylock junior has won every time out this season and helped the Mounties do the same.

 

After winning Saturday's race at Prospect Mountain, he said he does feel a little bit of the pressure that comes with being at the front of the pack.

 

"I definitely think it's really easy to get caught up in things like that," McDermott said. "But the way I think about is: Sure, I have a target on my back, but you've got to catch me first.

 

"I try to show up every day and go a little bit harder, a little bit faster. The main goal for me is fun, so no matter what happens, I always look for the good."

 

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