Newtown's grade six Gold girls' basketball team competed in the New England Regional Tournament (Gold Bracket) this past weekend in Tiverton, R.I. After finishing third last year, Newtown entered the tournament determined to capture its first regional championship and got the job done.

Newtown opened play Friday night against Simsbury, in the first of two pool play games. Newtown came out firing, putting up 20 points in the first quarter, and cruised to a 35-22 victory. McKenna Memoli led the way with an outstanding 26 points, including four three-pointers. Brooke Estes and Sophie McCallum anchored the defense in the second half, doing an excellent job shutting down Simsbury’s top scorer.

In their second pool play game, Newtown faced Braintree, Mass. in a tightly contested matchup that came down to the final seconds. Despite a strong effort, Newtown fell just short, 37-36. Alina Gerardi led the team with 11 points, while Kinley Lahey added eight points and Riley Smith contributed eight points along with 11 rebounds.

Newtown earned the fourth overall seed, securing the final spot in the championship bracket and setting up a matchup with No 1 seed Smithfield, R.I. In another hard-fought game, Newtown battled throughout and pulled away late for a 31-26 victory. Gerardi paced the team with 16 points, while Mae Clyne and Brooke Duncan controlled the boards with eight rebounds each. The win advanced Newtown to the championship game.

In a rematch against Braintree, Newtown had a chance at redemption. Braintree started strong on both ends of the floor, taking a 13-6 lead into halftime. However, Newtown refused to back down, holding Braintree scoreless in the third quarter to spark a comeback. Clyne delivered a key and-one (3-point play despite a foul) to give Newtown its first lead at 14-13.

The fourth quarter was a battle, with both teams trading baskets. Memoli tied the game at 19-19 with a clutch free throw late in the game. Then, with just 30 seconds remaining, Lahey delivered a beautiful pass to Leanna Wilson, who scored the go-ahead — and ultimately game-winning — basket. Newtown completed the comeback with a thrilling 21-19 victory to secure the regional championship.

This victory capped off an incredible season for Newtown Gold. The team finished with a 35-9 record, including a remarkable 23-game winning streak and a 25-1 record over the final 26 games. Along the way, the Gold squad captured four championships: the Milford League (Diamond Bracket), FCBL League (A Bracket), Hoopfest Tournament (Diamond Bracket), and the New England Regional Tournament (Gold Bracket).

"It was truly a pleasure to coach this group. Their dedication, hard work, and never-quit mentality were evident all season long. I couldn’t be more proud of their effort, growth, and accomplishments,” Head Coach Thomas Wilson said.

"It's been an incredible season for these young ladies. Their commitment, teamwork, and resilience showed in every practice and every game. Watching them grow, not just as players, but as teammates and leaders has been the most rewarding part. Winning championships is special, but the effort, heart, and support they showed each other all year long is what made this season unforgettable," Assistant Coach Mike Duncan added.

Assistant Coach Matt Memoli said the team bought into the motto "Nobody cares, work harder," and added, "We would revert back to the statement after any type of adversity we hit, and the girls truly came together as one family and played some really good basketball. They are such an amazing group of kids and are developing into great athletes as well."