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Sports

Risley and Sundberg Among Those Honored at Girls Basketball Banquet

Local talents on the court and in the classroom were honored on April 6 at the 2011 Girls Basketball All-State Awards Banquet at Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

Ali Risley of Windham High School and Maggie Sundberg of were both named to the 2011 Academic All-State Basketball team. Risley and Sundberg both ended their high school basketball careers this spring.

Risley led the Whippets to a 24-4 overall record, culminating in a 54-46
win in the Class M title game at Mohegan Sun on March 19. Risley scored 11
points in the state championship win and along with 10 other seniors, gave
the school its first title since 2005.

“The win in the finals was definitely a community win,” Risley said. “Our
fan support had been with us throughout the season and the town came alive
during both the semifinals and finals.”

Coach Ken Valliere told the Norwich Bulletin the path to the championship
game was dubbed the “Run to the Sun” by his team. It wasn't an easy road
though. Windham defeated Watertown 51-28 on March 1, Morgan 65-44 on March 4 and Woodland Regional 75-44 on March 10, setting up a showdown with
Tolland for a berth in the finals. The Whippets escaped with a 67-64 win
to make it to the championship.

“Winning the tough game in the semis was a very important milestone for
our team which helped us to prepare for the championship game,” Risley
said. “With eleven seniors on our team we knew this would be the last
season with the chance to win it all.”

Risley was quick to credit the team's cohesiveness and coaching as a
reason why they were the best of Class M.

“With a family-based team, we had the team chemistry to pull out the win
and our coach had probably even more to do with the win than we did,”
Risley said. “He helped to guide and support us through the whole season
and we could not have done it without him. We all will remember the game
as one of the most memorable experiences of our lives.”

Risley will also take her banquet experience with her as she prepares for
graduation in June.

“The banquet was very classy and a very good time,” Risley said. “It was a
blessing to be involved in the banquet, and being named part of the
All-academic team was a special honor that I will carry with me for the
rest of my life.”

Risley expects to finish third in her class, and is focused on finishing
her tennis season with the Whippets. She will attend the next fall and major in finance.

Sundberg did not have the same good fortune as Risley did at Mohegan Sun.
The senior came up short in her final game as the Panthers were
overmatched by Hillhouse 77-50 in the Class L title game. Sundberg and
E.O. Smith still had a dream season, going 22-3. The senior guard was a
big reason why, averaging 15 points, 5.9 assists and 4.5 rebounds per
game.

“This season was truly something unforgettable,” Sundberg said. “Between
our run to Mohegan and our comeback win against Tolland, I have never
enjoyed being around such a great group of girls and teammates. I have
enjoyed ever moment I spent with them, no regrets except winning a
championship.”

Although Sundberg's team did not take home the trophy, thanks to her
individual achievements on and off the court, she still made it to the
All-State Awards Banquet along with Risley.

“It was a very pleasant banquet that had great food and a very cool
venue,” Sundberg, who will attend Choate Rosemary Hall as a post graduate
in the fall, said. “It was special to be around other players that you are
so used to seeing on the basketball court. It was very special just to be
included with so many talented athletes and hardworking students.”

Junior Bria Holmes was named the Player of the Year. Her Academics
defeated the Panthers for the Class L championship. Risley and Sundberg
were also named to the to the All-State basketball teams. Manchester's
Ashley Perez, Tolland's Kristen Schatzlein, Ellington's Kelly Conley and
Suffield's Brianna Bishop also made the All-State basketball teams. The
Class LL, L, M and S teams were honored in Southington.

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