The Westport basketball team suffered a heartbreaking 69-66 home loss to Fairhaven while the girls traveled and crushed the Blue Devils 56-37 as both teams kicked off their seasons on Wednesday night. The Wildcats jumped out to a 14-3 lead in the first quarter and held a sixteen point advantage before the Blue Devils stormed back in the fourth quarter and took a 65-63 advantage with 40 seconds left to play. Fairhaven went up 67-63, but Owen Boudria drained a three pointer to cut the lead to 67-66 with 6 seconds left. Ben Boudria fouled out on the Blue Devils in bound pass and Fairhaven sank both free throws to ice the victory. 

“I told the team, I know you’re all upset. Let it go,” said head coach Scot Boudria after the game. “You’re in a marathon and you just stubbed your toe in mile one. You got twenty-five miles left to go. Don’t let this one bother you.” 

The loss drops Westport to 0-1 as they prep for a home matchup with Southeastern on Friday night at 6:30 p.m.

Brodeur and the offense clicked on all cylinders to start the game. The lightning quick senior guard scored at will netting 20 first half points. 

“Hunter carried us offensively,” Coach Boudria said. “He played really well.” 

He started his sons, Ben, a senior and Owen, a sophomore, along with seniors Cam Leary and Max Morotti. He mixed in Coltrane McGonigle and Owen Friedrichson for a seven-man rotation. The Wildcats defense stifled the Blue Devils in the first quarter. Ben Boudria scored 10 with a pair of three pointers, Cam Leary sank a three and a jumper for 5 points and Owen Boudria added a foul shot as the Wildcats held a 36-20 advantage at halftime. 

Fairhaven made adjustments to their defense in the second half and shots lights out. The Blue Devils double teamed Brodeur, cleaned up their play and scored 49 points down the stretch, led by Jock Cunha who drained three tres and 12 points in the fourth quarter.

“We were kind of stuck in the half court set. We also ran into a bit of foul trouble,” said Coach Boudria.  

Westport found it more difficult to get to the basket. Owen Boudria countered with 14 second half points, Brodeur netted 7 and Leary added 2. Ben Boudria shot 3 of 5 from the foul line down the stretch, but it wasn’t enough. 

“That makes a big difference in a game like this,” said Coach Boudria of the missed free throws. We got our work cut out for us. We’ll look at the film and try to learn and get better.”  

Westport scoring: Brodeur 27 points, O. Boudria 15, B. Boudria 13, Leary 11. 

Westport 56, Fairhaven 37

Junior Korynne Holden scored 23 points and senior Leah Sylvain netted 17 as Westport thrashed Fairhaven 56-37 to open their season 1-0. 

“The girls played great,” said head coach Jen Gargiulo. “Korynne and Leah were outstanding. They never gave up. They are the motor behind our defense.”

The Wildcats jumped on the Blue Devils and led 15-7 after the first quarter and 31-22 at halftime. Holden got to the line early by forcing her way to the basket. She sank all six free throws and added two jumpers for ten first half points. Sylvain sank two three pointers, a jumper and made a foul shot for 9 points. Egbe tallied all six of her points in the first half. Sarah Perry, Julia George and Meghan Molloy each netted a bucket in the first half. 

Holden added 13 more in the second half, Sylvain sank three jumpers and two free throws and Sarah Perry drained a pair of jumpers as they outscored Fairhaven 25-15 in the second half. 

“We prepared a lot for Fairhaven,” said Coach Gargiulo. “Coach Nikita and I scouted them last week. We put in a defensive set and an offensive set to work against them and the girls worked hard in practice. Our defense got a lot of stops and we capitalized on their turnovers.” 

Coach Gargiulo emptied her bench in the second half allowing all of the girls to record minutes during the game.

“Everybody contributed in a positive way. It’s a tribute to the hard work that they have put in through the preseason. We are so proud of the growth that they’ve made and the team that they are becoming.” 

The Westport girls will travel to Southeastern RVT on Friday at 5 p.m.

Westport scoring: Holden 23, Sylvain 17, Egbe 6, Perry 6, Molloy 2, George 2.