Teammate Callie Cosgrove ends the night at 999 points.

By Paul Palmer. Photos by Paul Palmer, Craig Rosenberg, and Ronni Newton

The Conard girls basketball team had three goals when they hosted South Windsor on Monday night in West Hartford:

1. Win the game (check);
2. Help Emily Knowles score her 1,000th career point (check, 20 seconds into game);
3. Help Callie Cosgrove score her 1,000th career point ( almost).

With a lively crowd hoping to witness a pair of milestones, the Red Wolves easily handled South Windsor 42-18 behind 19 points from Cosgrove and 15 from Knowles. Off the opening tip, Conard brought the ball into the offensive zone and Knowles fought for position inside. She got the ball, and hit the short fadeaway jumper surrounded by two defenders and the celebration was on.

“It feels great,” said the junior, who finished the game with 1,014 career points. “It is great to do it on out home court.”

Knowles’ family members were on hand, and there were lots of signs to celebrate it in the seats. “I am so proud of her. She works so hard and loves her teammates and coaches,” said her mother, Sally Knowles.

“I am so incredibly happy for her,” said head coach Laurie Cersosimo, who has had Knowles on her team all three years. “She deserves what she got tonight. She is an incredible player, but a more amazing human being.”

Once the celebration for Knowles ended, Conard’s attention turned to taking care of the other two goals on the night. They put the game away early, leading by nine after one, and 18 at the break. It was obvious the game plan now was to get Cosgrove in position to also break the 1,000 career point mark.

Displaying unselfish play all around, Conard’s players were passing up their own shots to work to get the junior the ball. They worked the ball every trip down the court and set picks to try and create space. One other thing was obvious – despite the lopsided score, the Bobcats and coach Keith Raczkowski were going to continue to double- and triple-team Cosgrove every time she got the ball and deny her the chance to celebrate on her home court.

Despite the coverage, which included South Windsor players literally standing nose-to-nose with her, Cosgrove did have her chances. She had 12 at the half and you could feel the anticipation building each time she touched the ball. But on this night it was not to be as the basketball gods were only willing to let a single 1,000th-point scorer have her night.

“It is amazing for Emily (Knowles) and I am really proud of her,” said Cosgrove after the game. “We just didn’t get to do it on the same night.”

There were many hugs of encouragement for Cosgrove from teammates and friends in the post-game as she posed with teammates, coaches and Knowles for pictures celebrating Knowles’ incredible achievement. “We are a family,” Knowles said of her team and teammates. “It would have been so much better if Callie got it too tonight.”

Cersosimo said her team looked like they lost after the game with sad faces. “We have ‘Family’ on our sleeves for a reason,” said the coach. “We were sad that we couldn’t get it for Callie as well tonight. Their unselfishness makes me proud.”

The combination of pride, teamwork, and support defines the 13-1 Conard program and its players this season.

“It has been a wild ride to watch her grow and get better and better,” said Sally Knowles of her daughter’s run to 1,000. It was also obvious that for the long-time teammates, it is about so much more than personal achievements. If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” said Cosgrove, who will almost certainly get her 1,000th point and more on Friday at Berlin. “I’m trying not to have any regrets.”

Cersosimo often talks about the thrill of coaching not only these two players, but her entire squad. She’s also very aware of what a big moment this is for the players, the program, and women’s basketball. “It is amazing for this program and it’s about team. Making this history tonight, it is great to see so much of the community here.”

Monday’s victory is the 501st in program history. Conard currently has an 11-game win streak and has a double-digit winning streak for the ninth time in program history. With the win over South Windsor, the 2023-24 club moves ahead of the 1973-74 and 2016-17 teams with the fourth-longest winning streak in program history – the longest streak for the program in 40 years.  The 1983-84 team is the last team at Conard to have an 11 game win streak, with the 1972-73 and 1976-77 teams also logging 11-game win streaks.

As for personal scoring records, Knowles has now become the third member of the Conard 1,000-point club:

• Delaney Connors was the first to score 1,000 points, reaching the milestone as a senior in 2018, in 86 games. Her career total was 1,020 point.
• Azaiyah Felder reached the 1,000-point mark in 2020, as a junior. It took her 59 games. She holds the team scoring record with 1,438, reached in 2021.
• Emily Knowles reached the 1,000-point milestone as a junior in 58 games. As of Jan. 22, 2024, she has 1,014.

Cosgrove, with 999 points, is fourth among all-time scorers for Conard.

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