The Conard girls basketball team hosted Northwest Catholic Friday night in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Brooklynn Knowles

What started as a tight rivalry quickly tilted Northwest Catholic’s way, as the Lions proved to Conard with a 54-40 win, why they sit ranked No. 1 in GametimeCT’s poll and third in the CIAC’s Division I.

First shot, first possession, Northwest came out ready to play as Zoey Canning drained a 3, setting the trajectory for the rest of the game. 

Ashley Gorman ready to box out Zoey Canning after a Northwest free throw. Jan. 30, 2026. Photo credit: Brooklynn Knowles

Conard quickly answered back, matching the Lions’ intensity as the energy on the court and the bench was felt throughout the gym; however, it wasn’t enough to maintain a lead. To close the first quarter, Northwest turned a brief one-point game into a 14-11 lead.

Northwest came into the second quarter determined to pull away from their crosstown rivals. With four minutes left, point guard Maeve Staunton broke through Conard’s defense for her first points of the game, pushing the Lions’ lead to 22–13.

Northwest maintained their growing lead in the first half, scoring twice as many points as Conard in the second quarter. The energy never dipped, fueling the run that sent NWC into halftime with their largest lead yet. Canning would go 2-for-2 at the line with 18 seconds remaining. In the following possession, Staunton blocked a shot and forced a turnover, leading to a kick-out 3 for Samantha Casper, pushing the score to 33-19 at halftime.

In the third quarter, Conard came out with aggression and energy, contesting every shot NWC put up. Freshman Brandy Buckley continued to cause turnover after turnover, giving Conard positive minutes all night. 

However, Abby Casper also came out primed to play, seriously turning it on, scoring 12 out of the 16 points NWC had that quarter. The third quarter ended at 49-30, with the Lions still in the lead. 

As the fourth quarter began, rivalry and aggression were still up. Lyla Diaz continued using her length to block shots, igniting the Lions’ bench every time. Conard’s energy was consistently reciprocated. The Red Wolves won the fourth quarter, keeping the Lions to only 5 points.

Despite the effort, the response fell short, as it was Northwest Catholic securing the 54-40 win. 

Both teams return to their home courts next week, as Northwest Catholic (11-1) welcomes Simsbury (3-10) on Monday, and Conard (3-10) hosts Bristol Eastern (6-7) on Tuesday.

Crosstown rivals Conard and Northwest Catholic shaking hands after a hard-fought game from both teams. Jan. 30, 2026. Photo credit: Brooklynn Knowles

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