The ConVal girls’ basketball team got their biggest — and first — win since early 2023 on Friday night with a 36-13 win over visiting Bishop Brady.
“It was kind of like that monkey on our back,” said head coach Kevin Proctor, who returned to the ConVal sidelines this season for the first time since 2022. “It’s good for them to feel what it feels like [to win], and how they can do it by doing the things they’re supposed to do. I think the best part about it was we are doing some things that we are supposed to be doing, and hopefully what they see is that when we do the things that we’re supposed to be doing, good things happen.”
Proctor, who coached the boys’ and girls’ teams from 2013 to 2022 before a brief stint as athletic director, returns to the program just in time to coach daughter Brielle for her senior season; she and her senior co-captain Savannah McCarthy had been feeling the weight of their 40-game losing streak; last week’s four-point loss at Sanborn was as close as they’ve come, and when they finally broke through on Friday, it was jubilation.
“It was really emotional,” McCarthy said. “We tried really hard on Tuesday to win. We lost by four and we were like, ‘We just have to win [tonight’s] game. We have to win this game. We need to break the ice.’ And then we came out, and we played really hard. Obviously, we could have done better, but we did the best we could and that’s all that mattered — and we won the game.”
McCarthy outscored the visiting Green Giants by herself on Friday night, putting up 14 to lead all scorers. Junior Mia Broadstone, stepping up in the absence of junior co-captain Olivia Healey, played aggressively and finished with 10; junior Colby Harris had five and Brielle Proctor added four.
“We tried to win possession by possession,” Brielle Proctor said. “Anything we messed up, we tried to put behind us and just focus on the next play. And I think that really helped us push forward and get the win.”
ConVal (1-2) has the monkey off their back; now, it’s time to get better and hopefully get a couple more wins. The Cougars should have some good competition at the Rob Colbert Christmas Invitational at Keene State College this weekend. ConVal is the only Division II team on the girls’ side; they’ll play Monadnock at 12:30 p.m. on Saturday and hope to make their way through a bracket also consisting of Stevens and Mascenic.
ConVal junior Colby Harris looks to shoot as Bishop Brady’s Maia Dow defends. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcrip 
ConVal junior Mia Broadstone goes to the rim. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcrip 
ConVal senior co-captain Savannah McCarthy and Bishop Brady’s Maia Dow race for the ball. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcrip 
ConVal sophomore Amelie Davis wrestles away a loose ball. Credit: BEN CONANT / For the Ledger-Transcrip
“I think we’re going to use the Christmas tournament to really work on some new things,” Brielle Proctor said, “and just build our skill up and then hopefully win a couple games, show what we can do … we’re putting our heart in it, leaving it all on the court — emptying our tank.”