Greenwich High edges rival Fairfield Warde, advances to CIAC Class LL Girls Basketball Tournament semifinals

By David Fierro on March 9, 2025 • ( Leave a comment )

**Photo by Dan Utzinger:** Alyssa Gath of Greenwich takes a 3-point shot during the quarterfinal-round of the CIAC Class LL Girls Basketball Tournament on March 7, 2025, at Greenwich High School. The Cardinals won the game, 35-32. Gath had 13 points to lead the Cardinals’ offense.

One more win from traveling to Mohegan Sun, two more wins from a state championship.

That’s the thrilling situation the Greenwich High School girls basketball team is in after earning a spot in the semifinal-round of the CIAC Class LL Tournament.

In a tough, physical matchup where points were at a premium, third-seeded host Greenwich was victorious against sixth-seeded Fairfield Warde, 35-32, in the Class LL quarterfinals on March 7 before a big, enthusiastic crowd.

The next stop for the Cardinals is Pomperaug High School, where they will face second-seeded Southington in the Class LL Basketball Tournament semifinals on March 11 at 5:15. In Greenwich’s tight triumph over rival Fairfield Warde, freshman center Zuri Faison scored a team-best 14 points and senior guard/forward Alyssa Gath added 13 points to propel the home team.

**Photo by Dan Utzinger:** Greenwich’s Kate Baxendale (center), gets ready to box out for the rebound on a foul shot during the Class LL Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinals against Fairfield Warde on March 7, 2025. GHS won the game, 35-32.

“It’s incredible, I’m so proud of this team,” said Gath, a captain. “I knew we could do it. I’m happy we made it this far and I’m excited to keep going.”

Both teams played strong man-to-man defense, making each other work hard for shots. The play was rough and physical in the paint close to the basket, with most of the shots being well contested. Greenwich took 34 foul shots for the game, making 17.

“I’m not sure that we had such an off shooting night, but it’s good to know that even when we’re not hitting them we can still find a way to fight through,” GHS varsity girls basketball coach Megan Wax said.

The first quarter ended in a 5-5 deadlock and Greenwich took a 15-14 edge into halftime. Warde began the second quarter with a 7-0 run to take a 12-5 lead. A 3-pointer by junior Ivy Feay keyed the Mustangs stellar start to the second quarter.

**Photo by Dan Utzinger:** Greenwich freshman center Zuri Faison drives to the basket against Fairfield Warde at GHS.

Freshman guard Elsa Xhekaj drove baseline and scored and Gath swished a 3-pointer from the left side, cutting Warde’s second quarter lead to 14-10. Another 3-pointer from Gath, followed by two foul shots by Faison gave GHS a 15-14 advantage after two quarters of action.

Senior forward/captain Kate Baxendale converted a pair of free throws and Gath connected on another 3-point shot, putting the Cards on top of the Mustangs, 20-14 early in the third quarter. Gath continued her impressive postseason shooting, making four 3-pointers in the matchup.

“I didn’t hit the first couple and I try not to get in my head, but they weren’t guarding me that close, so I shot it and they went in,” Gath said.

**Photo courtesy of Dan Utzinger:** Madi Utzinger of Greenwich High School looks to make a move to the basket between three Fairfield Warde players during the second half of the CIAC Class LL Girls Basketball Tournament quarterfinals. GHS won.

The Mustangs, coached by David Danko, concluded the third quarter with a 13-5 spurt to go ahead of the Cardinals, 27-25. Freshman guard Sofia Hardimann scored in transition off a steal, nailed a 3-pointer and converted a layup, making it 27-25 in favor of the Mustangs going into the fourth quarter. She led the visitors with 14 points.

Junior guard Madi Utzinger made a pair of foul shots with 3:58 remaining in the fourth quarter, giving Greenwich a 30-29 edge. Warde junior forward Ava Feavy made two free throws, putting her squad back ahead at 31-30, but Gath knotted the score (31-31) by sinking a foul shot with 1:24 left to play.

Faison made four key foul shots during the final minute of play, giving the hosts a 35-32 lead.

**Photo by Dan Utzinger**: Mikayla Kiernan of the Cardinals takes a 3-point shot from the corner versus visiting Fairfield Warde in the opening half of the Class LL state quarterfinals. Greenwich posted a 35-32 win to advance to the state semifinals.

“It’s really exciting, I just had to lock in, not let the crowd get to my head and do it for my team,” Faison said of shooting foul shots with the game on the line.

Trailing by three points at 35-32, the Mustangs had a last shot to tie the score, but missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer and the Cardinals had their quarterfinal-round victory.

“It feels amazing, because it’s something we really worked for,” said Utzinger, who scored four points. “Getting out the first round of FCIACs gave us the motivation to do really good at states. Every practice we’ve worked hard, so we’ve earned it.”

**Photo courtesy of Dan Utzinger:** Greenwich’s Elsa Xhekaj drives to the basket while being guarded by Peyton McIntosh of Fairfield Warde during the third quarter of the CIAC Class LL Tournament quarterfinals. GHS won the game, 35-32.

The Cardinals’ record for the season is 21-2, with one of their losses coming in the quarterfinals of the FCIAC Tournament. Since that loss, Greenwich has posted victories against Enfield and Warde in the Class LL state tourney.

“It’s really rewarding, kudos to Warde, they’re a great team, they definitely gave us a run for our money,” Baxendale said. “I think that having all these freshmen on our team and having everyone, we’ve created a big bond.”

Baxendale had two points, while providing stellar defensive play. Junior guard Juliette Pelham and junior guaard/forward Mikayla Kiernan also played well defensively for the victors.

**Photo by Dan Utzinger:** A big crowd turned out to watch the Greenwich High School girls basketball team play in the state quarterfinals versus Fairfield Warde High School on March 7, 2025. The Cardinals were victorious, 35-32.

“Warde is a fantastic team, they are well coached,” Wax noted. “They execute, they are physical, they are fundamental and it was a true battle. I thought this was one of our best defensive games all season long. We started in the first quarter with three shot clock violations for them, which is a credit to how hard we were working. Being able to hold them while we were in a rut was hugely important.”

Warde eliminated GHS from the Class LL Tournament in 2024, registering a 44-36 victory in the opening round. The Cards also topped the Mustangs in the regular season this year, 47-26.

“We knew coming in that they were going to be a really hard team,” Utzinger said. “It was a fun atmosphere. I like playing against harder competition and I think today we came together as a team and when we play together as a team the atmosphere is so much better.”

**Photo provided by Dan Utzinger**: Elsa Xhekaj of the Cardinals goes up for a shot while being defended by Sofia Hardimann of the Mustangs during the state quarterfinals at Greenwich High School.

Indeed, the atmosphere was intense throughout in this state postseason matchup between familiar foes.

“I think that it does really change the whole game, the mentality,” Baxendale noted. “We did a good job of staying out of our heads this game and playing together, instead of freaking out and causing chaos.”

**Photo by Dan Utzinger**: Greenwich junior guard Juliette Pelham plays defense against Warde in the state quarterfinals.

Faison scored seven points in the fourth quarter, all of which came from the foul line. She shot 7 for 10 from the free throw line in the final quarter.

“It was really physical, I just had to play through it and not let it get to my head,” Faison said.

Despite struggling offensively against Warde’s man-to-man defense the Cardinals displayed plenty of perseverance and poise, especially in the fourth quarter.

**Photo provided by Dan Utzinger**: Greenwich forward Kate Baxendale goes up for a shot while being guarded by Ivy Feay.

“We are so proud of them for their mental resilience in this game,” Wax said of her squad, while giving kudos to the senior captains. “The senior leadership, stepping up when it matters the most. Kate and Alyssa were huge in that tonight.”

Greenwich last made the Class LL semifinals in 2020, but the semifinal game was not played due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which began in full force in March of 2020, just before the game. The last time the Cardinals advanced to the state championship game at Mohegan Sun was in 2016.