After earning its biggest win in program history, a victory that gave it the FCIAC Tournament championship for the first time ever, Greenwich High School’s’ varsity girls basketball team began its journey toward what it hopes, is a second title this season, when it hosted Glastonbury in the second-round of the CIAC Division I State Tournament on March 9th.

Following a first-round bye, third-seeded Greenwich showed that it is, indeed, ready to make another strong run toward a championship, upending 13th-seeded Glastonbury with an efficient and effective performance to begin the competitive state tournament.

Jumping out to a double-digit lead in the opening quarter and cruising from there, Greenwich rolled to a 53-27 win over Glastonbury to advance to the Division I Tournament quarterfinals. The Cardinals (22-2) will host sixth-seeded East Catholic in the quarterfinal-round of the state tourney on March 12th at 6 p.m. In their second-round victory against Glastonbury, senior guard/forward/captain Madi Utzinger scored a game-high 16 points to pace Greenwich.

The Cardinals, who defeated Staples for the 2026 FCIAC Tournament title, 65-49, last week at Fairfield University, led visiting Glastonbury, 20-9, following the first quarter, before heading into halftime with a 30-13 advantage.

“I think we just came together, we knew they were a really hard team, so we just scouted them well and we executed what we needed to do,” said Utzinger, who scored 10 points in the second half and made two 3-pointers for the game.

Entering the Division I quarterfinal versus East Catholic, the Cardinals have won 12 straight games. East Catholic made its way into the state quarterfinals by beating 11th-seeded Bristol Eastern, 66-49.

“It’s really nice to win, each time we win we build confidence and momentum and we just keep staying together and our energy keeps building,” Utzinger noted.

Sophomore point guard Elsa Xhekaj scored 12 points and once again, impressively penetrated through the opposition’s defense, while senior forward/captain Mikayla Kiernan converted three 3-pointers for the Cardinals. Kiernan’s sensational perimeter shooting stretched the Guardians’ defense, enabling Greenwich to get the ball inside to sophomore center Zuri Faison, who added six points in the winning effort.

“We were very prepared for this game, we practiced a lot,” Xhekaj said. “We came out with the intensity and the urge to win and that’s what we did.”

The host Cardinals began pulling away from the Guardians late in the first quarter. A layup by senior guard/captain Juliette Pelham and a jumper from the corner, gave the Cards a 15-9 lead. Utzinger made a fastbreak layup and Kiernan swished a 3-pointer from the right corner, making it 20-9 in favor of the home team after the first quarter of action.

Pelham scored eight points, while playing stellar defense for Greenwich, which played man-to-man for most of the matchup.

“I think we played great, definitely one of our better games,” Pelham said. “We were very fast-paced and aggressive on offense. Our transition, especially, was good, defense as well. Our man worked out very well.”

Greenwich, coached by Megan Wax, who guided the team to its first conference tournament title in school history, extended its edge on the Guardians once the second quarter commenced. Kiernan continued her torrid shooting, burying a 3-point shot from the left corner, Faison scored from the low post and Pelham made a layup off a pass from Xhekaj, giving the Cards a 27-13 advantage.

Utzinger scored in transition, driving to her left, while being fouled and made the ensuing free throw, making it a 30-13 game at halftime.

Baskets by Utzinger and Pelham started Greenwich’s successful third quarter. Faison scored from down low and Xhekaj made a basket off a layup, putting the hosts in front, 40-18. The third quarter concluded with the Cards holding a commanding 45-18 lead.

Greenwich is now only two victories away from traveling to Mohegan Sun for the championship game of the CIAC Division I Tournament. The last time the Cardinals appeared in the state tournament final was 2016 when they lost to Stamford in the Class LL Tournament.

But first things first for the Cardinals. They will play a tough East Catholic team in the quarterfinals and should they win, they will face the winner of second-seeded New Britain and 10th-seeded Hamden.

“We’re just going one game at a time,” Utzinger said. “Hopefully, we’ll get there. We’re just going to come out and focus on Thursday’s game and if we win that, we’ll focus on the next game.”

Glastonbury received eight points from sophomore Faith Galamgam and seven from senior Audrey Greco.

“We want to keep it up and keep the momentum and play the way that we did the last two games,” Pelham noted. “If we do that, I think it will go in our favor.”

In the other Division I state quarterfinals, top-seeded Northwest Catholic hosts eighth-seeded Danbury and fourth-seeded Mercy faces fifth-seeded Sacred Heart Academy.

“It feels great, we won FCIACs and we’re coming for it all,” Xhekaj said of the Cardinals advancing to the state quarterfinals. “We want that banner up there.”