2016 Stories of the Year

5. 'Bolts earn Final Four berth

Posted 1/11/17

The Cranston East girls' basketball team's run to the Final Four of the state tournament was undoubtedly one of the top sports stories of 2016 in Cranston. Behind the inside-outside combination of Maia Caito and Sarah Coutu and the sharp shooting of

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2016 Stories of the Year

5. 'Bolts earn Final Four berth

Posted

The Cranston East girls’ basketball team’s run to the Final Four of the state tournament was undoubtedly one of the top sports stories of 2016 in Cranston.

Behind the inside-outside combination of Maia Caito and Sarah Coutu and the sharp shooting of McKenzie Richards, the ’Bolts earned the No. 5 seed in the state tournament after nearly running the table during the regular season in Division II with a 17-1 record.

East handled division foe Cumberland in the first round, 52-35, at East Providence High School, before holding off another D-II power, St. Ray’s, 51-41 at Providence College’s Alumni Hall in the state quarterfinals.

That set up a matchup with the top overall seed, La Salle, in the Final Four at The Ryan Center.

But, despite getting a game-high 18 points and six 3s from Richards, the ’Bolts just couldn’t get by the eventual state champion, getting eliminated via a 51-37 final.

Last winter marked the team’s second straight state tournament appearance, as East was ousted in the first round as the No. 12 seed against fifth-seeded La Salle in 2015.

For last season’s accomplishments, Coutu was tabbed Second Team All-State and First Team All-Division II-South. Caito was also named a First Team All-Division II-South selection, while Kyla DePina earned a Third Team All-Division II-South nod. Richards was recognized as an honorable mention.

The team’s recent success bumped it up to Division I for this season, and East’s returning core should have it primed for another state tournament appearance at the conclusion of the upcoming division tournaments.

- M.M.

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