1994: The Greatest Season for Girls' Basketball
“Cougars cruise to semi-finals.” Twenty-nine years ago today, this was the headline in the Peterborough Transcript. It marked the beginning of the two greatest-ever runs to the ‘ship in the history of Conval High. And it was an unforgettable girls’ team that got the ball rolling...
The story of the 1993-’94 state champion Conval girls’ basketball team—the only one in history to have won the ‘ship—may have reached fever pitch in the first week of March, but to truly appreciate how it all came about, you have to go back several years earlier. You have to go back to the fact that it wasn’t until 1984—14 seasons since the Regional opened—when a Conval girls’ team even qualified for the state tournament.
You have to go back to just five years before that historic run, when the Cougars were 0-18 in 1989-’90. And just 3-15 in 1990-’91. But then came four Jutras sisters—Michelle, Christine, Natalie and Veronica—who joined a group of talented friends that included Cathy Brennan and Kristen Carroll in playing hoop together both in the cold of winter and the heat of summer. Suddenly, a program that had languished for decades became the talk of Class I (D2) as the 1992-’93 team rolled to a 16-2 record and made it all the way to the semis before falling to Lebanon.
Though a loss, that '92--'93 semi-final game was just a foretaste of what was to come—a time for redemption, and a time unlike any other before or since in our Conval hoop heritage.
The 1993-’94 girls were undisputed queens of Class I during the regular season, displaying a shock-and-awe combination of great shooting, strong defense, and amazing teamwork that had been forged by many seasons of playing together. They rolled to a 17-1 record and finished the regular season atop the Class I standings. The Cougars handed third-ranked Souhegan (16-2) and fourth-ranked Hanover (16-2) one of their two losses. The only hiccup was a rare off-night and slim loss at Souhegan—one of the first signs of what was to become an intense rivalry to this very day between the two neighboring schools.
But not this night. With Michelle Jutras lighting it up for 12 first quarter points, the Cougars left Stevens shell-shocked with a 40-13 halftime deficit from which they would never recover. Not even close. Final, Conval 76, Stevens 30.
“It was easily one of our best efforts of the season, especially considering how close our game was up there,” said Coach John Reitnauer. “We controlled the game with our press, we moved the ball well, and passed up good shots for better shots. Lots of little things came together, and no one tried to do more than their responsibility.”
It was on to to the semis for a deja-vu stare-down with old nemesis Lebanon.
More than just a rematch of the previous year’s semi-finals, this one proved to be double deja-vu as it mimicked the regular season contest between the two just a couple of weeks earlier. In that one Conval had the lead, Lebanon made a late push to get within two, and then the Cougars salted it away at the foul line.
And just like the last game with Lebanon, Conval sizzled from the free throw line when it mattered most, going 6 for 8 in the final 40 seconds, including a perfect 6 for 6 by Brennan.
For the first time in history, Conval High had earned a spot in the state championship game, 59-49.
Heard in the celebration afterwards was a voice from one of the girls’ biggest fan base—the Cougar boys’ team. Looking over to the Lebanon side, someone boldly yelled “Boys are next!” Little did they know at the time that in a couple of weeks, they’d have to put that challenge to the test. (More on the boys this weekend.)
In the ‘ship at KSC, Conval fans took over the gym, outnumbering Souhegan fans by two to one. About 1,600 in all were in attendance to witness potential history in the making. The Sabers were led by standout junior guard Rushmie Kalkie and had a sophomore who would one day by one of the best players ever to come out of New Hampshire, Courtney Banghart. But in the first quarter, led by a pressure defense and the offense of sisters Natalie, Michelle and Veronica Jutras (a combined eight points) and Cathy Brennan, the shell-shocked Sabers were forced to call a timeout.
The Jutras sisters (this time, Christine, pictured at left, got in the act, too) were at it again during an 11-0 run in the third period, upping Conval’s lead to 42-24. The Sabers, however, didn’t quit, pecking away at the deficit to get it down to a nine-point game and put Cougar fans on edge. But super sub Kristen Carroll helped nail victory down once and for all by singlehandedly outscoring Souhegan 6-1 late in the fourth quarter. And Natalie Jutras, who scored the game’s first points, scored the final ones as well, nailing two history-making foul shots with four seconds left.
Final: Conval 62, Souhegan 50!
Brennan, who brilliantly orchestrated the offense and seemed to be in two or three places at once on defense, was ecstatic afterwards:
"It’s about time! We worked so hard for this moment.”
Added Michelle Jutras, “I can’t even describe the feeling. I’m in shock. It’s so awesome!” A beaming Coach Reitnauer simply said, “I’m going to Disneyworld!”
Said Principal Chuck Breiner at a raucous reception for the girls back at The Cave, “Conval, for some reason, has been charmed when it comes to basketball. Some schools only get to a tournament every few years, but around here, I think we’ve come to expect we’re going every year.”
But expect a story like this one?
Plain and simple, the Conval girls’ basketball team of 1993-’94 was a on a mission, and after 24 years of girls’ basketball futility, it was finally mission accomplished.
And the greatest moment for girls’ basketball in Conval’s hoop heritage.
“I want to thank two people,” said senior co-captain Christine Jutras at the team reception following the ‘ship. “First of all, my mom and dad. Second, all of you—I couldn’t believe all the fans we had today. I just wish we could get to do it again.”
We’ll just cherish the memories, along with all the team, for a lifetime.
