RallyNorth.net

1,000 points came as a surprise to Stewart

Friday, December, 28 By Matt Jenkins
Staff writer

Caroline Stewart knew she would score her 1,000th career point this season. She just didn't want to know when it was coming.

Masconomet's senior forward was blindsided by the milestone last week when she converted a free throw in the second half of a victory over Hamilton-Wenham. Stewart was so focused on her opponent that she became confused when the game was stopped for a brief ceremony.

"They stopped the game and she had no idea why they were stopping it," Masconomet coach Bob Romeo said. "We didn't tell her or any of her teammates that she was going to do it. I didn't even think she'd do it that night. She needed 24 and she got 25. She had 23 at halftime."

Stewart was prepared to play defense, not pose for a picture with her parents and the 1,000-point ball.

"I was running back and one of my teammates came over and put her hand up," Stewart said. "I said, 'What? I made a foul shot. Get back on 'D'.' Then she said, 'No, congratulations.' It all clicked then."

Masco honored Stewart again before the Chieftains next game when her teammates gave her flowers and a basketball balloon. Soon Stewart's name will be added to the 1,000-point banner that hangs in the gym. She joins Kendall Daly, who graduated in 1988, Catey Peters (1996) and Brianne Stepherson (1998).

Masco hasn't had a boy reach the 1,000-point mark. Stewart, who played her freshman season at Pingree, asked Romeo not to tell her where she stood this season because she didn't want any extra pressure.

"Coach told me that it was going to happen. I just didn't know when. He didn't even tell me if it would be early (in the season), middle or end, but I was reading an article earlier this year that hinted it would be early in the season. I didn't think it was going to be the second game, though." Stewart said.

"When I know stuff like that I put pressure on myself. I didn't want to know."

Stewart has established herself as the best post player on the North Shore over the past two seasons, and she has expanded her game over the past year or so.

Her goal after freshman year was to earn a Division 1 basketball scholarship and she achieved that this fall when she made a verbal commitment to Boston University.

Stewart tested her talents against some of the country's best players this summer when she played her AAU ball with the Exodus Massachusetts team. Stewart joined forces with the likes of Amanda and Camille Fantini of Andover, Nikki Wurdeman of Triton, and Ashley Riveria of Lowell.

The southern tournaments the team played were eye-openers for Stewart. The competition was extremely challenging, but Stewart learned she could play with and against top-level talent.

"Just going out of New England was a wake-up call. The competition down south was a lot different. The girls are bigger and faster," Stewart said. "After a couple of games I realized I could play with them. I might not have had the most talent, so I knew I had to get rebounds and do the hustle stuff."

It was a lesson that should serve Stewart well in college, where she will be an undersized forward.

Stewart is used to matching up with girls smaller than her, but at the next level she will be the one giving up size. "I have to be able to handle the ball more and I've been working on that with coach Romeo and coach Leo Burke," Stewart said. "I have to keep up on my post skills and continue to improve my shooting from the outside. In Division 1 forwards are usually 6-foot-2 to 6-4 or 6-5, so every once in a while I'm going to have to pop out before I go back inside to the post."

For the moment, Stewart is intent on helping her team challenge for the Cape Ann League title. The way Romeo sees it, he's got the best player possible to lead his team.

"She's the most dominant player around in my mind," Romeo said. "I don't know of a more dominant player. She can do it all. She can drain the three, she posts up, and she handles the ball for us if a team is pressing us. She can just do a lot of things to help our team."