Portland Gets a Big Assist from Rodgers

The Portland girls’ basketball team will take the floor Friday night in a Class S semifinal game confident in knowing they have been there and done that.

Last season, the Highlanders defeated Coginchaug in the semifinals en route to the championship game. This season, it is Capital Prep that stands in their way.

Since losing the title game to St. Paul last year, Portland (21-4) has been on a mission to return this season. Led by seniors Kelly Coleman, the Shoreline MVP, and Lindsey Dionne, a Second-Team All-Shoreline, the Highlanders finished first in the conference during the regular season and have gone on to easily win their first two games of the state tournament.

It would be easy to point to Coleman and Dionne for the team’s success. Junior Sarah Bierly, an Honorable Mention All-Shoreline, also has played a huge role and the perimeter shooting of Alyssa Unikewicz is the perfect compliment to the Highlander’s strength down low.

They are a team with star power and key role players, several pieces that play as one. Yet, there is one key component that has played in the shadow of their success. The glue that holds the pieces together.

Point guard Meaghan Rodgers doesn’t score a lot of points, she doesn’t need to. She didn’t earn any league honors this season, though you could make the argument she should have. What she does do, and has done, is run the Portland offense with a poise and quiet confidence that has enabled the Highlanders to click at a high level all season.

What Rodgers might lack in physical size, she makes up or with heart.

“Big heart. The heart and soul of the team,” coach Nick Chaconis said. “Does so much for us. Does a lot of little things that goes unnoticed and takes a lot of pressure off the other four.

“She puts her heart and soul on the court.”

And what she lacks in points scored, she makes up for in other areas of the game.

Rodgers has averaged 5.8 points a game, leads the team with 3.4 assists (84 on the season) and has 3.6 rebounds (90 on the season). She also averages 1.3 steals.

“I just try to work hard,” Rodgers said. “Even though I am one of the smallest ones on the floor, I always try to grab the rebounds because I know that any way I can help besides scoring is going to make it worth it in the end.”

Don’t let her fool you though. With so many weapons on offense, Rodgers might not look to score, but can when the situation warrants. Down 38-25 against Coginchaug in the Shoreline tournament final, Rodgers hit two big three-pointers near the end of the third quarter to pull the Highlanders within 38-31, setting the stage for a dramatic comeback, which, in the end, came up one point short.

“That was so exciting,” Rodgers said. “I was like, ‘Where is this coming from.’

“I’ve been working on my shot a lot more so hopefully that starts falling. In warmups I can’t miss, then the games, I can’t make it.”

As for not making any of the All-Shoreline teams, the unflappable junior took the high road.

“I would have liked to have it,” Rodgers said, “but its just motivation to work hard next year to get it.”

Before next year comes, however, there remains some unfinished business and Rodgers appears focused on the task at hand.

“I think that the drive is in everybody and everybody wants it so bad that we’re going to leave everything on the court,” she said. “It is sort of like a mission. Every day at practice we’re like, ‘This is what we want and this is how we’re going to get it.’”

As the orchestrator of the offense, Rodgers’ role and the responsibility that comes with it is undeniable, but according to assistant coach Diane Coleman, Rodgers is perfect for shouldering the load.

“She is a tough, tough kid, mentally and physically, Coleman said. She seems to hit that big three or make the perfect pass just when we need it. I can't say enough about her as a person, her work ethic, composure - the whole 9 yards. Just a great, great kid and we couldn't ask for a better person to be running the show out there.

For Rodgers, it is not about the points or any other statistic. Her satisfaction comes from contributing however she can, and ultimately, from winning.

“I don’t like losing,” she said. “I am so competitive. I leave it all on the floor. If it’s not a win, it’s not satisfying.”