Needing just 2 points to reach 2,000 for her career, Nobles senior captain Katie Benzan darted into the lane Wednesday and weaved through Groton’s defense, dribbling to her right to beat one defender before shifting to her left to beat two more. Her milestone layup hung on the rim for a split second before dropping through the net, but when it did, Benzan’s teammates sprinted over to her to celebrate.
“It was rolling around the rim and I was like, ‘Please fall,’ ’’ Benzan said. “It was definitely some relief. I missed two threes prior to that and I was like, ‘Shoot, I need to get this.’ ’’
Benzan, who entered the game 12 points shy of 2,000 for her career, finished with 18 to help the Bulldogs (16-3) cruise to a 65-33 win over visiting Groton.
“Honestly it means a lot, ever since I’ve grown up this has been one of my goals,’’ said Benzan, who has played for Nobles for five years. “It’s been a hard trip, but to be here, to feel this, it’s incredible and it’s fantastic and I’m just so happy that I get to be able to experience this with a coach that I love, with kids that I love.’’
Benzan became the 64th athlete in Massachusetts history to reach the 2,000-point mark and the second from Nobles, joining Ayla Brown, who finished with 2,358 points in 2006.
“The great thing about seeing somebody like her get 2,000 points today is she’s earned it,’’ Nobles coach Alex Gallagher said. “She’s taken tens of thousands of shots, she is an absolute gym rat, and what I love most about her is she’s proud of the 2,000 points she’s got but she’s most proud of the 120 wins she’s had while she’s been a part of program.’’
The 5-foot-5-inch point guard has committed to Harvard next year. She is the reigning NEPSAC tournament MVP, a four-time New England and ISL champion, and was a 2015 Globe All-Scholastic.
“It’s pretty fantastic when your best player is also your hardest-working player and one of your most humble players and one of your most dedicated players,’’ Gallagher said. “The thing that I love about her is that throughout her entire career she was always told, ‘You’re too small, you’re too small, you’re too small,’ and all she did was overcome all of those obstacles and prove everybody wrong all the way throughout.’’
Bishop Fenwick 52, Andover 29 — Senior Sydney Brennan had 19 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 steals for the Crusaders.
Reading 56, Medford 49 — Senior guard Julia Sullivan lead the Rockets (4-15) with 13 points.
O'Bryant 38, East Boston 14 — Eighth-grader Jordyn Hunter-Coleman scored 14 points and grabbed eight rebounds to help lift the visiting Tigers.
Boys’ basketball
Marshfield 74, Barnstable 60 — The Rams came back from a first-half deficit to give coach Bob Fisher his 600th career win. Fisher has coached at Rockland, Quincy, and, for the last eight years, Marshfield. ‘‘I don’t know if it feels different than No. 1 or No. 10,’’ Fisher said. ‘‘I'm proud of the kids I've coached.’’
Catholic Memorial 93, West Roxbury 46 — Junior Ulyen Coleman scored 28 points for the Knights and senior Brandon Twitty added 25 in the win over the Raiders.
Boys’ hockey
Woburn 2, Reading 2 — One-hundred and twenty seconds from victory, the 10th-ranked Woburn Tanners (10-3-4) were starting to taste a signature win. The sizable home crowd at O’Brien Rink was ready to celebrate a comeback victory over eighth-ranked and Middlesex rival Reading (10-2-6).
At that point in the last period, which Woburn entered up by one goal, Tanners goalie Tommy Ferullo had an answer for all 12 shots Reading threw at him.
But the 13th shot — a slapper by Kevin Tobin — was the one that broke the goalie’s back, and tied the score at 2.
“I don’t know if I was even looking completely,’’ said Tobin, who scored despite being the only Rocket in the area. “But I was trying to get the puck to the net. It happened to go in, so I was happy with the outcome.’’
Waltham 2, Central Catholic 1 — Senior goalie Brendan Devlin had 29 saves as the Hawks (10-7-2) qualified for the Division 1 state tournament, beating the fourth-ranked Raiders.
Arlington Catholic 2, Austin Prep 1 — Cougars sophomore Mason Beecher scored his first high school goal, and senior forward Kevin Morrissey provided the game-winner.
WrestlingChelmsford 53, Lowell 9 — Fresh off winning the Division 1 dual-meet state championship, the Lions clinched the Merrimack Valley Conference title at home. Joe Neylon (120), Griffin Murray (132), Danny Bates (145), Davey Goodall (160), and Kyle McQuaid (182) all recorded pins for Chelmsford.
Globe correspondent Samuel Evers contributed from Woburn. More highlights on bostonglobe.com/schools
