Manchester High’s Mary and Megan Cardarelli

The Windsor High gym was packed in a Friday Night Lights kind of way with television crews and print media capturing every moment of the CCC girls high school basketball championship game.

Manchester High athletic trainer Mary Cardarelli wasn’t sitting too far from the Indians’ bench, but she was off the clock and had shifted into her role as senior forward Megan Cardarelli’s mom. The decibel levels escalated as the game progressed, especially when Manchester cut Glastonbury High’s consistent 10 point lead down to just a pair in the waning moments, but Mary’s contribution to the mayhem was minimal.

“I’m very quiet,” Mary said of her demeanor at athletics events. “I’m pretty even keeled most of the time – no, all of the time. As a parent, the only time I ever got exited was when Megan made a shot from half court to beat East Catholic. Then, I was kind of a parent.”

Megan’s buzzer beater in a tie game on Valentine’s Day 2011 gave the Indians a 57-54 victory over their cross-town rivals. On Friday, she hit a three-pointer at the half-time buzzer with her team down by 11, showing Glastonbury that Manchester was still interested. And in the final minute of that game, she drove to the basket for a key layup to help keep the game, which would ultimately belong to Glastonbury, alive.

“Megan is an outside threat,” according to MHS head coach John Reiser. “When she gets it going she can really help us in a hurry. And she has been taking it to the basket a little more lately.”

Megan’s mom was known as Mary Neubelt when she was a multi-sport star at Manchester High. Mary went on to play one season at UConn in the pre-Geno era and was the trainer for the UConn men when they won the 1988 NIT title and its first Big East title in 1990.

Mary, whose college career was cut short by injuries, was a different type of player than her daughter, using her height at the post to collect rebounds. And all of her shots were taken from 10 or 15 feet from the basket.

Despite the difference in style, Mary appreciates her daughter’s game.

“She has done well defensively and blocked more shots this year than I have seen her do in the past,” Mary said of the 5’ 10” Megan. “She’s not as quick as some of the other girls on the team, but she has good anticipation and reads the game well.”

Reiser, who began his quest for a third Class LL Championship on Monday night with an 83-44 victory over New Canaan, also recognizes Megan’s work in the backcourt.

“She can defend a variety of different people,” said Reiser, who has a 232-52 record in 11 seasons at MHS. His 2002-03 and 2004-05 teams won state titles and he went into Thursday night’s game with 399 wins, including 13 seasons on the boy’s side. “She can go against the guards with her length and she can cover the bigger people for us too. It’s nice having her in that wing position where she can do a lot of different things for us.”

The #6 seeded Indians were 21-4 overall before hosting Thursday night’s second round game against #11 West Haven (17-4).

Megan has a number of offers to play next year – including one from her dad, Bill Cardarelli, the athletic director at St. Joseph’s – but hasn’t made a decision yet. Mary Cardarelli and Reiser both feel Megan will be a solid college player at the Division III level.

“Because of her experience here and AAU exposure she will probably have a chance to develop into a better college player,” Mary said.

“She is just going to get better and better,” said Reiser. “Megan is a good teammate, very supportive and she brings it every day.”

For now, Reiser hopes to have both Cardarellis with him for another week – one on the floor hitting timely shots and causing havoc in the defensive end, and the other sitting close by. Quietly.

Editor's Note: Manchester High defeated West Haven 56-34 Thursday night in the second round of the CIAC Class LL state tournament.