Newman coach Herb Martin preaches to his team that defense wins championships.

The motto has the Comets one game away from taking home at least one more postseason plaque.

The No. 1 Comets beat No. 6 Galena 42-32 in Tuesday night’s Class 1A Eastland Sectional semifinals, advancing to face Wethersfield in Thursday’s sectional championship at 7 p.m. The No. 3 Flying Geese upset No. 1 Eastland 41-38.

Gisselle Martin led Newman with 13 points, Lucy Oetting had 10 and Veronica Haley added seven. Elaina Allen had six points and Anna Propheter had six off the bench.

Haley scored all seven of her points during the fourth quarter. She said the team’s defense set the tone.

“When we’re coming out there and we’re having a very strong defense and we’re all taking, it all comes together,” she said. “Like our coach says, defense wins championships.”

It was a defensive game for both sides as the Comets outscored the Pirates 19-12 in the second half.

Propheter hit a 3-pointer to put Newman up 10 in the fourth quarter and Haley had a three-point play. The two scored 10 of Newman’s 11 points in the final frame.

“Our coach has been getting on us for finishing off of two feet and going up strong,” Haley said. “I was very excited to get that and-1 and make my free throw.”

Coach Martin said the team played great defense, but it can still play even better.

“I think we kind of wore them out. Elaina Allen did a great job on their point guard,” he said. “Anna Propheter did a good job on playing defense, [Veronica] figured out some things, so I think we did well defensively.

“Like I always say, defense wins championships, and defense travels.”

Newman led 12-8 after the first quarter and 23-20 at halftime. An 8-4 third-quarter stretch helped the Comets pull away.

“I feel like our defense really brings the energy getting those timely steals and just rebounding the ball,” Oetting said. “I really think defense is what’s going to get us far.”

Leah Heller led the Pirates with 13 points and Chesnie Rosenthal had 10.

Oetting said the team stayed composed in the fourth quarter to close things out.

“Just having good passes and staying calm,” she said. “Not letting them speed us up.”

Newman beat Wethersfield 59-40 earlier in the season. With another strong defensive effort, the Comets could be taking home their first sectional title since 2009.

“I know that they’ve probably gotten better than from when we played them,” Martin said. “We’ll be ready for them when we play them on Thursday.”

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Newman’s Gisselle Martin hugs Elaina Allen after the Comets’ 42-32 win over Galena Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026, in the Class 1A sectional at Eastland High School. (Alex T. Paschal)