Patty Connolly wants her team to play with more offensive balance. She wants them to spread the ball around more and avoid relying on one player.

And it only took one game for the girls of Hopkinton High basketball to learn how.

After losing star center Kelly Flynn in the first two minutes of their season opener, the Hawks were forced to provide some offense without their leading scorer and rebounder.

Hopkinton walked away with a 47-42 win over Campbell on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

“It was scary watching Kelly go down with a sprained ankle,” Connolly said. “But they know I expect more than just Kelly scoring, so it almost helped make them learn to stay in a game while she’s out.”

Though Flynn returned in the third quarter, Connolly said the team showed it could handle the pressure. Helping lead the Hawks was sophomore Lily Smith. The second-year varsity player brings a strong presence under the boards.

Flynn is joined by returning seniors Kathryn Fuller and Jessie Rice, but shares co-captaining duties with Ashley Brewster.

Guard Brittany Fleury, along with Brewster, returns to the squad as a multi-sport athlete.

On Friday, Dec. 8, Hopkinton faced off against Newport, which ended the Hawks’ season in last year’s Class M semifinals. Both teams got off to a sloppy start, totaling 15 fouls in the first half.

The Tigers took home a 46-43 win, but seeing solid pass distribution during the loss bolstered Connolly’s confidence.

“We absolutely feel pressure that this has to be our year [to win a championship],” said Connolly. “But it’s a good motivation, not an overbearing one. I like our look on offense and defense overall, now we just have to put it all together and we’ll be fine.”