AUGUSTA – Even halftime couldn’t stop Kayla Cummings. The junior forward scored 10 straight points Wednesday, six to end the first half and another four to start the second. She finished with a game-high 18 to lead her Edward Little girls’ basketball team to a 49-36 win over Cony.

“I just worked hard,” said Cummings. “I tried to keep my body in control. I tried to stay focused on the goal, and I did whatever was working at the time.”

It is the third straight year EL has beaten the Rams, but Wednesday was the first time in Augusta. With its entire roster returning and a coaching staff that has been a constant with this group, Coach Craig Jipson says that makes a difference.

“One thing that really helps is the continuity,” said Jipson, who is assisted by Chris Cifelli, Bill Walton and Elaine Keene. “This is our fourth year in a row with the same coaching staff. Our JV and freshmen coaches come to practice every day. They work individually with girls on what they need to improve on. That’s a huge, huge plus.”

With Cumming’s play in the paint and some perimeter shooting from Francesca Lally and Kirsten Prue, EL used the kind of inside-outside attack that Cony has thrived on for years. Prue finished with 15 while Lally had 12.

“We have such good shooters from the outside; it’s so easy for me to do my job inside,” said Cummings. “I credit a lot of what I get on the inside to them for spreading out the defense.”

EL’s defense did a nice job frustrating the Cony offense. After hitting three of its six shots in the first quarter, the Rams went 8-for-36 the rest of the way. Cony had to live with its outside shot, and EL made them work for their open looks. At one point, Cony went 5:57 without scoring and 8:52 without a field goal.

“We got fortunate that a lot of their 3s didn’t go, and we didn’t give up a lot of second shots,” said Jipson.

Chelsea Arbour led Cony (1-1) with 17.

“They ran some plays off some screens and hit big shots,” said Cony coach Karen Sirois. “When you hit big shots and play a good matchup zone, they’re tough.”

EL opened the lead in the second quarter. Cony shot just 1-for-9 and the Red Eddies finished the half with a 12-3 run.

Down 12-11 midway through the quarter, Prue hit a jumper and followed with a 3-pointer for a quick 16-12 lead. After a Kayla Belanger free throw for Cony, Prue and Mackenzie Dufour traded free throws. Then Cummings scored six straight. She hit a pair of free throws. She added a shot in the post and finished off a pass from Prue at the last second.

“Kayla Cummings had a great game inside,” said Jipson. “She hit some foul shots with the pressure on. Frankie Lally and Kirsten Prue shot the ball great tonight.”

Cummings scored on a rebound and hit two foul shots to start the half. Then Lally hit a jumper for a 29-15 lead.

The Rams made a run late in the third when Arbour scored eight straight points and cut the deficit to 29-23, but Cummings answered with a rebound and then set up Prue for a 3-pointer. Lally drilled another three to end the quarter up 37-25.

“We just had to stay focused,” said Cummings. “They’re a good team and they’re going to make runs. We’re a good team, and we’re going to make runs too. We just had to stay focused on our game and do what we do.”

An Arbour 3-pointer and a Dufour drive got Cony within 39-30 in the fourth, but Cummings scored on a rebound and a three by Lally boosted the lead to double digits again.

“When it’s one shot and you’re done and they get the ball and score, it slows the pace down,” said Sirois. “Then you play a halfcourt game against a matchup zone, and that’s tough.”