CROMWELL - Normally missing your first six shots of a game is hard to recover from, but not when you don’t let the opposing team have the ball.

       Cromwell won the opening-tip of their Shoreline Conference bout against Valley Regional and proceeded to miss their first half-dozen shots before senior Araya Lessard hauled down the team’s sixth offensive rebound and completing an old-fashioned three-point play.

       All this happened before the visiting Warriors from Deep River had a chance to touch the basketball.

       The opening-possession was a sign of things to come, as Cromwell cruised to a 69-20 victory at Jake Salafia Gymnasium, maintaining their perfect record through the first seven games of the season.

       The convincing victory was Cromwell’s eighteenth win in a row against their conference foes, dating back to 2006.

       It was yet another impressive offensive performance from the Panthers, who are clicking on all cylinders, scoring over 60 points in five of their first seven games.

       â€�"Everyone is on the same page and everything is just flowing,” forward Mya Villard said about the team’s offensive efficiency. â€�"No one is selfish and the ball moves around. We find the open people and we execute.”

       Villard led all Panthers with 13 points. The senior, who does a little of everything on the court, leads the team in scoring this season, including a season-high 28 in a win over Newtown Dec. 22.

       The game turned out to be a mismatch after Valley Regional took their only lead early in the game when they scored back-to-back buckets following Lessard’s three-point play. A long jump shot Nikki Bitinaitis regained the lead and Cromwell dominated the rest of the half, outscoring Valley Regional 33-6, including an 11-point run to end the half.

       Bitinaitis scored all nine of her points over the first 16 minutes and added six steals. The junior point guard is the only non-senior in the starting lineup.

       Lessard, Villard, Alyssa Wright and Emma Belcourt are the four other starters. The handful has a rapport on the court that is undeniable.

       â€�"We’ve all played together a long time, so we all know where everyone is going to be and what is happening,” added Villard. â€�"Nikki just jells right in.”

       The starters continued to thrive in the second half, outscoring the Warriors 17-6 in the third, giving the team a comfortable 53-16 lead entering the final eight minutes.

       The fab-five rested during the final quarter, giving the team’s younger stars an opportunity to shine. The reserves scored all 16 fourth-quarter points, led by sharp-shooting sophomore Kelsea Corcoran, who drained three triples in the quarter. Junior Geanna Williams, who played in all four quarters, also added nine points off the bench.

       â€�"I think they’re comfortable,” Villard said about the team’s young bench. â€�"We’re comfortable as a team and everybody knows their roles. It’s been a team effort.”

       The Panthers followed up the victory over Valley Regional by going on the road last Thursday and pasting the Huskies of Morgan, 58-40, in Clinton. The two schools have developed a heated rivalry and the 18-point win was Cromwell second consecutive victory over Morgan, after losing the previous four.

       The following night, the team returned home and dominated Hale Ray 63-14, extending their record to 9-0.

       The early-season success is great, but the team’s ultimate goal is a return to the Class M championship game, which they played in last season at Mohegan Sun. The Panthers lost to St. Joseph in the title game, but this season the hardwood hoopsters have a year more of experience under their belts.

       â€�"It feels good,” Villard said about the team’s undefeated start. â€�"But we’re trying to get back to Mohegan.”

       Villard referred to the team’s quest as the â€�"Run to the Sun” and indicated that the motivated team wants nothing less than a shot at redemption.

       The Panthers have become a perennial powerhouse in the postseason and, if they are able to make it back to the championship game, it would be their fourth title appearance in the last six seasons, dating back to 2011.

       The tournament success is a real testament to the coaching job done by head coach Kelly Maher, who is in the midst of leading her girls to their seventh-straight 20-win season and hopes to capture the team’s first title since 2013, when they went undefeated and won all of their tournament games by double-figures, before downing Norte Dame-Fairfield to capture the Class M title.

       The next chance to witness the perfect Panthers is this Friday against Coginchaug Regional, who they have defeated ten straight times. Game tips at 7 p.m. inside Cromwell High School.