WINSTED — For the last four years, Emily Arel of Gilbert and Maddie Topa of Northwestern have been hurtling toward their final showdown, etching their names into the CIAC girls basketball history books along the way.
But beyond the rivalry, record books and legacies, the two stars who attend schools separated by three miles, share something even more meaningful, a friendship built on mutual respect and a love of the game.
Friday in front of a packed Northwestern gym in their final regular season game against each other, the two top scorers in Berkshire League history staged an unforgettable duel in which they combined for 91 points in an overtime thriller won by Gilbert.
“We both scored over 40 points. We are both competitors and we are going to go at each other on the court but when we step off, we are good friends and we have a good relationship,” Topa said. “It’s a fun rivalry and I am kind of sad it’s over.”
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They do not always cover each other but the two go hard at one and other when the opportunity presents itself. Topa went to the basket and was hacked across both arms by Arel at one point Friday. As Topa neared the free throw line, Arel tapped her on the hip to let her friend know it was all just part of the game.
While they are fierce high school rivals, the two first met and became teammates in sixth grade playing for Winsted travel and Valley United in AAU basketball and have played together at various stops outside the high school season. Topa lives in New Hartford but came to play for Winsted travel for coach Kurt Root because her town did not have a team.
They took to each other immediately with a bond forged in their competitive natures and have remained friends despite playing for rival high schools
The final regular season game between them was one more chapter in a rivalry that has always been about more than just the score.
“It’s the best feeling (playing against Topa),” Arel said. “You get that adrenaline rush and we have some grit with each other but it is all family stuff. With a packed gym and Northwestern fans yelling at me and Gilbert fans yelling at her, it is the best atmosphere.”
The two have followed similar paths since their high school careers began and this season, rewrote the Berkshire League history books while both also joined the exclusive 2,000-point club.
“It is obviously more fun to play with her, but when we play against each other it’s always a battle,” Topa said. “She is a great scorer and gets a lot of assists a game and it is hard to stop her. We are different types of players but both team players. It has been a fun rivalry for four years.”
First, Arel broke the Berkshire League record of 1,924 points held by Tracy Stolle, who set the mark at Wamogo in 1995. Topa followed her, passing Stolle a few games later.
Then, Arel became the 22nd CIAC girls basketball player to reach the 2,000 point mark and later gained the overall Berkshire League record of 2,149 points set by Dave Vigeant of Litchfield in 1979.
Arel, who will play at Post University, is now seventh on the girls state’s all-time scoring list at 2,248. Topa joined Arel in the 2,000-point club with a free throw in the first quarter of Friday’s game. Topa is now 21st on the all-time list with 2,045 points.
Killingly's Tracy Lis is the state girls career scoring leader with 3,681 points.
“I am so grateful to be able to share that moment with her because she is a great player and I have always had so much respect for her,” Arel said. “Knowing we are both able to accomplish the dreams we have had since we were little is so awesome.”
The two have faced each other 10 times in their high school careers with Northwestern holding a 7-3 advantage. The two could meet again in the upcoming Berkshire League Tournament, which Gilbert has not won since 1987.
Gilbert beat Northwestern in their freshmen season and again in the regular season last year, but getting the win Friday had Arel overjoyed.
“This was the biggest game to beat them,” Arel said. “I am on top of the world right now, I can’t even talk.”
Being at a loss for words is not typical of the gregarious Arel who is as talkative on the court as she is off it. She is constantly talking to teammates, referees and her coaches as she dives on the floor for loose balls and barrels from one end of the court to the other with seemingly boundless energy.
At 5-foot-4, the point guard is a sparkplug for the Yellow Jackets and an unlikely candidate to be one of the CIAC’s all-time leading scorers. However, Arel can drain deep 3-pointers and is equally as skilled going to the basket off the dribble and scoring or dishing to an open player.
“She is a unicorn, you are not going to see a player like her for a long time, if you ever see one like her again,” Gilbert coach Kurt Root said. “Unless you get a 6-3 girl in here. It will be hard for a guard to break that record. It’s insane to have 2,000. 1,000 is so hard and she doubled that.”
By contrast, Topa, who will play at Eastern Connecticut, is quieter with a calm and cool vibe on and off the court, but is equally skilled in her game. At 5-foot-10, Topa’s game is different than Arel’s, but just as well rounded with the ability to shoot outside, handle the ball and get to the basket.
“She is a unique and special player,” Northwestern coach Fred Williams said. “To average 500 points a season is pretty neat. She was willing to put the team on her back today and she did all she could to get it done.”
Their names will echo through not only the Berkshire League but the state for all time because of what they accomplished.
The two hope their friendship lasts just as long.
Feb 10, 2025
Sports Writer/Podcast Host
Scott Ericson is a high school sports writer with GameTimeCT, focusing on boys soccer, girls basketball, baseball and football. Co-hosts the "High and Tight" baseball podcast. Lifelong Connecticut resident, thinks Roseland Apizza in Derby is the best in the state.