Last modified: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 12:18 AM EST Durfee puts scare into Feehan BY PETER GOBIS / SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Two of the great names in Durfee High School basketball history were on the verge of creating the Hilltoppers' best victory of the season, a potential stunning upset. This was on the girls' basketball floor, and Kenny Fiola and Jed McDonald were smiling brightly as their daughters - Lauren and Kate respectively - had the unbeaten Bishop Feehan High Shamrocks thinking twice, exerting more energy than normally exercised. Lauren Fiola, the Hilltoppers' six-foot sophomore center-forward produced 30 points, grabbed 16 rebounds and blocked three shots. Kate McDonald, the Hilltoppers' fiery sophomore guard - playing with two broken fingers - was deft and daring all over the floor. And yet, the Hilltoppers had to return to Fall River 15 points shy of Bishop Feehan, the Shamrocks securing a 63-48 victory Tuesday night. In the Shamrocks' most competitive test of the season, Bishop Feehan extended its unbeaten streak to 13 games behind 27 points from Amy Lepley, 11 points from Christina Perez and a pair of steals and a pair of free throws from Jenna Roncarati, all within the final three minutes of the momentum-swinging third quarter. "These are tough kids. They work hard," related Durfee High coach Tony Martin of his Hilltoppers (5-7), already without junior guard Julian Plasski (ACL surgery). "We're getting better, I'm very proud of the effort that we made against one of the best teams around." The Shamrocks never trailed, but were forever challenged by the Hilltoppers. Bishop Feehan led by four at halftime (30-26) and by four (38-34) with just under three minutes left in the third quarter when the Shamrocks made three consecutive impact plays. Perez drove the left baseline for a la-yin to create a six-point lead with 2:54 remaining. Then Roncarati stole the show, literally. She stole the ball on Durfee's ensuing possession, the result being a bucket for Lepley. Then Roncarati stole the ball again on the Hilltoppers' next trip up the floor, the result being a 15-foot jumper by Perez and a 10-point margin for Feehan. Roncarati finished off the flurry of eight-straight Shamrock points with a pair of free throws. "At a couple of points there I thought that we had them, but (Durfee) came right back at us," said Feehan coach Mike Deady. "To our credit, our kids met the challenge." In truth, Durfee even then refused to surrender, trailing by as many as 12 two minutes into the fourth quarter. Eight points from the hand of Fiola (four on passes from McDonald) pulled the Hilltoppers to within seven (55-48) of the Shamrocks with just over a minute left. But then Roncarati came up with another pair of steals, setting up four more points for Lepley. The Shamrocks, who have limited six of their foes to 40 points or less this season, allowing an average of just 41 per game, presented a sturdy man-to-man defensive assignment against Durfee in the first quarter - the Hilltoppers shooting just 4-for-15 from the floor. Six points by Lepley and five from Perez helped Feehan create a 10-point (15-5) lead, the Shamrocks having scored the first seven points of the game. But Fiola, McDonald and the Hilltoppers can take an elbow or two. Fiola scored the final six points of the first quarter and neither the Hilltoppers nor Shamrocks would back down. Fiola totaled nine points and six rebounds in the first quarter and came back for eight points and four rebounds in the second quarter, while the Hilltoppers' two freshmen - 5-foot-8 Denisha Parks and 5-11 Toni Fenn - were not shy about banging the backboard either. Lepley scored 11, second-quarter points for the Shamrocks, drilling a pair of late trifectas from the left side. Durfee was never able to pull even with the Shamrocks. Bishop Feehan resumes its Eastern Athletic Conference schedule Friday at home against Bishop Connolly.