Sports Wrap Up: Stepinac Plays Best Game of the Season Defeating St. Raymond’s 83-68

BOYS BASKETBALL

Stepinac

There are times when a basketball team comes together and gets everything right and plays a game that leaves their fans filled with excitement. On Sunday the Stepinac Crusaders despite missing one of their best players Walter King, who injured his ankle in a game on Saturday in their victory over Mt. St. Michaels, were able to play a splendid game of basketball and knock off a very skilled St. Raymond’s squad 83-88 to improve to 15-5 on the 2012-2013 season.

Senior Josh James owned the first half of the game against St. Raymond’s. The Monmouth bound guard hit a mid range jump shot to put the Crusaders on the scoreboard. Several plays later he knocked down a successful 3-point shot. Two possessions later James scored on a beautiful drive to the basket. At the end of the first quarter the Crusaders held a 16-13 advantage.

James ignited the Crusaders’ offense early in the second quarter by scoring his team’s first seven points of the quarter. The Crusaders increased their lead in this quarter through teamwork. Malik Omess came off the bench and made a significant contribution. Omess is one of the Crusaders’ best passers of the basketball. He always knows where his teammates are on the court and gets them the ball at the right time. At the half the Crusaders had a 37-24 lead.

St. Raymond’s made a small run at the Crusaders in the beginning of the third quarter. At one point St. Raymond’s cut the Crusaders lead down to just eight points. When it looked liked the tide of the game might be turning in the other direction several Crusaders came up with some key defensive stops and they hit some very important shots. Senior guard James Decker hit two big 3-pointers in the closing minutes of the third quarter to end St. Raymond’s offensive run. By the end of the quarter the Crusaders extended their lead to 60-40.

At the end of the game Josh James led all scorers in the game with 34 points. After the game Crusaders assistant coach Ralph Russo said the Crusaders worked extremely hard on team defense and preparing to stop St. Raymond’s strong inside game.

This week the Crusaders will play at Christ the King, and then at home versus Monsignor Scanlan and Burke Catholic.

 

GIRLS BASKETBALL

 

Good Counsel

On Friday the Cougars had a wonderful opportunity to make a run at first place in their league when they played at Preston High School in the Bronx. The two teams had met earlier in the season and the Cougars lost to Preston. It looked like the two teams were headed for a classic dual on the hardwood. Before the game the Cougars squad was hit hard when two senior starters decided to break team rules and had to face disciplinary actions by head coach and school athletic director Maura Lynch. The two seniors were ruled ineligible to play on Friday afternoon.

The Cougars put up a strong fight despite missing two starters. They lost to Preston but the Cougars played their hearts out to make the game as close as they could. Junior Johanna Levine had 15 points in the game to lead her team in scoring. Jackie O’Shea played a very solid game according to Lynch. Gaelle Desroches scored four points and Colleen Wall added three points.

 

INDOOR TRACK

We’re getting very close to the end of the regular season for indoor track. In the next couple of weeks the best of the best will be weeded out through various postseason meets in which the competition will get more talented with each week. This past Friday was the Suffern Invitational at Rockland Community College.

White Plains Boys

It was a wonderful meet for the Tigers. They finished in third place out of 32 teams.

Senior Tyler Ford was victorious in the 55 meter dash and Jay Martin took fourth in the 55 meter hurdles. Chris Cardon one of the top cross country runners in the area is competing at shorter distances this winter. At the Suffern Invitational he finished fourth in the 1000 meter run.

Thomas Johnson kept crushing in the triple jump competition winning yet another meet and he managed a third-place finish in the long jump.

The Tigers 4 x 200 meter relay finished fourth out of 27 teams.

 

Sleepy Hollow Boys

Will Stallings finished an impressive fifth place in the 55 meter dash and the 4 x 200 meter relay team was fifth out of 27 teams.

 

White Plains Girls

In the 600 meter run Rachel Okun ran a great race and ended up in eighth place. The 4 x 800 meter relay finished in 10^th place in the meet.

 

Sleepy Hollow Girls

Gabrielle Maldonado took third in the 300 meter dash.