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HHS Girls Basketball are the
2018 Suffolk County Class A Champions
The Hauppauge High School Girls Varsity Basketball Team entered the 2017-18 season as the #6 seed out of 8 teams. However, the Lady Eagles beat the #3, #2, and #1 seed by double digits and won the small school overall title by beating the Class B #1 seed by double digits.
The team didn’t get discouraged by its No. 6 seed in the Suffolk Class A playoffs. The Eagles didn’t feel downtrodden, and they certainly didn’t lose confidence. If anything, it added fuel to their fire. Facing undefeated and top-seeded Mount Sinai on Friday night, February 23, at Farmingdale State College, Hauppauge played a tight zone and made timely baskets, penning the latest chapter in its Cinderella story.
The Eagles beat the Mustangs, 51-40, to earn the county title for the first time since capturing the Class B championship in 1997. “A seed is just a number,” said guard Christina John, who scored 16 points and went coast to coast on a transition layup to make the score 44-34 with 2:04 remaining. “A lot of people underrate us just because of that number, but we just had to make sure we got after it, worked hard on defense and offense, and this is how we got here.”
Mount Sinai (22-1), which beat Hauppauge (16-7) in its season opener on a buzzer-beating three-pointer by Gabby Sartori in overtime, threatened in the fourth quarter, cutting the Eagles’ lead to 38-34 on Amanda Dowler’s short jumper. Sartori (11 points), Brooke Cergol (11) and Olivia Williams (eight) fought hard to score in a challenging defensive game.
Their efforts weren’t enough to withstand Christina John (16 points), Lindsey Devine (13 points) and 6’3” Lauren Romito, who had 11 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks. The three girls shot a combined 7-for-8 from the foul line in the final 1:31 to seal the win.
Hauppauge, which moved from Class AA to Class A this season, fell to the Nassau Class A Champion powerhouse, Elmont, in the Long Island Championship.
The Seniors on the Eagles’ team were Lindsey Devine, Christina John, Danielle Vetere, Cody Sutton, and Iz Constigliola. Lindsey Devine was the team Captain. Lindsey Devine, Kayla Bullard, Christina John, Lauren Romito were named All-League. Nicole Petrocelli was the League 5 Rookie of the Year.
Head Coach Jamie Edson said, “I am extremely proud of this group of young ladies and what they were able to accomplish both on and off the court.”