Blue Devil Girls' Hoopsters Set to Score
Mike Kaplan has taken control of the Huntington High School girls' basketball program. While the new coach might employ a different philosophy and style than his predecessor, the Blue Devils will have the same commitment to winning they always have displayed.
Kaplan was hired after Brad Reminick left the girls' program to become head coach of Huntington's varsity boys' basketball squad. The new coach and his players have been working hard while learning more about each other. It's a new era for the Blue Devil girls and the team is excited to begin playing games.
"We are looking to put a lot of pressure on teams," Kaplan said about his squad. "We have a lot of different looks defensively and want to cause a lot of problems on the defensive end. We want to play a fast paced game."
Huntington is led by senior captains Jackie Waldron and Emma Hayes-Hurley. Waldron earned All-League honors last winter and worked extensively in the off-season in an effort to become one of Suffolk's best players. "She causes a lot of mismatch problems for most teams because she can post-up and shoot from the outside," Kaplan said.
As the team's point guard Hayes-Hurley "is going to run the show and put a lot of pressure on opposing guards," Kaplan said. "She's very fast and athletic."
Sophomore Raynisha Witherspoon is another key cog in the Blue Devil machine. She'll be counted on to crash the offensive and defensive boards and continue her great low-post play.
Eighth grader Heather Forster shows all the early signs of being the same type of special player her sister Julie was during an outstanding Blue Devil career. Julie is now starring at the University at Albany but Heather appears ready to step up and cause problems defensively for Huntington's opponents while grabbing plenty of rebounds.
Senior Courtney O'Bryan just might be the team's sleeper player. "She's a slasher to the basket and a great defender," Kaplan said. The team's reserves have the experience and talent to step on the floor and make a difference when called upon.
"We have a good mix of senior leaders that can help lead the younger girls to success," Kaplan said. "We keep getting better each day and have high expectations. We will only get better the more comfortable every one gets."