Clayton Ward scored a game high 18 points and grabbed six rebounds to pace the Huntington High School boys’ basketball team to a 58-41 season opening victory over Newfield in Louis D. Giani gymnasium.
Ward connected on three three-pointers and added a block and a steal to lead the Blue Devils to the first victory of new head coach Ken Parham’s career with the program. The largest crowd in several years watched the action play out.
Max Rentsch turned in a great performance, too. The senior tallied 11 points, 14 rebounds five steals and an assist. Hunter Borenstein and Kevin Drake dropped eight points each.
Huntington was hot from the opening tipoff. The Blue Devils opened a 15-9 lead after eight minutes and led 29-16 at halftime. “The energy from the jump was what got us this win,” said senior Dylan Coleman , who scored six points and added three assists, three rebounds and a steal.
Huntington outscored the Wolverines in the second half, 29-25. Charlie Girimoni had five points, including a long three pointer in the fourth period.
Henry Vohs went two-for-two from the free throw line and added two rebounds, an assist and a steal. Aidan McNulty pulled down three rebounds and had two steals and an assist. Drake had three rebounds, three assists and two steals. Borenstein tallied four rebounds and an assist.
The Blue Devils played a good game considering it was the season opener with a new coach and several new faces in the lineup.
“It was a great first game,” Parham said. “I’m very happy with the effort and receptiveness of the entire team. They show me every day how passionate they are, which definitely came out during the first game.”
Huntington plays a non-league game at Walt Whitman on Friday night at 7:15 p.m. The Blue Devils host Smithtown West on Tuesday, December 7 at 5:45 p.m. in the league schedule opener.