Through the first eight games of this season, the Huntington varsity girls’ basketball team has been perfect. The Blue Devils are 8-0 heading into tonight’s game at Centereach.
“It’s definitely an incredible feeling to know we have a chance of winning our league this year, especially entering the new year undefeated,” said All-County senior Emily Plachta, who leads Huntington in most statistical categories. “We work hard at every single practice and it pays off during games. As for the rest of the season, I think it’s looking pretty good. It’s super important to keep the high intensity atmosphere at all times, since teams are going to throw everything they have at us as we are leading our league right now.”
Over the next 20 days, Huntington will play six league games against Centereach, Copiague, Smithtown West, North Babylon, Smithtown East and Half Hollow Hills East.
“So far this season we have been looking really good,” junior Gianna Forte said. “We understand that we are one of the top teams to beat in Suffolk County so we all need to be working hard as a team. We had a really good week of practices and are excited to get back into league play.”
Mike Kaplan is the Blue Devils’ head coach with Marissa Bergmann serving as the varsity assistant. Albert Cardenas is a volunteer assistant. Katie Reilly is the junior varsity coach.
“Basketball season has been nothing but a blast so far,” senior Teddi Carnesi said. “Winning had been a highlight, but more so spending time with my teammates and coaches. We have an unbreakable bond and understanding of expectation on the court that a lot of other sports teams do not have. I am nothing but optimistic heading into the 2022 part of our season.”
Players are taking the season one game at a time and striving not to take any victory for granted. The coaches are pushing the team daily in practice.
“I couldn’t be happier with how the team and I have been playing,” senior Makaylah Frazier said. “I’m so glad I get to enter this new year with such great people and such a great team that I think we can go undefeated if we keep up the hard work.”
Some games have had to be rescheduled as a result of COVID-19 related quarantines. It’s a phenomenon that is occurring all across the state so the Blue Devils aren’t rattled by any of it.
“We have been performing extremely well together as a team,” senior Katie Browne said. “I can’t wait to continue our spectacular season into 2022. We’re expected to really excel against our upcoming competition. Now is the time that we must keep playing hard and putting in the work.”
