Blue Devil Offense Ignites Big League Win

On a night when the Huntington varsity girls’ basketball team needed a big victory, 11 separate players scored to lift the Blue Devils over host Newfield, 51-24 and improve to 6-4 overall.

Huntington went on an early 10-1 run and led at halftime, 27-8. The Blue Devils have been struggling to score and it cost them four winnable games. But on this night, Junior Lauren Donaghy dropped 19 points, including four three-pointers and freshman Ava McDonald had nine points, seven assists and four steals to pace the team.

Huntington put the game away in the third period by outscoring the Wolverines, 21-4. The Blue Devils are hoping the victory ignites a string of wins over the next three weeks and propels them into the post-season.

The offensive onslaught included six points from Madyn Kalb and four points from Kayleigh Bender. Kaylee Smalling scored three points and Jolie Weinschreider, Jessica Maixner, Reese Rinaldi and Ruby Hoffman each had two points. Both Grace Gordon and Isabella Palacios scored a point at the free throw line.

Huntington has nine league games remaining including home games against Bellport, Centereach, Deer Park, Newfield and West Babylon and away contests at West Babylon, Smithtown East, West Islip and Half Hollow Hills East.

Huntington’s defense has been among the best in Suffolk, but it has struggled mightily offensively. The key to the rest of the season is scoring.

The league title is clearly still up for grabs and the Section XI Class AA bracket is equally wide open. Huntington holds it ultimate destiny in its own hands at this point of the season.