The fourth-grade girls St. Stephens CYO basketball team. (
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The eighth-grade girls St. Stephens CYO basketball team.
The fourth-grade girls, eighth-grade girls, and fifth-grade boys CYO basketball teams at Saint Stephens each had very successful seasons.
The season began with tryouts in October. Encouragement came from new CYO director Marijane Lamattina as well as Father Raynor who dropped in to shoot a few baskets with the teams.
Coached by Astrid Hagan and Dwight Herrmann, the fourth-grade girls team went undefeated in the regular season and winning the Orange County Championship game at Burke Catholic in early March. After the Orange County win, the girls played in the Arch Championship games where they defeated Rockland County champions Our Lady Sacred Heart from Tappan. Next, they defeated Ulster County champion Saint Mary’s for the Arch Championship title before coming up short in the archdiocese championship for their only loss of the season.
The leading scorer was Reece Blanton, followed by her sister, Payton Blanton and Ava Hagan. The girls were led on defense by Ellie Herrmann, Isla Reagan, and Jayden Connolly. Molly Brady and Taylor Gillen not only came up big with clutch baskets but their assists set up some of the biggest scores of the season.
The eighth-grade girls team also won the Orange County CYO championship while the fifth-grade boys made it to the Orange County championship game.