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Aquinas High School won its first Catholic high school girls basketball state championship since 2006 by beating St. Joseph’s of Brooklyn, 49-40, for the B Division crown at Fordham University on March 11.
Kira Villegas scored 16 points and Ronella Kennedy contributed 13 points for Aquinas. The Bronx school is coached by Roger Collier and Greg Saunders.
“It’s fantastic after such a long period of time (without a title),” Aquinas athletic director Elizabeth Breden told CNY. “They worked very hard to get where they are and we hope they do well at the federation tournament.’’
Aquinas (19-4), which defeated Long Island champion Holy Trinity at Sacred Heart in Yonkers for its state semifinal win on March 10, receives a semifinal bye into the federation title game at the Glens Falls Civic Center at 2 p.m. on Sunday, March 26.
Mary Louis Academy 66, Msgr. Scanlan 55 – Msgr. Scanlan suffered a third loss this season and the second in less than a week to Mary Louis Academy in the AA Division state Catholic championship game at Fordham on March 11.
The two teams were tied at 51 before Mary Louis used a 15-4 run in overtime. Kateri Poole led Msgr. Scanlan with 19 points.
Scanlan advanced to the title game by beating Long Island champion St. Anthony’s, 53-49, the previous night at St. John’s Prep in Queens. Kateri scored 14 points, including a 3 point field goal to give her team the lead in the final minute, and added five assists.
Kellenberg 49, St. Joseph by-the-Sea 46 – St. Joseph by-the-Sea of Staten Island lost to the Long Island champion in an A Division semifinal at Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville March 10.
Brianna Robisky scored 19 points to lead the Vikings, who finished the season at 19-10.
Kellenberg (14-7) won the state title the next night at Fordham with a 53-44 win over Sacred Heart of Buffalo.
WIAA championship – Montfort Academy of Mount Vernon defeated Education First Academy of Thornwood, 39-29, for a fourth consecutive Westchester Independent Athletic Association title March 2.
Colleen Daly, Marcela Lara and Carolina Davis each scored nine points for the Lady Knights.
“I’ve been coaching the Montfort Lady Knights basketball team for the past four seasons and I have never been more proud of a team and what they were able to accomplish,” said Montfort coach Mike Flanagan. “I’m very happy for the girls that all of their hard work and effort turned into an undefeated season and a fourth consecutive WIAA championship.’’
