Cara Drapala pulls up for a three-pointer in victory over Clarkstown North. Kam Boniello gains control of a rebound for the Foxes. Morgan Clinton scores left-handed layup for Fox Lane. Riley New leads fast break for Foxes. Fox Lane’s Cora Moore gets fouled as she tries to get off a shot. Jim MacLean Photos
By JIM MACLEAN
There was no secret to what the Fox Lane girls varsity basketball team was trying to do on the court as the Foxes hosted Clarkstown North on Dec. 5.
Fox Lane was relentless, all hustle and energy on both ends of the court. The Foxes turned up the pressure on defense with a full-court press, and the Foxes were running every chance they could on offense, and the result was an impressive 65-36 victory over the shell-shocked Rams.
With the win Fox Lane is off and running with two dominant victories to start the season, and the Foxes have no plan to slow down, according to coach Kris Matts.
“Clarkstown North is a scrappy team that doesn’t back down, and we just kept pushing and our success is predicated on our defense and our hustle and I felt that every girl got in and our energy level didn’t drop at all,” explained Matts. “We want to be able to run and gun and pressure teams defensively, and the head of the snake is Riley New, she’s the straw that stirs the drink, she barely came off the court and she isn’t even out of breath. Cara Drapala is our senior captain, and she’s an amazing shooter and she’s also a point guard, so with her and Riley running the court our guards are pretty incredible.”
Drapala and New definitely did the job against Clarkstown North. Drapala finished with 19 points to lead the Foxes in scoring. She nailed three three-pointers in the first half to help the Foxes jump out to a 33-11 lead at the half.
New was right behind her as she finished with 16 points while running the offense and leading the fast breaks.
However, it wasn’t just the two starting guards, as everyone got involved for the Foxes. Morgan Clinton also had a big game finishing in double figures with 12 points.
All 11 players got into the game and eight different players scored for Fox Lane. Dylan New scored six points, including five in the first quarter. Cora Moore finished with five points, and Kam Boniello scored four points. Amanda Mazzuca scored two points and Kayla Santos scored a point to round out the scoring for the Foxes.
Matts knows that he has a roster of talented multi-sport athletes from top to bottom and he plans to put that athleticism to use on the court.
“Give them a lacrosse stick or a soccer ball or a game of Parcheesi and they are going to be ready to compete,” Matts said of his team. “I feel blessed with so many players who can fill multiple roles. They are all very talented athletes and they showed it today, everybody played and everybody scored, assisted or had a steal. We’re going to run and gun all season long and we’re hard to guard, even our inside girls, Clinton, Boniello and Moore are all tweeners, they can run the court. Hopefully, we’re 2-0, and if they keep working hard this is just the start of good things to come.”
Fox Lane was off to a running start in the season opener as the Foxes hosted Lincoln on Dec. 3. The Foxes wasted no time jumping out to a 25-0 lead in the first quarter on their way to a 71-20 victory.
All 11 players on the roster got into the game and all 11 of them scored. Boniello had the hot hand in the first quarter and scored 10 points, as she was the only player to score in double figures. Clinton was next as she finished with nine points for the Foxes, all in the first half. Riley New scored all eight of her points in the first quarter, and Hailey Kraljevic also finished with eight points for the Foxes. Drapala had seven points, while Nora Dooley and Ava Shuster each scored six points. Santos scored five points, Natalie Mazzuca and Dylan New each scored four points. Moore and Amanda Mazzuca each scored two points to complete the scoring for Fox Lane.