McCallion
Quest
Hazel Girls Squeak pat Lisgar in Season Opener? Elsohemy sinks free throw in last minute to kick off the season in style.
CAN THEY MAKE IT SIX CHAMPIONSHIPS IN A ROW???
By: Christie Park & Edited By: Melissa Jung
On Tuesday,
January 17th, HMC’s Sr. Girls Basketball team kicked off
the 2006 regular season with their first league game at Lisgar Middle
School. The girls were heading into the game with a positive feeling, coming
of a 3rd place finish at the annual Thomas St. Tip-Off
tournament. Although it was upsetting to have lost in the semis with the
absence of three key players, they took away from the tournament that they
were a very competitive team.
Though the pressure was on them because Hazel McCallion has
won the title five consecutive years in a row, the team put that on their
backs and called it a new team and a new year. They just headed into the
game thinking nothing else, but playing hard, playing together, and being
prepared for anything from the opposing team
McCallion, in the white, controlled the tip and the game was underway.
Through the first half, it was all Hazel basketball. It was as if they were
conducting the game, dictating the pace from the beginning. Everything was
going right for HMC. Shots were falling, players were helping out, screens,
cuts, plays, passing, rebounding, boxing out, blocks, and most importantly
the defense, a tradition at Hazel over the last 6 years, was tough. At the
break, the score was 10 – 4 for Hazel.
In the second half, the momentum started to shift. Lisgar got a couple
quick baskets and Hazel’s ‘D’ wasn’t looking as sharp. Coaches Engeland and
Trask took a time-out to re-organize things and to get the girls back to
playing like they did in the first fifteen minutes. The short discussion
helped them. After getting back on court, the rest of the game was tight; a
basket on one end, basket on the other, back and forth the entire half. The
final minute approached but Hazel had let the game slip and the game was now
tied at 14. 6 years of going undefeated in league play was now in jeopardy.
Salma Elsohemy drove hard to the basket and picked up the foul. She missed
the first shot, but the second was good. Hazel was up by one! It was the
Lions’ possession, and they couldn’t manage to get a basket as Hazel’s
defense stood strong. It came down to the last seconds, and fortunately
Hazel held on.
As the clock counted down its remaining seconds, HMC ran down the clock and
pulled off a close, but sweet victory, 15-14. The girls shook hands as they
celebrated their first W, a great way to start off another season. Way to
go girls! You all played amazing! Keep it up! Team members are: Christie
Park, Melissa Jung, Alexis Blair, Sabrina Jethmalani, Allie Fotopolous,
Amanda Keith, Jen Reid, Salma Elsohemy, Desiree Charles, Jasmine Williams,
Kayla Murrell, and Daina Levy. Next up… Thomas Street. Stay tuned for a
game report.
J