As our colleague Nancy Haggerty has reported on over the past months, Kennedy Catholic will be leaving Section 1. Kudos to Nancy for doing a fabulous job staying on top of this story. It’s one that has been hotly contested and it wasn’t always clearly defined if Kennedy was staying or leaving the Section. You can read the story by clicking here.
By Marcela Rojas
Photo credit/Ricky Flores – The Journal News
OSSINING— The energizing rat-tat-tat of drums echoed through the halls of Ossining High School Monday afternoon as students trailed the girls’ basketball team into the gymnasium for a rally to celebrate their first state title.
Students and faculty gathered to cheer on the Pride team that clinched the school’s first state basketball championship on Saturday in an 86-69 victory over Section 5’s Gates Chili. The Class AA girls basketball finals were held at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy.
“It’s a great feeling. I went to school here,” said Ossining head coach Dan Ricci (shown above). “We thank the community for all their support.”
Ricci said this was Ossining High’s first athletic team to win a state championship since the cross country team in 1967.
The crowd applauded the 16-member team as each of the basketball players was called out onto the gymnasium floor.
During Saturday’s victory, Saniya Chong scored 34 points and had six assists and four steals. The senior is headed to the University of Connecticut.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling. I’m just overwhelmed with happiness,” said Chong. “It’s a great way to end it.”
The Pride heads to the Federation Tournament final on Saturday at Albany’s Times Union Center to face the winner of the game between PSAL champion Murry Bergtraum and CHSAA champion Bishop Ford.
“I’m very proud of the job Coach Ricci and all the girls did,” said Ossining High School Principal Joshua Mandel. “I’m so happy not only for the high school but for the entire Ossining community.”
10 Comments
Great stuff! Congrats to the team and Oss community. What a great turnout in Troy. More than double, if not triple, any other crowd up there.
congrats to Ossining and Irvington..perhaps Albertus and Lourdes should also go into the CHSAA..after all they are Catholic Schools and the CHSAA is a Catholic school league
Any updates on exceptional senior rosters?
Not at the moment, Daniele said he was waiting for other coaches to submit seniors. As soon as we learn anything, you will all be the first to know.
Thanks Mike, great job this season..are you guys doing previews of federation finals?
Phil and I are both doing features on our local teams, which will be running in the paper on Saturday. Phil is taking Ossining, while I take the Bulldogs. We are also working on scouting reports for the blog, since those won’t run in the paper. The Class B scouting report is up now, and we will work on Class AA most likely tonight. Thank you for the kind words!
Congratulations to Ossining’s Danielle Gervacio for winning the Con Ed award
This was a great year for Ossinning girls basketball. But, with Saniya graduating and Andra moving on the Riverdale, who will be the go-to person on the squad next year?
Riverdale? Coach Ricci said earlier in the year that she was staying at Ossining — did that change?
Andra is not going to Riverdale, CTK or any other private High School. She will be a Freshman at Ossining this coming Fall. Although many private high schools have expressed interest in her, parents feel Ossining is the best fit – academics, social environment and of course athletics.