By The TimesLedger
In the opening-round game of the CYO Diocesan playoffs, Our Lady of Mercy, Forest Hills, jumped out to a 7-1 lead early in the second quarter, as the Our Lady of the Snows Novice girls could not get any shots to fall. Nicole Kaouris converted a layup to cut the Mercy lead to 7-3 at the half.
Although the Snows’ offense wasn’t clicking, the team put tremendous defensive pressure on the Forest Hills squad and crept back into the game. In the third quarter, Adara Simonelli hit for two field goals and Tina Khiani’s spinning move to the basket knotted the score at 9-9, as the teams headed to the fourth quarter.
Nicole Weinman scored all of her team-leading six points in the fourth quarter to lead OLS to victory. Christine and Jessica Wrynn, Michelle Gasperetti and Kaitlin Frangella each contributed to the winning team effort. The fifth-graders will now face St. Gabriel’s of East Elmhurst for a chance to move into the final four in CYO's Novice division.
In the deciding game of the local CYO playoffs, Tina Khiani's basket with 1:12 remaining gave OLS an exciting and hard fought 14-13 victory over Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament, Bayside. Snows had jumped out to an early lead as Nicole Weinman, Christine and Jessica Wrynn provided the offense. OLBS fought back to tie as the game headed to the fourth quarter. The lead changed hands a few times in the fourth and OLBS scored to lead with under 1:30 to play. But Tina Khiani came up big in the final minutes, as she scored six of her game-high 10 points in the final period.
Bantam girls top Our Lady of Angelus
Coach Paul Hnath’s Bantam division girls defeated Our Lady of Angelus of Rego Park, 34-31, to advance to the Diocesan quarterfinals for sixth-graders. Snows jumped out to an early lead at Our Lady of Lourdes gym in Queens Village. However, the Rego Park team fought back to lead 17-9 at the half, as the OLS squad hit a scoring drought. In the third quarter, the Snows girls scored quickly to overtake Angelus and eventually lead by as many as 10 points. As the final minutes ticked away, OL Angelus rallied and closed to within three points, but that was as close as they would come. The Snows sixth-graders will face St. Bart’s of Elmhurst in the Diocesan quarterfinal round.
Third-graders save their best for last
The OLS SubNovice girls basketball team saved its best basketball of the season for the last two games. Snows first played American Martyrs and showed up with its “A” game. The girls’ stifling defense let up just three baskets throughout the game. Julia Hannigan, Sara Correa and Caileigh O’Rourke showed that no team can pick them apart with their countless steals, blocked shots and rebounds. Point guard Kaitlyn Smolen led the offensive attack, dishing out pass after pass to pick up a handful of assists. Shannon Vetack and Theodora Alexandrea each had two buckets to lead the charge. Colleen Harrison knocked down her first shot of the year, while Rita Romeo also had a basket to round off the scoring. Ada Lee helped out on both ends of the court time and again.
Less than a week later Snows took the court again to finish off the regular season and did so in fine fashion. Romeo hit an early shot and was joined by Vetack with three points and Alexandrea with four points to lead OLS. Hannigan broke out of her shooting slump and put together four points to go along with tons of rebounds and steals. Correa continued her dominance on the boards and chipped in with a bucket of her own. Harrison and O’Rourke piled up one steal and rebound after another. Rounding out the balanced attack, Smolen kept up her stunning performance at the point while she dazzled the crowd with her quick moves and slick passes.
The girls look to keep up their great efforts in a post-season tournament that starts in two weeks.
OLS Bantam boys’ winning streak continues
The Our Lady of the Snows sixth-grade boys basketball team won two hard-fought, close games this past week raising its season record to 8-5. On Thursday the team defeated a tough St. Luke’s team, 27-21, and then on Sunday the boys exacted some revenge against Sacred Heart for an early season 19-point defeat by winning 26-22. The boys have steadily improved offensively by learning to spread the scoring around and continue to apply a fast, physical trapping press on defense.
Offensively over the two games, Ray Potestio scored 18 points, Ryan Paroulek had nine, Anthony Civitano scored eight, Brian Biscotti chipped in seven, Jonathan Dupuy added six and Alex Rydzewski and Arnab Mitra each scored two points. The defense was led by Kevin McMurray, Leroy Herbert, Jorel Phelps, Billy Fitzgerald and Nicholas Walker. The boys continue to display heart and a never-quit attitude which has made the coaches extremely proud of all of them.
The Snows team will finish up the regular season Sunday against OLBS and are looking forward to competing in the playoffs.
Snows Intermediates drop first game
The OLS Intermediate (Sweeney) team lost its first game of the year to OLBS (F), 60-5,6 in double overtime, in this foul filled game Saturday. Both teams went to the free throw line a combined 86 times with Snows making 24 of their 43 attempts.
As usual, OLS got off to a slow start, trailing 11-8 after the first quarter and 22-21 at the half. Snows outscored OLBS, 12-8, in the third to take a 33-30 lead going into the fourth. David Marrero carried Snows in the finals period before fouling out, scoring all of the team’s points in the quarter with 13, including 9-of-10 from the foul line, and finished with a team-high 27 points.
At the end of the first OT, Peter Sweeney hit three key foul shots to tie the game at 50 and push it to a second OT.
Eric Miller score 16 points, including six after the fourth quarter, but OLBS was too strong in the second OT, outscoring Snows, 10-6.
Rounding out the scoring for OLS was Brian Amorese (six), John Ryan (three) and Anthony Simmons (two). Richard Kim, Matt Oellinger and Bobbin Chakyayil also contributed.
OLS plays Thursday night against Sacred Heart at PS 191 at 7:15 p.m.
