By Mitch Silver
For most of the first period, the Falcons preyed on the Garnets. When they weren’t penetrating Rye’s man-to-man defense for layups, they were hitting threes from the top of the arc. It was 11-3 and then 16-6 as Albertus denied Rye breathing room with their lightning quick 2-3 zone. By the time it was 22-8, the thundering PA system was playing Haddaway’s “What is Love” dance track, the one with the refrain, “Baby don’t hurt me, don’t hurt me no more.”
Maybe it was the music. Maybe it was Coach Hurlie’s inspiring words. Whatever it was, the second quarter saw the Garnets start putting the hurt on their Rockland County opponents. First Maddie Eck drove the lane from the left side for two. Then Katie Popp did the same from the right. Rye’s D forced Albertus into a couple of traveling calls. Finally, seconds before the half ended, another Eck layup had Rye down by single digits, 24-15. Albertus Magnus had scored just two points in eight minutes.
It all must have seemed familiar to Rye’s girls, who spotted Pelham and Sleepy Hollow similar leads before roaring back to win their previous games.
Turns out it was guard Maddy McGrath’s game. Despite losing standout Kelly Guarino to a torn ACL late in the season, the Falcons’ backcourt — and especially McGrath — proved too much for Rye in the fourth. Her line on the score sheet showed 26 points, five rebounds, and three assists. In fact, the solidly built 5-foot-6-inch playmaker outscored the Garnets 7-6 all by herself in the final eight minutes, leading the Falcons to a 48-37 decision.
Eck was magnificent, the Rye seniors were stellar, and the whole 16-5 Garnet team produced a great season. Sadly, it’ll be the girls from across the river that will face Peekskill in the Section One finals.
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