Teaghan Flaherty and her parents, Tiffany O’ Toole and Doug Flaherty
Teaghan Flaherty Sinks Her 1,000th Pointer
BY MELANIE CANE
Playing against Sleepy Hollow on the road January 15, Rye High senior Teaghan Flaherty scored 16 points in the first half. During the break, Coach Margo Hackett took the rest of the team aside to let them in on a secret: Teaghan needed only three points to become the seventh RHS Girls’ Basketball player to reach the 1,000 career-point mark.
Early in the second half, Flaherty connected on a 3-pointer from the corner and, as her teammates began cheering, Flaherty had no idea why they were reacting the way they were.
“Having missed almost my entire freshman year due to an injury, I knew I had a really long way to go to reach 1,000 points.” Flaherty said. “To be honest, while I am grateful to have reached this milestone, my only focus was – and still is – to bring the Gold Ball back to Rye with my teammates. That is way more important to me than any individual goal ever will be.”
The memory of winning the Section One Gold Ball over their rival Harrison her sophomore year remains fresh for Flaherty and several of her teammates. She was named MVP of the Tournament and is determined to help her team reclaim the Section title.
For Coach Margo Hackett, Teaghan is “our catalyst on both ends of the floor. So far this season, she is averaging 20 points and three steals per game.”
Two days before scoring her 1,000th point, Flaherty learned she was one of the 28 New York State players nominated for the prestigious McDonalds All American team. She said she was humbled to be considered among the best basketball players in the state and in the country. “Just to be nominated with so many great names in women’s basketball is an honor.”
Another well-deserved honor she recently received is Rye Lions Club Athlete of the Month and the chance to be selected from among the monthly honorees for the Athlete of the Year Award, presented at a dinner at The Osborn in June.
“I love the game of basketball. I would love to be able to combine both high academics and basketball at the next level, but I trust I will end up where I am supposed to be in the end,” said Flaherty. “For now, my only goal is to return the Gold Ball to Rye.”
