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Blessed With Good Sports, Haldane Just Keeps Winning
Sportsmanship exhibited during hoops title run
by Ray Gallagher
 | | From Day 1 of the season to their recent regional championship victory last week over East Rockaway, the Haldane Blue Devils have exhibited sportsmanship and class every step of the way. |
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How the heck do they do it in Cold Spring? How the heck does Haldane High continue to churn out championship-caliber athletics with incredible regularity? The Fall was pretty awesome, what with the pair of Section 1 championships in football and volleyball, and the subsequent NYS Class D championship on the volleyball court, but the fun just never seems to stop.
Now, after a stupendous Fall, Coach Kenney Haskins' state-ranked (No.9) Blue Devils (20-4) are just two wins away from the NYS Class C girl's basketball championship this coming weekend during the NYSPHSAA Final 4 at Troy's Hudson Valley Community College.
When Haldane was stacking up Section 1 Class D championships like they were nobody's business a few years back, I was only slightly impressed. It was Class D and Section 1 had like six schools classified in D (192 or below in basketball). But now the Blue Devils are storming through Class C as one of its smallest schools. While all of this is great, what impresses me most is the way these Haldane kids carry themselves from a sportsmanship perspective. They are, indeed, great sports; led by stand-up student athletes like Brittany Shields and Caitlin McConville… MVP's every step of the way.
There is a sense of humility about the Blue Devils these days, from its football team to its basketball team to its volleyball program, and it's hard to miss. They're not boastful kids, not arrogant by any stretch… just full of class at every turn; from the top player to the kid who doesn't see a minute. In a "me-me" Sports Center world in which we live, it's really quite refreshing to see these kids win or lose with dignity, allowing nothing to extinguish their passion for the game.
"Their approach to every game remains the same," Coach Haskins said recently. "Basketball is a pretty big deal around here and the girls do nothing to taint that."
That grace was on display this past week when the Blue Devils secured their berth in the NYSPHSAA Final 4 with a pair of lopsided triumphs over Section 8's East Rockaway and Section 9's Seward. I had mentioned to Haskins prior to the state tournament that his club looked like a team that had been playing under a lot of pressure as it went about retaining the rights to the Section 1 Class C crown with a 41-40 overtime win against defending champion Blind Brook, and that they'd probably play much better with that obstacle behind them.
Apparently, my crystal ball was pretty true because Haldane blew the doors off its recent competition, rocking state-ranked (No.2) East Rockaway of Section 8 to the tune of 50-34 to win its first Region 1 championship since 2004. After bombing unranked Seward, 66-52, in the opening round of the state tournament, Haldane hit on all cylinders against East Rock, which had eliminated the Blue Devils in '05.
Freshman Liz Milner shook off her playoff jitters, scoring 16-points, hauling in nine-rebounds and grabbing seven steals. Point guard Scotti King (11 points) did her thing from beyond the arch, draining three 3s. And All-NYS forward Brittany Shields was unstoppable, knocking down 17 points and yanking 18 rebounds to go with five steals on a night when the Blue Devils never trailed. Junior Avery Zuvich, another humble force, helped Haldane rule the rack with a 47-17 edge on the glass. The defense was ferocious; forcing 18 turnovers in the first half alone while holding East Rock to just 13 points at St. Joseph's College in Patchogue, Long Island.
Prior to East Rockaway, the Blue Devils steamrolled Seward at the Westchester County Center behind another typical performance from Shields: 23 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Shields topped off the week as a recipient of Con Ed Award, given weekly to Section 1 athletes who excel in athletics, academic achievements, leadership and citizenship.
The Blue Devils' next game will be on Saturday, March 15 at 12:30pm at Hudson Valley Community College against undefeated, state-ranked (No.3) Cooperstown (25-0) of Section 3 in the state semis. Section 10's Madrid-Waddington (19-5, No.12 in NYS) will face Section 5's Avon (19-6, No.10 in NYS) in the other semifinal.
(Arrive at HVCC by taking exit 23 off I-87 (NYS Thruway). Follow I-787 North 6 miles to the exit for Rte. 378 East. Head over the bridge and bear right to Rte. 4 south and continue for one mile to the campus on your left.)
Cooperstown boasts a pair of twin towers in 6'3" center Samantha Fox and 6' forward Jen Wehner, who combined to score 30 points in a 39-37 regional championship overtime time win against Tioga. Wehner is playing on a badly sprained ankle for first-year Coach Mike Niles, who, like Haskins, will be making his debut on the Final 4 stage.
Let's hope Haskins has better stage presence, and his classy team can secure their first state title since 2000. Please visit www.yourdirectrays.com to view Section 1 sports photo galleries.
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