Girls basketball beat: WM tops Sachem East

Not only did Ward Melville clinch a playoff spot in Suffolk Class AA with a 47-39 win over Sachem East on Friday night, but it did something no team has since 2006. Ward Melville handed the Flaming Arrows their first league loss in five years, snapping a 61-game league winning streak for the defending state Class AA champions.

"Every girl who took the court did a great job," Ward Melville coach Lawrence Combs said. "I'm really proud of the defensive performance. We worked on it for days. We played great man-to-man and played great help defense off screens."

Junior guard Caysea Cohen had 19 points, eight steals and five assists. She usually brings the ball upcourt, but Kelsey DeGraw split point-guard duties with her against Sachem East. Vanessa Pryor had 14 points. Pryor requested to guard Meagan Doherty before the game and Combs obliged. Doherty scored 15.

Megan Murtagh had eight points and 13 rebounds for Ward Melville (7-6, 7-4 League I).

Ward Melville has a nucleus of juniors and most didn't play significant minutes last season. After a slow start, the Patriots have won four of five. "I believe this will propel us," Combs said. "It gives us a lot of confidence to beat one of the best teams on Long Island."

The loss by Sachem East (12-2, 10-1) is good news for Lindenhurst (13-2, 10-1). The teams meet Friday at Lindenhurst. Sachem East won the first matchup, 56-51.

"I give Ward Melville a lot of credit," Sachem East coach Matt Brisson said. "They were well-prepared and played great."

Williams bounces back

It was supposed to be a big summer for Chelsea Williams with an opportunity for her to showcase herself in the AAU season before her senior year at Copiague. The 5-8 forward didn't get the chance after breaking three metacarpals in her left foot that kept her out until the end of September.

Williams is doing her best to make up for lost time and leads Long Island in scoring with 21.9 points per game. She is averaging 9.2 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 3.1 steals. Williams has 1,163 points and 649 rebounds and is getting interest from Division II and III schools.

"She's getting doubled all the time," Copiague coach Carole Olsen said. "That's what makes it all the more impressive. Her outside shot has improved and she's become a leader."