Noakes leads experienced MacArthur past Farmingdale
Farmingdale's Kelly McPartland (12) drives around MacArthur's Candice Noakes (12) in the second half. MacArthur defeated Farmingdale 52-32. (February 17, 2010) Credit: Photo by Joseph D. Sullivan
MacArthur girls basketball showed its age. Its size, too.
The Generals used their ample experience - three of their four seniors are starters - and their considerable height advantage to easily push aside a young Farmingdale squad, 52-32, Wednesday in a Nassau Class AA quarterfinal at MacArthur. It's streaking MacArthur's sixth win in seven games; with it, the fourth-seeded Generals advanced to the semifinals against No. 1 Uniondale Wednesday at Herricks. The teams split two games in the regular season.
"I just didn't want to lose," senior Candice Noakes said. During her three years on varsity, this is the farthest MacArthur (9-8) has advanced. The team lost to Hicksville in the first round last season. "There are three other seniors on the team and we've always played together," she said. "It feels great [to get this far]. I'm really excited."
Noakes led the way with a game-high 22 points, and senior Nicole Crew added 10 points and four steals.
The Dalers (12-7) kept it close in the first quarter and tied the score at 12 on a Kelly McPartland free throw 17 seconds into the second. The Generals replied with vigor after two free throws by Crew ignited a 13-3 run, helped by the Dalers' 1-for-12 shooting from the field. MacArthur led 25-15 at the half.
"It snowballed," Farmingdale coach Pete Cerrone said. "They're too good a team not to get the ball in the hole."
No. 5 Farmingdale was led by junior Kyra Ochwat's nine points.
The Dalers kept pace in the third quarter, scoring eight points to MacArthur's 10, but faltered again in the fourth.
Jenna Cozza scored seven off the bench after Generals senior Elizabeth Alagna hurt her ankle defending a drive to the basket by McPartland to end the third. MacArthur went on a 13-0 run in the fourth quarter to put the game away. Point guard Christine Paige, also a senior, finished with eight assists. Six-foot sophomore Vanessa Wyckoff had seven rebounds.
"I don't really know what clicked," Noakes said. "We've grown tighter as a team." This was especially true during their win streak, she added.
Coach Kathleen Auer agreed. "It's been three years and they've turned it around," she said.
It was all in stark contrast to the Dalers' youth. They have only one senior and start two freshmen, Nadine Hadnagy and Alexis Panariello.
"They've played great all year, but today they played like freshman," Cerrone said. "They got a little older today."
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