Unbeaten Northport girls on road to title

The Northport gymnasium is littered with banners for winning league championships in girls basketball. While that might be cause for celebration for most programs, it's not a lofty achievement for the Tigers.

It's expected every season as is a county championship. Northport is a perennial contender, but the Tigers haven't won a county championship since 2006, its third straight at the time, and haven't reached the finals since then.

"Every year we talk about winning a championship," senior point guard Chrystal Pope said. "We always want to win. We want to continue the tradition. Our team still has to grow. We definitely have a shot."

North Babylon won two consecutive Suffolk Class AA titles in 2007 and 2008 behind Chanel Chisholm, Eugeneia McPherson, and Bria Hartley. Copiague won the following year with linchpin Ieasia Walker and Sachem East took it last season with Kristen Doherty leading the way.

With no upper-echelon Division I superstars in the public schools this season, Northport (9-0) is one of the favorites. While 2006 isn't that long ago, Northport coach Rich Castellano said it feels like a drought.

"Oh yeah," he said emphatically. "I thought we should win every year. I'm always disappointed. There are a lot of banners in the gym. They want to be a part of it. Losing in the quarterfinals to Smithtown West last season was a huge disappointment."

Northport won six consecutive championships starting in 1989 and also won in 1986 giving the Tigers 11. Northport is hoping this is the year to get to 12 with four senior starters.

"We don't talk about the past much," said 6-4 Delaware-bound Stephanie Leon. "Castellano always tells us to look ahead and not to look back. It's a new team every year and we just want to get to a championship. We've played together for so long. For the past few years we've been building up to it. We have five seniors on the team and four starting and we have great underclassmen coming up."

Leon is still improving offensively, but is a force on the boards and a deterrent inside. Even if she doesn't score much, the opposition has to account for her.

"They have to devise things to stop Stephanie," Castellano said. "We have that inside-outside threat. Stephanie poses a problem for mostly everybody in the AA."

Pope, who didn't play much last season, took over as point guard and is an early season MVP, according to Castellano.

"She stepped in and has played well," senior Megan Marinelli said. "She opens a lot for us."

Leon has drawn attention in the post allowing Pope to slash to the basket and Marinelli to get shots from the outside. Kellie Cortina and Allie Clarke have contributed when needed, but the strength of the Tigers is defense.

Even when the offense hasn't been great as shown in a 37-28 win over Francis Lewis, a 48-46 victory over St. Mary's, and a 38-27 win over league rival Whitman, the Tigers can rely on their defense.

"Every time somebody comes at us and we're not scoring, we find a way to win," Marinelli said. "We need that aggressive defensive mentality to win a championship. That's our goal. Hopefully, we can do it."