By Jarrett Ourman
As the Irvington girls varsity basketball team’s season continues, it has been filled with many changes and growth following the departure of the great Gina Maher. With Coach Degnan taking over the team, however, their success and winning have not slowed down much. A smooth transition from coach to coach allowed this talented Irvington squad to take on the previously undefeated Nyack girls team.
The 46–42 win came down to the final minutes, with game-sealing free throws from seniors Chloe MacKessy and Nia Kilbury. Senior guard Kayla Clinton took over on offense, scoring 19 points while also contributing on the glass with 7 rebounds. “We all played really well and stepped up to the plate. Everybody gave it their all and we proved to ourselves and everyone how good we could really be,” said Clinton when asked about the team’s performance and effort that pushed them over the edge.
The Bulldogs also faced adversity, as sophomore guard Peyton Clinton suffered an ACL tear early in the game and was unable to return. Despite the setback, the team stayed composed and focused. “We knew it was going to be a tough battle from the beginning, especially because of missing players. I was very proud of how people stepped up and fought together as a team, and that’s how we ended up coming out on top,” Clinton said.
In this close and scrappy game, doing the little things helped put Irvington ahead. Kilbury and Duke each had three steals, and Duke added 10 rebounds. Sophomore Emi Doncov grabbed 8 rebounds, while MacKessy contributed 3 blocks on the defensive end.
With the win, the Bulldogs moved to 8–7 and placed themselves in the top 10 for playoff standings in Section 1 Class A. The victory showed that Irvington is a dangerous team to face despite their middle-of-the-pack record.
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