For the first time in program history, William Floyd’s girls basketball team will play for a county championship.
In their third appearance in the Suffolk Class AAA semifinals under ninth-year head coach Rich Sinclair, the second-seeded Colonials overcame foul trouble and led from start to finish in defeating No. 3 Ward Melville, 56-45, before a jam-packed home gym last Saturday afternoon.
Sophomore Milania Farrow, whose late heroics in the quarterfinals helped beat Huntington, led Floyd in scoring for a second-straight game with 16 points. Junior Savannah Pantry scored 8 of her 12 in the third quarter to help build a 20-point cushion, and senior Chloe Campbell added 9 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks as the Colonials (18-4) advanced to face top-seed and defending county and Long Island champion Walt Whitman in the title game on Friday at 8 p.m. at Stony Brook University.
“Our kids just responded and it’s a proud moment getting to the county finals for the first time ever,” Sinclair said. “It’s a great group of kids and they deserve it.”
Ward Melville attempted 33 free throws and hit 22. Fifteen of those successful tries came from Jaclyn Engel, who led all scorers with 21 points. Jenna Greek added 12 for the Patriots, who went the first 14-plus minutes without hitting a shot from the floor.
“That’s a very good team that was in the Final Four for a reason,” Sinclair said of Ward Melville. “I have nothing but respect for their coach [Kate Gordon] and those kids over there.”
Sinclair’s lineup juggling began early when Pantry picked up two fouls in the opening 3:33. She watched the remainder of the first half from the bench, then started the second half and scored six points to cap a game-breaking 16-0 run.
“I’m really happy for our team,” Pantry said. “I was disappointed after I got those two fouls, but I’ve got a lot of faith in my teammates. They had my back. Getting to the finals is a goal we set at the beginning of the season.”
Campbell and freshmen Taleah Coppola and JJ Stewart also dealt with serious foul trouble in the second half, but Floyd held off Ward Melville’s final push. Seventh-grader Gabrielle Bell-Eleazer and senior Vinte’ya Rountree both chipped in 6 points apiece. Juniors Rosie Micucci and Jayla Thomas were also keys to victory.
“We’re a deep team,” Sinclair said. “With all the fouls we had in the first half and starters sitting, we still managed to be up nine at halftime.”
In the quarterfinals, Farrow couldn’t have picked a better time to have the best basketball game of her high school career.
Her 3-pointer with 1.1 seconds remaining in regulation broke a tie and lifted the Colonials to a 55-51 victory over No. 7 Huntington in a Feb. 20 victory. Farrow finished with a career-high 24 points—double her scoring average—and along with Pantry (11 points and 11 rebounds) and Coppola (11 points) helped keep Floyd’s magical season alive.
The Colonials, who went 10-11 last season and fell to Northport in the playoffs, racked up 18 wins so far this winter, including a nine-game streak from Jan. 9 through Feb. 3.
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