Syosset ladies basketball is something however baby’s play.
The 21-3 North Shore squad is a pressure to be reckoned with this season after beating Brentwood 54-46 for the varsity’s first-ever AAA Lengthy Island title.
Syosset is heading to its first-ever New York State remaining 4 this weekend on the heels of an extremely deep staff the place three center schoolers sharpen the talents of the extra seasoned athletes.
“They do what’s expected of them to the highest level, and it’s really allowed the team to shine,” head coach Mike Ferreira informed The Publish forward of going through Syracuse suburb Liverpool at Hudson Valley Neighborhood Faculty upstate in Troy on Saturday afternoon.
Constructing this system up from the bottom degree, particularly encouraging the brand new recruits to thrive once they acquired within the sport, is one thing senior leaders corresponding to Kate Nelmes genuinely takes to coronary heart.
She even boasted that center schoolers on scout staff performed a key function in prepping for Brentwood.
“We’ve gone through great role models [in the past], and I think we’ve learned from them,” Nelmes mentioned, including that many staff alumni have been within the stands of the LI championship.
“We try to represent some of those qualities,” she added of creating the younger teammates really feel vital.
Ball within the household
Julia Schneider, a seventh-grade guard, is having the time of her life alongside older sister Samantha, an Eleventh-grade guard who scored 26 essential factors within the LI championship.
“I like playing with my sister, I feel like this just gets me better,” mentioned Julia, who this week has an vital function as a scout participant imitating Liverpool’s ways after a crash course of watching movie on the opponent they’ve by no means confronted.
Samantha, who has been a pacesetter in mentoring not simply her sister however your entire staff, can also be cherishing the particular household second that’s upcoming.
“Who knew even I was going to make it there? The fact that we get to go together is incredible,” she mentioned.
Revenge tour
Lots modified for Syosset after the highs and lows of 2024.
Sure, the staff gained its first-ever Nassau County title, beating juggernaut Baldwin 49-44, however got here up brief to a powerful Walt Whitman in a 38-29 loss for the LI championship.
“It felt like last year after we won the Nassau championship for the first time, we were just happy to be there,” Ferreira mentioned. “It was a game that we lost that I felt that we shouldn’t have.”
There was a wholly completely different angle this time as everybody “bought in” to complete the job, particularly after topping rival Plainview-Outdated Bethpage 62-53 for the county title.
Senior standout Nelmes is proud that exhibiting true grit, particularly after final season’s crushing finish, has been the staff’s new mantra.
“Our team knows how much work we put in every single day. We don’t take a day off,” she mentioned.
“Whether it’s film, weight room, or practice, we’re always making sure we put in the work. And to see it paid off after the many months we put in, it feels amazing.”
The months of preparation, which these winter athletes began in the summertime, introduced emotional maturity to the staff at a time when it wanted it most — trailing Brentwood whereas heading into the fourth quarter.
“We had that mindset where we’ve been there before, and we know what it takes,” mentioned Nelmes, who performed a serious function within the comeback.
“Even when we were down, we knew we could win.”
Now, again within the driver’s seat, no one on Syosset is simply completely satisfied to be there this time.
An enormous “Beat Liverpool” digital signal hung throughout a conditioning exercise within the staff’s weight room on Tuesday.
“Since February, we’ve been practicing seven days a week,” Samantha Schneider mentioned.
“We’re mentally ready and don’t fear girls bigger than us or stronger than us, and we know we can compete with them again and again. … This team really wants it.”
