Crusaders girls’ basketball beats Newburgh for playoff spot
Central Valley. The final score was 63-42.
| 21 Feb 2024 | 12:13
Senior Zoe Hudson, #21, gets off a short jump shot in the first quarter. (
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Madison Fileen, #3, hit five 3-point shots in the game. (
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Senior Isabela Mejia, #23, gets behind the Goldbacks’ defense for 2 in the fourth quarter. (
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The Crusaders celebrate their 63-42 victory that puts them into the playoffs. (
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On February 14, the Monroe-Woodbury Crusaders girls basketball team wrapped up their regular season home schedule when they hosted the Goldbacks of Newburgh. In a ceremony before the tip off, the four seniors on this year’s team were honored with flowers and gifts, and family photos were taken. The Crusaders entered the game with a 9-9 record after beating the Goldbacks last Friday 48-42.
With only two games left on the Crusaders’ schedule, the team was up against the wall. The team needed at least one more victory in their last two games to qualify for the upcoming playoffs. With one of those games up in Kingston against a very strong first place team, the pressure was on.
The Goldbacks came into the game with a 4-13 record looking to knock the Crusaders from the playoff picture. The Goldbacks came out and took an early lead, but the Crusaders got things turned around and took a 13-10 lead by the end of the first.
In the second quarter, the Crusaders’ defense slowed the Goldbacks down and the offense, with senior Zoe Hudson scoring 5 of her 9 points in the game, increased the lead to 31-17 at the half. In the third quarter, junior Madison Fileen hit two of her five 3-point shots in the game (she scored 27 in the game) as the Crusaders pulled to a 46-27 lead.
In the fourth quarter it was freshman Brianna Taveras who lit up the score board as she scored 6 in the quarter and 11 in the game. The Crusaders’ 63-42 victory brings their record to 10-9 for the season, but more importantly, it put them into the section playoffs.