Printer Friendly Version - Morgan Girls’ Basketball Stepping Up in Road to Postseason

Ava Johnson is one of four senior captains this season for a Morgan girls’ basketball team hoping to ascend high in the rankings for both the conference and state brackets. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/Harbor News Photo courtesy of Wesley Bunnell

Victoria O’Neill uses her sharp on-court skills to serve as a leader and captain for Morgan girls’ basketball this winter, as the team has started off the season strong. Photo by Wesley Bunnell/Harbor News Photo courtesy of Wesley Bunnell

As they progress through the 2023 campaign and focus on deep postseason aspirations, the Morgan girls’ basketball team is locked in and ready to put the team on notice.

Led by Head Coach Caitlin Woods, the Huskies are off to a strong start this winter, currently holding a record of 6-3. Last season, Morgan entered the Shoreline Conference Tournament as the No. 6 seed, where they took a 45-26 loss to No. 3 Cromwell in the quarterfinal round. Then, in the Class M State Tournament, the Huskies landed a spot as the No. 23 seed, losing a hard-fought, 37-31 game vs. No. 10 New Fairfield in the first round.

Eager to capitalize on last season’s performances and make an even deeper push on both postseason stages, the team is led by four strong senior captains this winter in Ava Johnson, Maeve Madura, Victoria O’Neill, and AJ Luke.

“Ava Johnson is a dynamic basketball player and a tremendous competitor. She is a terrific three-point shooter, but she has become so versatile in all areas of her game. Ava is certainly one of the most talented players in our league,” Woods said. “Maeve Madura is a great athlete with a killer instinct. She works so incredibly hard, and she has become a highly skilled basketball player on both ends of the court. Victoria O’Neill thrives on blocking shots, but she contributes so much more, with her excellent low post footwork and outside shooting. AJ Luke is extremely fast and athletic. She is a tremendous defender, and she can drive and shoot from the outside. She has been out with a knee injury, but we expect her back in the next week or so. That will be a huge boost for our season.”

Other key contributors so far on the young campaign have been junior Lili Luciani and sophomore Sadie Passante, who have helped to fill the void of losing four seniors from last year’s squad in Caeley Ayer, Katie Martin, Eva O’Sullivan, and Sofie Passante.

“All four seniors were key components of the program and contributed tremendously to the team’s success,” said Woods. “Lili Luciani is an energetic and hardworking player, who has become an outstanding defender. She has become a huge offensive threat, as well. Sadie Passante is an effective guard, who uses her speed to get by defenders. She is another versatile player that I think is going to make a huge impact on the Shoreline Conference throughout her athletic career.”

While the squad lost a few key players, some other athletes have made it their mission to make immediate impacts this winter, such as freshman Emma Teuner, and juniors Alana Zirlis and Cora Dunham.

“Dunham is an outside threat with her shooting, and she has an excellent basketball IQ,” said Woods. “She also has grown into a complete player, and she can be an asset anywhere on the court. Zirlis is a strong and tough player, who has a great inside game. She has worked hard to become a strong defender who is tough to play against. Teuner is a 5’11” freshman. She plays like a seasoned varsity player, and she can do everything on the court. She is an especially exceptional rebounder, and is averaging 12 rebounds per game.”

Morgan opened the season by winning their first three games. They defeated Cromwell (45-36), Old Saybrook (46-42), and Haddam-Killingworth (38-31), to start with a strong 3-0 record.

The feeling of starting off so strong was bittersweet, as it also came with a price. Johnson ended up having to get appendix surgery and only played in the first game, leading to other girls having to pull more weight.

“It was great to start the season 3-0, especially with very competitive games. However, Ava Johnson had to have appendix surgery, and she only played in our first game against Cromwell,” said Woods. “I was proud of the athletes who stepped up in her absence, and the athletes who are continuing to make outstanding contributions.”

Following a hot start, things cooled down for the Huskies, as they dropped their next three games to some tough opponents. They suffered losses to East Hampton (53-26), North Haven (52-27), and Notre Dame-Fairfield (46-30.)

Woods knew this stretch was going to be tough, as she had to get ready for three defensive-minded teams that all appeared in the playoffs a year ago.

“We knew the level of play with East Hampton, North Haven, and Notre Dame-Fairfield,” said Woods. “All three teams were tough defensively, and it forced us to work. We competed and fought hard, and I think playing these tough teams early on will benefit us down the road.”

Following their three-game skid, the Huskies responded with a close 53-48 victory against North Branford on the road on Jan. 2, a win Woods believes was fueled by extra motivation and desire to win.

“Despite the three losses, I think the team sees that as well, and it certainly prepared us to play tough and win against North Branford,” Woods explained.

As the team looks to continue to grow and improve throughout the winter, Woods is focusing on making the team better defensively, and the athletes are continuing to work on their half-court ball movement. With the girls being fast and athletic as a group, they’ve relied on their transition offense and fast breaks a lot this season, but Woods wants to focus more on slowing down the pace and pushing the ball up the court, as the team makes the trek to both the conference and state playoff parties.

“There is a lot of talent and athleticism on this team, and if we continue working hard and capitalizing on our strengths, we can compete with anyone,” said Woods. “Every next game is the most important game of the season, but I believe we certainly have the potential to make a run in both the Shoreline and state tournaments.”

The 2023-2024 Morgan Huskies girls’ basketball roster consists of freshmen Emma Holecz, Nora Winsor, Emerson Dunning, Gwenyth Madura, Madeleine Grenon, Teuner, and Katrina Harri; sophomores Addison Reed, Passante, Keyla Vasquez, Amber Maikowski, and Jacquelyn Ciarlegilo; juniors Olivia Ruotolo, Nina Fishman, Luciani, Dunham, and Zirlis; and seniors Luke, Glenda Zhiminaicela, Madura, Johnson, O’Neill, and Madelyn Scata.