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No. 1 with a bang: Christ the King crushes Molloy

By Dylan Butler

Instead, Tuesday night's Brooklyn/Queens game ended the same as every other league game for Christ the King – in a rout.Led by Tina Charles, who scored a game-high 23 points, the Royals showed why they are the undefeated top-ranked team in the country and the odds-on favorite to reclaim the state Federation title from PSAL powerhouse Murry Bergtraum. Eleven players scored for Christ the King, which improved to 16-0 in an 80-43 romp.The game, indeed, lost some luster without Stanford-bound Gold-Onwude, one of the top players in the city and a McDonald's All-American nominee. The stands were less than half filled, parking outside was plentiful.”I think we probably lost about 400 or 500 fans easily,” Christ the King coach Bob Mackey said. “Roz is a great player. Stanford doesn't recruit bad players…It could have happened to anybody. You feel bad about it and you move on.”Molloy (7-10) is a shell of the team that had such high expectations at the start of the season. After back-to-back lower level state Federation titles, the Stanners believed this was their year to compete with mighty Christ the King and perhaps even return to Glens Falls for the Class AA championship.But when Molloy coach Marty Towey learned Gold-Onwude would be lost for the season, he petitioned the league – through Molloy Athletic Director Mike McCleary – to move down a classification, from Class AA to Class A.The move, however, was denied and the remaining Stanners were left to pick up the pieces.”I still look forward to (games against Christ the King) because not every player gets to play a team like this and we're lucky to have good teams around us,” said Jessica McEntee, who will play at Division III powerhouse NYU next year. “What's the point of playing if you're going to beat teams by 50. I still look forward to them, I just wish they were a little more competitive.”Led by McEntee and Katie Pastina, who scored 12 points apiece, Molloy battled – for a half. The game plan was to pack it in defensively and crowd 6-foot-4 Tina Charles (9 rebounds) and 6-foot-2 Carrem Gay (9 points, 8 rebounds), who make up the best frontcourt in the country.But the Royals ended the first half on a 10-1 run, including two 3-pointers from Nakejia Kelly, to take a 41-25 lead into the break after leading 17-12 at the end of the first quarter.Kelly and Melissa Kapela, who added 10 points and 6 assists, knocked down perimeter shots and, not surprisingly, the rout was on.”With (Gold-Onwude) here or not, we would have still come out and play just as we did today,” Kapela said. “It probably would have been better (if she had played) because once she's in the game they couldn't say anything. To me it doesn't matter.”Christ the King 63, Mary Louis 39. Ravene Brinkley and Sky Lindsay scored 13 points apiece for the Royals Saturday at Mary Louis. Led by Charles' 24 points, CK also beat Bishop Loughlin Friday, 76-39.St. John's Prep 64, McAuley 36. Meghan Foley had 18 points for St. John's Prep (5-6, 5-5 CHSAA Division II) Friday.Francis Lewis 67, Townsend Harris 23. Chrissy Toth had 10 points and five steals for Francis Lewis (19-1, 13-0 Queens A) Friday. The Patriots clinched its fifth straight division title.Frank Sinatra 59, American Studies 54. Courtney Roberts scored 26 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Sinatra (10-8, 6-7 Queens B-III) on Friday.John Adams 58, John Bowne 42. Natlaie Young scored 27 points for Adams (3-10 Queens A) last Thursday.Beach Channel 49, Bayside 48. Antoinette Jolly scored 12 points last Thursday for Beach Channel (6-7 Queens A).August Martin 60, Benjamin Cardozo 56. Nicole Michael scored 20 points and grabbed 17 rebounds for Martin (11-2 Queens A) last Thursday.Forest Hills 69, Long Island City 67. Kathy Gilbert scored 19 points and grabbed 12 rebounds last Thursday for Forest Hills (9-3 Queens II-B).Martin Van Buren 46, Hillcrest 29. Nickia Witherspoon scored 18 points for Van Buren (9-2 Queens I-B) last Thursday.Jamaica 32, Campus Magnet 29. Jenaya Wade scored 14 points for Jamaica (2-9 Queens I-B).Reach Sports Editor Dylan Butler by e-mail at TimesLedger@aol.com or call 718-229-0300, Ext. 143.