Shevlin Caps Career

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. - The double-digit lead was erased, the opponent was buzzing, and Mary Louis was running out of gas. In stepped Casey Shevlin, eliminating all their problems.
Sound familiar? Well, it should.
For the second time in less than a week, the senior point guard made all the clutch plays down the stretch to garner a title. This time, it netted the Jamaica Estates school the State Federation Class A title, 51-44 over PSAL power JFK of the Bronx, at the Glens Falls Civic Center Saturday morning.
“It’s a great feeling,” the tournament’s MVP said. “This is the one thing that’s eluded me for four years.”
Six days after toppling Catholic Class A favorite St. Peter’s (Staten Island) much the same way - she hit seven of eight free throws in the final quarter - Shevlin was clutch once again, scoring 17 points, including four from the charity stripe and an important offensive rebound in the final 55 seconds.
“I knew we were going to pull it out,” Shevlin said. “We didn’t come all this way, playoffs, regular season, to lose.”
Just thirteen days ago, Shevlin missed the front end of a one and one - one of the turning points to Mary Louis blowing an eight-point lead to Christ the King in the CHSAA Brooklyn/Queens Diocesan final. Without that devastating defeat, however, the joy the last six days brought would have never been possible.
“That definitely was the turning point of the season,” Shevlin said. “We have confidence. We’re a different team since that game.”
It was not just Shevlin’s heroics that enabled the Hilltoppers to win their second state title - the first one coming in 2002 when they claimed the Class D crown. Fighting off a sore hamstring, junior Maral Javadifar scored all seven of her points in the final quarter, including the go-ahead jumper that kick-started a championship game-ending 8-0 run. Sophomore Amanda Burakoski added 16 and seven rebounds.
“It felt great coming here,” said Javadifar, who also hauled in nine rebounds. “I’d like to come back again, and I think we will.”
The only team from the borough to reach the state tournament - the Christ the King girls saw their streak of 17 straight titles snapped by St. John the Baptist - Mary Louis (24-7) has now set their sights on Class AA. While Shevlin graduates, Javadifar and Burakoski will lead a talented core next winter that, the Hilltoppers believe, can topple the Royals for Queens supremacy.
“I think this is a glimpse of what’s to come,” Mary Louis Coach Joe Lewinger said. “I always thought we could be in that upper echelon. I just knew it was not a two-year thing. I don’t believe in quick fixes. It took a long time to get the mentality of what playing at Mary Louis is all about. It takes time for kids to come in and understand how you do things.”
“I will never be satisfied by second place,” he added. “I have no problem taking the highest road.”