Teams to watch

For the first time in 17 seasons, Christ the King had nowhere to go at the end of March. No trip to Glens Falls for the State Federation tournament. Coach Bob Mackey doesn’t see what all the fuss was about.
“We were 23-4 - horrible year,” he said sarcastically. “It was a great year.”
Gone is Miss New York Basketball Lorin Dixon, the team’s leading scorer who is now at UConn. In place of Dixon, Mackey will go to senior Jael Pena, a quick pass-first point guard. Juniors Amy Gomez and Gelliessa George, who is set to start at shooting guard, will also see time at the spot.
The Royals’ greatest advantage should be in the paint, where they will rely on 6-foot-1 forward Tahira Johnson and 6-foot-4 center Taylor Bruner, a transfer from Port Jefferson. When 6-foot-3 junior center Bianca Martinez returns from a dislocated ankle, CK will boast the largest frontcourt in the city.
“I think this is going to be a team that takes a little time to gel,” Mackey said. “I like the way they work. We don’t have an identity yet, but I think we’ll develop one. It seams like the team is hungry and wants to go out and play.”
The same can be said for Archbishop Molloy. If Christ the King is the favorite and Mary Louis the challenger, then the Stanners are the dark horse. They are young, but very talented. Coach John McGlynn will rely on senior wing Kerri White, a Manhattan recruit, but the key will be four sophomore guards - Marielle Duryea, Kelly Robinson, Kelly Guerriero and Elise Lontos - that will mix in with centers Molly Dryer and Nicole Marciniak to form a solid nucleus.
Duryea and Robinson, a pair of 5-foot-6 underclassmen, will split point guard duties while Guerriero is expected to add shooting depth and Lontos is a defensive specialist.
“They all have the potential to be outstanding ballplayers,” McGlynn said.
St. Francis Prep is even younger than Molloy with five sophomores, three who will start. Seniors Ashley McQuillan, a returning starting guard, and Daisey Deihm, a forward, will be asked to provide leadership. Sophomore Joanna Verouhis, a shooting guard as a freshman, is back. Fellow underclassmen up from the jayvee, 5-foot-10 Martha Banach and 5-foot-8 Nicole Lenard, will be asked to start in the frontcourt.
“We’re hoping that by mid-season their maturity level will really come together,” St. Francis Prep Coach JoAnn Wagner. “They may not be big, they may not be tall, but they play with a lot of heart and desire. That’s all you can ask for.”