The bull’s eye fits fine on the Blue Devils
Being the defending HCIAA champion and state-ranked forces SDA to work harder
A week ago, St. Dominic Academy head basketball coach Mike Delaney opened the pages of a statewide newspaper and ruffled through the state’s Top 20 girls’ basketball teams.
As Delaney’s eyes made their way down the list of the state’s elite, he stopped abruptly at No. 14. There, residing for the first time ever, was his team earning a place among the best teams in New Jersey. Needless to say, the third-year head coach was just a little surprised, but not totally shocked.
"We’re not lucky to be where we are," Delaney said. "My kids put their time in and work very hard. They deserve everything they get."
A year ago, the hard work culminated in a shocking result, a 61-30 lambasting of Bayonne in the HCIAA Championship game. It was one thing to knock off Bayonne, which has won a dozen county titles over the years. It was another thing to blast the Bees by 30 points.
The school’s first-ever basketball championship brought a lot of attention to the program, to Delaney, to his players. He knew that all surprises, all shocking results, would go out the window. Once you’re a champion, you become the hunted, the one that everyone shoots at. With the blue and white HCIAA championship jackets came a gigantic target, a red-and-black bull’s eye, to don for an entire year –
maybe longer.
And then, when you’re ranked among the top 20 in the state, there’s more motivation for the opposition.
"The bull’s eye is bigger," Delaney said. "When you’re the champion, it’s more obvious. When you’re ranked among the top 20, the bull’s eye has to get bigger. But we have to do what we have to do. We just get ourselves in a frame of mind that we go about our business and not worry about everything else."
But it’s safe to say that the Blue Devils will not sneak up on anyone this time around. It’s hunting season and the hunters are shooting for those wearing SDA across the front of their uniforms.
However, after Wednesday night’s 74-37 victory over Marymount of New York, the Blue Devils are relishing their role of being the hunted, of wearing the shooting gallery target. SDA owns a proud 7-1 record and already have the biggest local win of the season, a 59-58 victory over HCIAA favorite Marist last Friday night.
"We work at being good," Delaney said. "We got a taste of winning last year and liked it. We want to win again."
Right now, the Blue Devils’ best performer has been senior forward Patricia Lazzarini, who has been averaging nearly 23 points per game thus far – an improvement of nearly 10 points per game over a year ago. The 5-10 Lazzarini has scored 34, 27, 18 and 27 (against Marymount) in her last four games.
"She’s playing out of her mind," Delaney said. "She has a lot of self confidence now. Over the summer, she worked very hard to get ready for this year. It’s just been her drive and desire to become a better player."
Senior center Sophia Vucetaj has been as solid as ever. The 6-3 Vucetaj, a two-time Hudson Reporter All-Area First Team honoree, is averaging 18 points and 13 rebounds per game, although she had to sit out of the Marymount game due to disciplinary reasons.
"Sophie has really worked hard on her all-around game, especially her passing," Delaney said.
The SDA sparkplug is sophomore point guard Annie Cossolini, all five-feet-nothing of her.
"She does what every true point guard does," Delaney said.
Cossolini’s backcourt partner has been 5-2 junior Rachel Terriogo, who also helps the team go. Terriogo scored 13 points in a win over state-ranked East Brunswick and 12 in the win over Marist.
"She’s been a good scorer in big games when we needed her to be," Delaney said. "She plays very good defense and gets a lot of steals, along with Annie. They’re a dangerous backcourt together. It’s like having two Mugsy Bogueses (referring to the 5-3 NBA point guard) out there. They’re so fast that sometimes I don’t see what they’re doing."
The fifth SDA starter is junior forward Nicole Totino.
"She’s not a big scorer, but she works hard on the backboards and gets a lot of the garbage," Delaney said of the 5-10 Totino. "We need kids like that."
Senior guard/forward Kim Hulings and freshmen Colleen Dwyer and Liz Hussey all contribute solid minutes for the Blue Devils.
Needless to say, Delaney is happy with the team’s performance thus far. Taking on all comers and only losing one game to Landsdale Academy of Pennsylvania is not a bad start.
"I’m very happy with the effort," Delaney said. "Sure, the target on our backs gets bigger, but so far, we’re just letting things fly."
It’s not going to get easier in the next coming days. The Blue Devils will face Bayonne for the first time since last February’s HCIAA finale and will lock horns with another tough league foe in North Bergen on Tuesday.
"We have five games in seven days," Delaney said. "It never gets easier."
Not when you’re proudly wearing the bull’s eye, for everyone to see.
CAPTION
STATE-RANKED – The Blue Devils have earned a spot as the number 14 team in New Jersey, thanks to the efforts, from left, of senior Sophia Vucetaj, sophomore Annie Cossolini, senior Patricia Lazzarini and in the back row, Head Coach Mike Delaney.