Marist girls don’t want it to end
Loss to Sterling in T of C signals final stop of great run
Two days after the very superstitious Bill DeFazio finally took down his Christmas lights and decorations and mercifully turned off the hideous Percy Faith and Perry Como holiday tunes that were drowning out his Jersey City neighbors, the Marist girls’ basketball coach called his team to the school gym.
The time had come to officially end the season by turning in their uniforms.
However, a photographer had arrived at the school requesting one last shot of the team holding the NJSIAA Parochial B state trophy that the Lady Knights had one the week prior.
Senior Tara Walker didn’t hesitate, reaching into the box of collected uniforms and pulling out her No. 3 gold jersey to wear proudly one last time.
"I don’t ever want to take this off," Walker said. "I want to wear it forever."
Unfortunately, forever is not in the cards. The Lady Knights’ season came to an end with a loss to Sterling in the NJSIAA Tournament of Champions last week, capping what perhaps might be the best four-year run in the history of Hudson County girls’ basketball.
With DeFazio calling the shots and Walker and fellow senior Makeda Gleaton leading the way, the Knights captured three state sectional titles, two HCIAA championships and finally, the big prize, the overall Parochial B state crown – becoming only the second HCIAA team in history to win a state title.
Incredibly, the other team was St. Anthony in 1984 – coached by DeFazio.
"He’s always told us that," said junior guard Jen Lewandowski. "He told us that we could be like his other team."
DeFazio didn’t want to consider his team’s final game as a loss.
"I’m not disappointed that we lost," DeFazio said. "I’m disappointed that it’s over. We had so much fun with this group. I loved just being with these kids. They’ve accomplished so much and that’s something that no one can take away."
No one can take away the run of brilliance engineered by Walker and Gleaton, who combined to score nearly 4,000 points and grab 2,500 rebounds between them over four years.
"We started to get on the map before they arrived," DeFazio said. "But Tara and Makeda put us on the map."
"Looking back on it, we didn’t lose," Walker said. "We were champions. I knew in the beginning of the season that we had a chance to be pretty good, but I never dreamed it would be like this. It’s a real great feeling, knowing that we’re going out on this note."
Walker ended her career with 2,386 points, which is the third highest total in the history of girls’ basketball in Hudson County. She’s No. 3 – much like the number on her uniform jersey.
"It’s not something I tried to accomplish, but it is a great accomplishment to tell my kids when I’m old," Walker said. "We came a long way together and we were able to go out with class."
As the uniforms were being collected and put in the box, another ceremony took place. Lewandowski was named the team’s captain for next season, which symbolized the passing of the leadership torch from Walker and Gleaton, to the next generation.
"It was so awesome being on the same court with them," Lewandowski said. "When they’re gone, things are going to be so much different. They passed the torch and hopefully, I can carry on."
Lewandowski and Gleaton now head on to softball practice. Walker will make recruiting visits to several schools, including Rutgers, Miami, St. John’s and Auburn. Rutgers coach C. Vivian Stringer came calling on Walker during the state tournament.
"It’s a good feeling to be wanted," Walker said.
DeFazio appreciates the state title more this time than the one he won some 17 years ago.
"The first one was nice, but girls’ basketball was different then," DeFazio said. "I didn’t truly appreciate how hard it was to win. This one is so special, because it’s something that we’re all going to remember for the rest of our lives. It’s just starting to hit me now what we accomplished. When I see the sign in front of the school, it means a lot. I check the papers to see if it was all a dream. But it’s very real. It may be over, but the feeling will never die."
Just the silly Christmas music outside the coach’s house has finally died down. Until next season.