By Olivia Almeida, Staff Writer and Grace Kenney, Editor-in-Chief

This season has been one of firsts for the basketball team. The team won its first division title with a final divisional record of 13-1. Another first came when the team won its first Shore Conference Tournament game against higher-seeded Middletown North with a score of 40-33 on Feb. 13.

“We knew it was going to be a big game, because it would be our first Shore Conference [Tournament] victory. Coaches Matt McCarthy and Taryn Scinto worked hard to prepare us by watching hours of film and analyzing Middletown North’s every move,” junior captain Caitlin Wingertzahn said.

“It felt amazing and surreal because it was our first Shore Conference [Tournament] victory. We worked hard this entire season and it paid off,” junior Maggie Ward said.

Junior Maggie W. locks down on defense against Mater Dei on Feb. 5 at St. George’s Gym. (Photo courtesy of Taryn Scinto)

The team lost the next day in the second round to Manchester High School, who eventually won the entire tournament.

On Feb. 27, the Monarchs headed into the first round of the NJSIAA Non-Public B State Tournament as the tenth seed to compete against seventh-seeded Roselle Catholic. The Monarchs kept the game close, as they were down by only two points at halftime, but eventually lost with a final score of 37-46.

“Coming into the Roselle Catholic game, many people thought we were going to be blown out of the waters. I think this fired everyone up,” junior captain Colleen Kelly said. “We went out and worked our hardest. And despite the result not going in our favor, we all took away a positive part of the game.”

Overall, the Monarchs’ season was a positive one, as they claimed first place in the division and earned a 17-9 overall record.

“I really loved coming to practice everyday. The end of any season is bittersweet. When it finally hits, it’s emotional because I know how many sacrifices were made by each girl and how much time was devoted, ” said McCarthy.