Tomorrow a long and winding road finally leads to that door. That place where basketball will take place. Somehow we got there, somehow despite all the roadblocks, a season will begin. You can feel the excitement in the air. It’s so thick you can cut it with a knife. Coaches, parents and players have lost so much along the way. In many cases things they will never get back. But tomorrow this winding road leads to joy for so many.
Last year SJV lost a chance to win the SCT AND TOC. This year they were expecting to repeat that double CHIP. Becoming one of the few teams to ever accomplish this feat. A chance for them to on the Mt. Rushmore of girls basketball teams. But not all is lost because SJV will have a season. The long winding road has led them to here. A place where dreams can still come true.. TOMORROW THE BEST TEAM IN NJ WILL TRY TO FINISH UNFINISHED BUSINESS….AGAIN. Katie Hill and Emma Bruen will lead the way one more time. Katie Hill will go down as All Time SJV and Emma as a all time competitor and teammate. Sianna Bradley has been the good soldier and perfect teammate. Now is will be rewarded with her senior year. This year the SJV seniors will be more grateful for their success than any other year.
DESTINY ADAMS is a Shore All Time Great. Not just as a player but as a person. Seeing her smile this fall and working on her jump shot, told the long winding road this season has just begun. So much personally has been taken from Destiny. She should own every record in Manchester history. They has and will be taken away from her. But it doesn’t matter because we all know Destiny is one of the greatest. There will be a senior night at Manchester.. but I hope the this long and winding road has a DESTINY ADAMS NIGHT. So we can honor her and cheer for her one more time. Tomorrow we may start the process of seeing one of the greatest of all time…one last season.
RYANN TAYLOR and Olivia Palmer are great kids. It’s seemed they were not going to get one more chance this year. But tomorrow they will get that chance. The long and winding road has taken them right here. They were brave enough to stay and play at there local high school. Now they will get one more chance with there teammates and friends. They have been everything a kid should be. They proved basketball is not life and death but an experience. Tomorrow that experience will continue when nobody thought it was possible.
JORDYN KEATING has been around forever. She has so many things taken away from her in the past year. But somehow she keeps fighting her way back. That’s because she has a good soul and bigger heart. She roots for everyone. She believes there is enough light for everyone to shine. So tomorrow she will get to walk on the court and play real basketball again. The long and winding road for Jordyn Keating has been unlike no other… but here we are ready to play basketball again. Nobody deserves it more than Jordyn Keating.
The thought of Sophia Sabino and Antonia Panayides not playing this year is painful. They have given the life to RBC basketball. The long winding road has led them back. It has given them another chance. A final chance at greatness. Tomorrow nobody wearing a RBC uniform will be more happy than these two. That is maybe with the exception of Cassie Canvaugh. Cassie bleeds green and gold and has prayed for this season… her prayers have been answered.
Abby Antognoli and Mo Stapleton almost lost everything left to lose. But the Long Winding Road has brought them back. The road they have traveled has not been a easy one. But here they are waiting for one last ride to greatness. Tomorrow there will be joy in Belmar because nobody believed we’d see these two in a St. Rose Uniform again. Where it’s their team and they are leading the way. Niasya Ervin has add to adjust it seems every year of her basketball career. Tomorrow she starts her final adjustment. One she thought would never come… but the long winding road led to this chance to be great this year.
Rachel Capua had been a member of the original BIG 4.. then it became the BIG 3.. now it’s just her left. Everything said she would never get a chance to be the big one. But the long winding road brought her back. Now she can play one time with her teammates and friends. Something that didn’t feel was possible a few months ago.. but Rachel Capua is getting one more chance.
Allison Waters is a gift. She has always been a true teammate. Now she has been given a gift. The gift of her senior year. A chance to do something big one more time. MACI BLACK has been by her side the entire way. They have seen the best of times and worst of times. Yet now the Long and Winding road has brought them to this great moment.. one more chance to dance with joy.
The long winding road has been just that for Grace Munt. No kid has ever been more perfect. Everything she touches turns to gold. It’s impossible not root for her when she is on the floor. She has been unselfish and the ultimate teammate and friend. The thought of not seeing her just one more time on the court was too painful to think about. That because Grace Munt has always been my favorite. Now we get to see that smile and talent displayed one more time. We should consider ourselves blessed.. because no matter how long the winding road goes.. WE WILL NEVER SEE ANOTHER GRACE MUNT.
Grace Leary and teammate Caitlin Gresko are tied to the hip. They along with Lucy Alberici have a relationship that has been tired together though basketball. Then never dreamed they get to play this season. Now here they are on that long winding road. THEY HAVE MADE IT… and the best friends are all so grateful. They have their colleges picked, all that is left now is to enjoy a ride they never expected
Lila Shaver has been doing great things her entire career. She had to wonder, why her road has been so long and painful while trying to be acknowledged for doing so much good. Well her long winding Road just took a great turn. Now Lila can show the basketball world she is truly special. Something she has been trying to show us all for 3 years… now she will get a unexpected chance once again… no kid has earned it more!
Jess Riepe has made all the right moves. Her teammate Sammy Jay has all the right moves. There two know the winding Road is so hard. They had to believe there days of raining threes and having more fun than any team in NJ was over. But tomorrow they get the chance to do it again. To play a high school game again. The joy must be overwhelming.. these two deserve that joy.
The long and winding road that leads to my door. Chloe Teter has opened every door that closed in front of her. Her journey to greatness is like a modern day love story. She had to win everyone’s love every step of the way. The thought of her not getting 1000 points and wreaking havoc on the RBR record books is almost too sad to think about. But not Teter can salvage her season now. Something that didn’t seem possible until now. Now Teter can leave the stage and take a bow for a job well done .. STARTING TOMORROW with her fellow senior classmates… CAITLYN DECKER…AMELIA MEDOLLA…EMMA MORIARITY and MIA STRAND… you couldn’t draw it up any better!
There are players across the country whose senior seasons have been ruined. But not Grace Meehan or Maura Carney’s. These two are going to play their senior year. They are going to taste the sweet taste of success. Some will talk about the lack of fans at games. Some will talk about how the recruiting has been impacted. But in the end tomorrow is a day to celebrate a job well done by all. SENIORS READY TO PLAY ONE MORE YEAR. Thanks to the NJSIAA.. the CCD.. PARENTS.. TRAINERS .. COACHES AND PLAYERS… because the long and winding road to get to today… HAS BEEN WORTH THE JOURNEY… good luck to everyone.. enjoy the ride. I know I will😃💕🏀💪
