Commack Cougars Are Suffolk Champions

Commack celebrates its Suffolk title. Photo/Commack School District

The Commack girls basketball team didn’t waste any time Tuesday night, when they jumped out to a 13-point lead in Suffolk’s Class AA girls basketball championship and never looked back.

“There was a great deal of focus among the kids on getting off to a good start and we did,” said coach Dennis Conroy. Getting an early lead “puts the other team back on their heels and it’s a lot better to play well than to play poorly at the beginning.”

Commack ultimately came away with a 52-25 win over the Thunderbirds of Half Hollow Hills High School East. It’s the Cougars’ third county title in the past four years.

“I just think we played a really intelligent game at both ends,” he said.

Paving the way for Commack were Kim Shalhoub with 14 points, Katie Kelly with 13 points, Amanda McMahon with 11 points, Casey Hearns with eight points, Emily Mooney with four points, and Lauren Maline with two points.

Commack was also strong on the boards. “Probably the key to the game was the fact that we dominated the rebounding aspect as well as we did,” Conroy said.

The Cougars are now preparing for the overall championship game against Suffolk’s small school champ, Hauppauge. That game is set for Friday, 5 p.m. at Farmingdale College.

“They always give a great effort,” Conroy said of Hauuppauge.

The game will serve as prep for the Long Island championship, when Commack will face either Baldwin or Massapequa. That game is set for March 8, 7:30 p.m. at Suffolk Community College’s Brentwood campus.

--JANEE LAW