Ridgefield Girls Basketball Expected To Contend In FCIAC

The Ridgefield girls basketball team boasts a solid nucleus of players, including three returning starters in 5-9 guards Emily Favorite and Kathryn Cholko along with 5-8 forward Molly Welch.

Tenacious sophomore Ellie Gravitte joins the varsity this season, bringing her sharp shooting and tough defensive skills to the team.

Despite a strong corps of returning players, though, the Tigers lack depth and will have to depend on a determined but as yet unproven group of youngsters.

Michelle Gibbons, last year's second leading scorer, would have been a junior, but she moved to London with her family. The Tigers also lost Abby Searfoss, who graduted after running the offense last season, so the Tigers do have some pieces to replace.

"I believe we will have a great season," coach Katie Smith said.  "We have a bunch of young players creeping up to the varsity team as well as strong upperclassmen to lead us this season.

"While we are short on size and interior rebounding," she said, "we make up for it in quickness and aggressiveness."

Coming off a solid 19-6 season, the Tigers are expected to once again contend for an FCIAC playoff after losing to Trinity Catholic in the semifinals last year and finishing fifth in the regular season.

Ridgefield advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class LL state tournament, falling to Norwich Free Academy.

It was the second straight year in which Ridgefield was eliminated by NFA, which went on to defeat Mercy 40-37 in the state championship game.

"It seems like we always meet them in the quarters and have a tough time," Smith said.

A teacher at East Ridge Middle School, Smith is a former Division I player, having played at Iona College in New Rochelle, N.Y.