Rebels Run Over Lady Colts, Calhoun Must Win at Kennedy Tonight to Reach Postseason

It was Senior Night for the Lady Colts of Calhoun, with an emphasis on senior.

As in Calhoun having a senior moment or two.  Or four quarters worth.

Beset by turnovers from the outset, the Lady Colts were stampeded by the Lady Rebels of Great Neck South, 55-24 in league action on Friday.  The win gave the Rebels the Conference AA-II championship, and set the stage for a Calhoun showdown at Kennedy tonight, with the Lady Colts' playoff hopes on the line.

Calhoun (5-6) eagerly awaited the outcome of the Freeport/Syosset game, where a Freeport loss would have put the Lady Colts in the postseason.  No such luck, as Freeport came out on top, 30-27.

It was a fitting end to a frustrating day for Calhoun.  The Rebels opened the game with a 12-1 run and were never threatened.  Tip-off was at 6:30, and if you are a Colts fan, you may as well have gone to bed by 7.  Like a senior.

"[Great Neck] is quick, they're aggressive, they have no fear...they played very well," Calhoun coach Dave Radtke said.

The game played out like the teams' previous encounter, a 53-39 Great Neck South victory.  GNS seemed to develop ESP, anticipating every Calhoun move.  The Lady Colts saw one pass after another stolen, tipped, or deflected.

The Rebels' sixth sense carried over inside the paint, where they were perfectly positioned to grab every rebound on both ends of the floor.  Great Neck had second chances aplenty, while halting Calhoun's scoring chances, period.

Jessica Ruggiero came off the bench to lead the Lady Colts with 8 points, and Erin Green added 6.  Green, along with fellow senior Katie Berghorn, were honored before the game.

"We really didn't have anything inside or out, it just wasn't working either way," said Berghorn, who was held scoreless in her final home contest.

Everything worked for the Lady Rebels (10-1), who were led by Sapir Edalati's 14 points.  Michelle Ross added 10 points and 13 rebounds.  Great Neck South led by 18 at the half, and held Calhoun to single digits in every quarter.

"When you're a shooting team, and you get off rhythm, you've got to shoot yourself out of it,' Radtke said, 'and sometimes you just can't...everything they threw up went in, everything we threw up went out."

Radtke praised the leadership of his graduating duo, on what turned out to be a bittersweet Senior Night.

"[Erin and Katie] are two classy kids, they've made my transition here as a first year coach tremendous,' he said.  "I've leaned on them...we're a young team, they've brought the younger kids around, I couldn't ask for two better seniors."

Now sentiment must give way to serious.  The Lady Colts head to Kennedy tonight for a 7 p.m. tip-off in what should be a charged atmosphere.  The Lady Cougars will be holding their own senior night, and will be looking to avenge a 53-37 loss to Calhoun last month. 

"When you're an athlete, you want to play in a game like that, it's something [my players] have never seen before...it's going to be a war, we're going to have some fun," Radtke said.

Colt players hope they have a lot more fun tonight than they did on Friday, and can beat their archrivals to extend their season - for their seniors, and for their fans.

"I think we're all pretty hyped up for Kennedy," Green said.  "Supposedly they're jamming their gym so they're going to have a lot of people there; we're hoping to get all of our fans there."

And hoping they have a reason to celebrate when the final horn sounds.

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