Irvington Girls to Compete For Second Straight Federation Title Today

The seemingly infallible Irvington girls basketball team—which has apparently forgotten how to lose—is back in familiar territory.

The 26-1 Bulldogs, newly-minted state champions, thrashed Scholars Academy of Rockaway Park, 63-43, in the federation semifinals at the Albany Times Union Center.

Now, the Bulldogs—which hold an unblemished record against Class B foes this season—have shifted their gaze toward capturing unprecedented back-to-back Federation championships.

As spring sports have taken form and other teams prepare for the April-June schedule, only one winter team is still standing. A burgeoning power in Section I, the Irvington girls now stand at the doorstep of program history. The team is slated for a date with Long Island Lutheran at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

"I think our recipe for success all season long has been work hard at practice and playing hard in games," said Alexis Martins, who scored 18 points and tore down 18 rebounds, helping trigger a staggering 26-0 run that spanned from the second quarter to the third against Scholars Academy.

"All 11 girls on our team have a role and every girl understands that role. We don't win without the tough practice scrimmages our second five plays during practice."

It has been a maximum team effort and the chemistry that was developed way early in the season has spread throughout these late March days.

Against Scholars Academy, junior forward Marley Giddens stuffed the stat book. Giddens scored a team-best 20 points, snared eight rebounds, and doled out three assists. Brittni Lai dropped 17 points, dished out four assists, and collected a team-high five steals.

The supplementary pieces have been just as essential as the three-headed monster of Martins-Giddens-Lai. Senior Kelly O'Donnell has brought that senior leadership, scored hustle points and snared rebounds. She's been the glue-like presence that's helped piece this star-encrusted five together.

Sophomore Ryan McMahon has taken on a  facilitator's role, helping initiate the offense for her high-scoring classmates.

"Getting back to the title game felt the same way it did last year," said Martins.

"For us, it wasn't getting to repeat a championship; it was just the fact that we were going out to play for another state title."

Now, in the tail-end of the season and the last stop on what's been a magnificent ride through upstate New York, the Bulldogs get to play for another federation title.