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Women's Basketball Team Takes Regional Title
for Fifth Consecutive Year
The results were disappointing in the early going; at mid-season the Vikings' record was 6 – 7, due in part to injuries that kept the team from playing at full strength. But the second half showed that the women were made of tougher stuff as they delivered five straight wins and improved their record to 16 – 10. They entered the regional tournament as the fourth seed, facing Lackawanna in the semifinal game, a team they had lost to twice during the regular season. This time it was the Vikings' turn to deliver as they pounded out a decisive 62 – 51 win. They followed it with a 74 – 70 victory over Essex to take the Region 19 title for the fifth consecutive year.
MVP honors went to sophomore forward Atisha Fitch. Head Coach Mike Tenaglia, in his 12th season with the Vikings, congratulates his players for choosing the right time to peak and avoiding costly injuries late in the season.
The team's trip to the nationals in Hagerstown, MD, marked the second time in four years that the Lady Vikes made the national play-offs. Their post-season run ended in the first round, however, with a 73 – 48 defeat to Mesa College.
Notable on this squad is that all players hailed from local high schools. Team stand-outs included freshman guard and leading scorer Kamika Harden and sophomore forward Atisha Fitch, both of whom were named to the Region 19 and All-GSAC first teams, and freshman point guard Ayesha Fitchett. They were joined by center Jen Elliott, forward Tara Brunker, guard Katrina Smith, forward Jessica McManimon, guard Diana Spriggs, and guard Dina Palmieri, all of whom had backup roles on last year's championship team. Tenaglia was assisted by Tameka Turner.