Blue Devil Girls' Basketball
Salutes Seniors
He's only been their coach for one season, but six Blue Devil basketball players were given touching tributes by Mike Kaplan during Senior Night in Huntington High School's Louis D. Giani Gymnasium.
Kaplan, who closed out his rookie season as head coach with a Suffolk Class AA playoff appearance, toasted seniors Isabelle Senat, Sarah Ehrman, Courtney O'Bryan, Jackie Waldron, Shea Scully and Emma Hayes-Hurley during pre-game ceremonies before a crowd of about 400.
Calling them "irreplaceable seniors," Kaplan said "these girls have made my first year as the head coach one to remember. They have all improved tremendously throughout the year and have provided senior leadership to the underclassmen."
Jackie Waldron
Waldron received special praise as "one of the hardest working players that I have ever coached," Kaplan said. The two-year starter known as "The General" by teammates, led the Blue Devils in scoring and rebounds. "She has one of the best outside shots in the league and is the player the other coaches always key on. She has put in a lot of time in the off-season to improve and always stays after practice to work on her skills."
Waldron intends to play basketball in college and is considering Dickinson College, SUNY College at Brockport, Catholic University, Salisbury State University and Ithaca. "She is going to be a huge loss for us and very tough shoes for us to fill," Kaplan said. "We are really going to miss you next year."
Sarah Ehrman
Ehrman, a two-year varsity player, became one of the team's sparkplugs this winter. "Sarah is our best defensive player," Kaplan said. "She is quick and great at reading where the ball is going to go. She is the player I go to when we need to stop the opposing team's best player. Sarah does an excellent job stopping them from scoring and disrupting their play. Her work and dedication have helped her improve tremendously.
Ehrman is headed to Stony Brook University on a lacrosse scholarship. "You have been a pleasure to coach," Kaplan said to the teenager as the crowd applauded.
Emma Hayes-Hurley
Hayes-Hurley has been on the Blue Devil varsity for the past three seasons and led the team is assists this year. "She has done a wonderful job running the offense this season," Kaplan told the big crowd. "She is an extremely athletic and competitive player. Her ball-handling skills have improved greatly since the beginning of the season. I have enjoyed watching her progress as a basketball player."
Hayes-Hurley is headed to Binghamton University on a lacrosse scholarship. "Emma has been a pleasure to coach and it is going to be extremely hard to replace her," Kaplan said. "We will definitely miss you next year."
Shea Scully
Scully, a three-year varsity player, was "a special part of this team," Kaplan said. "Shea is one of the toughest players I have ever coached. She is always diving for loose balls and going hard to the boards. She is extremely aggressive and is not afraid to do whatever it takes to help her team. She always works hard and never gives up."
Scully has accepted a lacrosse scholarship at Bridgeport University. "You have been a true pleasure to coach and we are going to miss you very much."
Isabelle Senat
Senat blended right in with her teammates during her first season on the varsity. Kaplan said that when he met the senior last summer for the first time, "I knew she was going to bring a lot of energy to this team. She is very outgoing and always knows how to make her teammates and coaching staff laugh. She has been a very supportive teammate and made coaching extremely fun."
Senat is headed to Bridgeport University and Kaplan said the Blue Devils will miss her sunny personality.
Courtney O'Bryan
O'Bryan is another two-year varsity player. "OB worked very hard in the off-season to prepare for this season," Kaplan said. "She is a great all-around player who has improved in all aspects of the game. She is always doing her best to help the team improve. She never complains and gives 100 percent to everything she does."
O'Bryan's college plans are undecided. She's been accepted by the Arizona State, Penn State, Marist and the University of Connecticut. "We know that no matter where your future takes you, you will be successful," Kaplan said. "We are really going to miss you next year."
The six seniors were individually greeted at center court by their parents. Each player presented flowers to their respective mother. Underclassmen took turns reading sentences from a joint statement to the seniors. "Dearest Courtney, Emma, Izzi, Jackie, Sarah and Shea: Thank you for welcoming us with open arms. We want to thank you for being good role models and teachers. Thank you for all the good memories. We will miss you at the pasta parties and all the great bus rides. It has been a great season. We wish you all the best of luck in college. Come back and visit us. Everyone remember: Once a Blue Devil always a Blue Devil."