The C-NS Northstars girls basketball team pulled off something pretty special when they won their second straight State Championship last month, but this week they're being honored on a National front. The Northstars were presented with the Army National Guard national ranking trophy on Wednesday afternoon, part of the fifth annual MaxPreps Tour of Champions for Girls' Basketball. The C-NS girls finished the season as the fifth ranked team in the country by MaxPreps, something the Northstars seniors were reflecting on as their high school basketball careers come to a victorious close.
"Just to know that as a senior, and the other seniors, this is the end", reflected Breanna Stewart, "I think everybody is just so proud of what we've been able to achieve."
"We (were) just more like a team where (we'd) play it game by game and see how far we (got)", explains Brittany Paul, "you know, work as hard as we can and that will get us as far as it can take us, so it was really a great accomplishment that we got this far."
The Northstars won back to back State Championships by beating previously undefeated Penfield in late March, finishing the season with a 23-3 record. The team also became the first non-New York City school to win the Federation Title since 2001. The fact that they also finished the season with a # 5 National ranking bodes well for the future, despite losing senior talent like Stewart, who's off to Connecticut, and Brittany Paul.
"You know, it's the gift that keeps on giving, "explains head coach Eric Smith, "it's great motivation for the kids that are going to continue on in the next years. We don't want to have a drop off, we may drop off some but we don't want to just become average again, and the kids know that. The kids enjoy the accolades that come along, the honors that come along, and we want to continue with those, so it's great motivation, and hopefully we can continue a tradition."
