Donahue Girls Beat Seacrest 45-26, Advance to Regional Semi Finals
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Published on Friday, 07 February 2014 03:58
The Donahue Academy girls varsity basketball team played strong defense and controlled the ball Thursday night to beat Seacrest Country Day 45-27 in the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) regional quarter-finals. The win advances the Ave Maria girls to a semi-final game Tuesday against a strong Sarasota Christian Academy squad Tuesday night in Sarasota.
"Our smothering man-to-man defense shut them down," Head Coach Tim Donahue said after the game against Seacrest. "We rebounded really well and limited turnovers."
Donahue Academy dominated in the first half, holding Seacrest to only seven points while scoring 26 of their own. Seacrest did not get many second chances in the game because Donahue out rebounded them and commanded both the offensive and defensive boards all night.
Seacrest stepped it up in the second half, scoring 20 points while Donahue put up 19.
Emilee Fournier, with 14 points and Ann Guernsey with 13 led the Donahue scoring. Claire Buzzanca, Jenny Rivera, and Joan Cheffers had four points each while Rhodora Moore, Teresa Vall, and Caitlyn Schneider had two apiece.
This is Donahue's first year of eligibility in the FHSAA, which governs high school athletics in the state. The Naples Daily News article on the game notes that, "The Donahue Academy girls basketball team accomplished in one season what it takes some programs decades to do." (link below)
The next game might be the girls' biggest test so far this year.
"Sarasota is a perennial regional playoff team," Coach Donohue said, "They have size, good outside shooting and a very quick point guard. We have not beaten them yet this year, but played well for three quarters in the district playoff game," which Sarasota won 47-34.
"The girls know they need to limit their turnovers, and play their best defensive game of the year to advance. We will have to break their press, limit turnovers, slow down their two leading scorers and shoot well."
Click here for Naples Daily News article on the game.
