Lockdown defenders key for Baldwin

While Tom Catapano can’t predict who Baldwin’s leading scorer is going to be night-in and night-out, the head coach of the Lady Bruins knows very well who will lead the defensive charge.

Catapano, who after 21 games is still waiting for the team’s first 20-point scorer of the season, said he routinely hands the toughest defensive assignment to the tandem of junior Taylor Howell and eighth-grader Jenna Annecchiarico. Last Friday's Long Island Class AA title game against the defending champs brought the biggest challenge of the season, in the form of Sachem East star Katie Doherty.

“She’s a great player,” Annecchiarico said of Doherty, a guard who led the Lady Flaming Arrows to a repeat Suffolk County title by averaging 21.9 points per game. “We watched seven of their games on film and knew she could shoot from the outside and drive. It was a big job, but we practiced hard to get ready.”

Baldwin’s preparation was evident on the floor at Farmingdale State College, when Howell and Annecchiarico combined to frustrate Doherty and limit her to six points. The Lady Bruins won a thriller, 50-47, holding on when Doherty’s three-point attempt at the buzzer just missed.

“Doherty got too good of a look at the end,” Catapano said. “No matter what happened during the game, you don’t want a player of that caliber to beat you or have a chance to force overtime in that spot. We played great and had to sweat out that last shot. 

“Taylor and Jenna did such an amazing job,” he added. “It’s what they do. They’re tenacious.”

Senior Mariah Butler led the Lady Bruins (18-3) with 16 points, including a pair of free throws with 6.2 seconds left for the final margin. Junior Tiara Place had the winning bucket on a layup with 59 seconds remaining.

“Our main concern was Doherty,” Howell said after Baldwin captured its second L.I. crown in four years. “That last shot was scary. I’m just so happy we got it done.”