Youthful Lady Gladiators look to the future

Goshen — The -2006 edition of the Goshen Lady Gladiators took big strides toward making Goshen a perennial force in girls’ basketball in the coming years. The team was very young, with two eighth-graders, a freshman, and three sophomores in the top of the rotation, and all underclassmen starting line-up all season. The season took some twist and turns, but the team battled to make this season’s campaign a historic one. The season started off well with an opening night victory over Chester, followed by losses to Marlboro and Monroe-Woodbury. The team righted the ship with a victory over James I. O’Neill before splitting games in the Spartan Invitational tournament over Christmas vacation. The New Year started off with a close loss to arch rival and defending Section Nine class “A” champion Cornwall, followed by defeats to Valley Central and Warwick. Facing adversity the girls won at Monticello in an important Division III contest. Unfortunately, the team could not sustain its hot shooting, as the next two games brought defeats at Washingtonville and Burke Catholic. The girls went into exam week struggling, but the studying helped with victories over Division III newcomer Port Jervis and visiting Monticello. The winning ways were quickly put to rest at Minisink Valley before coming back to the friendly confines of Goshen High with an exciting win over perennial power Chapel Field. Next up was a rematch with nemesis Cornwall. The team battled valiantly but lost in the end before finishing division play with a victory at Port Jervis. Returning home brought a loss to class “B” powerhouse Sullivan West, but senior night was a success with a win over Liberty in the regular season finale. Having finished the season as the runner-up to Cornwall in Division III, the team qualified for the Section Nine class “A” tournament and was seeded fourth. This achievement brought Saugerties to Goshen for the quarterfinal round, and the team responded to tournament play with a dominant performance sending them to the semi-final round. In the semi-finals at SUNY Orange, the girls faced the Green Dragons of Cornwall for the third time this season. After a close first quarter, Cornwall pulled ahead and ended the season for the Lady Gladiators on the campus of SUNY Orange. Although the team experienced a roller coaster regular season, they competed hard in every game and have the potential to improve in the years to come. The team was young this year and returns its nucleus next season having gained some valued knowledge and experience. The team is the first in Goshen girls’ basketball history to ever win a game in Section Nine play and has that to hang their hat on for this season. As with everything in life, only hard work in the off-season will bring the potential of this talented team to fruition.