High School Girls Basketball

BY ADAM RONIS

Wait a second, didn't I write this story two weeks ago? What are the chances the same combination hooks up for the same play against the same team in two weeks? Highly unlikely, but it happened tonight at SUNY-Old Westbury in a Nassau Class AA semifinal between No. 2 Calhoun and No. 3 Massapeqa.

Jazmin Fuller drove to the basket drawing the Massapequa defenders to her and fed a wide open Cayla Grodotzke for a layup, her only points of the game, with 30 seconds left to give Calhoun a 58-56 win in an entertaining game. Just two weeks ago on Feb. 12, the same teams played at Calhoun with the winner getting the two seed. And again it was Fuller driving, attracting two Massapequa defenders and feeding Grodotzke for her second field goal with 12 seconds left for the winner in a 40-38 victory.

Grodotzke certainly knows how to grab the spotlight. But it was a contribution from several Calhoun players that got the win. Fuller had 17 points, including seven in the fourth quarter. Megan Vasquez scored 18 points and Erin McCutchan scored 11 points, including three three-pointers.

"We thought if kept Megan under 20 and spread our scoring around, we would be in good shape," Massapequa coach Shari Roessler said. "They had some people step up and had balanced scoring.

Janine Aldridge (25 points) did all she could to lead Massapequa to victory and had 12 points in the final quarter.

The biggest lead for either team was five points. It was close throughout. Massapequa led by one at the half and Calhoun led 44-39 after three. Vasquez picked up her fourth foul with 5:15 left and sat out with her team leading 46-45. She returned with 3:25 left and Calhoun trailed 54-48. Massapequa took a 56-52 lead with 1:50 left, but didn't score again. Fuller went 1-for-2 from the foul line and Vasquez scored on a three-point play with 59 seconds left to tie the score at 56. Massapequa had trouble setting up a final play in the final 30 seconds and Mary Green stole the ball from Aldridge with 3.4 seconds left.

Calhoun, which has six seniors - four starter- has taken a step each year and is in the final for the first time. Calhoun will play Hicksville 4:15 p.m. Saturday at C.W. Post.

"Each year has been a learning experience," Calhoun coach June Spruyt said. "We have progressed each year. They have been in these situations before."