Pearl River Sports: Girls Basketball Falls, Boys Hoops Postponed

Moments after Tappan Zee rallied from 11 points down in the fourth quarter to win at Pearl River, 63-54http://pearlriver.patch.com/groups/sports/p/tappan-zee-girls-basketball-rallies-to-win-at-pearl-river, both head coaches expressed confidence in the Pirates in spite of a three-game losing streak.

"I understand the girls wanted this one, but as I said at the beginning, this is going to be a process," said Pearl River Head Coach Dan Lauture. "Whether we're 7-0 or 0-7. A lot of girls are being asked to do certain things they haven't normally done. I really think we're turning the corner. We'd like to win ball games. When we can put four quarters together, I really do feel we're a team to reckon with."

"They are a good team," Tappan Zee Head Coach Tom Cromer said. "They are long. They are athletic. The ball bounced our way, too, in the second half. Pearl River is a good team. They are going to be there in the end. There is no doubt in my mind."

Cromer also acknowledged the challenge Lauture is facing this season in taking over from Lorraine Moylan.

"Coach Lauture is doing a great job coming in for Coach Moylan," Cromer said. "I don't care who you are, that's hard. That's tough."

Wednesday's game was the first the Pirates had played since a loss to North Rockland Dec. 23 due to the winter break and the postponement of games against Albertus Magnus and Newburgh due to winter weather. They had focused on improving defensively during practice over the winter break and it was Pearl River's defensive pressure that helped the Pirates lead by as many as 11 points in the fourth quarter against the Dutchies. 

"Defensively, they were swarming and doing a great job," Cromer said. "You can't play into that. They play a very aggressive style. I commend them for it."

"Defensively, until that fourth quarter, we improved a lot," Lauture said. "That's what we worked on over the break. I really do feel defensively we made strides. It's something we've got to get better at."

Tappan Zee did a better job handling the pressure and scored 28 points in the final quarter. Senior Kristen McLaughlin scored 17 of her game-high 28 points in the final period. 

McLaughlin also helped slow down Pearl River's top scorer, Emma Daly, who came in averaging 20.5 points per game and had put up over 30 in the last two contests. She finished with 12 Wednesday. 

Pearl River's next game is 4:15 p.m. Monday at Suffern.

Gas Leak Postpones Boys Basketball Game at Tappan Zee

Pearl River was also scheduled to play rival Tappan Zee in boys basketball Wednesday, but the game was cancelled along with all after school activities at Tappan Zee High School due to a ruptured gas line on Dutch Hill Road. As of Wednesday, no make-up date had been set for the game. 

Rockland County Coaches Indoor Track Invitational

Pearl River senior Brian Cook won the 600 meter run in a time of 1:20.20 in the Rockland County Coaches Indoor Track and Field Invitational Wednesday at Rockland Community College's Levy Fieldhouse. Cook also finished second to Luke Gavigan of Tappan Zee in the 1000 meter run.

Cook was the only Pirate to win an individual event. Teammate Aidan Miller finished second in the pole vault and Ben McDermott was third in the 1600 meter run.

On the girls side, Pearl River's Sandra Wilson took third in the high jump and Kelly Hayes was third in the 1000 meter run, which Tappan Zee's Erin Jaskot won. Read more about the meet here. 

This Week's Schedule


Thursday, Jan. 9

• Bowling: Pearl River vs. Clarkstown at Hi-Tor, 3:30 p.m.
• Track & Field: Pearl River boys and girls compete at Dendy Meet at RCC, 4:30 p.m.
• Wrestling: Pearl River at Clarkstown North, 4:30 p.m.

• Wrestling: Pearl River competes in Eastern States Wrestling Classic, 9 a.m.

• Wrestling: Pearl River competes in Eastern States Wrestling Classic, 9 a.m.
• Ice hockey: Pearl River vs. New Rochelle at Sport-O-Rama, 6:30 p.m.

• Track & Field: Pearl River competes in league championships at the Armory in NYC, times TBD