Girls basketball: Valente, Calahan help Highland reach its first section final since 2018
HIGHLAND - It didn't matter to Danica Valente that she had starred in her first varsity season, earned individual accolades, and helped spark a basketball resurgence in her school. In her mind, "I needed to earn my spot back on the team."
That was after suffering a torn anterior cruciate ligament while playing lacrosse last spring. She feared then the injury might cost her the winter sports season, or that she might not be effective in her return.
"But she worked so hard in her rehab and physical therapy, and with our (athletic) trainer John Kenney," Highland girls basketball coach Michael Geller said. "She did everything in her power to recover and try to get back for the team. That's how much it meant to her."
In addition to the relentless rehabilitation, Valente was a regular in the weight room and attended as many offseason team activities as she could, taking mental reps and providing vocal support. The junior then raised eyebrows when she was cleared to return in December, only seven months after surgery.
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Of course, it's taken some time for her to shake the rust and regain full confidence in the knee. But her presence alone was uplifting, teammates said.
She's giving them a tangible boost, too, in the playoffs. With her instincts and tenacity, Valente led a defense that stifled No. 3 Onteora and initiated a transition game that helped Highland cruise to a 56-29 win Tuesday in a Section 9 Class B semifinal.
"I'm really proud of myself," the guard said. "It definitely took a lot to get to this point."
There is a similar pride in her team, which endured a lengthy rebuild and now is enjoying its breakthrough. The second-seeded Huskies advanced to the section final for the first time since winning the title in 2018 and will face James I. O'Neill on Thursday, 7 p.m. at Mount St. Mary College.
"I've dreamed about competing for championships since I was a little kid," said senior Grace Koehler, whose father, Mike Koehler, once coached the Marlboro boys basketball team during a dominant run. "It's been a long process, but we kept working and improving to get ourselves in this position."
Highland had a stunning turnaround last winter, more than tripling its win total from the previous year, but the season ended with a heartbreaking overtime loss in the quarterfinals. They've built on that and taken a significant step forward.
"It's amazing," Valente said, "to see how far we've come."
Samantha Calahan had 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists to lead the Huskies (13-8). The versatile 5-foot-9 wing has emerged as a standout this season, and she was a factor on both ends. Logan VanZandt and Deanna Barry each scored 11, and Koehler added eight points, four assists and two steals.
In what Geller described as "her best game so far this season," Valente had nine points and six steals, including three in the fourth quarter. She intercepted two straight inbounds passes, one of which resulted in a touch pass to VanZandt for a layup that pushed the lead to 44-24 with 6:26 remaining and fired up the Highland fans.
The teams went back and forth in the opening minutes, but Highland took control late in the first quarter while utilizing its pressure defense. Valente and VanZandt hounded ball-handlers in the backcourt, which led to steals and errant passes.
"Onteora is a tough, physical team and having a slower, low-scoring game plays more to their style," said Geller, whose team had a 39-34 loss to the Eagles in January. "We wanted to push the pace and get out in transition, so getting stops and turnovers was important."
VanZandt's free throws gave Highland a 12-10 lead a minute into the second quarter and the Huskies held Onteora to two points in the period, taking a 27-12 lead to halftime. The Eagles managed only eight in the third quarter as Highland pulled away.
Maxine Sprague and Riley Fitzgerald each scored seven points for Onteora (14-7).
"I expected us to go far because of how many good players we have and how much everyone has worked," said VanZandt, a freshman who had eight points in the fourth quarter. "We're definitely excited about this. We've earned the right to be happy and proud of ourselves."
Stephen Haynes: shaynes@poughkeepsiejournal.com; 845-437-4826; Twitter: @StephenHaynes4
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Girls basketball: Calahan leads Highland over Onteora in 'B' semifinal
