Red Bank Catholic High School’s Grace Fallon (r) goes up for a shot before Immaculate Heart Academy’s Taylor Anderson (24) can stop her during the NJSIAA Non-Public A state championship game played on March 9 at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River. The Caseys won the state title with a 54-42 triumph and moved on to the Tournament of Champions. ERIC SUCAR staff Prior to the season, Red Bank Catholic (RBC) High School girls basketball coach Joe Montano fretted that his team did not have a go-to scorer and would need to get the job done by committee. It turns out the committee may be even more dangerous.
A balanced offense has carried the Caseys through the NJSIAA Non-Public A tournament to a 28-1 overall record and a berth in the Tournament of Champions (TOC), where RBC was to meet Ocean City High School at the Pine Belt Arena in Toms River on March 12.
The Caseys’ latest win came on March 9 in the Non-Public A finals against Immaculate Heart Academy (28-3). RBC raced out to a 15-7 first-quarter lead and went on to allow just 14 first-half points. Immaculate Heart bounced back to put up 28 points in the second half, but Montano’s team matched that and walked away with a 54- 42 win and its sixth overall group title.
Grace Fallon, who has sparkled in the postseason, led the Caseys with 17 points, but the 5-foot-11 forward had plenty of help. Sophomore guard Alex Barazotti added 10 points, while Alex Alfano and Mary Kate Caverly each picked up seven points in the win. Previously, the Caseys outscored Gloucester Catholic High School (26-3) to bring home the Non-Public A South title. RBC again started strong, putting up a six-point lead, and their opponent could never really catch up. In this encounter, Barazotti was the top scorer with 16 points, while Caverly added another 10 points as RBC rolled to a 46-41 triumph.
RBC’s toughest test came in the Non-Public A South semifinals, where they squared off against Shore Conference Class A Central rival St. John Vianney High School (18-11). Similar to other games this winter, Montano’s team got up early and took a 29-16 edge into the intermission, thanks to its balanced attack.
The Lady Lancers, however, were not finished, battling back with 27 third quarter points to cut the Caseys’ lead to a mere three points. RBC maintained its poise and held on for a 58-56 success. It marked the Caseys’ third victory over St. John Vianney this season — all close games — with RBC outscoring their Holmdel rivals by just eight points over those three wins.
Barazotti led the Caseys with 15 points, including a trio of 3-pointers, while Fallon pitched in with 13 points, and Alfano and Caroline Corcoran added 10 points apiece. Katie Beriont and Lyndsay Rowe each scored 14 points for St. John Vianney.
Montano also achieved an important milestone — his 500th career victory on the RBC bench — in his team’s 51-37 quarterfinals win over Holy Cross. Fallon and Alfano paced the Caseys with 12 points each.