In a 51-40 game against Park Ridge, the Cresskill Girls’ Varsity Basketball Team has won their sectional state championship for the second consecutive year.

It was anyone’s game at Cresskill High School on Monday night. Down the first quarter, tied at halftime, Cresskill finally pulled into the lead at the end of the third quarter. The stands were filled to the brim with students, teachers, and others, and as the clock ticked down, the intensity only heightened in the fan section. During the final quarter, it became clear that the girls were going to take home the win and the vigor in the stands became unmatched.

Now, as they advance to to the Group 1 Semifinals against University High School tonight, Coach McCourt and the team are preparing to put up their best fight.

“So we’re just gonna go out there and do what we do… and hopefully things will work out for us. You always have to play a little bit harder and a little bit faster” McCourt says. “The girls play just like the boys. They’re on the floor diving after balls… giving it up… that’s the way we play.”

University is predicted to win, but he’s confident that his girls will play as well as they can, and the players are confident that they can bring home the win tonight in Ramapo.

“We just know we’re capable of winning” sophomore Colleen McQuillen says, who tallied 34 points on Monday.

“As long as I can keep the team from getting down on themselves and just keep playing hard and playing our game. That’s all we have to do,” says senior Courtney Madison, one of the tri-captains this year.

The team hopes to extend their winning streak into the Group 1 Finals tonight as they continue to ride their wave of success, but above all they intend to play hard and give everything they have on the court.

“You know when you win that the things you do in practice paid off,” McCourt says.