Sussex Academy bounces back big, cages Blue Jays 47-25

A Jan. 22 celebration of Sussex Academy senior athletes was marred by a 37-10 loss to Indian River, but the hoops girls ended the week on a positive note with a 47-25 win over Seaford Jan. 23.

Player Eva Boos and cheerleaders Bella Crisci and Caitlin Redick were acknowledged for their commitments before the IR game in what proved to be the highlight of the evening for the Seahawks.

“My friends were there, my parents were there, my grandma was there and the team is very good at supporting,” Boos said. “They're just there for you if you feel like you need help.”

Boos played a big role in cultivating an uplifting culture on the team after starting as a teammate adjacent.

“Eva started with us as our manager, and the girls talked her into playing, so she decided that she wanted to play the next year, which I loved,” said coach Rayona Benson. “Her personality is very calm to the team, which is great. She's real laid-back, she's very dependable, she communicates, she's always joking and always putting people in a good mood. She's very selfless.”

While they couldn’t pull off the win, the girls didn’t stay down too long and ended the week with a 47-25 win over Seaford.

“I wasn't too happy about yesterday, but today we came back,” junior Bella Zorn said. “Everyone put their best game on; we really played like a team and we didn't put our heads down – we communicated.”

Her coach was quite pleased with the get-right performance.

“We were looking for each other the entire time,” said Benson. “They're open, but at the same time, their teammates have to let them know that.”

Sophomore Reilly Mobilia quarterbacked the offense, which ran like a well-oiled machine against the storied Blue Jays.

“We were able to see what type of opportunities we do have that we weren't already utilizing,” Mobilia said. “It helped a lot just getting on the same page; I think that was the biggest thing for us.”

Sussex Academy took a 30-14 lead into the half, scoring nearly as much in the 16 minutes as they have in the past two games combined.

In addition to calmly closing the game out with a little bit of help from everyone, the Seahawks who are tasked with some of the most responsibility came through in the 47-25 victory.

“Grayce [Glover] always gives us a good one – she's our most reliable, she always gives us the rebounds and pushes it up,” Benson said. “Barb [Carniero-Duarte] was everywhere today, and between her and Reilly, it was really good.”

Cheerleaders

For those who have not watched a basketball game at Sussex Academy, one of the unique elements is the comical cheerleaders. The girls work hard and are just as capable as any squad, despite being 3 years young. What is quirky about them are the fun cheers they conjure up to support the basketball teams. This year, they were led by seniors Caitlin Redick and Bella Crisci.

“They have started from the beginning of the program,” coach Keni Kohler said. “Caitlyn has been a captain for two years, and this is Bella's first year as captain. They've come a long way since the very first stepping stones three years ago … they’ve come out of their box.”