Lucy Heyman
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield High School girls basketball team enjoyed a memorable season in Zac Dearwater’s first year at the helm last year, as the Bengals won the North Jersey Section 1, Group 4 state tournament title for the first time in 19 years.
The Bengals, who finished with a stellar 19-8 record, hope to continue that great run this season.
Bloomfield will open the season Thursday, Dec. 19, at Newark Tech in a Super Essex Conference-American Division game at 7 p.m. The Bengals have moved up to the SEC-American Division, which is the conference’s top division. Other teams in that division are University, West Orange, East Orange, Immaculate Conception and Newark Arts.
The returning players for Bloomfield are senior guard Gina Perrotta, junior center/forward Melina Hidalgo, junior forward Casey Dolan, sophomore guard Chiara Hilario and sophomore Lucy Heyman.
The new players are senior guard Mia Lopez, junior guard/forward Hannah Gulley, junior guard Christina Vocaturo, junior forward Natalie Lloyd and junior forward Aliyah Sanchez.
Dearwater said each of his players will look to be leaders in their own individual way to benefit the group as a whole. He also mentioned the strengths of the team.
“Our team loses quite a few players from last year that played varsity primarily for the last three years, but with this group, despite not having a ton of experience on the varsity with the exception of a few girls, will play hard and give every bit of effort they can give every game,” he said. “This group of girls is very intelligent and multiple-sport athletes, so they will be able to adjust from experiences and improve on a daily basis.”
Dearwater outlined his team’s goals and expectations.
“Our goals and expectations for this season are to get better each day, and if we continue to progress everyday, that will translate into having success this season,” he said.
What are the keys to achieving those goals?
“Coming into practice and games everyday to compete with maximum effort, which will lead to achieving our goals and expectations for this season,” Dearwater said.
The assistant coaches are Nicole Pacicco, Robert Finlay and Eddie Capozzi.
The key players lost to graduation are Sarah Edmond, a three-year varsity starter who is playing at New Jersey City University, and Camrynn Referente, a two-year varsity starter who is attending Temple University.
Schedule
Dec. 19, at Newark Tech, 7 pm.
Dec. 21, West Essex, 2 p.m.
Dec. 27, Bloomfield Holiday Tournament
Dec. 28, Bloomfield Holiday Tournament
Jan. 4, West Orange, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 7, Arts, 4 p.m.
Jan. 9, at Immaculate Conception, 4 p.m.
Jan. 11, at Payne Tech, 1 p.m.
Jan. 14, University, 4 p.m.
Jan. 16, East Orange Campus, 4 p.m.
Jan. 18, at Clifton, 11:30 a.m.
Jan. 23, Newark Tech, 4 p.m.
Jan. 28, Westfield, 4 p.m.
Feb. 4, at Arts, 4 p.m.
Feb. 6, Immaculate Conception, 4 p.m.
Feb. 8, Ridge, 3 p.m.
Feb. 11, at University, 4 p.m.
Feb. 13, at East Orange Campus, 7 p.m.
Feb. 18, at Caldwell, 4 p.m.
Feb. 20, at West Orange, 4 p.m.
Feb. 27, Livingston, 7 p.m.
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