Glen Ridge HS girls basketball team wins opener in head coach’s debut

Glen Ridge first-year head coach Kristina Danella and assistant coach Mike Sammon after a team practice on Saturday, Dec. 7. Sammon enters his 35th year as the Ridgers assistant coach (Photo by Joe Ragozzino)

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge High School girls basketball team opened the 2024-25 season with an emphatic 54-33 home victory over Montclair on Saturday, Dec. 14, in the debut of GRHS head coach Kristina Danella.

Senior guard Katie Powers had 13 points, 11 assists and seven steals; senior forward Riley O’Sullivan had 14 points and 10 rebounds; sophomore forward Caitlin Hood posted eight points and seven rebounds; senior guard Jorie Boyle had 10 points and junior guard/forward Ally Snyder had nine points for the Ridgers.

“Today was a great way to start the season with a big win over Montclair,” said Danella. “We led from the beginning (19-4 at the end of the first quarter and 36-14 at the half) and played great team basketball. We had great balance in our scoring. 

“Defensively, I thought we did a great job of sticking to our game and rebounding the ball. (I am) very proud to get the first one and move into our first division game on Tuesday (Dec. 17).” The Ridgers were scheduled to visit Mount St. Dominic Academy on Tuesday, Dec. 17, in Caldwell in a Super Essex Conference–American Division game, after press time. The SEC–American is the top division in the conference.

Among the other players on the roster are seniors Maggie de la Fuente and Camille Brown; juniors Annabel Koss-DeFrank, Anabel Mira-McKenzie, Leila Arda and Alexa Magalnick and sophomores Yara Saleh, Grace Kennedy and Lauren Cifelli.

Upcoming games:

Dec. 19: West Orange, 7 p.m.

Dec. 21: at Payne Tech, 1 p.m.

Photo by Joe Ragozzino