By DAVE O’SULLIVAN
Staff Writer
TOMS RIVER — Throughout the entirety of the Group 3 state championship game at RWJBarnabas Arena on the campus of Toms River North High School on Sunday afternoon, the Mainland Regional High girls basketball team show the characteristics that have come to define this program in the last half decade. Toughness, talent, fortitude, determination, selflessness — all were on display in heaps as the Mustangs beat Chatham, 59-51, to capture their second state championship in the last six seasons.
Ironically, it was five years to the day that the Kylee Watson-led Mustangs won the first state title in school history, beating — you guessed it — Chatham, 42-35. This year’s seniors were in middle school and watched from the stands, dreaming someday of hoisting that trophy for themselves.
Someday became Sunday, and the core group of seniors that have led this team for the past four years — Kasey Bretones, Sydney Stokes and twins Ava and Bella Mazur — reveled in the glory postgame, as a throng of reporters and family members crowded around the Mustangs in the corner of the gym.
The win over Chatham was a bit of redemption as well, as Mainland got blown out in the state championship game two years ago by Sparta, then were upset by rival Ocean City in last year’s sectional final. But this group of seniors wasn’t going to finish their careers without a state title, and they played with that kind of urgency and determination against the Cougars to finish the season with an incredible 31-1 record.
“They are just tenacious competitors and they just refuse to lose games. You saw that tonight,” said Mainland coach Scott Betson. “I think it helped that they played in this atmosphere before, it might have given them an advantage. But they were two separate seasons and didn’t really have anything to do with each other, except for the fact that you want to win for these kids and this community.”
“This feels great. It’s kind of bittersweet that this is the last game I’m ever going to play with these teammates, but what a way to end it,” Stokes said. “There’s nothing better than winning the state championship. I thought we were going to win it our sophomore year, but that didn’t happen, and junior year we didn’t even get to the state semis, so it feels great to be able to end on such a great note as a senior.”
The Mustangs (31-1, 12-0 Cape-Atlantic American) got balanced scoring, as Bella Mazur led the way with 20 points while Bretones chipped in 16 points, four rebounds and six assists, and Stokes added 11 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots. Ava Mazur scored eight points and added four rebounds and six assists while Ava Sheeran had four points and three rebounds. Even Reilly Nagle, a freshman, got into the act, collecting six rebounds, several of which came after Bella Mazur fouled out with less than two minutes to go. Mainland jumped out to a 17-8 lead and led by as many as 10 points late in the second quarter.
The Cougars (28-4, 10-0 Northwest Jersey Athletic American) were forced to play catch-up the rest of the way, and got as close as 44-39 with less than six minutes to go before Bretones took over. She was 6-for-6 from the free-throw line in the final four minutes and didn’t turn the ball over at all.
“I thought getting a lead early was big, it forced them to kind of extend a little bit and we made a run late in the first quarter and into the second, and that ended up being the cushion for the rest of the game,” Betson said. “I thought Reilly did a great job tonight. A freshman being thrust into that situation is a tough ask, but she did everything we asked her to do. I wasn’t really processing the fouls, we just had to keep playing. You dance with the ones who have brought you. They’ve earned that trust throughout their careers, and they were all going to play the whole game, come hell or high water.”
Mainland only used six players, and all six had their moments at various times of the game. Stokes providing eight first-half points that helped Mainland get the lead. The Mazurs did their thing all game, combining for 28 points (even though Mainland did not hit a single 3-pointer) and six steals. Bretones was absolutely clutch in the fourth quarter, Sheeran took care of the ball and Nagle hustled after key offensive rebounds as Mainland was trying to milk the clock in the final few minutes.
“We had balanced scoring and we all got each other the ball,” Stokes said. “We have trust in each other, and that really shows on the court.”
The win caps an incredible four-year run by this senior class. The records along the way: 12-2 in the covid-shortened 2020-2021 season; then 28-3, 26-3 and 31-1. A grand total of 97-9 with three Cape-Atlantic League titles, two South Jersey crowns and a state championship.
“This feels so amazing,” said Stokes. “It’s definitely something to remember. Hard work pays off, that’s all I can say. We’ve been through so much together and this is the best possible way to end it.”
Contact Dave O’Sullivan: sullyglorydays@gmail.com; on Twitter @GDsullysays
