On December 4, 2025, John Jay Cross River’s Women’s Basketball team played their opening game against Hendrick Hudson High School. Despite an unfortunate loss of 58-49, John Jay kept up the competition until the last minute of the game.
John Jay started off with the early lead of 16-14 by the end of the first quarter. They set the tone with aggressive defense and efficient scoring. When asked about this junior Caitlin Brennan said, “It felt great to start off, what felt like, better than Hen Hud [Hendrick Hudson].” The Wolves moved the ball well early and matched Hendrick Huson possession for possession.
That feeling did not last long though as Hendrick Hudson increased defensive pressure, they came back in the second quarter by scoring 12 more points, and John Jay only scoring 8, making the score 24-26. This gave Hendrick Hudson the confidence going into the second half of the game.
John Jay didn’t let this stop them from scoring more points. They played with renewed energy, attacking the basket and forcing stops on defense. The Wolves outscored Hendrick Hudson 18-15 in the quarter, briefly regaining momentum and closing the gap to a 42-41 deficit entering the final quarter.
As the third quarter became the fourth, Hendrick Hudson’s confidence was growing, which in turn made John Jay’s girls begin to scramble. When asked about what went wrong in the second half, juniors Caitlin Brennan, Charlotte Omin, and Heather Martinsen all stated how they and the team, collectively, lost their composure. Brennan specifically reported, “We were equally matched and should have pulled through with a win. We wanted it too bad and freaked ourselves out and became frantic players on a court.” It appeared as if the girls lost some of their spark, playing more individually rather than as a connected unit, which is often a turning point in close games such as this.
In the end of the hard-fought game, Omin added that “We had to resort to fouling them which gave them free points on free throws and we just couldn’t come back after that. We did try our hardest till the very last minute though.” Hendrick Hudson converted at the line, sealing their win.
While the season opener did not end in a win, the Wolves’ performance showed resilience, competitiveness, and potential. With adjustments and improved composure under pressure, the Wolves appear well situated to turn close losses into future wins.
