After soaring to a 6–0 start of the season, the Golden Eagles of Seneca High School came back to earth, losing seven of their next nine games. Girls’ basketball head coach Sean Kennevan is hopeful that a roller coaster season will lead to his squad rising at the right time.
“I was surprised. I was excited. I’ll say I was pleasantly surprised,” Kennevan said about the team’s fast start. “We knew coming into the season that we had lost a number of key players from last season’s team so our expectations were realistic coming into this year.”
The 6–0 start didn’t fool Kennevan into thinking the Golden Eagles would cruise through the conference en route to a playoff berth.
“I knew the schedule that we had upcoming and the quality teams that we would start to see. Shawnee High School has a great team, Timber Creek is strong, so we knew the road was going to be tough but that’s what is special about this group, they have a relentless attitude,” Kennevan said. “They may be short in stature but they have a tremendous attitude. They’ve exceeded expectations.”
Senior Erica Snow was key to Seneca hitting the ground running, routinely scoring more than 20 points per game but as the season progressed, so did opposing teams in limiting Snow’s impact.
“She caught fire early but teams are going to adjust to that. Teams started to run at her, limit her shots and force her to pass, which was something we all had to adjust to,” Kennevan said.
The adjustment was not an easy one as the Golden Eagles followed winning their first six games with losing their next six. The team’s record stood at 8–7 with six games to play as of Feb. 13.
“Those six games were a reality check for us, honestly, made us evaluate where we were and what was left to do to make us better,” Kennevan said. “We’ve come together as a team.”
Sparking Seneca’s return to its winning ways has been junior guard Doni Tejada.
“Doni has stepped her game up. We really ask a lot of her as a player. From game to game, we’ll count on her to rebound, to play down low in the post, and she’s embraced it,” Kennevan said. “She had a game with 22 points and 12 rebounds and she’s capable of doing that consistently. She’s capable of doing everything on the floor.”
Kennevan said he is looking forward to the final stretch of the season as a way for his team to prepare for the South Jersey Group III Tournament.
“Our girls have been stepping up and really have figured out their roles and how to contribute,” Kennevan said. “We will definitely compete come playoff time. We’re looking to make some noise.”
