Kards roll with Aquino, Gomes

Stefanie Gomes, Kearny

Junior Stefanie Gomes led all scorers with 30 points in yesterday's victory.

Click Here for more photos from Hoboken at Kearny

By Jason Bernstein
Editorial Director

KEARNY – Whether it’s on the court or the soccer field, the chemistry between Kearny’s Janitza Aquino and Stefanie Gomes is apparent. As teammates for the past three years, they have acquired an understanding of where the other one is at any time in the action.

Yesterday was proof of just how powerful a combination they are as Aquino and Gomes combined for 57 points in the Kardinals’ convincing 78-31 victory over Hoboken.

“They’re really two phenomenal athletes and they gel,” head coach Jody Hill said. “They’re fun to watch when we’re gelling together and they play well. They’re a great duo in the county. And when they’re both on, that’s when we’re most successful.”

“It’s a big advantage because when I’m on point and she’s on point we work very well together,” Gomes said. “When we play together we’re a much more solid team.”

Both players were certainly on point for Kearny (7-4) on this day.Gomes, a junior who finished with a game-high 30 points, used her speed to terrorize the defense in transition and at time be a one-person fast break.

“That’s my go-to girl,” Aquino said. “It’s been like that since the beginning of the season and over the summer. Since she came here her freshman year we’ve always had that chemistry. She’s one of the fastest girls I’ve ever met. Get the ball and there she is. She’s always there and we know where each other is.”

Aquino, who scored 27 points, does not possess quite the speed of her teammate. But the senior is one of the most complete guards in the county to go with the experience which comes with being a four-year starter for Hill and the Kardinals.

“Janitza has a very high basketball IQ and she just sees the floor,” Hill said. “I think she’s one of the best point guards in the county. If Stef’s open, she’s going to find her with a no-look or fast break pass.”

The impact of Aquino and Gomes when both are on the top of their games like they were yesterday was staggering. The duo, and the rest of their Kearny teammates, was downright unstoppable in the second quarter.

Up by 10 after the first, Aquino and Gomes scored the Kardinals’ first 13 points of the second as they opened the lead up to 20. The duo added 12 more points in the final 3:22 of the period.

Kearny outscored the overwhelmed Red Wings 29-6 in the quarter behind 17 points from Aquino and eight from Gomes.

“We needed it desperately,” Hill said. “I needed it, they needed it. It’s that anxiety and that feeling of losing that just made us work harder the past four practices. We all came together and realized that changes had to be made.”

Even though Aquino and Gomes did most of the heavy lifting on the offensive end, Hill was quick to point out that the dominant effort was a true team effort. The Kardinals forced 14 turnovers in the second quarter alone, thanks in large part to the defensive efforts of players like Vanessa DaSilva (seven rebounds, seven steals), Angel Conde (eight rebounds, four steals) and Michelle Goncalves

Gomes added eight steals and six rebounds, while Aquino tacked on six assists, five rebounds and four steals as Kearny avenged blowout defeats to North Bergen and Ridgewood in the previous two games.

Mady Rodriguez led Hoboken (2-8) with 12 points and 13 rebounds in defeat. A pair of early Rodriguez baskets left the Red Wings tied at 6-6 midway through the first before a 7-0 Kardinals run gave them the lead for good.

Sybil Lynch scored seven points while Alyssa Torres and Shaneekah Monroe added six points apiece.

Sybil Lynch, Hoboken

Hoboken's Sybil Lynch had seven points and two steals for Hoboken in the loss.

	1	2	3	4	Total
Hoboken Red Wings (2-8)	10	6	8	7	31
Kearny Kardinals (7-4)	20	29	19	10	78

Hoboken

Kearny

	2s	3s	1s	Pts
Sybil Lynch	1	1	2	7
Alyssa Torres	3	0	0	6
Mady Rodriguez	5	0	2	12
Sharteria Gorham	0	0	0	0
Julie Rodriguez	0	0	0	0
Samantha Santiago	0	0	0	0
Daliah Rincon	0	0	0	0
Jayleen Padilla	0	0	0	0
Shaneekah Monroe	2	0	2	6
Total:	11	1	6	31

	2s	3s	1s	Pts
Janitza Aquino	9	1	6	27
Stefanie Gomes	15	0	0	30
Michelle Goncalves	1	0	0	2
Angel Conde	2	0	1	5
Vanessa DaSilva	2	0	0	4
Ashleigh Amadeo	1	0	0	2
Jenna Sandomenico	0	0	0	0
Norah Farih	2	0	0	4
Abby Yanchapanca	0	0	0	0
Jasmania Perez	2	0	0	4
Total:	34	1	7	78

Hoboken: M. Rodriguez 13 rebounds; Monroe 6 rebounds; Torres 4 rebounds. Kearny: Conde 8 rebounds, 4 steals; Gomes 8 steals, 6 rebounds; DaSilva 7 rebounds, 7 steals; Aqunio 6 assists, 5 rebounds, 4 steals; Amadeo 6 rebounds.