Girls Basketball – Shore Regional Falls for Third Straight Year To State Power University in the Group I Final

Toms River - It was not the result they wanted, but it was an achievement only a few schools have had. Shore Regional lost for the third straight season in the NJSIAA Group I Final to University 85-55. 

The Blue Devils entered the season having to replace one of the players in the school’s history in Rylee Drahos. Senior Conley Smolokoff, who will be playing lacrosse at Colgate next year, stepped into the leadership role. Lead is what she did, scoring double-digits in five out of the six state playoff games. 

“Conley has been our Swiss Army knife these past few years,” Shore Regional coach Will Wishart said. “From freshman year being a girl who split between varsity and jv to our post player as a sophomore, then as a junior being someone we could use to space the floor and to this year taking on the leadership role while being one of our top offensive weapons. Each year she took on a challenge head on and it was a joy to watch as a coach.”

In the Group I semifinal game, Smolokoff scored a career-high 20 points in a comeback victory for the Blue Devils. In the final against University she scored a team-high 15 points all in the second half. 

Shore did not get off to the start they wanted to, similar to the 2022 final. They trailed 22-5 after the first and 41-9 at halftime. University dominated the boards, grabbing 67 in the game to Shore Regionals 18. Sophomore Briana Holt finished with a double-double for the Phoenix with 20 points and 24 rebounds. 

The Blue Devils played stronger in the second half against the No. 10 team in New Jersey, outscoring them 46-44 in the final two quarters. Junior Kimi Sayson used her ball handling skills to break the press and attack the basket. She finished with 15 points and went 6 for 6 from the foul-line. 

Senior Antonette Russo played aggressively from the opening minute on both ends of the floor. She did have to battle foul-trouble, picking up her 4th foul midway through the 3rd quarter. Russo finished with 5 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks in her final game of her career.

“We did not give up,” Russo said. “I love these girls and we have a lot of chemistry on this team. We had a lot of ups and downs this season, but we kept pushing. It was hard and it sucked sometimes, but we did not let it define us and we kept fighting back. Not a lot of people thought we would come here, but I am just proud of us for coming so far. It has been a long ride.”

The small school from West Long Branch joins St. John Vianney and Manasquan as the only teams in the Shore Conference to compete in three straight Group Finals in the last ten years. The Blue Devils bring back three key starters in Sayson, Reese Fiore and Ava Coyle, but will have to find who is next to fill the roles left by Smolokoff and Russo. 

“We lost Rylee (Drahos) last year which was a big downfall for us,” Russo said. “We knew losing a big senior was going to hurt a lot but we kept going. Conley is that big senior this year and losing her is going to be hard, but they have to figure it out and that is what they are going to do. They always find a way and that is what they are going to do next year.”

Coach Wishart and his returning players will watch the film from Sunday’s game and regroup for next season as they will attempt to play on the last day of the season for the 4th straight season. 

“He is probably the only coach I have ever been with that has truly cared so much for a team,” Russo said about Coach Wishart. “He puts everyone else in front of himself and he cares so much for us. I have had coaches in the past that were not always there for everyone, but he truly puts his foot forward for everyone. What he cares about is this team, maybe more than his family at least sometimes.”