Fontbonne beats St. Edmund Prep on Senior Night

For the last home game of the regular season, Fontbonne held its traditional Senior Night as the Bonnies took on the St. Edmund Prep Eagles. Out of a varsity team of 11 players, it was a large senior send-off as eight players took the court in a gym packed with family and friends. Together since 2021 and playing through the pandemic, the group of eight played as a unit for two years with the JV and then for two years with the varsity.

At halftime, the Fontbonne coaching staff – team manager Will Fiore, assistant coach Bob Atanasio and head coach Mike Sammon – introduced each senior and presented them with flowers, along with 2024 senior sashes from their parents. This season’s seniors included co-captains Sharlotte Greene and Ally Wagner, along with Alex Somerville, Val Caggiano, Lauren Brenna, Kristen Russo, Leeann Ryan and Sophia Ypsilantis. 

The game started out as an unusual low-scoring contest that turned into a fourth-quarter nailbiter. After taking a mere 6-5 first-quarter lead, the Bonnies held the Eagles scoreless in the second as Noelle Polanco (nine rebounds) denied the opposition second chances to score. Starting the second half with just a 12-6 lead, the Bonnies had their hands full as MacKenzie Palisi (12 points) and Julia Hines (nine points) led the Eagles on a surprising 14-8 comeback run to tie the game at 20-20 at the end of the third quarter.

The tie was a wake-up call. In the fourth quarter Polanco (18 points) scored six points to lead Fontbonne’s 15-10 final run.  Previously shut down for the first three quarters, Lucy Kuhlmann also gave the Bonnies a boost with a big three-point shot to widen the margin. Seniors Leeann Ryan and Sharlotte Greene also scored a basket apiece in the fourth to contribute to the Bonnies’ hard-fought 35-30 win on Senior Night.