Leading off today: There's been an amazing outpouring of support Monday for a third-generation Section 5 coach and her husband, who are dealing with a terrible situation.
Webster Schroeder girls basketball coach Codi Mrozek and husband Andrew are in New York City, where Codi had to deliver twins just 24 weeks into her pregnancy because of a diagnosis of twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome, a rare and serious condition.
Tragically, one of the babies died shortly after the delivery, and the other continues to fight in the neonatal intensive care unit.
The Mrozeks remain in New York, facing mounting medical and lodging bills. That inspired the creation of a GoFundMe account at noon on Monday, and the response -- driven largely by people with Schroeder and Aquinas connections (Codi's dad is state-champion football coach Chris Battaglia) has been amazing: nearly $65,000 in donations in the first 12 hours.
Coaching milestones ... now and later
Springville-Griffith Institute boys basketball coach Al Monaco logged his 400th career victory Monday with a 55-36 triumph against Cheektowaga JFK.
Monaco previously coached at Williamsville South, Turner/Carroll, and St. Francis.
Meanwhile, Ron Naclerio is closing in on the Mount Everest of the boys victory list. The longtime coach at Benjamin Cardozo in the PSAL registered win No. 969 over the weekend as his squad outlasted Half Hollow Hills East 59-57 in triple overtime.
That moved Naclerio to within three wins of Archbishop Molloy legend Jack Curran, who passed away in 2013 with a state-record 972 victories.
CK girls come away with showdown victory
One of the early season's most eagerly anticipated girls basketball games lived up to expectations on Saturday as Christ the King, ranked fourth in Class AAA by the New York State Sportswriters Association, edged No. 2 Albertus Magnus 57-52 in the
Slam Dunk Showcase.
The Royals scored nine straight to open the fourth quarter and then fought off a late rally by the Falcons, two-time defending NYSPHSAA champions.
Guard Josephine Pinnock finished with 24 points and five assists for the winners, capitalizing on the Falcons' focus on limiting 6-foot-5 UConn commit Olivia Vukosa (nine points, 19 rebounds).
"They were giving a lot of attention to (Vukosa), so I had to take advantage of that and step up," Pinnock said. "This was a big win for us."
Sara Nezaj led Albertus Magnus with 21 points, and Clemson recruit Julia Scott chipped in with 12 points and 17 rebounds.
