Newfield girls improving in Steinorth’s second stint

The Newfield girls basketball team has already improved its record from last season, going from 2-16 to having a 3-5 start this time around, as of Jan. 9. Back row (left to right): head coach Brandon Steinorth, Gabriella McCoy, Emily Dunn, Natalie Tibbals, Ashlee Pealo, Presley Hanrahan. Front row (left to right): Sierra Lynch, Janessa Spears, Isabella Robbins, Averi Daley, Emily Taylor, Aaliyah McCoy. Photo provided by the Newfield Athletics Department

Last season was one to forget for the Newfield girls basketball team, going 2-16. This time around, they’ve already surpassed their previous win total after just eight games played at 3-5, as of Jan. 9. 

The Trojans’ much-improved start comes under head coach Brandon Steinorth, who returned to the program this season after stepping away for the last two years. Back at the helm, Steinorth shared what the team’s identity has been so far.

“If you walk into a gym and watch us play, you’re gonna see five young women on the floor playing really hard,” Steinorth said. “If you take a look at our bench, you’re gonna see a number of young women very active in supporting their teammates and being vocal and moving in one direction. That’s something that we definitely want to achieve this year, and I think we’ve been successful with that so far.”

Things didn’t look as optimistic after the first two games, where Newfield lost by over 30 points to both Odessa-Montour and Union Springs—two of the top teams in Section IV. But the Trojans used their tough start as an opportunity to learn and grow from, and they certainly came out better from it.

“I’m proud of them for buying into that because I think it’s hard to accept the fact that we could play a team like Union Springs 100 times and not win a game,” Steinorth said. “We understand that and that’s hard. With that said, those kinds of games can make you better. We were really proud of the way we played that night. I don’t think we were ever in a position where they were concerned that they were going to come up short. But we made them work, and we made them coach, and we really played to the best of our abilities that week. I think it made us stronger, and I think it made us better going into the weeks to come.”

Newfield’s hard work paid off in the following three games with wins over Candor, Tioga, and Trumansburg. The Trojans even gave Spencer-Van Etten—the reigning IAC South Small Division champions—a run for their money, ultimately falling 34-32.

“That was not one of the ones that I had circled at the beginning of the year that I thought we might be competitive in, but we sure were competitive,” Steinorth said. “We led fairly late in that game, and I think we’re proud of a lot of things that we did. But we also sure wish we could have pulled that one off, because that was a winnable game.”

The Trojans are one of the younger teams in Section IV. In fact, they have more freshmen on the team (four) than seniors (three), a rarity at the varsity level. The main reason for this is the lack of numbers. Newfield does not have a junior varsity girls basketball team, meaning that nearly half of the current squad has made the challenging leap from modified to varsity.

“The jump from modified basketball to JV basketball is a huge one,” Steinorth said. “There’s a million different zone defenses you see, zone offenses that you put in, presses, and press breakers. The fact that all these guys are going from modified straight to varsity is a true testament to them and the kind of character they have. As long as they continue to deal with the hurdles and deal with the difficulties that come with that in a healthy way, it’s going to make them a lot better.”

One of those younger players who has already stood out is Gabriella McCoy. She was already on varsity last season as an eighth grader but mainly came off the bench. This year, McCoy has worked her way into the starting lineup and has flourished.

“Ella is a super kid,” Steinorth said. “She’s a really good example of the strides you can make in the offseason. I know she put in a lot of work both on and off the basketball court to make herself more prepared for this season. If you’ve watched her progression from last year to this year, you’ll be really impressed. She gives us a lot of different options, both offensively and defensively.”

The Trojans would not be complete without Emily Dunn, who was their lone IAC All-Star last season. Now in her senior year, Dunn has stepped up not only her game, but also her role as a leader for such a young team.

“It’s been a joy working with Emily,” Steinorth said. “She’s a kid that the girls look up to from a leadership perspective. She’s not overly vocal, but when she does speak, people listen. She leads by example, and I think she gives us a really nice presence inside.”

Steinorth laid out three goals heading into this season: get better at basketball, be tremendous teammates, and make sectionals. The last of those goals is the loftiest of the trio, but it’s one that can certainly be achieved if the Trojans maintain their impressive start throughout the entire campaign.