East Meadow aims For LI championship
Head coach Pete Olenik has been coaching at the school for 30 years and admits this is new territory for his team.
More Stories
East Meadow High School basketball player Charlotte Viola said she "loved coming to school this week."
That's because Olivia and her teammates got celebrity treatment after winning their first Nassau County championship on Monday.
Head coach Pete Olenik has been coaching at the school for 30 years and admits this is new territory for his team.
"In those 30 years, basketball has never been a dominant sport. It's always been baseball, softball and football. So, I think that's why there is so much buzz. It means the world to me and the girls," said Olenik.
The Jets will try to keep it going Sunday at 2:30 p.m. when they play for their first LI championship against Westhampton Beach.
"Everyone is so excited. We had a great crowd at the game last week. So, we're trying to top that. The community support has been amazing," said junior guard Allison Twibel.
Their fans saw the seventh-seeded Jets upset the top three-seeded teams in the county playoffs. Olenik said his girls knew they were better than the seventh-seed they were given and were out to prove it.
News 12 stopped by the Jets practice at the high school gym on Friday.
As News 12 chatted with Twibel, she looked at the banners on the walls.
She saw lots of honors for the sports her coach mentioned. But she also envisioned a spot for the LI championship banner her team can earn with a win on Sunday.
"It would mean the world to our team, our program and our community," she said.
If the Jets win Sunday, they'll advance to the semifinals of the state tournament.
