By Rich Chrampanis
PISCATAWAY – Like it did against every opponent this year – with the exception of the No. 1 team in the country – Saint John Vianney made it look easy as it dismantled Rutgers Prep 72-52 in the Tournament of Champions final last Sunday at Rutgers University. While it appeared effortless, head coach Dawn Karpell was quick to point out how hard it was for her team to play near perfect basketball during a 32-1 season that saw them obliterate every top team in New Jersey.
“I don’t know if you guys understand how difficult it is to be this mentally tough to dominate the way we’ve done this season,” Karpell said. “It’s unbelievable.”
The Lancers had what many would say was the best backcourt in the country with Madison St. Rose and Zoe Brooks, but it’s the remarkable depth of the roster that was able to overwhelm teams no matter what the ranking was. Karpell’s daughter, Julia (11 points), had one of the best games of her young career at Rutgers, scoring five straight points to stake SJV to a 19-4 lead early. Rutgers Prep clawed to within eight at the half, 40-32, and made the game competitive in the second half thanks to junior Mikayla Blakes. But Saint John Vianney turned up the intensity on defense and pulled away.
Ashley O’Connor, who is one of the best defenders in New Jersey, got a buzzer-beating banker in the paint to end the third quarter with a 15-point lead; the Lancers cruised from there.
St. Rose finished with 21 points and leaves her high school career as Saint John Vianney’s second all-time leading scorer. If it weren’t for COVID, she would have amassed over 2,000 career points and left with three state championships and maybe even three Tournament of Champions titles. The Princeton University-bound Gatorade Player of the Year was satisfied to end her career on top.
“This is such a great feeling to finally get an opportunity with my team to play in this game,” St. Rose said. “For us to just pull through that’s all I can ask for as a senior. Everyone is super proud of each other. Every single game, we had each other’s back and that’s a team I would always want to play with.
Brooks, who transferred from Trenton Catholic, finished with 14. She will be a leader for Saint John Vianney next season and one of the most highly recruited guards in the country. Janie Bachman, another junior who will be a high-impact player next season, had a complete effort with 9 points, five rebounds, two assists, two steals and a blocked shot. Eight different players scored for Saint John Vianney, which has been a common theme throughout the season of dominance.
The NJSIAA is eliminating the Tournament of Champions in team sports following the 2022 spring season. It’s a decision that’s been met with controversy as basketball fans have long enjoyed the road to crowning a No. 1 overall team in such a competitive state. But Saint John Vianney’s legacy is complete as the most dominant team in the T of C era with eight championships.
The Lancers lone loss this season was to Sidwell Friends in Washington, D.C., the No. 1 ranked team in the country.
With a 32-1 mark, Saint John Vianney will no doubt finish ranked near the top of both major national polls. What Karpell has been able to build in Holmdel is nothing short of remarkable. By mirroring a college basketball program in defined roles and systems, Saint John Vianney’s players may not have the big statistics that a normal high school does, but Division I coaches flock to Holmdel to stock their roster with players who can make the adjustment to college programs. You can certainly make the argument that the 2021-22 Lancers are among the very best to ever play New Jersey high school girls basketball.
“It is amazing just to get to this point, the mountain top so to speak,” Karpell said. “It took us a number of years and I’m just so proud of this group and the resilience to see it through.”
The article originally appeared in the March 24 – 30, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
