By Frank Rizzo
MONTICELLO — December 22, 2000 – There can be only one consolation in starting out the league season against two state-ranked teams.
It could only get easier after that.
The Monticello Lady Panthers lost to visiting John S. Burke 80-23 on Monday night and were ill-treated by host Ellenville on Wednesday, losing 74-26 in the Orange County Interscholastic Athletic Association (OCIAA) Division III game.
In the latest state polls, Burke ( the defending Class B champ) was ranked second and Ellenville (defending Class C titlist) 17th in the Class B rolls.
Monticello began the season with an easy 61-23 non-league win over Fallsburg before taking a 12-day break due to weather cancellations.
In their win on Monday night, the visiting Lady Eagles sank eight three-pointers.
Erica Maddux led Monticello with six points against Burke (5–0, 1–0 Division III).
Cindy Jessup and Brady Dollard scored seven each against Ellenville (7–0, 2–0 Division III) to pace the Monties, who fell to 1–2..
“No excuses, we played the best we could,” said Monticello coach Karen Atack. “Everybody played on both teams. Ellenville took the press off early.”
Atack said her goal “is to try to get the maximum potential out of each individual player, and to put it together as a team.
“They’re a great bunch of kids and I could not ask for more,” she added. “We’ll work on fundamentals and hopefully shock some teams, like we did last year.”