The West Milford girls basketball program is one of the best. Coached by Ray LaCroix, the girls had a winning season last year with 16 wins and were named the conference champions. The girls were excited for their first game against Wayne Valley on December 18th.
Ray LaCroix has been coaching the Lady Highlanders for 15 seasons. He claims, “This team can potentially be the best team I’ve coached and the best girls’ basketball team this high school has seen in over 20 years.” Coach LaCroix is excited to defend the conference title this season. LaCroix stated, “I am very excited about all of the returning players this year.” Through all of LaCroix’s life as a coach, he has coached many sports including basketball, football, field hockey and track. “I knew when I started coaching I wanted to coach basketball. I wouldn’t give up my coaching spot for anything,” LaCroix states. He told us that he doesn’t see himself coaching anything else besides his own kids’ teams in the future. “The best part of coaching is working with the players everyday and watching them get better from their freshman to their senior years. Also, watching the girls bond and having them come together as a team to play,” says LaCroix.

Just like all the girls on the team, Coach LaCroix has many goals he wants the girls to achieve this season. “I believe that the girls can defend their spots as conference champions, get into the top four, improve our number of wins from last year, and get a home state game and advance.”
The four Senior captains this year are Brielle Mulvihill, Tess Korinko, Aly Roskowsky, and Emily Magasic. These girls are very willing to take on their roles not only as captains, but as part of the starting five. Magasic says, “Friendliness, a good personality and great leadership skills are the best qualities a captain could have.” Roskowsky explains, “All of us girls have known each other and have been playing together since we were young. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, so of course we look at each other like a family.” Korinko added in that she “loves the camaraderie this team has.”
We asked Mulvihill what she was least excited for this season and she replied with an answer that all of the seniors can agree with–“for it to come to an end.” Junior Michaela McLeod, whose played on varsity with the seniors since she was a freshman, expressed, “Of course I am really upset about them leaving. We are practically family. It really motivates me for this season because I know it would be awesome if they could leave this team knowing we won the conference again or if we moved on in States. Next year we are going to miss having them, but for now I’m going to focus on making this season as great as it can be.”
Thank you for coming out to support the Lady Highlanders as they took on Wayne Valley on Friday, December 18th at home!