Gaels Top Pawling, Magnus, Lincoln Hall

SOMERS—The Kennedy Catholic High boys basketball team picked up three wins last week – beating Lincoln Hall, 65-61, Friday, Pawling, 66- 42, the prior Wednesday, and Albertus Magnus, 64-39, two days earlier on the road.

Kennedy also came up on the short end of a 71-53 verdict Saturday on the road, and closed the week at 8-4.

Saturday at Albany Academy, Frank Kelly led the Gaels with 15 points, Conor Donahue and Ryan Hickey each had 10 points and Dan Healy added eight.

Dave Benoks had 22 points for Albany Academy (8-6).

“We got hurt rebounding, inside post defense, and had too many turnovers,” Kennedy coach Frank Kelly said. “That’s been the plague of our season… turnovers. When we don’t have many, we play well.”

Kennedy played better at Lincoln Hall (6-7) one day earlier.

The United led 9-8 after one, but Kennedy won the second, 25-15, and had the advantage in the third, 14-6.

Healy led JFK with 20 points, Matt Schoen added 16, Hickey had 14 points and Kelly had 10.

Zack Alston had 16 to lead the United.

“We hit our free throws at the end,” Kelly said of the win. “It was an exciting game, that’s a tough place to play – a small gym with a good crowd. After the second, I thought we might blow them out, but they actually went ahead in the fourth… we grinded it out. Healy rebounded well and did tough work inside, Schoen was 6-for-6 from the line, and Kelly hit 3-of-4 free throws. Both of them were big in the fourth.”

The prior Wednesday at Pawling (1- 8), Kelly led the Gaels with 14 points, Healy added 11, Hickey had nine and Chris Powers had eight.

“Powers rebounded well, and Keaon Maghizadeh also played well – both of them sparked us off the bench,” Kelly said.

The prior Monday at Magnus, Schoen had 14 points, and Healy, Smith, Nick Cartaya and Hickey all had 10 points.

“We shared the ball great, played defense and rebounded,” Kelly said. “That was our best game yet this season. The focus and intensity were there.”

Kennedy faces Yorktown on the road Friday at 7 p.m.