Ainsley Dircks, Maggie Spehr pace Cold Spring Harbor to Nassau Class B crown

It was nearly a month since the Cold Spring Harbor girls basketball team last played an official basketball game. The Seahawks scrimmaged some of the top teams in Suffolk to break up the mundane practices, and coach Rory Malone knew his players couldn’t wait for the return to game action.

“They were almost like caged animals,” Malone said. “They just wanted to get after it.”

The Seahawks played from the opening whistle like a team just waiting to be released back into the wild — and at least for the winter, their wild is the hardwood.

Top-seeded Cold Spring Harbor defeated No. 3 Carle Place, 63-28, in the girls basketball Nassau Class B final at Farmingdale State College on Friday night.

Cold Spring Harbor (20-2) advances to play Babylon (19-2) at 8 p.m. on Wednesday at Farmingdale State College in the Long Island Class B championship/Southeast Regional Final.

“We’ve all been practicing together for a month just waiting for our first playoff game,” freshman guard Ainsley Dircks said. “We just wanted to get out there and put all that work out there on the floor.”

Dircks had 17 points and Maggie Spehr added 13 points to lead Cold Spring Harbor.

Cold Spring Harbor went on an 11-1 run over the opening 4:09 of the second quarter to take a 30-10 lead with 3:51 left in the period. The Seahawks led 38-17 at halftime and 48-23 entering the fourth quarter.

Cold Spring Harbor won its second straight county championship after winning the Nassau Class A crown last year. The Seahawks lost in the ensuing Long Island Class A championship, but after dropping to Class B due to enrollment, the Seahawks have been focused on a matchup against Suffolk County all year.

“We have a chip on our shoulder,” Spehr said. “It was a tough loss and now we know what we are capable of. Our potential is honestly so much greater than it was last year and I’m just proud of how we’re all playing.”

Olivia Mulada added 10 points and Mackenzie McGraw had nine points for Cold Spring Harbor. Alexa Mifsud had 11 points for Carle Place (9-13).

Cold Spring Harbor took advantage of its athleticism on Friday and looks to continue to do that throughout the postseason.

“We’re a lacrosse team playing basketball,” Malone said with a laugh. “Everyone on the team plays lacrosse and we’re three-sport athletes and it shows with our style and our play. And I think it really translates to basketball.”

“Everyone on our team is an athlete,” Dircks said. “We work fast and move up and down the court fast. Our speed is definitely our strength.”

Cold Spring Harbor seeks its first Long Island crown since 2006 and first state title in program history.

“We’re winning one obstacle at a time and this one was our first one,” Spehr said. “I’m excited to see where we go.”