NEWBURGH, NY — After winning the Section IX Class D Championship Girls Basketball title on February 28, the Livingston Manor Lady Wildcats (6-13) took on the Lady Knights of Smithtown Christian (10-7) on March 4 at Mount Saint Mary College in the opening salvo of the 2018-2019 state championship.

At the final buzzer, Smithtown Christian, coached by John Vaeth, the Section XI winner defeated their Section IX rivals 44-34.

Both schools are in the same boat enrollment-wise, having a small number of students, and both squads faced similar problems this year. Manor was without a girls’ varsity basketball program in the preceding two years, and this season marks the first time Smithtown has had the numbers to field a team since 1998.

On Sunday, March 10, Smithtown faced Section IV winners South Kortright to decide the winner of the NYSPHSAA Girls Basketball Class D state quarterfinals at Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Stadium in Binghamton.

For the Lady Wildcats and coach Kevin Clifford, it’s time to focus on next season.