Harborfields girls basketball's Maren Korsh, Maddie Michalopoulos key Suffolk Class AA quarterfinal win
Harborfields' Maddie Michalopoulos hugs Maren Korsh after their victory over Centereach in a Suffolk Class AA girls basketball quarterfinal in Greenlawn on Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
The Harborfields girls basketball team never had a doubt.
The No. 4 Tornadoes defeated No. 5 Centereach, 49-35, at home in the Suffolk Class AA quarterfinals on Wednesday. Maren Korsh and Maddie Michalopoulos led the team with 15 points each.
Despite being a leading scorer, sophomore Michalopoulos said it was a true team effort.
“I knew, down in my heart, that we went into that game ready,” Michalopoulos said. “We were prepared mentally and physically in every way we could be. There were so many girls who came through and contributed to this victory. I’m so proud of everyone.”
The Tornadoes held a commanding lead with aggressive defense throughout the game, holding Centereach to only three points in the first and third quarters. First-year coach Jason Brittman said it’s a value he has been preaching all year.
“We’ve relied on our man-to-man defense all season,” Brittman said. “We play a full court man and we don’t hide it. The defense is what has anchored us so far and it’ll continue to anchor us in the playoffs.”
Korsh, a 6-4 freshman, is a force to be reckoned with inside the paint, pulling down seven rebounds throughout the night. However, don’t underestimate her beyond the arc.
About halfway through the third quarter, Korsh drained her third three-pointer of the season, a shot she said she rarely has the opportunity to take. The bucket had the crowd on its feet and sparked the momentum for her to put up the next and-one play.
“I felt the energy dip a little bit,” Korsh said. “In that moment, I knew we had to find a way to pick it back up. When I hit that three, the energy picked up. That momentum helped me get the next basket. All of those things, all of that energy contributed to the win.”
In her second year with the varsity squad, Korsh’s skills and selfless attitude are putting her name at the top of scouting reports.
“I do it all for my team,” Korsh said. “That’s who I want to celebrate with, so that’s who I score for, who I rebound for, who I block for. It’s all for them.”
Harborfields (17-4) will next face No. 1 Northport in the semifinals on Feb. 26 on the road. Brianna Brennan and Leah Norman scored nine points each for Centereach, which finished 13-8.
“Our kids battled,” said Centereach coach Steve Greco. “But we got off to a slow start and struggled to recover. We played hard, but (Harborfields) played a great game. I can’t take any credit away from that.”
Tess Ferguson is a reporter on Newsday's high school sports staff. She joined the team after graduating with a journalism degree from Ithaca College in 2025.
