By Faith Anderson ’25
This 2022-2023 DHS girls basketball team may have experienced a winless season, but each individual girl on the team had a lot of growth to be proud of. Dave Chevarella, DHS math teacher and girls basketball coach, says, “All the girls stood out in one way or another. Seniors Serenity Stewart ’23 and Genna Chevarella ’23 were excellent leaders, both on and off the court. Emma DeSanty ‘25 stood out as our leading scorer. Jerlena Alexander ‘25 stood out as our leading rebounder and defender. Alexis Cavallaro ‘25 stood out for her hustle on the court. Onestii Gaines ‘25 stood out for her post presence and physicality. Jada Rodriguez 26’ and Sofia Rudus ‘26 stood out as key subs and spot starters, even though they were only freshmen.”
Chevarella has been coaching basketball at Derby for the past 30 years. Some of his former players include Jamie Bartone, current student mentor at DHS. Clearly, former players have positive associations with being on the team at Derby if they are willing to come back and work for the school and participate in athletic events like Bartone does. About being a part of the basketball team, Gaines shares, “Basketball means team bonding and playing a sport you love with people you love. I think it’s not always a sport about winning, but about hard work and determination.” Chevarella echoed Gaines’ thoughts when he discussed his pride in the team.
Chevarella’s thought for the future of this team is, “We have six players who are currently in 9th or 10th grade that have gained valuable experience this past season. With them returning and hopefully a strong incoming freshmen group we can return to being a stronger team that can qualify for the state tournament.” Gaines noted that every year, she sees new players join the team and she said the team is very welcoming to them. She looks forward to more growth and getting closer.
Like Coach Chevarella, who hopes for the team’s improvement in their future, Stewart, one of the two seniors on the team, acknowledged her thoughts for the future team as well: “I think the team will definitely get bigger and better as time goes on.” As this year’s team, was very small, they have most definitely maintained the management of hard work and dependences on one another with working together and communication.
The Raider Press 