Pandas open DiNardo era with big win over New Jersey foe

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Dialog reporter
WILMINGTON – The Padua Pandas celebrated coach Shelia DiNardo’s first game as coach by going on a 19-point run spanning part of the second and third quarters on the way to a 65-31 storming of the Hun School from New Jersey on Dec. 2.
The Raiders had just six players dressed for the game, and they were able to run with the Pandas for a while. Erin Harrigan scored six of Hun’s nine first-quarter points, outdone only by Padua’s Cam Scully, who had seven to lead Padua to a 13-9 lead at the end of one.

Paige Kenton grabs a rebound for Padua during the Pandas’ game against Hun (N.J.) on Saturday. (The Dialog/Mike Lang)

It was 18-13 Pandas when they put the contest away. The run included three triples, including consecutive threes from Bella Julian that increased the lead to 31-13. It was 33-13 at the half, and Padua added the first four points of the third before Harrigan temporarily stopped the bleeding for Hun, a private school located in Princeton.
The Pandas employed an aggressive defense all afternoon, creating opportunities on the offensive end that the tiring Raiders were unable to stop. Six different Pandas scored in the third quarter as DiNardo – coaching her fourth Delaware high school – went deep into her bench. Sophomore Tess McMenamin took center stage in the fourth quarter, scoring 10 points, including two three-point field goals.
Scully finished with 17 to lead Padua (1-0). Michelle Kozicki had 12, and McMenamin and Paige Kenton added 10 each. The Pandas made eight shots from three-point range. They return to action on Tuesday at 7:15 at Appoquinimink.
Jada Jones scored 15 for the Raiders (1-1), while Harrigan had eight.