Shooting woes doom Wildwood in South Jersey title game

Posted: March 8th 2025

Wildwood's players and coaches discuss strategy during a timeout at Friday's South Jersey Group I championship game at Haddon Township.

By BRIAN CUNNIFF

CapeAtlanticLive.com

HADDON TOWNSHIP – In three state playoff games leading up to Friday’s South Jersey Group I final, the Wildwood High School girls basketball team made a total of 36 three-point shots.

The Lady Warriors had no such luck against Haddon Township in the sectional title game.

Wildwood made just 3 of 21 attempts from behind the arc and couldn’t get much going on two-point tries, either, until the fourth quarter and suffered a 42-32 loss in the sectional title game.

Wildwood’s shooting woes can certainly be attributed to the defense of Haddon Township, which made a clear effort to run the Lady Warriors off the three-point line. But Wildwood also had its share of wide-open looks that were off the mark as well.

Haddon Township (28-3), the top seed in the section, extended its winning streak to 16 games in claiming its first sectional title since beating Wildwood in the 2019 title game. The Hawks haven’t lost a game this season since Jan. 25.

For Wildwood (22-8), its 32 points scored represented the team’s second-lowest total of the season.

Haddon Township built a lead as large as 13 points in the third quarter as Wildwood posted just one field goal over the second and third quarters. Wildwood rallied in the fourth to cut the deficit to seven with less than 1:30 to play but could get no closer.

Macie McCracken led Wildwood with 15 points and eight rebounds in the loss. The senior guard finishes her career as one of Cape May County’s all-time great players. She posted 2,478 career points, moving past 2015 Lower Cape May graduate Lauren Holden (2,476) into second place all-time in the history of high school girls basketball in the county behind 2002 graduate Monica Johnson (3,173). McCracken also made a Cape May County record 369 three-pointers, claimed 911 rebounds, dished 315 assists and picked up 451 steals.

More importantly, McCracken helped Wildwood to sectional title game appearances in each of her four seasons in the program, the team coming away with championships during her freshman and junior seasons. Wildwood went 90-29 overall during her career.

Despite the loss of the Division II West Chester-bound McCracken, which is certainly significant, Wildwood is in a good place going forward. All four of its other starters – junior guard Angela Wilber, sophomore guard Rebecca Benichou, junior forward Kiana D’Antuono and freshman forward Addison Troiano – will return. Other rotation players such as freshman Laila Fathi, junior Cydnee Kilian, sophomore Sarah Djellal and freshman Julia Ennis, will also be back.

Wilber and Fathi each added seven points in Friday’s loss.