FARMINGDALE — Hayden Madore lofted a shot from half court, right as the clock was nearing zero for halftime.
The ball banked off the backboard and into the net for a 3-pointer. It seemed, at that point, that reaching the magical 1,oooth career point seemed inevitable for the Hall-Dale senior.
Indeed, Madore scored her 1,000th career point as Hall-Dale routed Madison 69-37 on Wednesday night in a key Mountain Valley Conference matchup in front of a packed house at the Penny Gym. Madore is the fifth girls basketball player to hit the milestone in school history.
(The mark) was a focus, but I wanted to win,” said Madore, a member of Hall-Dale’s 2022 Class C state championship team. “And we had a game (Thursday), so if we win, I’ll be happy, and if I don’t get (1,000), I’ll get it tomorrow… Obviously, it’s the best feeling in the world.”
Madore had 15 points, which is exactly what she needed to reach 1,000. Junior center Jade Graham led Hall-Dale (13-1) with 16 points while Marie Benoit had 13 points and KJ Greenhalgh added 12 points.
Mackenzie Robbins led Madison (13-1) with nine points, while Raegan Cowan added eight points.
Madore scored her milestone point on a 3-pointer with 2:45 remaining in the third quarter. Play was halted momentarily while family, friends and teammates celebrated the mark near midcourt. The celebration for Madore’s 1,000th point continued well after the game, as she posed for photos with teammates and Hall-Dale fans.
“It was a relief, but also (a moment of), ‘Wow, I did this,'” Madore said. “It’s a milestone I’ve wanted since I was little. I got the state championship, I got my 1,000th (point), now I want another state championship. It’s awesome. I wouldn’t be here without my teammates, my friends and my family.”
“The last four years, (Madore) has had a really big role,” Graham said. “I couldn’t tell she was trying to score her 1,000th, she was passing the ball (constantly). That’s been a really big thing for her this season, passing the ball (around). Being her teammate is amazing.”
Madore put in the hard work for the mark in the first half, netting 12 points. She had some early shooting struggles in the first quarter before finding her stride in the second period, punctuated by her half-court shot at the buzzer.
“I was shocked (I hit it), I didn’t know what to say,” Madore said. “People were like, ‘Oh my god,’ and I was like, ‘Did it go in?’ But it was awesome. I felt relieved, I was happy.”
A strong first quarter — the Bulldogs jumped out to a 22-9 lead — put Hall-Dale ahead, and it never looked back. Hall-Dale used its press defense to force several turnovers. Hall-Dale also had the advantage on the boards, as Lucy Gray and Torie Tibbetts each had six rebounds.
“We’re super-thrilled for the win and obviously really happy for Hayden, that’s a huge milestone,” Graham said. “To do it on that type of game was phenomenal. Lately, we’ve been playing as a team so much better. Our chemistry is back, we have girls scoring double-digits every game. Our defense is finally locked in.”
The game was a key Class C South showdown. With the win, Hall-Dale moved into the No. 2 seed, trailing only North Yarmouth Academy (14-1). Despite the loss, Madison remains the No. 4 seed in C South.
“(The win is) huge,” Madore said. “(Madison) was undefeated. It’s huge momentum for us (heading into the playoffs).”
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