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The game, and thus the season, all but over, Savannah Country Day’s senior quartet went to the home team’s bench and tears began to flow.

About two minutes remained in visiting Whitefield Academy’s 70-40 victory on Friday night in the GHSA Class 1A-3A Private second-round playoff game. For Molly Hildebrandt, Sarah Sussman, Sarah Catherine Gilpin and Sophie Myers, their senior class’s highly successful run ended too soon.

Savannah Country Day seniors Sarah Catherine Gilpin, Molly Hildebrandt, Sophie Myers and Sarah Sussman pose with their parents during Senior Night ceremonies at Savannah Country Day School. (Photo courtesy of Savannah Country Day School Athletics)

“It shows how much they’ve given,” Hornets second-year head coach Joseph Nero said of their emotional exit. “They care about each other so much. It’s been really special to see them, how they’ve taken the rest of the program under their wing.”

The Hornets won 21, 19, 21 and 18 games the past four seasons. This year’s squad, seeded eighth in the postseason, finished 18-12, including a 57-23 win over crosstown rival Calvary Day on Tuesday.

“They’re a really special group of kids and they’re going to be really hard to replace,” Nero said. “Basketball is one thing, but their leadership and the way they set the tone for the program is really hard to replace. All of them, incredible.”

Savannah Country Day faced a tall task against Mableton’s Whitefield Academy (23-5) – emphasis on tall. The ninth-seeded WolfPack, who advanced to the state quarterfinals against top seed Hebron Christian on March 3, put a much taller lineup on the floor against the Hornets.

Nero said Whitefield center and leading rebounder Ava Anthony is 6-foot-4, while fellow freshman Payton Palmer is about 6-feet tall and sophomore guard Millie Newman, the team’s leading scorer, is close to 6-foot as well as a “Division I-level guard.” Newman, who played sparingly in the second half, finished with 15 points (14 in the first half) to lead four WolfPack players in double figures.

“We talked about on paper how they have every advantage,” Nero said of pre-game discussion with his team. “They’re a combination of size, athleticism and skill. They’re a really tough out.”

The WolfPack raced out to a 13-2 lead to open the game and had a 14-point advantage, 22-8 at the end of the first quarter.

The Hornets played them even in the second quarter with 12 points apiece to hold the deficit at 14 at halftime, 34-20. Savannah Country Day got within eight points on a couple of occasions before allowing a 3-pointer and a traditional three-point play to close out the half.

“Tonight encapsulated a lot of what makes our program special,” Nero said. “We went down early. They hit us first, and we fought right back. Our tallest girl is about 5-9. One of their guards (Newman) is taller than our tallest player.

“It felt like we took it to them for a long stretch in the middle of the game in terms of the physicality and setting the tone,” he continued. “The score is one thing, but from a character standpoint, the things that we’re looking for, that was kind of everything that we were hoping for.”

Savannah Country Day never stopped giving full effort, but Whitefield Academy aggressively looked to create fast-break opportunities. That height advantage helped control the boards and produce outlet passes for high-percentage shots.

Nero said that the WolfPack played at a much slower pace in the game film that he studied and gave them credit for making schematic adjustments against the Hornets.
“I think that shows how well-coached they are,” Nero said. “They came in with a game plan and played differently than they have.”

Whitefield started well in the third quarter, expanding the lead to 18 before Country Day’s most effective offensive weapon heated back up. Madison Bueno, a junior guard, bombed in two 3-pointers sandwiched around Palmer’s power move and free throw for a three-point play.

The WolfPack called a timeout and put more defensive focus on Bueno, only for Sussman to hit a 3-pointer and close the gap to 41-29.

“I just felt we needed to take it out to the 3-point line to get shots because they were playing tight defense in the paint,” said Bueno, who finished with a game-high 17 points including what she believes is a career-best five 3-pointers.

The Hornets, however, were outscored 17-9 in the third quarter for a 51-29 deficit. The game got further away when the WolfPack had a 19-11 edge in the fourth quarter for their largest lead of the game with the final 30-point victory.

Bueno has more than 700 career points and is in the top 10 for 3-pointers in program history, per Nero. She and other underclassmen will return to carry on what the Class of 2026 has built.

“Just the energy the seniors brought and their competitiveness,” Bueno said. “It was a great time. I feel like this team was really connected out of all three years I’ve been here. I’m going to really miss them.”

Photo credit: Courtesy of Savannah Country Day School athletics department

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Optim Orthopedics supports local athletes’ health and safe return to play.

They keep Savannah’s  athletes healthy and ready to compete all season.

Team physicians include Dr. Don Aaron (Bryan County), Dr. David Sedory (Benedictine, Bradwell Institute, Liberty County), Dr. David Palmer (Calvary Day, Richmond Hill, South Effingham), and Dr. Thomas Alexander (Savannah Country Day, St. Vincent’s Academy).