St. Camillus 7th Grade Girls Crowned Champs!

By Katie McFadden

Horns were honking and cheers were heard through Broad Channel and Rockaway on Sunday night, March 1, in celebration of some great news. The St. Camillus 7th grade girls’ basketball team won the CYO championship!

On Sunday, St. Camillus took on St. Francis de Sales. With a score of 53-40 against SFDS, a team that they lost to twice earlier in the season, St. Camillus’ 7th grade girls were crowned champs in the matchup at Monsignor McClancy High School in East Elmhurst. The team, comprised of 6th and 7th grade girls who live within the parish, is coached by Jill Palisi and assistant coach Frank Rosario.

“Overall, the season was great. They pretty much beat every team except St. Francis earlier, which were really intense, competitive games. I have 11 girls on the team, and they all played really well and contributed to this win with the best basketball they’ve played all season. They were leading the entire game and never let St. Francis get in front of them. I think they were really determined to win the game this time,” Coach Palisi said.

And they had all the reason to. Believed to be St. Camillus’ first CYO championship win at the elementary school level since 1972, and after being in limbo over the past year with the possibility of St. Camillus Church and gym closing, Sunday’s win was even more meaningful.

Since Bishop Robert Brennan announced the church would close at the end of December 2025, the team rallied around the court, and the church itself. “When they were talking about closing it, they told us, ‘We’ll let you have one more season’ and would let us stay until March 1 to finish,” Palisi said.” So, this became inspiration for all of the families and players to start attending Sunday Masses. We go as a team on Sundays and make it part of our time if we have a game on Sunday, and if we don’t, we schedule a shootout, but they have to attend Mass. Everyone has been trying to be involved, not with just the sports aspect, but with the Masses.”

Sunday’s win and a second chance to keep St. Camillus open has made it all worth it. “It’s huge because when the Bishop came to talk to us, we had our kids come together with signs and they wore their uniforms and we made it known that this gym is such a big part of these kids’ lives, and I think with this game, they said, ‘Ok, they gave us a reprieve on this closing, now let’s win this championship for the diocese,’” Palisi said. “It’s bringing back a whole new life to St. Camillus and I think it’s inspirational for the parish and for the girls who are learning that if you truly believe in something, you can make things happen. They are a big part of the bishop giving us a second chance. This is bigger than basketball.”