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McMahon expected to take big step for LHS girls’ hoops BY RICH FISHER
Outgoing Mercer County Executive Brian Hughes, (fourth from left) at Overdose Awareness Day in Lawrence Township in 2021.
Retiring Hughes reflects on how far would go if theyas county executive 20you years were sick?
was overwhelmingly elected in Party Convention last March, November over Republican Lisa will be looking to move on to For the first time in two Richford — will be sworn in at greener pastures after many decades, long-time Mercer the county’s annual reorganiza- years in elected office. County Executive Brian Hughes tion meeting, which was set to be When asked in a recent interwon’t be sitting behind the desk held at the Trenton War Memo- view with the Lawrence Gazette of the county’s top administrative rial on Thursday, Jan. 4, at 6 p.m. about what Benson’s biggest elected official. Hughes, who was not chosen challenge will be, Hughes joked: Welcome to Capital Health. Former Assemblyman Dan to run again in favor of Benson “Removing all the Brian Hughes See HUGHES, Page 3 Benson — a Democrat who during the Mercer Democratic When someone you care about is sick, you’ll do whatever it takes to make sure they get the best care. And so do we.
BY BILL SANSERVINO
Taryn McMahon works for Moe’s Mexican restaurant in Lawrenceville and it seems to be good training for what Lawrence High girls basketball coach Dana Williams has in mind for the junior this season. “I kind of do everything,” McMahon said. “Everyone does everything pretty much. I make the food, clean up, everything.” Which is exactly what Williams expects. When asked to assess her forward’s qualities and the roles she will play this year, Williams answer was, “Are you ready to write? It’s a long list.” And while Moe’s may be a training ground for everything, the LHS “Safe Driving” club that Taryn is part of, is a bit ironic. Because trying to drive the lane against the 5-10 shot blocker is anything but safe. “She’s strong, she plays even a couple inches taller than she is,” Williams said. “Defensively she doesn’t back down, which I love about her. She led us in blocked shots with 14, that’s a lot.” Rejections are something that McMahon prides herself on, explaining that her court aware-
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ness often helps her get blocks. “If my hands are in their face, it is what it is,” she said. “There’s been times I just read it. There are girls who come running over toward me and I say ‘OK, that wasn’t very smart.’ I just slide over and I’m like ‘I got this.’” As for fast breaks, she said, “I try to get downcourt as fast as I can in the center. I read who has the ball and I try to shift over to whatever side that’s on. But I see who else is coming down the court. A lot of times I’m already back there. If there’s two players they’re either gonna pass it or shoot it. If I stay in between them and read it and see what they’re doing and know what they’re looking for, that’s where I go.” Defense and rebounding have been McMahon’s strong points, as she grabbed 90 caroms last year and is the team’s third best returning rebounder behind Emma Dobkin and Jaslin Garcia. This year, she and Williams both expect improvement from her scoring average just over 2 per game. “We’re looking for her to score 10 points or so a game, See MCMAHON, Page 7
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