Joyce Kilmer eighth grader Kayla Lewandowski, pictured with Lady Knights girls basketball coaches Taylor Iasparro (left) and Isabella Macaro, scored 302 points in a season, setting a school record.Photo Credit: Photo Courtesy of the Joyce Kilmer School
By Dawn Miller
Published February 25, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Last updated February 25, 2025 at 7:24 PM
MILLTOWN, NJ - It was an exciting season of basketball for the Joyce Kilmer Lady Knights. JK's middle school girls' basketball team finished the 2024-25 season with a 10-4 overall record. The Lady Knights are coached by Isabella Macaro and Taylor Iasparro.
Macaro has been teaching seventh grade math at the Joyce Kilmer School for the past four years. Iasparro has been a health and physical education teacher for Joyce Kilmer and the Parkview School for three years. She works with third-graders in the morning before coming over to Joyce Kilmer to teach fifth through eighth graders in the afternoon. Both Macaro and Iasparro have been coaching the Lady Knights for the past two seasons. This year's Lady Knights included seventh graders Isabella Burrows-Arevalo, Shannon Jones, Annabelle Abrams and Sarah Oest as well as eighth graders Kayla Lewandowski, Maliya Lazar, Jordyn Ayres, Hannah Young, Juliet Yasutis and Monica Hodgson.
“This season everyone was very determined,” Iasparro said. “After losing six very skilled eighth graders last year and moving up a division this year, we knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park, but the team came together and really showed up for one another.”
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“We had a successful season, and it's all thanks to their hard work and dedication to our team,” Iasparro continued. “We are so thankful for them and our successful season.”
“This season I loved watching the team put in the work and come together, especially seeing the growth of some who have never played competitive basketball before,” Macaro said.
The offensive leader for the Lady Knights this season was Lewandowski. Lewandowski averaged 21.6 points a game and put up a season total of 302 points. The eighth grader set a Joyce Kilmer record by scoring over 300 points in a season. Lewandowski closed out her impressive middle school run with 484 career points.
“Kayla Lewandowski stepped up big time this season to offensively carry our team,” Iasparro said. “I cannot wait to see her play in high school next year.”
“We are so excited to continue watching her success throughout high school,” Macaro echoed.
Defensively, the Lady Knights were led by Jones, Lazar, Ayres and Young.
“Shannon Jones, Maliya Lazar, Jordyn Ayres and Hannah Young all stepped up in their own way,” Macaro said.
The Lady Knights will again have a bit of turnover next season following the successful jump to the higher middle school girls basketball division this winter.
“With six out of 10 girls graduating this year, our students will have to step up next year,” Macaro said. “I'm excited to see how the team evolves and the growth that lies ahead.”
“I am so excited to see what our Lady Knights have in store for next season,” Iasparro added.