By PAUL GOTHAM
PENFIELD, N.Y. — Complacency didn’t stand a chance against the Penfield girls’ basketball team on Monday night.
Three days after avenging a trio of losses from a season ago, Mark Vogt’s Patriots rolled to their seventh straight win.
Three players scored in double figures to lead Penfield past East Rochester, 78-31 in non-league action.
“Our kids practice incredibly hard every day,” Vogt said. “They’re just fun. It’s a joy to be in the gym because they go so hard. I’m sure we’re capable of having an off-game shooting and stuff, but I never worry about the effort that they’re going to give.”
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM DENNIS JOYCE HERE.
One game after pouring in a career-high 27 points, Grace Alexander topped the Penfield offense with 16 points. The senior guard scored seven in the first quarter when Penfield sprinted to a 15-4 lead.
Jackie Funk had 14 points in the game, and Emily Fordham added 12.
Since averaging less than 55 points per game through their first five outings of the season, the Patriots have scored 62 or more in each of their last six games. A stretch in which they are averaging better than 68 per game.
“Our defense is always pretty good,” Vogt noted. “We’re just more consistent in the scoring. Now, our offense is catching up to our defense.”
Ashley Kalvitis finished with team-highs of five assists and eight rebounds. The junior guard also accounted for eight points.
On Friday, Penfield handed Fairport its third loss of the season. The Red Raiders knocked off Penfield in the Class AA semifinals, 80-67 last March. The sectional win came after Fairport swept the regular season series between the Monroe County Division I rivals.
“As great as Fairport was, it’s one of 20,” Vogt stated. “And so is this one. The goal is to stay in the moment and just take one step forward.”
Lefty finish from Jackie Funk to start the third-quarter scoring. Penfield cruising 36-11. pic.twitter.com/gc41PdOCi6
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) January 10, 2023
Two years removed from a sectional championship, this Penfield team is looking to leave its own legacy.
“I don’t think we were any conversations in the beginning of the year,” Vogt said of predictions that didn’t include the Patriots among the AA contenders. “Everybody wants to be respected and works hard because of that. We’ve had some pretty intense practices.”
East Rochester returns four starters from last year’s squad that advanced to the New York State Class C semifinals. Among those returners is Lily Funk, first cousin of Penfield’s Jackie Funk.
“ER’s good and it was Jackie’s cousin, so we were definitely ready.”
Emma Alexander contributed seven points in the win. Lydia Hickey (6), Anna Coyle (4), Nadia Green (4), Mary Bernat (3), Cassidy Cone (2) and Emma Scanlon (2) rounded out the scoring for Penfield (10-1).
Aniyah Eldridge led ER (6-3) with 13 points. Lily Funk had eight. Zarriah Eldridge (2), Aaliyah Carmichael (2), Giovanna Morreale (2) and Emma Romach (1) also scored for the Bombers which opened the season with six wins in their first seven games.
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