By PAUL GOTHAM
TROY, N.Y. — Two weeks ago, the Webster Schroeder girls’ basketball team ended a 47-year sectional title drought.
Saturday night at Hudson Valley Community College the Warriors established a new program standard.
Mariah Watkins registered a double-double, and Schroeder claimed the 2023 NYSPHSAA Class AA championship with a 49-41 victory over Section I champion, White Plains.
“We lost in the sectional finals last year, so to be able to win the state championship the year after?,” the junior guard said. “It just feels great to know all the hard work I’ve put in over the summer is paying off.”
Watkins scored nine of her game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter as Schroeder held off a late push from White Plains.
“I’m just proud,” second-year head coach Codi Mrozek said. “I’m so proud of these girls. To win the first sectional in 47 years was making history. This just completely surpasses that. Definitely earned and so proud of this group of girls.”
In a game where they never trailed, the Warriors didn’t grab a double-digit lead until late in the third quarter when Watkins set up Mya Perales and Addison Morgan for consecutive 3-pointers in transition and a 34-22 advantage.
Mariah Watkins corrals a defensive board, runs the break and finds Mya Perales for 3. Addison Morgan connects from distance next trip down the floor. @Schroedergbball has its first double-digit lead of the game at 34-22. pic.twitter.com/piEHTPqsSm
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 19, 2023
The 12-point lead was short-lived.
Anneliese Reggio and Aliya McIver scored on consecutive possessions, and White Plains pulled within seven heading into the fourth quarter. Ineiva Plata’s finish off the dribble made it a 37-33 game with 5:32 remaining.
“We were definitely expecting a challenge,” Morgan said. “It’s a state championship. We were not expecting an easy win. We knew we had to play the entire game.”
Watkins finished with 12 rebounds, none bigger than back-to-back boards off missed free throws in the final two minutes of the game.
“Really good players make really good plays in big games,” Mrozek said. “That was the definition of that. That shows all the dimensions of her. It’s not just her scoring. Those were huge rebounds.”
With the Schroeder lead cut to five, Watkins grabbed the first carom and followed with two free throws for a 43-36 lead. Next trip down the floor, Sarah Ferruzza made the first of two free throws before the junior forward’s second attempt found iron.
Again, Watkins slipped past the White Plains frontline to grab the carom.
Schroeder had an eight-point lead and possession of the ball with less than a minute remaining.
“It’s the state championship,” Watkins said. “I’m doing everything I can. I’m boxing out. I’m jumping as high as I can just trying to get something for our team to try and propel our energy. It wasn’t my best scoring night, so I had to do something else, so I gave it all my effort to get those rebounds.”
“It’s just her,” Mrozek said. “She’s going to make a play. No matter what, she’s going to find a way to make a play. As much as I would be surprised in the moment, I’m really not because that’s just Mo. That’s what she does.”
White Plains (23-4) came into the game winners of 20 straight and averaging 58 points per game. The Tigers had defeated Section III champion Liverpool 57-46 to reach Saturday’s championship game and used their size for a 43-33 advantage in rebounds against Schroeder including a 20-9 difference on the offensive glass.
“It was staying the course of the game,” Mrozek said of the defensive effort. “We don’t have seniors, and they do. We knew that they were not going to go down without a fight. We were really just saying ‘we’re going to play until the last second and it’s going to go up and down.’ They’re not going to give up here. It was more so defensively just making sure we were containing their bigs. Trying to get bodies to rebound.”
Schroeder held White Plains to 23 percent (19-of-89) shooting from the floor and its second-lowest offensive output of the season. The Tigers lowest single-game point total came in a 40-37 win over Albert Magnus in the Section I championship game.
“It had to be the nerves,” White Plains head coach Ben Carter said. “That first quarter we were off a little bit, and I don’t think we recovered from that. This is a moment, and I don’t think we were really ready for it.
“We tried to find a way to push through. We did make a run, but it just wasn’t enough. The work they put in to be here that was one of those amazing things.”
Carter’s squad tried to limit Watkins who entered play averaging nearly 25 points per game.
Mariah Watkins weaves her way to the basket and a 36-29 Schroeder lead. pic.twitter.com/mI8KbpIWs5
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 19, 2023
“We knew that she was going to be extremely solid,” Carter said of the 6-foot guard. “My thing was to contain don’t try and be overly-aggressive because she’s a tough player. She’s a baller. Ballers you have to be aware of and not come and think you’re going to dominate like we’ve been doing. She got some putbacks. We missed some box outs, just the details. I talked about details a lot and today our details went away. They took advantage of it.”
Morgan hit three 3-pointers and finished with 14 points. Bria Watkins added nine. Perales (3), Ferruzza (3) and Ava Gallup rounded out the scoring for Schroeder.
Addison Morgan runs down the long carom, wins a battle with a pair of defenders and finishes. Schroeder 41-35 with 2:45 to go pic.twitter.com/NLEHKvTZTG
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 19, 2023
Schroeder became the fifth Section V girls’ program, since the tournament started in 1981, to claim the state championship for the largest classification of that particular year. The Warriors joined Our Lady of Mercy (1985/Class A), Greece Arcadia (2004/Class AA), Rush-Henrietta (’06, ’07 and ’08/Class AA) and Bishop Kearney (2022/AA).
With the Victor boys’ championship earlier in the night, it marked the first time in history that Section V teams claimed both the boys’ and girls’ championships from the largest classification in the same year.
Schroeder also received the NYSPHSAA Sportsmanship Award, this after earning the Central Western Girls’ Basketball Officials (C.W.G.B.O) honor earlier in the postseason.
“I’m just so happy,” Mrozek said. “To be able to do this in my second year is just crazy. I don’t take it for granted because you never know if you’ll get back here. We’re going to enjoy this moment. It will be a great history for teams to work for years to come.”
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