By PAUL GOTHAM
WEBSTER, N.Y. — A year ago, Victor girls’ basketball opened its season with four straight losses.
Fast forward to 2023, the current Victor squad is unbeaten.
And Thursday night the Blue Devils announced themselves as a contender in Class AA.
Rhylin Fehrenbach posted a double-double including a game-high 18 points while teammate Devin Livingston scored 11 as Victor (5-0) defeated reigning state champion Webster Schroeder, 46-45.
“They needed this,” said second-year head coach Ashley Zahn. “They need to know how talented of a group they are. I’m so glad they got to feel this tonight.”
Fehrenbach grabbed a defensive rebound and went the length of the floor for a layup and a 37-25 Victor lead early in the fourth quarter. The sophomore then snapped a tie with less than two minutes remaining in the contest when she converted a steal into another bucket.
Victor had a lead it did not surrender at 43-41.
Rhylin Fehrenbach grabs a defensive board and goes the length of the floor for two. Victor 37-25. pic.twitter.com/ynEwzIYfba
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 15, 2023
Rhylin Fehrenbach leads Devin Livingston into the open court. @VictorGirlsBB leads @Schroedergbball 25-15 early in the third. pic.twitter.com/IHO25homZo
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 15, 2023
“That’s the difference in us from last year to this year,” Zahn said. “We’re ready to make those big plays.”
Victor led 23-15 at halftime and maintained a two-possession lead throughout the third quarter before Schroeder scored 11 straight points midway through the fourth. Mya Perales connected on a corner three to cut the deficit to one at 37-36. Sarah Ferruzza knotted the game at 41 with a corner three of her own.
“I talked to them about don’t get too high, don’t get too low,” Zahn said. “Stay right in the middle, keep your cool and they did. Even when we turned it over, we had a couple travels, a couple unforced turnovers, they got back and they still made plays. They didn’t let it faze them.”
Sarah Ferruzza buries a corner to tie the game at 41 with 1:58 remaining. pic.twitter.com/v7ecDHBemJ
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) December 15, 2023
The loss was the first to a Section V team for Webster Schroeder since falling to Pittsford Mendon in the 2022 Class A final. The Warriors finished 25-1 a year ago with their only setback coming to St. Mary’s of Lancaster.
“Early on in this season, these are games you want to be in and games you want to play in,” said Schroeder head coach Codi Mrozek. “You want to get better. You want to have these experiences. You want your kids to feel uncomfortable, so that late in the season we aren’t uncomfortable.”
The Warriors entered play averaging 62 points in their previous three outings. They did not crack the 30-point mark until Bria Watkins connected on a triple with 5:51 to go in the game.
“Unfortunately, it was an off-shooting night for us. We had a lot of turnovers. We’re going to have nights like that. We’re going to learn from it and move forward.
“We’ve had a little bit of adversity. It’s nothing new. We’re just going to continue to battle and move forward. We got a long season, a big game on Saturday. That’s our next mission.”
Victor has held all five of its opponents under 50 points. They did so on Thursday with a defense that extended beyond the three-point arc and pressured Schroeder’s ballhandlers.
“They’re not an easy team to guard,” Zahn said. “Bria is fantastic, so you got to stop her. But when you guard her, they make threes. We really had to work together and trust each other. They made some threes, but we forced some quick shots too. It was kudos to their hard work on defense. They go hard in practice so it just translates over.”
Fehrenbach grabbed 11 rebounds in the win.
Schroeder (3-1) played without Mariah Watkins. The First Team All-State performer a year ago suffered a season-ending ACL injury earlier in the fall.
The Warriors will face Lancaster (VI) in the Canandaigua Gray Wolves Holiday Showcase on Saturday. A 6 PM tip-off is scheduled.
Victor travels to Irondequoit on Tuesday for a 7:15 PM start.
VICTOR
Hope Stone 0 0-2 0, Devin Livingston 4 3-4 11, Rhylin Fehrenbach 7 4-4 18, Morgan Livingston 2 0-0 4, Maia Pronti 0 0-0 0, Vanessa Chumacero 1 0-0 2, Allie Pisano 2 1-2 5, Abbie Murphy 2 1-2 6 TOTALS 18 9-12 46
WEBSTER SCHROEDER
Addie Morgan 5 0-2 11, Ava Gallup 1 0-0 3, Sarah Ferruzza 4 1-1 10, Mya Perales 3 0-0 9, Bria Watkins 4 3-6 12 TOTALS 17 14-19 45
VICTOR 12 11 12 11 — 46
SCHROEDER 9 6 10 20 — 45
3-point goals — Victor 1 (Abbie Murphy); Webster Schroeder 7 (Morgan 1, Gallup 1, Ferruzza 1, Perales 3, B. Watkins 1)
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