CANANDAIGUA, N.Y.— No. 1 Fairport topped No. 2 Greece Arcadia/Olympia 46-38 to win back-to-back Section V Class AAA titles at Finger Lakes Community College, Friday night. The Red Raiders outscored the Lightning 20-6 in the third quarter to take a 38-23 lead heading into the final frame.
“I think we did a great job of putting a lot of pressure on and we forced a lot of turnovers with the pressure,” Fairport head coach Tom Vasey said. “When we play with contained pressure, we’re a better team. We attacked early in the third quarter and didn’t settle for a lot of threes.”
Leading by three at halftime Fairport outscored the Lightning 20-6 off the back of Samara Rizzo who scored all seven of her points in the quarter. Five other Red Raiders’ scored in the deciding frame as well.
Avery Lucey and Eva Monoski led Fairport with 10 points apiece. Monoski has embraced her role on the team as a ninth grader.
“I always have to be ready, like no matter what there’s no excuse to come off the bench and slack,” Monoski said. “You got to come off with your highest energy and no matter what you play your best.”
After the third quarter, Greece Arcadia/Olympia started the fourth quarter on a 13-0 run off the back of Tournament MVP Aimee Turner’s 10 points in the quarter. The Lightning made it a one-possession game but couldn’t regain the lead. Turner ended with a game-high 20 points.
“They went on a run, it’s a two-point game but that’s the run and we just had to stop it,” Vasey said. “We made a quick adjustment on defense, instead of us trying to over play Aimee [Turner] where she got behind us and got left alone we got back to the zone we played in the first half and we were able to really contain her and force some shots from outside.”
After the Red Raiders only led by two, Lucey came up with a couple of clutch mid-range shots to extend the lead.
“I love coach, he’s such a great coach and he tells what to do and how we need to pull through,” Lucey said. “I had three fouls in the first half, so I was a little hesitant on things but in the second half we pulled through and it was amazing.”
Other scorers for the Red Raiders included Courtney Merlo (6), Lola Pucci (5), Delaney McIntyre (4) and Kate Patterson (3) also scored in the win.
Greece Arcadia/Olympia had Ja’Nyah Reaves (5), Jenelle Staples (4), Madeline Kielkowicz (4), Ma’Kenzie Johnson (3) and Samra Quintana (2) all score.
Fairport will face Lancaster (VI) in the Class AAA regionals.
“We really got to get back and watch film together,” Vasey said.
Nakayla Costelo (Edison), Juliana Bates (Greece Athena/Odyssey), Eva Minoski (Fairport), Sam Rizzo (Fairport), Avery Lucey (Fairport) and Madeline Kielkowicz (Greece Arcadia/Olympia) each made the Class AAA All-Tournament team.
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