Victor, Webster Schroeder engage in thriller: 10 Section V girls basketball games to watch

VICTOR — Presented with the challenge of the upcoming Class AA tournament, Section V coaches blend a look of excitement and exasperation.

The challenge ahead, even for one-loss teams like Victor, is understood. Success can be fleeting.

The Blue Devils endured several swings of emotion in Friday's win over defending state champion Webster Schroeder. Victor led by 15 in the third quarter, but found itself behind by three in the final minute.

Two free throws from Rhylin Fehrenbach coupled with Hope Stone's winning basket with four seconds remaining saved Victor from devastating defeat. That resiliency will be required for any team with championship aspirations.

"You draw up something and hope it happens, but you have to trust and believe in your kids and hope they make it work," Victor coach Ashley Zahn said. "My girls just played basketball. Hope got a rebound and put it in, and that was the game.

"They don't stop. They outwork people. It's a phenomenal group."

Bookmark this: Section V girls basketball scores for the 2023-24 season

The result was symbolic of the proximity between Class AA competition this year. Victor has won each of its two matchups with Webster Schroeder, but the teams were separated by one point each time.

Consider the rest of Class AA's projected top seeds:

• Hilton (11-3) boasts impressive wins against Victor and Schroeder, but split the season series against Canandaigua and fell to Penfield.

• Canandaigua (10-5) delivered Hilton one of its few losses, and fell to both Schroeder and Hilton in one-possession games.

• Webster Schroeder (10-5) has three losses within Section V and those games were decided by a total of seven points.

• Pittsford Mendon (12-3) is a wild card, as the Vikings have not played any of the aforementioned teams thus far.

• Bishop Kearney (8-4) has a modest record, but the Lady Kings are well-equipped for postseason play following a bear of a regular season schedule.

Spencerport (9-7) and Penfield (7-8) are still climbing toward double-digit wins, but both have defeated one or more of the listed teams and could prove a handful come mid-February.

"Any given night, anybody can win in AA. And that's what makes it fun," Zahn said. "Credit to all the teams, because everyone comes out and works their hardest. I can't wait to see what happens."

Section V girls basketball games to watch down the stretch

Dundee/Bradford at Bloomfield; Thursday, Feb. 1

Previous matchup: Dundee/Bradford 63, Bloomfield 50 (Dec. 21)

Dundee/Bradford is Section V’s last undefeated team, but the BraveScots will put their perfect record to the rest in a meeting between the Finger Lakes region’s two top teams.

According to Dundee/Bradford coach Michael Strait, Bloomfield was the BraveScots’ “closest game this year.” Also of significance from that game: Dundee/Bradford star Kendall Park reached 1,000 career points in a 16-point effort.

Penfield at Hilton; Friday, Feb. 2

Previous matchup: Penfield 53, Hilton 45 (Jan. 5)

Hilton, currently ranked seventh in the Class AA state rankings, will look to avenge one of its few losses of the season against an upstart Penfield squad.

In that game, the Patriots led by one point late before Cassidy Cone’s five-point spurt provided some insurance. Penfield also limited Cadets start Mallory Heise to 11 points, one of the junior’s lowest-scoring efforts of the season.

Victor at Canandaigua; Friday, Feb. 2

Previous matchup: Victor 61, Canandaigua 37 (Dec. 22)

Victor’s dominant performance over Canandaigua prior to Christmas was part of a 9-0 start to the season. Through the end of January, the Blue Devils maintain one of Section V’s top records at 14-1 (their lone loss was to Hilton on Jan. 10).

Canandaigua, Section V’s reigning Class A champion, has found its footing following a midseason lull that included a four-game losing streak. The Gray Wolves have claimed five in a row, all against Monroe County league rivals.

Edison/WOIS/SWW at East High; Friday, Feb. 2

Previous matchup: East 60, Edison 47 (Dec. 28)

Bragging rights in the Rochester City Athletic Conference are on the line. East and Edison Tech lead a three-horse race that also includes Monroe.

East opened the season with wins in eight of its first nine games, but have slipped of late with two losses in its last five.

East won the last meeting between the two teams, despite a 20-rebound effort from the Inventors’ Kenya Scott.

Caledonia-Mumford at Keshequa; Friday, Feb. 2

Previous matchup: Keshequa 53, Cal-Mum 43 (Jan. 11)

Keshequa, the defending Section V Class D1 champion, has fared well in its jump to Class C this season. The team is near-perfect against others within the classification, save for a setback against York on Jan. 19.

While Dundee/Bradford has likely locked down the top seed in the upcoming C2 tournament, Keshequa can secure its own position at No. 2 against a Cal-Mum squad that's won three straight.

Gananda at Lyons; Wednesday, Feb. 7

Previous matchup: Gananda 71, Lyons 46 (Dec. 9)

Two of Section V’s most prolific scorers face off in a Wayne County league game.

Gananda’s Eva Jenny is averaging 28 points per game across her last six contests, including a 40-point effort against HAC that set a new program record.

Jayla Bell, a returning all-state and All-Greater Rochester selection has recorded a double-double in four straight games and has seven overall. She is averaging 23.6 points per game, which includes 27 when the teams met in December.

Aquinas at Pittsford Sutherland; Thursday, Feb. 8

Previous matchup: N/A

This non-league matchup could be a preview for Section V’s Class A tournament. Sutherland (12-2) currently owns the section’s top seed, while Aquinas (9-3) is No. 4.

Nine of Sutherland’s 12 victories have been by double digits. Aquinas, meanwhile, has not lost to a Class A opponent yet this season.

Bishop Kearney at Webster Schroeder; Friday, Feb. 9

Previous matchup: N/A

New York state’s two most recent Class AA state champions meet for the first time since Kearney topped Schroeder in the 2021 Class AA section semifinals.

The nine losses between the two teams – Webster is 10-5 while Bishop Kearney is 7-4 – reek of deception. Schroeder’s defeats have been margins of one (twice), five, six and 13, while the Lady Kings have played a bevy of state-ranked private schools.

Palmyra-Macedon at Newark; Wednesday, Feb. 14

Previous matchup: Palmyra-Macedon 54, Newark 53 (Jan. 17)

There are three teams with winning records in the Finger Lakes East conference, and two will meet on Valentines Day.

Pal-Mac has cruised to an 8-0 record within the division and has won 10 straight since mid-December. That includes a slim victory over Newark on Jan. 17, when the Red Raiders’ Julia Belanger scored the game-winning basket with 20 seconds remaining.

Mynderse Academy at Waterloo; Wednesday, Feb. 14

Previous matchup: Mynderse 59, Waterloo 57 (Jan. 17)

Reigning Class B state champion Waterloo returned only one starter (Addison Bree) from last year’s championship season, and youth has led to fits and starts in 2023-24.

However, with freshmen Gwyn Panek and Tangel Williams providing quality minutes the Tigers have won four of their last five – including a victory over state-ranked Gananda on Jan. 20.

Waterloo’s best will be needed against Mynderse. All three of the Blue Devils’ losses have been to state-ranked competition.

Four players reached double-digit scoring for Mynderse when the teams played on Jan. 17, led by Peyton Verkey’s 18.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V girls basketball games to watch down the stretch of 2023-24