DRYDEN — Throughout the course of the 2016-17 season, the Thousand Islands girls basketball team won its ninth consecutive Frontier League championship, achieved the record for most wins in program history, claimed its first Section 3 Class C championship and earned its first state playoff berth, and a vital reason for all of those accomplishments is the lockdown defense it has played almost every week.
That said, it finally met its superior Saturday night in the Class C state quarterfinal at Tompkins Cortland Community College, as Section 4’s Watkins Glen utilized a relentless press defense to stifle the Vikings and earn a trip to the state Final Four with a 56-32 victory.
It started off as a highly competitive bout. Anna Hoover, who has led Thousand Islands (21-3) all season in scoring, put in five points (her only scoring) in the first quarter and saw her team, which was ranked fifth in the state, trail by two, 12-10, going into the second quarter.
Watkins Glen (20-2), ranked No. 4 in the state, built up momentum shortly into the period, receiving baskets from top scorer Amanda Pike and forward Mariah Gonzalez, who finished with 13 points.
On the flip side, the Vikings struggled to find open shots and received most of their production from Courtney Evans-Eppolito, who scored seven of the team’s nine points. When they clawed to within three points, Pike sank a 3-pointer to quell one of multiple comeback attempts.
“They were big and strong, we had trouble right from the start,” said Vikings head coach Pete Pettit. “You can look at kids on tape all you want, but once you stand up next to them, run with them, try to box them out, they’re just very strong kids.”
Trailing by nine at the half, Thousand Islands’ frustrations with the talented Section 4 group only grew in the third quarter. Watkins Glen head coach Alicia Learn said her team’s defense rebounded well from inconsistent play in the first half.
“We can play some good defense,” she said. “I don’t think our defense was as good as it has been, it was a little sloppy at times. Still, we were able to get the job done.”
Pike, who finished with a game-high 30 points, and reserve Taylor Kelly contributed baskets as part of an 8-0 run. Thousand Islands finally cracked the scoreboard with 2:17 left in the third on a free throw from Evans-Eppolito. The junior forward scored every point for her team in the second half en route to finishing with a team-high 22.
“Courtney is a great leader, and she never dies,” Pettit said. “She never wants to quit.”
Despite Evans-Eppolito’s tenacious effort, her 13 points couldn’t match the Senecas and Pike, who scored 17 her team’s 18 in the fourth quarter. After contributing only six points to her team’s sectional title victory last week, the star senior broke out in a big way.
“It’s been in her head,” Learn said. “She’s a shooter, and the last few games haven’t gone her way. Sometimes you need to tell a player to stop thinking and shoot the ball. I honestly knew this was going to be her game that she could step out.”
Her correct prediction came at the expense of Thousand Islands, as it was the highest point total the Vikings allowed to a single player this season.
Eventually, most of the lineup for Thousand Islands exited the game with about two minutes remaining, and most of Watkins Glen’s lineup followed suit. The clock eventually hit zeroes, granting the Senecas their first state playoff win in school history.
In the end, Pettit summed up a landmark season at the end of a disappointing game.
“I think we lost to a great team,” he said. “My kids did all they could. I keep calling it the miracle season, because it came out of the blue. You expect things every year, but I didn’t expect this. I’m really proud of this group. It’s a successful season.”