“We fought hard and did a nice job keeping Arbor Prep out of the paint and off the boards,” said coach Corey Fether on Friday. “We were feeling confident taking a two-point lead into the fourth quarter, but Arbor Prep came out in the fourth and grabbed the lead.”

The team’s confidence was well-earned after ending two-time state champs Pittsford’s long-term winning streak, and beating Hudson in district finals and Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central in regional semi-final play, bringing their own hot streak into the regional finals. But, according to Fether, Arbor Prep slowed the game down in the fourth quarter and Manchester simply “couldn’t make a shot.”

“We were forced to foul, and they did a nice job making their free throws to close out the game.”

Scoring leaders were Avery Collins with 15 points and Mackenzie Pietrzyk with 8 points, while Jayden Humphrey and Natalie Bargardi each had 6 points in the game.

“I’m extremely proud of this team’s effort and heart,” Fether concluded. “They played hard until the final whistle. They trusted each other, and different girls stepped up on different nights to make this season successful. The success of this season was a total team effort.”

Congratulations to the Lady Dutch and we’re all looking forward to seeing what you can do next year!