Sayre girls top Athens, take NTL East lead
SAYRE - The Sayre Redskins have strong memories of their first meeting with the Athens Wildcats this year.
It was early in the NTL schedule and the young Redskins squad struggled on the road, suffering their only league loss of the season.
On Tuesday they got another shot at the Wildcats and this time they were determined to show they could play with anyone in the league as they came away with a 34-31 victory.
"It feels really good," Mollie Robinson said. "The first time we played them we feel like we were still trying to come together as a team. Now, we have a better idea of what we are doing."
One of the biggest adjustments for the Redskins early in the year was finding their roles after losing a talented group of seniors, that included four starters and the schools all-time leading scorer Elizabeth Higley.
"We now feel like we can play without them and be on our own," Kelly Villanti said.
The Redskins continued the strong defense they have played all year, holding Athens to 31 points, and only 19 in the first three quarters.
"That's our main goal to be the best we can be on defense," Villanti said. "Defense is what wins games."
The last time the Redskins played the Wildcats they got down early and the game didn't end up being close. This time Sayre kept things close and were able to stay patient on offense.
"Athens is a great team, they proved it the first time they played us," Sayre coach Bill Trump said. "We knew coming in they would use their pressure defense and we knew they would try and shut down our three point shooters. I'm very proud of how we handed their defensive pressure.
"They got us down pretty early at Athens and we started to force things. We were able to stay with them today and maintain a small lead and that allowed us to stay patient. It helps that we have three guards that can handle the ball and run the weave so it's not on one player."
Sayre slowed the game down at times on offense, running the weave and taking time off the clock, while searching for the perfect shot.
While it was tough at time for the players to stay patient, they know it works.
"It is tough," Robinson said of staying patient. "But we see that when we are patient we get much better shots."
Sayre led by one at the half, but after holding Athens to five in the third quarter, they took a 25-19 lead into the fourth quarter and at one point had that lead up to eight early in the fourth.
Then, the Wildcats began to fight back and the deficit was down to three with 2:44 left in the game.
Athens looked like they were going to cut the deficit to one, as center Christin Dunkling went in for a layup, but Robinson came in from behind with the block.
"It was luck," Robinson said. "I didn't want to get the foul so I just stuck my hand up and happened to get the ball."
Less than a minute later it again looked like Athens would cut into the deficit. The Wildcats got a steal, but Kelsey Young came up with a block to keep the lead intact.
"It was a great play," Trump said of Robinson's block. "And Kelsey's was nice to. But we had a lot of girls that really stepped up."
Down by three, the Wildcats did cut the deficit to one with 1:38 to go as Dunkling scored inside.
Holding a one-point lead Robinson drove toward the basket and was fouled. She went to the line and hit both free throws to make it 31-28.
"I shoot the ball better when I am under pressure actually," Robinson said. "I don't know why, I think I just focus more."
After an Athens miss, the Wildcats fouled Robinson and she hit one-of-two to make it 32-28 with 45.7 seconds left.
Athens nearly cut the deficit to two, but Dunkling's shot rimmed out and a struggle for the ball gave it to the Wildcats on the possession arrow.
A shot by Alycia Ramsey came up short and Sayre got the ball and Villanti was fouled, hitting both free throws to make it 34-28.
For Sayre their were some nerves in that final few minutes, but they knew they had to keep their composure.
"We had to slow down and not start making mistakes," Young said.
With the win the Redskins now sit with one NTL East loss, leading both Wyalusing and Athens by one game and Towanda by two games.
"It is a lot of pressure," Young said of being in the drivers' seat in the NTL. "But, we think we can do it if we come out like this every game."
Robinson led the Redskins with 15 points and Young had eight points. Villanti had six points and Adrienne Malorzo had three points, while Elyse Skerpon finished with two points.
Malorzo had seven rebounds and Robinson had three blocks and four assists in the game.
Skerpon had five rebounds and Young had two steals for Sayre.
Athens got 12 points from Danielle Stopper and Dunkling finished with six points in the game.
Mackenzie Vargason had four points for Athens and Monida Dougherty finished with three points, while Mackenzie Hafer and Laura Lockard each finished with two points.
Athens won the JV game 40-14. Danielle Dougherty led the Wildcats with eight points and Cheyanna Roberts had 10 points for Sayre in the game.
Athens hosts Towanda on Thursday and Sayre goes to Liberty.
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