Penfield girls look to make run at 2nd straight section title with chemistry leading the way

PENFIELD, N.Y. (WHEC) — Last year, Penfield wasn’t in the mood to climb to the mountain top without staking that championship flag in the ground. That’s just what they did, upsetting top-seed Bishop Kearney by three.

It came after two straight years of falling to them in the title game so you might think it gave them extra pride this year.

"I thought a good theme this year would be heavy is the head that wears the crown," said head coach Mark Vogt. "They said, no. They said, ‘we’re a different team. Let’s earn it.’"

"Last year was last year’s team," said senior Elisa Faklaris. "We had a lot of good players leave but then we also brought a lot of good players up."

The target might be on them, but when being knit as tightly as they are can serve as one heck of a defense system.

"This is by far, the best team I’ve ever been on," Faklaris said. "We’re so close, we just want to win for each other."

"We almost know how each other moves and everybody’s strengths and weaknesses and how to like make that their strengths on the court," said senior Kennedy Cone.

Vogt doesn’t just take notice of that, he’s become attached to it.

"Honestly, I don’t ever think I’ve had a team I’ve enjoyed coaching more and they work super hard and they’re funny. It’s just a nice group to be around," he said.

They’ve overcome mid-season inconsistency with win after win all while trying to separate each one.

"We call it our performances," Cone said. "If this is performance fifteen, you don’t focus on the last one, you don’t focus on the one before it. You don’t look to the future. You have to look at the game you’re in now otherwise you’re just going to let it go by and that’s how you lose games is when you’re not completely focused into one game."

The Patriots host (6) Our Lady of Mercy on Saturday at 2 p.m.