FAIRPORT, N.Y. — The Fairport Girls Basketball team is gearing up for sectionals, transitioning from last year’s underdogs to this year’s favorites. As reigning Section V AAA champions, the Red Raiders are determined to defend their title and have fun along the way.

“You got to love the people you play with,” said senior guard Lola Pucci. “And I love everyone on the team.”

Last season, the Red Raiders entered the playoffs as the sixth seed and made a Cinderella run to become champions.

“We only won five games last year,” said head coach Tom Vasey. “But we were really battle-tested into sectionals with a very difficult schedule.”

Where they ended up as champs–learning some valuable lessons along the way.

“We have to play our butts off,” said senior forward Courtney Merlo. “It takes a lot of work, and we really need to focus in practice.”

This year, with a record of 12-8, Fairport is no longer the underdog but the favorite.

“I think that being the one seed, it’s kind of a lot on our shoulders,” Pucci said. “We want to prove that this is where we’re supposed to be.”

The team, led by seniors like Pucci and Merlo, aims to end their high school careers as back-to-back champions. Merlo expressed her enthusiasm, saying, “I’m excited for it.”

Samara Rizzo, a freshman guard, emphasized the importance of teamwork and growth: “Just keep on pushing each other, really keep getting better over the years.”

Pucci added, “Just being best friends is going to help. If you’re not friends with people you’re playing with, it’s not going to go anywhere.”

Coach Vasey praised the team’s resilience, stating, “They come to practice every day fresh, hard. Every loss we’ve had this season, they come back ready to go the next day. Nobody’s hanging their heads.”

The Red Raiders are the top seed in the AAA tournament, earning a bye in the first round.

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