By Bill Collmer (@BC_SVTB on Twitter), Sun Senior Sports Writer
ROCHESTER — The Girls version of March Madness is set to begin on February 17.
Section V Girls’ Basketball Coordinator Tim Lincoln, who is in his 12th year at the helm, said his biggest obstacle is the weather and having to reschedule games if they’re postponed.
And that lone thing is not enough to stop him from doing the coordinator job he loves.
“Working with great people, not only on the Girls Basketball Committee but the Section Five Athletic Directors and their staff, they are key to make the tournament special, and seeing the absolute joy when kids win a sectional championship,” Lincoln said.
The hard work and time are worth it when it comes time to hand out the championship trophies.
“It’s hard to describe, especially when you have a connection to the winning team, like Waterloo, or with the coach/players of a championship team,” Lincoln added.
“None of this would be possible without the countless volunteers that make my life easy. From the League Chairs to the Class Coordinators, they make this ‘job,’ which I don’t consider a ‘job’ but a passion. I had many great mentors in my early years that included Phil White, Tom Nortier, Joe DeSain, Jack Purificato, Doreen Martin, Kelly Bietz and Sue Penepent that helped teach me to make decisions based on what was in the best interest of the student athletes,” Lincoln added.
Several Section Five girls reached the 1,000-career point Milestone this season including, Kyleigh Chapman (Canandaigua), Kendall Parker (Dundee-Bradford), Libby Benner (Keshequa), Nevaeh Ross (Scio-Friendship), Alyssa Kramer (Alexander), Hazell Nickerson (Caledonia-Mumford), Mary Hamer (Genesee-Valley/Belfast), Alyssa Marsh (Lima-Christian) Mallory Heise (Hilton), Ella Clark (Hilton) and Zarriah Eldridge (East-Rochester)
Canisteo-Greenwood Senior Lillian Mullen entered the season closing in on 2,000 career points, unfortunately in their first game of the season Mullen tore her ACL. Thanks to some great sportsmanship by Steuben County League rival Avoca-Prattsburgh, Mullen was allowed to score one final basket on Senior night, with an assist from her sister, sophomore Bailey Mullen. Lillian Mullen scored one final layup and finishes her career with 1,784 points.
Similar to Mullen, Webster Schroeder star Mariah Watkins had to miss her senior season due to a torn ACL. Her 1,635 Points is the most points scored by a basketball player at Webster Schroeder, boy or girl. She led Schroeder to a state championship last season.
Seeding Matters
In last year’s tournament, four No. 1 seeds won sectionals, six advanced to the Championship game. In Class D both number one seeds won championships. In Class C the number two seed won one bracket the number three seed won the other. In Class B The one and three seeds won championships. In Class A the Number two seed won and in AA the number one seed won. In Class A the number 11 and number 12 seeds advanced to the Semifinals.
Coach Lincoln reflects back on Section V tournament memories
Lincoln Coached at Waterloo and has some favorite sectional moments from his time there.
“The 2005 Sectional Championship over 4-time defending champion Nazareth. They beat us twice during the regular season. In that game, the execution of the game plan by my team and a half-court shot at the end of third quarter, by Sylina Santell that put us up by 18,” Lincoln remembers. “Then, in the 2007 Sectional Championship, beating Wayland-Cohocton, with my daughter Courtney scoring 33 points and going 15-19 from the free throw line and being named MVP,.”.
Other Section V coaches share favorite sectional moments
Fillmore’s Tom Parks: “My Favorite part of the tournament is just the atmosphere a single elimination tournament creates. Especially if you make it to at least the semifinal round. Playing at that neutral site with the fans worked into a frenzy creates a fun environment for basketball.”
Matt Verkey, who reached legend status at Mynderse, is now the girls coach at his Alma Mater.
“My favorite game in sectionals was when we beat Lyons in the C qualifier game. We shot the lights out and the game was over by half time,” Verkey said. “My father was the Athletic Director at Lyons at the time and I was close with a number of their players. Obviously, the game before that we beat Perry to win the title so that was pretty special as well. We had lost in the finals the two previous years.
“I would say that you work all season to prepare for sectionals so just finally getting to the sectional games and see the improvement your team has made all year. You hope you preform to your ability and compete at the highest level possible. It’s one and done, so the pressure is amped up,” Verkey added
Andy Marchand won two State Championships at C.G Finney in 2006 and 2007. Now Marchand Coaches the girls at his Alma Mater, his dad Joe still Coaches the Boys and is the Athletic Director.
“As a player I loved the pressure of sectionals. Win or go home. There was something about being able to showcase your team’s talent when it mattered the most. In our class a lot of schools are located in different areas so you don’t get matched up until sectionals,” Marchand said “I enjoyed being able to play different competition come sectional time and try to prove we had what it takes to overcome any obstacle.
“As a coach I try to treat sectionals like any other game. We try to compete in practice and every game with the win or go home mentality. Basketball is a great game. The best team doesn’t always win so I try to get them to compete hard and play for each other,” Marchand added.
Hailey Stratton played at Prattsburgh and was part of a Prattsburgh team that won sectionals three years in a row. She now coaches the girls varsity at Jasper-Troupsburg.
“As a player my favorite part of sectionals was the support. Just knowing that your teammates, school, and community is rooting for you to do well. I enjoyed so many games where the stands were packed with Prattsburgh fans cheering us on throughout sectionals,” Hailey Stratton said “My favorite part of sectionals as a coach is seeing the girls buckle down and get pumped up for the games. They continue to work hard in practice and collectively want to reach the same goal. It is amazing as a coach to see the camaraderie amongst my girls,” Stratton added.
Michelle Alvord led her Wellsville team as a player to the state final four, and is now their varsity coach.
“As a player, my favorite part of sectionals was finally winning my junior year and winning again my senior year. It was exciting getting to play in a college gym – we played at SUNY Geneseo back in my days,” Alvord said.
“There are way too many with both to pick a favorite as a coach,” Alvord said. “When we won sectionals in 2016, the celebrations of the players, families and coaches brought pure joy to my heart because you know how hard everyone has worked to get to that point and we had been so close before. I will also say that winning as a player, and then as a coach, gives you a whole different perspective,” Alvord added.
What is the best part about Sectionals?
“Preparation for the second season. Records don’t matter so just working to get the team ready to play. Obviously, the competitiveness of sectionals and the atmosphere of the game being one and done,” Alvord said.
Hornell coach Jim Dagon said every win in sectionals is that much more memorable.
“The environments of the games for sure. When both teams bring big student sections and the gym gets loud, it just makes the game so much more exciting,” said Dagon. “Also knowing the importance of each game. It’s easy to get lost in the grind of the regular season, but once sectionals come around you’ve got to bring it every game, and every win is that much more memorable.
“Seeing the players having their own experience is probably the most enjoyable part for me. Just being there for the moments that they will carry with them for their whole lives is really special. As a coach, being able to get into detailed game planning is something that I love,” Dagon continued. “In sectionals, if you lose your season’s over. So, you’ve got to strategize and game plan with that in mind. Also knowing that the coach you’re up against is going to pull out all the stops to try and beat you also makes it exciting. You’ve got to be ready to make decisions and adjustments for anything they throw at you.”
Genesee Valley/Belfast coach and athletic director Raegan Ryan played at Canisteo-Greenwood.
“I have a lot of fun memories of sectionals! I just remember such a competitive atmosphere and some really tough match-ups, one of which included the state runner up one season, and the former state champion another season.,” Ryan said. “Actually, just this week some of our high school teammates had a group text just reminiscing on our time together. It was really fun playing in those games with your closest friends.”
Avoca-Prattsburgh Coach Trista Sullivan said, “As a player I loved everything about competing to be at the top and the challenge that sectionals brought to the table,” Ryan said. “Now as a Coach I’m looking forward to the opportunity to prove and showcase everything we have worked so hard to achieve throughout this season.”
(Coming next: Collmer predicts Class B-C-D)
