By Christopher Shaban
Eagle Times Sports
WINDSOR — The Yellow Jackets slugged their way past a determined and physical Vergennes team on Friday and will head to a Division 3 semifinal game on Thursday.
The visitors came out ready to play and gave Windsor all they could handle, but the Yellow Jackets were just as determined and their quickness was key Friday as the press gave Vergennes fits and the tempo was in Windsor’s favor into the second half.
The Yellow Jackets ran off 10 unanswered points in the first 8 to grab a 14-8 lead, but the visitors kept hanging around as Emily Rooney was tasked with guarding Olivia Rockwood and played some in-your-face defense — Rockwood was limited to a corner three-pointer in the first half but Windsor had plenty of offensive options. Ashley Grela played an emotional game and was crushing the boards for Bruce Mckay’s team all night as she was tasked with limiting Vergennes’ Kate Goslina as best as she could.
The visitors opened up the second quarter looking to run as Windsor was in a bit of foul trouble and slid back into a half court trap. That freedom allowed the visitors a parade to the free throw line and cut the lead all the way down to 22-18.
“If we could have gotten it down to 2 points, I think it would have been a much different game, momentum would have been on our side heading into the break,” said Vergennes head coach Billy Waller after the game. Instead it was Windsor who would finish the half with a 4-0 run and walked into the locker room with a 26-18 lead.
With Vergennes content on getting the ball into Gosliga, her foul shooting kept the visitors in the game while Windsor was off and pressing full-court and firing away from downtown. Angelina Bigwood’s steal as she was crashing to the court set the tone for Windsor. The press began to result in opportunities off of turnovers and Rockwood began to get hot. With Rooney all over her, a behind the back dribble and cross over had Roobey on the floor and a baseline layup for Rockwood as the Windsor lead was 36-25 midway in the 3rd. “I’ve been guarded by some really good defenders and tonight was just a case of being patient and letting things happen,” said Rockwood. That play sparked a spike in intensity from the Yellow Jackets as all of a sudden their defensive was the best it had been all night.
“We had a chance to ramp up things a bit, we had foul trouble early but this was the perfect time to step it up and it set a tone,” said McKay.
As Gosligna was the weapon of choice for Vergennes, Grela tied her up for a jump ball and Elliot Rupp responded with consecutive hoops and suddenly Windsor had a 42-29 edge heading into the final quarter.
“The pace was in our favor in the third quarter, we just tightened up defensively and good things show on the offensive end, the flow was back and forth and we started to feel it,” said Rupp after the game.
Rockwood blasted down the lane for a hoop, and Grela and Rupp capped off a 7-0 run that had the place jumping. Reese Perry’s layup and a Rockwood three pointer had the locals making plans for a trip to Barre. Gosliga would continue her trips to the foul line and would end up hitting 15 in a row but in the end it was just too much Windsor speed. The 2 seniors Bigwood and Rockwood came off their home court for the last time to a standing ovation from the big crowd just before the final buzzer that ended a 59-43 Windsor win.
Rockwood would end the night with 18 points while Rupp would finish with 11 and Adi Prior would add 7 points. Gosliga led all scorers tonight with 25 points including 15 of 16 from the line.
Windsor will head to Barre on Thursday to face Thetford who downed BF 58-41 thanks to a 10-2 final quarter. Tip-off is scheduled for 8:15.
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