by Ryan Mosher
After they finished the regular season in sixth place in the Wasaren League with a 7-11 record and seeded 13th in the Class C Sectionals, most people may have figured the Hoosick Falls Lady Panthers would close out their season on Tuesday night. And playing at the fourth seeded Greenwich Witches, who already handed them two 20 point losses, did not encourage most to believe the upset could happen. The Lady Panthers apparently were too busy preparing to get that memo though, stunning the Witches on their home court and pulling off the 44-42 first round victory.
Hoosick Falls did not look good to start the game, falling behind 11-1 in the first quarter. Nicole Marmillo finally jump started the Lady Panthers with a three-pointer with 4:30 to go in the quarter. An 11-4 run that ran until the buzzer brought the score close, and after one quarter it was Greenwich 15, Hoosick Falls 12.
Greenwich stretched the lead in the second quarter, going into halftime with a 25-18 lead. In the third quarter the Lady Panthers stepped up their game and brought the excitement. Olivia Schneider scored 7 straight points for Hoosick Falls, including a three-pointer with 3:31 left to tie the game for the first time. The Witches answered with a three-pointer of their own to take the lead back in the final two minutes of the quarter, and they went into the fourth quarter leading 34-30.
In the opening minutes of the fourth quarter the Lady Panthers could not shake Greenwich, who matched every basket they scored. After a Carsen Williams basket brought them within two points at 38-36, Rachel Pine nailed a three-pointer to give the Lady Panthers their very first lead of the game. 39-38. After a Greenwich basket, and traded free throws, Williams grabbed a rebound and put in a layup to give Hoosick Falls the lead again at 42-41. With one minute left, Greenwich tied the game again with a free throw, making it 42-42. The Lady Panthers did not come all this way to lose a close game in the final minute though. With :40 left, Frankie Pearson tipped a loose ball in the paint to Marmillo who hit a short jump shot to give them the 44-42 lead. A few missed Greenwich layups later the Lady Panthers were celebrating their upset on the court.
Pearson led the team with 11 points while Rachel Pine and Olivia Schneider each had 10 points. The girls next play on Friday at Hoosic Valley against Berne-Knox at 6 pm.