Lady Saints Make History, Capture First Sectional Title

SARATOGA SPRINGS — It was never a sure thing.

The Lady Saints basketball team had a .500 winning percentage when they fought for their first-ever Section 2 Class D championship. The team had suffered misfortunes that included bouts with the flu, an injured ankle, and mono. But those obstacles weren’t enough to stop a squad determined to make history.

“We were clearly the underdog in a lot of ways, but we didn’t let that affect us going in,” Coach Athena DiLorenzo-Ryan told Saratoga TODAY. “You’re on a high when you’re winning, but then when you go on some type of losing streak, I think the important thing is to look ahead to better days and keep working hard in the gym, keeping your head held high. I try to instill that in them. This isn’t over. We’ve got to keep pushing through. And that’s what happened.”

On March 7, Saratoga Catholic narrowly defeated the two-time defending champions Northville, 43 to 41, in a game that was decided in its final moments. The victory clinched the Lady Saints’ first sectional title in program history. 

Sophia Ryan, who broke her school’s all-time scoring record earlier this season, led with 30 points. In other words, she netted almost 70% of her team’s point total. It was a dominant performance but an unsurprising one from a standout who once told Saratoga TODAY that she most admires players who can maintain their composure in big moments. 

To secure the W, Lady Saints Leanna Scaperrotta, Lily Norton, Madison Norton, Maggie Durfee, and Margaret Crowe all added digits to the scoreboard.

“I just told these girls, look what you’ve done, it’s totally amazing,” DiLorenzo-Ryan said. “They deserve it. They really do.”