When it comes to the second biggest classification in Section V girls basketball, Greece Athena has owned it, winning six titles in the past decade. Irondequoit has never won a crown.
Their history is different, but their present collides Friday.
Second-seeded Irondequoit and No. 4 Athena each came away with hard-fought wins in Tuesday's Class AA2 semifinals at Pittsford Mendon. The Eagles edged No. 3 Mercy, 52-51, in a thriller, and No. 4 Greece Athena turned away a hustling, ninth-seeded Victor squad, 52-44.
Irondequoit (16-4) and Athena (11-9), the defending champion with four first-year starters, play for the title at 6 p.m. Friday at Roberts Wesleyan.
"(Irondequoit) beat us once so we know they're good," coach Mike Butler said of a 38-28 loss in the season opener on the road. "So, they're clearly the team to beat."
There's another twist to the matchup. First-year Eagles coach Katie Decker is an Athena graduate and was on its 1995 title team. "It's fun to coach, fun to be around," Decker said. "(My team) did give me a heart attack a couple of times, but in the end we came through."
Guards Jennifer Reininger and Savannah Crocetti were a big reason. Reininger, a junior who has given a verbal commitment to play lacrosse for Syracuse University, scored all 17 of her points in the second half. Her team had only 25 after intermission, when it led 27-18. Crocetti had 14 points. The last of her three 3-pointers put Irondequoit ahead for good, 45-42, with 2:03 left.
"We knew we'd have to stop two out of their three guards between Savannah, (sophomore) Abby (White) and Jenn," Mercy coach Tom Vasey said. "If you'd have told me (earlier today) that we'd hold Abby to six points, I'd have taken it. .. but (Reininger) played a great game."
She went 9-for-9 at the line, including 5-for-5 in the final 1:15. The ending was wild. After Reininger's free throws with 11 seconds left made it 52-49, Mercy's Danielle Fuss hit a 3-pointer as time expired. While the crowd and many Monarchs erupted, thinking it was tied, none of the three officials indicated 3-pointer.
Game over.
"Her foot was probably halfway over the line. There definitely was no controversy," said Vasey, whose team climbed out of a 12-0 hole to start. "I was hoping for a foul call."
Sophomore guard Angelina Spampinato and junior Danielle Cleary led the Monarchs with 10 points apiece. Reininger hurt Mercy with aggressive drives and kept getting fouled. She converted three conventional 3-point plays in the final 9:05.
"I was freaking out (earlier) because my shots weren't going in," Reininger said. "Coach just calmed me down. My teammates calmed me down and said, 'You can do it.' "
Sophomore Ajia McIntyre had 14 points and 10 rebounds and senior Christina Leonardo added 12 points and five assists for Athena. Senior Alex Gelinas led a young Victor (6-15) squad, which upset No. 1 Hilton, with 15 points. The Trojans led by as many as 12 points but never put away Victor. "They're scrappy," McIntyre said.
"We play a tough schedule during the regular season so that made us a little grittier," coach Blake Smith said.
