Collision Course: D3 Windsor vs D4 West Rutland

Cody Quattrocci

January 24, 2024 @ 11:44 AM

It was a battle of two giants; the immovable object met the unstoppable force, and so on. Each program is considered royalty in their respective divisions, and each have taken down opponents in D2 and D1 this year. What happens when two high-level teams show up to snatch bragging rights? A damn good game! Drop in and check out the standouts below.   [player_tooltip player_id='645688' first='Peyton' last='Guay'], 5'8 G - West Rutland School Class of 2025   Guay continues to cement herself as one of VT's best players regardless of division. Peyton's game management was excellent; she distributed, got others going, and took care of the ball against pressure. As time wore on, she really sharpened her scoring attack, going for 30 off of a variety 3s, nice drives to the cup, and numerous hard cuts off-ball for lays at the rim whilst still orchestrating the show. Defensively, Peyton was locked in. It was fullcourt pressure, hustle plays, and glass cleaning too. Peyton has an excellent feel + understanding of the game, and combined with her sheer talent and skill, she took control.   Kennah Wright Chapman, 5'7 G - West Rutland School Class of 2025   Steady and composed, Kennah's connective offensive work and tough defense shone through. Wright Chapman navigated ball pressure nicely and moved intuitively to provide pressure releases for teammates. From there, Kennah made a number of nice moves to attack the scrambling defense, making nifty passes to teammates for assists. Moreover, her off-ball movement, particularly her cutting, opened Windsor up as she collected a couple buckets. Defensively, her rotations were quick, and her anticipatory pressure had Windsor on the ropes. A savvy backcourt player with good instincts.   Hayley Raiche, 5'9 W - West Rutland School Class of 2026   The sophomore gets the starting nod and I see why. Hayley's ability to cover holes defensively, cover multiple positions, and make good reads offensively were quickly clear. Raiche did well out of the second layer of WRS' pressure defense to rotate tightly, defend the ball, and force tough decisions. She hit the glass a bit too and helped WRS get out in transition. On the other end, Raiche displayed intuitive passing and off-ball movement, and she finished her open looks. A utility player who does a lot that doesn't show up in the box score.   [player_tooltip player_id='496099' first='Audrey' last='Rupp'], 5'7 G - Windsor H.S. Class of 2025   Audrey might not have been a top scorer for this Windsor squad but her impact on the game was far and wide. Rupp's relentless defense, whether on the ball or rotating off of it, gave WRS trouble. She moved her feet well and constantly forced tough shots and passes. Moreover, Audrey's work as a ballhandler and organizer of the offense gave WHS some much-needed facilitation, plus her creation in transition with timely feeds opened up teammates' scoring. Rupp was connective and in the mix all game.   [player_tooltip player_id='446539' first='Sydney' last='Perry'], 6'0 F - Windsor H.S. Class of 2024   West Rutland had a gameplan, and the personnel, to slow Perry down. But it wasn't without a battle. Sydney still got her inside looks going, albeit off of second chance points more often than not. Her movement around the basket was solid, especially as drivers attacked, she created the passing angle. On the defensive end, Perry did well to defend the rim but was often drawn out of the paint due to WRS' offensive scheme. Syd finished with nine points and a number of boards; I'm excited to see her response next time these two match up.   [player_tooltip player_id='496193' first='Sophia' last='Rockwood'], 5'8 G - Windsor H.S. Class of 2025   Rockwood was Windsor's high scorer with 17 on the night, but it took a lot to get there. Sophia found the range from 3, connecting on a few long balls. Plus, she managed to finagle a few drives together and finish inside. Her rhythm was a bit off, but she still did the little things. Sophia's defensive effort never wavered and her workload as the primary ballhandler put her through the ringer. All being said, it just wasn't in the cards for Windsor, but they should bounce back from this one in no time.

It was a battle of two giants; the immovable object met the unstoppable force, and so on. Each program is considered royalty in their respective divisions, and each have taken down opponents in D2 and D1 this year. What happens when two high-level teams show up to snatch bragging rights? A damn good game! Drop in and check out the standouts below.