Windsor girls basketball looking for third straight state title

Windsor High's Brianna Barton goes up for a shot against West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. Windsor won, 53-32, avenging a loss to the Golden Horde earlier this season. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Brianna Barton goes up for a shot against West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. Windsor won, 53-32, avenging a loss to the Golden Horde earlier this season. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Brianna Barton goes up for a shot against West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. Windsor won, 53-32, avenging a loss to the Golden Horde earlier this season. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Brianna Barton goes up for a shot against West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. Windsor won, 53-32, avenging a loss to the Golden Horde earlier this season. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes valley news photographs — Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Sophia Rockwood listens to a teammate talk after their basketball team's 53-32 defeat of West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. Rockwood led the Yellowjackets with 19 points. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Sophia Rockwood listens to a teammate talk after their basketball team's 53-32 defeat of West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. Rockwood led the Yellowjackets with 19 points. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Sophia Rockwood slides around West Rutland's Isabella Coombs while Peyton Guay (23) looks on. Windsor won, 53-32, on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt., with Rockwood scoring 19 points. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Sophia Rockwood slides around West Rutland's Isabella Coombs while Peyton Guay (23) looks on. Windsor won, 53-32, on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt., with Rockwood scoring 19 points. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes —Tris Wykes

Windsor High girls basketball coach Kabray Rockwood watches his team during its 53-32 defeat of West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes

Windsor High girls basketball coach Kabray Rockwood watches his team during its 53-32 defeat of West Rutland on Feb. 22, 2024, in Windsor, Vt. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Audrey Rupp (4) dribbles up court ahead of teammate Sydney Perry during their Feb. 22, 2024, game against West Rutland in Windsor, Vt. Windsor won, 53-32. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes

Windsor High's Audrey Rupp (4) dribbles up court ahead of teammate Sydney Perry during their Feb. 22, 2024, game against West Rutland in Windsor, Vt. Windsor won, 53-32. (Valley News - Tris Wykes) Copyright Valley News. May not be reprinted or used online without permission. —Tris Wykes —Tris Wykes

By TRIS WYKES

Valley News Staff Writer

Published: 02-23-2024 5:32 PM

Modified: 02-26-2024 3:51 PM


WINDSOR — It’s playoff time, and the Windsor High girls basketball team is rounding into form yet again.

The Yellowjackets, back-to-back VPA Division III state champions, blew out Division IV power West Rutland, 53-32, on Thursday, keeping the Golden Horde off the scoreboard during the second quarter during the teams’ regular-season finale.

“We’ve been working really hard in our defense, and I knew if we locked down on them, we’d be OK,” said Sophia Rockwood, who scored a game-high 19 points and often guarded West Rutland standout Peyton Guay. The ballyhooed junior was held to eight points, tied for her team’s best production.

“I just wanted to get out on her and stay low with my hands up,” Rockwood said. “I know I have my teammates behind me if she goes by me. We always need to have that help in the low hole.”

The visitors led, 19-15, after a quarter, but Windsor took a 32-19 advantage into halftime. The victory avenged a 10-point Yellowjackets loss a month ago.

Golden Horde coach Carl Serrani said his team began straining and playing too fast with the ball as its scoreless stanza wore on.

“We got sped up a little bit and had quite a few turnovers,” said Serrani, whose squad is 17-3. “You can get away with those mistakes against some teams, but not this one.”

Windsor’s Audrey Rupp had 15 points, many on runners from the paint, and played defense like a football safety, repeatedly picking off West Rutland passes as the visitors tried unwise, longer passes. Yellowjacket post player Sydney Perry scored 11 points, inexorably backing opponents deep into the key before spinning, ducking and leaping past them for shots.

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“She’s got a lot of moves in the post, and she’s really good at feeling (a defender’s) body on her and knowing from that touch which way to go,” said fourth-year Windsor coach Kabray Rockwood, whose team is 16-4. “She has good timing and she’s relentless and she knows how to get an angle on you.

“When you’re the initiator of contact, you’re in a better situation than if you’re getting hit.”

Windsor figures to be either the first or second seed when the D-III playoff bracket is announced on Monday. Hazen (17-1), Richford (16-4), Thetford (13-7) and White River Valley (14-6) round out the top five in the standings, with Thetford having split its regular-season series with the Yellowjackets.

Tris Wykes can be reached at twykes@vnews.com.