Girls Basketball Wins Class AA Gold Ball

(Note: this post was updated at 12:00pm on Monday 3/10/25 to include more information on the upcoming schedule.)

Just one year removed from a 9-win, underwhelming season, the Rye Girls Basketball Team is atop Section 1 Class AA. The #2 Garnets defeated #1 Walter Panas 53-47 on Saturday, March 8, 2025 to win the sectional championship and take home the coveted Gold Ball.

“We are bringing the Gold Ball back to Rye with a sectional final win at the County Center,” Head Coach Margo Hackett told MyRye.com after the victory.

Rye avenges their late-regular season loss to Panas in the best way possible, outlasting the Panthers to win by six points. Phoebe Greto and Stella Maresca tied for the team lead with 14 points apiece. Greto took home the Most Valuable Player award for her consistent performance all tournament, while Maresca made it onto the All-Tournament team.

Junior Paige Tepedino also earned All-Tourney honors as she scored eight points in the championship game, and Charlotte Storz concluded an impressive postseason with a solid eleven. Storz reached double figures in three of Rye’s four sectional tournament victories and played a large role in their Saturday victory.

The win pushes Rye’s season-long record to 21-3, and their brief 2-game losing skid at the end of the regular season is miles in the rearview mirror. The Garnets’ season rages on – they are the last winter team standing after losses for both the boys team and hockey team on Saturday.  Their next game is the regional finals on Saturday, March 15, at 11:00am. The contest will be played at Yorktown against an opponent to be determined.