Senior point guard Ryann Stefaniak, playing in the final home game of her stellar career at Batavia High School, came out shooting tonight and she didn’t stop until she scored 35 points – including eight three-point baskets – in her Lady Devils’ 78-43 victory over Livonia in a Section 5 Class B1 girls’ basketball second-round contest.
“I knew it was my last home game and I came out with so much energy,” Stefaniak said. “I worked with my shooting coach, Billy Truitt, before the game and I felt like I was going to be on.”
She certainly was “on” – scoring nine points in the first quarter with a pair of three-pointers and exploding for 14 points in the second quarter as top-seeded Batavia turned an 18-12 advantage into a 44-22 halftime lead.
Stefaniak had four three-point baskets in the closing three minutes of the half to help Batavia, now 18-2, blow the game open. She added two more three-pointers in the third quarter as the Lady Devils maintained their 22-point cushion.
Sophomore point guard Mackenzie Reigle put forth another fine all-around effort, scoring 13 points on a variety of drives and spin moves while coming up with six steals. Sophomore guard Bryn Wormley sank a trio of three-point shots and finished with 10 points.
Junior forward Emma Krolczyk added seven points and senior guard Jenae Colkey had four. Senior center Meghan Houseknecht and sophomore guard Tess Barone scored two apiece.
For eighth-seeded Livonia, 13-8, junior forward Sydney Lockwood tallied 21 points – eight in the final quarter as the teams traded baskets. Junior forward Vanessa Galbraith had nine and junior guard Sara Shellenbarger added seven.
Batavia Coach Marty Hein stated that he was impressed with his team’s offensive prowess, but said his defense need to tighten things up.
“The defense wasn’t as sound as I wanted it to be,” he said. “We allowed too many open shots and drives, especially against number 12 (Lockwood). And we had three girls in foul trouble (Krolczyk, Reigle and Stefaniak).”
Still, top-seeded Batavia moves on to the next round where it will face No. 4 Palmyra-Macedon in the second game of a doubleheader Monday night at Caledonia-Mumford.
Pal-Mac, 15-5, defeated visiting Notre Dame of Batavia, 50-43, tonight.
The first game of Monday’s twin bill has No. 2 Midlakes facing No. 3 Greece Odyssey, with a 6 p.m. starting time.
The BHS vs. Pal-Mac game is expected to tip off around 7:45.
