Syracuse.com’s girls basketball poll: Which team are you most looking forward to facing this season?

Cicero, N.Y. — While players may preach that each game should be treated equally, certain matchups always bring more anticipation and attention.
Be it rivalry battles, new opponents on the schedule or faceoffs against friends, everyone has certain games they’re waiting to play.
At syracuse.com’s winter sports media day presented by Rainbow Lettering, we asked Section III girls basketball players which team they are most looking forward to playing this season.
Here are the responses.
“I think it’ll be a battle, but I think we can play it out.” Sofia Ososkalo, Lyme
“I always love the Bishop Grimes games because they’re our rival nowadays and it’s always the battle of the Bishops. The whole gym’s packed, we’ll usually do a double-header with the boys and it’s just always a fun atmosphere, a fun place to be, a fun night.” – Elizabeth Gaughan, Bishop Ludden
“That’s our rivals and it’s always fun playing them. The energy in the gym when we play them is phenomenal.” – Kierra Baxter, Bishop Grimes
“It’s the Holy wars. It’s a fun game, always. We play them twice every year, and it’s always a battle.” – Lilah Kirch, Christian Brothers Academy
“I think our varsity team played them three years ago in sectionals. They lost by 30, but I think it’s going to be a really competitive game. They’re going to push us a lot, but I think it’s going to be a really good game. They’re a AAA team, so they are obviously a lot better than probably some of the schools in our league. So I think they’re going to be good. Historically, they’re pretty good.” – Lily Yang, Cortland
“One of our players (Jordyn Townes) just came from Ludden, and we’re just really excited. Revenge tour, you know?” – Madison Newkirk-Mayer, West Genesee
“We know a lot of girls from there. For soccer, we combine, so I know a lot of girls. It’s always like a ‘who’s going to win?’ We’re very close.” – Zoey Turaj, Hannibal
“They’re kind of like our rival. It’s always a fun game, and I think they’re gonna have some talent this year.” – Keegan McNabb, Weedsport
“We unfortunately lost to them in the (Section III Class AA) championship by eight. So we’re looking to come back and play harder and play better.” – Shaliyah Helmick, Auburn
“Last year they won sectionals, we had a really rough first game against them. But in our second game, we literally lost by (three) points. So I think this year we’re gonna have a better outcome.” – Avery Lawton, Fulton
“They’re just our rivals and we always have a good fight against them. It’s always a fun game.” – Gianna Washington, Liverpool
“That’s a team that we play twice this year and I have never played them in any sport. So I think that’s definitely something different for us and everyone.” Cece Powell, Marcellus
“They’re our crosstown rivals.” – Kaylee Darling, Homer
“It’s always exciting when we play them. (They’re a) tough team to play against, and we lost to them a few years ago in the sectional finals.” – Nora Fitzgerald, Westhill
“They’ve always been a good team to play with. I think we’re kind of the same. We’ve just always been evenly matched.” – Samantha Holcomb, Altmar-Parish-Williamstown
“We’re really close and I have a few friends (on the team), like Carlena Wallace. I think it’s usually a pretty good game. We all enjoy playing each other and I think it’s fun.” – Anna Pierce, Tully
“They’re a good team and we’ve never played them. I’d like to see what we can do.” – Dominique Brown, Chittenango
“Last year we played them twice. We won the first time, lost the second time, and it was just a loss that we shouldn’t have had. And I feel like we’re ready to get back and beat the teams that we lost against in the past and have a good season.” – Madison Marusic, Herkimer
“They’re our rival. Every game against them is hype.” Maria Sweet, Oswego
“Looking forward to playing them because it was a close game last year. They’re always physical and ready to go.” – Taylor Novack, Fayetteville-Manlius
“I have a lot of friends there. We’ve been playing them for the last couple of years and losing, so hopefully we’ll turn it around this year.” – Antaneya Burrage, Syracuse Academy of Science
“They have some pretty competitive and athletic girls on their team, and I just think it’s pretty evenly matched when we play them.” – Juliana Dimao, Canastota
“I think we’ll have a good game against them or a good competitive game. They’ve got some height on their team, they’ve got good ball handlers, they’ve got a lot of skill and they’ve got some really good coaches.” – Erin Bracy, Carthage
“We want payback. They have a lot of athletes. They’re really strong. They just have a lot of guards, and they’re good at shooting and getting the ball moving.” Sadie Withers, Jamesville-DeWitt
“We always look forward to that game. It always keeps us all on our toes and we love it.” – Bryanna Moroughan, South Jefferson
“Definitely J-D, because it’s always a good matchup whenever we face them and it’s always a tough game.” – Payton St. Clair, Central Square
“We split with them last year and it’s always a fun, competitive game.” – Finnly Pas’cal, Skaneateles
“We’ve been playing against them our whole lives since sixth grade, and I’m a senior now, so I feel like we can bring the heat and we can beat them.” LaJada Grenton, Onondaga
“They’re a tough team, but I play against one of my AAU teammates (Alexis Kress), so I like going head to head with her.” – Jenna Kocienda, Mount Markham
“110% Little Falls. We didn’t play them last year. We missed it. And I have two AAU teammates on that team.” – Analyce Grabowski, West Canada Valley
“I’m really looking forward to playing Liverpool. I think that that’s going to be a good competition for us and that can really challenge us to play our best and show off our skills the most.” – Madison Polky, Baldwinsville
“They’ve beaten us in the sectional championship the last two years. So this will be our year. Third time’s the charm.” – Jillian Howell, Cicero-North Syracuse
“Even though it’s a really tough game and they’re a really tough team, I think we’re all really friendly with the girls on the team and they’re all really, really talented. They win by 50, like, every single game, but it’s still always really fun when we play them.” – Finley Harwood, Phoenix
“Last year we played them twice. We had two different outcomes. We beat them the first time and unfortunately lost in the sectional semifinals. But I think it’s always a good game to just push ourselves and I’m excited to see them again.” – Brooke Wiley, General Brown
“It’s at the end of our season. I’ve got an AAU teammate on the team, so I’m excited to play them and hopefully beat them.” Ella Baker, Cazenovia
“Because it’s city-on-city.” – Ta’Kai Baker, Henninger
“They’re another city school, and we don’t have a lot of lot of those on our schedule, because it’s three of us combined.” – Iy’mani Sheppard, Syracuse West
“We haven’t been able to play them because they haven’t had a varsity team (from 2021-22 to 2022-23). So I’m excited to play those girls again. I haven’t seen them since JV.” – Gianna Schmidt, Utica Proctor
“They’re our rivals and sometimes we struggle to beat them. But I think we’re looking to get better and improve a lot this year. I’m kind of excited to see if we can get closer with them or even beat them this year.” – Santina Garcia, Vernon Verona Sherrill
“We beat them in sectionals last year. It was a good matchup. I’m just excited for them.” – Isabella Kroll, East Syracuse Minoa
“They’re our biggest rival, and it’s always a good game. We’re friends with a lot of people on that team, but they’re also just really competitive.” – Adriana DiManto, Mexico
“They’re usually good competition for usually close games. They got some good key players.” Madison Darling, Sandy Creek
“I just feel like we have a really close connection to them and that we have an equal playing level. So I think that it’ll be a pretty good game.” – Mckenna Furner, Waterville
“That’s our rivalry school. That’s probably why I’m looking forward to facing them.” – Jayleen Washington, Utica Academy of Science
“They’ve always been a good team to face. They have Ella Trinkaus, who is an amazing player, so they’re definitely going to be a good team to play. That’s kind of our biggest competition, I would say, at this point.” – Danielle Lucas, New Hartford
“I switched over two years ago from there, and it’s just a big rivalry in between the town anyways, so I’m really excited.” – Samantha Booth, Watertown
“They’re our biggest competition this season.” – Mollie Walton, Cato-Meridian
“Because we lose to them, like, every year. I feel like we came really close last year and the year before, so I just feel like we got it in us to beat them this year.” – Shayla Benedict, LaFayette
“We know they’re a good team, we played them in the summer league. We’re very excited.” – Zoey Turaj, Hannibal
“They’ve always been tough competition, and we went into overtime with them (on Jan. 23) and lost by six. So it was just very close, very competitive.” – Payton Comstock, Dolgeville
“They’re always a good competition and we didn’t get to play them last year, so I think that’ll be a good game.” – Alexis Kress, Little Falls
“Last year we had a lot of injuries on the team and we couldn’t put our full effort out. But everyone is healthy and back and we’re ready to play them.” – Emerson Appler, Oriskany/Westmoreland
“Personally, probably Whitesboro, because I used to go to Whitesboro.” – Haylee Bostwick, Rome Free Academy
Contact Connor Pignatello anytime: Email | X