Far West Regional
Sweet Home can't climb out of early hole
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Terrell Rankin, right, looks for space around a Fairport defender during Sweet Home's 57-53 Class AA Far West Regional loss on Sunday in Rochester. Rankin tied for game-high with 25 points. Photo by John Rusac Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

If Sweet Home would have played a better first quarter against Fairport, there's a good chance the Panthers would be anticipating its second straight trip to Glens Falls and a chance to win its first New York State title since 1984.

Instead, Fairport (21-3) are the ones who are celebrating after holding off Sweet Home, 57-53, on Sunday in the Class AA Far West Regional before a crowd of 2,664 at The Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial. It's the Red Raiders first trip to the state final four and will meet Section II's Bishop Maginn at 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Whether it was opening game jitters or playing at a new venue, the Panthers, last year's Class A state runner-up who moved up to AA because of enrollment, looked out of rhythm throughout the entire first quarter and trailed, 15-7. Take away the first quarter and Sweet Home wins, 46-42.

"The scoreboard ran out of time but we didn't continue to stop fighting," said Sweet Home coach Paul Schintzius. "That's been a trademark of this group for their varsity careers. They've never gotten beaten by double digits in 50 games. We just dug ourselves a hole early."

"I had put so much emphasis on their defense," said Fairport coach Scott Fitch. "The first thing I said was 'hey we're a pretty good defensive team too.'… I felt pretty comfortable that if we cleaned up on the glass, we would be in the game. And I felt we did a good job in the first half."

Sweet Home, who never led and trailed by as many as 14 points in the second quarter, clawed back to cut the deficit to two, 55-53, after Terrell Rankin sank two free throws with 11 seconds remaining in the game.

Fairport's Mark Bruce, who missed a free throw attempt prior to Rankin's attempts, redeemed himself with two free throws with nine seconds left. His second free throw came after a Sweet Home timeout.

Sweet Home then inbounded the ball to Rankin, who had two three-point attempts rattle out. Rankin, one of eight Sweet Home seniors, finished with 25 points to give him 1,255 for his career, a remarkable feat considering he missed almost his entire junior year after tearing a anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Rankin's 25 points tied him for game high with Fairport's Kyle Downey. Both were 9 of 23 from the floor.

Downey, the 6-foot-1 younger brother of Canisius College standout Kevin Downey, beat Panthers guard Eric Schinrel on several screens in the first half for 18 points. Schnirel, who held Niagara Falls' Johnny Flynn, a Mc- Donald's All-American, to a season low 16 points in the Section VI Class AA finals, played Downey much better in the second half although Downey drained a huge three to put the Red Raiders ahead, 55-49, with 50 seconds remaining. Schnirel hit a floater 15 seconds earlier that cut the deficit to 52-47. A play earlier, Schnirel's teammate, senior Glenroy Carr (11 points, eight rebounds) fouled out.

Downey also grabbed nine rebounds, eight on defense.

"He's just a gamer," said Fitch. "You want it in his hands at the end of the game and he has come through every time so far."

"Last year in the state finals we faced a similar situation," said Schintzius. "The shot clock was running out and a kid from Peekskill hit a three from almost the same spot. He's a kid who you'll see in a Division I jersey someday."

Sweet Home trailed, 36-24, at halftime, but Schintzius and his team weren't about to pack it in.

"It could have easily turned into a double digit win for them but we just kept batting," said Schintzius. "I told them at halftime, 'we've been through 49 games and have never been beaten by double figures.' We willed our way back into it. Terrell put us on his back and he made some big plays. Eric made a couple of tough plays… For us to step up from Class A to be the smallest AA in our section and get through the Falls and battle Fairport, I can't be upset."

Sweet Home outscored Fairport, 13-11, in the third quarter, and 16-10, in the fourth quarter.

Sweet Home finishes 19-5. Its eight seniors - Rankin, Carr, Schnirel, Steven Roberts, Josh Parker, Earl Jackson, Allen Douglas and Jarell Tallington - helped the team go 40-10 over the last two years, win two section titles, and one regional title.

"We were 4-3 at one point and people were asking me what was wrong with us and I said we'll be fine," said Schnitzius. "I thought we would continue to get better and we did."

"I'm proud of all my teammates," added Schnirel. "I love the journey we went on. I'm sorry it's over. We have nothing to be ashamed of. We grew together like a family. We might not be the most athletic team but we worked the hardest and played together the best. We believed in each other, battled and almost had it."

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com