The girls basketball season ended on Tuesday as the Knights fell to South Kortright 51-37 in the first round of sectionals. The entire team gave excellent effort despite the loss! Rylee Rupakus led the Knights with 14 points. Appalonia Bushaw added 11. Thank you to all of the spectators who attended this game and took over the gym! They created a great atmosphere for the team!
The 2025-2026 season was the first time Afton fielded a varsity team in four years. The team had no players who had ever played at the varsity level, making it one of if not the most inexperienced teams in all of Section IV and beyond. It took the girls one game to get their first win. In early December, Afton hosted a girl's tournament for the first time in many seasons, creating a fun event for the entire community. The team went on to reach many milestones for the program: finishing with a total of 9 wins, the most for the program in 12 years. The girls also reached the sectional tournament, something that had not been done in seven years.
Coach Rupakus would like to congratulate our three seniors; Misty Bushaw, Jordan Phillips, and Sam Sperry, who all served as team captains. Appalonia Bushaw, Ariana Florance, and Abbey Paoletti set the tone for the team on defense, frequently tasked with shutting down the other team’s best players. Misty Bushaw, Abbey Paoletti, McKenna Ross, and Jordan Phillips led the team in one of the most important parts of the game, one that does not show up in the box score: boxing out. McKenna Ross also led in fouls drawn and free throws taken. Megan Racine led the team in rebounds and blocked shots. Rylee Rupakus led the team in scoring, assists, and steals. Briella Fendick and Kaley Copeland joined the team after the JV season was cut short. Congratulations to each of them for stepping into something new, continuing to work to get better, and gaining experience that will only help them in the future!
Coach Rupakus would like to congratulate the team not only for the accomplishments they reached on the court this season, but for stepping into the role of leaders off the court to lead the entire program. Most of the roster will return next year, and the team is looking forward to the challenge of reaching even higher goals next season.
Thank you to everyone who supported this team this year, we will see you in 2026-2027!