With Vanderbilt-bound center Tori Jarosz fresh off a 34-point eruption in the semi-final victory, all Peekskill eyes were pasted on the sweet-stroking 6-foot-4 forward from Lakeland.
This was before the bright, big-stage lights of the County Center in the much-anticipated Section I championship.
Suddenly, Peekskill's operation to lock up Jarosz was to no avail.
The Red Devils clearly didn't get the scouting report on Vicky Kowalski, a streaky shooter who could potentially light up the scoreboard when she's got the hot hand.
Kowalski shredded the Red Devils' zone, scorching the County Center nets with five first-half treys and 18 points.
Jarosz kept Lakeland afloat with her interior beasting in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, tournament MVP Kristin Pappalardo had the cool, calm composure for the clutch.
She buried the Red Devils and first-year head coach Rodney Headley Jr.--who starred on the 2002 and 2003 Peekskill boys team under Lou Panzanaro and did a commendable job with the lady Devils--under a barrage of free throws.
The result?
Lakeland finally expunged the County Center demon that's haunted them the past two years (that same daunting demon continues to haunt the Pleasantville boys team), rolling to a convincing 61-47 sectional championship victory.
After capitalizing on the original goal and grabbing the highly sought after gold ball, Steve Fallo knows that Jarosz and Pappalardo (a vaunted inside-outside tandem that won a state championship under Fallo their freshmen season) want to drive the big Lakeland bus into New York State Championship territory.
The Hornets (21-2) made the journey's first stop at Poughkeepsie, where they defeated Section 9's Cornwall Central 44-32 on the campus of Vassar College. The Hornets smacked their opponent in the mouth from the get-go, coasting to a commanding 24-9 halftime lead.