ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Webster Schroeder girls basketball team is one of seven Section Five basketball teams that will be in Albany for the state final four this weekend. Basketball this late in the year is a brand new experience for the Warriors after winning their first sectional title since 1976 earlier this month.

Despite their impressive 23-1 record, it was not an easy path by any means for Schroeder to reach the final four. In their Class AA sectional title game against Fairport, the Warriors played into overtime before coming away with a 73-69 win.

The following week in the state quarterfinal game versus Lancaster, Schroeder faced a 15 point deficit in the 1st quarter before storming back to win. Junior guard Mariah Watkins played a major role in the comeback with a game-high 34 points. Head coach Codi Mrozek said Watkins provides much more than just a basketball talent.

“She means everything,” said Mrozek. “Mariah does so many things for us on the court, but the things she does off the court and her leadership is also why she is so good. We were down 17-2. When you look at your leaders and you look at Mariah and they’re saying to the team we’re going to be okay. We have to fight through this. We’re going to do this. She was so composed.”

Schroeder has already made history reaching the final four for the first time in school history. Adding a state championship this weekend would make this season that much sweeter.

“Being able to be a team that’s going down in history in being able to win that sectional title is…I feel honored,” said Watkins. “It was my goal to win a sectional title. So if we would come home with a state title, I would have surpassed it by so much.”

Mrozek said that the support from the school and the Webster community as a whole has been felt throughout the entire season. She also added that it would be unbelievable to bring home state title with this current group.

“For this to be my 2nd year as a varsity coach and going through this, it’s just amazing,” said Mrozek. “To do it with this team is really really special for us. So it would mean the world to be able to do it with them.”

The Warriors will play Baldwin from Section VIII on Friday, March 13th at 6:15 p.m. at Hudson Valley Community College in Albany. Baldwin was ranked ninth in the latest NYSSWA rankings, with Schroeder coming in at number four.