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Experience is never more important than in the playoffs, and it showed in the Section III, Class D-1 vs. D-2 championship on Sunday at Manley Field House, as perennial contestant Sackets Harbor shut down rookie Richfield Springs 66-42.

The Indians, which were coming off their first-ever sectional title win as the top seed in the D-1 bracket, started the game well, leading 13-12 after the 1st quarter. But Sackets, the No. 2 seed from D-2 and coming off its third sectional title in four years, turned it around quickly, outscoring Richfield 21-7 in the 2nd to lead 33-20 at halftime. Richfield never got any closer than 10 the rest of the way, as the Patriots used a 22-6 run spanning the 3rd and 4th quarters to put the game away.

Alex Sovocool was the high-scorer for the Indians with 13 points, while Dan Bloomfield added 12. Nick D'Alessandro and Gage LeClair shared the game-high for Sackets with 18 points each.

Sackets, now 18-5, advances to the state regional round next weekend. Richfield, which was ranked No. 6 in the state in Class D coming in, ends the season 20-3.