As the Vernon-Verona-Sherrill and Oneida girls basketball teams worked their way through different holiday tournaments, they had vastly different experiences, too. In the Madison Holiday Tournament, VVS totally dominated in each of its two games to easily earn the first-place trophy. First, the Red Devils ripped past Stockbridge Valley 59-25 for its most lopsided victory of the season during Wednesday’s opening round. A 14-3 first quarter set the dominant tone for the rest of the game as the Red Devils never proved content, at one point outscoring Stockbridge 17-2 in the third period. Ashley Palmer led with 15 points, while Marissa Randall (11 points) and Tracy Scheibel (10 points) also reached double digits and Codie Bayeur (nine points) came close. Kendyl VanDresar chimed in with eight points. In Thursday’s final, VVS met host Madison, who had edged Morrisville-Eaton 31-25 in the other part of the opening round. With just seven players on its roster, the Blue Devils overcame a 22-19 deficit in the fourth quarter with clutch shots from, among others, Alex Stone, who led her side with 12 points. Sarah Crowell led the Warriors with eight points. However, the final was not close. In a near replica of the Stockbridge game, the Red Devils crushed the Blue Devils 57-27. VVS outscored Madison in each quarter, using a 17-5 run in the second period to really get clear as its overall record improved to 5-2. Aside from the strong defense played throughout the tournament, VVS also saw Palmer, the tournament MVP, pick up 10 points as Scheibel led with 15 points. Bayeur had her second consecutive nine-point outing. Oneida’s girls team nearly sprung an upset in Monday’s opening round of the Rome Free Academy Tournament, but lost a 38-35 decision to the host Black Knights. Down 15-5 after one period, the Indians spent the rest of the game attempting to eat into RFA’s lead, and nearly catching up. Just three players managed to get baskets, though, as Jaclyn Cavanagh and Jenna Didio each had 13 points and Ke’Airah Parker added nine points. The consolation game against Henninger proved just as close – with the same result, as the Indians fell to that other group of Black Knights 48-47. Oneida nearly made it all the way back from a 44-28 deficit entering the fourth quarter. Didio, with 18 points, and Cavanagh, with 15 points, led the rally as Claire Pigler and Jonitta Wallace paced Henninger with 11 points apiece.