CENTRAL NEW YORK – Each area high school girls basketball team had undergone one or more setbacks in December, though as the holiday break neared the desire just to keep having games overrode all other concerns.
Bishop Ludden, having absorbed its first defeat of the season to Rochester’s Bishop Kearney on Dec. 15, rebounded well two nights later when it defeated reigining sectional Class B champion South Jefferson 55-45.
Strong defense helped the Gaelic Knights build a 27-15 halftime lead, which held up the rest of the way despite Spartans star Jackie Piddock finishing with 23 points.
Fouled often, Kaitlyn Kibling earned 12 of her 21 points at the free-throw line. Amarah Streiff had 12 points and 13 rebounds before exiting with an injury as Katie Wiegand got 10 points, Bridget Dunham had nine rebounds and Elizabeth Gaughan matched that total while earning seven points.
Against Rome Free Academy last Monday, Ludden did not have Streiff – and the short-handed Gaelic Knights lost, 53-50, to the Black Knights.
Held to five points in the second quarter, Ludden trailed 29-18 at the break, but nearly made it up in the third quarter as Kibling worked her way to 15 points, Sarah Boyea stepped up with 13 points and seven rebounds and Dunham chimed in with 12 points.
To hang on late, RFA needed Amya McLeod to work her total to 21 points, leading all individuals, plus help from Tailyn Frost (11 points) and Mia Mirabelli (10 points).
All this happened after Ludden found itself placed at no. 5 in the first state Class A rankings of the season, just behind no. 4 Indian River.
When it knocked off Bishop Grimes on Dec. 14, Skaneateles hoped that win would carry it through a crowded stretch of five games in nine days as it was no. 19 in the first state Class B rankings of the winter.
The Lakers handled Altmar-Parish-Wililamstown 59-29 as Maddy Ramsgard, with 15 points, led a well-balanced attack. Ayla Pas’cal got 12 points, with Isabella Pietropaoli (nine points) and Maeve McNeil (eight points) close behind.
Winning its fourth in a row Dec. 18, Skaneateles topped Holland Patent 43-28, using a big third quarter to put away the Golden Knights as Ramsgard finished with 19 points, Pas’cal had nine points and Kathleen Reed added seven points.
Then it was the Lakers against Syracuse West last Wednesday night, and moving to 6-2 on the season, Skaneateles picked up a 53-39 victory, making it five in a row.
Though she led again with 13 points, Ramsgard had more scoring balance around her. Pas’cal got 10 points, with Reed adding nine points, Faith Wagner earning eight points and Pietropaoli contributing six points.
