CENTRAL NEW YORK – In what amounted to a “Super Saturday” of Section III Class B girls basketball playoff action, four area teams sought to advance to the quarterfinals – and two of them did so.
None had a bigger challenge than Marcellus, the no. 3 seed who got matched up with no. 14 seed South Jefferson, the reigning sectional champions possessing, in Jackie Piddock, the section’s all-time leader in career points.
But the Mustangs, remembering how the Spartans edged them in the sectional semifinals the last time it was held in 2020, got sweet payback as a mix of youth and experience produced a 58-47 victory.
The youth came from eighth-grade guard Cece Powell, who in the first half seemed to be everywhere, hounding South Jefferson on defense and, on the other end, taking and hitting plenty of big shots.
Sinking three 3-pointers, Powell produced 13 first-half points overall, helping Marcellus establish a 26-15 lead by the second quarter.
Meanwhile, Mustang defenders took turns following Piddock everywhere, holding her to just two field goals in the first half. Despite this, the Spartans chipped away and only trailed by three, 30-27, early in the third.
Then senior Katie MacLachlan stepped up. Following a basket and free throw from Hannah Rogalia, MacLachlan connected on 10 consecutive points, twice on steals leading to breakaway layups, twice on 3-pointers.
That made it 44-29, and with Piddock having to work hard for each of her 18 points, South Jefferson never got closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Of MacLachlan’s 20 points, 15 of them were in the second half as Powell finished with 16 points and Marcellus advanced to face no. 6 seed Utica-Notre Dame in the quarterfinals.
Westhill, holding the no. 4 seed, met no. 13 seed Mexico and ended the suspense early, rolling past the Tigers 58-30 to earn a quarterfinal berth against Bishop Grimes, who knocked off Homer in double overtime.
After streaking to a 20-9 first quartet lead, the Wariors shut out Mexico in the second quarter. Breezing from there, Westhill got 24 points from Catherine Dadey as Janiah Robinson added 11 points.
With a 24-team bracket, Skaneateles and Jordan-Elbridge both had to get through opening-round games last Thursday night.
The no. 9 seed Lakers put away no. 24 seed Altmar-Parish-Williamstown 59-27 on a night where the Skaneateles girls hockey team was honored for its state title won the previous weekend.
Outscoring the Rebels 34-10 in the course of the second and third quarters, Skaneateles was led by Maddy Ramsgard, who had 24 points. Faith Wagner had nine points and Ayla Pas’cal added eight points.
J-E, the no. 16 seed, defeated no. 17 seed Clinton 56-28, a game where the Eagles jumped out 16-8 and then got hot in the third quarter, outscoring the Warriors 24-6.
Ava Hildebrant equaled Clinton by herself and set a new season mark with 28 points, converting six 3-pointers. Four more 3-pointers came from Abbie Ahern, who had 14 points as Erin LaVancha added eight points.
Now J-E challenged undefeated (20-0) top seed Little Falls, and despite an all-out effort could not keep up with the Mounties, who outscored them 38-13 in the second and third quarters and prevailed by a score of 63-35.
Ahern had 11 points, but Hildebrant was held to nine points as Shayna Straney paced Little Falls with 17 points and seven rebounds.
Skaneateles had its own trip, to face no. 8 seed Hannibalthat same day, and though it led most of the first half, the Lakers could not prevent those other Warriors from going in front in the third quarter.
Hannibal ousted Skaneateles 43-36, led by Julia Shortslef, who put in 21 points. In defeat, the Lakers, who finished its season 13-9, got 14 points from Ramsgard and 13 points from Pas’cal.
West Genesee could not make it out of the opening round of the sectional Class AA playoffs, falling 39-36 to Fayetteville-Manlius in last Friday’s opening round.
Having split two games with the Hornets in the regular season, WG trailed 15-6 after one quarter, but improved on defense from there to keep the game close.
The Wildcats then made a fourth-quarter charge, led by Erin DiPaola and Molly Benetti, who had 13 points apiece, but only one other Wildcat earned a field goal all night.
More balanced in its attack, F-M saw Ava Angello lead with 11 points, supported by Morgan Goodman, who had nine points, and Evie Kawa, who put in seven points.
