As January neared an end, the Chittenango girls basketball team still had a chance at getting to the Section III Class A playoffs, especially if it triumphed on back-to-back nights – but it only got half the task accomplished.
The first part proved easy enough as the Bears met Solvay Thursday night and continued the Bearcats’ season-long struggles in a 56-16 romp.
It actually was close until the second quarter, but then Chittenango, up 10-8, proceeded to shut out Solvay in that period and then held the Bears to just a single field goal in the third quarter.
The 24-2 run decided matters, with all nine Chittenango players that saw action getting at least one field goal. Morgan Shoemaker, with 11 points and five rebounds, led the way, while Rachel Cleary had nine points, all from a trio of 3-pointers. Alexandra Shoemaker added six points, four assists, four steals and three rebounds, while Trisha Whaley contributed seven rebounds.
A night later, the Bears faced a tougher test, against Mexico, and took a 39-31 defeat, unable to recover from a first quarter where it managed just two points. Steadily, the Tigers built a 33-17 lead through three periods, led by Kendra Harter, who had 21 points. Pierce paced Chittenango with 11 points as Shoemaker (seven points) and Whaley (six points) helped out.
Chittenango’s boys basketball team resumed that same Friday at Mexico, a week removed from a one-sided Jan. 15 defeat to Fulton. The Bears were a closer on this night, but still fell to the Tigers 62-50.
A solid second quarter gave Chittenango a 20-18 halftime lead. But then the pace picked up, and while the Bears kept up for a while, Mexico got away in the fourth quarter, stretching out its lead with a series of free throws.
Zach Falkenburg led Chittenango with 14 points, with Matt Milllman adding nine points. Hunter Hendrix had eight points and Eli Kim seven points, but Mexico got all of its scoring from five players, each of whom hit double figures – Joe Gardner (19 points), Dylan Delong (12 points), Dakota Deasy (11 points), Hunter Hellinger and Kyle Pettit (10 points each).
It wouldn’t get easier for the boys Bears (10-7) Tuesday as it hosted powerful Bishop Ludden before a Friday trip to Cortland. Chittenango’s girls also meet Cortland, on Thursday, after a Monday non-league visit from Oneida.
