It proved quite a good season-opening weekend for a trio of area girls basketball teams.
West Genesee, who made it all the way to the state Class AA championship game last winter, bolted out of the gate Saturday with a 61-22 romp over the Utica Proctor Raiders.
Meanwhile, Marcellus grabbed the title of a season-opening tournament at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, and Bishop Ludden, who appeared in the Section III Class A final a season ago, claimed a tough 68-61 decision over New Hartford.
By far, the biggest challenge facing West Genesee in 2019-20 is replacing the sister tandem of Madison and Mackenzie Smith, who were largely responsible for the Wildcats’ three consecutive sectional titles and two state final four appearances. Two other starters, Kaitlyn Walker and Aleysha Castanon, also graduated.
However, some key players are back, including Catie Cunnigham, and together they have worked plenty in the off-season, motivated by the desire to maintain WG’s place at the top of the AA ranks.
The first outing agianst Proctor went quite well. With suffocating defense, the Wildcats, already in front 18-7 after one quarter, limited the Raiders to just eight total points in the next two periods as the game got away.
WG was not the only local side having to replace key players on its roster. Bishop Ludden had seen Aurora Deshaies graduate, which put more responsibility on a large returning cast.
Against New Hartford, it was two freshmen – one a proven starter, the other a new face – that took charge of the Gaelic Knights’ attack.
Amarah Streiff and Keaira Odume both hit on plenty of early baskets, and Ludden bolted out to a 27-18 advantage during a wild first quarter. Much of that advantage would disappear, though, as the Spartans pulled within two, 35-33, by halftime.
All through the second half, the two sides traded runs, New Hartford getting 21 points from Sophia Murray and 17 points from Kaia Henderson as it pulled within one, 58-57, with three minutes to play.
But key baskets from Streiff, who finished with 24 points, and Odume, who gained 21 points, stretched Ludden’s margin in those final minutes. They got help on offense from Lauren Petrie, who had 10 points, and Kayla Kibling, who got nine points.
Quite unlike West Genesee and Bishop Ludden, Marcellus returns its entire starting lineup for 2019-20, and the Mustangs made quite an opening statement with its tournament title at Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, near Albany
Against the host Spartans on Friday, the Mustangs won 53-44, erasing an early deficit when it outscored Burnt Hills 17-4 in the second quarter. And all through the second half, Marcellus played well on both sides of the ball to protect its lead.
There was near-perfect scoring balance, too, as Katie MacLachlan led with 13 points, including a pair of three-pointers, while three other Mustangs – Sarah Fallon, Emma MacLachlan and Hannah Durand – got 11 points apiece.
And Marcellus did not have a letdown in Saturday’s championship game, shutting down Lansingburgh 54-24. The Mustangs had a 14-0 run that spanned the first and second periods, and then scored 13 straight points to open the third quarter.
Again, four Marcellus players hit double figures, with Durand at the forefront as she scored 14 points. Emma MacLachlan had 12 points, while Katie MacLachlan got 11 points and Fallon added 10 points.
Marcellus plays three more times next week before a key early-season test Dec. 11 when it hosts Westhill.
