More than anyone else, Shawn Mitchell has helped the Solvay girls basketball program transform from an afterthought to a vital part of the winter scene.
And the Bearcats’ head coach gained a milestone last Tuesday night, winning his 100th career game when his Solvay side engineered a dramatic 48-46 overtime win over Phoenix.
At the start of Mitchell’s tenure, Solvay was undergoing a 42-game losing streak and everyone cared about volleyball, which has since moved from a winter to fall schedule.
Now it’s different, and the Phoenix game illustrated that point. Solvay led through most of regulation, the margin growing to 32-27 before the Firebirds surged ahead with a 15-7 burst.
Traling 42-39, and looking at a chance to miss Mitchell’s milestone on the home floor, the Bearcats saved itself when Nicole Antonacci buried a 3-point shot near the buzzer, sending it to overtime.
Both sides managed four points in the four-minute extra period, and it was 46-46. Again, time wound down and, again, the Bearcats would pull through, freshman Chelsie Delperuto earning a steal and sending it to Courtney Napolitano, who converted what proved to be the winning basket.
Abbey Jones led Solvay’s balanced attack, earning 16 points. Nicole Groth followed with 12 points, while Antonacci managed 11 points. In defeat, the Firebirds’ Alyssa Cassano managed 18 points.
As this went on, Solvay’s boys basketball team earned its first win of the season at Phoenix, putting up lots of offense as it beat the Firebirds 65-52.
Starting fast, the Bearcats led 22-14 after one period and spent the rest of the contest nursing that margin, answering every possible Phoenix charge.
Eric Kendrick led the way with 21 points, hitting on a trio of 3-pointers. Christian Salvagni and Eric Filippi each had 10 points, while Chris Owens and Brandon Pelosi managed eight points apiece and John Savo got six points.
