EAST SYRACUSE – Girls basketball teams at Marcellus and Bishop Ludden looked to build upon their opening-week success – and did so.
The Mustangs, already 2-0, went into last Tuesday’s game at Bishop Grimes, built a big early advantage and then held on late to edge the Cobras 58-54.
During the first half, Hannah Durand and Katie MacLachlan led a consistent Marcellus attack that worked through Grimes’ defenses and built up a 36-24 advantage.
Though the Cobras chipped away at that deficit over the last two periods, it could not make up all the ground as Durand finished with 20 points and MacLachlan got 14 points.
Hannah Rogalia and Sam Wynne had seven points apiece, which helped Durand and MacLachlan as Naywel Aweil led Grimes with 17 points.
Then Marcellus turned to one of its main rivals, Skaneateles, and maintained its good form last Thursday in a 51-36 victory over the Lakers.
Once again, Katie MacLachlan flourished, her 18 points complemented by 10 points apiece from Wynne and Emma MacLachlan. Maddy Ramsgard paced Skaneateles with nine points, with Kate Aberi getting nine points and Faith Wagner earning seven points.
To make it four wins in as many games, Marcellus challenged 4-0 Class C power Onondaga on Saturday and won 58-43, doing much of the damage when it outscored the Tigers 19-6 in the second quarter.
Good as she was earlier in the week, Katie MacLachlan really flourished here with 27 points, and OCS couldn’t focus on her because Durand had 15 points and Emma MacLchlan nine points. For the Tigers, Riley Cox (18 points) and Macey DeOrdio (17 points) accounted for most of the offense.
Ludden’s big moment came on Thursday afternoon when it traveled to face “Holy War” rival Christian Brothers Academy, who are the reigning sectional Class A champions but had struggled to an 0-2 start.
The Gaelic Knights didn’t mind continuing the Brothers’ early-season woes, prevailing 60-39 as it gained control early and didn’t let up until it had produced a 49-27 edge by the end of the third quarter.
Amarah Streiff, who passed 1,000 career points when Ludden beat Grimes on Feb. 13, tacked on 24 points here, helped by 11 points from Kaitlyn Kibling as Ke’iara Odune had nine points and Lauren Petrie had eight points.
