In one memorable Friday evening, both of Cicero-North Syracuse’s basketball teams would conquer their rivals from Liverpool – and do something extra in the process.
When the boys Northstars toppled the visiting Warriors 58-41, it clinched the CNY Counties League National division regular-season title and secured the top seed for the Section III Class AA playoffs.
Meanwhile, the CNS girls, already league champs, went to Liverpool and picked up a 62-44 win as its biggest star, Breanna Stewart, zoomed past 1,000 career points.
Perhaps affected by all the Senior Night festivities, and nervous about the task at hand, the boys Northstars took a while to get moving against Liverpool (12-6), trailing 13-10 after one period.
But all that changed in the second quarter. Paced by Andy Falvey and Zach Coleman, the Northstars went on a decisive 20-6 spurt, having its way against a Warrior team that, until now, had played quite well despite the late-season departure of Jesse Gates due to mononucleosis.
As CNS kept pulling away in the second half, no Warrior could step up, as Cam Jones and John Foley led Liverpool with just eight points apiece, while Tyler Wallis got six points.
That sharply contrasted with Falvey shining in his last regular-season home game as he picked up 18 points, with Coleman adding 13 points. John Howell and Elliott Boyce offered support, each getting seven points.
Over at Liverpool, a near-identical scenario played out, with the CNS girls taking over in the second quarter against the Warriors.
In this case, it was the Northstars (15-3) going on a 20-9 spurt as it seized a 36-19 halftime lead, never to get caught.
During that surge, Stewart earned that 1,000th point, one of the few times that mark has every been reached by a sophomore, girls or boys player.
Overall, Stewart had 25 points as she avoided the foul trouble that forced her to sit out long portions of the win at Corocran a week earlier. Brittany Paul chimed in with 13 points, while Brittney Fedele earned seven points. Kelsey Mattice and Cara Gannett each had six points.
Liverpool, who fell to 10-8 on the season, had Nicole Ciricillo earn 13 points and Ally Zywicki pick up 12 points. Nina Tassone had eight points.
