Having come so close to regaining the Section III Class AA championship a season ago, the Corcoran girls basketball team were supposed to step back in 2010-11. Gone are four starters – Carrie Blunt, Zephrah Pam, Ayana Bradley and Nadia Jackson – from the Cougars side that went 19-2 and took Cicero-North Syracuse to the last possession of last March’s sectional final at Utica Memorial Auditorium. So it had to please the Corcoran partisans to see the lone returning starter, Coriesha Hickey, and her new surrounding cast go to city rival Nottingham last Friday night and bring home a 55-38 victory over the Bulldogs. Nottingham, who went 9-10 a season ago, had a solid start in this game, but everything fell apart in the second period, when the Cougars outscored them 20-7 to seize control. From there, Corcoran nursed that lead, mainly through Hickey, who led her side with 18 points. Senior Erin Kenney, stepping into a starting role, had 11 points, while Mary Morgan and Taleah Voltz earned seven points apiece. China Agnew (10 points) and Quiana Outley (eight points) led the Bulldogs along.
As this went on, both Syracuse Academy of Science and Institute of Technology Central won on the boys side Friday, this after the Atoms had beaten the Eagles with a fourth-quarter comeback in their Dec. 10 opener. Both sides also had to deal with the snow, as it forced postponements of both games and practices. SAS cast aside Weedsport 70-52 in a game that was tight throughout the first half. However, the Atoms put together another of its trademark bursts in the third quarter, burning the Warriors for 30 points to expand its lead to 59-36. Jamon Haddon and Amhet Tunali both finished with 17 points, part of a well-balanced effort where Dakeem McClain added 16 points. DeOndray Tape had seven points and Josh Guins added six points. ITC, meanwhile, moved into the win column by beating Cato-Meridian 67-51. Playing terrific defense in the first half, the Eagles did not let up until it had a 31-17 lead. That cushion was needed when the Blue Devils rallied within 39-35 before ITC got away late. Jahcin Ingram, with 22 points, and Saquan Dozier, with 16 points (including three 3-pointers), led the Eagles’ push as Joe Boatwright also connected three times from long range on his way to 11 points. Mikell Clemons added six points.