In between the carving up of local Class AA opposition, the Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball team set out to conquer more territory when it went to Utica for last weekend’s Juggler Classic – and again, it proved successful.
It was capped by Sunday’s championship game, which pitted the Northstars against host Utica-Notre Dame, and despite being short-handed, the Jugglers remained within range until a big fourth quarter pushed C-NS to a 73-47 victory.
Going in, UND was at a severe disadvantage without its All-State junior superstar, Emily Durr, who had injured her elbow the week before.
Perhaps while lamenting the missed opportunity to play against one of the state’s top players, C-NS forgot about the immediate task. The Jugglers ably solved the Northstars’ defensive pressure throughout the first half.
So C-NS only led 2 at the break, but that would soon change. Again fueled by the senior trio of Sarah Bowles, Abbey Timpano and Cara Gannett, the Northstars tore up UND with a 27-8 third-quarter spurt, turning a host of Juggler turnovers into baskets on the other end.
Of those 27 points, 17 came from Bowles, Timpano and Gannett. For the game, Bowles led all scorers with 17 points, with Timpano (15 points) close behind. Gannett finished with nine points, just behind McKayla Roberts, who earned 11 points. Emilee Norris contributed six points.
Jaclyn Hajec, filling in for Durr, had a strong effort for UND with 13 points and seven rebounds, while Jordan Morgan chimed in with 13 points, five rebounds and five assists.
A day earlier, the Northstars met Albany Leadership (Section II) in Saturday’s opening round, and put together it highest offensive point total of the season in a 90-27 romp.
C-NS scored 30 points in the first quarter alone and were up 72-15 after three periods, allowing head coach Eric Smith to get everyone involved. Indeed, all 11 players that saw action got at least one field goals.
And five would finish in double figures, led by Kelly Corbin, who produced a career-high 15 points that included three 3-pointers.
Norris earned 14 points, with Bowles contributing 12 points. Roberts and Elizabeth Miles got 10 points apiece as Hannah Nichols (eight points) and Rachelle Walters (seven points) were close behind.
Before that, the Northstars hosted Henninger last Tuesday night, and managed to increase its point total in each of the first three periods of an 82-29 romp over the Black Knights.
Concerns about offensive production were eased by a 17-6 first-quarter lead, and erased by what happened in the next two periods as C-NS outscored Henninger 55-12.
Just as would happen against Albany Leadership, five Northstars reached double figures, led by Timpano, who had 18 points.
Corbin came off the bench to produce a season-best 12 points. Miles finished with 11 points, while Roberts got most of her 10 points from a trio of 3-pointers and Gannett also earned 10 points. Bowles nearly joined them, finishing with nine points as Norris contributed six points.
As that went on, Liverpool, in its only action of the week, hosted Baldwinsville, needing a big fourth quarter to shake off a game-long slump and beat the Bees 34-25.
It was only 19-19 going to the fourth quarter. Once there, the Warriors got key baskets from three sources during a closing 15-6 push.
Katie Dalton led the way, finishing with 13 points, while Emma Lamison chipped in with eight points and Rachael Windhausen. Just two B’ville players – Gabi Jordan (15 points) and Emily Pascale (six points) – managed field goals.
