Though it had to wait nearly a week longer than expected for real game action, the Cazenovia girls basketball team was quite ready when the 2013-14 season tipped off.
For head coach Chris Carpenter, topping last winter’s effort might prove quite tough. Cazenovia was 18-3 a season ago, making it all the way to the Section III Class B semifinals before getting stopped by South Jefferson.
From that team, all five starters – Maggie Carpenter, Kristie Kleine, Sally Langan, Kaitlyn Gerber and Taylor Mimms – departed. But this gives a new group of talented players a chance to continue the Lakers’ success.
Cazenovia was supposed to open Nov. 26, against Cortland, but bad weather forced the game to be postponed, and it will get made up on Jan. 30.
Instead, the Lakers’ opener would come last Monday, against visiting Solvay, but the delay did little to slow down Cazenovia, who rolled past the Bearcats 59-39.
Shooting well at the outset, the Lakers led 19-10 through one quarter. From there, the margin remained steady until a third-quarter blitz where Cazenovia, dominating on both ends of the court, outscored Solvay 20-7 to put the game away.
Audrey Burbidge, sinking a trio of 3-pointers, led the way with 17 points, while Maggie Johnson provided the inside game as she earned 16 points, converting six free throws. Jocelyn Golden added 10 points as each of the eight Laker players that saw action got at least one field goal. Solvay’s Chelsie Delperuto led her side with 13 points.
In its first road trip of the season, Cazenovia visited Marcellus on Friday night, and there its offense dried up for long portions of the game, leading to a 50-26 defeat to the Mustangs.
The Lakers had 10 points in the first quarter – and that proved its most productive period. Regardless of the pace, Marcellus handled it better, moving in front 24-15 by halftime and then nearly doubling that margin in the third quarter to get away.
Johnson led Cazneovia with just eight points, while Burbidge finished with six points. On the Mustangs’ side, Tessa Mosher (11 points) and Lauren Soule (10 points) both hit double figures, with Molly MacLachlan adding 10 rebounds, seven points and five steals.
On Tuesday, the Lakers host Bishop Ludden, having to turn around quickly from that game for a Thursday trip to Skaneateles.
