When it comes to facing Westhill, the Skaneateles girls basketball team has the annoying habit of playing quite well at the start, but not following it through to the end.
It happened again last Thursday night when the Lakers, defending its home court, nearly blanked the Warriors in the first quarter, but then squandered that advantage and saw Westhill take over in the latter stages to produce a 48-35 victory.
Even though stars like Anna Ross and Sam Peebles are gone, Westhill is still a formidable foe, which Skaneateles found out Dec. 30 when it was unable to hold a late lead against the Warriors in a 63-57 defeat.
A chance for payback came just nine days later, and everything worked for the Lakers in the first quarter as, sparked by back-to-back 3-pointers from Shannon Foehl, Skaneateles bolted out to a 15-2 lead.
But with Mary Kate Washburn providing a spark on both ends with her 10 first-half points, the Warriors put up a 13-2 run of its own in the second quarter and only trailed by five, 20-15, at the break.
But the real comeback started late in the third quarter. With Skaneateles up 26-18, Westhill scored the last seven points of that period and then took its first lead early in the fourth quarter on Delaney Martin’s rebound basket.
As if that 12-0 spurt (including seven points from Morgan Elmer) wasn’t enough, Westhill’s defense stepped up, too, not allowing a Lakers field goal over the game’s last four minute, 44 seconds, the final run adding up to 30-9 by the time the game ended.
No Skaneateles player scored in double figures, though Olivia Dobrovosky had nine points, nine rebounds and five steals. Foehl finished with nine points and six rebounds as Bailey Herr also grabbed nine rebounds. Elizabeth Lane and Breanna Sisson had seven points apiece.
For Westhill, Delaney Martin earned most of her 16 points in the second half, while Washburn finished with 14 points.
Two nights before Westhill visited, the Lakers tuned up by going to Jordan-Elbridge and finding its winning form again in a 58-27 romp over the Eagles.
Constant pressure from the outset paid off for Skaneateles, who led 18-4 after one period and stretched that margin to 37-12 by halftime, never letting J-E get comfortable.
It was 50-17 before the Lakers let up in the fourth quarter and sent its starters to the bench. By then, Lane had 15 points, just ahead of Sisson, who continued to impress with 13 points as Dobrovosky added 11 points. No one on the Eagles had more than Alexis Braun’s total of eight points.
A crucial week awaits the 5-4 Lakers, who visit Cazenovia on Tuesday and host Hannibal next Thursday as it passes the midway point of the regular season.
