Simple math was what faced the Liverpool girls basketball team as the 2014-15 regular season wound to its end.
In order to get into the Section III Class AA playoffs, the Warriors would need eight wins. Entering February, Liverpool had a 6-9 mark, so two more victories were required.
The Warriors’ chance to get that seventh win arrived last Friday night, against visiting Fayetteville-Manlius. And it took a full team effort, especially on the defensive side, to push Liverpool past the Hornets 42-29.
F-M did not have its leading scorer, D’Jhai Patterson-Ricks, in the lineup. Sensing this, the Warriors put pressure on all of the other Hornets, which would take an eventual toll.
Up 11-9 after one period, Liverpool held F-M to five points the rest of the half, and then gave up just two points in the third quarter as it built up a 36-16 edge, putting the game well out of reach.
Donyai Starling nearly got a double-double, picking up 10 rebounds to go with her eight points. Jenna Wike also had eight points, with Drew Dufrane putting together seven points, seven rebounds, five blocks and four steals. Laura Patulski added six rebounds and five points, with Danielle Akins contributing six points.
It was too much to ask Liverpool to beat state no. 4-ranked Cicero-North Syracuse last Tuesday night, as the Northstars, not looking ahead to its Friday showdown with Baldwinsville (see related story), beat the Warriors 74-31.
Wasting little time, C-NS roared to a 23-4 lead by the end of the first quarter. And it went from there, the Warriors making occasional inroads, but mostly unable to tame a deep, balanced Northstars attack.
Jenna Wike led with seven points, adding four rebounds, with Donyai Starling adding seven rebounds to go with her four points as Bre Socker added four points and Laura Patulski contributed five rebounds.
On C-NS’s side, McKayla Roberts had 15 points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Beth Bonin and Amani Free each finished with 14 points, while Emilee Norris gained nine points. Jada Kims, Marissa Felasco and MaryKate Bonanni had six points apiece.
The win over F-M now puts the Warriors in a situation where it will have to beat Corcoran or Henninger this week to claim a spot in the AA sectional tournament.
