Even as some concerns surrounded usage of the Skaneateles High School gymnasium, it did not keep the girls basketball Lakers from a busy final week of the regular season where it played three times at home in a 72-hour span – and won them all.
All of this started last Tuesday night, with the Lakers hosting Solvay. Hot at the start, the Lakers never let up until it had a 30-point margin, eventually beating the Bearcats 61-43.
During the first quarter, the relentless Skaneateles pressure led to lots of baskets on the other end, enough to create a 26-9 margin. Even with that, though, the Lakers kept going, especially during a third quarter where it outscored Solvay 17-8 to extend its lead to 56-26.
Elizabeth Lane and Olivia Dobrovosky led the way, Lane earning 18 points, six assists, four steals and four rebounds, and Dobrovosky getting 16 points, six rebounds, five steals and four assists.
Maddy Pinckney earned seven points, while Breanna Sisson and Shannon Foehl got six points apiece. The Lakers overcame Solvay’s Chelsie Delperuto earning 24 points and seven rebounds.
Then Homer visited Skaneateles on Thursday night, and while the scoring totals were a bit more modest, the Lakers’ defense took charge in a 51-24 romp over the Trojans.
Homer had just one basket in the first quarter, far from enough against a Skaneateles side that roared out to a 15-2 lead and kept the Trojans quiet despite getting just four points of its own in the second period.
Late in the game, Skaneateles pulled away as Lane did a bit of everything, gathering up 12 points and 12 rebounds, while also earning five assists and five steals.
And Homer couldn’t concentrate on Lane since Dobrovosky was earning 17 points, adding four rebounds, three assists and three steals, and Foehl stepped up with 13 points, the pair combining to hit five 3-pointers.
A switch in the school schedule caused a closing on Friday, but Skaneateles still hosted Altmar-Parish-Williamstown, and still was impressive, especially on the defensive end, as it rolled past the Rebels by a score of 55-27.
Throughout the first half, the Lakers contained APW, but couldn’t produce enough on the other end to get comfortable, only leading 23-15 at intermission. Then, in the third quarter, the pressure took a toll on the Rebels, leading to turnovers, baskets on the other end and a 25-5 spurt that decided the outcome.
In her last regular-season home game, Lane made it count, putting together 11 points, six rebounds, six assists and three steals. Foehl produced a team-high 14 points, adding four rebounds and three assists, while Dobrovosky had seven points, five steals and three assists. Hannah Atkinson came off the bench to get six points and five rebounds.
With that win, Skaneateles, whose last defeat came to Bishop Grimes on Jan. 21, closed the regular season on a seven-game win streak, taking a 13-6 mark into the Section III Class B playoffs, where it has the no. 4 seed and a first-round bye in a 13-team field. That was the good part.
The bad part, though, is that Skaneateles is guaranteed to face, in next Friday night’s quarterfinal, a familiar opponent, whether it’s no. 5 seed Cazenovia or no. 12 seed Bishop Ludden, as those two meet in the opening round Tuesday at Buckley Gym. Skaneateles went 2-2 against those foes this season.
