When the Liverpool girls basketball team made its way to Baldwinsville last Tuesday night, it carried the confidence of knowing that, 10 months earlier, it had made that same short trip to the Baker High School gym and emerged with a 69-59 victory in the Section III Class AA quarterfinals.
But the Bees also carried that memory with them, and that desire for payback, combined with a resolve forged from tough early-season tests far from Central New York, helped B’ville push its way past the Warriors 63-46.
While Liverpool had only played three games so far this winter, going 1-2, B’ville had six games in the books. And though it had gone 1-2 in three games From Dec. 15-17 at the Disney Wide World of Sports complex in Florida, the tests the Bees faced there would only help them back home in a long-awaited reunion with the Warriors.
A close, high-scoring first quarter saw the Warriors finish in front 17-16, but the Bees appeared to gain full command by shutting down the visitors and outscoring them 18-3 the rest of the half.
Still, Liverpool climbed back within single digits by the end of the third quarter. With the score 42-34, B’ville, who got field goals from all eight players in its rotation, steadily regained its earlier margin as time wound down.
On Liverpool’s side, much of the offense was done by Kyra Grimshaw, who earned 20 points and nine rebounds. Jenna Wike was contained well by B’ville, held to 10 points, though she also had nine rebounds and added four assists.
Amanda Barnell had 10 rebounds as Bella Barner finished with seven points and five rebounds. Holly Sleeth, held to three points, contributed three steals and four rebounds.
To lead the Bees, Carolyn Brussel did a bit of everything, ranging from 17 points to eight rebounds, three steals, two assists and two blocks. Jenna Costello finished with 14 points and three rebounds.
Claire McAllister stepped up for 10 points and five rebounds, while Katie Pascale netted seven points, six assists and four rebounds. Kaylee Lammers, held to six points, still managed five rebounds and three assists as Mackenzie Schaffner picked up six rebounds.
As that went on, Cicero-North Syracuse, who had lost its first game against a Section III foe in two-plus seasons when it fell to CBA on Dec. 16, rebounded in its CNYCL opener at Henninger, pushing past the Black Knights 42-37.
Things were bad at the outset, the Northstars trailing 15-8 after one period, but it began to rally in the second quarter and then outscored Henninger 16-8 in the third period to grab a 34-29 lead that would persist through some late-game tension.
Jessica Cook established herself as a player to watch by pouring in 18 points, nearly half C-NS’s output. Morgan Siechen, with 10 points, was the only other Northstars players with more than one field goal. No Henninger player had more than the eight points put up by Shynia Chandler.
