Asking the Bishop Grimes girls basketball team to make it through an entire regular season without a loss was asking far too much.
Still, when the Cobras did take it first defeat of the season, it fought to the end amid tough circumstances in last Monday’s game at defending Section III Class B champion Westhill before falling to the Warriors by a score of 51-46.
Hours before tip-off, Grimes found out it would not have starting guard Molly McInerney available due to illness. That alone would make things more difficult against Westhill, whose clear intention was to frustrate the Cobras’ top player, Azariah Wade – and they succeeded.
Wade got two fouls in the first quarter and a third foul right before halftime. Meannwhile, Westhill was doing what Grimes could not – namely, hit outside shots.
Morgan Elmer drained a trio of 3-pointers abnd Mackenzie Martin banked a half-court shot off the backboard and through the net at the horn to give the Warriors a 29-17 edge at halftime.
Grimes didn’t wilt, though. Even as Wade sat through most of the third quarter, Abby Wilkinson, who finished with 18 points, led her side on a 15-3 run that erased the deficit, and the Cobras led, 40-38, early in the final period.
But just when it was required, the Warriors turned to its most trusted players. Katelyn Karleski, quiet to that point, sparked a 9-0 run with back-to-back baskets, with Martin and Elmer also recording layups to give Westhill a lead it would not relinquish.
Wade, who still had 11 points in limited duty, fouled out with 2:50 to play, and the Cobras could not quite overcome her absence, though it battled to the end as Brianna Squier finished with eight points. Martin finished with 18 points and 11 rebounds, while Elmer had 16 points.
Quickly returning to the win column on Thursday night, Grimes pounded Altmar-Parish-Williamstown 84-14, scoring 30 points in the first quarter alone and blanking the Rebels during a 22-0 third quarter even after the outcome was long settled.
McInerney was back in the lineup, earning four steals, while Wade got 20 points, five rebounds and five steals. Squier and Maria Naylor each had 10 points as Wilkinson got nine points. Jenna Sloan and Mary Castricone had eight points apiece as Marissa Curtis got six points.
Weather postponed the entire girls basketball schedule on Tuesday night, but on Wednesday Fayetteville-Manlius hosted Henninger and won its fifth consecutive game, pulling away for a 50-33 victory over the Black Knights.
Henninger proved tough at the outset, leading 13-12 after one period, but the Hornets held the Black Knights to eight total points in the next two quarters, ample time for F-M to assume control – which it did, steadily building a 35-21 edge.
Alexis Gray and Lily Fish, with 10 points apiece, paced the Hornets’ attack. Elizabeth Hall, Natalie Amico and Brynne Meyers earned six points apiece as Carly Assimon gained five points.
