Where the Skaneateles girls basketball team stood, relative to other Section III Class B contenders, remained a mystery even as it charged toward the midway point of its regular season.
The Lakers had a chance, in the Chittenango Holiday Tournament, to knock off some fellow contenders, but could not do so in last Thursday’s opening round as it lost, 53-42, to Oneida.
This was the same Indians team that had handed state Class B no. 5-ranked Vernon-Verona-Sherrill its first loss of the season 56-51 in its last game on Dec. 22, and it didn’t let down against Skaneateles.
In fact, the Lakers only managed three points in the second quarter as Oneida ran its margin to 30-14. Attempting to come back, Skaneateles did get 18 points from Olivia Dobrovosky and 13 points from Chloe Metz as Maddy Ramsgard added six points.
The Indians proved too tough, though, as Lauren Skibitskia and Ella Rainbow did most of the damage. Skibitski earned 21 points and six rebounds, with Rainbow getting 19 points and three rebounds.
Skaneateles now took on its neighbors from Auburn on Friday after the Maroons lost a narrow 45-44 decision to host Chittenango. And the Maroons would make it back-to-back defeats, topping the Lakers 56-45.
An early Skaneateles lead disappeared when Auburn outscored them 32-16 in the second and third quarters, a sustained spell from which the Lakers could not recover.
Dobrovosky had 14 points, with Metz getting 10 points as Olivia Navaroli and Bridget Neumann had six points apiece. For the Maroons, Stephanie Gera produced 16 points, with Grace Baranick getting 15 points and seven rebounds.
