Denied the Section III Class B championship by South Jefferson a season ago, the Westhill girls basketball team is quite intent on making another title push this winter.
Even with the departure of Mackenzie Martin and Imani Watts, the Warriors return a strong core that includes Jenna Larrabee, Catherine Dadey and Erica Gangemi, and it wasted little time getting into winning form.
Westhill handled Skaneateles 56-30 in last Tuesday’s season opener, a game that was tight until a second quarter where the Warriors’ defense held the Lakers without a field goal and went on a 20-1 spurt.
Larrabee produced a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds, while Dadey gained 12 points. Mary Gibson added six points as Skaneateles got seven points apiece from Tatumn Pas’cal and Kate Aberi, plus six points from Maddy Ramsgard.
At home Friday to face Oneida, Westhill took an immediate setback, the Warriors losing 55-45 to the Indians.
They were tied until Oneida went in front in the second period, steadily building a margin and keeping it in the latter stages thanks to 22 points from Sydney Lusher and 18 points from Kaylin Curro.
Larrabee still managed 17 points, with Gangemi producing 11 points. Dadey earned seven points and Gibson contributed six points.
Skaneateles, meanwhile, lost 32-20 to Cazenovia, the game close and low-scoring most of the way. All that Skaneateles could manage in the fourth quarter was a single free throw as Ramsgard had 10 points and Maeve Canty got seven points.
This week, Westhill and Marcellus have a key early-season showdown, the Mustangs having started fast with its Nov. 29-30 victory in the Burnt Hills Tournament.
Back closer to home, Marcellus met a tough Syracuse Academy of Science side on Thursday night and improved to 3-0 by outscoring the Atoms 67-53.
Without any prolonged runs, the Mustangs worked its way to a 46-32 edge by the end of the third quarter and held on late as Katie MacLachlan led the way, earning nine of her 16 points at the free-throw line.
Emma MacLachlan was close behind, getting 14 points, while Hannah Durand had 12 points. Sarah Fallon chipped in nine points as Mei LaMarre and Shannon Kellar got seven points apiece.
Another long road trip followed on Saturday, the Mustangs going north to General Brown but once again putting together a strong performance as it tamed the Lions 58-21 to make it four in a row.
Dominating from the opening tip, Marcellus amassed a 42-10 lead through three quarters. Katie MacLachlan gained 16 points, with Durand getting 15 points as LaMarre stepped up for 10 points and Fallon again had nine points.
