One of the bad parts of the area high school girls basketball season is that Marcellus and Bishop Ludden will not get a chance to meet face-to-face.
Staying on their own paths, the Mustangs and Gaeilc Knights both remained unbeaten during last week’s action.
The particular highlight for Marcellus was what it did against Westhill, long a nemesis but not on this Thursday evening where the Mustangs blasted the Warriors 67-33 for its sixth win in a row.
It was close in the first half, Marcellus only in front 29-25 before its defense took over and stifled Westhill the rest of the way, giving up just eight points in those last two quarters.
As this went on, Annabella Mondello stepped up with 16 points, offering support to Katie MacLachlan, who had 17 points, and Hannah Durand, who also had 16 points. Emma MacLachlan had eight points and Hannah Rogalia six points
Before this, When Marcellus took on Christian Brothers Academy last Tuesday, it was yet another showcase for Katie MacLachlan as she nearly matched the Brothers all by herself during a 73-31 victory.
Connecting on six 3-pointers, MacLachlan finished with 30 points, a new career mark, and CBA couldn’t concentrate on her because Durand was pouring in 19 points.
Emma MacLachlan added eight points as Marcellus opened the game with a 19-3 domination of the first quarter and did not let up. No CBA player had more than the eight points from Leana Heitmann, Kailey Campbell and Emily Ball.
As for Ludden, it ventured to Skaneateles last Tuesday and bashed the Lakers 72-30, starting the game on a 22-7 push and then going through the third quarter 26-9.
Amarah Streiff’s strong sophomore season continued as she poured in 26 points. Kei’ara Odune had 14 points, with Lauren Petrie getting 12 points as Kaitlyn Kibling had eight points and Sarah Boyea six points.
No one on the Lakers hit double figures, though production was spread around. Ayla Pas’cal had eight points, with Tatumn Pas’cal, Maddy Ramsgard and Elizabeth Wamp each earning six points.
But a night later, Skaneateles gained its first victory of the season, going to Cazenovia and easily claiming this Lakers duel by a 48-29 margin.
Due to Madison County’s later approval of “high-risk’ winter sports, Cazenovia was only now beginning its season, two weeks after Skaneateles, and it never scored more than nine points in any single quarter.
Meanwhile, a far more seasoned Skaneateles side got a tremendous performance from Ramsgard, who had 17 points. Faith Wagner stepped up, too, earning 10 points, while Kate Aberi finished with nine points.
A day later, Skaneateles won again, turning back Onondaga 47-44 with a fourth-quarter comeback where it outscored the Tigers 14-8 in the fourth quarter.
Ludden’s game Thursday with Syracuse Academy of Science was more of a challenge, but the Gaelic Knights still conquered the Atoms 84-62, again red-hot early as it led 28-8 through one quarter.
Despite all that SAS did the rest of the way, Ludden got big production from a trio of players. Streiff had 25 points, with Petrie hitting four 3-pointers on her way to a season-best 22 points and Odume putting up 18 points.
Jordan-Elbridge took a 42-41 defeat to Phoenix lto fall to 1-4 on the season, but rebounded to beat Cato-Meridian 47-29 as Gabby Smart and Ava Hildebrant each had 10 points. Abbie Ahern and Kyler Langhorn had seven points apiece. Then the Eagles won a 49-25 rematch with Cato on Friday paced by Ahern’s career-best 20 points and 11 points from Smart.
Solvay found its way to the win column for the first time in 2021 when, after a low-scoring first half, it rallied in the last two periods to defeat Cato-Meridian 36-30.
Olivia Petralito led the Bearcats with 12 points, most of it from three 3-pointers. Mag Kemp finished with 11 points, while Ryleigh Bidwell chimed in with eight points.
Then, on Saturday, Solvay lost 76-44 to Weedsport, who remained undefeated at 7-0 led by Susie Nemec’s 29 points. Kemp, in defeat, got 16 points and 14 rebounds, with Petralito adding 10 points, eight rebound and six assists as Kaya Watts had 12 points and five assists.
