ONONDAGA COUNTY – Right at the end of the season, the Liverpool girls basketball team would get another opportunity to challenge the local supremacy of its neighbors from Cicero-North Syracuse.
During last week’s action, C-NS kept rolling, honoring its seniors – Jessica Cook, Juila Rowe, Gianna Chiaramonte and Abbee Norris – prior to last Tuesday’s game against Henninger.
What followed, in the Northstars’ 86-14 win over the Black Knights, was Cook earning 28 points and Kathleen Taru gaining 12 points. Sydney Nesci and Brayden Schultz had 10 points apiece as Francesca Tortora had eight points and Madeleine Howell got seven points.
C-NS got a much bigger challenge Thursday when it had its own game against West Genesee, whom it beat handily 72-42 in the Feb. 12 season opener, but found more challenging in the rematch.
WG’s Catie Cunningham proved tough to stop, hitting on all kinds of shots, including four 3-pointers, on her way to 31 points overall.
The Northsars shut everyone else down, though, and prevailed 75-57 as Cook equaled Cunnigham’s 31 points and had much more help.
Rowe, quiet for most of this season, finally flourished, draining five 3-pointers and finishing with 19 points overall, while Anita Carey-Santangelo gained 12 points, connecting twice beyond the arc.
Now came a third game against Nottingham on Saturday. Having twice beaten the Bulldogs, C-NS played its best against them in this last encounter, prevailing 73-40 as it held
Roaring out 26-7 in the first quarter and leading 46-19 by halftime, the Northstars settled the matter in a hurry as Cook got 22 points, Carey-Santangelo had 15 points and Sydney Nesci had 10 points. Madeline Howell earned nine points as C-NS held Nottingham star Amaya Williams to just 10 points.
At the start of March, Liverpool put together an impressive effort in last Monday’s game against visiting Central Square, leaning heavily on Neveah Wingate as it defeated the Redhawks 50-43.
After both teams shot well from the field in the first quarter, it dried up. Liverpool only had three points in the second period, but held Central Square to four to keep it close.
Then, in the third period, Wingate took over, frequently burning the Redhawks and sparking a 22-6 run that put the Warriors ahead for good.
By game’s end, Wingate had 23 points, just ahead of Central Square’s Julia Mann, her program’s all-time leading scorer, who had 17 points overall. Karlyssa Shifflett helped out, adding nine points.
Turning around to face West Genesee 24 hours later, the Warriors once again was on the other end of a tremendous individual performance, this one by Cunningham, in a 74-47 defeat to the Wildcats.
On the way to outscoring Liverpool 44-23 in the second and third quarters, Cunningham continued to pile up baskets and finished the night with 36 points.
Wingate would again lead the Warriors’ efforts, finishing with 19 points. Victoria Morgan had nine points, while Julia Wike picked up six points.
Now Liverpool looked to avenge its season-opening defeat to Baldwinsville on Friday, but fell behind 36-19 by halftime and never could make up that ground in a 69-47 defeat.
Just as she had done all week, Wingate excelled, her 22 points topping all scorers. Morgan added nine points as, for B’ville, Hannah Mimas had 17 points, Gretchen Perine got 16 points and Kyrah Wilbur added 11 points.
