ONONDAGA COUNTY –
With each game and each victory, the Marcellus and Bishop Ludden girls basketball teams both inched closer to having perfect marks in 2021, but last week even their continued excellence was overshadowed a bit.
That was because West Genesee senior Catie Cunningham went on a week-long scoring rampage that culminated in her surpassing 1,000 career points while setting a new career standard in last Friday’s 74-58 win over Nottingham.
While reaching this career milestone meant a lot to Cunnigham, the fact that WG prevailed against a Bulldogs side which featured its own standout senior, Amaya Williams, meant more.
Compared to other teams, the Wildcats did a relatively good job keeping Williams from taking over as she finished with 22 points, but that wasn’t even half what Cunningham did.
Between 14 field goals, four 3-pointers and five successful free throws, Cunningham amassed 45 points, one of the best single-game totals in program history as the Wildcats jumped out 20-11 in the first quarter, maintained that edge in the middle stages and pulled away late.
Even before this, the Wildcats had an exciting week, with Cunningham first lighting up the board last Tuesday against Liverpool to help her side defeat the Warriors 74-47.
Already in front 19-14, the Wildcats proceeded to outscore Liverpool 44-23 over the course of the next two periods and Cunningham was responsible for much of it, eventually earning 36 points.
No other WG player got close to that total, though Bridget Dunham earned nine points and Molly Benetti had seven points as Naveah Wingate paced the Warriors with 19 points.
Two nights later, the Wildcats got a shot at reigning sectional Class AA champion Cicero-North Syracuse, and though Cunningham was again spectacular, WG lost 75-57 to the Northstars.
The game was played at a quick pace throughout, and Cunningham found a way to solve C-NS’s formidable defense, hitting on four 3-pointers and plenty of other shots on her way to 31 points.
Benetti and Mollie James offered six points apiece, but while C-NS forward Jessica Cook also had 31 points, she got help from Julia Rowe, who poured in 19 points, and Alita Carey-Santangelo, who had 12 points.
Meanwhile, the undefeated teams of Ludden and Marcellus remained in top form, the Gaeilc Knights going to Central Square last Friday and handling the Redhawks 71-53 to move its record to 6-0.
Building a 58-40 lead through three periods, the Gaelic Knights saw its own 1,000-point scorer, Amarah Streiff, earn 33 points, with Lauren Petrie getting 15 points and Kaitlyn Kibling 12 points as Ke’iara Odune had eight points.
Marcellus was already 6-0 going into last Wednesday’s game against Chittenango, where the duo of Katie MacLachlan and Hannah Durand proved unstoppable in a 64-31 romp over the Bears.
Chittenango kept it close for a while, only trailing 29-24 at halftime, but what followed was a 19-2 third-quarter blitz where every part of the Marcellus game was in top gear.
At the forefront, MacLachlan poured in 30 points, nearly matching the Bears by herself, with Durand getting 18 points. Together, the duo accounted for all but five of the Mustangs’ field goals.
Thursday’s game against Homer brought a brief scare until the Mustangs’ attack hit full gear in the third quarter and it pulled away to top the Trojans 73-46.
Homer led 12-9 through one period, and didn’t go away the rest of the half, either, even though the Mustangs were up 24-20 at the break.
But during the third period, Marcellus more than doubled its output in a 29-10 blitz as Emma MacLachlan and Hannah Roaglia both set season marks, MacLachlan earning 18 points and Rogalia getting 13 points to support Durand, who had 19 points, and Katie MacLachlan, who had 18 points.
It continued Saturday with Marcellus ripping Cazenovia 76-27, where Kate MacLachlan had 21 points, just ahead of Durand’s total of 18 points as Sam Wynne got 10 points and Emma MacLachlan got eight points.
Meanwhile, Ludden beat Bishop Grimes for the second time this season, the 56-42 decision featuring another big effort from Streiff, who poured in 31 points as Petrie helped out with 11 points.
