ONONDAGA COUNTY – Amid a series of area high school girls basketball games on the Thursday before the holiday break, Marcellus took a big step forward.
Just 3-3 on the season, the Mustangs pulled off a 44-40 victory over visiting Westhill with a tremendous defensive performance and poise down the stretch.
Marcellus was coming off a 53-38 defeat to Christian Brothers Academy earlier in the week, while Westhill was carrying plenty of momentum from back-to-back impressive wins over Indian River and Henninger, both of whom were unbeaten at the time they lost to the Warriors.
At the outset, though, Westhill found it difficult to convert on a consistent basis against a determined Mustangs defense. And even when it did put together a second-quarter flurry of baskets, the Warriors could only tie the game, 27-27, going to halftime.
All through the second half, each side struggled to score, but that benefited Marcellus, who inched in front and, helped by some key late free throws from Cece Powell plus more clutch stops, were able to pull it out.
Powell finished with 20 points, nearly half her team’s output, helped by Annabella Mondello, who had 10 points, and Gabby Voss and Corinne Aldrich, who had six points apiece.
For the Warriors, Janiah Robinson and Tess Roesch each had 15 points, Robinson adding 11 rebounds to match Jules Bleskoski as Izzy Young got six points and Lizzy McPeak had five assists.
Not far away, Skaneateles, who had split two games since garnering a no. 17 state Class B ranking, was impressive against Syracuse West in a 69-34 victory.
A 20-2 first-quarter blitz set the tone, the Lakers ultimately having all 11 players that saw action get on the scoresheet. Maddy Ramsgard, with 17 points, led the way as Ayla Pas’cal and Tobi DiRubbo had 11 points apiece. Finn Pas’cal added eight points.
This was quite a contrast to what West Genesee experienced Thursday at Cicero-North Syracuse, the Wildcats overwhelmed by the reigning sectional Class AA champion Northstars in a 68-23 defeat.
Coming off its first loss of the season to Fairport, C-NS, no. 14 in the state AA rankings, took it out on the Wildcats, outscoring them 35-6 over the course of the second and third quarters.
In defeat, Isabella Quinones was held to seven points and Colleen Barry had six points. Leading C-NS, Kathleen Taru got 18 points and Mallory Brooks added 12 points.
Solvay lost Thursday to Homer 56-20, falling behind 31-6 by halftime as Neonna Turk got seven points. Shay’eanna Turk earned nine rebounds to go with her six points as Jayde Coyne had 10 rebounds and Mackenzie McCarthy seven rebounds.
