ONONDAGA COUNTY – It is already evident, by the time they tip off Tuesday night, that the Cicero-North Syracuse and Liverpool girls basketball teams are fighting for SCAC Metro division regular-season honors.
But the aspect of the stakes changed last Tuesday night when, for the first time this season, the state Class AA no. 11-ranked Warriors suffered a league loss – and on its home court, no less.
Henninger pulled it off, claiming an exciting 70-67 decision that was even more surprising given that Liverpool beat the Black Knights 75-42 four weeks earlier.
The key was a first half where the Warriors, despite a solid effort on both ends, could not build a big lead, only taking a 29-25 advantage to the break.
All through the second half, Henninger answered each time the Warriors tried to get away and then, in the closing minutes, inched out in front and hung on.
It helped Henninger to hit nine 3-pointers, four of them from Alayna Wood to account for most of her 13 points. Sanai Lee led the Black Knights with 19 points, while Inese Odom had 15 points and Ta’Kai Baker had 14 points.
This helped overcome 28 points from Neveah Wingate and 18 points from Jakeira Stackhouse, with Grace Sleeth and Gianna Washington getting eight points apiece.
That was quite a contrast to what was going on at C-NS, the Northstars managing, for the second time this season, to steamroll past Baldwinsville, this time by a score of 81-31.
Somehow C-NS, who prevailed 65-25 the first time these two sides met Jan. 3, got better in the rematch, building a 44-16 advantage by halftime and not letting up at all late.
Kathleen Taru, with 13 points, led an attack where Mallory Brooks (12 points), Maddy Howell (11 pointss) and Jilly Howell (10 points) all hit double figures and Grace Villnave, with eight points, came close.
Kyrah Wilbur did get 14 points, but no other Bees player had more than Madison Polky’s five points, a total nine different Northstars reached.
C-NS went from here to a tough, grinding 50-33 win over Fayetteville-Manlius on Thursday where the Hornets’ defense was tough all night, yet never could put together a sustained scoring run.
Taru, with 19 points, again led all scorers, Maddy Howell adding 10 points as Brooks got eight points. For F-M, Evie Kawa, with eight points, was the Hornets player with more than one field goal.
After it meets C-NS, Liverpool would have games with Baldwinsville and West Genesee to close out its regular season later this week, with the Northstars having its own clash with Henninger at home Friday night.
