CENTRAL NEW YORK – Back-to-back defeats to open the season left the Westhill girls basketball team in the rare position of having to make its way back to a winning mark.
The Warriors started to do so last Monday night against visiting Skaneateles, leaning heavily on its defense for long stretches to defeat the Lakers 42-34.
Stingy at the outset, Westhill held Skaneateles to four points in the first quarter. And though the Lakers battled back to lead 18-17 at halftime, it found baskets difficult the rest of the way.
Gradually, the Warriors were able to get away, especially in the late going, led by Kara Rosenberger, who had 15 points, three rebounds, three assists and two steals.
Izzy Young returned to the lineup and got nine points, with Lizzy McPeak earning five steals to go with eight points and Rosie Mahoney adding six points. Ay’la Pascal, with 19 points, accounted for more than half of Skaneateles’ production.
Then Marcellus took its turn against Skaneateles two nights later and leaned heavily on its defense to beat the Lakers 39-23, setting the tone with a first-quarter shutout.
Not until the second did Skaneateles get on the board, but trailing 24-7 at halftime it was unable to fight back, the Mustangs mostly carried by Cece Powell and Tenly Baker, who each had 16 points and accounted for all but two of the Marcellus field goals.
Making it back-to-back wins on Friday, Westhill went to Mexico and beat the Tigers 58-46, nearly all the damage done in a third quarter where the Warriors, trailing 25-17 at halftime, erupted for a 28-6 run.
Rosenberger, who finished with 19 points, and Young, who had 16 points, led that outburst, with help from McPeak’s eight points and Rosie Mahoney’s seven points as Mahoney added four assists.
Skaneteles also won on Friday, claiming its duel with Cazenovia 49-38 in large measure due to a second quarter where it limited those other Lakers to just two points while establishing a 23-10 margin.
Carrying most of the attack, Pas’cal finished with 16 points and Bella Pietropaoli was close behind, notching 14 points as Claire Neumann and Allie Michel had six points apiece.
West Genesee was 2-0 going into the week and then made it three in a row last Tuesday by routing Nottingham 51-24.
Only having just returned to the varsity level, the Bulldogs were held to just four points the entire first half. Having established defensive credentials, WG kept pulling away led by Bella Quinones and Hannah Sparks earning 14 points apiece, Emily Schiffer contributing seven points.
The Wildcats then improved to 4-0 Thursday night at New Hartford, dominating most of the way in a 62-45 victory whose margin was deceptive.
WG dashed out to a 54-28 edge by the end of the third quarter led by Quinones, who poured in 25 points, including a trio of 3-pointers. Madison Newkirk-Meyer had 11 points, with Sparks and Schiffer getting seven points apiece.
Jordan-Elbridge won big last Tuesday, routing Clyde-Savannah 57-30 in a game where, over the course of the first three quarters, the Eagles steadily worked its way to a 46-23 lead.
Three different J-E players had double-doubles as Abbie Ahern led with 16 points, 16 rebounds and six steals. Erin LaVancha had 14 points and 10 rebounds, with Ava Hildebrant getting 10 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four steals. Makayla Penird had eight points and 10 rebounds.
Solvay took a 51-30 defeat to Hannibal last Wednesday night, unable to overcome falling behind 16-4 in the first quarter. Shay’eanna Turk had six points and nine rebounds, with Janiya Walters also getting six points and Neonna Turk earning five points.
