Spartans hold off Norwich for third straight section title
BINGHAMTON – Norwich was a tad too charitable in giving the ball up to Maine-Endwell Thursday night, and a big third-quarter run by the Spartans created much-needed breathing room in a 55-50 win for M-E in the Section IV Class A championship game at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.
It was the third straight Section IV title for Maine-Endwell under head coach Sonny Spera. Freshman Victoria Dean went 5-for-6 from the foul line in the last 27 seconds to help secure the M-E win, and when the Tornado were on the cusp of overtaking the Spartans, senior Lauren Kozlowski buried a pair of clutch three-pointers.
“Those were big-time shots from a great player,” said Norwich coach Josh Bennett of Kozlowski’s threes. “The first one we were probably a step or two late getting to her, but the second one we were right there. She made those shots at a time of the game when it’s not easy.”
Norwich found itself down by 11 points in the third quarter after M-E strung together 10 straight points to lead 36-25. Dean had a steal and layup, Kozlowski put back an offensive rebound, and Kozlowski assisted Cara Cawley on a layup to highlight the spurt.
Just before that run, Norwich pulled within one point after Bryn Loomis’ pull-up jumper and Hannah Runyon’s three-point play with just under six minutes to play in the third. The next five minutes, Norwich did little right committing seven of its 22 turnovers. “I think the pressure of their defense was at a level we weren’t mentally prepared for,” Bennett said. “They really get after you on defense. I don’t think there’s been a game all year where our guards had such a tough time turning the corner. In our offense, if you can’t turn the corner and make a decision with the basketball without losing it or having it flop around, it’s tough.”
Still, Norwich found a way to whittle down the margin. NHS started the fourth on a 9-3 run hitting 7-for-8 from the foul line. The only interruption in that scoring barrage was Kozlowski’s three-pointer from just to the right of the top of the key that she buried on an out of bounds play.
A pair of free throws from Runyon made it 41-38, but Kozlowski took dead aim from the right corner stroking in her third trey of the game to double that advantage. Emily Birchall followed that with a driving baseline layup making it 46-38.
“I like the team to share the ball, make the extra pass and the extra rotation,” said Maine-Endwell coach Sonny Spera. “When we don’t, you see that we gave up some easy ones. No lead is safe with the way Norwich shoots it and attacks the basket.”
Runyon scored on a layup putting back Loomis’ missed three, Hailey Dietrich added two free throws after she was fouled on a fast break, and Dietrich’s driving layup pulled Norwich to within 46-44.
Cawley scored her second basket of the game for M-E, and it proved crucial as Norwich’s Runyon put back another miss keeping Norwich within two.
Norwich had one final time to tie or take the lead. Following a defensive stop, Norwich worked the ball inside to Loomis, who had her shot blocked with under a minute left. Maine-Endwell was 17-for-31 from the foul line for the game, but was a rock-solid 7-for-8 with the game on the line.
“Norwich is a great team,” Spera said. “We had to play great to beat them tonight.”
Runyon finished her final varsity game with 21 points and eight rebounds. Dietrich scored a season-high 12 points, and she added seven rebounds and five blocked shots. Loomis tacked on 10 points for Norwich (15-5).
Maine-Endwell found itself on the short end of the scoreboard for much of the first half. A Runyon three-point play followed by a putback basket late in the quarter gave Norwich a 12-8 lead in the first.
The Spartans’ defense limited Norwich to just one made field goal in the second quarter, and took the lead for good on Burcome’s baseline jumper off a pass from Birchall to make it 15-14. Norwich was hurt on the offensive boards during the quarter, and again, the M-E defense forced more than a half-dozen turnovers.
Kozlowski and Birchall, neither of whom averages in double figures, scored 14 points apiece for the Spartans (12-8), and Dean contributed nine points.
Norwich loses Runyon and Molly DeMellier to graduation, but returns nine players next year including second- and fourth-leading scorers Loomis and Dietrich.
“We certainly had a great season,” Bennett said summing up his second varsity season. “Even on a night when things clearly did not go our way offensively, we find a way to scrape back and keep ourselves in the game. I love the fact that this group of kids has taken on the coaching staff’s personality. They’re a gritty group that is always digging and fighting. When things don’t go our way, they find a way to make plays. This next group coming up, I can guarantee they will be the same way.”
Norwich: Miranda Costin, 0-0 0-0-0; Jennifer Borfitz, 0-0 3-4-3; Brooke Bonney, 0-1 2-2-2; Cassie Sutton, 0-2 0-1-0; Molly DeMellier, 0-4 0-0-0; Bryn Loomis, 5-16 0-1-10; Hailey Dietrich, 2-7 8-9-12; Sophie Stewart, 1-4 0-0-2; Hannah Runyon, 7-19 7-8-21. Totals: 15-53 20-25-50.
Maine-Endwell: Victoria Dean, 2-6 5-7-9; Emily Birchall, 5-18 3-5-14; Maria Fedorowicz, 1-1 0-0-2; Hannah Caroompas, 0-0 0-0-0; Jenna Felice, 1-7 3-4-5; Jamie Burcome, 1-6- 3-8-5; Julie Yacovoni, 0-1 1-2-1; Cara Cawley, 2-6 1-3-5; Kelsey Dickermann, 0-1 0-0-0; Lauren Kozlowski, 5-12 1-2-14. Totals: 17-57 17-31-55.
Score by quarters
NHS 12 4 13 21–50
M-E 8 11 19 17–55
Fouled out: (N) DeMellier, Stewart; (M-E) Burcome, Yacovoni. Team Fouls: (N) 23, (M-E) 21. Three-point goals: (N) none. (M-E) Kozlowski 3, Birchall. Officials: Reynolds, Ciotoli, Haynes.
It was the third straight Section IV title for Maine-Endwell under head coach Sonny Spera. Freshman Victoria Dean went 5-for-6 from the foul line in the last 27 seconds to help secure the M-E win, and when the Tornado were on the cusp of overtaking the Spartans, senior Lauren Kozlowski buried a pair of clutch three-pointers.
“Those were big-time shots from a great player,” said Norwich coach Josh Bennett of Kozlowski’s threes. “The first one we were probably a step or two late getting to her, but the second one we were right there. She made those shots at a time of the game when it’s not easy.”
Norwich found itself down by 11 points in the third quarter after M-E strung together 10 straight points to lead 36-25. Dean had a steal and layup, Kozlowski put back an offensive rebound, and Kozlowski assisted Cara Cawley on a layup to highlight the spurt.
Just before that run, Norwich pulled within one point after Bryn Loomis’ pull-up jumper and Hannah Runyon’s three-point play with just under six minutes to play in the third. The next five minutes, Norwich did little right committing seven of its 22 turnovers. “I think the pressure of their defense was at a level we weren’t mentally prepared for,” Bennett said. “They really get after you on defense. I don’t think there’s been a game all year where our guards had such a tough time turning the corner. In our offense, if you can’t turn the corner and make a decision with the basketball without losing it or having it flop around, it’s tough.”
Still, Norwich found a way to whittle down the margin. NHS started the fourth on a 9-3 run hitting 7-for-8 from the foul line. The only interruption in that scoring barrage was Kozlowski’s three-pointer from just to the right of the top of the key that she buried on an out of bounds play.
A pair of free throws from Runyon made it 41-38, but Kozlowski took dead aim from the right corner stroking in her third trey of the game to double that advantage. Emily Birchall followed that with a driving baseline layup making it 46-38.
“I like the team to share the ball, make the extra pass and the extra rotation,” said Maine-Endwell coach Sonny Spera. “When we don’t, you see that we gave up some easy ones. No lead is safe with the way Norwich shoots it and attacks the basket.”
Runyon scored on a layup putting back Loomis’ missed three, Hailey Dietrich added two free throws after she was fouled on a fast break, and Dietrich’s driving layup pulled Norwich to within 46-44.
Cawley scored her second basket of the game for M-E, and it proved crucial as Norwich’s Runyon put back another miss keeping Norwich within two.
Norwich had one final time to tie or take the lead. Following a defensive stop, Norwich worked the ball inside to Loomis, who had her shot blocked with under a minute left. Maine-Endwell was 17-for-31 from the foul line for the game, but was a rock-solid 7-for-8 with the game on the line.
“Norwich is a great team,” Spera said. “We had to play great to beat them tonight.”
Runyon finished her final varsity game with 21 points and eight rebounds. Dietrich scored a season-high 12 points, and she added seven rebounds and five blocked shots. Loomis tacked on 10 points for Norwich (15-5).
Maine-Endwell found itself on the short end of the scoreboard for much of the first half. A Runyon three-point play followed by a putback basket late in the quarter gave Norwich a 12-8 lead in the first.
The Spartans’ defense limited Norwich to just one made field goal in the second quarter, and took the lead for good on Burcome’s baseline jumper off a pass from Birchall to make it 15-14. Norwich was hurt on the offensive boards during the quarter, and again, the M-E defense forced more than a half-dozen turnovers.
Kozlowski and Birchall, neither of whom averages in double figures, scored 14 points apiece for the Spartans (12-8), and Dean contributed nine points.
Norwich loses Runyon and Molly DeMellier to graduation, but returns nine players next year including second- and fourth-leading scorers Loomis and Dietrich.
“We certainly had a great season,” Bennett said summing up his second varsity season. “Even on a night when things clearly did not go our way offensively, we find a way to scrape back and keep ourselves in the game. I love the fact that this group of kids has taken on the coaching staff’s personality. They’re a gritty group that is always digging and fighting. When things don’t go our way, they find a way to make plays. This next group coming up, I can guarantee they will be the same way.”
Norwich: Miranda Costin, 0-0 0-0-0; Jennifer Borfitz, 0-0 3-4-3; Brooke Bonney, 0-1 2-2-2; Cassie Sutton, 0-2 0-1-0; Molly DeMellier, 0-4 0-0-0; Bryn Loomis, 5-16 0-1-10; Hailey Dietrich, 2-7 8-9-12; Sophie Stewart, 1-4 0-0-2; Hannah Runyon, 7-19 7-8-21. Totals: 15-53 20-25-50.
Maine-Endwell: Victoria Dean, 2-6 5-7-9; Emily Birchall, 5-18 3-5-14; Maria Fedorowicz, 1-1 0-0-2; Hannah Caroompas, 0-0 0-0-0; Jenna Felice, 1-7 3-4-5; Jamie Burcome, 1-6- 3-8-5; Julie Yacovoni, 0-1 1-2-1; Cara Cawley, 2-6 1-3-5; Kelsey Dickermann, 0-1 0-0-0; Lauren Kozlowski, 5-12 1-2-14. Totals: 17-57 17-31-55.
Score by quarters
NHS 12 4 13 21–50
M-E 8 11 19 17–55
Fouled out: (N) DeMellier, Stewart; (M-E) Burcome, Yacovoni. Team Fouls: (N) 23, (M-E) 21. Three-point goals: (N) none. (M-E) Kozlowski 3, Birchall. Officials: Reynolds, Ciotoli, Haynes.
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