Norwich reaches third sectional final in four seasons
Girls' Basketball
Norwich 73, Waverly 49
NORWICH – Waverly played Norwich's type of game, and that proved quite unwise.
The Purple Tornado (13-6) advanced to their third Section IV championship game in four seasons dealing the Wolverines (17-3) just their third loss of the season Saturday at Norwich High School.
NHS will clash with six-time defending sectional champion Oneonta Saturday at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. If Norwich matches the offensive proficiency it exhibited against Wolverine, Oneonta's long reign may be in jeopardy.
"We're very excited to get another shot at Oneonta, and more importantly winning the section," said Norwich coach Josh Bennett. "I feel like we haven't really given them our best yet, and I'm hoping we continue to peak at the right time."
Norwich senior Jennifer Borfitz, playing her final game on Norwich's home floor, had a game-high 23 points, while fellow senior Breanna Cashman netted 13.
Borfitz hit two three-pointers in the first quarter as Norwich constructed a 22-15 advantage. Borfitz and Cashman were instrumental in Norwich's dominant second quarter in which it expanded its lead to 43-23. Cashman scored twice in transition, and Kassidy finished a layup off a pass from Megan Komendarek as Norwich started the second with seven quick points.
Borfitz took over for the next few possessions scoring 11 straight points for Norwich including 7-for-7 from the foul line. Carin Kuhn capped the first-half onslaught pumping in a three ball.
"We knew coming in that (Waverly) was really good, and we had to bring our 'A game' like we did tonight," Borfitz said. "Tonight we had a lot of different players step it up, and we played great offense and great defense. All around, we played really well."
Waverly pressed Norwich through most of the game to force tempo, and was also in a man-to-man defense for the majority of the four quarters. The up-tempo pace and played right into Norwich's hands.
"I thought it was the best offense we have played all year, and it helped that they played a lot of man defense," Bennett said. "No one has really played us man-to-man all year, and we are a great offensive team against man. But last night, our spacing, execution, and passing were great in the halfcourt and in transition."
Borfitz is just happy to have another shot to play Oneonta. The senior all-state player was a starter on the 2012 club that fell to the Yellowjackets in the Class B final. "If we play like we did tonight, we’ll be okay," she said. "We'll have to take it to the next level to beat them; they're a very good team."
Waverly: Megan Wilbur, 0 2-2-2; Jordan Raupers, 3 6-6-12; Kylie Newman, 2 0-0-4; Breanna Featherson, 0 0-2-0; Taylor Bodine, 0; Katie McEvoy, 0 1-2-1; Emiley Myers, 4 1-1-12; Elle Nittinger, 0; Kiana Manuel, 0; McKhenna Mattison, 1 0-0-2; Reylyn Schwartzhoff, 7 2-3-16; Emily Goodwin, 0; Totals: 17 12-16-49.
Norwich: Carin Kuhn, 3 2-2-9; Caitlyn Brown, 1 0-0-3; Breanna Cashman, 6 1-2-13; Alexis Race, 0 1-4-1; Jennifer Borfitz, 6 9-10-23; Kassidy Seary, 1 1-2-3; Makenzie Maynard, 2 0-0-4; Meghan Komendarek, 3 1-3-7; Ashley Murphy, 0; Savannah Williams, 1 1-1-3 ; Shelby Benjamin, 1 2-6-4; Courtney Scheer, 1 0-0-3. Totals: 25 18-31-73.
Wav 15 8 16 10–49
NHS 22 21 19 11–73
Fouled out: (W) Schwartzhoff. Three-point goals: (W) Myers 3, (N) Borfitz 2, Kuhn, Brown, Scheer. Officials: D. Van Woert, J. Dadamio.
Elmira Notre Dame 45, Bainbridge-Guilford 44
ELMIRA – Elmira Notre Dame made a late-game rally to eke out a win over B-G Saturday, and advance to the Section IV Class C finals.
The Crusaders made up a seven-point deficit over the final 4 1/2 minutes to eliminate the Bobcats from postseason competition for the third straight season.
Elmira’s Meg Herrick hit a three to tie the game at 42-42, and unlocked the game with her third trey of the game with just under four minutes to play.
"I thought my kids played their hearts out," said B-G coach Bob Conway, whose club finishes the season with a 13-7 record. "What I think it came down to is that we didn't shoot it well in the fourth quarter, we didn't shoot it well from the foul line, and we missed a couple of opportunities where we should have stuck it in the rim."
B-G held END's leading scorer, Sheridan Heine, to just 10 points – nine below her season average. B-G's defensive stopper, Marissa Thornton, was chiefly responsible for defending the high-scoring Crusaders player.
B-G managed just one bucket over the final five minutes, that one a layup from Morgan Bullis with 1:07 left that drew her club to within one point. Following a defensive stop, B-G had the ball with 22 seconds left with a chance to take the lead. Unfortunately, the Bobcats never got a shot off.
Bullis scored 18 points in the loss, and Taylor Palmatier scored nine. "We're returning four of five starters, so we're hoping to get right back there (in sectionals)," Conway said.
B-G: Megan Ferrara, 4 0-0-8; Abbey Smith, 2 2-3-6; Marissa Thornton, 1 1 -2-3; Morgan Bullis, 7 4-13-18 ; Alissa Rivera, 0; Becca Reyes, 0; Taylor Palmatier, 4 0-0-9. Totals: 18 7-18-44.
END: Kaylyn Curran, 5 0-2-10; Emily Carson, 2 5-5-9; Meg Herrick, 3 1-2-10; Bulkley, 2 0-0-4; Sheridan Heine, 4 1-5-10; Mia Herlan, 1 0-0-2; Megan Odell, 0; Mackenzie Maloney, 0. Totals: 16 7-14-45.
B-G 14 11 11 8–44
END 9 13 7 16-45
Fouled out: None. Three-point goals: (BG) Palmatier, (E) Heine, Herrick 3.
Utica Notre Dame 85, Sherburne-Earlville 50
SYRACUSE – Led by Iowa State recruit Emily Durr, Utica Notre Dame blitzed Sherburne-Earlville early, and ended the Marauders' unbeaten season Saturday night at Onondaga Community College.
Durr scored 16 of her 20 points in the first half, while teammates Claire Sehring (11) and Jackie Hajea (10) were also in double figures scoring by halftime.
The Jugglers put 53 points on the board in the first half, and if not for liberal substitutions in the fourth quarter, may have cracked the century mark.
"I would be surprised if they do not compete for the state title," said S-E coach Karen Mulligan of UND, whose club finishes its best-ever season with a 20-1 record. "They are just on another level (of basketball)."
Durr and Anari Harris led an opening salvo that finished with 30 first-quarter points and a 19-point lead. The Marauders' usually reliable ballhandling was stunned into eight turnovers against a variety of UND presses.
Sherburne-Earlville settled down in the second half, but a near 30-point halftime margin was too much to overcome. Lilly Berg scored 17 points to top S-E, and senior Mattie Dowdall added 11. "It's a tough way to end the season, but in a few days, the girls will realize how great a season they had," Mulligan said.
S-E: Stacia Beckwith, 0 1-2-1; Mikayla Solloway, 0 2-3-2; Jordan van Althuis, 3 2-5-9; Bridgette McDaniel, 1 0-0-2; Savannah Irwin, 1 0-0-3; Sydney Palmer, 0 2-2-2; Megan Bohnert, 1 1-3-3 Lilly Berg, 7 3-4-17; Mattie Dowdall, 4 0-0-11. Totals: 17 11-20-50.
UND: Alexia Patterson, 1 0-0-2; Carli Brenan, 0; Anari Harris, 4 2-4-11; Stephanie Salerno, 2 1-2-5; Claire Sehring, 6 3-5-15; Emily Durr, 8 3-4-20; Katie Buschman, 3 4-4-10; Julia Buffa, 0 0-1-0; Francesa Laino, 1 0-0-2. Kate Sehring, 2 2-2-6; Jackie Hajea, 6 0-0-14. Totals: 33 15-22-85.
S-E 11 13 16 10–50
END 30 23 24 8–85
Fouled out: (SE) Berg, Solloway. Three-point goals: (UN) Hajea 2, Durr, Harris. (SE) Dowdall 3, Irwin, van Althuis.
Norwich 73, Waverly 49
NORWICH – Waverly played Norwich's type of game, and that proved quite unwise.
The Purple Tornado (13-6) advanced to their third Section IV championship game in four seasons dealing the Wolverines (17-3) just their third loss of the season Saturday at Norwich High School.
NHS will clash with six-time defending sectional champion Oneonta Saturday at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. If Norwich matches the offensive proficiency it exhibited against Wolverine, Oneonta's long reign may be in jeopardy.
"We're very excited to get another shot at Oneonta, and more importantly winning the section," said Norwich coach Josh Bennett. "I feel like we haven't really given them our best yet, and I'm hoping we continue to peak at the right time."
Norwich senior Jennifer Borfitz, playing her final game on Norwich's home floor, had a game-high 23 points, while fellow senior Breanna Cashman netted 13.
Borfitz hit two three-pointers in the first quarter as Norwich constructed a 22-15 advantage. Borfitz and Cashman were instrumental in Norwich's dominant second quarter in which it expanded its lead to 43-23. Cashman scored twice in transition, and Kassidy finished a layup off a pass from Megan Komendarek as Norwich started the second with seven quick points.
Borfitz took over for the next few possessions scoring 11 straight points for Norwich including 7-for-7 from the foul line. Carin Kuhn capped the first-half onslaught pumping in a three ball.
"We knew coming in that (Waverly) was really good, and we had to bring our 'A game' like we did tonight," Borfitz said. "Tonight we had a lot of different players step it up, and we played great offense and great defense. All around, we played really well."
Waverly pressed Norwich through most of the game to force tempo, and was also in a man-to-man defense for the majority of the four quarters. The up-tempo pace and played right into Norwich's hands.
"I thought it was the best offense we have played all year, and it helped that they played a lot of man defense," Bennett said. "No one has really played us man-to-man all year, and we are a great offensive team against man. But last night, our spacing, execution, and passing were great in the halfcourt and in transition."
Borfitz is just happy to have another shot to play Oneonta. The senior all-state player was a starter on the 2012 club that fell to the Yellowjackets in the Class B final. "If we play like we did tonight, we’ll be okay," she said. "We'll have to take it to the next level to beat them; they're a very good team."
Waverly: Megan Wilbur, 0 2-2-2; Jordan Raupers, 3 6-6-12; Kylie Newman, 2 0-0-4; Breanna Featherson, 0 0-2-0; Taylor Bodine, 0; Katie McEvoy, 0 1-2-1; Emiley Myers, 4 1-1-12; Elle Nittinger, 0; Kiana Manuel, 0; McKhenna Mattison, 1 0-0-2; Reylyn Schwartzhoff, 7 2-3-16; Emily Goodwin, 0; Totals: 17 12-16-49.
Norwich: Carin Kuhn, 3 2-2-9; Caitlyn Brown, 1 0-0-3; Breanna Cashman, 6 1-2-13; Alexis Race, 0 1-4-1; Jennifer Borfitz, 6 9-10-23; Kassidy Seary, 1 1-2-3; Makenzie Maynard, 2 0-0-4; Meghan Komendarek, 3 1-3-7; Ashley Murphy, 0; Savannah Williams, 1 1-1-3 ; Shelby Benjamin, 1 2-6-4; Courtney Scheer, 1 0-0-3. Totals: 25 18-31-73.
Wav 15 8 16 10–49
NHS 22 21 19 11–73
Fouled out: (W) Schwartzhoff. Three-point goals: (W) Myers 3, (N) Borfitz 2, Kuhn, Brown, Scheer. Officials: D. Van Woert, J. Dadamio.
Elmira Notre Dame 45, Bainbridge-Guilford 44
ELMIRA – Elmira Notre Dame made a late-game rally to eke out a win over B-G Saturday, and advance to the Section IV Class C finals.
The Crusaders made up a seven-point deficit over the final 4 1/2 minutes to eliminate the Bobcats from postseason competition for the third straight season.
Elmira’s Meg Herrick hit a three to tie the game at 42-42, and unlocked the game with her third trey of the game with just under four minutes to play.
"I thought my kids played their hearts out," said B-G coach Bob Conway, whose club finishes the season with a 13-7 record. "What I think it came down to is that we didn't shoot it well in the fourth quarter, we didn't shoot it well from the foul line, and we missed a couple of opportunities where we should have stuck it in the rim."
B-G held END's leading scorer, Sheridan Heine, to just 10 points – nine below her season average. B-G's defensive stopper, Marissa Thornton, was chiefly responsible for defending the high-scoring Crusaders player.
B-G managed just one bucket over the final five minutes, that one a layup from Morgan Bullis with 1:07 left that drew her club to within one point. Following a defensive stop, B-G had the ball with 22 seconds left with a chance to take the lead. Unfortunately, the Bobcats never got a shot off.
Bullis scored 18 points in the loss, and Taylor Palmatier scored nine. "We're returning four of five starters, so we're hoping to get right back there (in sectionals)," Conway said.
B-G: Megan Ferrara, 4 0-0-8; Abbey Smith, 2 2-3-6; Marissa Thornton, 1 1 -2-3; Morgan Bullis, 7 4-13-18 ; Alissa Rivera, 0; Becca Reyes, 0; Taylor Palmatier, 4 0-0-9. Totals: 18 7-18-44.
END: Kaylyn Curran, 5 0-2-10; Emily Carson, 2 5-5-9; Meg Herrick, 3 1-2-10; Bulkley, 2 0-0-4; Sheridan Heine, 4 1-5-10; Mia Herlan, 1 0-0-2; Megan Odell, 0; Mackenzie Maloney, 0. Totals: 16 7-14-45.
B-G 14 11 11 8–44
END 9 13 7 16-45
Fouled out: None. Three-point goals: (BG) Palmatier, (E) Heine, Herrick 3.
Utica Notre Dame 85, Sherburne-Earlville 50
SYRACUSE – Led by Iowa State recruit Emily Durr, Utica Notre Dame blitzed Sherburne-Earlville early, and ended the Marauders' unbeaten season Saturday night at Onondaga Community College.
Durr scored 16 of her 20 points in the first half, while teammates Claire Sehring (11) and Jackie Hajea (10) were also in double figures scoring by halftime.
The Jugglers put 53 points on the board in the first half, and if not for liberal substitutions in the fourth quarter, may have cracked the century mark.
"I would be surprised if they do not compete for the state title," said S-E coach Karen Mulligan of UND, whose club finishes its best-ever season with a 20-1 record. "They are just on another level (of basketball)."
Durr and Anari Harris led an opening salvo that finished with 30 first-quarter points and a 19-point lead. The Marauders' usually reliable ballhandling was stunned into eight turnovers against a variety of UND presses.
Sherburne-Earlville settled down in the second half, but a near 30-point halftime margin was too much to overcome. Lilly Berg scored 17 points to top S-E, and senior Mattie Dowdall added 11. "It's a tough way to end the season, but in a few days, the girls will realize how great a season they had," Mulligan said.
S-E: Stacia Beckwith, 0 1-2-1; Mikayla Solloway, 0 2-3-2; Jordan van Althuis, 3 2-5-9; Bridgette McDaniel, 1 0-0-2; Savannah Irwin, 1 0-0-3; Sydney Palmer, 0 2-2-2; Megan Bohnert, 1 1-3-3 Lilly Berg, 7 3-4-17; Mattie Dowdall, 4 0-0-11. Totals: 17 11-20-50.
UND: Alexia Patterson, 1 0-0-2; Carli Brenan, 0; Anari Harris, 4 2-4-11; Stephanie Salerno, 2 1-2-5; Claire Sehring, 6 3-5-15; Emily Durr, 8 3-4-20; Katie Buschman, 3 4-4-10; Julia Buffa, 0 0-1-0; Francesa Laino, 1 0-0-2. Kate Sehring, 2 2-2-6; Jackie Hajea, 6 0-0-14. Totals: 33 15-22-85.
S-E 11 13 16 10–50
END 30 23 24 8–85
Fouled out: (SE) Berg, Solloway. Three-point goals: (UN) Hajea 2, Durr, Harris. (SE) Dowdall 3, Irwin, van Althuis.
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