Lady Tornado season ends with close loss in state quarterfinals to Spartans
Keith Lanfear Photo
SYRACUSE – Despite the relentless hustle, the uptempo and physical contest – the style of the Lady Purple Tornado all season long – Norwich fell to Section III champion South Jefferson 61-58 Saturday night at SRC Arena on the campus of Onondaga Community College in the New York State quarterfinals.
Purple Tornado senior Taylor Hansen led in the scoring column for the Section IV champions, finishing the game with 16 points.
The Lady Spartans were paced by the inside play of Alyssa Stevenson, scoring a game-high 23 points, and their freshman point-guard Jackie Piddock. Piddock, a shifty and quick ball-hander who normally leads in the scoring column for South Jefferson, ended the night with 17 points.
Prior to the start of the contest, Norwich head coach Josh Bennett said his team wasn’t going to change their style of game. And they didn’t as the Tornado were sending two to three girls in the face of Piddock in the Spartans’ back court, hoping to throw the young point guard into a little bit of a panic.
However, the freshman handled the pressure with poise and composure, helping lead the Spartans to a run in the fourth quarter.
After starting with a 2-0 lead, South Jefferson tried to push their lead open but it seemed like every time the Spartans began to pull away in the first quarter, Norwich had an answer and came rallying right back.
South Jefferson pulled ahead by four after Stevenson hit a mid-range jumper – something for which the senior forward is known – but Hansen chopped the lead down to two with a hard drive to the hoop and finish.
Next possession down the floor for Norwich went to Saige Benedict on the inside after Hansen delivered an entry pass to the senior forward and the Tornado tied the score at 10-10.
Norwich scored one more point before the end of the first quarter while the Spartans’ Abigail Piddock scored on a broken press hoop and an eight foot jumper by Taylor Scoville, taking the 14-11 lead.
The three point margin was quickly erased to start the second as Halea Eaton hit a deep ball from behind the 3-point line for the Tornado. Then Eaton immediately came away with a steal and finish to give Norwich their first lead of the contest.
South Jefferson answered and took the lead back on three straight possessions but once again, back came the Tornado as Abby Flynn hit a 3-point bucket to tie the score at 21-21. Hansen scored the next two baskets – one off a beautiful inbounds pass from Eaton and a spin move down the lane – putting Norwich ahead by four.
Sydney Coggins extended the Tornado advantage to seven points with a 3-pointer, scoring the last point for Norwich before the halftime break.
The Spartans closed the lead from seven down to four with an old-fashioned 3-point play by Piddock and a bucket at the buzzer.
Out of the break, Stevenson tied the game at 29-29 with a double-drop move on the block but Norwich answered and answered big.
With their usual big run – something they have had in every game this season – the Tornado ended their next three possessions with a made 3-pointer. Eaton drained the first and was followed by Flynn. South Jefferson’s head coach Michelle Whitley called a timeout, hoping to slow down the Norwich pace.
The quick break, however, did not slow down the Tornado as Jeffrey knocked down a 3-point field goal to make it a 9-0 run in a matter of two minutes of play.
Hansen quickly went coast-to-coast and finished the layup to push the lead to 11, the largest lead for the Norwich team.
Most of the season, following the big Tornado run, teams folded and were unable to comeback.
The South Jefferson Spartans did not. Once Stevenson ended their run with two made free throws, the Spartans began to chip away at the Norwich lead slowly. Stevenson went on a run of her own, scoring the next five points for South Jefferson to cut the deficit down to four.
Emily Evans, playing big minutes as a freshman for Norwich, came away with a layup at a tough angle to put Norwich back up by six.
South Jefferson’s Megan Whitley, who is more of a defensive player for the Spartans, came away with back-to-back 3-pointers for the Spartans and completely erased the 11 point lead Norwich once had. The two teams had free throw shooters exchange points for the remaining time in the third but it was Hansen’s two made shots at the stripe that put Norwich ahead 47-45 with just the fourth quarter left to play.
Jeffrey started off the fourth in the right direction for the Tornado with a nice up-and-in finish but Piddock answered with a top of the key 3-point bucket to bring the Spartans within one point.
Coggins once again came away with a made long-ball from the wing but Whitley drained her third 3-pointer of the second half to make the score 52-51 with 6:12 left in the contest.
Benedict came away with a steal for Norwich in the Spartans back court and went to the rim hard for the finish, giving the Tornado a three point lead.
Clinging to the slight margin, Norwich gave everything they had left in their tank.
South Jefferson’s Stevenson gave her team the lead at 55-54 with 5:02 remaining and added a baby-hook on their next trip up the floor to make it a three point game in favor of the Spartans.
Norwich’s Triniti Myers came away with a rebound and reverse finish to cut the deficit down to a point and Evans made one of her two attempts at the free throw line to tie the game up at 57-57 with 2:54 left in the contest.
After a Stevenson putback finish, the two teams went to the stripe for a foul shooting contest. Norwich came away with just two makes at the line – Jeffrey and Myers – while the Spartans’ Stevenson and Piddock combined to make seven out of eight attempts to end the game with a seven point difference.
Coggins, Flynn, Eaton and Jeffrey hit two three-pointers apiece for Norwich as the team once again came away with eight made 3-point buckets. Flynn and Jeffrey ended the night with nine points while Eaton tallied eight and Coggins scored six. Evans and Benedict came way with four points and Myers scored three for the Tornado.
Whitley finished with nine points while teammate Abigail Piddock scored the same. Scoville chipped in six points for the Spartans.
Norwich finishes the year at 21-2, one of the best records the program has tallied. The Tornado also earned their first Southern Tier Athletic Conference win since 2001 and the Section IV Class B championship, which last came in 2006.
South Jefferson 66, Norwich 59
Class B state quarterfinal
At Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena
Norwich 11 17 19 12 – 59
South Jefferson 14 12 19 21 – 66
Norwich: Taylor Hansen 4 8-10-16, Sydney Coggins 2 0-0-6, Emily Evans 1 2-4-4, Abby Flynn 2 3-4-, Saige Benedict 2 0-0-4, Halea Eaton 3 0-0-8, Triniti Myers 1 1-2-3, Nicole Jeffrey 3 1-2-9. TOTALS: 18 15-22-59.
South Jefferson: Jackie Piddock 6 8-12-17, Emma Schafer 1 0-0-2, Megan Whitley 3 0-2-9, Taylor Scoville 3 0-2-6, Abigail Piddock 4 0-2-9, Alyssa Stevenson 8 7-7-23. TOTALS: 23 15-25-66.
Fouled out: (N) Eaton and Flynn; (SJ) Whitley. 3-point goals: (N) Coggins 2, Flynn 2, Eaton 2, Jeffrey 2; (SJ) J. Piddock 1, Whitley 3, A. Piddock 1.
Purple Tornado senior Taylor Hansen led in the scoring column for the Section IV champions, finishing the game with 16 points.
The Lady Spartans were paced by the inside play of Alyssa Stevenson, scoring a game-high 23 points, and their freshman point-guard Jackie Piddock. Piddock, a shifty and quick ball-hander who normally leads in the scoring column for South Jefferson, ended the night with 17 points.
Prior to the start of the contest, Norwich head coach Josh Bennett said his team wasn’t going to change their style of game. And they didn’t as the Tornado were sending two to three girls in the face of Piddock in the Spartans’ back court, hoping to throw the young point guard into a little bit of a panic.
However, the freshman handled the pressure with poise and composure, helping lead the Spartans to a run in the fourth quarter.
After starting with a 2-0 lead, South Jefferson tried to push their lead open but it seemed like every time the Spartans began to pull away in the first quarter, Norwich had an answer and came rallying right back.
South Jefferson pulled ahead by four after Stevenson hit a mid-range jumper – something for which the senior forward is known – but Hansen chopped the lead down to two with a hard drive to the hoop and finish.
Next possession down the floor for Norwich went to Saige Benedict on the inside after Hansen delivered an entry pass to the senior forward and the Tornado tied the score at 10-10.
Norwich scored one more point before the end of the first quarter while the Spartans’ Abigail Piddock scored on a broken press hoop and an eight foot jumper by Taylor Scoville, taking the 14-11 lead.
The three point margin was quickly erased to start the second as Halea Eaton hit a deep ball from behind the 3-point line for the Tornado. Then Eaton immediately came away with a steal and finish to give Norwich their first lead of the contest.
South Jefferson answered and took the lead back on three straight possessions but once again, back came the Tornado as Abby Flynn hit a 3-point bucket to tie the score at 21-21. Hansen scored the next two baskets – one off a beautiful inbounds pass from Eaton and a spin move down the lane – putting Norwich ahead by four.
Sydney Coggins extended the Tornado advantage to seven points with a 3-pointer, scoring the last point for Norwich before the halftime break.
The Spartans closed the lead from seven down to four with an old-fashioned 3-point play by Piddock and a bucket at the buzzer.
Out of the break, Stevenson tied the game at 29-29 with a double-drop move on the block but Norwich answered and answered big.
With their usual big run – something they have had in every game this season – the Tornado ended their next three possessions with a made 3-pointer. Eaton drained the first and was followed by Flynn. South Jefferson’s head coach Michelle Whitley called a timeout, hoping to slow down the Norwich pace.
The quick break, however, did not slow down the Tornado as Jeffrey knocked down a 3-point field goal to make it a 9-0 run in a matter of two minutes of play.
Hansen quickly went coast-to-coast and finished the layup to push the lead to 11, the largest lead for the Norwich team.
Most of the season, following the big Tornado run, teams folded and were unable to comeback.
The South Jefferson Spartans did not. Once Stevenson ended their run with two made free throws, the Spartans began to chip away at the Norwich lead slowly. Stevenson went on a run of her own, scoring the next five points for South Jefferson to cut the deficit down to four.
Emily Evans, playing big minutes as a freshman for Norwich, came away with a layup at a tough angle to put Norwich back up by six.
South Jefferson’s Megan Whitley, who is more of a defensive player for the Spartans, came away with back-to-back 3-pointers for the Spartans and completely erased the 11 point lead Norwich once had. The two teams had free throw shooters exchange points for the remaining time in the third but it was Hansen’s two made shots at the stripe that put Norwich ahead 47-45 with just the fourth quarter left to play.
Jeffrey started off the fourth in the right direction for the Tornado with a nice up-and-in finish but Piddock answered with a top of the key 3-point bucket to bring the Spartans within one point.
Coggins once again came away with a made long-ball from the wing but Whitley drained her third 3-pointer of the second half to make the score 52-51 with 6:12 left in the contest.
Benedict came away with a steal for Norwich in the Spartans back court and went to the rim hard for the finish, giving the Tornado a three point lead.
Clinging to the slight margin, Norwich gave everything they had left in their tank.
South Jefferson’s Stevenson gave her team the lead at 55-54 with 5:02 remaining and added a baby-hook on their next trip up the floor to make it a three point game in favor of the Spartans.
Norwich’s Triniti Myers came away with a rebound and reverse finish to cut the deficit down to a point and Evans made one of her two attempts at the free throw line to tie the game up at 57-57 with 2:54 left in the contest.
After a Stevenson putback finish, the two teams went to the stripe for a foul shooting contest. Norwich came away with just two makes at the line – Jeffrey and Myers – while the Spartans’ Stevenson and Piddock combined to make seven out of eight attempts to end the game with a seven point difference.
Coggins, Flynn, Eaton and Jeffrey hit two three-pointers apiece for Norwich as the team once again came away with eight made 3-point buckets. Flynn and Jeffrey ended the night with nine points while Eaton tallied eight and Coggins scored six. Evans and Benedict came way with four points and Myers scored three for the Tornado.
Whitley finished with nine points while teammate Abigail Piddock scored the same. Scoville chipped in six points for the Spartans.
Norwich finishes the year at 21-2, one of the best records the program has tallied. The Tornado also earned their first Southern Tier Athletic Conference win since 2001 and the Section IV Class B championship, which last came in 2006.
South Jefferson 66, Norwich 59
Class B state quarterfinal
At Onondaga Community College’s SRC Arena
Norwich 11 17 19 12 – 59
South Jefferson 14 12 19 21 – 66
Norwich: Taylor Hansen 4 8-10-16, Sydney Coggins 2 0-0-6, Emily Evans 1 2-4-4, Abby Flynn 2 3-4-, Saige Benedict 2 0-0-4, Halea Eaton 3 0-0-8, Triniti Myers 1 1-2-3, Nicole Jeffrey 3 1-2-9. TOTALS: 18 15-22-59.
South Jefferson: Jackie Piddock 6 8-12-17, Emma Schafer 1 0-0-2, Megan Whitley 3 0-2-9, Taylor Scoville 3 0-2-6, Abigail Piddock 4 0-2-9, Alyssa Stevenson 8 7-7-23. TOTALS: 23 15-25-66.
Fouled out: (N) Eaton and Flynn; (SJ) Whitley. 3-point goals: (N) Coggins 2, Flynn 2, Eaton 2, Jeffrey 2; (SJ) J. Piddock 1, Whitley 3, A. Piddock 1.
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