Girls’ Basketball
Norwich 84, Chenango Forks 42
NORWICH – Norwich was as good offensively in the first half as it has been all season, and that was bad news for Chenango Forks in Friday’s matchup.
Makenzie Maynard scored 16 points to lead four Norwich players in double figures. Courtney Scheer came off the bench to score a career-high 15, and forwards Meghan Komendarek along with Shelby Benjamin scored 11 apiece.
Norwich forced 18 Chenango Forks turnovers in the first half to construct a 50-24 halftime advantage. Maynard had 12 of her points in the first half, Komendarek scored eight, and three others had seven points during the scoring barrage.
"There was good intensity and a lot of our girls grew tonight on the defensive end in terms of understanding assignments and rotating very well," said Norwich coach Josh Bennett. "They definitely had trouble with our pressure. When they did beat our press, we had people on the weak side hustling back to stop their transition."
After giving up the first bucket of the game, Norwich commenced a 15-2 run to take control. Topping off the spurt, Maynard hit a three, she then scored on a baseline drive, and Komendarek picked off a pass near midcourt and cruised in for a layup.
Norwich ratcheted up the pressure two minutes into the second quarter whilst holding a 26-16 advantage. Komendarek scored off a Benjamin feed, and Benjamin scored on a traditional three-point play to nearly double the lead.
Scheer came off the bench to score seven points in the last 3 1/2 minutes of the first half, and the first half finished on a perfect inbounds play in which Komendarek scored on a layup with one second left.
"We were sharp tonight with our passing, the ball moved well, and more importantly, our player movement was excellent," Bennett said.
Norwich’s junior varsity team picked up a 49-27 victory. Taylor Hansen scored a season-high 18 points for Norwich, and Kaitlyn Dowdall added 12.
Chenango Forks: Taylor Gibbore, 2 3-4-8; Alex Yoest, 5 3-6-16; Haley Benscoter, 0; Lyndsey Stone, 5 0-2-11; Tara Grospin, 0; Kayla Williams, 0; Tori Transue, 0 0-1-0; Hanna Layton, 3 1-2-7; Alaijah Cheeseman, 0. Totals: 15 7-15-42.
Norwich: Caitlyn Brown, 2 2-2-7; Carin Kuhn 1 0-0-2; Jordan Murphy, 1 0-0-2; Kassidy Seary, 3 0-0-6; Makenzie Maynard, 7 0-1-16; Carey Sheldon, 0; Meghan Komendarek, 4 3-6-11; Bridget Murphy, 2 0-0-6; Savannah Williams, 2 0-0-4; Shelby Benjamin, 5 1-1-11; Courtney Scheer, 6 0-0-15; Ashley Murphy, 1 0-0-2. Totals: 35 6-10-84.
CForks11 15 11 5–42
Nor. 24 26 14 20–84
Fouled out: none. Three-point goals: (CF) Yoest 3, Gibbore, Stone. (N) Scheer 3, B. Murphy 2, Maynard 2, Brown. JV; Norwich won 49-27. Officials: Haynes, Collier.
Greene 47, Walton 17
WALTON – Greene exhibited consummate team play Friday with assists on all but four baskets in a 30-point victory over Walton.
The Trojans held the Warriors scoreless in the first period to build an 11-0 lead, and surrendered just eight points through three quarters. “We were really good defensively, especially in the first half,” said Greene coach Dave Gorton. The Trojans’ offense matched the defense’s effort with a 20-point final stanza. “Six of our assists were in the last quarter,” Gorton said. “We played more together, moved the ball better, and had better spacing.”
Kristie Haskell led Greene with 10 points, and Katie Carey added nine. Greene plays at Hancock Tuesday.
Greene: Kathleen Hanrahan, 1 2-2-4; Kristie Haskell, 4 2-5-10; Alyssa Sands, 2 2-3-6; Emily Montelione, 1 0-0-2; Maria Brown, 0 2-2-2; Nicole Flohr, 3 2-4-8; Madeline Brink, 0; Margo McDermott, 2 0-0-4 ; Audrey Platta, 1 0-2-2; Katie Carey, 3 3-4-9; Laura Montelione, 0. Totals: 17 13-22-47 .
Walton: Kim Huntress, 2 2-2-6 Kelsey Smith, 0; Taylor Vernon,0 ; Rylee Wood, 0; Janine Velardi, 1 0-0-2; Lacey Speidell, 1 0-0-3; Kate Maguire, 0; Olivia Harby, 1 2-3-4 ; Twyman, 1 0-0-0-2; Christine McKee, 0. Totals: 6 4-5-17 .
Gre. 11 11 5 20–47
