Girls’ Basketball
Norwich 57, Chenango Valley 47
FENTON – Chenango Valley was 18 points better than its first meeting with Norwich back in December as the Warriors gave the Tornado a stern test Saturday afternoon before succumbing by 10 points.
“They are probably the most improved team in our conference,” said Norwich coach Josh Bennett of CV. “They are a casebook example of why any team that wants to go to sectionals, should be able to go.”
Norwich received 10 points from Makenzie Maynard in the second half, and Shelby Benjamin scored all nine of her points over the final two periods. Norwich clung to a four-point halftime lead, and needed precise offense to put the Warriors away. “We did a nice job executing our offense down the stretch,” Bennett said. “For the past two weeks, we have worked hard on putting in some more set plays, and in this game, we executed for three or four easy baskets out of our sets. I was really proud of that.”
Norwich struck for six three-pointers in the first half, three from Caitlyn Brown. Norwich’s outside marksmanship came at the right time as the Tornado forwards were plagued with foul trouble. “Luckily, when we weren’t defending well, we were scoring,” Bennett said. “In the beginning of the game, we weren’t scoring, but were defending well. A sign of a good team in my eyes is one that guts it out when you’re not at your best, and we definitely did that.”
Maynard led Norwich with 14 points, while Benjamin, Brown, and Savannah Williams all scored nine.
Norwich: Caitlyn Brown, 3 0-0-9; Carin Kuhn 1 0-0-3; Kassidy Seary, 1 0-0-2; Makenzie Maynard, 5 3-3-14; Meghan Komendarek, 3 2-4-8; Bridget Murphy, 1 0-0-3; Savannah Williams, 4 0-0-9; Shelby Benjamin, 4 1-2-9; Courtney Scheer, 0 ; Ashley Murphy, 0. Totals: 22 6-9-57.
CV: Maggie Gross, 6 1-1-13; Dani Forbidussi, 2 0-0-6; Carlee Ostrom, 0; Cassidy O’Brien, 0 1-2-1; Olivia Trumino, 5 2-6-13; Emily Hammond, 1 4-4-6; Chelsea Hennige, 0 3-4-3; Maria Maerkl, 2 1-3-5; Maya Pedroso, 0; Stephanie Clapper, 0. Totals: 16 12-20-47.
Norw. 13 16 15 13–57
CVall 13 12 12 10–47
Fouled out: (N) Komendarek. Three-point goals: (CV) Forbidussi 2, Trumino. (N) Brown 3, Maynard, B. Murphy, Williams. JV: Norwich won 53-37. Officials: Ehrie, Paul.
Sherburne-Earlville 72, Adirondack 32
BOONVILLE – Sherburne-Earlville junior Savannah Irwin broke her own single-game school record hitting eight three-pointers, and fellow junior Lilly Berg had 25 points and 14 rebounds in the Marauders’ blowout win Saturday.
Lexi Elderkin provided a nice third scoring option, too, scoring 10 points to go with seven rebounds and six steals. “Everyone contributed tonight, and it was nice to get some scoring besides Lilly and Savannah,” said S-E coach Karen Mulligan, who credited the play of Elderkin and Stacia Beckwith.
S-E (13-5) plays at Central Valley Academy Friday.
S-E:  Stacia Beckwith, 3 1-10-7; Miranda Wright, 0; Lexi Elderkin, 4 0-0-10; Savannah Irwin, 8 0-0-24; Emily Stanton, 0 1-2-1; Sydney Palmer, 2 1-2-5; Lilly Berg, 10 5-7-25. Totals: 27 8-21-72 .
