Wednesday Roundup: Lady Eagles avenge early loss to Andover behind soaring 1st half run; Hinsdale outlasts Lady Wolverines in double-overtime thriller

Written By Chris Brooks

ANDOVER — There is no secret that both Andover and Fillmore hold two of the toughest, and most fortified defenses in Allegany County League play. Worlds collided in their first matchup earlier this season inside The Rock when the Lady Panthers handed the Lady Eagles one of their two only losses of the season with a 39-37 decision.

When the calendar fell onto Wednesday, the two county foes squared off for the final time in the regular season, this time in Andover. But this time, Fillmore felt right at home.

With both defenses battling their way through the early-going of the first quarter, the Lady Eagles would find a crack inside Andover’s floodgates. The crack began to grow larger into the second quarter when Fillmore accounted for a massive scoreless run extending nearly eight minutes in time to break the game wide open, as the Lady Eagles wound up avenging their early defeat to Andover with a 46-27 win of their own.

“Fillmore definitely came out looking for revenge tonight. They outplayed us in every aspect on the floor, and we just could not find a way to keep them in front of us,” said Lady Panthers coach Jake Bannerman. “None of our shots fell on our side, and they definitely deserved to get the big win. We’re not staying mentally focused enough. I felt like we were willing spectators for most of the game. We have to work on that, because it’s not going to get any easier going forward.”

Despite the loss, there was a positive that Andover managed to gain — the return of their senior leader Emily Wahl, who missed the past four games with an ankle injury that was suffered during their contest at Bradford/Hammondsport late last month. She would go on to get the Lady Panthers (11-6) on the board first in the opening two minutes of the contest with a runner inside. But the defenses would buckle down in a hurry after Fillmore erased their goose egg on their side of the scoreboard with four straight points themselves.

But then the thermometer was turned up by the Lady Eagles (14-2). After Hannah Roeske converted a pair of shots at the charity stripe to extend their lead to a pair, the fire soon got hotter with a scoreless run headed by Erin Mawn and her three-point shot, nailing all three of her triples in the first half, two coming on Fillmore’s extended run which grew to 13 straight points into the second quarter for a 16-4 lead.

Andover would find a way to bounce back toward the tail end of the first half, eliminating the double digit deficit for just a moment behind Wahl’s three-pointer in the last two minutes, but it would grow back to 13 points behind Mawn’s final three-pointer near the end of the half for a 25-12 lead of the Lady Panthers.

In the second half, Fillmore would go on to hold Andover to single digits on offense, but narrowly, as they came across an 11-6 third quarter run that gave them enough breathing room to sail toward victory.

Hannah Roeske and Emma Cole led all scorers on the hardwood with 14 game-high points each for the Lady Eagles, with Cole adding seven rebounds along the way. Mawn finished with 11 points in all to go with three assists. Riley Voss led the glass game for the visitors in black and green with eight team-high rebounds, and four assists.

The Lady Panthers were held to single digits in the scorebook, with Wahl leading the charge with six points in her return. Tess Spangenburg and Kelsie Niedermaier helped the cause with five points respectively.

Fillmore returns to the floor on the road late Saturday afternoon, prepping for a long road trip up north to visit the Lady Golden Knights of York at 4 p.m. As for Andover, they will look to bounce back Monday night, on the road themselves to square off with the Cuba-Rushford Lady Rebels at 7:30 p.m.

Fillmore          11 14 11 10 – 46

Andover 2 10 6 9 – 27

FILLMORE: Riley Voss 2 0-2 4, Hannah Roeske 6 2-2 14, Emma Cole 4 6-6 14, Morgan Byer 1 0-0 3, Erin Mawn 4 0-0 11. Totals: 17 8-10 46.
ANDOVER: Rylie Bryan 1 0-0 3, Hayleigh Niedermaier 1 0-0 3, Tess Spangenburg 2 0-0 5, Livia Simon 1 3-3 5, Emily Wahl 2 1-2 6, Kelsie Niedermaier 2 1-2 5. Totals: 9 5-9 27.

3-point goals: Fillmore 4 (Mawn 3, Byer), Andover 4 (Bryan, H. Niedermaier, Spangenburg, Wahl).
Total Fouls: Fillmore 9, Andover 6. Fouled out: None.

Hinsdale 56, Bolivar-Richburg 52 (F-2OT)

BOLIVAR — For all three seniors that celebrated Senior Night for the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg, it turned out to be a slugfest for everyone involved on Wednesday.

Not one, but two extra periods of time were needed to decide an outcome in Hinsdale and Bolivar-Richburg’s final meeting of the season inside the Wolverine’s Den. After a clutch first overtime-ending shot from the Lady Wolverines, it would force double overtime, where Hinsdale was able to get the start they wanted, accounting for a string of baskets in a row to jump out in front with a big lead and keep it for good to hold off Bolivar-Richburg with a 56-52 thrilling victory for their sixth consecutive decision in the win column.

“Hinsdale deserves every last bit of credit. We gave the game away,” said Lady Wolverines coach Justin Thomas. “They rolled in with five girls, played down one, and they battled through the fouls. They deserved every bit of this win tonight. We just couldn’t put this game away. We had some nice runs late in the second half, but we made a couple of baskets and then missed one that we needed. We didn’t string enough together to pull through.”

You could say it was a bit of a back-and-forth affair through most of regulation between the two clubs, as they dug their way in for a 37-37 tie at the end of four quarters of play. In the first overtime, Kelsey Pacer had the clutch gene for the Lady Wolverines (10-6), as she picked up an inbound pass with under two seconds left, hitting a long and banked three-pointer at the buzzer to tie the game one more time at 43.

But in double overtime, the Lady Bobcats (12-4) found their rhythm almost immediately after the opening tip, using a string of baskets to their advantage to hold Bolivar-Richburg down with a 13-6 game-ending run that sealed up a narrow four-point victory in their favor.

The storyline? — Overtime free throws, a statistic where the Lady Bobcats nearly perfected at the charity stripe, hitting eight shots out of 10 possible in the eight minutes worth of extra time. For Bolivar-Richburg, they converted just two shots out of nine.

Nevertheless, it was a valiant effort for the Lady Wolverines, who were led by Aliyah Cole before being fouled out, as she capped off the night with a team-high 17 points to go with 18 rebounds to complete a double-double. Pacer had a two-and two herself, following closely behind with 16 points and 18 rebounds, while Madigan Harris had eight to chip in. On special teams, Jianna Nix added 10 more boards.

On the opposite side of the court, the Lady Bobcats saw Liz Pryzbyla take charge with a game-high 20 points. Lindsey Veno powered the inside game with 13 points, while Kayla Brooks launched three of the team’s four triples to put toward a collective 10-point effort.

Both teams are on the road for their next contest, as Hinsdale will spend the weekend planning for a trip to Genesee Valley to visit the Lady Jaguars on Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. This Friday, the Lady Wolverines will look to put a bow on a season sweep of the Cuba-Rushford Lady Rebels inside the Wighthouse at 6 p.m.

Hinsdale                  10   3 11 13 6 13 – 56

Bolivar-Richburg      8   6 13 10   6 6 – 52

HINSDALE: Kaitlynn Roberson 1 4-6 6, Kayla Brooks 3 1-2 10, Liz Pryzbyla 7 4-10 20, Haylee Jozwiak 3 1-2 7, Lindsey Veno 5 3-6 13. Totals: 19 13-26 56.
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: McKinlee Harris 1 1-7 3, Madigan Harris 4 0-0 8, Kelsey Pacer 7 1-2 16, Kelsey Ferris 1 0-2 2, Aliyah Cole 5 7-10 17, Jianna Nix 3 0-0 6. Totals: 21 9-21 52.

3-point goals: Hinsdale 5 (Brooks 3, Pryzbyla 2), B-R 1 (Pacer).
Total Fouls: Hinsdale 18, B-R 23. Fouled out: Mc. Harris (B-R), Ma. Harris (B-R), Cole (B-R).

Cuba-Rushford 55, Genesee Valley 33

CUBA — One game after providing an even spread of offense in their victory over Belfast, the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford did it once more on Wednesday, as they had three different scorers post double digit figures to fuel a first half run that saw them hop into the driver’s seat from that point on, coasting past visiting Genesee Valley in the process with a 55-33 victory.

The Lady Rebels (8-7) put forth a solid first quarter, as did Genesee Valley with the hosts only going up with a 20-13 lead after the frame reached its end. The middle quarters was the point in time where the team in white and blue was able to stretch out the advantage a bit further. With a 35-24 halftime lead in hand, Cuba-Rushford built a 12-5 run inside the third quarter that saw them pull away for good.

Kate Howe led all scorers on the floor with a game-high 18 points for Cuba-Rushford. Lillian Forward added in 12 shots of her own, while Sarah Cole dug inside to deliver 10 points. On the flip side, Lizzie Bentley led all Lady Jaguars (2-15) scorers with a team-high 16 points. Hailey Herring provided six points.

Both teams are back on the floor Friday night with 6 p.m. tip-offs, as the Lady Rebels prepare to close out their season series with rival Bolivar-Richburg at home, while Genesee Valley continues their road trip into Belfast by visiting the Lady Bulldogs.

Genesee Valley       13 11   5  4 – 33

Cuba-Rushford       20 15 12  8 – 55

GENESEE VALLEY: Adison Grusendorf 2 0-0 5, Emera Aquila 1 1-6 4, Lizzie Bentley 5 3-4 16, Hailey Herring 3 0-0 6, Sierra Burrows 0 2-2 2. Totals: 11 6-12 33.

CUBA-RUSHFORD: Lillian Forward 5 2-3 12, Ella Jaffe 1 0-0 2, Sarah Cole 5 0-0 10, Taylor Searle 4 0-0 9, Kate Howe 8 0-2 18, Cameron Shaw 2 0-0 4. Totals: 25 2-5 55.

3-point goals: GV 5 (Bentley 3, Grusendorf, Aquila), C-R 3 (Howe 2, Searle).
Total Fouls: GV 6, C-R 9. Fouled out: None.

Houghton Academy 41, Belfast 16

HOUGHTON — It was a cold shooting first half between both Belfast and Houghton Academy early Wednesday night. But the heat soon turned up in a short amount of time for the host Lady Panthers, as they held the Lady Bulldogs to a single shot from the field while capitalizing on offense of their own to extend their lead permanently for a 41-16 victory.

Houghton Academy (8-7) gained the upper hand through the first 16 minutes of the contest by outscoring their opposition narrowly. After an early three-point lead in the opening quarter, it would continue to grow in the second behind a 9-3 run of the Lady Bulldogs to gain a double digit lead heading into the break.

In the third quarter, the offensive production began to click from all different fronts to accumulate what would be a game-turning 14-2 run of Belfast (2-13) to pull away insurmountably.

Jessica Prentice was the driving force behind the Lady Panthers offense, scoring a game-high 19 points. Sarah Retz provided 10 points of her own, while Emma Retz contributed eight points. As for the visitors, Kaitlin Sadler and Alicia Border both led the Lady Bulldogs with six team-leading points.

The Lady Panthers are back in action Saturday afternoon, as they kick off a varsity twinbill with their boys basketball counterparts at 12 p.m. with a matchup against incoming Destiny Christian. On Friday, the Lady Bulldogs return home in hopes of getting back on track with Genesee Valley in town for a 6 p.m. tip-off.

Belfast                          5 3  2   6 – 16

Houghton Academy     8 9 14 10 – 41

BELFAST: Kaitlin Sadler 3 0-0 6, Alicia Borden 2 1-5 6, Anna Drozdowski 0 1-2 1, Emma Sullivan 1 1-2 3. Totals: 6 3-9 16.
HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Jessica Prentice 8 3-5 19, Maddy Paschalis 1 0-0 2, Emma Retz 3 2-4 8, Sarah Retz 5 0-0 10, Issabella Paschalis 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18 5-9 41.

3-point goals: Belfast 1 (Borden).
Total Fouls: Belfast 13, Houghton 9. Fouled out: None.

BOYS BASKETBALL

Houghton Academy 60, Friendship 24

FRIENDSHIP — A statement was made right from the first eight minute period and into the first half break by the Houghton Academy Panthers, as they accounted for their biggest outings offense in the first 16 minute timespan to put the hammer down on their 60-24 road victory over the Friendship Golden Eagles, Wednesday evening.

The Panthers (10-3) ignited the field in the first eight minutes, as they accounted for a big 24-7 run that kept them out in front for good. The momentum remained in their favor later in the second by stringing together yet another big run of Friendship to take a 43-9 lead at the half.

On the scoresheet, Houghton Academy brought a balanced offensive attack to the table with Loik Makuza leading all scorers on the hardwood with a game-high 12 points. Chris Habecker added in 10 points, while Lee Murray and Gennaro Pico each tallied nine points. For the Golden Eagles (2-12), Blake Hewitt was ahead of the pack with a team-high 11 points. Atlin Moore pitched in with seven points.

Houghton Academy returns to the floor back home Saturday afternoon, as they host Destiny Christian for a 1:30 p.m. tip-off. As for Friendship, they make a road trip over the hill to Scio to visit the Tigers at 7:30 p.m. on Monday.

Houghton Academy    24 19  9 8 – 60

Friendship                     7  2 10 5 – 24  

HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Lee Murray 4 0-0 9, Ayo Banwo 4 0-0 8, Loik Makuza 6 0-2 12, Reggie Tran 1 0-0 2, Malachi DeGolyer 1 1-1 3, Chris Habecker 4 2-2 10, Samuel Morah 3 1-2 7, Gennaro Pico 4 0-0 9. Totals: 27 4-7 60.
FRIENDSHIP: Micah Hosley 0 1-2 1, Blake Hewitt 5 0-2 11, Atlin Moore 3 0-1 7, Taylor Moore 1 0-0 2, Donovan Breckinridge 1 0-0 3. Totals: 10 1-5 24.
3-point goals: Houghton 2 (Murray, Pico), Friendship 3 (Hewitt, A. Moore, Breckinridge).
Total Fouls: Houghton 10, Friendship 6. Fouled out: None.

Hammondsport 102, Andover 24

HAMMONDSPORT — A pair of 30-point quarters in the first half, and three players recording at least 20 points. It was a recipe for success that all clicked for the Hammondsport Lakers on their home turf Wednesday evening, as they coasted their way toward victory with a 102-24 win over the visiting Andover Panthers.

Just three scorers found the basket in all for the Panthers (4-12), with Chris Walker leading the way with a team-high 11 points. Preston Ordway drained a pair of triples on his way toward nine points. Grady Terhune rounded off with the remaining four points on a pair of baskets inside.

Andover will look to regroup back home tonight, as they welcome in the Jasper-Troupsburg Wildcats for a 7:30 p.m. visit in their third straight contest this week.

Andover                    5  4   7   8 –  24

Hammondsport      31 30 22 19 – 102

ANDOVER: Grady Terhune 2 0-0 4, Chris Walker 4 3-8 11, Preston Ordway 3 1-2 9. Totals: 9 4-10 24.
HAMMONDSPORT: Thomas Kressly 12 0-0 27, Michael Bean 9 2-2 24, Ian MacDonald 4 0-0 8, Zak Davis 11 0-0 25, Chris Becker 2 0-1 5, CJ Hill 1 2-2 4, Johnathan Wells 4 1-2 9. Totals: 43 5-7 102.

3-point goals: Andover 2 (Ordway), Hammondsport 11 (Bean 4, Kressly 3, Davis 3, Becker).
Total Fouls: Andover 11, Hammondsport 11. Fouled out: None.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Allegany County Playoffs Semifinal: Cuba-Rushford 3, Genesee Valley 0

CUBA — All the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford needed on Wednesday was three sets to make their way into next week’s Allegany County Championship game, as they rolled their way to a straight-set sweep of visiting Genesee Valley to earn the 25-16, 25-17, 25-21 decision.

Caden Granger led the Rebels (9-2) offense with a team-leading seven kills, going with two aces and one assist. Devin Tullar provided the defense at the front of the net, denying eight shots along with contributing four kills. Setter Caden Larabee dished out a team-leading 21 assists, pairing them with five kills and five aces.

“We’re excited for the Final next week. The boys all played well to make this happen tonight,” said Rebels coach Nick Perillo. “We really looked like a complete game today, and we had a one team, one brain mindset that we’ve been waiting for all season. Genesee Valley have some big hitters on their team, and it was good to get some big blocks in there that we haven’t gotten in past matchups.”

The Jaguars were led by Ethan Porter on offense, powering the effort with a game-high 12 kills. Julian Mead added in 11 kills of his own to go with four blocks, three aces and two digs. Setter Logan Torrey handed out 21 assists to go with his two kills. The season is over for Genesee Valley, as they wrap up a 2019-20 campaign with an overall record of 1-11.

As for the Rebels, they’ll go for the Allegany County championship title Tuesday night in Wellsville, where they will face the Lions for the first time since their epic and thrilling five-set encounter late last month.

Chris Brooks
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