With back-to-back state championships in girls soccer secured Cece Powell, Tenly Baker and other Marcellus stars turned to basketball for another championship pursuit. So close to sectional titles each of the last two years while going 36-10 overall, the Mustangs are one of the clear favorites in 20 25-26 and displayed it last Monday in its opener, a 67-25 romp over Holland Patent. Having accumulated more than 3,000 career points between them, Powell and Baker continued to add to those totals against the Golden Knights while building a 57-18 lead through three quarters. Powell’s 24 points nearly matched HP as a whole, while Baker chimed in with 16 points. Help came from Hannah Knox and Leah Wood, who each finished with seven points. Then Marcellus routed Phoenix 77-46 on Friday night with an even bigger display from its star duo, especially in the second half when, with the game still in doubt, the Mustangs outscored the Firebirds 47-24. Baker struck for 12 field goals, four of them 3-pointers, and netted 32 points overall, and Powell was close behind putting in 27 points which included nine successful free throws. Calleigh Wierbinski had eight points and Hannah Knox chimed in with seven points. Off to an even better start was Bishop Ludden-Grimes, who improved to 4-0 with continued reliance on the duo of Ava Carpenter and Riley Abernethy. In Tuesday’s 71-42 victory over Mexico, the Gaelic Knights put together a 46-17 push through the second and third quarters to seize control. Carpneter threatened a quadruple-double earning a career-best 12 steals to go with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Abernethy had 22 points and 10 rebounds, Savannah Simmons adding 12 points, seven steals and four rebounds. What happened Thursday night was even more unusual, Ludden-Grimes entirely depending on two players at Oswego to battle its way past the Buccanners 48-42. Everyone on the Gaelic Knights was shut out except for Carpenter and Abernethy, who each made eight field goals, half of them 3-pointers. Due to hitting all five of her free throws Carpenter finished with 25 points and Abernethy got 23 points, Carpenter adding nine steals and Abernethy five steals. Simmons was shut out but still contributed seven rebounds, five assists and three steals Skaneateles was under .500 a season ago but gained a big win over a long-time nemesis in last Tuesday’s season opener when it defeated Westhill 49-37. The Lakers trailed 20-19 at halftime but then outscored the Wolf Pack 21-9 in a decisive third quarter led by Mimi Callahan, who amassed 17 rebounds to go with her 13 points. Allie Michel had a team-best 15 points, adding seven rebounds and four steals. Brooke DeRosalia had eight points and six rebounds as Zahle Thomas accounted for more than half of Westhill’s production earning 19 points. West Genesee reached the sectional Class AA finals a season ago but saw its top three scorers graduate. Still, the Wildcats were impressive in last Tuesday’s opener shutting down Indian River in a 47-29 decision. Defensively WG held the Wolves to just five points in both the second and fourth quarters accounting for much of that winning margin. Jordan-Elbridge began its season last Monday with a 39-22 defeat to Homer. Held to eight points in the first half, the Eagles never got going on offense, with Kelsey Brunelle’s 12 points accounting for more than half the team’s production. A 42-27 defeat to Homer followed on Friday night. ...read more read less