Last updated 03/19/07
 UNITY
WILDCATS' 2006-07HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS NYSPHSAA State
Final Four -
BOTH MALONE AND SOUTH JEFFERSON
PLAY FOR STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Class
"A": ALY JOHNSON (MAL-13pts) kept Franklin Free Academy
in the game in the first half with 10 points and her outstanding
teammates Haley Poupore & Beth Wiggins came through in the
second
half to help down previously undefeated Section V champion Newark,
56-54. Down 54-49 with 3:30 to go in the game, the Huskies clamped down
on Newark's talented duo of Alyssa Fenyn and Shakista Woolfolk holding
the entire Newark team scoreless the rest of the way. Taking possession
with :24 seconds remaining in the game, the Huskies ran their flex
offense through three rotations before they found Poupore breaking free
in the middle for the winning basket. Malone will face yet
another undefeated squad, Section I champion Lakeland, in the State
Finals Saturday March 17 at 7:00pm.
Class "B": No matter what their opponents throw at them, the South Jefferson Spartans are always prepared. Last week, the Spartans earned a trip to the Final Four with a grinding victory over Chenango Valley's smaller, quick lineup. This week, Final Four foe Watervliet sported an agile and towering front line of 6'2", 6'1" and 5'11". When it comes to the Spartans' "D" size doesn't matter, the Spartans did what they do best -- play tremendous defense. With South Jeff hanging onto a slim lead in the third quarter, LINSEY NILES (SJ-17pts, 9 rebs) came through once more with three critical baskets to put the Spartans up 28-18. As all SJ opponents know from experience, being down by 10 to the Spartans is like being down by 25 against any other team -- there is little hope of coming back against their relentless, precise defensive pressure. Though 'Vliet cut the lead to 5 in the final minutes of the game, South Jefferson never wavered and headed into another State Final game with a 52-39 triumph. The Spartans continue their quest for a second consecutive State title versus Section VI East Aurora on Saturday March 17 at 4:00pm. |
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QUALIFIERS: This year's Unity Wildcats Elite roster includes players from three NYS Classes: AA, A &B. The best the 'Cats could hope for would be three berths for its players in the NYSPHSAA Final Four at Hudson Valley Community College this weekend. Well, as the old saying goes "Two out of three ain't bad!" Class "A": ALY JOHNSON (MAL-11pts) and her Franklin Free Academy teammates claimed their ticket to the Final Four with a disciplined and methodical defeat of former #1 State ranked Syracuse-CBA. CBA jumped out to an early first quarter lead but the Huskies' modus operandi of late has been to dominate the 2nd & 3rd quarters. This game would be no different. Trailing by 3 entering the 2nd quarter, Malone held down high scoring CBA in workmanlike fashion to head into the 4th quarter up by 9. But CBA has too much talent and poise to just go away quietly and facing an 11 point deficit late in the game, the Brothers kicked into gear making key threes to cut the lead to 2. But in the end, key free throws by Johnson and Haley Poupore doomed the Brothers and punched the Huskies' Final Four ticket for the second straight year. Malone will face Section V Newark on Friday March 16 at 1:00pm. Class "B": The mark of a true champion is performance and poise under pressure. LINSEY NILES (SJ) and her South Jefferson teammates exhibited just that mark once again as they rallied to down stubborn Chenango Valley, 43-33. Though Niles led the Spartans with 19 points and 10 rebounds (yet another double-double), no points were more important than those she scored as the Warriors pulled back to a 29-27 deficit with 5:00 minutes remaining in the game. With the Spartans seemingly rattled by the quick and scrappy Warriors, Niles calmly took control as she tallied a perfect teardrop lay-in and a soft runner from the left side on consecutive possessions. With 3:30 left, Chenango was suddenly down 35-27 and their hopes of upsetting 25-0 and #1 ranked South Jefferson came to an abrupt end. The Spartans continue their quest for a second consecutive State title versus Section II Watervliet on Friday March 16 at 10:00am. |
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of 03/04/07-03/10/07: Friday - ALY JOHNSON's (MAL) 13 points led the way for Section 10 Champ Franklin Free Academy as they powered by Section 2's Ichabod Crane, 53-39. The Huskies improved to 22-1 and will now face Syracuse-CBA in the State Playoffs with a spot in the Class "A" Final Four at stake. Week of 02/25/07-03/03/07: Saturday - Congratulations to our Sectional winners LINSEY NILES (SJ) and ALY JOHNSON (MAL). Niles led the way on Saturday for her South Jefferson Spartans with 19 points and 10 rebounds as the Spartans ground past Clinton, 37-21. South Jefferson now moves on to States sporting a gaudy 24-0 record!-- Oswego's outstanding season came to an end with a defeat at the hands of Number 2 seed Liverpool, 52-40. The Buccaneers came out flat at the start and were down 18-8 at the end of the first period. Down 17 in the 3rd quarter, the Bucs cut the lead to 5 with five minutes to go in the 4th but the hole was too deep. Oswego ends its season with a sparkling 22-2 record. Tuesday - Different story, same ending. The South Jefferson Spartans claimed their fifth consecutive Section 3 Class B-1 title with a methodical 59-43 triumph over a game but undermanned Westhill squad. While the Spartans rotated 2-3 players in and out of the contest every 2 minutes, the Warriors kept their starting five on the floor for virtually the entire contest. The differing strategies worked for both teams as the first half finished in a 21-21 deadlock. After Westhill pulled away to a 29-26 lead midway through the third period, the Spartans depth and relentless pressure began to take its toll. Daniel Felice hit a three to give the Spartans a 30-29 lead that they would never relinquish and followed that with a steal, break away layup and free throw. Down 33-29, the worn down Warriors could not recover. LINSEY NILES (SJ) finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds while CARLY COOPER (WH) finished with 13 points including two threes that helped her tie the Section 3 season record for threes at 70. Congratulations to both teams for a fine performance. Good luck to LINSEY NILES and her Spartan teammates as they continue their march to another Class B State Championship! |
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of 02/19/07-02/24/07: Saturday - CARLY COOPER (WH) wasn't just "on" on Saturday vs IHC, she was ON! Cooper scored 10 in the first, 11 in the second, 16 in the third and 8 in the fourth to finish with a school record 45 points, leading Westhill to a convincing 83-53 triumph over Watertown IHC. Cooper shot 60% from the field (15-25 including 6 threes) and 9 of 10 from the free throw line while amassing six steals. Cooper's scoring binge earned her admission to the exclusive "400 Club" as she has now accumulated 412 points on the season. Westhill (19-3) will next face off against undefeated South Jefferson (22-0) on Tuesday night at CNS for the Class B-1 Sectional Title.-- South Jefferson earned entrance into its fifth straight Sectional Title tilt with a defensive tour de force victory over Cazenovia, 39-16. LINSEY NILES (SJ) led the way at both ends of the floor for the Spartans as they clamped down on leading scorer KILEY EVANS (CAZ) from the opening tip. South Jefferson allowed one basket and a total of 4 points in the first half of its defensive clinic.-- NICOLE KARAM (NH) led New Hartford with 13 but CBA's three point shooting ended the overmatched Spartans' season, 67-43.-- MOLLY BYRNE (BL) hit key shots throughout the night and grabbed 11 rebounds but victory eluded the Gaelic Knights as the Clinton Warriors pulled out a 37-34 come-from-behind victory.-- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) scored 13 points but second seed Jamesville-Dewitt was too much for the Warriors, 72-49. Friday - CARI REED (OSW) corralled a double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, CORRIN CONROY (OSW) added 14 points and NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) finished with 8 points and 9 rebounds as #1 seed Oswego upended an energized CNS squad, 57-54. With Oswego clinging to the slimmest of leads, 49-48, and less than a minute to go in the game, senior captain Corrin Conroy connected on a clutch trey from the left corner followed by two crucial free throws. The Bucs needed every bit of it to fend off the Northstars who hit two pressure three point field goals in the final :25 seconds to keep things interesting. The game played out much as expected as the Northstars dominated from the outside (12 triples) while the Bucs pounded the ball inside. With the score tied 22-22, CNS came out of a timeout with just less than five minutes left in the half to hit three consecutive 3s in a 1:20 span, while holding Oswego scoreless, to take a stunning 31-22 lead with but 3:00 left in the first half. After scoring only 2 points in the first five minutes of the second quarter, the Buccaneers countered with six unanswered points of their own to cut the lead to 31-28 at the intermission. Oswego will meet the winner of today's Liverpool-FM game next Saturday (03/03) at OCC in the AA Section 3 Finals. Tuesday - KILEY EVANS (CAZ) matched her season high with 21 points as the Lakers upset higher seed Sherburne-Earlville, 59-52. Cazenovia will next meet undefeated South Jefferson in the B-1 Semifinals.-- LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG-14pts) and her WG Wildcats gave Liverpool all they could handle but fell to the Warriors, 53-44. The "Charity Stripe" was anything but for the Wildcats as they went 2-20 from the free throw line.-- In a contest of U-Cats, NICOLE KARAM's 24 points were just enough to overcome SHANNON FINUCANE's (CRT) 23 as New Hartford bested Cortland, 56-50, to advance to the A Semifinals versus powerful CBA.-- NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) led all scorers with 15 and helped Oswego cruise past Nottingham, 57-42. Oswego will next play CNS or Utica Proctor (the team that earlier this season handed the Buccaneers their only loss) in the AA Semifinals.-- MOLLY BYRNE (BL-12pts) and ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA (BL-9pts) directed Bishop Ludden to the B-2 Semifinals with a 47-36 defeat of Mount Markham.-- KRISTIN DIGLIO (WH) poured in a career best 24 and back court mate CARLY COOPER (WH) added 17 to lead the Warriors to a 57-41 victory over Solvay. Westhill will play Watertown-IHC this week in the B-1 Semifinals.-- LINSEY NILES (SJ-game high 12pts) led a strong Spartan defensive team effort versus Marcellus, taking down the Mustangs, 60-16. Monday - Congratulations to ALY JOHNSON (MAL) and her Franklin Free Academy Huskies as they rolled past Massena, 62-44, to take Section 10 Class A honors. Johnson finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds. The Huskies' Sectional play is no complete and they will next take on the winner of the Section 2 Class A finals in States.-- Watertown clamped down on KATIE HART (CS) "holding" her to 12 points as the Red Hawks fell in a close battle, 49-46. Saturday - SARAH HULL (BV) finished her career for the Bees with 10 points but CNS was too much as Baldwinsville fell 62-49 in the first round of Sectional play. Hull fought back from an ACL injury incurred in summer league play and now will look to continue her career at Onondaga Community College next season. -- DEVON CROLL (VVS) finished her career in the style to which we have grown accustomed as she poured in 24 points in a 76-62 loss to Camden. Croll finishes her career with more than 1400 points but will not be remembered just for her scoring. Throughout her career, she was one of the area's leading rebounders (though she stands but 5'5" tall) and top playmakers.-- LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG) scored 13 to help West Genesee ease past Auburn, 50-37, and move to the next round versus local rival Liverpool.-- NICOLE KARAM (NH) kept up her scoring binge with 20 points versus ESM as the NH Spartans easily bested their namesake, 63-35. Karam and New Hartford (15-6) are peaking at the right time and hope to make some noise in Sectional play.-- JULIA TUPPER's (PHX) 17 points were not enough to overcome a tough Mexico squad as the Firebirds' season ended with a 52-47 loss.-- SHANNON FINUCANE (CRT) scored 28 to lead Cortland past Oneida 70-38. |
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Week
of 02/12/07-02/18/07:
Tuesday - KATIE HART (CS) clinched the Section 3 scoring title with a 27 point effort in the Red Hawks 54-38 season ending win over Henninger. Hart finishes the regular season with 430 points and a 21.5 ppg average.-- Congratulations to LINSEY NILES (SJ) and her fellow Lady Spartans as their season ending victory over Indian River (ERICA AUFFREY-game high 16 pts) completed a 20-0 perfect regular season. South Jefferson enters Sectional play having averaged nearly 60ppg while allowing only 27ppg. Every Spartan victory was by a margin of at least double digits. Monday -
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of 02/05/07-02/11/07: Thursday/Friday/Saturday - MOLLY BYRNE (BL) connected for a season high 25 and ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA (BL) added 14 as the Gaelic Knights sprinted past Marcellus, 60-42, for their sixth consecutive victory. After struggling in the first half of the season, Ludden heads into Sectional play as a team on a roll that could easily challenge for Sectional honors.-- NICOLE KARAM (NH) continued her hot streak with 18 as New Hartford rumbled past Camden, 64-45, for their third straight win and now sit one game back of TVL East leading Whitesboro with one game to play.-- DEVON CROLL (VVS) collected a game high 24 points and VVS staved off wounded Oneida, 49-46.-- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) clicked for 24 points as Cortland picked up a tough road victory over stubborn Phoenix, 52-44; JULIA TUPPER (PHX) scored 9 for the Firebirds.-- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) scored 13 to help the Hornets to avoid Auburn's determined upset bid, 61-58. Wednesday- Bishop Ludden turned the tables on Hannibal in a big way as the Gaelic Knights pounded the Warriors, 82-29. MOLLY BYRNE (BL) pumped in a game high 19 and backcourt mate ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA (BL) added 14 as Ludden avenged its earlier season upset loss at the hands of Hannibal.-- KILEY EVANS (CAZ) scored a game high 17 as Cazenovia experienced no letdown following its upset of Westhill, besting Solvay in a defensive battle, 33-28. Monday - ALY JOHNSON (MAL) contributed a season high 14 as Franklin Free Academy ran past Canton, 68-42, and improved to 17-1 on the season. |
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of 01/29/07-02/04/07: Friday/Saturday - ERICA AUFFREY (IR) hit double figures once again as Indian River prepped for its showdown with top rival South Jefferson next week by beating Carthage handily, 62-35.-- KILEY EVANS (CAZ) scored just two points but her savvy floor game and ubiquitous positioning helped lead the Lakers to an improbable upset victory over rival Westhill, 41-40. Evans defense and hustle held high-scoring CARLY COOPER (WH) to one point in the second half as Cooper finished with 11 for the game.-- NICOLE KARAM (NH) scored a game high 20 as New Hartford pulled away from Oneida, 73-42.-- KATIE HART (CS) scored a team high 22 but CNS had too much as they squeezed past the Red Hawks, 64-58.-- JULIA TUPPER (PHX) connected for a team high 15 but Mexico stopped the Firebirds, 57-47.-- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) contributed 14 points as the Hornets welcomed the return of Torie Lee and fought past West Genesee, 56-45; LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG) scored 8 for the Wildcats.-- SARAH HULL (BV) continuing her comeback from ACL surgery scored 8 to help the Bees put together a furious fourth quarter rally and pick up a much needed league road victory over Nottingham, 51-44.-- DEVON CROLL (VVS) tossed in 22 to lead VVS over H-P, 64-50, breaking a six game losing skid for the Red Devils.-- Oswego romped past Corcoran to improve to 17-1 with a plethora of U-Cats (REED-13, SHEFFIELD-9, KNOPP-9, CARROLL-6, HUNT-6 & CONROY-4) contributing to their offensive totals. Wednesday/Thursday - MOLLY BYRNE (BL-13pts) and ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA (BL-9pts) led a 14-1 fourth quarter spurt to help bring the Gaelic Knights back against Solvay, 41-31.-- CARLEE COOPER (WH) continued her fine play with 18 points and 5 assists as Westhill cruised past Hannibal, 80-31.-- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) connected for 18 as the Purple Tigers pounced on the Homer Trojans, 71-40. Tuesday - KATIE HART (CS) joined the Section 3 1000 point club as she scored 24 in a 64-49 loss to Liverpool. Hart has averaged 20.6 ppg this season on the way to the millenium mark.-- LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG) scored 18 to help West Genesee run past Auburn, 62-53.-- JULIA TUPPER (PHX) scored 19 points and pulled down a season high 18 rebounds as Phoenix eased past Chittenango 46-40.-- NICOLE KARAM (NH) contibuted a game high 18 as New Hartford blasted past H-P, 76-46.-- ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA (BL) scored 15 as Bishop Ludden won a key Liberty Conference matchup against Skaneateles, 49-40, to take over sole possession of second place in the league.-- KAYLEE LAMANNA (FP) dropped in 16 for the Falcons but it wasn't enough as Pulaski downed F-P, 61- 43. |
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of 01/22/07-01/28/07: Saturday - CARI REED (OSW) scored a game high 12 and NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) added 11 as Oswego wore down Waterloo, 61-36, and improved to 16-1 on the season.-- Two of the area's top posts, EMILY TRAPANI (FM-13pts) and KATIE HART (CS-10pts) faced off in the Central Square Coaches vs Cancer tournament with Fayetteville-Manlius earning a hard fought 59-50 victory over improving Central Square.-- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) scored 12 as Indian River prepped for its hometown rivalry tilt with South Jefferson (01/31) by besting Whitesboro for the second time this season, 63-58. Friday - SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) bounced back to score 27 and lead Cortland past Chittenango, 62-33.-- LINSEY NILES (SJ) contributed a game high 17 and added 6 rebounds to help South Jefferson remain undefeated with a 61-22 win over APW.-- Central Square got off to a slow start against Henninger but KATIE HART's (CS) 20 points and 11 rebounds helped the Red Hawks pull away to a 69-47 triumph over the Black Knights.-- Also in the CS Coaches vs Cancer Tournament, EMILY TRAPANI (FM) dominated Auburn and finished with a career high 30 points to help F-M win, 59-33, to set up a finals matchup versus CS.-- KRISTEN DIGLIO's (WH) 18 and CARLY COOPER's (WH) 16 led the way for Westhill as they overcame a stubborn Marcellus squad, 65-50, and improved to 16-2 on the season.-- EMMA ADAMS (ON) dropped in 10 as up and down Oneida upended league leading Clinton in a 48-38 defensive battle.-- ALYSON JOHNSON (MAL) led all scorers with 11 as State ranked Malone eased past Potsdam, 59-25.-- DEVON CROLL (VVS) put together one of the area's highest scoring games of the year as she scored a career high 35 points but it was not enough for struggling VVS as they dropped a 71-55 decision to Camden.-- JULIA TUPPER (PHX) scored a team high 11 for Phoenix but J-D had too much fire power and rolled past the Firebirds, 66-40. Thursday - ERICA AUFFREY (IR) scored 18 points and collected 11 rebounds as Indian River powered past IHC, 63-48, to avenge a loss earlier in January to the Cavaliers.-- KILEY EVANS (CAZ) scored 11 to lead inconsistent but talented Cazenovia back to the winning side of the ledger with a hard fought 34-31 road victory over Skaneateles. Wednesday - In a complete reversal of fortunes, Bishop Ludden thumped Corcoran, 72-45. In their earlier meeting this season, Corcoran blasted Ludden by 22 points. The Gaelic Knights' turnaround was powered by ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA's (BL) career high 21 points and MOLLY BYRNE's (BL) 18.-- Cortland dropped a tough Freedom Conference contest to Mexico 44-40 as SHANNON FINUCANE (CRT) connected for 15.-- On Senior Night in Oswego, the Buccaneers rolled past Auburn 65-31 with seven U-Cats - CONROY, CARROLL, REED, SCACCIA, HUNT, SHEFFIELD & KNOPP - combining for all but two of Oswego's points.-- KATIE HART (CS) hit for 18 but Utica Proctor had too many guns as they swept past the Red Hawks, 73-50. Tuesday - CARLY COOPER (WH) led the Westhill Warriors to a 77-42 victory over Solvay as she finished with 22. The game was never in doubt as the Warriors ran out to a 20-1 first quarter lead and never looked back.-- LINSEY NILES (SJ) dropped in a game high 19 and pulled down 8 rebounds as the South Jefferson Spartans slipped past the Watertown Cyclones, 51-37. Monday - JULIA TUPPER (PHX) scored a season high 18 to lead Phoenix over ESM, 50-36. |
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of 01/15/07-01/21/07: Saturday - NICOLE KARAM (NH - 26 points, 5 steals) hit all three free throws after being fouled shooting as time expired to lead New Hartford to a 65-63 upset of Utica Proctor.-- CARLY COOPER (WH) and KRISTEN DIGLIO (WH) each contributed 15 as Westhill rolled past Bishop Ludden 63-39 at the Coaches vs Cancer Showcase. Thursday/Friday- LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG) led all scorers as West Genesee eased past Henninger 63-31.-- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) fought for 12 points but Liverpool used a strong second half swarm to take down the Hornets, 62-46.-- ALYSON JOHNSON (MAL) continued her strong return from eight months of rehab to lead all scorers with 13 as Malone swept past Norwood-Norfolk 70-12.-- Skaneateles fought once more to stay with Westhill, but in the end the Warriors wore down the Lakers to remain undefeated in League play. CARLY COOPER (WH) finished with 14 to lead Westhill to a 46-33 triumph.-- KAYLEE LAMANNA (FP) scored 14 to lead Fabius-Pompey over Cato-Meridian, 36-26. Wednesday - KATIE HART (CS) topped 20 for the seventh consecutive game as she finished with 25 to lead Central Square over Pulaski 51-29. The win was the Red Hawks third in a row after a slow start to the season.-- KILEY EVANS (CAZ) continued her fine play coming back from injury and hit for 17 as Cazenovia bested J-E 65-26.-- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) pitched in with 16 as Indian River got back on track with a 61-33 victory over Watertown.-- SHANNON FINUCANE's (CORT) 13 were not enough as the Purple Tigers dropped a key Freedom Conference decision to J-D, 70-50.-- EMILY TRAPANI's (FM) 11 helped Fayetteville-Manlius halt its three game losing skid with a resounding 53-28 vicory over hapless Henninger. Tuesday - MOLLY BYRNE's (BL) 14 and ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA's (BL) 12 were not enough as Ludden fell at the hands of Hannibal, 58-49.-- JULIA TUPPER (PHX) scored 10 but the Firebirds continued to struggle, falling to Fulton (3-10), 50-48. Monday - KILEY EVANS (CAZ) scored Cazenovia's first 17 points of the game to lead the Lakers to a 47-45 victory over New Hartford in the championship game of the Mount Markham Martin Luther King, Jr. Tournament. Evans earned tournament MVP honors and was joined on the all-tournament team by fellow U-Cat NICOLE KARAM (NH). |
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01/08/07-01/14/07: Sunday - CARLY COOPER (WH) hit five 3s in the first half and six on the game as she struck for 25 in leading the Westhill Warriors to the 2007 Juggler Classic championship and earning tournament MVP honors - KRISTEN DIGLIO (WH) joined Cooper as an All-Tournament Selection.-- NICOLE KARAM (NH) propelled New Hartford past EFA with a 23 point performance that sends the Spartans into the Mt Markham tournament finals versus fellow U-Cat KILEY EVANS (CAZ - 19 points vs Mt. Markham) and the Lakers Monday at 2:45pm.-- EMMA ADAMS (ON) chipped in with 11 as the Indians handed the Indian River Warriors their third consecutive loss, 59-55 OT. Saturday - CARLY COOPER (WH) & KRISTEN DIGLIO (WH) led the way with 18 and 16 respectively, as Westhill throttled Section V power Nazareth, 65-43 to reach the Juggler Classic final on Sunday.-- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) scored 15 points but Indian River couldn't overcome North Country stalwart Massena, dropping a 52-45 decision. Friday - KATIE HART (CS) produced perhaps the season's most impressive individual performance collecting 29 points, 26 rebounds and 7 blocked shots as she led Central Square to a stunning come from behind overtime victory over Baldwinsville, 62-60. SARAH HULL (BV) contributed two key scores down the stretch but it was not enough to neutralize Hart's stellar play and the Red Hawk's unyielding determination.-- LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG) scored a game high 11 and started to look like her old self in WG's win over Fowler, 58-35, as she continues to recover her form after ACL surgery and rehab.-- Phoenix got all it could handle from Homer but JULIA TUPPER'S (PHX) season high 17 helped carry the Firebirds past the Trojans in a squeaker, 51-49.-- KAYLEE LAMANNA (FP) connected for a career high 17 to help Fabius-Pompey roll past Lafayette, 44-27.-- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) popped for 11 but it was not enough as Indian River's dream of an undefeated season ended at the hands of IHC, 56-51.-- LINSEY NILES (SJ) scored 15 and added 6 rebounds as South Jefferson improved to 12-0 by racing past Sandy Creek, 71-23. Thursday - Oswego's Buccaneers sailed past the Fayetteville-Manlius Hornets 48-32 to all but clinch the Colonial American League title as they improved to 14-1 on the season. Senior CORRIN CONROY led the way for the second straight game with 17 points and 6 rebounds. Fellow U-Wildcat CARI REED chipped in with 11 points and 8 rebounds.-- CARLY COOPER (WH) hit for 18 and KALEY ARSENAULT (WH) added 10 as Westhill strided past a struggling J-E, 61-22. Monday/Tuesday - ALY JOHNSON (MAL) stepped back on the hardwood for the first time in ten months following knee surgery and scored 11 points in a 48-22 win over Canton. Johnson saw limited action as she works back into playing shape for the highly ranked Huskies.-- KILEY EVANS (CAZ) returned from a three week injury rehab to score 15 and help Cazenovia get back on track with a 60-38 win over Hannibal.-- CORRIN CONROY (OSW) scored 18 and NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) & CARI REED (OSW) connected for 16 each as Oswego rolled past West Genesee 60-35. Oswego heads into its Thursday showdown with Fayetteville-Manlius a game up in the Colonial American standings.-- KATIE HART (CS) scored a game high 22 points and pulled down 16 rebounds as Central Square picked up its first Colonial League victory with a 61-46 pasting of Rome Free Academy.-- DEVON CROLL (VVS) scored 17 but Clinton was too much for the erratic Red Devils, taking home a 57-44 victory.-- EMMA ADAMS (ON) led Oneida with 10 as the Indians fell in a close contest to Utica Notre Dame 46-42.-- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) continued her scoring surge with 18 but the Hornets dropped their second league contest in a row, falling to CNS 57-53 despite a spirited 4th quarter rally.-- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) scored 14 versus Whitesboro, 16 versus Watertown and 14 vs General Brown as Indian River remained undefeated and on track for its North Country showdown with fellow undefeated South Jefferson.-- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) bounced back from a tough game versus CBA to score 12 in the Purple Tigers' win over Fulton 65-25. |
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of 01/02/07-01/06/07: Friday/Saturday - NICOLE KARAM (NH) became the latest Wildcat to surpass the career 1000 point mark as she hit for 16 to help New Hartford secure an important TVL victory over Clinton, 47-42.-- SARAH HULL (BV) returned in full stride, coming off the bench to score 11 and help the Bees beat Auburn 69-62. B'ville improved to 4-2 in the Colonial National, one game back of Liverpool.-- CARI REED (OSW) scored 17 and NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) & LAUREN HUNT (OSW) each added 11 as the Bucs sailed past Henninger 81-33.-- KATIE HART (CS) kept up her scoring tear with 25 but it was not enough as the Red Hawks fell to Nottingham 59-51.-- LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG), continuing her comeback from knee injury, scored 15 but West Genny could not pull off the road win, falling to RFA 49-46.-- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) scored a team high 12 but the Utica Proctor Raiders prevailed at home 56-44.-- KALEY ARSENAULT (WH) scored 8 points and ripped down 10 rebounds, KRISTEN DIGLIO (WH) had 9 and CARLY COOPER (WH) finished with 8 as the Warriors used a balanced attack to beat Solvay 46-29 and remain unbeaten in League play. Wednesday/Thursday - Visiting Oneida jumped out to a nine point lead at the half versus VVS and DEVON CROLL'S (VVS) 21 points were not enough to carry the Red Devils back in the second half as the Indians prevailed 48-42.-- MOLLY BYRNE (BL) led Bishop Ludden with 11 but Westhill used balanced scoring and hard-nosed man-to-man defense to beat the Gaelic Knights 55-33.-- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) scored 18 and kept 9-2 Cortland on track for their showdown with CBA on Saturday. |
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***2006-07
FIRST HALF SEASON
REVIEW*** Wildcats, old and young, grab CNY Girls' Basketball headlines during first half of 2006-07 season. On a Tear - Three Wildcats (Carly Cooper-WH, Devon Croll-VVS and Katie Hart-CS) are at or near the top of Section III scoring -- all averaging 20+ points per game. Regulary seeing junk defenses designed specifically to stop them, all three have proven they are not just scorers. Croll and Cooper are their team's leaders in assists and steals, while Hart is one of the top rebounders in Section III. Great Expectations - Ranked #1 in Section III at season's start, youthful Oswego had much to prove. Led by Carroll, Conroy, Reed and a bevy of Wildcats, the Buccaneers have sprinted to a solid 11-1 record at the break. With only a road misstep to blemish their record, they remain the team to beat for Sectional "AA" honors. Career Millenium - Devon Croll-VVS hit the 1000 point mark in her first game of the season. Nicole Karam-NH is at 993 to start 2007 and expects to hit four digits in early January. A number of Wildcats are not far behind as Linsey Niles-SJ, Shannon Finucane-CT, Katie Hart-CS and Molly Byrne-BL are all approaching the scoring milestone. Unpredictable TVL - The favorite for Tri-Valley League championship honors changes every week, if not every day, as seven of the league's eight teams have the ability and talent to win the overall title. Though Clinton has the first half edge, VVS, New Hartford, Oneida, Camden, Notre Dame and Whitesboro can definitely jump out and make a second half run to the championship. The Return of the Hornets - Perhaps this year's biggest upward move has been made by the Fayetteville-Manlius Hornets who have only one senior on their roster. Led by freshman Emily Trapani and sophomore Torie Lee, the Hornets are alone in first place in the Colonial American at 9-1. The Sting will have to continue their hot play in January to stay on top as they face League favorites Oswego and Liverpool. West Genny for Real? - At 6-6 heading into 2007, can the WG Wildcats contend for a Sectional Championship? The return of Alyssa Sutherland certainly helps but the up and down 'Cats will have to finish strong to earn respect among "AA" contenders. North Country Showdown - Both South Jefferson (8-0) and Indian River (7-0) are the clear cut leaders in the North. Linsey Niles-SJ and Erica Auffrey-IR will have much to do with the outcome when these two outland powers meet in 2007. South Jefferson has done nothing to diminish its reputation as a contender for the Class "B" State title once more. Indian River is fighting for respect with the hope that they can challenge the likes of Syracuse CBA in Class "A" Sectional action come February. Back on Track - Sarah Hull-BV, Kiley Evans-CAZ and Aly Johnson-FFA all hope to return in January. Hull and Evans will return to teams that have struggled in their absences while Johnson will give a welcome infusion of new strength to a talented Franklin Free Academy (Malone) squad already ranked 6th in the State in Class "A". |
| WEEK
OF 12/26/06-12/29/06: Thursday - NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) earned tournament MVP honors with a 17 point, 17 rebound performance that carried Oswego past Malone 48-38. Joining Carroll on the All-Tournament Team were CORRIN CONROY (OSW), CARI REED (OSW), SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT - 28 tournament points ) and MOLLY BYRNE (BL - 27 tournament points). -- NICOLE KARAM (NH) continued her hot play at the Lake Placid Hoopfest scoring 19 points (four 3s) and leading New Hartford to its second victory at the tournament. -- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) led Fayetteville-Manlius to the Westhill Holiday Tournament Championship with 17 points as the Hornets held off a determined West Genesee rally to win 51-46. The young and emerging Hornets are now 9-1 and have key matchups versus Oswego and Liverpool in January that will likely decide the AA top seed for Sectionals. -- CARLY COOPER (WH) connected for 21 as Westhill (7-2) got back on track and roared past Bishop Grimes, 69-33. TRAPANI and COOPER were both named All-Tournament selections. -- KATIE HART (CS) scored 41 in two games and was named to the All-Tournament team as Central Square picked up its first victory of the year at the Avon Holiday Classic. Wednesday - LAUREN HUNT (OSW) led the way with 16 as Oswego defeated Bishop Ludden in the first round of the Linda Schoults Tournament, 58-37. MOLLY BYRNE (BL) scored 14 for the Gaelic Knights. -- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) had 17 but Cortland fell flat in the 2nd quarter versus Malone, outscored 18-3, and could not recover as they fell to Class "A" #6 Franklin Free Academy, 62-49. The Tournament final will pit against each other two teams, Oswego & Malone, having only one loss between them this season. -- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) scored 9 and together with her F-M teammates played smothering defense to overtake Westhill, 61-45. CARLEE COOPER (WH) chipped in 16 for the Warriors. -- DEVON CROLL (VVS) continued her assault on the Red Devils' all time scoring record as she dropped in 24 versus Utica Proctor. Unfortunately, it was not enough as Proctor won the VVS Holiday Tournament title with a 59-55 win. LINSEY NILES (SJ) scored a workmanlike 14 to lead the ever-defense-minded Spartans to a win over perennial Long Island power Floral Park, 43-32. FP did not have a scorere in double digits and was outscored by South Jefferson 26-11 in the decisive 2nd and 3rd quarters. -- NICOLE KARAM (NH) connected for a season high 24 as New Hartford jumped out to a commanding 18-2 first quarter lead and never looked back in defeating Governeur 56.26. Tuesday - DEVON CROLL (VVS) carried a suddenly struggling VVS on her back with 29 points as VVS fought past Chittenango, 54-47. For their second consecutive game, VVS faced a team searching for its first win and the Red Devils found themselves fighting for their lives to win going into the final stanza. The home crowd and determined 4th quarter play pulled VVS through. VVS will face Utica Proctor, an easy winner over West Canada last night, tonight at 7:30pm. |
| WEEK
OF 12/18/06-12/24/06: Friday - In the battle of two AA top dogs, the Oswego Bucs edged the Liverpool Warriors, 45-42. CHRISTIAN SCACCIA (OSW) hit a key 'three' and fellow UNITY WILDCATS NIKKI CARROL, CORRIN CONROY, CARI REED & VANESSA SHEFFIELD (OSW) combined for 40 of Oswego's 45. CARROLL also ruled the boards, pulling down 15 caroms. CORRIN CONROY provided the final margin sinking two clutch free throws with :14 seconds left in the game. LYSSA SUTHERLAND (WG) made the long wait worth the while as she returned in style to pump in 20 points and help West Genesee up-end a strong Utica Proctor squad. Sutherland brought her trademark energy and enthusiasm as she hit 5 of 6 free throws down the stretch to seal the 66-54 victory for the WG Wildcats. -- ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA (BL) scored 16 and MOLLY BYRNE (BL) pitched in 15 as Bishop Ludden continued to gel into a team to be reckoned with as they downed Solvay, 56-43, and move to 5-3 on the season. -- CARLY COOPER (WH) drilled in 24 and KRISTIN DIGLIO (WH) added 11 as Westhill edged by Cazenovia, 61-54. Caz was without KILEY EVANS (CAZ) who should be back from injury next week at the Lake Placid Classic vs Seton Catholic. -- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) continued her tough play in the post with another 15 point performance versus RFA on the road. The Hornets are undefeated in the Colonial American Conference and are on a collision course with Oswego on January 12 that will go a long way in deciding league championship honors. Thursday - Things are never what they seem in the balanced and unpredictable TVL this year. Holland Patent came into VVS winless in seven games. Nevertheless, the Blue Devils, still in the hunt for TVL supremacy, forgot to bring their game in the first half and found themselves down 25-15 heading into the third quarter. Leading a spirited second half rally, DEVON CROLL (VVS - 19 points) got the Red Devils back on track as VVS prevailed 46-40. -- With NICOLE KARAM (NH) out with a sprained ankle, EMMA ADAMS (ON) and Oneida took full advantage as Adams scored 20 and Oneida pulled away in the 4th quarter to beat New Hartford 67-54. -- JULIA TUPPER (PHX) led the way with 15 points for Phoenix but Mexico utilized the home court advantage to its advantage by pulling out a 62-54 win with a strong 4th quarter rally. -- KATIE HART (CS) continued her scoring assault with 23 points but Central Square remained winless falling to Auburn 60-57. -- LINSEY NILES (SJ) scored a season high 23, pulled down 12 rebounds and dished out 4 assists leading South Jefferson to a 68-30 victory over Thousand Islands in a Frontier League matchup. Wednesday - CARI REED (15 points & 9 rebounds) and NIKKI CARROLL (13 points & 8 rebounds) led Oswego, 8-1, to an important road victory as the Buccaneers head into their key tilt Friday against Liverpool. The winner of Friday's contest will come away with the edge up on the overall Colonial League title race together with F-M and resurgent Auburn. -- Westhill moved to 5-1 as CARLY COOPER (WH) fell just short of a double-double with 9 points, 10 assists and 7 steals in a road win vs Hannibal. -- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) scored 11 to help Indian River run past APW, 48-24. Monday/Tuesday - SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) finished with 18 as Cortland eased past neighboring rival Homer, 60-44. -- NICOLE KARAM (NH) helped New Hartford fly by Holland Patent 66-36 with 13 points and 8 rebounds. The victory, coupled with the Spartans win over U-ND last Friday ups the Spartans record to 5-2 and puts them squarely back in the race for top honors in the Tri-Valley League. -- Bishop Ludden (4-3) moved back above the .500 mark with a convincing win over Liberty League surprise Skaneateles as Molly Byrne scored 11. -- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) scored at least 20 for the second consecutive game as Fayetteville-Manlius scored a key road victory over Baldwinsville, 67-59. Fayetteville-Manlius (5-0, 6-1) stayed unbeaten in league play and atop the standings in the Colonial American. -- JULIA TUPPER (PHX) continued her road back to good health scoring 10 to help the Firebirds drive by Chittenango, 54-22. -- EMMA ADAMS (ON) scored 13 but the Oneida Indians lost to the Whitesboro Warriors, 62-45. |
| WEEK OF 12/11/06-12/17/06: Friday - Westhill showed it can play on both ends of the court as it took control of a close game with a 20-0 third quarter versus Marcellus. CARLY COOPER (WH) had her third 20+ performance of the season, finishing with 21. -- Oswego bounced back from its first loss of the season as the Pirates took charge early and ran away from upstart CNS 58-34. CARI REED's (OSW) 13 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds led the way for the Bucs as CHRISTIAN SCACCIA (OSW), LAUREN HUNT (OSW), CORRIN CONROY (OSW), & NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) made key defensive and offensive contributions. -- EMILY TRAPANI (FM) finished with a career high 21 points & 5 blocks while KATIE HART (CS) dropped in 18 as Fayetteville-Manlius motored past Central Square 79-40. -- NICOLE KARAM (NH) scored 14 to lead New Hartford past Utica ND 63-46. -- SHANNON FINUCANE's (CORT) 18 points helped Cortland improve to 6-1 with a 59-28 road victory over Chittenango. -- In a key matchup of TVL contenders, DEVON CROLL's (VVS) 17 points were not enough to get the Red Devils past Camden as they fell in a game that was close throughout, 58-56. -- In a rare battle of west side schools, Corcoran put the defensive clamps on Bishop Ludden, 51-29, as MOLLY BYRNE (BL) scored 10 to lead the Gaelic Knights. -- LINSEY NILES (SJ) recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds as South Jefferson remained undefeated (5-0) with a 54-40 victory over cross-town rival IHC. -- ERICA AUFFREY scored 11 in Indian River's victory over Lowville. Thursday - ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA's (BL) 15 points helped the Gaelic Knights light up J-E in a 61-20 victory. Wednesday - CARLY COOPER (WH) dropped a game high 19 and added 6 assists as the Westhill Warriors up-ended a game Skaneateles Laker five, 59-50, and moved to 3-1 on the season. -- JULIA TUPPER (PHX) seeing her first action this year dropped in 14 points to help the Firebirds beat ESM 64-46. -- Monday/Tuesday - Round one of two season matchups between VVS and New Hartford was won resoundingly by VVS, 63-42, as DEVON CROLL (VVS) led the way with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists. Fellow Wildcat NICOLE KARAM (NH), hampered by a nagging back injury, tossed in 13 and pulled down 11 rebounds for the Spartans. -- State ranked Oswego saw its dream of an undefeated season come to an end as upset-minded Utica Proctor pulled off a 52-50 triumph over the Buccaneers. CARI REED (OSW) hit for 14 but it was not enough to carry the day for the Bucs. The defeat may serve as a "wake-up call" for the powerful Pirates, future opponents take note! -- EMMA ADAMS (ON) finished with 13 hard earned points but despite her efforts, Camden bested Oneida 48-43. -- Freshman KAYLEE LAMANNA (FP) hit for a career high 12 as Fabius-Pompey used a 27-10 second half spurt to take Cato-Meridian, 36-24. -- KATIE HART (CS) collected 25 versus Corcoran but the Red Hawks fell at the hands of the Cougars 52-47. -- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) led all scorers with 13 (three 3s) as Cortland improved to 5-1 with a hard fought 63-55 road victory over Mexico. |
| WEEK OF 12/04/06-12/10/06: Friday/Saturday - NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) scored 11 and CARI REED (OSW) added 9 as State 8th ranked Oswego moved out to 6-0 on the season -- DEVON CROLL (VVS) continued her scoring onslaught with a game high 17 in a 48-45 victory over Whitesboro -- NICOLE KARAM (NH) collected a game high 17 as New Hartford beat Camden 64-50 -- LINSEY NILES (SJ) popped in a game high 13 vs a scrappy APW squad as South Jefferson improved to 4-0 with the 50-24 victory, the win sets up a clash of North Country undefeateds next Wednesday as 4-0 South Jefferson will face off against 5-0 Indian River -- KILEY EVANS (CAZ) finished with a game high 10 in Cazenovia's 47-28 win over J-E. Thursday - In a battle of Class "A" unbeatens, J-D tipped Cortland 66-59. SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) was limited by leg cramps and was held to 12. AMANDA KOENCK (JD) and CAITLIN TESSIER (JD) hit key shots and pulled down clutch rebounds throughout the game finishing with 15 & 13 points, respectively -- EMMA ADAMS (OD) scored a team high 13 to help Oneida get past H-P, 65-47. Wednesday - DEVON CROLL (VVS) was named the WSYR-9 Athlete of the Week after surpassing the 1000 point mark and scoring 85 points in her first four games of the season -- CARLY COOPER (WH) had 28 points & 7 assists and KRISTEN DIGLIO (WH) added 13 as Westhill ran past Jordan- Elbridge, 80-20 -- CARI REED (OSW) connected for a career high 25 as Oswego sprinted past Nottingham, 52-35 -- NICOLE KARAM (NH) finished with 21 to lead New Hartford over Whitesboro. Tuesday - In another head-to-head Wildcats matchup, MOLLY BYRNE (BL) tossed in 22 and KILEY EVANS (CAZ) hit for 16 as the Gaelic Knights bested the Lakers 56-40 -- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) continued her determined play scoring 18 and leading Cortland over ESM, the victory sets up an early season battle of Class "A" undefeateds as the Purple Tigers (4-0) will travel to play Jamesville-Dewitt (4-0) on Thursday -- DEVON CROLL (VVS) poured in 28 vs Clinton but it was not enough as the Red Devils fell to the Warriors 65-58. |
| WEEK
OF 11/27/06-12/03/06: Francis
"LaLa" Ponzi Tournament
(Oswego) - In a tournament that saw no less than 10 Wildcats' players
in action with and against each other, Oswego remained undefeated (4-0)
with a hard fought 60-52 victory over perennial CNY girls' hoops power
Westhill in the tournament finals. CARLY
COOPER (WH) and NIKKI
CARROLL
(OSW) both connected for career highs as each dropped in 29 points.
Cooper's scoring barrage included 8 three pointers while Carroll
complemented her scoring with 14 rebounds. KILEY
EVANS
(CAZ) scored a career high 20 vs Oswego and 15 vs Liverpool.
Entering the tournament, three of the four participating teams were
ranked in the top
five by the local media (OSW #1, LPOOL #3 & WESTHILL #5).
JD Tipoff Tournament - KATIE HART (CS) scored a combine 44 points in two tournament games vs host Jamesville-Dewitt and consolation game rival Oneida -- EMMA ADAMS (ON) made strong contributions to help Oneida defeat Central Square 57-45. Friday-Saturday - DEVON CROLL (VVS) continued her fine play with another 18 point performance that led VVS to a 43-34 victory over Lake George -- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) led all scorers with 15 as Indian River upended APW in Frontier League play -- NICOLE KARAM (NH) dropped in 15 but it wasn't enough as New Hartford dropped their season opener to Clinton 52-44. Wednesday - MOLLY BYRNE (BL) scored 21 and ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA (BL) added 13 but the Gaelic Knights fell to Marcellus' fourth quarter rally, 48-46 -- ERICA AUFFREY (IR) scored 20 vs General Brown leading Indian River to a 3-0 start and picking up WTNY-TV7 Athlete of the Week honors. Tuesday - KILEY EVANS (CAZ) led all scorers with 12 as her Cazenovia Lakers (1-0) handled the Hannibal Warriors, 47-31, on the strength of a coordinated 3rd quarter surge -- SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) pitched in 13, including three treys, leading the Cortland Purple Tigers to a 65-28 blowout of Fulton and a perfect 3-0 start on the season. |
| OPENING WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS
(11/24/06-11/25/06): VVS Holiday Tournament - DEVON CROLL (VVS) made quick work of reaching the 1000 point plateau this season by scoring 16 first half points in her season opener to hit the 1000 mark on the nose. Croll eclipsed the millennium mark with 9 second half points to finish with 25 in a 44-29 victory over Fulton. Croll added 14 against Gloversville but despite her efforts, VVS fell 65-49 in the tournament championship game. EFA Holiday Tournament - NIKKI CARROLL (OSW) scored 17 vs Windsor and 19 in the championship game vs Elmira Free Academy to earn tournament Most Valuable Player and help the Lady Bucs cruise to the EFA Holiday Tournament Championship. CARI REED (OSW) with 14 & 16 respectively and CORRIN CONROY (OSW) were named to the All-Tournament Team. O'Heron Basketball Invitational - SHANNON FINUCANE (CORT) scored 18 and displayed her usual dynamic floor game in leading Cortland to a runaway victory over local rival Homer, 50-28, in the tournament championship game. Her performance, along with 16 in the opener vs Newfield, earned her tournament Most Valuable Player honors. Baldwinsville Holiday Tournament - MOLLY BYRNE and 8th grader ASHLEY CIANFRIGLIA chipped in 8 and 9 points respectively as the Bishop Ludden Gaelic Knights pulled away at the end to win the consolation game of the B'ville Holiday Tournament vs the host Bees 45-36. Indian River Holiday Tournament - ERICA AUFFREY (IR) opened her season with 19 points vs Camden and 15 versus Hammond to help the Indian River Warriors win their holiday tournament. |
| WILDCATS'
COMMITMENTS 2006 2005-06'S SENIORS COMMIT TO DIVISION I, II & III PROGRAMS Carlee Cassidy - Univ Maryland Baltimore County (Division I) Lindsey Beckwith - Roberts Wesleyan (Division II-NAIA) Hannah Adams - Hamilton (Division III) Megan Adams - Elmira College (Division III) Shannon Sangster - Mount St. Mary's (Division III) Robyn Capoto - Hobart/William Smith (Division III) Nikki Jo Rotolo - St. John's University (Division I) Nicole Longo - St. John Fisher (Division III) GOOD LUCK TO ALL WILDCATS AS THEY EMBARK ON THEIR COLLEGE CAREERS!! |
