The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Marshall carries Cougars to semifinals
Stockbridge tops WCV
MUNNSVILLE >> Stockbridge Valley girls basketball coach Jackie Fort has spent the last five years leaning on senior Olivia Marshall, trying to win the first Section III Class D title in program history.
Perhaps never more so than Tuesday night.
Marshall scored 18 of the Cougars’ 21 second-half points in a semifinal game against West Canada Valley, leading the team to a 49- 45 victory and into the semifinals.
“I’ve been leaning on Olivia’s shoulders for the past five years for her to bring this team to a championship and we are well on our way to doing that,” said Ford. “She’s done a phenomenal
job all season. You couldn’t ask for a better captain.”
Marshall finished with a game-high 29 points in the victory with 11 rebounds and five blocks, two coming in the final minute with West Canada Valley trying to come back. Ashleigh Staudt added 11 for the Cougars, including a trio of key 3-pointers.
Both teams struggled offensively out of the gate in the first quarter, with Staudt scoring the game’s first basket with a 3-pointer nearly two minutes in. The hosts, however, struggled with ball control against the opposing press early on and Jenna Yager scored four of the next six points to give the visitors a threepoint edge that would end up being their largest of the contest. Staudt evened the score at 6-6 with another 3, sparking a 14-2 Stockbridge Valley run that spanned the first and second periods. Marshall added her first two baskets inside, giving the Cougars an 11-8 lead at the end of the opening eight minutes.
“I think we were all a little nervous. For a sectionals game, I think everyone is but once we got in the flow of things it went fine.”
The No. 1 seed scored the first six points of the second quarter as well on baskets from Jillian Jacobs, Adrianna Cox and Mar- shall, extending the advantage to 17-8. West Canada Valley answered with six straight to get back in the game, eventually closing to within two before Marshall countered on the other end. Staudt gave Stockbridge Valley the momentum going into halftime, knocking down a long 3-pointer to beat the buzzer and put the Cougars ahead 28-22.
Marshall scored the first basket of the third quarter before the Stockbridge Valley offense went cold again. Jordyn Conte and Olivia Bolton led a 9-0 West Canada Valley run, giving the No. 8 seed its first lead since the first quarter at 31-30. A 3-point play from Marshall on the other end put the Cougars back in front and she added four more points before the end of the quarter, giving the No. 1 seed a 37-33 edge going into the fourth.
After Jacobs’ second basket of the game started the final period, West Canada Valley used five unanswered points to pull back within a point with 5:59 to play. There, Marshall took over. The senior knocked down two 3-pointers and followed the second with a steal and a 3-point play on the other end.
The 9-2 run brought the packed home side of the bleachers to its feet and gave Stockbridge Valley a 48- 40 lead with 3:32 to play.
“I just tried to drive to the lane,” said Marshall. “We were kind of rely- ing on outside shots for a while but once we got into the paint it all fell together.
“I think (the 3-pointers) kind of got everyone pumped. Pushed the lead forward a little bit, made it more comfortable.”
Jacobs later added a free throw to push the lead to nine and although the Cougars went scoreless over the final 2:44, their play on the defensive end was enough to close out the victory.
“We had two days of practice before this game and we were completely prepared for this team,” said Fort. “We knew who their shooters were, we knew who to defend and the girls pulled through. Couldn’t ask for a better group of girls.
“We just played our game. Did everything that we’ve been doing all season long. We didn’t have to go crazy, we just took care of the ball and did our jobs.”
Stockbridge Valley will face No. 4 seed Watertown Immaculate Heart Central in a semifinal game at Onondaga Community College’s Allyn Hall Gymnasium on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Cavaliers upset the Cougars 57- 46 in the first round of last year’s playoffs.