Should an eight seed be considered a Cinderella team in girls high school hoops? If so, then the #8 New Hartford Spartans saw their clock strike midnight at the Aud on Saturday night in the Section III Girls Class A Final. Cortland (17-3) used a dynamic duo, combo platter, of Courtney Tennant and Maggie Brown, who served up 42 big points, to lead their team to its first ever girls basketball championship. An impressive 57-42 win over a young New Hartford Spartans squad (14-8) that was just no match physically for the rough and tumble Tigers.
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Must be fun for Cortland Coach Dick Penoyer to trot out this pair of intimidating players. Tennant, a 6'2" senior power forward, is one of the best players we have seen play all season long. Talk about smooth and strong, what a combination to possess. Tennant scored 26 points to lead all scorers.
Courtney's partner in crime, sophomore guard, Maggie Brown helped form an inside out tandem that left Spartans defenders wondering what the license plate number of the bus was that just ran over them. Brown hit for 16 points.
The Tiger tandem combined for 42 points on the night and helped Cortland pull away and put away New Hartford who's magical post season run ends one win short of a title.
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(New Hartford plays in first Section III Finals in five years.)
At (14-8) Coach Mike Callan and company can be proud of what they accomplished, as they gelled with a late season run that included a dramatic last second victory over the tourney's number one seeded Whitesboro Warriors back on February 5th. The win over their rival set up the journey to the Section III Finals.
The core of this team is young and fans should be proud of the fact that they earned the school a trip to the finals for the first time in five years. The future is bright for this program.
During the journey to the Aud fans got a great chance to see players like Ashley Chanatry blossom into stardom and see guard Theano Alvanos grow up right in front of their eyes. Who will ever forget the corner jumper Kara Sellars nailed with time running out against Whitesboro?
Unfortunately for the Spartans, they ran in to a buzzsaw wearing purple and white uniforms. On this night the Tigers would not be tamed or caged.
(#22 Ashley Chanatry drives for more in early action.)
How impressive were Tennant and Bown? How about the fact that they both scored 10 points each in the first half to let New Hartford know how long its night would be?
Tennant is a rebounding machine on both ends and can also step back and fill it up from three all night long. Brown penetrates and dishes with the best of them. If they play like this the rest of the way Cortland fans will have plenty to smile about.
Cortland jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead to help set the tone, as Courtney Tennant hit twice from the field and Maggie Reagan nailed two free throws with 4:13 left in the first quarter.
T Alvanos drilled a long range three to get her team on the board to make it 6-3, Cats.
Maggie Brown nailed a three ball to wrap up the first with her team leading 11-8.
(#12 Theano Alvanos tries to help out on #14 Courtney Tennant.)
It was quickly a 7 point lead as Tennant set up shop in the paint scoring 4 straight points. It was 15-8 just a minute into the second quarter.
Ali Tizzano, Lexie Raynard and Erica Kuhn hit from the field as New Hartford fought back to make it just a one point lead for Cortland, 15-14.
Another trey deposited in the bottom of the net by Hannah Desarro gave Spartan fans something to cheer about as the teams headed into the half with the Purple Tigers up by just 3, 22-19.
Ashley Chanatry, who had another big night, scoring 7 points in the first half and 16 points on the night, cut the lead to one, 22-21, with a pretty spin move in the paint.
New Hartford refused to fold and hung tough until late in the third quarter, when the smaller Spartans started to wear down, as the Tigers started to pound away inside. Theano Alvanos scored again to make it 29-27 with 3:05 to go in the third.
(#3 Maggie Brown looks for an open Tiger as #33 Kelly Bishop defends.)
An 8-0 run to glory started the beginning of the end for the Spartans, as Tennant took over scoring 7 quick points. Before you could blink, it was 37-29. To add insult to injury, Maggie Brown pushed the lead to double digits hitting a corner jumper and make it 39-29.
New Hartford would not give up, as Ashley Chanatry drained a long three to wrap up the third with the score 40-32.
Don't blink fans, the Tigers growled their way to a commanding 45-31 lead after two more field goals by Brown and a duece by Nacirema Mann, who, when not in foul trouble, was another force inside. Mann scored 8 second half points to help the cause.
The Spartans got the lead down to 8 twice in the fourth as Kelly Bishop and Kara Sellars put the ball in the hole.
Coach Mike Callan tried to extend the game by fouling the Tigers time and time again. No dice, as the Tigers refused to lose and closed the title tilt out with a 7-2 run to make the final score 57-42.
Up next for Cortland is a date with Section II's champs Tuesday at CNS.
The Spartans put the balls away and look forward to next season. Thanks for the memories and for taking MHTS along for the ride. It was great.
Cortland 57 New Hartford 42
1 2 3 4 Total
New Hartford 8 11 13 10 42
Cortland 11 11 18 17 57
Leading Scorers:
New Hartford:
Ashley Chanatry 16
Theano Alvanos 11
Kara Sellars 4
Hannah Dessaro 3
Lexie Raynard 2
Allie Tizzano 2
Cortland
Courtney Tennant 26
Maggie Brown 16
Nacirema Mann 8
