Larkin takes girls/boys doubleheader from Elgin
Larkin swept Thursday’s varsity doubleheader over Elgin at Chesborough Field House by nearly identical scores.
The girls team took the Upstate Eight Conference opener 64-42 and the boys squad won the second contest, 64-40.
Three-pointers were the theme of the girls game.
Elgin junior Izzie Castro was honored before the start of the contest. On Monday, the junior broke her record of most treys in a season — 63 — set last year. and also became the all-time Elgin girls 3-point shooting leader, bypassing Melissa Parker’s 161 treys.
Castro said her teammates in practice have sharpened her shooting skills.
“Practicing with my team. We push each other pretty hard.,” said the junior. “I always have someone on me when I’m shooting so it helps to simulate game situations.”
However, Larkin (9-10, 6-4) put on its own 3-point shooting show. Larkin’s Gabbie Ploche sank five baskets from beyond the arc in the victory. The senior led all scorers with 21 points. Teammate Yesenia Escobar knocked down three from beyond the arc.
“Gabbie had the game of her life,” said Larkin coach Stephen Knapp “And Yesenia had some big threes, too.”
The Royals never trailed in game, leading by six at the intermission, 29-23, and pulled away in the second half.
Castro led the scoring for Elgin (7-14, 2-8) with 14 points, including four more three-pointers. Maroons senior team captain Jocelyn Bardesi notched 12 points.
The boys game was never in doubt; the Royals led from start to finish. The Maroons were unable to get their offense on track. Elgin scored its first point at the 3:47 mark of the first quarter on a Maddox Hollian free throw.
“I’m proud of our guys. Coming in, Elgin has been playing pretty well and we were licking our wounds a little bit,” Larkin coach Deryn Carter said. “Our guys never stopped playing hard.”
Elgin (7-14, 2-8) made its first basket with 2:50 left in the first half when Victor Reynos canned a three-point shot from the right wing. Larkin led 31-16 at the half and 48-27 at the start of the fourth quarter.
“Our gameplan was to keep moving the basketball, at least five passes per possession. That did not go to plan,” said Elgin coach Brett Johnson. “Their defense sped us up, forcing turnovers and turnovers led to easy points. Their pressure pushed us to areas of the court where we should not have been.”
Larkin (4-13, 3-6) had a balanced attack. Nine players scored points. Joshua Hibbett and Jahvion Sowers led the team with nine points each. Jack Casebeer and Cobaia Burke both tallied eight points.
“What was great about tonight, everybody who came in played well and played hard,” Carter said.
Johnson appreciated Hollian’s tenacity. Late in the second quarter, the senior had to leave the game after falling to floor and blooding his nose. After putting on a clean jersey, Hollian returned to play in the second half.
“He’s the definition of the program kid. He does everything. He’s a leader on the basketball court,” the coach said.
Hollian scored a game-high 13 points. Reynos chipped in nine points all on 3-pointers.