Sports Snippets: February 6, 2024

Coop Boys Trounce Unatego, New York Mills

OTEGO—The Cooperstown boys basketball team rolled to a 72-42 victory over Unatego on Tuesday, January 30, led by 21 points and 10 assists from senior star Charlie Lambert. He put away five three-point shots on six attempts. Freshman Brody Murdock added 17 points, eight rebounds and four assists. Sophomore Cooper Coleman scored 16 points. Junior Cooper Bradley scored five points and made 11 rebounds.

The Hawkeyes were back in action on Friday, February 2, defeating New York Mills 73-60 in a Center State Conference Division IV game on Senior Night. Lambert, Cooper Hodgdon and Conrad Erway were honored as the team’s graduating members. Cooperstown took an early lead and clawed its way back from a 35-34 deficit at the half. Lambert scored 27 points and made eight assists, seven rebounds, and four steals. Bradley made a double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. The Hawkeyes rose to 10-8 for the season and 4-4 in their division.

Volleyball Sweeps Waterville, S-E, Earns 4 Seed

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown volleyball team swept Waterville 3-0 for its 14th win of the season in a Senior Night Center State Conference Division II showdown on Wednesday, January 31. The Hawkeyes honored seniors Violet Gentles, Ava Lesko, Sophia Hotaling, Jill Lifgren, Riley Green and Lucy Hayes. Green, who missed two Cooperstown athletic seasons due to a knee injury, returned to the court for a brief stint, where she notched an ace. Hotaling put away an ace, 20 digs and five kills during the contest. Gentles made seven kills and eight digs. Lesko added six digs, an ace and a kill. Hayes made 11 assists and eight digs. Junior Alexis Wolfe put away seven assists, two digs and a kill. Sophomore Mia Pelcer made 10 digs, three kills, an ace and an assist.

The Hawkeyes finished the regular season with yet another dominant performance, shutting out Sherburne-Earlville 3-0 in a division match on Friday, February 2. Gentles recorded five kills, seven aces and 10 digs. Hayes made two kills and 13 assists, and Hotaling put away 15 digs, five aces, an assist and two kills. Pelcer added five kills and an ace, junior Grace Sperry made four kills and a block, and Wolfe made seven assists and two kills. Lesko and junior Josie Furnari made four digs each.

Cooperstown stood at 15-2 overall and 10-2 in their division at the end of the regular season. This earned them the number four seed in the Section III Class C tournament, according to an announcement on Monday, February 5. They will have a bye in the first round and face either number 5 Dolgeville or number 12 Port Byron in the quarterfinal match in Red Bursey Gymnasium at 6 p.m. on Thursday, February 8. Defending champion Mount Markham, which defeated Cooperstown twice in December and January, took the top seed and will host the Hawkeyes in the semifinals if both teams advance.

Hawkeye Girls Fall to Hamilton

HAMILTON—Cooperstown girls basketball fell 60-43 in a Center State Conference Division II road game at division leader Hamilton on Monday, February 5. Senior Rory Nelen scored 15 points and contributed five rebounds, two assists and a block. Sophomore Polly Kennedy added 10 points, five rebounds and four blocks. Junior Brenna Seamon recorded seven points, five steals and six rebounds. Hamilton took the division title with the win. Cooperstown will face Morrisville-Eaton in a non-division game on Friday, February 9. The Hawkeyes fell to 12-6 for the season and 5-3 in their division.