Both inside and outside its league, the Canastota girls basketball team has dispatched all foes on its way to a 6-0 start.
In Tuesday’s non-league game against Vernon Verona Sherrill, the Raiders had one of its closest calls so far, but still did enough to edge past the Red Devils 34-31.
VVS led, in fact, 31-30, with 30 seconds left after Codie Bayeur-Clarke's basket. Staying poised, though, the Raiders drove right down and reclaimed the edge on Shea Foster's short jumper, then forced a Red Devils turnover. A pair of free throws provided the final three-point margin.
Prior to that, it had been a tight, tense affair marked by strong defense on both sides. Canastota led 23-18 after three periods, only to see VVS put together its best offensive run of the night to go in front, if only for a moment.
Foster, with 15 points, and Alexis Havens, with 11 points, accounted for most of the Raiders' offense. Leanne Doolen led VVS with 14 points as Erin Curtis and Tracee Scheibel each got six points.
Returning to action last Tuesday to make up a snowed-out Dec. 11 game with Camden, Oneida lost to the Blue Devils 69-41.
Camden got away in the game's middle stages, outscoring Oneida 43-22 in the middle two periods behind the work of Ashley Roser (23 points), Lindsay Jones (18 points) and Kelli Furney (14 points).
In defeat, Jenna Didio had 12 points, while Morgan Murawski earned seven points. Nicole Shene and Taylor Youngkrans picked up six points apiece.
