Coach Scholes: Tonight was a great chance to be in a close game
Hornell – 56, Wayland- Cohocton – 53
From Hornell High School Athletics, photos by Ella Green
The Hornell Red Raiders battled their way to a hard-fought 56–53 victory over the Wayland-Cohocton Eagles in a tightly contested matchup that came down to the final minutes Tuesday night in front of their home crowd at Alfred University.
“Tonight was a game where I thought we were asleep at the wheel at times,” reflected Hornell coach Kirk Scholes. “It felt like we struggled at both ends. I give credit to Wayland. I thought they passed the ball very well. They knocked down some shots and they did a good job of moving without the ball. We gotta get better at defending the face cut. Also, our rebounding is a big concern. I thought they kicked our butts on the glass throughout the game. We need to stop giving teams 2nd chance points.”
Hornell took a slim 17–14 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the game remained back-and-forth throughout the second. With 0.6 seconds on the clock, Demayne Dixon hit a half court shot for the Raiders to send the teams into halftime tied at 26 apiece.
“We did have some good moments. I thought we executed very well in the 2nd half and shared the ball better. Ben got going in the 2nd half and Marco gave us a big lift in the paint. I’m proud of them on a night when we didn’t have our A+ stuff we were able to find a way to finish.
“I think consistency is something we are trying to find. We have to trust each other offensively. The ball will come back and that we need to work as a unit to get a great look!
The Red Raiders had 4 players scoring double figures in the win. Sophomore Ben Woolever led his team with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals. Seniors Marco Picco (14 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) and Demayne Dixon (11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals, and 3 assists) put up good numbers for Hornell, and freshman Tyrone Buchanan gave another solid performance with 10 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 steal.
Scholes continued, “I liked that we had four guys in double figures again. Guys stepped up throughout the game and different guys carried us. Tonight was a great chance to be in a close game and get those end of game situations. We need to continue to work and learn who we are. We have another level to get to!!”
Way-Co kept the pressure on all night. Alex Fedorchuk led all scorers with 18 points, while Orion Walker and Cole Hanggi each finished with 14 points for the Eagles.
The Red Raiders will take on Class A Rochester Prep Friday night at Alfred University.
