CIDER STREET RIVALRY RENEWED-HARDWOOD STYLE-REDSKINS ROLL-68-58
Oriskany’s Anthony Pickard (14) tracks Westmoreland’s John Gerace (1) early in the contest.
Jeff Pexton-MHTS/PGI Photo
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The “Cider Street Rivalry” between Oriskany High School and Westmoreland High School is one of the best Central New York has to offer.
Doesn’t matter what sport their playing, baseball, football, golf, softball or basketball, throw the records out, when these two schools meet, they’re playing for keeps!
For the second time this season, Westmo and Oriskany met for a boy’s basketball game, and for the second time this season it was Oriskany that came away with the victory. Tonight the Redskins rode the hot hand of senior Anthony Pickard and defeated the Bulldogs 68-58.
Westmoreland guard John Gerace (1) zips a no look pass to the corner late in the game.
Pickard led Oriskany with 24 points, 15 of which came in the first half when the Redskins desperately needed them.
Westmoreland, which entered tonight’s Center State Conference crossover with a record of (1-8), started off exactly how head coach Jeff Busch wanted them too, forcing turnovers and getting the ball to the open man.
The Bulldogs jumped all over the visiting Redskins in the opening quarter, opening up a 13-4 lead after the first eight minutes.
If not for a basket each from Austin Smith and Pickard, it would have been a first quarter shutout for Westmoreland.
Tyler Taverne, Westmoreland’s big guy down low, scored 6 of his 16 points in the first quarter to lead the Dogs.
Westmoreland continued its early onslaught in the second quarter, scoring the first four points of the period to open up a 17-4 lead over a stunned Oriskany club.
Oriskany head coach Bob Reid quickly called a timeout with 7:20 remaining to settle his rattled Redskins. Whatever it was that the coach told his kids, it worked.
Oriskany guards Smith and Pickard combined for 10 points, while Ryan Schmadel and Dan Buehler were perfect from the free throw line adding a combined 4 points to help the Skins get back into the game before the half.
A foul called on Westmoreland’s Erik Harris at the buzzer sent Justin Dorsino to the line with zeros on the clock and he knocked them both down to send the teams to the intermission tied at 30-30.
The tie score at half time was the result of a remarkable 26-13 run by Oriskany over the last six minutes of the second quarter.
So We Meet Again…Westmoreland’s Zach Green (25) dives after Oriskany’s Anthony Pickard (14) late in the game. Pickard and Green know each other well from the football rivalry Oriskany and Westmoreland enjoy.
At the half, Westmoreland coach Busch told My Hometown Sports – ESPN Radio 99.1 FM that despite Oriskany erasing the double-digit lead his Bulldogs had built, he was happy with his team’s play in the first sixteen minutes and that he would just be seeking the same intensity in the second half.
Minutes before the start of the second half, Redskins coach Bob Reid told MHTS – ESPN 99.1 FM that his team settled down and got back to the game plan in the first half and that he felt the team was fortunate to be tied with Westmoreland after the start that they had. Coach Reid said that a continued tough defensive effort and points in transition would be key to an Oriskany win.
The Redskins came out running and gunning in the first eight minutes of the second half, scoring the first 11 points to lead the Bulldogs by a score of 41-30.
The Bulldogs may have been down, but they certainly were not ready to go away, scoring 15 of the next 19 points in the ball game to send the teams to the fourth quarter tied at 45-45.
John Gerace’s 8 third quarter points led the Bulldogs comeback in the third, setting up a potentially fantastic finish.
Whether tonight’s contest would end as dramatically as Westmoreland’s 28-22 come from behind football win last fall would remain to be seen.
Westmoreland’s Tyler Taverne (44) puts up 2 of his 16 points as Oriskany’s Cody Murphy (45) looks on.
The bitter taste in Oriskany’s collective mouth from that game will not soon go away as the loss knocked the Redskins out of Section III playoff contention.
The fourth quarter of this one was all Redskins, who outscored Westmoreland 23-13 in the final eight minutes to gain the rivalry game win.
Chaz Koss and Alex Liddy had 6 points and Pickard pitched in 4 points in the final frame to pace Oriskany to the strong 68-58 win.
After the game, Monster Energy Drink Player of the Game Anthony Pickard was quick to point out how important the Westmoreland – Oriskany rivalry is to both schools, adding “I was on the football team that lost to them last fall, it was so tough on us, so coming over here and beating them on their court is great, I’m really happy that we won tonight, everyone played together and we got it done”.
With the win, Oriskany improves to (7-4) overall on the season and remains (3-2) in the CSC-IV. The Redskins will next host West Canada Valley on January 16th against West Canada Valley.
Westmoreland dropped to (1-9) overall and remained (0-6) in CSC-III play.
Westmoreland’s John Gerace led all scorers with 25 points, including 9 from outside the 3 point arch.
Oriskany got double digits from Pickard with 24, Austin Smith with 16 and Chaz Koss with 10.
Oriskany 68 Westmoreland 58
Box Score
1 2 3 4 Total
Oriskany 4 26 15 23 68
Westmoreland 13 17 15 13 58
MHTS Scoring summary:
Oriskany:
Anthony Pickard 24
Austin Smith 16
Ryan Schamndel 10
Chad Koss 10
Cody Murphy 6
Dustin Dorsino 2
Monster Energy Drink Player of the Game – Anthony Pickard of Oriskany.
Westmoreland:
John Gerace 25
Tyler Taverne 16
Zack Green 7
Dylan Hannaford 5
Erik Hannaford 5
