WAVERLY FALLS TO ELMIRA, 53-38, IN SEASON OPENER
By: Tim Birney | Waverly Athletics | December 3, 2021 | Photo courtesy David Alliger
WAVERLY — Elmira used a 32-15 run over the middle two quarters to take control en route to a 53-38 non-league, season-opening girls basketball win here Friday night.
Waverly junior Kennedy Westbrook knocked down a 3-pointer and scored seven points in the first quarter as the two teams played to a 10-10 tie.
Junior Peyton Shaw scored Waverly's only field goal in the second quarter as the Lady Express used an 11-5 spurt to take a 21-15 lead into the halftime locker room.
Six different players scored in a 21-10 third-quarter blitz as Elmira extended its lead to 42-25 entering the final eight minutes.
Shaw scored four points, and senior Lourden Benjamin canned a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter, but Waverly was only able to trim two points from its deficit.
Westbrook led a balanced Waverly offense with 11 points, while Shaw scored seven, Benjamin and senior Olivia Nittinger added five points apiece, and sophomore Paige Robinson chipped in with four points.
Jailer Abrams led Elmira with 20 points, including a trio of 3-pointers and a 5-for-5 effort from the free-throw line, and Amarionah Dixon added 12 points.
Waverly returns to action Tuesday when it hosts Tioga.
——————
IN PHOTO 1: Waverly's Kennedy Westbrook. ... PHOTOS BY DAVID ALLIGER — TRAVELING PORTRAITS.
About the Author
Tim Birney is the founder / owner of River Road Media Group. He was born and raised in the Valley, graduating from Waverly High School in 1984.
Birney earned an Associate's Degree in Journalism from SUNY Morrisville in 1986 and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism / Public Relations from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1988. He began his newspaper career at The Daily Review in Towanda in 1989, before moving on to The Evening Times in 1995. He spent more than 10 years at the Times, the last four as Managing Editor.
River Road Media Group includes five sites in "The Sports Reports" family that cover 24 school districts in five counties: Valley Sports Report (launched Aug. 10, 2009), Tioga County (NY) Sports Report (Aug. 13, 2018), and Northern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 31, 2020); Northern Tier West Sports Report (March 15, 2021) Southern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 16, 2021).
