PLATTSBURGH — It wasn't a question if, but when Chad Keysor would become the winningest coach in Section VII girls' basketball history.
Keysor began his 21st — and final — season as Saranac coach with 283 victories and needing just two to catch longtime rival Andy Landry, who retired from Northeastern Clinton in the offseason with 285 wins.
Saranac won its first two games, pulling Keysor into a tie with Landry. Keysor then went for the record last Friday at, all of places, NCCS. But the Cougars, with a keen sense of history, denied Keysor, rolling to a 66-38.
The Chiefs moved on to play Seton Catholic Wednesday night and this time, there was no stopping Keysor. Saranac led all the way in rolling to a 45-21 victory, Keysor's record-setting 286th triumph.
Megan Bowman scored 10 points and Jade Pellerin nailed three 3-pointers in the third quarter to help Saranac secure the victory.
Kate Murnane netted six points to lead the Knights while Eliza Zalis had eight rebounds.
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Saranac 45, Seton Catholic 21
Saranac (45)
M. Bowman 4-2-10, Horton 3-0-6, O'Connell 1-0-2, King 3-0-6, Keysor 1-0-3, Pellerin 3-0-9, A. Bowman 2-0-4, McCasland 1-0-3, Myers 1-0-2, Maynard 0-0-0. Totals 19-2-45.
Seton Catholic (21)
Reno 1-1-3, Fairchild 1-0-2, Egan 2-0-4, Murnane 2-2-6, Tedford 2-0-4, Zalis 1-0-2, Chapman 0-0-0, Cannon 0-0-0, Doorey 0-0-0. Totals 9-3-21.
Saranac1112157— 45
Seton Catholic4656—21
3-point goals: Sar (5) Keysor, Pellerin 3, McCasland.
JV: Saranac won
Saranac Lake 25
NAC 23
ELLENBURG CENTER — Kelsey Blanchard scored nine points and Ally Cummings, eight, to lead Saranac Lake to victory over host Northern Adirondack.
NAC led by one at the half, but Saranac Lake outscored the Bobcats 9-3 in the third quarter to take the lead. NAC closed to within two and had a chance to pull out the victory, but missed eight free throws down the stretch. The Bobcats shot only 11-for-31 from the foul line and were hurt by turnovers.
Saranac Lake also had problems at the line, sinking only six of 17 attempts.
Michelle Silver scored 10 points to lead NAC.
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Saranac Lake 25, NAC 23
Saranac Lake (25)
J. Cummings 1-0-3, DeMarco 0-3-3, Radoncic 0-0-0, Manning 1-0-2, Dubee 0-0-0, Pietras 0-0-0, Blanchard 3-3-9, A. Cummings 4-0-8. Totals 9-6/17-25.
Northern Adirondack (23)
Normandin 1-1-3, Silver 3-4-10, Spinner 1-2-4, Manor 0-2-2, Abel 0-0-0, Golovach 1-0-2, King 0-2-2, Trombley 0-0-0, Hemingway 0-0-0, LaDuke 0-0-0. Totals 6-11/31-23.
Saranac Lake 4 5 9 7 — 25
No. Adirondack 3 7 3 10 — 23
Mod: NAC won
NCCS 49, AuSable 33
CLINTONVILLE — Both teams started slowly, but Northeastern Clinton recovered in the second period, outscoring AuSable Valley 21-6 on its way to the victory.
The two teams combined for just seven points in a physical first period. Both sides got good looks, but managed just one field goal each.
Rachelle Barcomb ignited the Cougars' second-quarter surge with a pair of back-to-back 3-pointers. Northeastern Clinton (4-0) maintained a double-digit lead the rest of the way as AuSable Valley struggled with a 14-for-50 night from the field.
Mary Elizabeth Franke scored 12 points to lead NCCS while AuSable Valley limited Katrina Garrand to five first-half points. Chelsey Brooks chipped in with nine points.
"We did a pretty solid job defensively and got some good looks, but we couldn't put the ball in the ocean," AuSable Coach Roger Long said.
Alexis Facteau scored 12 points and came up with 18 rebounds, five steals and two blocks for AuSable Valley (3-1).
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Northeastern Clinton 49
AuSable Valley 33
Northeastern Clinton (49)
Southwick 1-0-2, Dominic 2-0-4, Garrand 1-3-5, Ashline 0-0-0, Grimshaw 0-0-0, Rabideau 1-0-2, Brooks 4-1-9, Franke 6-0-12, Boumil 0-0-0, Faiviae 3-0-6, Bond 1-0-2, Barcomb 2-1-7. Totals 19-2-5-49.
AuSable Valley (33)
Finnegan 0-0-0, M. Taylor 0-0-0, Casey 0-1-1, Ryan 3-0-6, Coolidge 4-1-9, Douglas 1-0-2, K. Taylor 0-3-3, Facteau 6-0-12. Totals 14-5-33.
No. Clinton 3 21 15 10 — 49
AuSable Valley 4 6 9 14 — 33
3-point goals: NCCS (2) Barcomb 2.
JV: NCCS won
Mod: AuSable won
