Sports Snippets: February 1, 2024

Coop Hoops Continue Run

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown girls basketball demolished Poland 47-22 on Friday, January 6. Senior Rory Nelen put away 17 points, six rebounds, three steals and a block. Junior Brenna Seamon scored eight points and made nine rebounds.

The Hawkeyes hosted Poland again on Thursday, January 11, and once again handed out a 46-19 drubbing. Nelen contributed 16 points, 11 rebounds, six steals and two blocks. Junior Mia Kaltenbach added 12 points and six steals.

Nelen achieved her second double in a row with 20 points and 14 rebounds as the Hawkeyes defeated Sauquoit Valley 50-39 on Thursday, January 18. Senior Tori France put away six points, four steals and three assists.

Nelen put her third consecutive double in the books with 15 points and 12 rebounds during Cooperstown’s blowout 58-15 victory against Waterville on Monday, January 22. Seamon recorded a double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Kaltenbach scored 17 points.

The Hawkeyes slipped past Stamford/Jefferson 47-41 in a road game on Friday, January 26. Nelen fell just short of her fourth back-to-back double, putting away 17 points and nine rebounds. Kaltenbach scored 13 more points. France added six points, seven steals and four assists.

Cooperstown celebrated its graduating players with a 47-36 victory against Center State Conference Division II rivals Mount Markham at home on Monday, January 29. Seamon recorded another double with 19 rebounds and 13 points. Nelen scored 15 points and made 8 rebounds. The team stands at 11-5 for the season and 5-2 in their division. They will face division leader Hamilton on Monday, February 5.

On the boys’ side, senior Charlie Lambert recorded 32 more points in his first outing after reaching the 1,000-point mark, but the Hawkeyes fell to Mount Markham 69-61 on Monday, January 8. He also recorded seven rebounds, six assists and six steals. The Hawkeyes led 40-27 at the half but fell to a concerted comeback effort in the Center State Conference Division IV contest. Freshman Brody Murdock made 14 points and nine rebounds in the loss.

The Cooperstown boys lost another close contest to Sherburne-Earlville 54-50 on Friday, January 12. Lambert scored 17 points and made six assists. Despite a hard-fought comeback attempt, the Hawkeyes were unable to overcome a slow start.

After this pair of defeats, the boys beat Sauquoit Valley 79-71 at home on Wednesday, January 17. Lambert scored 26 points and junior Cooper Bradley made a double with 14 points and 11 rebounds. Murdock added 16 points.

The boys fell to division leader Hamilton 82-47 on Friday, January 19, an uncharacteristically lopsided loss for the Hawkeyes. Lambert once again led with 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and four steals. Murdock scored 13 points.

The slide continued with a hard-fought 78-67 loss to Waterville on Saturday, January 27. Lambert scored 22 points and Bradley cobbled together another double with 16 points and 13 rebounds. Murdock added 10 points and four steals. The boys fell to 8-8 for the season and 3-4 in their division.

CCS Volleyball Keeps Winning

COOPERSTOWN—The Cooperstown volleyball team put away three more victories in the last two weeks. The Hawkeyes swept Stockbridge Valley in a lopsided non-conference match on Friday, January 19.

They had slightly more difficulty in a Center State Conference Division II match at Clinton on Wednesday, January 24, but dispatched their opponents 3-1 after dropping the first set. Junior Grace Sperry recorded 19 kills and three blocks. Senior Sophia Hotaling made 38 digs, three kills and three aces. Senior Lucy Hayes added 33 assists, eight blocks and a kill. Junior Alexis Wolfe had four aces, 14 digs, 10 assists, five kills and a block. Senior Jill Lifgren made three blocks and four kills. Senior Violet Gentles put away 16 digs, four aces, three assists and six kills. Junior Mia Pelcer added 13 digs, 10 kills and an ace.

Despite a slow start that threatened their first set, the Hawkeyes swept yet another strong opponent with a 28-26, 25-18, 25-10 victory over Sauquoit Valley on Thursday, January 24. Gentles made 12 digs, two aces, a block and seven kills. Hotaling put away 34 more digs, two aces and an assist. Hayes made 11 assists, nine digs and two kills. Wolfe had 11 digs, 10 assists, an ace and a kill. Pelcer recorded five kills, six digs and a block. Lifgren made six digs, six blocks, four kills and an ace.

Cooperstown lost a close match to division leader and defending Section III Class C champion Mount Markham 3-2 on Monday, January 29. It was the first time the Mustangs were played to five sets this season; Cooperstown also lost to Mount Markham in four sets in December. Pelcer had 12 kills, five aces, 14 digs and a block. Hotaling put up 33 digs, an assist, three aces and two kills. Lifgren had six kills. Gentles made 20 digs, three kills and two aces. The Hawkeyes moved to 13-2 for the season and 8-2 in their division. They will face Waterville at home in Red Bursey Gymnasium for Senior Night after press time on Wednesday, January 31.

CCS HoF Nominations Open

COOPERSTOWN—Cooperstown Central School and the Cooperstown Sports Booster Club announced that nominations are open for the school Athletic Hall of Fame Class of 2024. They aim to induct a minimum of five individuals and two teams at the homecoming weekend ceremony in late September or early October.

Anyone may nominate a Cooperstown athlete for consideration; to be eligible, a nominee must be a CCS graduate of the class of 2014 or earlier. Nominated teams must have played before the spring of 2014. Coaches, administrators, and boosters will also be considered; coaches and administrators must be retired from the school for at least two years. The deadline for all nominations is Monday, March 11. More details about the homecoming weekend ceremony and other CCS Athletic Hall of Fame and Booster Club activities will be announced later.

Visit www.cooperstowncs.org/page/ccs-athletics-hall-of-fame or contact Athletic Director Josh Wagner at JWagner@cooperstowncs.org with questions or to make a nomination. Booster Club President Greg Klein suggests that advocates for previously nominated candidates should contact him at JYDBook@gmail.com.