SECTION IV GIRLS BASKETBALL: M-E PROVES WORTHY OF TOP SEED WITH 69-44 WIN OVER WAVERLY IN CLASS A SEMIS (24 PHOTOS) (March 3, 2026)
By TIM BIRNEYValley Sports ReportENDWELL — Using a stifling 2-3 defense, a high-octane offense, and a big run to start the second quarter, Maine-Endwell proved worthy of its top seed here Tuesday night in a 69-44 win over Waverly in the semifinals of the Section IV, Class A girls basketball playoffs.
"(Maine-Endwell) is always very good in that zone, very aggressive," said longtime Waverly coach Bob Kelly, who was coaching his last game. "We threw some ill-advised passes, stuff we talked about.
"They move the ball," noted Kelly. "We had some defensive breakdowns ... they got some open shots, and made us pay.
"They are a very good team on both on both ends of the floor, give them a lot of credit. They do what they do very well," added Kelly. "And we didn't play our best tonight."
The Spartans scored the first five points of the game, but the Wolverines answered with a 3-pointer by senior Kaitlyn Sutton and a short jumper by sophomore Kaylin Twedt to tie the game at 5-5.
M-E scored the next two buckets to take a 9-5 lead, but Sutton drained back-to-back 3-pointers, and junior Ryleigh Judson scored in transition in an 8-3 spurt that put Waverly up 13-12 with 2:19 remaining in the first quarter.
After the Spartans regained the lead on their next possession, Judson canned a 3-pointer to give Waverly a 16-14 lead after the opening eight minutes.
Tessa L'Amoreaux knocked down a trio of 3-pointers to fuel a 15-0 Spartan run to start the second quarter to give the Spartans a 29-16 with 3:23 remaining in the first half.
Twedt stopped the run with an old-fashioned three point play to close the gap to 28-19 with 2:13 left in the half, but a 3-pointer by Madalyn Ocker and buckets by Breanna Butler and Harper Egan pushed the lead back to 36-19.
Sophomore Kendall Rockwell scored in the low-post with 2 seconds remaining in the half to trim the deficit to 36-21 at the half.
M-E scored the first seven points of the second half to take a 43-21 lead with 6:01 left in the third quarter.
Judson stopped the run with a jumper from the free-throw line to make it 43-23, but L'Amoreaux's fifth 3-pointer of the game to give the Spartans a 46-23 lead.
Senior Brilynn Belles knocked down a pair of 3-pointers and sophomore Lauryn Welles scored in the low-post for the Wolverines in an 8-1 spurt that closed the gape to 47-31 with 3:25 remaining in the third quarter, but that was the closest Waverly would get.
Maine-Endwell closed the third quarter with a 9-3 spurt to take a 56-34 lead into the final eight minutes.
Sutton, who drained a trio of 3-pointers, and Judson led Waverly with 11 points apiece, while Twedt had seven points, and Belles and Rockwell added six points apiece.
L'Amoreaux, who canned five 3-pointers, and Butler, who had a trio of 3-pointers, led M-E with 17 points apiece.
The Wolverines will graduate just two seniors in Sutton and Belles.
"Kate's only been here for two years, but Brilynn had been a part of it for four years," said Kelly. They're good people, just very good people.
"It's been a pleasure to coach them, and I just wish them all the best of luck," Kelly added.
Kelly wraps up a 30-year coaching career, which began as the JV boys basketball coach at Waverly and ended with a 13-year run as the Waverly girls coach.
It's been very enjoyable, I loved it here," said Kelly. "I taught here for 30 years, so I'm grateful for the opportunity that they've given me, and I'm very appreciative."
Waverly wraps up the season at 9-12.
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IN PHOTO 1: Waverly's Kendall Rockwell. IN TOP PHOTO: From left: Waverly's Kaitlyn Sutton, Maci Wheeler, Ryleigh Judson, Kendall Rockwell, and Kaylin Twedt. ... PHOTOS BY TIM BIRNEY.
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