PLEASANTVILLE — A pair of WCAC road victories at Pleasantville Tuesday extended the winning stretch for the Woodward-Granger girls to eight games while the W-G boys claimed their seventh consecutive triumph.
W-G (9-1, 7-0) were 44-16 victors in the girls game, with clutch defense helping the Hawks (8-1, 6-1) post a 62-59 overtime triumph in the boys outing.
The nightcap was a back-and-forth affair throughout. Pleasantville (3-4, 3-3) held a 23-22 lead at the half and overcame an eight-point deficit to enter the final frame tied at 41-all.
A tip-in just before the final horn forced overtime with the teams tied at 54 apiece.
Being in a close contest was unexpected territory for W-G, who entered the contest outscoring their opponents by an average of 67.6 to 38.7 points per game. Their plus-28.9 average margin is third-best in 2A and seventh-best among all classes.
Against the Trojans the Hawks proved they can prevail in tight quarters, with Kaya Bowlsby hitting a 3-pointer and two clutch free throws in the extra period.
W-G led, 62-59, with 30 seconds to play when Nick Buch made his fourth block of the game. The hosts grabbed the loose ball, but energetic perimeter defense would not allow a clean look at a potential game-tying 3-pointer as the Hawks held on for the win.
Bowlsby and Bryce Achenbach each had 15 points for W-G, with Keith Braunschweig adding 12 points. Alex Bice added eight points, Reese Jamison five, Buck four and Pacey Moats three.
Buch added three rebounds to his four blocks, with Bowlsby having four assists, four steals and two blocks while Achenbach gathered five boards, made four assists and had three thefts.
Statistical information for Pleasantville was not available.
Defense was the name of the game for the W-G girls as well, as they allowed six points in the first quarter, none in the second and two in the third en route to their win. The Hawks led, 14-6, after one period and 29-6 at the break before entering the final stanza holding a 41-8 advantage.
The Hawk girls, unlike the boys team, is no stranger to closer contests and is winning by an average of 7.4 points per game. W-G is scoring 41.2 points per game and allowing 33.8 points each outing.
Emma Anderson led W-G with 13 points, with Finley Fitzgerald adding 10 and Natalie Helbling nine. Katelyn Scharlau had three points, Ava Petersen, Quinn Kaufman, Mae Anderson and Mackenzie Dresback two apiece and Jenna Achenbach one point.
Faith Vanderhart had six points and Bridgette McKinney five for the Trojans, with Rachel Harvey adding three points and Payton Thill and Brenna Benge one apiece.
W-G hosts AC/GC Friday in a WCAC set beginning with the girls game at 6 p.m.
