
When Sydney Hajdasz spun a chest-high pass to her, Waterville’s Paige Cornish didn’t hesitate.
The junior sent the ball sailing into the net for three more of her 10 points in the fourth quarter vs. Cooperstown in the last regular home game of the season for the Indians. But despite outscoring the Hawkeyes 8-4 through the remainder of the game, and getting a career-high of 19 points from Cornish, the Indians fell 60-54.
That puts their pre-playoff record at 12-7 with one more game before sectionals.
Along with Cornish, Janelle Cleary’s 15 points and 10 from Natalee Collins paced Waterville to a much closer game in the rematch vs. the team likely to be the No. 3 seed in the Class C playoffs. Down by as much as 14 early in the fourth quarter, the Indians came within 5 points with a minute to go.
The game followed an exciting win by the Waterville junior varsity and recognition for the team’s one senior, Brianne Barnes.
The first quarter played out close despite some ball handling mistakes by Waterville. They had the first of three inbounds turnovers by not getting the ball in on time, but Cornish’s scoop shot at the end of the period put the Indians within one, 12-11.
While the points were hard to come by, fouls were not. Not quite four minutes into the game Collins had two of Waterville’s five fouls, while a Cooperstown starter...