Keith Lanfear Photo

SYRACUSE – Despite the relentless hustle, the uptempo and physical contest – the style of the Lady Purple Tornado all season long – Norwich fell to Section III champion South Jefferson 61-58 Saturday night at SRC Arena on the campus of Onondaga Community College in the New York State quarterfinals.

Purple Tornado senior Taylor Hansen led in the scoring column for the Section IV champions, finishing the game with 16 points.

The Lady Spartans were paced by the inside play of Alyssa Stevenson, scoring a game-high 23 points, and their freshman point-guard Jackie Piddock. Piddock, a shifty and quick ball-hander who normally leads in the scoring column for South Jefferson, ended the night with 17 points.

Prior to the start of the contest, Norwich head coach Josh Bennett said his team wasn’t going to change their style of game. And they didn’t as the Tornado were sending two to three girls in the face of Piddock in the Spartans’ back court, hoping to throw the young point guard into a little bit of a panic.

However, the freshman handled the pressure with poise and composure, helping lead the Spartans to a run in the fourth quarter.

After starting with a 2-0 lead, South Jefferson tried to push their lead open but it seemed like every time the Spartans began to pull away in the first quarter, Norwich had an answer and came rallying right back.