The Norwich High School Girls Varsity Team, coached by Josh Bennett defeated the Chenango Valley Warriors for the Class B, Section 4 Girls Championship at the Visions Credit Union, Veterans  Memorial Broome County Arena. (Photo by Jamey Mullen)

BINGHAMTON – All those years where Norwich came up just short in Section IV championship games are making the recent run of success that much more sweet.

The Purple Tornado girls' basketball team completed a third straight Section IV Class B championship run rolling past Chenango Valley, 61-34, at Visions Federal Credit Union Memorial Arena on Sunday afternoon.

If not for the lost 2021 championship due to COVID-19 limitations, the purple and white-clad Norwich ladies might be looking at a fourth straight sectional championships.

Either way - three championships or four - NHS is closing in fast on what could be considered a dynastic basketball existence.

"We were definitely more confident (today)," said Norwich senior Emily Evans, who scored a game-high 27 points. "We felt comfortable knowing what we were coming into.    Half of the girls on the team have played here (the Arena) before, and it just helps us."

Evans led a Norwich barrage from beyond the three-point arc that yielded 13 made three-pointers.

That may or may not be a team record, but it was certainly the most 3s Norwich has made in a sectional championship game played at the Arena.

Norwich drained eight of those 3s in the first half with Evans making a trio of 3s in the opening quarter, and Olivia Schiraldi added a pair of 3s in the second quarter as NHS (16-6) led 30-17 at the halftime break.

"It really helped us that Emily got off to a quick start shooting the ball well," said Norwich coach Josh Bennett, whose club was appearing in its eighth Section IV championship game in his coaching tenure. "When she starts the game (shooting) well, it helps her confidence and everyone else got into their own rhythm."

CV hung within 13 points at halftime - mainly on the strength of offensive rebounding - but a series of third-quarter miscues helped put the game out of reach.

"We did a great job in the third quarter turning them over the first four or five possessions," Bennett said. "You could tell that it really deflated them."

Norwich extended its lead to 46-23 through three quarters of play.                     

Margaret Dougher had seven of her 13 points in the third, while Evans and Devin Flanagan each connected on a pair of three-pointers.

This coming Sunday, Norwich plays Section III champion General Brown at the Visions Memorial Arena in the traditional Section III-versus-Section IV state regional.

Norwich dropped a close intersectional matchup to South Jefferson in 2019, and 2020 state tournament was cancelled.

"Looking at (General Brown) on film, they are us," Bennett said, noting the Section III champs bear striking similarities in their overall size and style of play. "I think we shoot it a little better, but they have a couple kids that get to the rim a little better.    We'll have to rebound better next week, and we'll have to work hard to keep kids in front of us. I don't think they'll hold us down (on offense), it's whether or not we can play well on defense."

No. 1 NORWICH 61, No. 3 CHENANGO VALLEY 34

Chenango Valley: Tessa McEnaney 0, Emily Goodstal 3 2-2-8, Ally O'Connor 1 0-2-2; Jessica Gates 0 2-2-2, Ainsley Staub 0 0-1-1; Chloe Osteen 0 1-4-1, Merrell Rouff 0 0-2-0, Maddi Trisket 8 0-1-16, Madelyn Hayes 2 0-0-4. Totals:    14 6-15-34.

Norwich (16-6):    Maddy Morris 1 0-0-3, Maya Adoff 0, Em. Urgo 0, Olivia Schiraldi 2 0-0-6, Emily Evans 10 3-4-27, Devin Flanagan 2 0-0-6, Margaret Dougher 5 0-0-13, Julie Turner 0 1-2-1, Bella DiIorio 0, Cameron Van Houten 2 0-0-5 MacKenzie Hess 0 0-2-0; Josey Ryan 0, Julia Llewellyn 0. Totals: 22 4-8-61.

Score by quarters

CVall        3      14      6      11--34

Norw.    14    16    16    15--61

Three-point goals:    Norwich 13 (Hess 4, Dougher 3, Schiraldi 2, Van Houten, Flanagan 2, Morris).    Chenango Valley: None.      Team fouls:    N-16, CV-11. Fouled out:    None.