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Sophomore Lauren Cannatelli scored a career high 27 points to lead Lakota West to a 53-52 win against Sycamore on Wednesday night.

Freshman Nia Staples added 11 points, as the Firebirds won their fifth straight and improved to 7-1 and 5-1 in the Greater Miami Conference.

The Firebirds next game on the schedule is against St. Ursula in the Lakota West Holiday Hoops event at 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 28.

Sycamore	12	6	14	12-8	52
Lakota West	12	10	11	11-9	53

Sycamore (3-6, 3-3 in GMC) – Hunter 3 1 8, Locke 3 6 12, Outlaw 5 2 12, McDonald 3 2 11, Ruffin 3 1 7, Burns 1 0 2. Totals 18 12 52.

Lakota West (7-1, 5-1 in GMC) – Wells 0 3 3, Staples 4 3 11, Cannatelli 9 6 27, Carter 2 2 6, Tomasic 1 0 2, Wasan 2 0 4. Totals 18 14 53.

Halftime: Lakota West 22-18. 3-pointers: S 4 (Hunter, McDonald 3); LW 3 (Cannatelli 3).

Meanwhile, Lakota East lost its second straight game this week when it fell to Oak Hills on the road by the score of 44-34.

Next up for the Thunderhawks is a home game against Fairfield (4-3, 3-2 in GMC) on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Lakota East	11	9	11	3	34
Oak Hills	10	11	12	11	44

Lakota East (2-7, 2-3 in GMC) – Satterwhite 6 1 14, Rodgers 4 0 9, Wills 1 2 4, Thomas 1 1 3, Franklin 0 2 2, White 1 0 2. Totals: 13 6 34.

Oak Hills (3-7, 2-4 in GMC) – Laumann 2 0 5, Leitz 3 0 6, Kilgore 6 0 13, Murray 0 2 2, Rogers 2 0 4, Eckstein 2 1 5, MacArthur 1 0 2, Braun 2 3 7. Totals: 18 6 44.

Halftime: Oak Hills 21-20. 3-pointers: OH 2 (Laumann, Kilgore); LE 2 (Satterwhite, Rodgers).

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Tags: Tags: Lakota East, Lakota East basketball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports, Lauren Cannatelli, Lauren Cannatelli Lakota West

Both the Lakota East and Lakota West girls’ basketball teams fell to two of region’s best on Saturday, while the Lakota East boys’ team cruised to a 87-38 win against Lockland.

The Lakota East – No. 8 in The Cincinnati Enquirer preseason coaches’ poll – couldn’t keep up with No. 2 Mason, losing 60-30 and its third straight game to begin the season.

Mason senior and Missouri commit Kayla McDowell recorded game highs in rebounds with nine, in blocks with two and in points with 26. Sophomore Leah Goodwin led Lakota East with 11 points and six rebounds.

Meanwhile, the Firebirds – No. 6 in The Enquirer poll – kept it close before falling 51-46 to No. 1 Princeton.

Lakota West received a strong effort from freshman Nia Staples, who scored a game high 18 points. Sophomore teammate Lauren Cannatelli nailed four three pointers and finished with 12 points.

The Lakota East boys’ team improved to 2-0 with its win. Senior Stedman Lowry converted four three pointers and finished with 21 points in the win. Teammates senior guard Austin Emrick (12 points), senior center Zach Panzecca (16 points), sophomore forward Myo Baxter (14 points) and sophomore center Alex White (11 points) all finished in double figures in scoring.

Lakota East	10	7	7	6	30
Mason	15	14	14	17	60

Lakota East (0-3, 0-1) – Satterwhite 2 0 4, Rodgers 2 2 6, Goodwin 4 1 11, Franklin 2 1 5, Catron 1 0 3, Wills 0 1 1. Totals 11 5 30.

Mason (2-0, 1-0) – Herren 1 0 3, McDowell 9 8 26, Ammons 1 0 2, Neal 2 1 5, Gunn 3 2 8, Mason 1 0 3, Melinick 2 2 6, Van Kleunen 1 0 2, Brown 1 0 2, Rotowski 1 0 2. Totals: 22 13 18.

Halftime: Mason 29-17. 3-pointers: L 3 (Goodwin 2, Catron); M 2 (Herren, Mason).

Princeton	16	9	15	11	51
Lakota West	11	7	16	12	46

Princeton (3-0) – Sherman 1 0 2, C. Mitchell 6 1 13, Roper 3 0 7, Ballew 1 1 3, Hardin 1 0 2, Drake 1 1 3, Pogue 4 3 11, K. Mitchell 3 4 10. 20 10 51

Lakota West (2-1) – Staples 7 2 18, Cannatelli 4 0 12, Carter 1 1 3, Tomasic 2 0 4, Aull 1 0 2, Wasan 3 1 7. 18 4 46

Halftime: Princeton 25-18. 3-pointers: P 1 (Roper); L 6 (Cannatelli 4, Staples 2)

Lakota East 87, Lockland 38 (scoring by quarter not available)

Lakota East (2-0) – Emrick 6 0 12, Harpring 3 2 9, S. Lowry 8 1 21, Mays 1 0 2, D. Lowry 1 0 2, Panzecca 8 0 16, Baxter 7 0 14, White 4 3 11. Totals: 38 6 87

Lockland (0-1) – Char. Harris 1 0 2, Athie 3 0 7, Hice 1 0 2, Carnine 1 0 2, Phillps 1 0 2, Riddle 3 2 8, Marshall 3 1 7, Chris Harris 1 0 2, Finley 3 0 6. Totals: 17 3 38

Halftime: Lakota East 41-17. 3-pointers: Lakota East (S. Lowry 4, Harpring); Lockland 1 (Athie)

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Tags: Tags: Alex White, Alex White Lakota East, Austin Emrick, Kayla McDowell, Kayla McDowell Missouri, Lakota East, Lakota East basketball, Lakota East Sports, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West sports, Lauren Cannatelli, Lauren Cannatelli Lakota West, Leah Goodwin, Myo Baxter, Myo Baxter Lakota East, Nia Staples, Nia Staples Lakota West, Rob Harpring, Robbie Harpring, Stedman Lowry, Stedman Lowry Lakota East, Zach Panzecca

Four different Firebirds scored in double figures Monday, as Lakota West defeated Mount Notre Dame by the score of 63-52 in the season opener for both teams.

Lakota West took the lead early and continued to pull away, before getting out to 16-point lead early in the fourth quarter.

Pacing the Firebirds were freshman Nia Staples (11 points, 7 rebounds), sophomore Lauren Cannatelli (10 points, 4 steals), senior Rachel Tomasic (15 points, 3 steals) and sophomore Lara Aull (11 points in only 12:58 minutes of playing time).

As a team, Lakota West made 50 percent (6-of-12) of its three-point shots while the Cougars only made 20 percent (2-of-10). Helping with overall team’s shooting numbers (made 46 percent of their shots) was Tomasic, who was 4-of-4 from the floor (3-of-3 from three-point range) and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Her 15 points was a career high.

Meanwhile, Staples led Lakota West with 7 rebounds in her first varsity game. Fellow freshman Danielle Wells led the team with four assists. Both freshmen started the game for the Firebirds.

Lakota West – No. 6 in The Cincinnati Enquirer preseason coaches’ poll – will host Oak Hills Thursday at 7:30 p.m. in its home opener. Oak Hills (0-1) is coming off a 52-31 loss to Alter on Saturday and will play at Turpin on Tuesday before facing the Firebirds.

Lakota West	18	14	13	18	63
Mount Notre Dame	15	11	6	20	52

Lakota West (1-0) - Wells 1 2 4, Staples 2 6 11, Cannatelli 2 5 10, Carter 2 1 5, Tomasic 4 4 15, Aull 3 4 11, Kivell 0 1 1, Wasan 3 0 6. Totals: 17 23 63.

Mount Notre Dame (0-1) - South 1 0 2, Davenport 4 0 8, Carlin 3 2 8, Duncan 4 1 9, Lamb 0 1 1, Scholz 0 11, Crace 2 1 5, Kissel 6 4 18. Totals: 20 10 52.

Halftime: Lakota West 32-26. 3-pointers LW 6 (Tomasic 3, Staples, Cannatelli, Aull); MND 2 (Kissel 2).

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Tags: Tags: Danielle Wells, Danielle Wells Lakota West, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West basketball preview, Lakota West sports, Lara Aull, Lauren Cannatelli, Lauren Cannatelli Lakota West, Nia Staples, Nia Staples Lakota West, Rachel Tomasic

The Lakota West girls’ basketball team will open the 2012-2013 season at Mount Notre Dame Monday night with a roster that includes three freshmen and three sophomores.

“We are obviously going to be, perhaps, the youngest varsity basketball team in the league,” Lakota West head coach Andy Fishman said. “However, I don’t think that means we should set our sights any lower or the expectations that we have, which is to compete for championships.”

The Firebirds head into their season opener without the services of its senior leader Emily Niehaus and junior post player Amanda Gallof, who are both out with foot injuries.

Those injuries make sophomore Lauren Cannatelli the team’s only returning starter from last year. As a freshman, Cannatelli led the Firebirds in minutes played per game with 22 and was second in points scored per game with 7.7.

Starting alongside Cannatelli will be junior post player Elisabeth Carter, who unlike her fellow upper class teammates is healthy after playing through a foot injury last season. Despite playing hurt, Carter still averaged 13 minutes, 2.7 points and 3.1 rebounds per game.

Hoping to earn starts alongside Cannatelli and Carter are freshmen Danielle Wells, Lexi Wasan and Nia Staples, as well as sophomores Arianne Whitaker and Lara Aull.

“If we are going to have freshmen or sophomores on varsity, as with the case with Lauren last year, you have to know that they are good for at least half a game to justify not getting them minutes at a lower level,” Fishman said.

Although inexperienced, the Firebirds drew the respect of the region’s girls’ basketball coaches – receiving the ranking of No. 6 in The Cincinnati Enquirer preseason poll.

“I expect this group to be very competitive,” Fishman said. “Although I don’t expect them to play with great experience, I do expect them to play with great desire, a great fellowship and that winning attitude that really puts them in position to be winners regardless the outcome of the game.”

After Monday’s season opener, Lakota West will open its home schedule and its conference schedule on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. against Oak Hills. On Saturday, the Firebirds will host Princeton – No. 1 in The Enquirer preseason coaches’ poll – at 2 p.m.

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Tags: Tags: Amanda Gallof, Arianna Whitaker, Elisabeth Carter, Emily Niehaus, Lakota West, Lakota West basketball, Lakota West basketball preview, Lakota West sports, Lara Aull, Lauren Cannatelli, Lauren Cannatelli Lakota West