By: Joe Blystone
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
publisher@thevillagereporter.com
SWANTON (January 24, 2026) – Holgate was looking for its first win of the season. Swanton wanted to chalk up its third of the year.
In a game with a combined 42 turnovers, 28 percent field-goal shooting, what seemed like at least two dozen jump-ball calls, and no fewer than five instances where the clock didn’t start on time, Swanton held Holgate scoreless in the fourth quarter to record a 34–25 victory.
“We talked about it before the game,” Swanton coach Craig Good said of the Bulldogs’ defensive effort.
“They were walking in here thinking they were going to get their first win of the year after what had happened last year.
“So, we had to weather the storm early. The open shots they had came from defensive lapses, so we made some adjustments during a timeout.”
“We got girls moving to the basketball after that, and we finished possessions either by causing turnovers or getting rebounds on the defensive end.”
Holgate’s Delaney Meyer hit a pair of triples — one that turned into a four-point play at the 4:54 mark of the first quarter — to give Holgate an early 9–2 lead.
Meyer hit her third three-pointer of the first quarter with 4:26 left to give the Tigers their largest margin at 12–3, but Holgate never scored again in the quarter.
Lexie Yeager’s running one-hander got Swanton within 12–5 at the end of the first. Holgate still led 16–10 after Anna Bower banked one in with 2:44 to go in the half. However, the Bulldogs scored the final eight points of the quarter to take the lead.
Carli Lagrange hit a deep two and then completed a three-point play on a stick-back to get Swanton within 16–15.
Yeager’s long three with 48 ticks left sent the Bulldogs into the locker room with an 18–16 lead. Meyer hit two more from beyond the arc in the third quarter to regain a 22–21 Holgate lead.
Yeager clanged a triple off the glass and in to push Swanton back ahead with two minutes to go. Tori Kobilis answered for the Tigers with 49 seconds left in the third to give Holgate a lead heading into the final quarter.
Little did anyone know Holgate would not score again. The Tigers committed 10 turnovers in the fourth quarter and went 0-for-8 from the field in the final eight minutes.
Lauren Bettinger drilled a three from the top of the key after every Tiger defender backed away, giving Swanton a 27–25 lead.
Lagrange then scored off an offensive rebound, and Bettinger added a weaving drive through the middle to push the Bulldogs ahead 31–25 with 3:21 left.
“She likes to attack,” Good said of his senior guard. “We had to keep running through our plays, getting reversals, and trusting that those reversals would create open shots.
“The three came off a reversal to her. She’s not afraid to pull the trigger, and obviously we want her shooting it — she’s our leading scorer.”
“The triple opened things up for us in the middle, and Lauren is one of the quickest kids I’ve coached. She was able to penetrate and get another one for us.”
Lagrange led the Bulldogs with 12 points. Meyer had 16 for Holgate.
Holgate (0-16) finished with 24 turnovers, while Swanton had 18. The Tigers shot 9-of-38 from the floor. Swanton (3-13) was 12-of-37.