The 2023-2024 high school girls’ basketball season kicked off on Saturday for a handful of Chagrin Valley Conference teams.
Madison defeated Chagrin Falls, Geneva topped West Geauga, and Harvey knocked off Cardinal in head-to-head matchups between CVC teams, and Cuyahoga Heights and Crestwood also secured season-opening victories on Saturday.
Madison’s 54-53 win over the Tigers was as dramatic as it was intense.
After battling back from an 11-point deficit in the first quarter, the Blue Streaks trailed the Tigers at the break, 25-20. Zoey Delganis and Chloe Wakim then took after as Madison’s dynamic duo combined for 46 points in the game and 33 in the second half to lead their team to the come-from-behind victory.
Wakim scored the final six points of the contest and picked off a pass at halfcourt as time expired to seal head coach Heather Reho’s first career coaching victory.
Chagrin Falls has a lot to look forward to as freshmen Avery Russell and Abby Kay scored 14 and nine points in their high school debuts, and Lily Stukus and Norah Pope scored 11 and nine points, respectively.
Geneva used a 21-8 third-quarter run to pull away from host West Geauga in a 61-37 win that handed 2018 Geneva graduate Emily Harriman her first career coaching win.
Tahkyah Myers fueled that run by scoring eight of her game-high 24 points in the frame. Brooke Richmond and Delaney Marrison each finished the game with 13 points.
Maggie Furst and Faelynn Beckrest both scored in double figures for the Wolverines with 13 and 10 points, respectively.
Harvey defeated host Cardinal, 36-24, at least according to the scoreboard, but the Huskies had plenty to celebrate as they returned to the court for the first time in two years. Cardinal could not field a team in 2022-2023 due to low numbers but returned this season with a young squad eager to compete.
The Red Raiders jumped out to a 25-8 halftime lead, but the Huskies outscored Harvey in the third, 10-3, to make it a game heading into the final quarter.
Cardinal freshman Ivy Kaminski led the team with 13 points and freshmen Emily Pleva and Adelyn Grant each scored four points in their high school debuts.
No scoring information was available for Harvey.
Cuyahoga Heights opened the season with a 38-29 win over visiting Normandy.
The Red Wolves trailed 10-3 after the first quarter but rallied to cut the Normandy lead to 24-22 at halftime.
Heights’ defense took over in the second half as the Red Wolves outscored the Invaders in the final 16 minutes, 16-5.
Julia Jaenke led Cuyahoga Heights with 13 points, Reece Frank added 12 on four 3-pointers, and Ava Galek scored nine points. Addie Bohning contributed with four points.
Crestwood snapped an eight-game skid to rival Garrettsville Garfield by knocking off the G-Men in overtime, 47-44.
Madie Grace Gonczy delivered the key shots in overtime as she scored four of her five points in the extra frame. Becca Brady drained four 3-pointers in the win as she dropped a game-high 17 points on the G-Men. Abby Guyette contributed with 13 points.
Lakeside fell to Willoughby South, 50-29.
