Staff Report

Gone are Daily Star Player of the Year Jessica Laing, Emily White and Kassie Tiller, who carried South Kortright to a Class D state girls basketball title last season.

Also departed is coach Harry Nissen, who retired last season after 26 seasons.

And thanks to Morris, the 14-game winning streak the Rams ended last season on, is also history.

The Mustangs defeated South Kortright, 49-34, in a first-round game of the Pat Grasso Tournament at Laurens on Friday. It was the season-opener for both teams.

"We definitely have a lot of respect for South Kortright and what they did last season," Morris coach Kerry Mason said of the Rams, who had a 25-1 record last season with seniors Laing, White and Tiller leading the way. "Hat’s off to them."

But without Laing, the school’s all-time leading scorer, post player White and sharpshooting guard Tiller, players who combined for 63 points in the Rams’ 72-50 victory over Chapel Field in last season’s state title game, the Rams did not matchup against the Mustangs.

"We got into our press and started making some turnovers and put some pressure on them and tried to get into the offense," Mason said. "The press definitely rattled them a little bit."

SK started the game on a 7-0 run, but was outscored, 34-9, for the remainder of the first half.

Brandee Decker and Bobbi-Jean Bryden each scored 15 points for the Mustangs. Decker had nine points in the second quarter, when Morris outscored the Rams, 19-8.[an error occurred while processing this directive]

Kayla Forgit had eight points and 10 rebounds for the Mustangs, who’ll play Gilbertsville-Mount Upton _ a 53-23 winner over the host school Friday _ in the final at 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Rams, under first-year coach Patti McGrail, received seven points from Ally Gardner and six from Jordan Nichols, the two returning starters from last season. Jess Cole also had six points for SK, which plays Laurens in the consolation game at 6 p.m. Saturday.

Morris 49, SK 34

Pat Grasso Tournament at Laurens

MORRIS (1-0): Asia Carroll 1 0-0 3, Kayla Forgit 3 2-2 8, Brandee Decker 6 3-5 15, Bobbi-Jean Bryden 5 4-4 15, Gretchen Meyer 4 0-0 8, Mollie Goodwin 0 0-0 0, Lindsey Shumway 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 19 9-11 49.

SOUTH KORTRIGHT (0-1): Cassie McMullen 1 2-6 4, Amanda Bouton 0 0-0 0, Jess Cole 2 0-0 6, Brittany Pickett 0 0-0 0, Mary Grant 0 0-0 0, Jordan Nichols 2 2-6 6, Ally Gardner 3 1-2 7, Cassie Salcido 1 0-0 3, Joan Wohlberg 0 0-0 0, Patti Austin 2 1-4 5, Abby Dropp 1 1-2 3. TOTALS: 12 7-20 34.

Morris 14 19 6 10 _ 49

South Kortright 8 8 2 16 _ 34

Three-point field goals: M (Carroll, Bryden); SK (Cole 2, Salcido).

G-MU 53, Laurens 23

Sophomore Danielle Conway scored a game-high 18 points and had eight rebounds to lead Gilbertsville-Mount Upton to a first-round victory in the Pat Grasso Tournament.

The Raiders (1-0) led, 30-7, at halftime. Brittney Rudnitsky scored all 10 of her points in the first half for G-MU.

"We pressured and were able to get some easy baskets," G-MU coach Jim Johnson said.

Mechia Scott scored seven points to lead Laurens (0-1).

G-MU 53, Laurens 23

Pat Grasso Tournament at Laurens

GILBERTSVILLE-MOUNT UPTON (1-0): Sam Moreno 0 0-0 0, Ashlea Osborne 2 2-3 6, Cass Calamia 0 1-3 1, Brittney Peet 3 1-2 7, Danielle Conway 7 4-4 18, Sam Brooks 1 0-0 3, Sierra French 0 0-0 0, Kayla Armstrong 0 0-2 0, Brittney Rudnitsky 4 0-3 10, Terra Moore 4 0-6 8. TOTALS: 21 8-23 53.

LAURENS (0-1): Leandra Spoor 1 0-3 2, Mechia Scott 1 5-8 7, Jamie Snyder 1 0-0 2, Dayle Dutcher 1 0-2 2, Christie Banks 1 3-4 5, Sarah Saggesse 1 0-0 2, Allison Marnet 0 0-0 0, Kateri Knapp 1 1-2 3. TOTALS: 7 9-17 23.

G-MU 17 13 18 4 _ 53

Laurens 3 4 9 7 _ 23

Three-point field goals: G (Rudnitsky 2, Brooks).