GAINESVILLE — A classic battle took place at Letchworth High School on Saturday, with No. 6 Elba falling just short of a significant upset, with No. 1 Andover/Whitesville and senior Vanessa Hall proving to be too much in the Class D2 Final. Hall poured in a game-high 28 points for A/W, which came away from a back-and-forth affair with a slim, 58-55 victory.
A game that featured 15 lead changes came down to the wire, with the Lancers holding a 40-38 advantage after three quarters but failing to finish the job, as Hall and A/W outscored underdog Elba, 20-15, in the fourth to help secure the Panthers’ second straight sectional championship. The Lancers did their best to limit Hall, holding the A/W scorer to 38.7% shooting from the field and just one make on seven looks from beyond the perimeter. But in the end, Hall’s heroics proved to be enough, as Elba was outlasted by its arch nemesis by a three-point margin.