By Ted Waddell
LAKE HUNTINGTON — March 5, 2004 – Quick Maude, grab the phone and call the SPCA. Somebody let the dawgs out of the pound and they are running wild.
On Wednesday night, it was lights out for the opposition as the Sullivan West Bulldogs blasted the visiting Bombers of Pine Plains, 80-52, in a Section IX Class B quarterfinal game. With the victory, third-seeded SW (15-5) advanced to the semifinals. The Bulldogs are slated to meet second-seeded Highland at 6:45 p.m. tonight at SUNY New Paltz in that semifinal contest.
Up in the stands, a grassroots cheering squad nicknamed the “Dawg Pound” was in fine form, rooting for the Bulldogs. Slavering for victory, they kept emotions in the packed SW gymnasium at a fever pitch.
SW High School Principal Margaret Tenbus was on hand to keep the members of the Dawg Pound on a proverbial leash, a difficult job considering the youthful enthusiasm and the fact that the Bulldogs were on their way to a 28-point win.
The SW coaching staff didn’t have any film of sixth-seeded Pine Plains (11-10) to assist them in preparing for the game, so they decided to sit back and watch the back-and-forth first period.
Then they made a few adjustments and let the dogs out.
So far this year, the Bulldogs have been averaging six-and-a-half three-point shots per game. Against Pine Plains, they racked up a total of nine: Sean Semenetz had four, Sean Kelly and Joe Meyer each netted two and Joe Winski made one from beyond the arc.
The Bombers took to the court averaging seven three-pointers per game, but SW held them to five.
In the third period, Pine Plains staged a short-lived comeback as they outscored the Bulldogs 15-14.
But the home team put the game out of reach in the final quarter, outscoring the Bombers, 23-7.
A quartet of Bulldogs reached double digits in the scoring column. Kelly scored a game-high 20 points, Semenetz netted 18, Meyer had 14 and Scott Peters added 10. Semenetz also grabbed 14 rebounds.
For Pine Plains, Ed Casazza recorded 15 points, Kyle Longest had 14 and Pat Stanley chipped in with 12.
SW went 17-of-25 (68 percent) at the free-throw line and Pine Plains was 5-of-11 (45 percent).
“We got outplayed,” Pine Plains Coach Les Funk said. “They’re a tough team, and are well-coached offensively and defensively.
“They had everything going for them, and it showed by the score.”
Funk said that when faced with that caliber of competition, it “showcased” the Bombers’ weaknesses: not getting back in transition, lackluster rebounding and not moving the ball down the court to the hoop.
“I’m very pleased with the win,” SW Coach Rick Ellison said. “Our kids came out with good energy and we had four guys in double figures.”
Ellison credited the play of Semenetz, noting that he’s “been doing really well all year and he put it all together tonight” and Scott Peters for “coming off the bench to play well for us tonight. . . he was 4-for-5 at the foul line.”