LIVINGSTON MANOR, NY — The wacky weather threw a monkey wrench into the best-laid plans for the two-day Audra Sipple-Spath Memorial Scholarship Tournament this year. Friday’s opening round of the girls’ varsity basketball games—between the Tri-Valley Lady Bears and the Lady Redhawks of Liberty, followed by the Lady Bulldogs of Sullivan West versus the home team Livingston Manor/Roscoe Lady Wildcats—was postponed. It was played on the hardwood on Saturday, January 20.

Due to scheduling issues, the consolation and championship games have been rescheduled for Saturday, February 17 at the Home of the Wildcats.

The consolation game tips off at 12 noon and will pit Liberty against Manor, while at 2 p.m., Sullivan West faces Tri-Valley.

The Audra Sipple-Spath Scholarship Fund was created in honor of the beloved veteran first-grade teacher at Livingston Manor Elementary, who unexpectedly passed from this earth on April 5, 2022 at the age of 54. 

A 1986 graduate of Delaware Valley, she was a member of the Allan Milk Post 7276 VFW Auxiliary, the Fremont Center Cemetery Association and had been a member of the Upper Delaware Volunteer Ambulance Corps. 

In recalling his late wife, John Spath said during last year’s games at Sullivan West, “Audra was such a bright, shining light in so many people’s lives. Her love for education and sports makes this event that much more meaningful to our family… Audra loved her Wildcat family just as she loved the Bulldog family.

“She was this incredible person… very outgoing, very competitive; she always wanted her students to do the very best they could,” he added.

The Spaths’ twin daughters, Karlee and Kara, graduated from Sullivan West, the Home of the Bulldogs in 2019.

The first matchup of the opening round of the back-to-back games on Saturday featured Tri-Valley taking on Liberty. At the final buzzer, Tri-Valley walked away with a 58-31 win, topping the opposition in all four frames: 18-7, 16-8, 13-6 and 11-10.

Top scorers for the Lady Bears: Jenna Carmody (24 points, including 4 three-pointers); Molly Van Etten (11); Emily Rusin (10); and Kaitlin Stungis (6).

Liberty’s Destiny Loyce led her team with 19 points, including 2 three-pointers, followed by M. Huebsch (8).

In the second game of the tourney, Sullivan West skunked Manor 54-16, whacking them in the first three frames—21-4, 17-2, 14-5. But in the final period, the Lady Bulldogs subs posted 2 points versus Manor’s 5. 

Top scorers for Sullivan West: Abby Parucki (17 points, including 5 three-pointers); Nicole Reeves (10, including 2 three-pointers); Ella Herbert (10); Samantha Hellerer (8); and Sophie Flynn (6).

Manor’s Anastasia Niforatos led the Lady Wildcats with 6 points, followed by Sarah Gorr (3) and EmmaRae Owen (2).