Thursday Roundup: Lions dominate season opener in water, use 9 1st place finishes to ignite 90-75 win over GV/Belfast; B-R rolls by North Collins, Fillmore wedges way past Warsaw in boys hoops action

WELLSVILLE — Just a few weeks removed from the end of what was deemed to be another glorified championship-winning season for the Wellsville Lady Sea Lions, the pool was occupied once again, this time for the winter season and the Wellsville boys, as they hit the water on Thursday for their home opener against Genesee Valley/Belfast.

Right from the very beginning, the tone was set by the Lions, as they began to bundle together a massive strand of victories to propel their ascension to the top. In all, nine consecutive victories, including a quick finish in the 200 medley relay to kick off the meet, as well as a phenomenal performance from Tyler Rahr off the diving board aided the team’s 90-75 season-opening triumph.

“After graduating three seniors last year who helped us get the team to a second-place finish in Sectionals, this year’s group started out the season with a solid win over GV/Belfast. All the boys swam good times for the first meet out. Tyler looked good off the Diving board early, and that’s just one of some awesome results we hope to get this year.” said Lions coach Steve Hand.

Out of the nine total finishes for the Lions (1-0), two were recorded by Ethan Crandell to lead the way, garnering one in each half of the meet. His first would come right before the break-point, as he flew towards victory with the top finish in the 50 freestyle. Crandell followed up with his last win later on, in the 500 freestyle.

Crandell also raced the final leg in the team’s winning 200 freestyle relay alongside Ben Jordan, Eli Brophy and Sean Driscoll — all of which recording individual wins themselves, with Jordan claiming top honors in the 200 individual medley, Brophy in the 100 butterfly and Driscoll right after in the 100 freestyle.

The Lions also garnered one last individual win from Brayden Ketchner in the 200 freestyle to pair with Tyler Rahr’s strong showing off the Diving board with 166.80 points.

Genesee Valley/Belfast claimed three first place finishes in consecutive fashion to close out the road trip, with Nolan Hunter and Emily Carman scoring back-to-back wins in the 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke, respectively. The team would also collect a 400 freestyle relay win from Hunter, Bryce Davis, Graham Bradt and Regina Dougherty.

Wellsville is back in the water on Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. visit to Campbell-Savona.

Team Scores: Wellsville 90, Genesee Valley/Belfast 75.

Results

200 Medley – 1. Wellsville (Rahr, Jordan, Cooke, Brophy) 2:01.66, 2. Genesee Valley/Belfast, 3. Genesee Valley/Belfast.

200 Free – 1. Brayden Ketchner (WLSV) 2:15.42, 2. Landon Cinque (WLSV), 3. Regina Dougherty (GVB).

200 IMR – 1. Ben Jordan (WLSV) 2:14.32, 2. Sean Driscoll (WLSV), 3. Addison Bradt (GVB).

50 Free – 1. Ethan Crandell (WLSV) 26.19, 2. Bryce Davis (GVB), 3. Jack Eddy (WLSV).

Diving – 1. Tyler Rahr (WLSV) 166.80.

100 Fly – 1. Eli Brophy (WLSV) 1:07.64, 2. Thomas Cooke (WLSV), 3. Nolan Hunter (GVB).

100 Free – 1. Sean Driscoll (WLSV) 1:01.47, 2. Regina Dougherty (GVB), 3. Emily Carman (GVB).

500 Free – 1. Ethan Crandell (WLSV) 6:26.08, 2. Graham Bradt (GVB), 3. Brayden Ketchner (WLSV).

200 Relay – 1. Wellsville (Jordan, Brophy, Driscoll, Crandell) 1:51.16, 2. Wellsville, 3. Genesee Valley/Belfast.

100 Back – 1. Nolan Hunter (GVB) 1:07.35, 2. Tyler Rahr (WLSV), 3. Thomas Cooke (WLSV).

100 Breaststroke – 1. Emily Carman (GVB) 1:42.53, 2. Jamie Szalay (GVB), 3. Harmony Jenson (GVB).

400 Free – 1. Genesee Valley/Belfast (Davis, G. Bradt, Dougherty, Hunter) 4:15.83.

BOYS BASKETBALL

ACE Tournament at Portville

Bolivar-Richburg 70, North Collins 39

PORTVILLE — The season for the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg commenced with tradition. Thursday night marked their annual visit to a town just down the road from them off to the west: Portville, and their ACE Tournament.

The Wolverines navigated their way towards a fine start across the opening eight minutes of play, keeping North Collins in check early with the lead in hand. But with the assistance of Derek Ebersole, the Section VI representatives were able to turn the tables slightly on Bolivar-Richburg to close out the first half, cutting their deficit to seven.

But when the second half approached, the Wolverines turned the game inside out and upside down. In the third quarter, all of the pieces to the team’s puzzle were assembled with perfection, as the inside game of Aydin Sisson and a deep threat from downtown posed by Landon Barkley aided Bolivar-Richburg towards a breakaway frame that fueled what was a 70-39 rolling of North Collins to mark their return to the tournament’s title game this weekend.

“The first quarter was solid aside from a couple errant turnovers and some shots that didn't fall,” Wolverines coach Justin Thomas said. “The second started to get even more murky, which saw them come back into the game. We got a chance to take a break and chat, and then they flew out of the gate and answered the bell in the second half. The guys were moving around better and generating a lot of great looks that started to fall. Defensively, we clamped it down, despite their letterwinner scoring 30 on us.”

After garnering a 24-17 halftime lead, courtesy of a strong 16-8 first quarter lead, the Wolverines (1-0) were able to shake off what pressure North Collins was able to apply later on in the half and exchange it for a dominant second half of basketball. The lead would eclipse insurmountable levels for the team in white and red, as they posted a ginormous 24-point third quarter — a 24-10 run in all to turn the tables in their favor for the remainder of the battle.

Playing a big role in the team’s success was Landon Barkley from downtown, as he ignited a three-point game that saw him knock four of his five triples down in the last 16 minutes of play. He would finish with 19 points in all for the Wolverines.

At the top of the stat sheet was Aydin Sisson, who led all Bolivar-Richburg scorers with his team-high 24 points. Following Barkley, who also chipped in with five rebounds, three assists and three steals, was a monster night off the boards from Waide Karnuth, as he grabbed 15 in all. Adding more offense along the way was Reiss Gaines, who had eight points to pair with seven additional rebounds and three steals.

On special teams, James Margeson furthered the team’s cause with eight rebounds while Sisson chipped in with five.

The Wolverines are back on the floor in Portville to defend their crown on Saturday, as they face either New Life Christian or the host Panthers in the Championship game of the ACE Tournament beginning at 4 p.m.

North Collins 8 9 10 12 – 39

Bolivar-Richburg 16 8 24 22 – 70

NORTH COLLINS: Scott Armbrewster 1 0-0 2, Lucas Demmerly 0 0-2 0, Derek Ebersole 9 9-9 30, Alex Pagan 1 0-0 2, H. Potter 1 0-0 2, Walter Ebersole 1 1-2 3. Totals: 13 10-13 39.

BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Aydin Sisson 11 0-3 24, Landon Barkley 7 0-0 19, Brayden Zilker 1 0-0 2, David Abdo 2 0-0 4, Waide Karnuth 1 1-4 3, Maddox Davison 1 0-0 2, Reiss Gaines 3 2-5 8, James Margeson 3 0-0 6, Kingston Loucks 1 0-1 2. Totals: 30 3-13 70.

3-point goals: NC 3 (D. Abersole), B-R 7 (Barkley 5, Sisson 2).
Total Fouls: NC 16, B-R 16. Fouled out: None.

Warsaw Tournament

Fillmore 68, Warsaw 54

WARSAW — Like Bolivar-Richburg, the Eagles of Fillmore also opened up their season with tournament action of their own up north in Warsaw, where they waged an opening round war against the host Tigers through much of the opening half that saw them claim a one-point lead going into the break.

The second half remained a tight quarters battle, especially in the third quarter when Warsaw was able to rebound and reclaim the lead for themselves to control going into the last eight minute session. However, the Eagles had other plans in store.

How about one last game-changer?

In the last eight minutes, Fillmore turned on the jets on both ends of the hardwood Thursday night, as the offense began to hit all strides across the board with the assistance of Campbell Mucher from outside, as well as perfect of an outing at the charity stripe you could ask for from sharpshooter Zach Sisson.

Because of it, the Eagles soared towards victory number one on the season with a 68-54 victory over Warsaw to claim a spot in this weekend’s title game.

“I didn’t know what to expect tonight. We had to cancel our second scrimmage because of weather, so we hadn’t really gotten a chance to gel yet,” said Eagles coach Randy Crouch. “Warsaw’s pressure troubled us initially as we looked a little nervous. We were down by as much as 10 in the first half, had four guys with two fouls, but we kept working and found our footing. Zach and JD (Bialek) got some big buckets, and Mark (Wolfer), Isaiah (Sisson) and Jameson (Rhett) were huge off the bench.”

The Tigers of Warsaw found a way to get going in the first eight minutes against Fillmore with their strongest array of points in the game, marching forth to record a 23-16 lead of the Eagles. In return, the visitors in green and black responded with a strong finish to the half themselves, highlighted by a stout presence at the charity stripe and a trio of three-pointers — one each from Marcus Wolfer, Zach Sisson and Jonah Bialek to set up a 35-34 lead at the break after a 19-11 second quarter run.

The momentum would sway back and forth across the third quarter, all while Fillmore looked to Campbell Mucher to deliver the goods on the attack, posting 14 of his game-high 21 points in the second half to help set up shop. That, despite the Eagles losing control of the lead to Warsaw by the time the third quarter had reached its conclusion.

But it wasn’t long until the Eagles regained it back once and for all, as they went on a game-shifting jaunt of the Tigers to change the complexion of the game completely. With the help of two more massive triples from the hand of Mucher and a perfect 6-for-6 outing at the charity stripe from Zach Sisson, Fillmore went on to outscore Warsaw by a 19-4 count in the last eight minutes to cement their first win of the season in style.

Crouch says the pressure his team was able to apply, paid massive dividends in the second half.

“I felt like the second half pressure really wore them down,” he said. “We made plays when we needed to, because of that. Cam was huge down the stretch, and Zach made the free throws we needed. We have work to do, but we scheduled games like this to get tougher. Tonight, we did just that.”

Following behind Mucher’s leading performance was Sisson, who wound up finishing the night 10-for-11 at the line to complete his 17-point effort. Jonah Bialek chipped in with nine points, while JD Bialek had eight points of his own to go with 10 rebounds.

Up next for the Eagles is Championship game action on Saturday, as they face either Byron-Bergen or Pavilion for this year’s tournament crown right back in Warsaw. Tip-off is slated for a 7 p.m. start.

Fillmore 16 19 14 19 – 68

Warsaw 23 11 16 4 – 54

FILLMORE: Eben Schilke 2 0-0 5, Campbell Mucher 6 5-5 21, Marcus Wolfer 1 0-0 3, Isaiah Sisson 1 0-0 3, Brandon Buck 0 0-2 0, Zach Sisson 3 10-11 17, Jonah Bialek 3 2-5 9, Jameson Rhett 1 0-0 2, JD Bialek 4 0-0 8. Totals: 21 17-23 68.
WARSAW: Ty Joy 5 3-4 14, Quinton Librock 6 0-0 14, David Shute 2 1-2 5, Patrick Klump 6 1-2 13, Carter Bakowski 1 2-2 5, Tristian Schurr 1 1-4 3. Totals: 21 11-14 54.
3-point goals: Fillmore 9 (Mucher 4, Schilke, Wolfer, I. Sisson, Z. Sisson, Jo. Bialek), Warsaw 4 (Librock 2, Joy, Bakowski).
Total Fouls: Fillmore 15, Warsaw 22. Fouled out: Bakowski (WAR).

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Canisteo-Greenwood 60, Hammondsport 52

HAMMONDSPORT — The Lady Chargers of Canisteo-Greenwood was presented with a tough game one challenge out of the hands of host Hammondsport on Thursday. Right out of the gate, a back-and-forth pace was set, allowing the Lady Lakers to capitalize early off the hot hand of Sam Pratt.

But that fire was extinguished come the second quarter, when Canisteo-Greenwood shifted the momentum in their favor with multiple Lady Chargers helping the team’s cause with a big run to garner a six-point lead at the break.

From that point onward, it was simply all about surviving and advancing.

That’s exactly what the Lady Chargers did, as they used an outstanding second half from Bailey Mullen to the fullest of their advantages to claim their first win of the season over the road — a 60-52 decision after Mullen’s key fourth quarter tenure at the charity stripe allowed them to maintain their lead for good.

The game was in the hands of Hammondsport early on, as Sam Pratt caught fire from downtown out of the gate. Out of the team’s 16 points they would record from within the stanza, 11 of them belonged to Pratt — nine from outside off three of her five triples, as they quickly established a narrow 16-13 early lead on Canisteo-Greenwood after the first quarter.

The Lady Chargers (1-0) would not let the early inferno faze them one bit however, turning the tables in the second quarter with a stout defensive performance to keep the Lady Lakers at a near-standstill. With four different Lady Chargers, including Lillian Mullen, all playing an active role in producing what was a 16-7 second quarter run, the visitors would use it to jump back on top with a 29-23 lead going into halftime.

When the last 16 minutes kicked into gear, the momentum would remain with the Lady Chargers despite Hammondsport remaining right on their coattails until the end. Under the guidance of Bailey Mullen and her 17 second half points, they would not be denied the victory that would await them in the end, as Mullen went on to score a perfect 8-for-8 at the line in the fourth quarter to permanently weld together the season-opening triumph.

Mullen would finish with a game-high 25 points for the Lady Chargers, pairing them with nine rebounds. Following behind was Lillian Mullen, who finished with 15 points to go with seven steals and four assists. Peyton Peters had eight points to couple with six rebounds and five steals of her own, while Harlie McCaffery led the boards with 10 off the glass.

Coming up on Saturday is a visit to Wayland-Cohocton and their Hall of Fame Showcase, as the Lady Chargers now prepare to do battle in a titanic showdown with the Hornell Lady Red Raiders beginning at 6 p.m.

Canisteo-Greenwood 13 16 19 12 – 60

Hammondsport 16 7 14 13 – 52

CANISTEO-GREENWOOD: Kora Button 0 1-4 1, Bailey Mullen 7 11-13 25, McKenna Ferris 1 0-0 2, Lillian Mullen 6 2-2 15, Harlie McCaffery 2 1-2 5, Sidney Drouin 1 2-2 4, Peyton Peters 3 2-2 8. Totals: 20 19-25 60.
HAMMONDSPORT: Lazell Locey 5 1-3 11, Arielle Szathmary 1 0-0 2, Danica Dresser 5 0-0 10, Sam Pratt 7 0-0 19, Nicole Pratt 3 0-0 8. Totals: 21 1-3 52.

3-point goals: C-G 1 (L. Mullen), Hammondsport 7 (S. Pratt 5, N. Pratt 2).
Total Fouls: C-G 7, Hammondsport 19. Fouled out: Szathmary (HAM).