Wednesday Roundup: Despite Schmidt’s big night, Gators triumph in back-and-forth 2nd half duel with 51-42 road win over Lions

Written By Chris Brooks

WELLSVILLE — After the Lady Lions had their first taste of home opening success in front of a crowd that hasn’t been inside the gym in nearly two years, it was the boys team’s turn just 24 hours later when they packed in the bleachers for perhaps their biggest test thus far in the early season — Section VI powerhouse Allegany-Limestone.

It was the first of two meetings between the Gators and Lions scheduled this season, and on Wednesday, it proved to be an electric battle back and forth, through and through. Multiple lead changes across the entire night were exchanged, where the biggest lead eclipsed just above double digits, and the smallest being a single point.

Both squads fought feverously through thick and thin, but with a 33-33 tie on the board to break, Allegany-Limestone’s quick beginnings led to a strong finish, as they accounted for seven straight points to gain their largest lead on the Lions, never giving it up when the final buzzer sounded on their 51-42 road win in the Den.

“This is another loss now that I feel like we were close to winning. I don’t know what this says, but what I know coming out of this is that if we’re going to beat a quality team, we have to be better with the little things,” said Lions coach Raymie Auman. “We have to be more consistent with not making mental errors, switching screens when we’re not supposed to switch, giving up the baseline, those are staples to our defense. Tonight, if we had been more consistent, we would gain 10 more points and turn that into transition buckets. But we fought hard, and we played hard to the end.”

Right out of the gate, Allegany-Limestone provided a ton of pressure early on with their offense, as they tallied eight of the first nine points in the first four minutes of play. But the Lions (1-2) would not let the early run stand for much longer, as they formulated a run with the help of Cooper Brockway and Alex Perkins nailing back-to-back threes to cut their deficit from seven to one to end the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the back and forth pace settled in, with Wellsville’s lead being pushed out to as much as five with their scoreless run continuing further behind the efforts of Schmidt, who became the Lions’ main playmaker all night long with his biggest performance of the season thus far, garnering a big and-one chance to score a 17-12 lead.

The battle ensued further until the first half buzzer, when Allegany-Limestone took away Wellsville’s lead at the end with a buzzer-beating three-pointer straight down the middle for a 22-21 lead.

Schmidt and his efforts continued to make its mark entering the second half, as they carried the Lions offense forward in the midst of the back-and-forth war, pirouetting his way to the basket on multiple occasions to finish off the plays with his baskets to keep pace with the Gators.

The Lions Senior would finish with a game-high 23 points.

“Eli leaves his heart on the floor. He’s a great teammate, and he’s developed into a great leader,” Auman said. “We had a lot of poise on the court, and we still want to work with him on controlling the floor and slowing the pace down to where we want it. He doesn’t have that experience quite yet because he missed all of last year. He’s a player that loves this game, but this is his first taste on the Varsity level as a main component. He’s going to continue to develop, and I’m going to continue learning how to coach him. We can only get better from here.”

After the game reached a 33-all tie heading into the fourth after another buzzer-beating basket from the Gators, it would provide the visitors in black and green with a burst of energy to start the fourth like they did at the beginning of the game — a big run of the Lions, this one ultimately branching their lead out insurmountably with seven straight points to the hoop in a two-minute span.

The lead later grew to as much as 10 from another long three ball from downtown. The Lions would try to jump back into the game with a massive three from a massive and-one from Logan Dunbar to decrease the opposition’s lead down to 45-42 with under a minute left.

But with just as big of a response as Dunbar’s to the Gators, Tyler Curran had the exact dish to deal to the Lions — an and-one of his own on the very next possession which essentially locked down the game for Allegany-Limestone, who finished with the last six points on the board.

“The good thing is that we’re at the little stuff and not the big stuff. The bad thing is that we still have a ways to go,” Auman said. “We did a lot of things well, and we showed that we can compete with a Sectional contender like Allegany-Limestone. Their team is built that way to compete for titles, year after year in Section VI. We’ve shown that capability, but we’re not there yet. With our experience level, having only two guys that logged minutes last season, it’s great to have as coachable of a group as this that works hard like they do. But we have to find a way to keep putting that gas pedal down.”

The game against Allegany-Limestone marked the first time that Wellsville was able to finally house spectators for a contest in nearly two years — an aspect that brings the spirit of Lions basketball back to full circle.

“The atmosphere here was amazing, and I hope we can continue to do this, even with the ever-changing environment going on in the world,” Auman said. “Having the fans, the students come in, it was amazing. The energy never left the gym, and this is exactly what Wellsville basketball is all about. Coming out playing hard, having the whole town behind you and supporting, and working hard to where we can hopefully make some sort of a run.”

Finishing behind Schmidt for the Lions was Dunbar, who had seven points. Alex Perkins added in five points of his own, as the team now gets set to battle Cuba-Rushford in IAABO Tournament action beginning on Friday at 7:30 on their home floor, with C.G. Finney and Fillmore leading off the night first at 6 p.m.

Auman said that with County foes like Cuba-Rushford and Fillmore, the IAABO Tournament has always found a way to provide his group with a great challenge.

“It doesn’t matter where Wellsville is at, where Cuba is at, where Fillmore is at, these County tournaments are always a battle,” he said. “Everyone’s going to bring their a-game, and I’m looking forward to a great matchup with Cuba. Bryce (Ryan) is a great coach that has a lot of great things going on over there. We don’t really have any time to prepare with it being a short week, so it always makes you nervous as a coach. We have to go in with fresh legs, and hopefully clean up some of the stuff from this game, in that game.”

Allegany-Limestone 8 14 11 18 – 51

Wellsville 7 14 12 9 – 42

ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE: Gabe Ramadhan 2 0-0 5, Tyler Curran 2 4-5 9, Anthony DeCapua 0 2-6 2, Maddox DeLong 4 2-2 13, Huddy Kwiatkowski 2 0-1 4, Andrew Giardini 6 6-10 18. Totals: 16 14-24 51.

WELLSVILLE: Cody Costello 1 1-2 4, Alex Perkins 2 0-0 5, Cooper Brockway 1 0-0 3, Eli Schmidt 8 7-12 23, Logan Dunbar 3 1-1 7. Totals: 15 9-15 42.

3-point goals: A-L 5 (DeLong 3, Ramadhan, Curran), Wellsville 3 (Costello, Perkins, Brockway).
Total Fouls: A-L 16, Wellsville 17. Fouled out: None.

Cuba-Rushford 55, Andover/Whitesville 51

WHITESVILLE — For the first time out this season, the Rebels of Cuba-Rushford were challenged. That being brought upon by Andover/Whitesville, who matched the footsteps implanted in the ground from their visiting opposition from start to finish on Wednesday.

After both teams came away tied at 13 through the game’s first eight minutes, Cuba-Rushford and Andover/Whitesville provided nearly identical runs across the board. The only difference maker came from within the second quarter, when the Rebels used their balanced attack to their fullest of advantages in a 17-11 run that made all the difference to secure the 55-51 season-opening win in Whitesville.

“I thought we had some moments of good offense and a string of stops, but we also had some stretches where we turned it over too much and rushed a bunch of shots,” Rebels coach Bryce Ryan said. “We did some positive things when we attacked gaps, but we have to find a way to do it consistently. Andover/Whitesville was more aggressive and active off the glass, and they took advantage of a ton of turnovers that we had. I’m always happy to get a win, but we will work on the things we didn’t do well, and get better.”

The first half unfolded with Cuba-Rushford (1-0) starting out with a six-point lead after trading baskets with Andover/Whitesville through the opening quarter, and then providing a cushion to carry into the break with a balanced offensive effort leading the way in their narrow outscoring of the hosts.

After keeping their six-point lead in tact going into the fourth quarter with a dead even display of offense on both sides, the chance for Andover/Whitesville to cut down their deficit came with a pair of threes by both Gavin Cutler and Jack Belmont heading it, and then the inside presence provided by CJ Estep following it all up with an 11-9 run that nearly became enough to overtake Cuba-Rushford’s lead, but ultimately falling short of the mark.

Jack Frank and Luke Brooks were at the top of Cuba-Rushford’s leaderboard at the end of the night, as they combined to score 29 of the team’s 55 points, with Frank’s 16 pacing the way. Brooks would follow with 13 of his own, while Hunter Scott and Austin Clement added in six.

Andover/Whitesville saw Estep take control of their attack, recording a game-high 19 points. Cutler would finish with three triples for nine points, while Luke Erdmann, Spencer Mattison and Kohler Niedermaier all had six points to add.

The Rebels are back in action Friday night in the annual IAABO Tournament in Wellsville, where they will partake in first round action against the host Lions in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off. As for Andover/Whitesville, they will head out to Arkport/Canaseraga for a 3:30 p.m. visit to the Wolves on Saturday.

Cuba-Rushford 13 17 16 9 – 55

Andover/Whitesville 13 11 16 11 – 51

CUBA-RUSHFORD: Jack Frank 7 0-0 16, Hunter Scott 2 0-0 6, Will Sharp 1 1-2 4, Dom Bello 1 0-0 2, Austin Clement 3 0-0 6, Caden Murray 4 0-0 8, Luke Brooks 5 1-3 13. Totals: 23 2-5 55.
ANDOVER/WHITESVILLE: Cormac Brown 1 0-0 2, Jack Belmont 1 0-0 3, CJ Estep 9 0-0 19, Gavin Cutler 3 0-0 9, Luke Erdmann 3 0-2 6, Spencer Mattison 3 0-0 6, Kohler Niedermaier 2 2-3 6. Totals: 22 2-5 51.

3-point goals: C-R 6 (Frank 2, Scott 2, Sharp, Brooks), A/W 5 (Cutler 3, Belmont, Estep).
Total Fouls: C-R 6, A/W 9. Fouled out: None.

Friendship/Scio 53, Genesee Valley 36

FRIENDSHIP — Right in the opening week of action, Genesee Valley and Friendship/Scio closed out their season series on Wednesday. In their last meeting, Friendship/Scio took control of much of the action and used it to their upmost advantage to grab the first upper hand.

In game two, more of the same, despite an early first quarter deficit, as they made up ground toward the end of the first half and into the second, holding the Jaguars to just 11 more points on the floor in two separate runs, pulling ahead and away for good to perform the season sweep in Friendship behind a 53-36 victory.

“I will say the guys gave a really outstanding effort in a tough game against a really well-coached Genesee Valley team that they have. We had so many different guys really step up tonight, and put together a total team win.” said Friendship/Scio co-coach Cory Hills.

Ethan Davenport and Brenden Loucks put together two strong performances to fuel Friendship/Scio’s (3-0) offensive spurt, as they kicked into gear after the Jaguars came away with an 8-7 lead after the first. The hosts in white would go on to record their first run to pull ahead for good, ending the opening half with a 13-7 jaunt of their opposition, coming before putting the game on ice in the third with a massive 16-4 run.

Davenport led all scorers on the floor with a game-high 20 points, while Loucks finished with 18 of his own to go with six rebounds, and five assists. Taylor Moore and Jacob Golden would also hand out five assists to help further the team’s cause on the attack. On the other side, Genesee Valley (0-2) was led by Max Wedge and Morgan Torrey, each recording a team-high 10 points.

Both teams will have Jasper-Troupsburg up next on their schedules in the coming days, with Genesee Valley taking them on first in first round tournament action down below the border at Cowanesque Valley, beginning at 7 p.m. on Friday.


Friendship/Scio will have their shot at the Wildcats after the weekend in Greenwood, at 7:15 p.m. on Monday.

Genesee Valley 8 7 4 17 – 36

Friendship/Scio 7 13 16 17 – 53

GENESEE VALLEY: Morgan Torrey 3 2-2 10, Brayden Cooper 1 0-0 2, Elden Aquila 1 0-0 2, Max Wedge 4 2-4 10, Thai Norasethaporn 4 1-3 10, Fisher Herdman 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 5-9 36.

FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Taylor Moore 2 0-0 5, Jacob Golden 3 1-2 7, Brenden Loucks 7 4-9 18, Ethan Davenport 8 2-2 20, Lazar Bulajic 1 0-0 3. Totals: 21 7-13 53.
3-point goals: GV 3 (Torrey 2, Norasethaporn), F/S 3 (Davenport 2, Moore).
Total Fouls: GV 14, F/S 10. Fouled out: Wedge (GV).

Belfast 40, Hinsdale 15

BELFAST — The Bulldogs of Belfast collectively put together a solid first half that automatically set the tone for the remainder of their home opener on Wednesday, outscoring visiting Hinsdale by double digits to build an advantage that was never lost to secure a 40-15 victory over the Bobcats.

The Bulldogs (2-0) put their strongest showing of offense on display right in the first eight minutes, with both Anthony and Kadin Logue combining to produce the majority of the team’s offense within the frame, accounting for 10 of the team’s 15 points in the midst of their 15-4 run of Hinsdale.

The driving force carried into the second when a complete offensive and defensive performance solidified their lead permanently, as they shutout the Bobcats (0-2) on the scoreboard with a 9-0 first half ending run to pull away.

Anthony Logue would go on to become Belfast’s leading scorer with a game-high 15 points. Connor Stork followed behind with seven points of his own, while Matt Weaver had five to add in. On the other side, the Bobcats were led by Henry Schwartz, who had seven of the team’s 15 total points.

Both teams are back on the road for their next games, with the Bulldogs going for their third straight win with a 7:30 p.m. visit to Hammondsport on Friday, while the Bobcats head for Houghton Academy after the weekend in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off of their own on Tuesday.

Hinsdale 4 0 4 7 – 15

Belfast 15 9 12 4 – 40

HINSDALE: Noah Bowser 1 2-3 4, Parker Keenan 2 0-0 4, Henry Schwartz 3 0-0 7. Totals: 6 2-3 15.

BELFAST: Kadin Logue 1 0-0 3, Justin Hill 1 2-3 4, Max Miller 0 2-5 2, Anthony Logue 5 3-4 15, Matt Weaver 2 1-4 5, Jacob Buchholz 1 2-2 4, Connor Stork 3 1-1 7. Totals: 13 11-19 40.

3-point goals: Belfast 3 (A. Logue 2, K. Logue).
Total Fouls: Hinsdale 19, Belfast 7. Fouled out: E. Cashimere (HIN), Keenan (HIN), Barton (HIN).

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Fillmore 43, Andover/Whitesville 37

ANDOVER — In a test bright and early in the season for both of these Allegany County foes, Fillmore and Andover/Whitesville formulated a fight straight to the finish. Both teams went back and forth all night long, but in the end game, the stout defense put on by the Lady Eagles was enough to ward off a late fourth quarter push by Andover/Whitesville, as they held onto a 43-37 victory on Wednesday.

“We played with a lot of effort and energy tonight,” said Andover/Whitesville co-coach Aaron Rawady. “Tom’s (Parks) girls are just so strong defensively, that even when we did get stops, we weren’t able to convert on the offensive end. This was an important early season game for us, because it really lets us know where we are as a team, and what we need to do to improve going forward.”

Right from the start, both teams locked horns through a first quarter battle that saw a wide range of baskets being exchanged up and down the court. As a result, Fillmore (2-0) would gather up the early 12-11 lead to carry into the second. The lead was built upon later on, with two more narrow quarters being secured by the Lady Eagles heading into the fourth quarter, leading by as much as 11.

Andover/Whitesville (2-1) saved their best efforts for last, as Vanessa Hall began to propel the offense to life with 10 of her 18 points coming in the last eight minutes of play to set up shop for a 14-9 run that nearly shifted the game in their favor. But at the conclusion, Fillmore was able to hang around on defense to keep their lead in tact.

Leading the charge for the Lady Eagles was Emma Cole, who provided a stalwart attack down low with a game-high 19 points. Hope Russell added in 13 points of her own. On the other side finishing behind Hall was Maria Riloba, who recorded eight points. Rachel Jackson had seven points.

Both teams are back on the floor Monday night in a pair of home games, as Fillmore gets set to welcome in Letchworth for a 7:30 p.m. contest, while Andover/Whitesville plays host to Houghton Academy in Whitesville with a 6 p.m. tip-off of their own.

Fillmore 12 11 11 9 – 43

Andover/Whitesville 11 7 5 14 – 37

FILLMORE: Hope Russell 5 3-6 13, Grace Russell 2 0-0 4, Rachel Hatch 1 0-0 2, Jadyn Mucher 1 0-0 2, Emma Cole 9 1-3 19, Madi Geertman 1 1-2 3. Totals: 19 5-11 43.

ANDOVER/WHITESVILLE: Vanessa Hall 5 7-9 18, Rachel Jackson 3 0-0 7, Addison Morgan 2 0-0 4, Maria Riloba 4 0-0 8. Totals: 14 7-9 37.

3-point goals: A/W 2 (Hall, Jackson).
Total Fouls: Fillmore 8, A/W 12. Fouled out: None.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Wellsville 3, Fillmore 0

FILLMORE — After securing a five-set victory in hard-fought fashion just 24 hours ago, there was a burst of momentum that was created by the Lions of Wellsville to carry forward into their three-game, three-day spurt on the schedule when they returned to the floor back on the road Wednesday.

Heading into Fillmore for the first time this season, the Lions were in for a tough battle. But in the end, they made sure the momentum remained in their favor, as they edged out the host Eagles through two narrow sets to come out victorious in straight sets, taking the 25-23, 25-14, 25-23 decision.

Helping the cause behind the offensive effort was Mason Parks, who tallied a team-high seven kills to go with one ace to lead Wellsville (2-2). Lucius Griggs chipped in with three aces from the service line, adding them alongside two digs on defense and one kill, while the team’s setter in Matt Bittel dished out 11 helpers to pair with two more aces.

On the other side of the net, Matt Majoros led the Eagles offense in their first game of the season, recording four team-high kills. Joe Derck provided great service behind four aces from the back to further Fillmore’s (0-1) cause. The Eagles are back on their home floor Friday night with a 6 p.m. visit from Bolivar-Richburg in store.

But first, the Lions continue their road swing tonight, as they now head out to Bolivar-Richburg for a 6 p.m. visit with the Wolverines beforehand.

Chris Brooks
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