Wednesday Roundup: Despite season-high 26 from Dunbar, Section V perennial Keshequa hands Lady Lions 1st loss of season in 68-47 victory; Wellsville, B-R wrestling both downed in home openers

WELLSVILLE — The Keshequa girls basketball program is as good as it gets.

Through many, many years of success under the guidance of legendary head coach Pete Piraino, who surpassed 600 career wins right at the tail end of last season, the Lady Wildcats have established themselves as a Section V perennial powerhouse with the richest of pedigrees.

After another storied season that landed them back in the Class C2 Finals, the majority of the Lady Wildcats are all back to attempt another return trip back to that grand stage that saw them fall five points short from championship glory to eventual prizewinner Dundee/Bradford.

For the Lady Lions of Wellsville, winners of their first four games of the campaign, Wednesday night’s home opener in the Lion’s Den was their first of two big glimpses of the reigning Class C2 Finalists they will receive this season. And right off the bat, the Lady Wildcats caught fire.

There were no signs of slowing down in sight, as the Lady Wildcats attacked from all angles on the offensive end of the floor, while the defense applied all the pressure imaginable against the Lady Lions to put them on their feet early, accounting for a near-flawless first half of basketball to set the tone going forward, as they rolled past Wellsville with a 68-47 victory.

“We will be fine, but hopefully this is a wake-up call in order to do things much better going forward,” said Lady Lions coach Michelle Alvord. “We were outworked and outplayed in all aspects tonight. I’m confident that we will definitely learn from this. We’ll get to where we need to be and this game will definitely help with that. The best thing is that we’ll have another chance to face them later on in the season, so I’m looking forward to seeing how we can compete when that time comes.”

There was no denial for a fast start for the Lady Wildcats, as they took full advantage of the opportunity right from the opening tip at center by scoring an early 7-0 run in the first minute. The Lady Lions (4-1) found their way into the game for the first time with five straight of their own right behind them, including the first of two triples off the hand of Natalie Adams.

The two teams went on to exchange baskets, with Wellsville closing the gap down to as little as three behind Makenna Dunbar’s first three out of three made in the game. But the advantage for Keshequa was branched back out upon the closure of the first quarter, as the Lady Wildcats wrapped up the frame with five of the last six points — three more from the outside, this time from Bree Benner, to claim an 18-11 lead going into the next session.

Ava Thayer would reignite for the visitors in black and orange after setting up shop in the very early sequences of the game, as she went back-to-back from long range to keep the gas pedal straight down to the floor, along with some aid from Braelyn Isaman on the outside later on along the way. In total, Keshequa took a lead as large as 15 over the Lady Lions going into the break after finishing a 15-7 second quarter run.

All the momentum the Lady Wildcats carried into halftime was reapplied in time for the second half, despite Wellsville matching their offense with their best stand of attack in the contest, as both teams posted 19 third quarter points, which allowed the visitors to remain in the lead once and for all with one final jaunt in the last eight minutes.

Despite the defeat, the Lady Lions were able to get a season-best game out of Makenna Dunbar, who finished with a game-high 26 points to pair with four rebounds. Natalie Adams finished with 11 points to go with four assists, while Caelyn Stevens and Emily Stuck finished with four assists and four rebounds respectively, to wrap up the special teams play.

The Lady Lions JV squad proclaimed victory over Keshequa, paid in part by a heavy 21-point outburst from Raegan Vogel, as they went on to claim a 45-39 victory.

Wellsville will close out the calendar year back on the road one final time in 2024, as they prepare to visit Avoca-Prattsburgh in a 7:30 p.m. contest on Friday.

Keshequa 18 15 19 16 – 68

Wellsville 11 7 19 10 – 47

KESHEQUA: Ava Thayer 7 0-0 19, Bree Benner 3 0-0 7, Braelyn Isaman 9 0-0 19, Ryley Benner 2 0-0 4, Riley Nageldinger 2 0-0 5, Alicia Wood 3 4-4 10, Abby Wood 2 0-0 4. Totals: 28 4-4 68.

WELLSVILLE: Caelyn Stevens 2 0-0 4, Natalie Adams 4 1-2 11, Emily Stuck 1 0-0 2, Ayla Faulkner 1 0-0 2, Makenna Dunbar 7 9-11 26, Alexa Stuck 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 10-13 47.

3-point goals: Keshequa 8 (Thayer 5, B. Benner, Isaman, Nageldinger), Wellsville 5 (M. Dunbar 3, Adams 2).
Total Fouls: Keshequa 11, Wellsville 7. Fouled out: None.

Canisteo-Greenwood 47, Avoca-Prattsburgh 37

CANISTEO — With Bailey Mullen and Paris May steering the ship for much of Canisteo-Greenwood’s battle against incoming Avoca-Prattsburgh, the Lady Chargers would not be refused their sixth straight win to open the season on Wednesday, as they edged out the Lady Titans right down the tire wire and secure what was a 47-37 victory.

It was a tight, defensive battle from start to finish, with no cushion ever eclipsing as high as five points through the first three quarters. In the last eight minutes however, the big difference arrived in full, with Bailey Mullen knocking down a humongous triple following the force of a 35-35 fourth quarter tie.

Then, a chance for Avoca-Prattburgh to return entered the fray.

After the visitors trimmed down their deficit back to well within striking distance going into the break, a chance to break free and put Avoca-Prattsburgh on thin ice, would arrive. They assumed control of the offensive production, as the Lady Chargers would go on to score a 17-11 run in the last eight minutes.

But that offensive presence saw a defensive shadow being cast by the Lady Titans along the way, as they put the pressure on late themselves to force a back-and-forth exchange in the game’s final minute. Fortunately enough for the hosts in white and red, Mullen and May came to the rescue with two gigantic baskets, alongside finishing the night with a 5-for-6 outing at the charity stripe, to help aid the Lady Chargers towards a sixth straight win in crunch-time.

Leading the scoring for Canisteo-Greenwood was Mullen and her game-high 13 points, pairing them with nine rebounds. May finished with 10 points, while Harlie McCaffery had nine points to chip in along with eight rebounds.

The Lady Chargers will close out their 2024 slate on Friday, as they hit the road for a 7 p.m. visit to Dansville.

Avoca-Prattsburgh 8 10 8 11 – 37

Canisteo-Greenwood 7 12 11 17 – 47

AVOCA-PRATTSBURGH: D'Mariannah Hinson-Pike 2 1-2 6, Meyah Putnam 2 3-4 7, Breanna Jorritsma 1 4-8 6, Evelyn Travis 2 3-4 7, Tyanna Rivero-Pike 3 1-3 7, Payton Hopkins 2 0-0 4. Totals: 12 12-21 37.

CANISTEO-GREENWOOD: Bailey Mullen 3 5-8 13, MacKenna Mullen 2 1-2 5, McKenna Ferris 2 0-0 4, Paris May 4 0-0 10, Anna Mitchell 2 0-0 4, Harlie McCaffery 3 3-6 9, Lyla Greenfield 1 0-0 2. Totals: 17 9-16 47.

3-point goals: A-P 1 (Hinson-Pike), C-G 4 (B. Mullen 2, May 2).
Total Fouls: A-P 15, C-G 16. Fouled out: Putnam (A-P).

Bolivar-Richburg 44, Hinsdale 29

HINSDALE — Right off the bat in the opening half of play, the Bolivar-Richburg Lady Wolverines were relentless on the offensive front in their latest road trip on Wednesday, registering a monstrous first 16 minute segment to bring the hammer down on host Hinsdale right away, en route towards a 44-29 victory - their first win of the campaign.

The first two quarters of play for the Lady Wolverines (1-4) were exceptional, as they plugged in all the pieces of the attack to travel towards a meteoric 32-9 lead of the Lady Bobcats — that included a humongous 20-5 second quarter run to create more than enough separation to claim the victory all for themselves at the end of the night.

The Bolivar-Richburg ladies were paced up front by Carmen Crowley, who recorded a game-high 15 points. Raegan Giardini was right behind her with 13 points of her own, while Sydney Faulkner had seven to add in.

Up next, the Lady Wolverines will close out and head into the winter break on Friday with a 6 p.m. visit to Olean.

Bolivar-Richburg 12 20 8 4 – 44

Hinsdale 4 5 10 10 – 29

BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Nadia Baldwin 1 0-0 3, Emma Sisson 1 2-2 4, Jaelyn Kinnicutt 1 0-0 2, Raegan Giardini 6 0-1 13, Sydney Faulkner 2 1-4 7, Carmen Crowley 7 1-1 15. Totals: 18 4-8 44.

HINSDALE: Kaylie Foskit 1 0-0 2, Sarah Easterly 1 0-0 3, Jen Tuttle 7 0-4 16, Lily Bushnell 3 2-4 8. Totals: 12 2-8 27.

3-point goals: B-R 4 (Faulkner 2, Baldwin, Kinnicutt), Hinsdale 3 (Tuttle 2, Easterly).
Total Fouls: B-R 12, Hinsdale 11. Fouled out: None.

WRESTLING

Canisteo-Greenwood 50, Wellsville 18

WELLSVILLE — Just in time before the holiday break officially settles in beginning next week, the Wellsville Lions grapplers were front and center in the Lion’s Den for the very first time on Wednesday, with Section V perennial Canisteo-Greenwood traveling the snowy roads for a visit.

Some back-and-forth victories across the first four matches between both teams were exchanged early on, but then the floodgates opened soon after for the Chargers, recording four straight victories to stay out in front of Wellsville permanently to spoil their home opener with a dominant 50-18 victory.

With the match beginning at 152 pounds, Wellsville’s Jack Cicirello and Canisteo-Greenwood’s Mathias Sharp went the entire distance across all three periods of action on the mat, beginning with a 4-0 lead for Cicirello before Sharp countered with four points of his own to tie the match. Sharp ultimately finished off his comeback victory in the third period with two buzzer-beating points off a near-fall against Cicirello to claim the 6-4 decision.

Wellsville punched right back with the next two wins in action, both shared between a Colton Havens forfeit for the Chargers at 170 pounds, with Mason Edwards garnering the first for the Lions off a strong pinfall win over Ziah Sharp at 160 pounds part way into the second period, while Gabe Black scored a second period explosion of points consisting of two takedowns and a near-fall to hold a 13-4 lead before ultimately pinning Skyler Miles at the 4:16 mark to claim what was the final win in action for the hosts.

Dominic Dennis helped Canisteo-Greenwood take the lead back once and for all with a comeback finish over Wellsville’s Brayden Taggart at 215 pounds, after Taggart controlled most of the tempo on the mat, as he climbed through an opening and provided a match-changing reversal and pin to score the Chargers win and a 15-12 lead.

Zachary Stilson (285 pounds), Ryan Gemmell (101 pounds) and Garrett Hall (108 pounds) all scored forfeit wins for the visitors in red before a 116 pound double forfeit and a 124 pound forfeit win for Wellsville’s Paul Giovanniello followed behind. In the last three matches, Canisteo-Greenwood assembled a strong finish with all three victories, as Dylan Depew-Cappadonia (131 pounds), Triston Williamson (138 pounds) and Ethan Gayhart (145 pounds) all recorded wins via pinfall, technical fall and forfeit respectively to close out the match.

The Lions will return to regular season action on January 8, when they host a tri-match with both Addison and Avoca-Prattsburgh/Hammondsport beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Results (* indicates starting weight)

101 – Ryan Gemmell (C-G) by for.

108 – Garrett Hall (C-G) by for.

116 – Double for.

124 – Paul Giovanniello (WLSV) by for.

131 – Dylan Depew-Cappadonia (C-G) def. Jensen Spicer (WLSV) by pin, 1:49.

138 – Triston Williamson (C-G) def. Brock Mattison (WLSV) by tech fall, 20-5.

145 – Ethan Gayhart (C-G) by for.

*152 – Mathias Sharp (C-G) def. Jack Cicirello (WLSV) by dec, 6-4.

160 – Mason Edwards (WLSV) def. Ziah Sharp (C-G) by pin, 2:44.

170 – Colton Havens (C-G) by for.

190 – Gabe Black (WLSV) def. Skyler Miles (C-G) by pin, 4:16.

215 – Dominic Dennis (C-G) def. Brayden Taggart (WLSV) by pin, 6:03.

285 – Zachary Stilson (C-G) by for.

Addison 36, Bolivar-Richburg 22

BOLIVAR — The Knights of Addison assembled a hot start out of the gate against host Bolivar-Richburg on Wednesday, scoring wins in four of the match’s first five scheduled battles to set the tone, scoring six total victories in all to coast towards victory with a strong 36-22 victory over the Wolverines.

The Wolverines recorded four total wins against the visiting Knights, with their first stemming after the first two Addison victories from Gary McDowell at 138 pounds, as he rolled up Rockey Brook at the 2:54 mark to help break the ice on their side of the scoreboard. Following a double forfeit and two Addison forfeits, the hosts grabbed a gigantic technical fall win from Tavyn MacDonell at 170 pounds, as he scored a 21-5 win over Spencer Westervelt.

In the lightweight division, Bolivar-Richburg rounded off their victories with back-to-back triumphant finishes from Teegan Sibble (108 pounds) and Presley McDowell (116 pounds), with Sibble recording the pin-fall win at the 1:07 mark over Aurora Anderson, while McDowell scored a 17-2 technical fall win over Conner Watson.

Bolivar-Richburg will host their annual Wolverine Holiday Scuffle at 1 p.m. next Friday afternoon. Their next regular season match will take place on January 7, when they join Arkport-Canaseraga for tri-match action at Alfred-Almond at 5:30 p.m.

Results (* indicates starting weight)

101 – Double for.

108 – Teegan Sibble (B-R) def. Aurora Anderson (ADD) by pin, 1:07.

116 – Presley McDowell (B-R) def. Conner Watson (ADD) by tech fall, 17-2.

*124 – Langden Green (ADD) def. TJ Coleman (B-R) by pin, 1:26.

131 – Eric Payne (ADD) by for.

138 – Gary McDowell (B-R) def. Rockey Brook (ADD) by pin, 2:54.

145 – Double for.

152 – Kamden Aloi (ADD) by for.

160 – Kolby Mclean (ADD) by for.

170 – Tavyn MacDonell (B-R) def. Spencer Westervelt (ADD) by tech fall, 21-5.

190 – Brice Combs (ADD) def. Haizen Hall (B-R) by pin, 1:54.

215 – Newt Jones (ADD) def. Kailob Lipka (B-R) by pin, :17.

285 – Double for.