Thursday Roundup: Lady Lions mount massive 1st quarter run to steamroll past A-L; Wellsville volleyball wins 4th straight with 3-0 sweep of GV/Belfast

Wellsville senior Emily Costello (12) provides a jumper against the Allegany-Limestone defense during Thursday night’s home contest in Wellsville. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville senior Marley Adams (10) waits for a play to develop out front while being watched by the Allegany-Limestone defense during Thursday night’s home contest in Wellsville. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville senior Kaylee Coleman (23) goes up for the basket before being fouled by the Allegany-Limestone defense during Thursday night’s home contest in Wellsville. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville junior Emily Robbins (21) looks to drive her way to the basket past the Allegany-Limestone defense during Thursday night’s home contest in Wellsville. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville senior Jaelyn Knapp, middle, goes up for the basket while under pressure from the Allegany-Limestone defense inside during Thursday night’s home contest in Wellsville. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

WELLSVILLE — Through all five games, including Thursday night’s battle against Allegany-Limestone, the Lady Lions of Wellsville have found numerous ways to take off from the launch pad successfully, behind an incredibly stout defense on one end that transitions to a high octane, fast-moving offense on the other.

As a team, they have only allowed 31 points of total offense in the first quarter. 26 of those points combined have come in back-to-back games against Canisteo-Greenwood, and down below the border against North Penn-Mansfield. The rest, miniscule amounts.

The hosts in white and orange would add their tussle against the Lady Gators to that list, as they started the first quarter off an extraordinary display of power on both sides of the court, using their defense to force multiple turnovers and changes of possession to put toward a humongous scoreless run that allowed them to set the tone almost immediately out of the gate, putting it toward a season-high 77 point performance in the team’s 77-28 rolling of Allegany-Limestone in the Lion’s Den.

“The most important part about this team, is the chemistry between all of the girls is absolutely incredible,” said Lady Lions coach Michelle Alvord. “We were unselfish all night, everyone scored and we took the best shots that we were able to take. For them to have 22 points to start the game, and 24 to start the second half, it would have been easy to relax but they didn’t, and that’s one of the more impressive things. I’m very pleased with that effort, because it’s easy to let down. They wanted this for each other.”

The 77 points the Lady Lions (5-0) scored is the most in a victory for the program since the 2014-15 season, after they outslugged the Olean Lady Huskies — coincidentally, their next and final opponent on their home floor this calendar year coming up next week, in a back-and-forth duel straight to an 82-79 finish at Olean.

The massive performance stemmed from a first quarter run that set a tone that Allegany-Limestone could not respond to throughout the course of the night, as Wellsville scored 22 straight points to the basket, with multiple Lady Lions all chipping in their efforts along the way.

The run would end right before the quarter found its way to a close with Gianna DeRose hitting two shots at the line with eight seconds left to go. The Lady Lions lead would grow insurmountably in the second quarter, and coming back out for the second half, pasting a 24-point third quarter on the board.

Every Lady Lions player was able to find the scorebook at least once during the game, with five of them all recording at least 10 points. Leading was Jaelyn Knapp, who recorded a game-high 14 points to go with seven rebounds. Marley Adams and Makenna Dunbar added to it with 11 points of their own, with Adams tallying eight rebounds and five assists along the way.

Also furthering the team’s cause was Jaylynn Mess and Emily Costello, each netting 10 points. On special teams, Mess grabbed seven rebounds, and Costello dished out five assists. Emily Robbins grabbed four rebounds and produced four steals to go with her nine points.

In the JV contest, the Lady Lions came away victorious in a 42-12 win over Allegany-Limestone, as Averee Palmatier’s 10 points led the charge.

The Lady Lions will end their 2021 calendar year on their home floor come Wednesday night, as they prepare to go for six straight wins with the Olean Lady Huskies in for a 7:30 p.m. visit.

“I know that Olean is quick. They’re a good team, and they’re pretty athletic as well,” said Alvord. “I thought last year’s game in Olean was our best game of the season. It was our most complete game that we had put together. Their guards have a lot of quickness, and they can also be physical as well. You can’t really underestimate any team, but I’m proud of the girls for this win tonight to help prepare us for Wednesday. Hopefully, we can keep this going into next week. It should be a good game.”

Allegany-Limestone 2 7 10 9 – 28

Wellsville 22 13 24 18 – 77

ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE: Maddie Callen 2 0-0 5, Gianna DeRose 3 2-2 10, Emily Lippert 0 0-2 0, Tessa Kleiss 1 0-0 2, Abby Lau 2 0-0 4, Mia Herzog 2 0-0 5, Abby Fisher 1 0-0 2. Totals: 11 2-4 28.
WELLSVILLE: Marley Adams 5 1-2 11, Jaylynn Mess 4 2-2 10, Emily Costello 4 1-2 10, Jaelyn Knapp 7 0-0 14, Natalie Adams 2 1-2 5, Emily Robbins 4 0-2 9, Sara Reitz 1 0-0 2, Kaylee Coleman 1 3-4 5, Makenna Dunbar 4 2-2 11. Totals: 32 10-16 77.

3-point goals: A-L 4 (DeRose 2, Callen, Herzog), Wellsville 3 (Costello, Robbins, Dunbar).
Total Fouls: A-L 12, Wellsville 9. Fouled out: None.

Cuba-Rushford 51, Bolivar-Richburg 35

BOLIVAR — Taylor Searle recorded a first half performance of most importance for the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford, helping them find their rhythm after a highly competitive first quarter by rising to the occasion later on, as she recorded 19 of her game-high 24 points in the first 16 minutes of play to set the bar in their 51-35 road win at Bolivar-Richburg on Thursday.

“We were in some foul trouble early on, but luckily Destiny (Darrin) and Gabby (Kranock) gave us some big minutes on the inside,” said Lady Rebels coach Aaron Wight. “Taylor was tough tonight, especially in the first half. We also had some big shots to go along with Taylor’s shots, and they came at times when we needed them the most. We still have a lot of work out on defense if we want to become better.”

The Lady Rebels (2-3) strung together their best quarter of the game right out of the gate, scoring a 19-12 lead on the Lady Wolverines. Extensions were built immediately following the frame, as the defense began to kick into high gear by holding Bolivar-Richburg to just five points in the midst of their 15-5 first half-ending run to close out with a massive double digit lead.

A lead they would never let go of, as both teams provided dead heats through the second half, allowing the visitors in blue and white to remain ahead for good.

Finishing behind Searle for the Lady Rebels, was Cloey Larabee, who tallied 11 points of her own. Brynn Lavery had eight more to add in. On the other side, Jessica Majot recorded a team-high 14 points for the Lady Wolverines (1-4). Kayli Giardini and Carmen Crowley each had nine to chip in.

The Lady Rebels will now head out for tournament action in Franklinville beginning tonight, as they face the host Lady Panthers in a 7:30 p.m. tip-off, following Fillmore and Dunkirk. As for Bolivar-Richburg, they will host Canisteo-Greenwood on Monday in a 6 p.m. contest.

Cuba-Rushford 19 15 5 12 – 51

Bolivar-Richburg 12 5 6 12 – 35

CUBA-RUSHFORD: Cloey Larabee 5 0-0 11, Ella Jaffe 2 0-0 4, Brynn Lavery 4 0-0 8, Gabby Kranock 2 0-0 4, Taylor Searle 8 5-7 24. Totals: 21 5-7 51.
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Raegan Giardini 1 1-4 3, Kayli Giardini 4 0-2 9, Carmen Crowley 4 1-2 9, Jessica Majot 5 4-7 14. Totals: 14 6-15 35.

3-point goals: C-R 4 (Searle 3, Larabee), B-R 1 (K. Giardini).
Total Fouls: C-R 16, B-R 8. Fouled out: Demick (C-R).

Houghton Academy 32, New Life Christian 29 (F-OT)

HOUGHTON — There was an incredible amount of pressure on both ends of the floor all night long between New Life Christian and Houghton Academy, Thursday night. Both teams exchanged blows through a second half that ultimately saw a tie at the end of regulation to force overtime.

In that extra session, the Lady Panthers were able to put the finishing touch on the basketball just a tad more than their opposition, finishing the night with five of the last seven points to pull ahead toward their fifth victory in their first six games with a 32-29 edging on their home floor to begin part one of a doubleheader with New Life.

The Lady Panthers (5-1) got off to a first half lead of New Life to begin, building narrow runs in the first two quarters. A response from New Life was offered upon re-entering the playing surface in the second half, as the opposition recorded the largest frame of offense to tie the game at 19 going into the fourth.

From the last eight minutes onward, both teams were wheeling and dealing offensive spurts until New Life found a way to dig down low toward the end of regulation with an inside basket to tie the game one more time, forcing overtime against Houghton Academy.

The Lady Panthers would bounce back from the fourth quarter’s end, and come up with five of the last seven points of the game to pull ahead from New Life for good to secure the win. Jessica Adenuga led all scorers for the hosts with a game-high 16 points, while Jessica Prentice added in 13 points of her own before fouling out.

Houghton Academy will now continue their hot start on Monday, when they visit Northstar in a 6 p.m. contest.

New Life 4 2 13 8 2 – 29

Houghton Academy 7 3 9 8 5 – 32

NEW LIFE: Brightleen Ngumyi 6 3-6 15, Marceline Hutter 4 0-0 8, Sydney Feldbaver 3 0-0 6. Totals: 13 3-6 29.
HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Anna Huizenga 0 1-2 1, Maddy Paschalis 1 0-0 2, Jessica Prentice 4 4-5 13, Jessica Adenuga 5 6-8 16. Totals: 10 11-15 32.

3-point goals: HA 1 (Prentice).
Total Fouls: New Life 15, HA 11. Fouled out: Rhodes (NL), Prentice (HA).

BOYS BASKETBALL

New Life Christian 58, Houghton Academy 35

HOUGHTON — To follow up the girls team and their overtime victory over New Life Christian, it was the boys turn a short time later to wrap up the night with a potential Thursday night sweep in the cards.

For most of the first half, the Panthers hung right with their foe, finding themselves in a two-possession hole going into the second half. But then, New Life saved their best quarter for the start of the second half, as they provided an offensive blast consisting of 20 points to extend their lead permanently to take down Houghton Academy with a 58-35 win.

New Life came out of a very active first quarter of play with the lead, as they built a seven-point lead that was ultimately knocked down to six by the end of the first half with a near-dead even showing of both offenses in the second quarter. But the visitors came through later on with a 34-17 doubling up of the Panthers (2-3) in the second half, including a game-ending 14-5 in the fourth quarter to help them pull away.

Despite the loss, the Panthers saw a breakout performance for Hugo Huang, who led all of the team’s scorers with a team-high 14 points, including four of Houghton Academy’s seven three-pointers. Chris Habecker and James Adenuga each had eight points to help the cause.

The Panthers are now off until after Christmas, when they face Cuba-Rushford in first round action of the Scio Christmas Tournament, beginning at 6 p.m. next Tuesday night.

New Life 17 7 20 14 – 58

Houghton Academy 10 8 12 5 – 35

NEW LIFE: Timothy Hutter 12 5-11 29, Prince Terrison 2 0-0 4, Nii-Noi Hanson-Nortey 7 0-0 19, Nii-Narku Hanson-Nortey 3 0-0 6. Totals: 24 5-11 58.
HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Hugo Huang 5 0-0 14, Chris Habecker 3 2-2 8, Malachi DeGolyer 1 0-0 3, Levi Martino 0 0-2 0, James Adenuga 3 0-0 8, Jack Prentice 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 2-4 35.

3-point goals: New Life 5 (N-Noi Hanson-Nortey), HA 7 (Huang 4, Adenuga 2, DeGolyer).
Total Fouls: New Life 8, HA 11. Fouled out: None.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Wellsville 3, Genesee Valley/Belfast 0

BELMONT — The Wellsville Lions have been away from action for a week, but upon returning to the floor on Thursday, they never missed a beat, as they recorded their fourth straight win after an 0-2 start, sweeping host Genesee Valley/Belfast in straight sets, taking the 25-13, 25-11, 25-11 dominant triumph.

Leading the Wellsville (4-2) offense was Mason Parks once more, as he tallied four kills, four service points to go with his three aces, as well as two digs on defense to help jumpstart the production. Following up, was Luke Zakel, who recorded seven more service points of his own along with three kills and three aces.

The team’s setter, Matt Bittel (one kill, one dig) handed out six assists to pair with 15 service points, and two aces from the line.

For Genesee Valley/Belfast (1-3), Sean Mahon recorded a team-high five kills to pair with two digs. Dominic Mara dished out seven helpers at the front while netting two more kills of his own on the attack.

Both teams are now off until the new year, as they hop back onto the volleyball court for the first time in 2022 with 6 p.m. first serves, as Wellsville continues their road swing to undefeated Cuba-Rushford, while Genesee Valley/Belfast looks to rebound on a strong note with Scio in town for a visit inside The Jungle.

Arkport/Canaseraga 3, Fillmore 1

FILLMORE — It was as good of a start as any for the Fillmore Eagles, as they found their way through a tight battle through the opening set with visiting Arkport/Canaseraga to take the match’s first lead on Thursday.

Hoping that it would hold, the Eagles faced another lengthy battle with the Wolves in the second set. But it would soon become the beginning of the end, as Arkport/Canaseraga ultimately tied the match up with the victory, and then some, setting up shop for the momentum to swing their way for the rest of the game, winning the next three sets in a row for the four-set win inside The Rock by a 20-25, 25-21, 25-18, 25-14 count.

The Eagles (0-3) were led by Matt Majoros, who tallied seven service points to pair with his two aces, two blocks and one kill. Aiden Wagner also had seven service points in addition to his two aces, while Joe Derck had six more to add in with one more ace from the line.

Fillmore hops right back on their home court tonight with a 6 p.m. visit forthcoming from the Scio Tigers.