Saturday Roundup: Despite regular season-ending loss to Lady Wolverines, C-R senior Kate Howe smashes all-time scoring record in girls basketball
CUBA — When the conversation discussing Cuba-Rushford’s all-time greatest female athletes comes about, there will be no outstanding doubt surrounding the validity that Kate Howe has brought to the table over the last four years donning the blue and white garb.
Record after record, it seems as if the Lady Rebels senior has done almost everything possible to implant her carbon footprint across all the sports that she has partaken in. But there was something that was kept hidden from her that was revealed for everyone in attendance inside the Wighthouse to bare witness to. That something was perhaps the biggest record of them all.
With an early first half basket just inside the arc in their Saturday afternoon contest against Bolivar-Richburg, the game was stopped to honor Howe with a surprise — she had become the girls basketball program’s all-time leading scorer, despite a 62-31 defeat to the Lady Wolverines, as she surpassed Class of 1989 alumnus Colleen Bradley to take the throne as the new queen of Cuba-Rushford girls basketball, smashing a 30-year old record to rewrite history all for herself.
“I’m really happy for Kate, and she had no idea that this was coming for her,” said Lady Rebels coach Aaron Wight. “But that’s the type of player that she is. She just plays hard each and every night, and she really doesn’t have any worries about anything. She was also announced as the school’s valedictorian earlier this week as well, so it’s been one memorable week for her.”
Bolivar-Richburg head coach Justin Thomas added in on Howe’s accomplishment, saying “I was super excited for her, and their program. That’s a cool accomplishment for Kate, and she’s spent so much time working on crafting her game. She did with a fantastic attitude along the way. She’s one of the girls that I hope my girls look up toward to model themselves after. She had no idea that she broke the record, that made it even better. I really wish the best for her. She deserves every bit of this.”
Although Howe’s record-breaker was one of the main highlights of the afternoon in Cuba, the game however belonged to the visiting Lady Wolverines (11-8), as they outscored the Lady Rebels in all four quarters to take a nine-point lead at the half. In the next 16 minute timespan, Aliyah Cole and Kelsey Pacer took charge down low, and outside to help pace a pair of enormous runs to pull away permanently with an 18-4 third quarter run, and 18-4 fourth quarter jaunt.
When it was said and done, Cole re-established a new career high in scoring for Bolivar-Richburg, netting a season-high 30 points. Pacer followed with 14 points of her own, tying a season-high. Madigan Harris chipped in with six points.
Howe, as a part of her record-breaking day, led all Cuba-Rushford scorers with a team-high 13 points. Lillian Forward bucketed eight points, while Elysa Tylor had five points. The Lady Rebels will now await Sectional seeding next weekend, as their regular season comes to a close with an overall record of 8-9.
With the victory, the Lady Wolverines are guaranteed their first winning season in the Thomas era, as they will close out their regular season back home on Tuesday by welcoming in the Lady Lions of Wellsville for a 7:30 p.m. tip-off.
Bolivar-Richburg 14 15 15 18 – 62
Cuba-Rushford 8 12 7 4 – 31
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: McKinlee Harris 2 1-2 5, Madigan Harris 3 0-0 6, Kelsey Pacer 6 0-4 14, Kelsey Ferris 1 0-0 3, Aliyah Cole 15 0-1 30, Jianna Nix 2 0-0 4. Totals: 29 1-6 62.
CUBA-RUSHFORD: Lillian Forward 3 2-2 8, Ella Jaffe 0 1-2 1, Taylor Searle 1 0-0 2, Kate Howe 4 3-6 13, Elysa Tylor 2 0-0 5, Lauren Neu 1 0-0 2. Totals: 11 6-10 31.
3-point goals: B-R 3 (Pacer 2, Ferris), C-R 3 (Howe 2, Tylor).
Total Fouls: B-R 12, C-R 12. Fouled out: None.
Arkport/Canaseraga 41, Houghton Academy 29
HOUGHTON — Victoria McDaniel and Meghan Patrick both got the Arkport/Canaseraga offense off and running from the starting line, as they used two narrow runs in the first half to create all the room they needed to find the winner’s circle at the final buzzer, as they eclipsed the double digit mark in the 41-29 road win for the Lady Wolves over host Houghton Academy on Saturday.
The three-point game was used as a big advantage for the Lady Wolves, as they gathered six in all with Patrick leading the way with three of them to help set a tone within the game. On Houghton Academy’s (10-8) side, they looked for Jessica Prentice to provide a spark, doing so with a game-high 19 points to go with 13 rebounds to complete a double-double. But the first half deficit the Lady Panthers fell into, was not enough to overcome, as the Lady Wolves extended their eight-point halftime lead to 12 after the third quarter.
Finishing behind Prentice in the scorebook was Sarah Retz, who had five more points to add for Houghton Academy. Emma Retz and Anna Huizenga rounded off with the last five points combined, while Jessica Adenuga had 12 rebounds to grab off the glass.
The Lady Panthers return home for their final regular season home game on Tuesday, as they hit the road for a 6 p.m. contest in Friendship.
Arkport/Canaseraga 13 10 7 11 – 41
Houghton Academy 7 8 3 11 – 29
ARKPORT/CANASERAGA: Guilianna Smith 0 0-2 0, Victoria McDaniel 5 6-9 17, Caitlin O'Dea 1 2-3 4, Julia Carney 3 0-4 8, Meghan Patrick 4 1-2 12. Totals: 13 9-20 41.
HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Jessica Prentice 9 1-1 19, Emma Retz 1 1-2 3, Sarah Retz 2 0-0 5, Anna Huizenga 1 0-0 2. Totals: 13 2-3 29.
3-point goals: A/C 6 (Patrick 3, Carney 2, McDaniel), Houghton 1 (S. Retz).
Total Fouls: A/C 11, Houghton 17. Fouled out: O'Dea (A/C), S. Retz (HA).
Caledonia-Mumford 44, Friendship 32
FRIENDSHIP — Back on the floor for their second game in just over 16 hours, the Lady Golden Eagles marked their return to the floor. But despite the long trip down, the visiting Lady Red Raiders of Cal-Mum did what they needed to do to march onward to victory, as they squeezed past host Friendship with a 44-32 victory, Saturday afternoon.
Nevaeh Ross was the beacon that lit up the Friendship (3-15) offense, as she shined with a team-high 16 points. Kadence Donohue added in five points to go with her six rebounds off the board. Logan Roberts pitched in with four points, while Aaliyah Harmon was dominant off the glass again, recording a team-high seven boards.
A complete box score of the game was not made available upon publication.
The Lady Golden Eagles will wrap up their regular season slate on Tuesday, when they take on Houghton Academy on their home floor at 6 p.m.
Whitesville 71, Scio 5
SCIO — Three different scorers cracked the double digit plateau for the Whitesville Lady Blue Jays, early Saturday afternoon, as they used the first half to brew up a shutout on defense to roll their way toward a 71-5 road win against the host Lady Tigers of Scio.
Vanessa Hall led the way for the Lady Blue Jays (13-6) with a game-high 21 points while falling four rebounds just shy of her first career triple-double, earning 10 assists and six rebounds. Kennedy Bledsoe was two rebounds away from a double-double herself, tallying 14 points along with eight boards. Serina Button did pick up a double-double to help the cause, netting 12 points and grabbing 10 boards.
Also helping on special teams for Whitesville were Kate Pensyl and Rachel Jackson, as Pensyl added in eight rebounds and four swipes, while Jackson followed with five steals.
Scio (1-17) was led by Camryn Wiech and Ashlynn Scotchmer, as they combined for all five of the team’s points.
Both teams are back on the floor Tuesday night, as Whitesville closes their regular season out back home with a 6 p.m. contest against the Belfast Lady Bulldogs, while Scio hits the road to visit the Lima Christian Lady Saints at 5 p.m.
Whitesville 17 18 18 18 – 71
Scio 0 0 4 1 – 5
WHITESVILLE: Kennedy Bledsoe 5 4-6 14, Rachel Jackson 2 0-1 4, Serena Ainsworth 3 2-2 8, Vanessa Hall 9 2-5 21, Jessica Erdmann 3 0-3 6, Kate Pensyl 2 0-0 4, Serina Button 6 0-1 12, Gabbi Hall 1 0-0 2. Totals: 31 8-18 71.
SCIO: Ashlynn Scotchmer 0 2-3 2, Camryn Wiech 1 0-2 3. Totals: 1 2-5 5.
3-point goals: Whitesville 1 (Hall), Scio 1 (Wiech).
Total Fouls: Whitesville 7, Scio 17. Fouled out: None.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Cuba-Rushford 55, Bolivar-Richburg 43
CUBA — In the second game of the varsity twin-bill inside the Wighthouse on Saturday, the visiting Bolivar-Richburg Wolverines gave the host Rebels all they could handle in the opening 16 minutes of play. But a flip-flop of momentum occurred in the third quarter, as a newly-adjusted Cuba-Rushford team emerged with a dominant run to hold their opposition in check, pulling away with a 55-43 victory.
“Bolivar-Richburg did a really nice job beating our pressure in the first half,” Rebels coach Bryce Ryan said. “We made some adjustments at the half, and we executed our game plan so much better. Our offense was more active cutting the gaps of the zone. I was pleased with our much more efficient attention to detail in the second half.”
Rebels guard Andrew Clement battled right alongside Wolverines guard Landon Danaher through much of the first half, as they garnered the majority of their respective team’s points, which resulted in a two-point lead for the hosts in white and maroon going into the break. In the second half, a different story, as Grady McCumiskey and Ethan Brooks tag-teamed the Cuba-Rushford (8-9) offense to run the show behind a game-changing 19-7 run that saw them coast away to victory.
McCumiskey led all scorers on the hardwood for Cuba-Rushford with a game-high 14 points. Clement concluded the night with 13 points, while Brooks finished with nine to help the cause. On the flip side, the Wolverines (6-13) were led by Danaher, who finished with 13 team-high points. His older brother, Riley added in 10, while Brayden Ellis drained two of the team’s three triples on his way to six points.
Both teams will bring the curtain down on their regular season on their home floor Wednesday night with 7:30 p.m. tip-offs, as the Rebels welcome in the Fillmore Eagles, while the Wolverines return home to play host against Genesee Valley.
Bolivar-Richburg 10 11 7 15 – 43
Cuba-Rushford 10 13 19 13 – 55
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Riley Danaher 4 2-2 10, Landon Danaher 6 1-1 13, Wyatt Karnuth 1 0-0 2, Brayden Ellis 2 0-0 6, Matt Mitchell 1 0-0 3, Isaac Scott 2 0-1 4, Camdyn MacDonell 2 1-3 5. Totals: 18 4-7 43.
CUBA-RUSHFORD: Ethan Brooks 4 1-2 9, Joey Jablonski 3 0-0 6, Trent Chamberlain 1 0-0 2, Alex Tylor 1 0-2 2, Andrew Clement 5 1-12 13, Nate Burdick 0 1-2 1, Grady McCumiskey 7 0-0 14, Dan Emerson 4 0-0 8. Totals: 25 3-8 55.
3-point goals: B-R 3 (Ellis 2, Mitchell), C-R 2 (Clement).
Total Fouls: B-R 11, C-R 12. Fouled out: None.
WRESTLING
Wolverines officially send three to State Tournament
BROCKPORT — At the beginning of the day on Friday, the Bolivar-Richburg Wolverines officially saw 12 of their wrestlers make their way to the next stage to the Section V State Qualifier at SUNY Brockport. When the sun went down, just four remained in contention for a chance to make their way to the biggest stage of them all at the end of the month.
Soon, the number would come down to three, and it would remain there in the Finals, as Dawsen Yates, Hudson Evingham and Tyler Smith officially picked up first place finishes for the Wolverines in their respective weight classes to lock in their reservations to the New York State Tournament in Albany next weekend.
Yates was the first Bolivar-Richburg wrestler to earn his bid at 126 pounds, grappling his way through the winner’s bracket to meet Addison’s David Howe, where he was able to come away victorious with a 6-1 decision. Later on in the late evening, Evingham was the next to punch his ticket at 195 pounds, as he took care of business with a narrow 2-0 decision over Warsaw’s Nate DeGroff. Immediately after, Smith’s breakout season with the Wolverines continued on with a pin-fall coming in the waning seconds of the second period, covering Lyndonville’s Mario Fidanza to secure the pin.
In consolation round action, Trent Sibble placed third overall after earning a narrow 3-2 decision at 182 pounds to defeat Addison’s Colby Jones. Tavyn MacDonell earned himself a fourth place finish at 99 pounds, falling to Midlakes’ Teddy Raes in a 7-4 decision. Kadin Tompkins rounded off the Wolverines with a fifth place finish by garnering a forfeit win at 138 pounds over Perry’s Cole Leitten.
For Wellsville, Mekha Dorrough collected the highest finish out of the four wrestlers that advanced, as he picked up a sixth place finish at 285 pounds.
The journey towards State championships continue for Yates, Evingham and Smith right after the mid-winter break for the Wolverines, as they head to the Times Union Center in downtown Albany to fight their way toward the season’s crowning achievement.
