Wednesday Roundup: Lions use combined run to shelve late Corning rally in 55-46 win; B-R grapplers place 4th in Sectional Duals

Wellsville junior Liam McKinley (12) drives his way through the Corning defense on his way to the basket during Wednesday night’s home contest. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville senior Max Jusianiec (3) powers his way past the Corning defense near the sidelines during Wednesday night’s home contest. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville junior Aidan Hart (32) goes up against the Corning defense for the lay-in during Wednesday night’s home contest. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Wellsville’s Eli Schmidt (5) powers his way to the basket against the Corning defense during Wednesday night’s home contest. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

The newly-acquired banner from Wellsville’s 2019 championship winning season now hangs in the rafters inside the gymnasium, as they honored all nine of their seniors from last year’s squad prior to taking on Corning, Wednesday night. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Before the game, all of the seniors from last season’s championship winning team for Wellsville received a warm round of applause as they were recognized by head coach Raymie Auman prior to Wednesday’s contest against Corning. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

WELLSVILLE — The third of December may seem like it happened last year, but it was a game against Corning on the road that Lions head coach Raymie Auman wanted to have back, despite his senior sharpshooter Max Jusianiec scoring 30 of the team’s 45 points to begin his final season in the Wellsville colors.

After the 51-45 loss to the hands of the Hawks, Wellsville went back to the drawing board over the weekend to focus on what needed to change in order to come out of Wednesday’s final meeting with a split on the season series.

His plan was plain and simple.

“Defensively, we didn’t guard them very well early in the season. Our communication and strength on that side just wasn’t there,” Auman said. “On the other side, we relied on Max way too much, and they knew that. They game-planned out of it by slipping screens, and running guys at him. The guys practiced in preparation for this game, and that’s what you have to do in a season with a young team. There are a lot of hold-your-breath moments we’ve experienced so far, and good teams don’t have those. We have to be more confident.”

If there was a sign of confidence, the Lions came away with some on a split at this past weekend’s Watkins Glen Tournament, where they provided a balanced scorebook across the board in their 64-54 win over Section IV foe Groton.

With their fourth Section IV opponent in the last five games coming up on deck in the Lion’s Den, it was just a matter of practice making perfect.

Even though the Wellsville defense could not find a way to hold Corning in check in the early part of the contest, they made sure they did in the second quarter, as the Lions dropped the sledgehammer on the Hawks with a combined run that extended through the entire frame, and into the early stages of the third to pull away with an exemplary 55-46 win to split the season series right down the middle.

“I don’t think we were very urgent in the first quarter, we gave up 20 points worth of defense in that,” Auman said. “It’s not going to win games, but our focus on stopping shots and limiting that second chance really paid off when the second quarter came. Holding them to five points really set the tone for the rest of the game. They were playing hard, and you could match that. But I was proud of the guys for not doing that, because I don’t think Corning had their best energy tonight.”

The big run through the second quarter came after both Corning and Wellsville battled their way through a closely-contested opener, as they went back and forth on their respective transition game. Jusianiec took the lead for the Lions (6-5) with all nine of the team’s points to give them an early 9-8 lead before Corning finished the period bringing their three-point game to life, netting three of their four in all toward the tail end to earn a 20-15 advantage.

Even though it was a start they did not want, it was one they used for fuel.

In the next eight minutes before the half, Wellsville saw everything point their way in the form of a 12-5 run of the Hawks. All of it stemming on a 7-0 scoreless run through the first four minutes of the quarter, led by one of four Liam McKinley three-pointers in the contest. Jusianiec would find a way to keep his scoring presence known, despite Corning climbing out of the trenches with their first and only field goal coming with under 30 seconds left in the half on a three, as he converted a three-point play at the line to end the half with a 27-25 lead in the host’s favor.

“The guys took it to the next level, and they sensed a weakness,” said Auman. “They didn’t take their foot off the gas, and we pressed with our effort. We dialed in a bit on their offense, and we weren’t communicating with it at first. When they did talk, it really stymied them. They made the adjustments at halftime, but at the quarter’s perspective, we had it dialed in and we started to slip things in. We did a much better job of negotiating those exchanges.”

After pausing for halftime, the Lions pressed play on the game’s remote control when they came back out onto the floor, as they continued their success with the largest run of the night — a 15-5 combined jaunt of the Hawks that elapsed well over 12 minutes time, led by McKinley’s three-ball once more to earn a double digit lead of Corning near the midway mark of the quarter.

With the run now in their back pocket, and Wellsville plugging the three-point holes on the outside, the Hawks took their game to the inside of the arc the rest of the way, connecting with a barrage of shots, coming to within four of the Lions, as the visitors in black and gold completed the third with eight of the last 10 points.

Wellsville would find another double digit advantage inside their largest recorded quarter, as McKinley and Jusianiec, along with the assistance of Aidan Hart down low, saw another run come about when they scored nine of the first 12 points to take a 46-36 lead with nearly five minutes left to play.

But the Hawks continued to show no quit by chipping away at another double digit deficit, capitalizing on a couple of missed opportunities by the Lions, resulting in their lead closing to two possessions with three minutes left. That was caused by plethora of missed free throws, as Wellsville went 0-for-5 at the charity stripe in the fourth.

“We need to get better at the end of games,” Auman said. “We handled some pretty physical basketball, but we have to make free throws. We missed the front end of every single one-and-one. That’s not going to get it done, but at the end of the day, Corning’s a tough, well-coached team. We were fortunate to come out with a win.”

All was not lost despite going scoreless at the stripe, as McKinley took over the offense after a quick timeout, drilling five consecutive points on back-to-back possessions for the hosts — the first on a twine-filled trey from just outside the right wing, and later an off-balanced runner to the hoop while falling down to apply what eventually became the dagger for Wellsville’s big win in their return home.

“Liam was big tonight, and he made quite a few big shots that took a lot of guts to take,” Auman said of his junior. “That’s all him. Aidan Hart could have had 20 points if he made those shots inside that he missed, but that’s a kid that’s growing up and getting all the experience that he can muster. He persevered through those misses early on, and really gained his confidence back again.”

McKinley led all scorers on the hardwood with a game-high 16 points. Jusianiec and Hart each followed behind with 13 points. Eli Schmidt and Logan Dunbar came up with six, and five points respectively, while Noah Chaffee netted a basket inside to round off the Wellsville scoring.

Prior to tip-off, the Lions honored all nine of their seniors in attendance that played a big role in the program’s championship winning season last year, as they unveiled the newest addition to the many banners hanging in the rafters to officially mark their third Section V championship in the last five years.

Auman said it was a collective moment that created a bit of nostalgia around the gymnasium.

“I was glad that it all worked out. I wanted to have a moment where the seniors all got together one last time to reflect on what happened with our program last season,” he said. “I knew they were all going to be at this game, so I wanted to recognize them to bring back that feeling of winning that championship. It also brought a bit of confidence to the guys knowing that they were there, and it was a reminder that this is a championship winning team that we have here in Wellsville.”

The Lions will now take a week away from action to continue building momentum after their win over Corning, as they prepare for a long road trip next Wednesday night to the confines of Marcus Whitman, where they will begin a two-game set with the Wildcats. Tip-off is set for a 7:30 p.m. start.

“It’s a big week. We have a really tough test with Marcus Whitman over the road,” Auman said. “They just lost to Hornell, and they’re without a doubt, one of the best teams in Class C. It’s going to be an extremely tough challenge, but luckily, we’ll have a lot of time to prepare for this game. We’re going to have Brayden (Delahunt) back, and he’ll be more involved because they have a big just as big as him. We’ll need our size to get us through, and hopefully we can keep this momentum going on the right side of .500 again.”

Auman added, “I kept telling the kids that we don’t have to play well in December. We need to get better through December, get better through January, and play our absolute best when February and into March come around. We have that possibility at this point. We just can’t slow down, and we can’t afford to take more steps backwards.”

Corning       20   5   8 13 – 46 

Wellsville       15 12 10 18 – 55

CORNING: Jalen Henderson 1 0-1 2, Justin Rodriquez 2 0-0 6, Jackson Casey 3 1-4 8, Nick Gardner 0 2-3 2, Chriss Rossi 1 0-0 2, Nesu Maphosa 4 1-1 9, Alex Boychuck 1 0-2 3, Aiden Chamberlain 3 2-2 8, Landen Burch 3 0-0 6. Totals: 18 6-13 46.
WELLSVILLE: Max Jusianiec 6 1-3 13, Eli Schmidt 3 0-1 6, Liam McKinley 6 0-0 16, Logan Dunbar 2 0-2 5, Noah Chaffee 1 0-0 2, Aidan Hart 6 1-4 13. Totals: 24 2-10 55.

3-point goals: Corning 4 (Rodriquez 2, Casey, Boychuck), Wellsville 5 (McKinley 4, Dunbar).
Total Fouls: Corning 16, Wellsville 13. Fouled out: Maphosa (COR).

Jasper-Troupsburg 68, Whitesville 22

WHITESVILLE — Josh Flint and Brayden Hill provided an offensive explosion for the Wildcats of Jasper-Troupsburg, as they lead the team in scoring for an offense that started with a 20-5 first quarter run, setting the tone for the rest of the night in Whitesville with a 68-22 win over the host Blue Jays, Wednesday night.

The Whitesville (0-7) offense was held to just nine field goals from the field by the Jasper-Troupsburg defense. CJ Estep and Robert Whitesell each led the way with a team-leading five points. Colby Gaines and Dylan Acor each had four points to sink.

Also helping the efforts for Whitesville were Chris Gullett and Brendal Jackson, as they each collected a basket to round off the scoring.

Up next, the Blue Jays will begin a home-at-home series with the Friendship Golden Eagles, beginning on Friday at 7:30 p.m. back on their home floor.

Jasper-Troupsburg    20 17 14 17 – 68

Whitesville                     5  6  2  9 – 22

JASPER-TROUPSBURG: Jake Demonstroy 1 0-2 2, Brayden Hill 5 1-2 15, Josh Flint 10 2-4 22, Oliver Rowe 2 1-2 7, Tyler Flint 3 2-4 8, Jonathan Tormey 1 0-0 3, Ethan Draper 2 0-0 4, Quincy Cornell 3 1-6 7. Totals: 27 7-20 68.
WHITESVILLE: Chris Gullett 1 0-0 2, Brendal Jackson 1 0-0 2, CJ Estep 2 1-2 5, Robert Whitesell 2 0-0 5, Colby Gaines 1 2-4 4, Dylan Acor 2 0-0 4. Totals: 9 3-6 22.

3-point goals: J-T 7 (Hill 4, Rowe 2, Tormey), Whitesville 1 (Whitesell).
Total Fouls: J-T 9, Whitesville 12. Fouled out: Cornell (J-T).

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Wellsville 3, Arkport/Canaseraga 1

WELLSVILLE — After Arkport/Canaseraga forced a second set tie entering the second half of the match, the Wellsville offense put together a strong finish Wednesday night, rolling their way to victory in the remaining two sets to claim a 25-18, 22-25, 25-18, 25-23 decision over the Wolves on Wednesday.

Walker Waldon led the Lions (4-1) offense with a team-leading 10 kills, pairing them with five aces and four digs. Isaiah Scott chipped in with seven digs on defense to go with six kills, two aces and a block.

Also, Robert Schuryn and Jake Schrlau each tallied five, and four kills respectively to help the cause on offense, while setter Matthew Bittel dished out 18 assists.

Wellsville is now off until this Saturday, as they head to Genesee Valley for the annual Mid-Season Tournament.

Bolivar-Richburg 3, Genesee Valley 2

BELMONT — The Jaguars of Genesee Valley were one set away from picking up their first win of the season at home Wednesday night, but in the last three sets, visiting Bolivar-Richburg had other plans, as the Wolverines capitalized on all fronts to record the reverse sweep victory by a 22-25, 12-25, 25-12, 25-20, 15-12 count.

Hunter Murray paced the offense for the defending County champion Wolverines (3-2), tallying a team-high nine kills to go with two aces, and two blocks. Chase Murray followed closely behind with six kills of his own, pairing them with two aces, and two blocks. Jordon McDonald helped the cause with a fantastic night of setting, recording 13 assists along with three kills, and two aces.

Genesee Valley (0-5) was led by Ethan Porter, who led all offensive scorers with a game-high 12 kills, and three aces. Devin Cline pitched in with 10 kills of his own, with one ace. Setter Logan Torrey was excellent at the net, dishing out a whopping 31 assists to go with his five kills worth of offense for the Jaguars.

Both teams are now off until the Mid-Season Tournament hosted by Genesee Valley, which begins bright and early Saturday morning.

WRESTLING

B-R grapplers place 4th overall at Class D2 duals

GENEVA — On the mat, Bolivar-Richburg has been known to carry one of the best wrestling programs within the Section V vicinity. With that distinctive hallmark, the Wolverines qualified for a spot in the Section V, Class D2 Duals Tournament the previous night, ultimately filling in one of the vacancies in the Final Four alongside three other Section V giants — Wayne, Palmyra-Macedon, and their longtime counterpart Canisteo-Greenwood.

In each of their two matches, the end result was decided by a single point. To open, they battled through to the final match with the lead in hand. But Pal-Mac completed an enormous rally from behind on the Wolverines, winning the last four matches in a row that including a crucial pin during the 160 pound match to win by a 41-40 count to advance to the Finals, where the Red Raiders would become eventual Class D2 Duals champions.

Bolivar-Richburg started out hot with four of the first five matches in the win column after a 170 pound match-opening victory from Pal-Mac. Trent Sibble (182 pounds), Hudson Evingham (195 pounds), Tyler Smith (220 pounds), and Trey Buchholz (99 pounds) all picked up wins for the Wolverines, with Sibble and Evingham delivering back-to-back pin falls, while Smith and Buchholz earned theirs in a 9-2 decision, and 14-1 major decision respectively.

Dominic Stone (120 pounds), Raycee Carr (126 pounds), Dawsen Yates (132 pounds), and Kadin Tompkins (138 pounds) continued the big momentum shift for the Wolverines with wins of their own, but the pendulum found its way to Pal-Mac’s favor for the remaining four matches, as the Red Raiders were victorious in all of them, including a big 1:30 pin from Ethan Ferron on Bolivar-Richburg’s Brayden Day to steal the come-from-behind victory to advance into the Finals.

With the loss, it sent Bolivar-Richburg down to the third place match where No. 4 Wayne had awaited. Once more, a strong start paid dividends for the Wolverines, but in the middle matches, Wayne fought from behind again to hand the Wolverines a second come-from-behind loss with a 37-36 victory.

The Wolverines scored five straight victories after the match started with a quick :35 second pin from Sibble at 182 pounds. After a double forfeit at 195 pounds, Evingham Smith, Buchholz and Tavyn MacDonell (106 pounds) all came through with decision victorys with the exception of MacDonell’s, who recorded his win via pin fall at :52 seconds.

From that point, a scoreless 24-0 lead was built before Wayne found their way on the board for the first time after Stone and Carr were both defeated by back-to-back decision victories. With Yates claiming the match’s quickest pin at 27 seconds inside the 126 pound match, Wayne found their groove by tallying victories in five of the last six matches to come back and defeat the Wolverines, claiming the bronze medal at the Sectional Dual tournament.

Regular season action for the Wolverines will resume on Tuesday, when they hit the road to take on Campbell-Savona for a 7:15 p.m. start.

Class D2 Semifinals: Palmyra-Macedon 41, Bolivar-Richburg 40

Results:

99 – Trey Buchholz (B-R) def. Zach Rooks (P-M) by major dec, 14-1.

106 – Dominic Affronti (P-M) def. Tavyn MacDonell (B-R) by pin, 2:56.

113 – Jace Schafer (P-M) by for.

120 – Dominic Stone (B-R) def. Jon Battoglia (P-M) by pin, 1:55.

126 – Raycee Carr (B-R) def. Aiden Gales (P-M) by dec, 4-1.

132 – Dawsen Yates (B-R) def. Dylan Dollar (P-M) by pin, 1:07.

138 – Kadin Tompkins (B-R) def. Trevor Bouwens (P-M) by pin, 1:08.

145 – Kaleb Burgess (P-M) def. Wayne Karnuth (B-R) by pin, 1:14.

152 – Devon McCoy (P-M) def. Dakota Mattern (B-R) by major dec, 16-2.

160 – Ethan Ferro (P-M) def. Brayden Day (B-R) by pin, 1:30.

*170 – Jake Pate (P-M) def. Kevin Thomason (B-R) by pin, 2:32.

182 – Trent Sibble (B-R) def. Jon Morrissy (P-M) by pin, 1:47.

195 – Hudson Evingham (B-R) def. Hunter Battoglia (P-M) by pin, 4:29.

220 – Tyler Smith (B-R) def. Josh Shafer (P-M) by dec, 9-2.

285 – Rylee Belanger (P-M) def. Sam Thorton (B-R) by pin, 2:15.

3rd Place Match: Wayne 37, Bolivar-Richburg 36

Results:

99 – Trey Buchholz (B-R) def. Robbie Armstrong (WAY) by dec, 12-4.

106 – Tavyn MacDonell (B-R) def. Ryan Harris (WAY) by pin, :52.

113 – Cael Lawson (WAY) def. Dominic Stone (B-R) by dec, 3-2.

120 – Nick Gabriel (WAY) def. Raycee Carr (B-R) by dec, 7-5.

126 – Dawsen Yates (B-R) def. Jamie Hastings (WAY) by pin, :27.

132 – Will Tennity (WAY) def. Dom Baldwin (B-R) by pin, :38.

138 – Kadin Tompkins (B-R) def. Josh Jones (WAY) by pin, 3:00.

145 – Devin LaRue (WAY) def. Dakota Mattern (B-R) by pin, 1:09.

152 – Carmen Piccirilli (WAY) def. Wayne Karnuth (B-R) by pin, 3:27.

160 – Josh Armstrong (WAY) def. Brayden Day (B-R) by pin, 1:35.

170 – Dakota Tique (WAY) def. Kevin Thomason (B-R) by injury dec. (B-R penalized for unsporting)

*182 – Trent Sibble (B-R) def. Ryan Stone (WAY) by pin, :35.

195 – Double for.

220 – Hudson Evingham (B-R) def. Jonah Pullen (WAY) by dec, 11-3.

285 – Tyler Smith (B-R) def. Aiden Harris (WAY) by dec, 14-1.