Wednesday Sectionals: Karnuth, No. 4 Wolverines explode on offense in 7-0 rout of No. 14 Gananda; Wellsville, C-R boys both fall in opening round

Bolivar-Richburg sophomore Aydin Sisson (1) heads the ball back down field while pressured by the Gananda defense during Wednesday night’s Class C2 First Round contest in Fillmore. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg sophomore Reiss Gaines, off-center, jousts with the Gananda defense for the loose ball deep in the offensive zone during Wednesday night’s Class C2 First Round contest in Fillmore. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg junior Ian Unfus (5) signals downfield while carrying possession against Gananda during Wednesday night’s Class C2 First Round contest in Fillmore. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg freshman Landon Barkley (8) receives high-fives from his teammate, Reiss Gaines, after scoring a goal during the first half of Wednesday night’s Class C2 First Round contest against Gananda, in Fillmore. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg sophomore Braden Lewis (6) heads the ball away from the Gananda defense during Wednesday night’s Class C2 First Round contest in Fillmore. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg senior Wyatt Karnuth (13) throws the ball back in play during Wednesday’s Class C2 First Round contest against Gananda, in Fillmore. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

Bolivar-Richburg sophomore Cayden Gaines (2) finesses his way around the Gananda defense with possession during Wednesday night’s Class C2 First Round contest in Fillmore. [Chris Brooks/WellsvilleSports.com]

FILLMORE — With the majority of last year’s team back to make another deep run through Sectionals this season, trips that they have not gotten the chance to experience before in recent memory, the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg wanted to make sure their first step into the Class C2 Tournament waters on Wednesday was one they could positively reinforce.

Instead of a step, they made a big splash.

Out of the 14 total shots applied on the No. 14 Gananda net, half of them would find the back of the net, as the fourth-seeded Wolverines offense erupted in a first round showing that allowed them to advance into the Quarterfinal stage this weekend, rolling past the Blue Panthers with a 7-0 shutout in Fillmore.

Six different scorers found the back of the net for the Wolverines (10-5-2) to begin their journey through the postseason, as they started with a 3-0 first half lead of Gananda, scoring all three goals in an eight-minute span with Wyatt Karnuth kicking the festivities off with the first of two penalty kicks the team would capitalize on in the 80-minute session.

Reiss Gaines and Landon Barkley would find their way onto the board afterward, with Gaines bolstering the Bolivar-Richburg lead to a pair, with a perfectly placed ball was sent into the Gananda zone by Karnuth. Sisson would pick up possession and then shift another pass past the charging Blue Panthers goalkeeper to a wide open Gaines to poke home into the open cage.

Approaching the 20 minute mark of the half, Gaines would then help set up Bolivar-Richburg’s third goal, rushing into the offensive zone past the defense to deliver a gorgeous cross to the other side of the net, a place where Barkley broke free himself to fire the one-time shot into the back of the net for a 3-0 lead heading into the break.

Four more goals were gathered by the Wolverines in the second half of play, and it would take a bit longer for the four-seeds to crank their offense back into gear. Karnuth would score his second of the game 15 minutes into the final session of play, connecting with his header in front of the Gananda net off a Gaines corner kick to branch the advantage to four.

In a minute’s span right at the midway mark, Hunter Stuck and Aydin Sisson would intertwine with Bolivar-Richburg’s next pair of goals, with Stuck striking first with the club’s final penalty kick at the 21:04 mark, and shortly afterward, Sisson’s netter off a pass from Barkley to further extend the lead. The goal scoring was finished off at the 9:09 mark by Waide Karnuth, who scored on an unassisted marker.

The Wolverines defense allowed just two Gananda shots to reach David Abdo in between the posts, both of which were secured to help preserve the shutout to begin their Sectional trek strong.

On Saturday, Bolivar-Richburg will head back home to Dunsmore-Latimer Field to play host to their Quarterfinal battle against No. 5 Alfred-Almond. The Eagles defeated No. 13 Caledonia-Mumford, 2-1 in overtime to reach the next stage later in the evening.

First kick between the Eagles and Wolverines is tentatively scheduled for 6 p.m.

No. 7 Campbell-Savona 4, No. 10 Cuba-Rushford 1

CAMPBELL — The No. 10 seed Rebels of Cuba-Rushford delivered with a quick hop to their step to start their postseason run in the Class C2 Tournament on Wednesday, coming up with a jab in the first few minutes of play to begin with the early lead on No. 7 Campbell-Savona.

But the host Panthers saw an offensive explosion from Kaden Bolt, who had a hand in all four of the team’s unanswered goals against Cuba-Rushford, including the go-ahead goal to earn a 2-1 halftime lead they would never lose again, scoring a hat trick and assist to power the team’s 4-1 victory to force elimination in the opening round of action.

Jacob Smith got Cuba-Rushford (6-9-1) off and running with a 1-0 lead on Campbell-Savona in the first five minutes of play, connecting with Nate Cole on a beautifully fed cross in front of the Panthers cage to break the ice. But it was the only goal that the team would score, as the hosts went on to score four straight to take the lead away permanently, beginning with Bolt’s assist to Colin Klemann just minutes later to tie the game.

Bolt would then go on to score three straight goals to further cement Campbell-Savona’s lead, including the go-ahead goal right before the first half saw its conclusion.

The Rebels would narrowly outshoot the Panthers by a 15-14 count, with Jarrett Campbell making 10 stops in between the posts in the final game of his Varsity career.

Cuba-Rushford’s 2021 season has officially reached its end, as they wrap up the slate with a record of 6-9-1 overall. The team will graduate eight Seniors in all at the end of the year, in Campbell, Cole, Logan Lewis, Austin Pinney, Austin Clement, Brayden Lavery, Chandler Wirth and Hunter Rix.

Class B2 First Round

No. 7 North Rose-Wolcott 3, No. 10 Wellsville 1

COHOCTON — To begin their trip through the Class B2 Sectional field, No. 10 Wellsville struck while the iron was hot right in the first minutes of play against No. 7 North Rose-Wolcott. But on Wednesday, the Cougars would not let it faze them, as they went on to score three unanswered afterward to fly past the Lions and force elimination in the opening round by a 3-1 count at the Cohocton Sports Complex.

Right in the first three minutes of play, Wellsville (5-11-1) wasted no time getting on the board first with Ty Vogel making it happen with his unassisted tally to give the team the early 1-0 lead on the Cougars. But like the game-opening goal, the response from North Rose-Wolcott was also quick, as they tied the game off a Gilbert Seager goal just six minutes later, keeping it tied when the first half horn sounded.

The deadlock would remain as such until the Cougars found a way to work past the Wellsville defense back in on goal for the go-ahead tally near the midway point of the second half, with Alex Hernandes providing the goal to put the seven-seeds ahead. The game was officially put on ice with nearly two minutes left in regulation with the team’s third goal, ending Wellsville’s season in the process.

Just four shots on the North Rose-Wolcott cage were collected by the Lions, while Logan Dunbar put a stop to five of the eight shots applied by the Cougars back the other way in his final start of the season.

Wellsville will see their 2021 season come to a conclusion, as they finish with a record of 5-11-1 overall. The team will graduate only three Seniors when the school year ends, saying goodbye to Matt Bittel, Dillon Day and Keaton Sharpe.

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL

Wellsville 3, Hinsdale 0

HINSDALE — The Lady Lions of Wellsville were one game away from entering Sectionals with a perfect record on the slate. That game came on Wednesday back over the road to finish up what has been three straight nights of volleyball.

How else would they wrap up the season? — By going for the sweep, as they provided yet another dominant showing in the first set of the night and they never looked back, as they rolled toward straight-set triumph in Hinsdale behind a 25-9, 25-20, 25-5 decision to conclude their regular season with a perfect 14-0 record.

The Lady Lions offense was spread all around the floor with almost everyone getting involved in the victory, with Jaelyn Knapp (four aces), Brooklyn Stisser (two aces) and Marley Adams (three aces) all recording four kills each to lead the way. Kaylee Coleman followed suit with three kills of her own to pair with three aces. At the front of the net, Maddy Parks dished out 12 helpers, while Macey Wyant had six of her own to go with five aces from the line.

Stats for Hinsdale (2-10) were not provided upon publication. The Lady Bobcats are back in action over the road Friday night with a planned 7:30 p.m. visit to Bolivar-Richburg.

Wellsville’s regular season has now concluded, as they now await their place in the Sectional Tournament this weekend.

Bolivar-Richburg 3, Fillmore 0

BOLIVAR — Both Fillmore and Bolivar-Richburg went back and forth across the majority of the action Wednesday night, but one thing remained clear: the Lady Wolverines would find a way to remain red hot, as they edged past visiting Fillmore in two of the three sets required to win the match, sweeping the Lady Eagles by a 25-22, 25-16, 25-23 count to reach the 10-win plateau.

The Lady Wolverines (10-4) were paced by another spectacular showing of offense from Jianna Nix, who recorded a game-high 16 kills to pair with six blocks at the net. On defense, Haley Mascho and Kori Thomas both kept the ball off the floor, and the action moving with 12 digs each, while setter Kaitlyn Graves handed out 17 assists to pair with her five aces from the service line.

On the other side of the net, Emma Cole provided a team-high nine kills to pair with three blocks and two aces of her own to lead the Lady Eagles (8-6) on the front line. Jadyn Mucher added in three aces and two blocks to round off the scoring.

Both teams are back on the floor on Friday in a pair of 7:30 p.m. contests, as Bolivar-Richburg continues their three-game homestand to end their regular season with Hinsdale in town for a visit, while Fillmore closes out their regular season back on the road by visiting Genesee Valley/Belfast.

Cuba-Rushford 3, Genesee Valley/Belfast 0

CUBA — The offense put on by the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford was a stand that visiting Genesee Valley/Belfast could not find a way to halt on Wednesday, as they found the openings in the floor to record what was a straight-set sweep inside the Wighthouse, rolling to a 25-17, 25-15, 25-20 Senior Night win to rebound off their straight-set loss to Allegany-Limestone back on Monday.

Leading the charge was Kendall Tompkins from the service line, racking up a game-high 11 aces to pair with five digs on defense, and three kills for Cuba-Rushford (5-8). On offense, Meghan O’Keefe added to it with nine game-high kills, three digs and one ace. The team’s setter, Quincy Tyler helped further the cause by handing out 20 assists, pairing them with three kills and one ace of her own.

Genesee Valley/Belfast (7-10) was led by Kaitlin Sadler, who tallied a team-high five kills along with two blocks and one ace. Addy Herring dished out six assists to go with three aces of her own.

Both teams are back on the floor Friday Night with a pair of 7:30 p.m. first serves, with Cuba-Rushford playing host to Houghton Academy before heading on the road to Bolivar-Richburg Saturday morning to conclude their regular season, while Genesee Valley/Belfast ends their regular season back home by hosting Fillmore.