Wednesday Roundup: 28-point 1st quarter, Barkley’s career night sets massive tone for B-R, remain undefeated with Showcase-redeeming 84-63 win over Haverling; Lady Lions stroll past Olean

BOLIVAR — It was a shot that was heard all around Steuben County, last winter. A double-overtime shot off the hand of Bath-Haverling’s Jake Hagadone with 2.3 seconds left that permitted Steuben County to perform the Showcase’s first ever complete 7-0 sweep of the two-day action against Allegany County.

Out of what was the Showcase’s must-see battle, it was a shot that still provided the occasional sting that resonated with the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg, and their head coach Justin Thomas, ever since that night ended. But in the same swing, it was one that formulated a dilemma for this new season of basketball.

That being a chance to go for round two.

Phone calls were made. Emails were exchanged through the offseason between the schools. And although they weren’t going to be able to settle the score once again at this year’s installment of the Dan Barkley Showcase in its grand return to Alfred State College, they were still going to get the grudge match they wanted.

Thomas admits when the fog finally cleared, it was the first game to be circled on his calendar. A chance to relieve some of that sting with some sweet redemption, now became a real possibility.

“That game really stung,” he said. “And one of the calling cards of the misery was the free throw shooting in a double-OT game. The fact that we were in that spot despite that, was even more impressive. We had to make those adjustments and shoot the ball even better to stay with them for this next time. Ever since we were able to ask Bath to have us back on the schedule, we have had this game circled on our calendars ever since that night.”

And so, the 20th day of December had finally arrived for the Wolverines in their first game back home from a victorious, memorable and everlasting experience at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland over the weekend. Their sights were now set on that Barkley Showcase rematch with the Rams.

To say that the Wolverines were more focused than ever for that opportunity, would be a massive understatement. Exhibit A was the first eight minutes of play.

Nothing more was needed.

Despite a monstrous night from Jake Hagadone once again for the Rams against the Wolverines, the hosts in white and black had an ace in the hole of their own to deliver right back to their opposition in blue. That role was portrayed by Landon Barkley, who went on to have the best night of his Wolverines career, engulfing the hardwood beneath his feet for a career-high 30-point night to oblige Bolivar-Richburg’s desire for victory — their seventh in a row to enter the holiday freeze, as they rolled past Bath-Haverling with an 84-63 home win.

“It was never in doubt when we got that start,” Thomas said. “That was everything, and that was a testament to the work they put in. This is the game we wanted, and I was glad that we took care of the opportunity early and often this time around. Bath never quit. The Hagadone kid is such an excellent ball-player. He gave us everything he had, and he did not miss. He hit some shots down low and hit it well outside, going 8-for-8 at the line. He just couldn't be stopped.”

The first quarter was all gas and no brakes for Bolivar-Richburg (7-0), as they stomped down on the pedal right from the opening tip at midcourt and scurried off on an early run that saw them score the first 11 points in consecutive fashion, conducted by what morphed into an amalgamation of three-pointers across the first half entirely.

Out of the 11 total they had from near Town Hall downtown in Bolivar, the Wolverines landed seven of them in the first half. In that cluster, five of them came in the first quarter, with Kingston Loucks and Landon Barkley having the honor of setting the table with back-to-back shots right between the eyes to open the scoring.

Although the Rams were able to work their way onto the board with Austin Durand’s assistance from downtown to set up a strand of points to chip away at the early deficit, Bolivar-Richburg went right back to work from outside again to branch out their advantage to an 18-6 lead with under four minutes remaining. After a marvelous first eight minutes reached its conclusion, it was marketed as a 28-point frame that allowed the Wolverines to set the tone.

The first quarter propulsion carried over for the hosts with another early run in the second quarter that saw them net 10 of the first 14 points, adding to a lead that would reach 16 points when halftime approached. In the second half, the Wolverines were able to fortify their first half start despite Hagadone posting a remarkable 35-point night from the field for Bath-Haverling, as they buckled down and kept their foot on the gas the entire second half to finish off the victory.

To go with his career-high 30 points, Barkley also had an active hand on special teams by handing out six assists and garnering four steals. Following behind him for the Wolverines was Aydin Sisson, who had 21 points of his own to chip in. Kingston Loucks recorded 18 points to pair with six rebounds and four helpers, while Reiss Gaines had 10 to add. On special teams off the glass, Waide Karnuth grabbed eight rebounds.

“It's a perfect night for it. What a game by Landon, and he took to heart everything we told him and the boys,” Thomas said. “We talked prior to the game that we won't play again until the new year. They needed to go and play their hearts out. Kingston had a great, well-rounded game for us, Aydin Sisson did what Aydin Sisson always does. Reiss Gaines came in and did his job on both sides to get into the flow of things. Overall, I'm very proud of the effort the boys put in.”

The victory marks the seventh straight for the Wolverines to open the season — a position that the second-year head coach doesn’t mind being in one bit now with this much-anticipated battle in the rearview mirror.

“There's certainly more work that needs to be done,” he said. “We're not upset with the position we're in now, this is a great start. We have goals on our list that are better than this start that we've got for the second half of the season ahead, but we are going to keep building and keep getting better.”

That will restart for the Wolverines after the holidays are over, as they return to action on January 2 over the road with another colossal clash in store against the Chargers of Canisteo-Greenwood. Tip-off is set for a 7:15 p.m. start.

Bath-Haverling 15 18 18 12 – 63

Bolivar-Richburg 28 21 18 17 – 84

BATH-HAVERLING: Austin Durand 6 1-2 15, Maclain Wright 0 1-2 1, Spencer Wheeler 2 0-0 4, Larry Duncan 4 0-0 8, Jacob Hagadone 12 8-8 35. Totals: 24 10-12 63.

BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Aydin Sisson 8 4-4 21, Landon Barkley 9 8-10 30, David Abdo 1 0-0 2, Trevor Pforter 0 1-2 1, Reiss Gaines 4 0-0 10, James Margeson 1 0-0 2, Kingston Loucks 7 0-0 18. Totals: 30 13-16 84.

3-point goals: B-H 5 (Hagadone 3, Durand 2), B-R 11 (Barkley 4, Loucks 4, Gaines 2, Sisson).

Total Fouls: B-H 13, B-R 15. Fouled out: None.

Fillmore 74, Franklinville 49

FRANKLINVILLE — Fillmore was given a challenge right off the bat from Franklinville, Wednesday night. It was anyone’s game across a first quarter that saw both teams hang stride for stride with one another.

The Eagles were granted an advantageous lift into the driver’s seat after the first quarter, using the momentum to shift gears to their defense in the same swing. In one foul swoop, Fillmore was able to fire on all cylinders across the board, with Zach Sisson and Jonah Bialek serving as the team’s dynamic duo from the field along the way to ignite their pistons in what was a dominant 74-49 win over the host Panthers to close out the calendar year.

“Franklinville is a good team with a lot of talent and they did a good job coming out with energy in the first quarter,” Eagles coach Randy Crouch said. “We struggled offensively, but Zach made some big shots to keep us in it. Once we found our footing defensively and got out in transition, we were able to make a run. I cannot say enough about Zach, he has really evolved as a scorer, but also as a defensive leader. My two freshmen, Jonah and Cam (Mucher) were phenomenal tonight as well.”

The duo of Sisson and Bialek kindled the Fillmore (5-2) offense right out of the gate, catching fire while combining for all 17 of the team’s points in the frame to help set up a back-and-forth exchange with Franklinville throughout the frame. When it was all said and done, the Eagles were able to dig in and deliver a 17-15 lead to carry onward.

With that in hand, the visitors in black and green did not waste any time digging in on defense, as they held Franklinville to their two lowest frames of offense in the battle while capitalizing on big time scoring from Sisson, as well as some three-point help outside from both Bialek and Cam Mucher on the opposite end of the floor.

The first of two 24-point frames for the Eagles that allowed them to make a big run towards keeping their advantage intact for good.

Sisson led all scorers with a game-high 28 points for the Eagles, while Bialek followed with 21 of his own. Adding more help along the way was Mucher, who finished with eight points. Marcus Wolfer had five points.

Fillmore now enters the holiday freeze and will now get set to face Genesee Valley/Belfast on January 4, when they spring back into action by playing the role of hosts back inside The Rock beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Fillmore 17 24 24 9 – 74

Franklinville 15 11 10 13 – 49

FILLMORE: Cam Mucher 2 3-4 8, Marcus Wolfer 2 0-0 5, Layton Sanasith 1 2-2 4, Brandon Buck 0 1-2 1, Zach Sisson 10 5-5 28, Jonah Bialek 9 1-2 21, Gavin Barnhart 1 0-0 3, JD Bialek 2 0-0 4. Totals: 27 12-15 74.

FRANKLINVILLE: Bretton Blecha 4 1-1 9, Beau Bielecki 1 0-0 2, Grant Cornell 3 0-0 7, Blake Green 1 0-0 2, Noah Shenk 4 2-2 10, Matthew Spittler 6 1-2 15, Isaac Towne 1 1-2 3, Collin Mooney 0 1-2 1. Totals: 20 6-9 49.

3-point goals: Fillmore 8 (Sisson 3, Jo. Bialek 2, Mucher, Wolfer, Barnhart), Franklinville 3 (Spittler 2, Cornell).
Total Fouls: Fillmore 12, Franklinville 15. Fouled out: Rhett (FIL).

Cuba-Rushford 57, Friendship/Scio 28

CUBA — Across all 32 minutes of action on the hardwood, every single Cuba-Rushford player was able to record at least a basket to aid in propelling the offense back into the win column in their first game inside the Wighthouse after their trip to Cleveland this past weekend, as they used a rapid first quarter to set the pace against visiting Friendship/Scio to claim a 57-28 win on Wednesday.

“Friendship/Scio never quit. Dillon (McFall) has them competing hard and playing hard. We had three games in the last five days, so winning one going into the holiday break is great for us. The kids competed through tired legs, but they did exactly what they needed to do tonight.” said Rebels coach Pat Wight.

Right from the get-go, Cuba-Rushford (5-2) was on the ball, capitalizing on all fronts in the first eight minutes with their largest frame of attack — a 21-3 run of Friendship/Scio to set the tone right away on a lead they would never looked back on in the rearview mirror. Among the big helpers: Luke Brooks, who led an all-balanced Rebels offense with 11 team-high points.

Furthering the team’s cause were Braeden Wight, Eli Sleggs and Peyton Joy, all recording eight points each.

For Friendship/Scio (1-6), Aiden Golden posted a game-high 14 points. Connor Blouvet chipped in with eight points of his own.

Both teams are back in action following the Christmas holiday next week, as Cuba-Rushford prepares to head for The Swamp at Allegany-Limestone next Thursday afternoon for the Joe DeCerbo Holiday Showcase, where they will first take on Wellsville in a 12:45 p.m. tip-off. As for Friendship/Scio, they will host their Scio Christmas Tournament with a 6 p.m. contest against Hinsdale slated for next Wednesday evening.

Friendship/Scio 3 2 8 15 – 28

Cuba-Rushford 21 15 11 10 – 57

FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Aiden Golden 5 2-4 14, Jerome Harmon 1 0-0 3, Connor Blouvet 3 2-2 8, Charlie Taylor 1 0-0 2, Cooper Greenman 0 1-2 1. Totals: 10 5-8 28.
CUBA-RUSHFORD: Braeden Wight 3 0-0 8, Kaden Bell 1 0-0 2, Luke Brooks 4 3-4 11, Eli Sleggs 3 1-2 8, Dean Frank 3 0-0 7, Finn Ricketts 1 0-0 2, Tristan Clayson 3 1-2 7, Adam Roe 2 0-0 4, Peyton Joy 4 0-0 8. Totals: 24 5-8 57.
3-point goals: F/S 3 (Golden 2, Harmon), C-R 4 (Wight 2, Sleggs, Frank).
Total Fouls: F/S 10, C-R 11. Fouled out: None.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Wellsville 66, Olean 12

WELLSVILLE — Before they enter the holiday break, the Lady Lions of Wellsville had one more piece of business to attend to back inside the Lion’s Den, Wednesday night.

After suffering their first loss of the young season against Pioneer just over a week ago, the Lady Lions returned to their stomping grounds refreshed and ready to go. Just how ready? — One big roar in the opening quarter allowed them to make all the noise possible against the visiting Lady Huskies of Olean, as they coasted forward and towards a 5-1 start to their campaign with a 66-12 home victory.

“I was glad that we were able to keep our focus and intensity. That’s something we’ve needed to work on,” said Lady Lions coach Michelle Alvord. “Everyone that played tonight, all scored. It was a nice game to help us going into break, and hopefully we can keep it going when we go to the Coaches v. Cancer Tournament after Christmas.”

Every Lady Lion (5-1) in the game all found their way into the scorebook, with four different shooters eclipsing double figures along the way. Leading the pack was another brilliant and masterful night from Natalie Adams, who remains red hot going into the holiday freeze after her game-high 18-point performance, adding five rebounds, five steals and three assists to round off her effort.

Adding more help was Averee Palmatier, who chipped in with 13 points and garnered 14 rebounds off the glass to complete a double-double performance. Makenna Dunbar tallied 11 points to pair with six rebounds, while Jaden Dunbar had 10 points to couple with five rebounds and three assists.

On special teams, Alexa Hennessy had five assists and three more steals to contribute for the Lady Lions, who used a 20-4 run in the first quarter to set the tone immediately against Olean.

In the JV contest, the Lady Lions came away with the 43-21 win over Olean behind a 14-point performance from Lydia Kaye. Reegan Perkins had 10 points, while Hailey Cowburn had nine.

Coming up, Wellsville now hits the road for Bath-Haverling after the break ahead, as they partake in the Coaches v. Cancer Tournament with an opening round battle against Newark Valley slated for a 3:45 p.m. start, next Thursday night. The winner will face either Penn Yan or host Bath-Haverling in the Championship round, the following day.

Olean 4 6 0 2 – 12

Wellsville 20 13 15 18 – 66

OLEAN: Alaina Hirliman 1 0-0 2, Amy Campbell 0 2-2 2, Anna Bates 1 3-3 5, Jourdein Battle 1 0-0 3. Totals: 3 5-5 12.
WELLSVILLE: Natalie Adams 8 0-0 16, Alexa Hennessy 2 0-0 4, Emily Stuck 2 0-0 4, Averee Palmatier 6 1-3 13, Makenna Dunbar 5 1-2 11, Jaden Dunbar 4 2-4 10, Alexa Stuck 3 2-2 8. Totals: 30 6-11 66.
3-point goals: Olean 1 (Battle).
Total Fouls: Olean 12, Wellsville 5. Fouled out: None.

BOYS VOLLEYBALL

Portville 3, Bolivar-Richburg 2

RICHBURG — The Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg would take visiting Portville the entire distance on Wednesday. After overcoming a dominant second-set victory by the Panthers, they would return the favor and push them to the brink a single set later in the night’s highwire act on the volleyball court.

The victor in the fourth set got the spoils, and across it, it was neck-and-neck down to the frame’s final serves. In the end, Portville was able to come away with the last two points needed to tie the match, forcing a second set where they went on to maintain all momentum built from that fourth set win to claim a thrilling five-set finish for themselves over the Wolverines, taking the 16-25, 25-7, 18-25, 25-23, 15-12 win.

The Wolverines (0-7) were led by Dustin Murray on the offensive front, as he garnered a team-leading five kills to go with three blocks and two aces. Levi Williams turned in three more kills of his own, pairing them with three aces and two blocks in return.

Portville was led by Brady German, who had 10 digs on defense, nine kills and six aces.

Bolivar-Richburg now heads into the break, as they now flip the calendar to 2024, where they will return to action on January 2 with a 6 p.m. visit from Allegany-Limestone.

WRESTLING

Fillmore/Keshequa 40, Alfred-Almond 24

FILLMORE — With Ryan Vedder and Graham Howe both helping Fillmore/Keshequa off to a great start on the mat on Wednesday, it would soon set up the night for a path towards redemption against Alfred-Almond, as the hosts fielded seven total victories on the mat — four of them in competition to rebound with a big 40-24 win over the visiting Eagles inside The Rock in Fillmore.

“It was a good home league win for us tonight against a program in a similar spot in terms of development,” Fillmore/Keshequa coach Jarrett Vosburg said. “We were able to win four of six contested matches, plus one exhibition at the end of the night. This was a nice turnaround for us after falling to Alfred-Almond a week and a half ago when they got the better of the contested matches at the Holiday Duals in Arkport. I’m happy to see growth as we inch towards the midway point of the season.”

Vedder would aid in kicking off a strong start for Fillmore/Keshequa out of the gate at 138 pounds, setting up back-to-back wins with his hard-fought battle against Alfred-Almond’s Peyton Barnes scoring him a pinfall win with 16 seconds remaining in the second period. Howe followed immediately after at 145 pounds with a dominant 16-4 major decision win over Cole Briggs to branch the early advantage to 12-0.

Alfred-Almond was able to come right back to tie the match in the next two bouts, with Riley McMichael warding off Kalen Beardsley at 152 pounds with a pinfall win during the second period, while Kanye Cumberbatch collected a forfeit at 160 pounds.

After the two teams traded a double forfeit at 170 pounds, they went on to trade wins in competition in the heavyweight division, with Gage Hartman scavenging a quick 42-second pin over Johnathan Yezarski at 190 pounds for Fillmore/Keshequa, while Garrett Freeland responded with a 54-second pin of Caleb Green at 215 pounds for the Eagles. A 285-pound forfeit win for Cohen Cumberbatch allowed the visitors to spring out on top, but it would be the last lead they would hold.

For the rest of the night, Fillmore/Keshequa navigated their way back out front with three straight forfeits from Connor McCumiskey (101 pounds), Jules Cotton (108 pounds) and Garrett Hodgson (124 pounds), officially clinching the match along the way. The final victory for the hosts was clinched in competition by Alivia Cartwright, who ended the night on a rapid note with a 57-second pinfall win over Tanner Ledbetter at 131 pounds.

After their appearance at the Bolivar-Richburg Wolverine Holiday Scuffle in the middle of next week, Fillmore/Keshequa will return to regular season action on the mat on January 4, when they hit the road to visit York/Pavilion at 6 p.m.

Results (* indicates starting weight)

101 – Connor McCumiskey (F/K) by for.

108 – Jules Cotton (F/K) by for.

116 – Double for.

124 – Garrett Hodgson (F/K) by for.

131 – Alivia Cartwright (F/K) def. Tanner Ledbetter (A-A) by pin, :57.

*138 – Ryan Vedder (F/K) def. Peyton Barnes (A-A) by pin, 3:44.

145 – Graham Howe (F/K) def. Cole Briggs (A-A) by major dec, 16-4.

152 – Riley McMichael (A-A) def. Kalen Beardsley (F/K) by pin, 3:21.

160 – Kanye Cumberbatch (A-A) by for.

170 – Double for.

190 – Gage Hartman (F/K) def. Johnathan Yezarski (A-A) by pin, :42.

215 – Garrett Freeland (A-A) def. Caleb Green (F/K) by pin, :54.

285 – Cohen Cumberbatch (A-A) by for.