Wednesday Roundup: Despite wet conditions, Fillmore golf sweeps GV/Belfast to finish undefeated, claim 7th straight County title; B-R knocks off Hornell in extras, And/Whi downed by A-A in walk-off

WELLSVILLE — The final day of the regular season can be chaotic. On Wednesday, with the rain coming down and the conditions beginning to create havoc on the grass, Fillmore and Genesee Valley/Belfast battled the grueling conditions at the Wellsville Country Club to decide who will take this year’s seat at the throne as Allegany County League champion.

Through it all, three-time Individual Sectional golfer Anderson Wiltsey provided one final display of dominance before Team Sectionals arrives in its entirety, as he scored medalist round honors to help Fillmore record the season-series sweep of Genesee Valley/Belfast to become this year’s Allegany County League Champion — their seventh straight.

“I am just very proud of this group of guys. We’re very fortunate to have an experienced collection of match players,” said Eagles coach Tom Parks. “Of our regular six, we have had five different players take medalist at some point this season. That depth is definitely a luxury and a big reason we are what we are this season. If a couple of kids are having a bad night, we have four others that can step up. It’s also nice to have some promising up and comers on our practice squad that have contributed as well.”

Parks added on the match with Genesee Valley/Belfast, saying “Tonight’s conditions definitely weren’t advantageous to either team, but I thought the guys played about as well as they could given how wet it was. Genesee Valley/Belfast has a great squad as well, so we’re happy to get out of there with a win. We’ll likely see them again in Sectionals down the line.”

Wiltsey charted his course to the top of the leaderboard for the Eagles (11-0) when the dust settled, as he collected the match’s lowest score of 43. Reid Cockle and Jack Cool each followed behind with their rounds of 50, while Zach Sisson helped round off the victory with his score of 51.

For Genesee Valley/Belfast (11-2), Dakota Hemphill led all golfers with his team-low round of 54. Will Guilford was not far behind him, finishing with a 56. Grant Preston and Chris Weaver finished the scoring with their rounds of 61 each.

Both teams will now gear up for Team Sectionals in the near future, as Fillmore concludes an undefeated regular season at 11-0, while Genesee Valley/Belfast finishes with a sublime campaign themselves, with a record of 11-2.

“We try not to take League titles for granted. It takes a lot more than just golfing for a month or a year,” said Parks. “The group of kids we’ve had the last several years put a lot into it and play a lot in the offseason, We’re incredibly fortunate and grateful that Allegheny Hills and owner Frank Scott gives each player a full membership every year. That has certainly helped shape our program to where it is now.”

Cuba-Rushford 109, Wellsville 117 (5 holes)

RUSHFORD — With thunder delaying the start of action at Rushford Hills, along with less-than-ideal conditions on Wednesday, both Wellsville and host Cuba-Rushford were limited to just five holes of action to close their regular seasons out. In the end, Sebastian Saulter would help lead the Rebels one more time in the midst of the shortened par-19 contest, using a narrow 109-117 victory over the Lions to finish up on a strong note.

Saulter was at the top of the Cuba-Rushford (5-5) scorecard at the end of the match, as he collected the match-low round of 22 to pick up medalist honors. Kaden Bell was not far behind, posting a round of 25. Ethan Fries chipped in with a 30, while Zach Deck finished with a 32 to round off the Rebels.

Wellsville (9-7) was paced by a team-low round of 27 fired by Fletcher Kaye. Right behind him was Payson Root and his round of 29. Noah Brogan chipped in with a 30, while Maddy Parks followed behind with her score of 31.

Both teams will now begin their wait for Team Sectional play in the coming weeks.

BASEBALL

Hinsdale 11, Friendship/Scio 5

HINSDALE — The Bobcats of Hinsdale would ensure that their regular season ended on the strongest of notes on a wet Wednesday night outdoors, as they built momentum for Sectionals ahead with an 11-5 victory over Friendship/Scio.

Stats and a complete box score were not made available to report upon publication.

Both teams will now await Sectional seeding, which occurs today, as Hinsdale finishes at 4-10 overall, while Friendship/Scio concludes at 0-17.

SOFTBALL

Bolivar-Richburg 8, Hornell 7 (F-9)

HORNELL — You can’t have a last day of the regular season without a little bit of chaos.

With Wednesday night putting a damper on the surrounding area, the Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg hopped on the bus and traveled to the Maple City to visit Hornell for their final battle in their two-game set this season.

The last time they met was nearly a month ago at Stan Harris Field when the Lady Red Raiders relinquished power to the Lady Wolverines, as they forced extra innings in a battle that Hornell was able to come away from in eight innings. Fast forward one month later, the two teams did it again.

Bolivar-Richburg claimed a lead that would reach as large as five at one point during the battle with the Lady Red Raiders. But thanks to a middle-inning surge from the hosts in red, they clawed their way back to tie the game at seven each side to force extra innings once more. This time around however, the Lady Wolverines were not going to let history repeat itself again.

After a scoreless eighth inning was traded between the two foes, the Lady Wolverines assembled their next best chance to scratch the go-ahead run across the plate. Headed by some clutch base-running, the Lady Wolverines would use the special teams presence to their advantage, grabbing the lead over Hornell and holding it intact, while the defense conducted a rapid fire bottom half of the ninth to put it away. That would allow them to clinch a winning season in the same swing in their defeat of the Lady Red Raiders by an 8-7 count.

Bolivar-Richburg was red hot out of the starting gates against Hornell, as they picked up a 5-1 lead across the first two innings of play. In the opening frame, the Lady Wolverines would see a three-run stanza come to fruition behind a two-run single blasted by Rylee Whiting, while the Lady Red Raiders responded with an RBI single from Raegan Evingham during their opening at-bats.

Rylee Whiting would tag team with her sister Kylee Whiting to deliver back-to-back blows in the top of the second, with Kylee belting an RBI double and Rylee chipping in another RBI single to help ignite the 5-1 advantage for the Lady Wolverines. It wound up serving as their largest lead in the contest, but it was one that the Lady Red Raiders were able to chip away on.

From the bottom of the third inning on, Hornell went on a run — a 6-1 run that is, as they ultimately dug and clawed their way back to within reach before creating level playing ground in the sixth inning. It commenced with a massive solo bomb off the bat of Aleah Stuart that would aid in the service of a momentum boost going into the fifth, where two of their three runs in the frame were all scored with two outs on the board.

Trailing by a pair following some sixth inning special teams play from Bolivar-Richburg, the Lady Red Raiders ultimately forced their way back into the picture with what would be their final two runs of the contest — an RBI triple from Izabella Gardner, and later on, an RBI single off the bat of Jordyn Dyring, to tie the game with the Lady Wolverines at seven, forcing extras.

The two teams would exchange an elongation of goose eggs in the seventh and eighth innings before the clutch piece of scoring came to complete formulation off some key baserunning from third, eyeing the wild pitch straight behind the plate and to the backstop to score what stood as the game-winning run.

The Lady Wolverines concluded the thrilling battle in the Maple City with a 1-2-3 rapid fire outing of defense to keep Hornell frozen in their tracks once and for all.

Bolivar-Richburg posted eight runs off their eight hits, with Kylee and Rylee Whiting combining for five of them, including a 3-for-5 outing from Kylee that included her double and three runs scored, while Rylee countered with three total RBI and a run scored. On the mound, Rylee Whiting went the distance by fanning 11 and walking three.

As for Hornell, they accumulated seven runs off 11 hits, with Jordyn Dyring and her 3-for-4 outing paving the path forward at the plate. Behind her, Raegan Evingham had two hits. On the mound, Evingham went all nine innings, producing 11 strikeouts and three walks of her own.

The Lady Wolverines have wrapped up their regular season, as they now await Sectional seeding today with a record of 11-9 overall.

Bolivar-Richburg 320 101 001 – 8 8 2

Hornell 100 132 000 – 7 11 2

B-R – Rylee Whiting (WP) (CG, 11K, 3BB) and Sydney Faulkner.

HHS – Raegan Evingham (LP) (CG, 11K, 3BB) and Kadience Gollnitz.

Alfred-Almond 7, Andover/Whitesville 6

ALMOND — The Alfred-Almond Lady Eagles possessed the game’s first and final word during their Wednesday night finale against Andover/Whitesville. The visitors would sandwich a mid-inning rally from behind to springboard ahead of the Lady Eagles with their first lead of the game. But in the end, the hosts in blue and white stormed back with two clutch runs to finish off a 7-6 teeter-totter win in walk-off fashion.

Alfred-Almond did not squander the time they were given to make an immediate impact right from the start, as they rolled their way off to a 5-0 lead with their first five hitters all working their way across the plate to establish their ground. It would hold in place until Andover/Whitesville worked some middle frame magic to propel ahead, scoring six unanswered runs — three of them coming in the second inning, two of those stemming off an RBI from Olivia Waters and a fielder’s choice from Leigha Phelps respectively.

Following an RBI off a Lilly Ordway bunt in the third, Ava Grice would add some damage of her own later on in the fourth inning to tie the game up at five off a big RBI single to score Phelps. Andover/Whitesville eventually worked their way over the top in the fifth to claim their first advantage of the game, using Lilly Harrington’s run to generate the late stage offense.

After both teams went scoreless across the sixth inning, and a strong retirement of the side in the top of the seventh, the momentum shifted in Alfred-Almond’s favor, where they went on to lock down the victory in walk-off fashion, as Taylor Flaitz scored the team’s game-winning run.

Andover/Whitesville would total six runs off nine hits, with Phelps and her 3-for-4 outing at the plate leading the charge, as she posted a double and two runs scored. On the mound, Makaila Brewster provided a solid showing from start to finish, striking out six Lady Eagles batters and walking just one.

For the Lady Eagles, they totaled seven runs off eight hits, with Olivia Flaitz recording three hits. Paige Marlatt had a double, while Alexis Kuhn scored a triple. In the circle, Flaitz fanned two and walked one in her complete game victory.

The regular season is over for Andover/Whitesville, as they now await Sectional seeding behind a record of 4-11 overall.

Andover/Whitesville 031 110 0 – 6 9 4

Alfred-Almond 500 000 2 – 7 8 0

A/W – Makaila Brewster (LP) (CG, 6K, BB) and Reece Winters.

A-A – Olivia Flaitz (WP) (CG, 2K, BB) and Alexis Kuhn.

Genesee Valley/Belfast 1, Cuba-Rushford 1 (F-5)

BELFAST — The weather would have no part in allowing Cuba-Rushford and Genesee Valley/Belfast to finish their regular season finale at the Rich Sullivan Complex in Belfast. Due to worsening conditions on the playing grounds Wednesday night, both teams would settle on a rare draw, as both teams scratched across just a single run after five complete innings under the lights.

“Sydney (Howard) and Hannah (Southwick-Powers) were going right through it from the start,” said GV/Belfast coach Mark Sullivan. “Despite the conditions with the mud holes and the rain storm combined. Both teams made some great defensive plays, and the game moved right along. But the conditions were getting to the point where it was too much to handle. It was the right call to end the game. This weekend, everyone is 0-0. It’s a brand new season now. It’s time to get locked in.”

The game was spearheaded with both runs scored by each team, with Genesee Valley/Belfast kicking off the battle with their first run in the bottom of the first inning, allowing them to hold a 1-0 lead all the way up until the game was called due to the weather, when the Lady Rebels responded with a run of their own in the top of the fifth inning to tie the game for good.

Combined, the two squads recorded three hits, with Genesee Valley/Belfast holding the 2-1 advantage. On the mound, Hannah Southwick-Powers struck out eight and walked four, while Sydney Howard handed out four strikeouts of her own while walking just one for Cuba-Rushford.

The regular season for both teams is now over, as they now await Sectional seeding, which begins today, with Genesee Valley/Belfast finishing with a record of 11-5-1, and Cuba-Rushford concluding at 6-7-1 overall.

Cuba-Rushford 000 01 – 1 1

Genesee Valley/Belfast 100 00 – 1 2

C-R – Sydney Howard (CG, 4K, BB) and Arlah Shaffer.

GVB – Hannah Southwick-Powers (CG, 8K, 4BB) and Jenna Hill.

BOYS TENNIS

Class B4 Quarterfinals

No. 2 Fillmore 5, No. 10 Alfred-Almond 0

HOUGHTON — The County’s final tennis team left standing in Team Sectional play officially opened the door to their journey through the Class B4 Playoffs on Wednesday, hosting No. 10 Alfred-Almond from within the Kerr-Pegula Fieldhouse at Houghton University.

The trek to the Finals would begin with dominance, as the undefeated Eagles took down their opposing soar of Eagles from near the Steuben County line with a complete sweep of both divisions of competition. Led by the high octane singles department consisting of Eben Schilke, Isaiah Sisson and Marcus Wolfer, Fillmore took care of business to lock up their spot in the Semifinal round the following day with a 5-0 shutout.

In each set across their singles battles, the three Fillmore (12-0) competitors would not allow more than one point during their straight-set victories, with Schilke’s 6-1, 6-0 victory at first singles over Alfred-Almond’s Patrick Power helping lead the charge. Sisson and Wolfer each followed up with 6-1, 6-1 wins of their own at second and thirds singles, defeating Liam Carstens and Noah Heffley to bring out the brooms in the department.

From within doubles competition, the momentum continued in Fillmore’s favor behind a dominant 6-0, 6-0 shutout from the first doubles team of Ezra Knapp and Carson Sanasith, as they rolled past Alfred-Almond’s team of Jack Deutsch and Ben Palmer. To close out the match, Kallan Sanasith and Brayden Walton led a first-set comeback after being down by as much as four points to Wyatt Worth and Luca Reginio, as they ushered the team towards the 5-0 win with a huge 6-4, 6-1 second doubles win.

“We got off to a bit of a slow start today, but once we found our footing we played pretty well,” said Fillmore coach Randy Crouch. “I am really proud of Kal and Brayden at second doubles. They are getting better every match. They fell behind 4-2 in the first set, but figured things out and really ratcheted up their level of play.”

Fillmore will march on to the Class B4 Semifinal round, where they will face No. 3 Wheatland-Chili right back at Houghton University in a 4 p.m. first serve for a chance to advance into Friday’s Finals.

Singles

1. Eben Schilke (FIL) def. Patrick Power (A-A), 6-1, 6-0.

2. Isaiah Sisson (FIL) def. Liam Carstens (A-A), 6-1, 6-1.

3. Marcus Wolfer (FIL) def. Noah Heffley (A-A), 6-1, 6-1.

Doubles

1. Ezra Knapp/Carson Sanasith (FIL) def. Jack Deutsch/Ben Palmer (A-A), 6-0, 6-0.

2. Kallan Sanasith/Brayden Walton (FIL) def. Wyatt Worth/Luca Reginio (A-A), 6-4, 6-1.