(Canisius & Park were WNY's top two all season / Photo by Harry Scull)
As a pollster for the Buffalo News, I'm asked to send in my weekly ballots ranking the top ten large and small schools. This is the last time I'll vote this season, so these ballots represent where the teams finished. Here's a look at how I see them and some of the rationale used to get there.
Large Schools
1. Canisius (MMA) - The second best season in program history included the school's second CHSAA Class A state championship, a Manhattan Cup repeat, and another undefeated season against WNY opponents. They also knocked off Class AA Federation finalist Aquinas, twice.
2. Park (MMA) - The Pioneers had several big wins this season, including at Niagara Falls, Amherst, Middle College, Bishop Kearney, Walsh, St. Mary's, McDowell (PA), and Timon...three times. The only losses suffered were at the hands of Aquinas and Canisius, and they were a pair of Stafford Trueheart swats away from a potential Manhattan Cup.
3. Williamsville South (A1) - All season, we wondered which of the three big dogs in Class A would emerge from postseason tournament play and advance to the Far West Regional. When it was all said and done, no team looked more at home at Buff State, as the Billies took care of both McKinley and Amherst, for their first ever trip to states at Glens Falls.
4. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines rolled through the NFL for an unbeaten league title, and then used three double-digit victories in the sectionals to take their place back on top of Class AA. I get credit for things like predicting Olean arrives unbeaten at Glens Falls, but I also need to be taken to task when I'm way off. After picking Falls to win it all in the preseason, I went against them in my sectional preview -- a complete air ball by me.
5. Amherst (A2) - Another unbeaten league title in ECIC III for the Tigers, a tournament victory in NYC over the break, a solid nonleague win over Bishop Kearney, and a second Class A2 title in three seasons, with their only two losses coming to Park & Williamsville South. They take this spot by a hair over McKinley (who has a near identical resume) for being Section VI champs.
6. McKinley (A1) - For a second straight season, the Macks rolled through the Yale Cup as undefeated league champions, which included a pair of wild finishes against the Class C state champions of Middle College. The only two losses all season for boys on Elmwood Avenue came at the hands of Canisius and Williamsville South.
7. Timon (MMA) - A young and talented team that finished third in the Monsignor Martin Class A and had some big moments this season, including wins over Bishop Kearney and St. Mary's, routs of Williamsville North, Health Sciences, & East, and playing Aquinas within seven, along with a one-point loss hosting Canisius.
8. Jamestown (AA) - It's not where you start, it's where you finish. After dropping a pair of home league games in December, the Red Raiders steadily improved throughout the season and ended up sharing league title honors in ECIC I, before advancing back to the Class AA championship game.
9. Williamsville North (AA) - The co-champs of ECIC I along with Jamestown, were a shot away from knocking off the Red Raiders at Buff State and reaching the final in Class AA.
10. Lew-Port (A2) - The Lancers' third place finish in the NFL wasn't enough to get everyone's attention, but their two-game performance at Buff State in Class A2 certainly was. After knocking off Starpoint (who had been a top ten school most of the season) in a thrilling semifinal, Lew-Port took a halftime lead against eventual champion Amherst, before running out of steam. While Jernard Jackson was special on the big stage, the entire team proved worthy of being considered a top ten large school this season.
Small Schools
1. Olean (B1) - When one of the very elite basketball programs in WNY can boast its most successful season ever, you know it was a season of historic proportions. The Huskies Class B State Championship and 27-0 finish in the NYSPHAA were a testament to hard work, dedication, and team-first basketball.
2. Middle College (C2) - The Kats suffered a few losses during the season while playing up against tough competition, but when the postseason run began, they were definitely battle-tested. The result was Middle College putting it all together in Glens Falls, meeting a season's worth of expectations, and hoisting the state championship hardware in Class C.
3. Fredonia (B2) - The only public school from NYS Class B to get within single-digits of Olean all season, and they did it all three times they played, including an overtime loss. The Hillbillies broke through after getting close in recent seasons, and won their first Section VI title since 1994.
4. Nichols (MMA) - To be the best, you have to beat the best, and that's exactly what the Vikings did. After juggling lineups and finding their identity throughout a sub .500 season, Nichols entered the Manhattan Cup playoffs primed for an upset, and then delivered one to top-seeded Walsh, before cruising to the championship in the Class B Final.
5. Walsh (MMA) - Their two-point loss in the playoffs drops them behind the team that advanced past them, but this Eagles' team was excellent all season, winning all eight regular season games against MMA Class B schools, knocking off Timon & St. Joe's, and winning games against large schools Lew-Port, Maryvale and North Tonawanda.
6. Panama (D) - The Panthers' season and team were outstanding this year, and included a 21-game winning streak and the school's first ever appearance in Glens Falls. If not for the imaginary lid placed on the rim in the fourth quarter of the Class D state semifinal, the Panthers would have played for a state championship.
7. Health Sciences (B2) - The Falcons are a team built for the future, but that didn't stop them from rolling to a Charter Cup and collecting wins over Middle College and South Park during the season. Fell behind by double figures to Fredonia in the Class B2 championship game, but showed resolve to battle back and make the Hillbillies earn it in the end.
8. East Aurora (B1) - The only Class B team from Section VI to defeat the Blue Devils this season was Olean, who they faced in the championship game in Class B1. Their season included wins over Cheektowaga and Maryvale, and they'll have plenty coming back next year.
9. Olmsted (C1) - The Owls locked up the number two seed in Class C1 this year, but when the dust settled at JCC, they were number one. After winning the first sectional title in school history, they made Middle College earn its trip back to the regional with an inspired performance against the eventual state champion.
10. Chautauqua Lake (C1) - Played in the same league as Olean and Fredonia, so the Thunderbirds may have flown under the radar a bit during the season. But a double-digit win over Dunkirk late in the season gave us an indication that they were to be taken very seriously. After knocking off East in the quarterfinals, Chautauqua Lake handled Allegany-Limestone (who had upset top-seeded Cleveland Hill) and then missed a 3-pointer that would have forced overtime in the Class C1 Final against Olmsted.
-centercourt
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