The View From Centercourt

Top 10 Rankings: 2022 Season - Week 7

 

Large Schools 

1. Canisius (A) - Three straight wins for the Crusaders last week, including 24-point dubs over St. Francis & O'Hara.  They'll take their top-ranked act on the road this week with a couple beauties ahead - they visit St. Mary's ahead of a big one at Villa against Health Sciences and then finish out the week at the Centercourt Classic against Jamestown.

2. Jamestown (AA) - Won their 11th consecutive game at Elmira on Friday night, after earning the season sweep against Hamburg and then knocking off previously top-ranked Orchard Park.  The Red Raiders sit sandwiched between this week's opponents in what is the biggest week of the regular season.  Wednesday is the rematch with OP at their gym and on Saturday they go at it with Canisius.

3. Orchard Park (AA) - After sweeping the series with Lancaster on the road, the Quakers bounced back from their first loss this season at Jamestown with a big-time performance against Niagara Wheatfield in a 24-point victory.  On Wednesday night, they host the rematch with Jamestown, where a win pulls them back into first place against the only unbeaten left in ECIC I.

4. St. Joe's (A) - The Marauders won big over St. Mary's early last week, but fell to Timon for a second time this season on Friday.  This week starts out at O'Hara and then a visit to Aquinas.  The week ends for Joe's with a great matchup against a great program in Amherst, played Saturday afternoon in Hamburg at the Centercourt Classic.

5. Health Sciences (A2) - It's a huge week for Health and one I'm sure they had on their minds since the season began.  On Thursday evening, they host #1 Canisius and then two days later, take on Rochester's East High - the opponent they never got to face in the Far West Regional after their dream season in 2020.

6. Amherst (A2) -  A busy week for the Tigers resulted in four more wins on their record, including a narrow victory over Sweet Home and a great performance against Lockport on Saturday, 76-37.  After a rematch at Willaimsville South this week, Amherst draws its second Top 5 opponent of the year when they face St. Joe's in the Centercourt Classic on Saturday.

7. St. Francis (A) - A 24-point loss at Canisius last week was the fourth straight defeat for the Red Raiders, although all came against strong opponents.  Monday night they look to even the series with Nichols when they host the Vikings, and then visit O'Hara on Wednesday.

8. Williamsville East (A1) -  The Flames rolled past Williamsville South by 30 points and then grabbed an even bigger win against Starpoint on senior night.  Tuesday is their rematch with Iroquois in a battle of top WNY guards, and on Saturday they compete in the Centercourt Classic against #2 small school Olean - a game that was epic last season when the two faced off.

9. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) - Saw an 11-game win streak come to an end against a tough Orchard Park team stinging from their first loss this year.  The Falcons will take on Iroquois this Friday night in Hamburg to kick off the 4th Annual Centercourt Classic.

10. McKinley (A1) -  Sole possession of first place in Yale Cup I for Olajuwon, Sampson, & crew heading into an important game with I-Prep on Monday.  They took down Middle College & Bennett last week, after throttling Riverside by 50 points in a Yale Cup I vs Yale Cup II nonleague crossover game.

 

Small Schools

1. Timon (B) - The Tigers seem to have found their mojo, now winners of four straight against the MMA competition, with an average win margin of 19.8 points.  They will seek a fifth consecutive league win on Thursday when Nichols arrives, the last team to defeat Timon.

2. Olean (B1) -  Undefeated no longer after Section V's Class AA Hilton handed them their first loss this season.  We'll see how the Huskies respond with Allegany-Limestone & Fredonia coming in this week, ahead of what should be a great game against Williamsville East on Saturday at the Centercourt Classic.

3. Nichols (B) - Took Hutch-Tech down by 22 points on Tuesday evening, before dropping a heartbreaker in overtime to St. Mary's, 95-90.  They've faced some adversity with the injury to Parker Rey and leave taken by coach Matt Bradshaw, but the season never slows down in the MMA.  Fortunately for the Vikings, they boast the best three-guard trio around and will look to them for big things with a big week ahead and all road games - at St. Francis, at Timon, and against Niagara Falls in the Centercourt Classic on Saturday.

4. Randolph (C) -  A 24-point win over Southwestern came a couple nights before they beat Gowanda 96-28.  Maple Grove and Portville are next up on the Cardinals' hit list.

5. Salamanca (C) -   They haven't played since earning a 28-point win over Depew on Sunday, January 23rd.  That changes for the Warriors this week with three games, at Fredonia, at Chautauqua Lake, and against Southwestern.

6. St. Mary's (B) - Winners of Friday's instant classic at Nichols, a few nights after getting thumped at St. Joe's.  I strongly considered bringing them up to #4, right behind Nichols who they've now split with.  However, I chose to keep them here after examining results with a pair of common opponents they have with Salamanca, a spot ahead of the Lancers at #5.  They've both faced Fredonia & Timon.  Mary's beat Fredonia by 11 points, Salamanca by 32 points.  Timon defeated both of them, St. Mary's by 35 points and Salamanca by 29 points.

7. Lackawanna (B1) -  The Steelers made it four games scoring over 100 points last week in a win over Eden.  However in their next game, Alden held them to just 93 points.  Holland, Global Concepts, & Cleveland Hill are up next.

8. Tapestry (B2) -   Knocked off Cheektowaga last week for their 8th victory of the season after trailing heading into the final frame.  Romeo Bell & Ricky Washington each scored 29 points in the win.  The Thunderhawks face Maritime & Bennett coming up this week.

9. Lew-Port (B1) - After picking up the season sweep of Lockport, the Lancers fell hard to Niagara Wheartfield last week, but came back to knock off Williamsville South on Saturday.  They take on Niagara Falls for a second time coming up this week, a team they won round one against.

10. Riverside (B1) -  Bounced back from the McKinley 55-point loss, defeating Olmsted by 16 points.  This week, the Frontiers travel to Buffalo Arts.

 

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Top Games of the Week: 1/31/22 - 2/6/22

 

Monday, January 31st

McKinley @ I-Prep - 6 pm

Canisius @ St. Mary's - 6:30 pm

Nichols @ St. Francis - 7 pm 

 

Tuesday, February 1st

Ken West @ CSAT - 6:30 pm

Iroquois @ Williamsville East - 6:30 pm

 Salamanca @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Olean - 7:30 pm

Sherman @ Panama - 7:30 pm

Clymer @ Westfield - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, February 2nd

St. Joe's @ Aquinas - 6:30 pm

Jamestown @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, February 3rd

Burgard @ Olmsted - 6 pm

CSAT @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Lew-Port @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Nichols @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Cheektowaga @ Depew - 7 pm

Canisius @ Health Sciences - 7 pm

 

Friday, February 4th

Centercourt Classic at Hamburg HS

Iroquois vs. Niagara Wheatfield - 6 pm

Cardinal O'Hara vs. Hamburg - 7:45 pm

 

Saturday, February 5th

Centercourt Classic at Hamburg HS

Nichols vs. Niagara Falls - 12 pm

Williamsville East vs. Olean - 1:45 pm

St. Joe's vs. Amherst - 3:30 pm

Canisius vs. Jamestown - 5:15 pm

Health Sciences vs. East High (Rochester) - 7 pm

 

-centercourt

The 4th Annual Centercourt Classic

 

 

Hosted by Hamburg High School at 4111 Legion Drive in Hamburg, NY

 

Friday, February 4th

 

Iroquois vs Niagara Wheatfield - 6 pm

Hamburg vs Cardinal O’Hara - 7:45 pm

 

Saturday, February 5th

 

Niagara Falls vs Nichols - 12 pm

Williamsville East vs Olean - 1:45 pm

St. Joes vs Amherst - 3:30 pm

Canisius vs Jamestown - 5:15 pm

Health Sciences vs Rochester East - 7 pm

 

-centercourt

NYSSWA State Rankings - Week 6

 

 

The sixth state rankings for the 2022 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

Orchard Park #13

Jamestown #19

 

Class A

Canisius #14

 

Class B

Timon #5

Olean #7

Nichols #14

St. Mary's #21

 

Class C

Salamanca #8

Randolph #9

 

Class D

Westfield #5

Clymer #10

Panama #13

Pine Valley #18

 

According to the rankings...

- Orchard Park is up to #13 in NYS Class AA, one spot ahead of Aquinas, who had been previously unranked, but came crashing in all the way up to #14 after knocking off Canisius for a second time this season on Saturday.  One of the teams they jumped in the rankings was #19 Jamestown, who Orchard Park plays this week.

 

- Canisius falls spots to #14 in NYS Class A for losing to Aquinas who got rewarded for the win with the above mentioned poll crash!  Also, I believe during conversations this week about Class A rankings, it was suggested that St. Joes & Health Sciences were worthy of serious consideration and would be prime candidates for the magic of expanded rankings --- when they just add five teams to a classification (ranking 25 teams instead of 20).  And I also believe that to combat the suggestion of ranking those two good Class A teams (Joe's & Health), the committee used their magic to take teams away instead...reducing the number of teams ranked in Class AA to 20.  Well...22 I guess, because of the new magic that allows for three teams to be 'tied' for #20 in NYS Class AA.  Uh oh, it's magic!

 

- Nichols falls to #14 in NYS Class B from #5 (that's right, they got bumped to #5 last week after the rankings were released and originally had them at #9).  I know this all gets very convoluted.  And magical.  But anyway, Timon got sent back to #8 (not #9 where Nichols was when the rankings first came out, but #8) and Olean, the most steady hoops program in WNY, remained steady at #7 in NYS Class B.  You all with me still?   Ok, so Nichols loses to Class A (non-powers apparently) St.Joe's & Health and falls from #5 to #14.  Meanwhile, St. Mary's loses by 35 points to Timon (#8 and #5 in NYS Class B all in the same week) and stays at #21 in NYS Class B...because Class B still ranks 25 teams, the only Classification that ranks more than 20.  Except for Class AA which has ties & 22 teams.  And Class C, which also has ties, but only 21 teams.  :)

 

- Salamanca jumps two spots to #8 in NYS Class C, past Randolph who remains #9 in NYS Class C.  They fell behind Randolph in last week's rankings after losing to the Cardinals and both teams have won all their games since.  

 

- What sits smack dab in the middle of two hyphens?  Crown Point does!  After pointing out that Avoca-Prattsburgh was a hyphen and South Kortright/Andes was a backslash, the Avoca and Prattsburgh school districts were awarded a backslash in a formal ceremony at Tracy's house.  But let's keep the celebration brief, because there's a serious investigation pending...are Crown and Point in fact two different schools looking to provide opportunities to kids by combining to make one super power?  Hmmm.  Are they a backslash?  A hyphen?  Or just a traditional school district like the ones Section VI sends to the Far West Regionals in Class D?  More to come on this Crown Point.

 

Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings

 

-centercourt

The sixth state rankings for the 2022 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

Orchard Park #13

Jamestown #19

 

Class A

Canisius #14

 

Class B

Timon #5

Olean #7

Nichols #14

St. Mary's #21

 

Class C

Salamanca #8

Randolph #9

 

Class D

Westfield #5

Clymer #10

Panama #13

Pine Valley #18

 

According to the rankings...

- Orchard Park is up to #13 in NYS Class AA, one spot ahead of Aquinas, who had been previously unranked, but came crashing in all the way up to #14 after knocking off Canisius for a second time this season on Saturday.  One of the teams they jumped in the rankings was #19 Jamestown, who Orchard Park plays this week.

 

- Canisius falls spots to #14 in NYS Class A for losing to Aquinas who got rewarded for the win with the above mentioned poll crash!  Also, I believe during conversations this week about Class A rankings, it was suggested that St. Joes & Health Sciences were worthy of serious consideration and would be prime candidates for the magic of expanded rankings --- when they just add five teams to a classification (ranking 25 teams instead of 20).  And I also believe that to combat the suggestion of ranking those two good Class A teams (Joe's & Health), the committee used their magic to take teams away instead...reducing the number of teams ranked in Class AA to 20.  Well...22 I guess, because of the new magic that allows for three teams to be 'tied' for #20 in NYS Class AA.  Uh oh, it's magic!

 

- Nichols falls to #14 in NYS Class B from #5 (that's right, they got bumped to #5 last week after the rankings were released and originally had them at #9).  I know this all gets very convoluted.  And magical.  But anyway, Timon got sent back to #8 (not #9 where Nichols was when the rankings first came out, but #8) and Olean, the most steady hoops program in WNY, remained steady at #7 in NYS Class B.  You all with me still?   Ok, so Nichols loses to Class A (non-powers apparently) St.Joe's & Health and falls from #5 to #14.  Meanwhile, St. Mary's loses by 35 points to Timon (#8 and #5 in NYS Class B all in the same week) and stays at #21 in NYS Class B...because Class B still ranks 25 teams, the only Classification that ranks more than 20.  Except for Class AA which has ties & 22 teams.  And Class C, which also has ties, but only 21 teams.  :)

 

- Salamanca jumps two spots to #8 in NYS Class C, past Randolph who remains #9 in NYS Class C.  They fell behind Randolph in last week's rankings after losing to the Cardinals and both teams have won all their games since.  

 

- What sits smack dab in the middle of two hyphens?  Crown Point does!  After pointing out that Avoca-Prattsburgh was a hyphen and South Kortright/Andes was a backslash, the Avoca and Prattsburgh school districts were awarded a backslash in a formal ceremony at Tracy's house.  But let's keep the celebration brief, because there's a serious investigation pending...are Crown and Point in fact two different schools looking to provide opportunities to kids by combining to make one super power?  Hmmm.  Are they a backslash?  A hyphen?  Or just a traditional school district like the ones Section VI sends to the Far West Regionals in Class D?  More to come on this Crown Point.

 

Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings

 

-centercourt

Top 10 Rankings: 2022 Season - Week 6

 

Large Schools 

1. Orchard Park (AA) -  Still unblemished at 9-0 after picking up wins over Frontier & Williamsville North last week and a three-game grind over five days is ahead, including two games against Top 10 large schools.  The Quakers start with Lancaster on Monday, then make the trip to Jamestown on Wednesday, and finish up the week against Niagara Wheatfield on Friday night.  

2. Canisius (A) -  The Crusaders slipped to 8-5 on the season, dropping their only contest of the week and second game of the season to Aquinas on Saturday afternoon.  St. Francis comes in on Tuesday night, and then a pair of road games finish the week with trips to Cardinal O'Hara & McQuaid.

3. St. Joe's (A) -  A pair of impressive road wins last week at St. Francis and at Nichols , along with a previous road win over Health Sciences has the Marauders movin on up.  At Frannies, they won by maintaining a lead and at Nichols, overcame a 20-point deficit.  On Tuesday they return home to host St. Mary's and then it's back to the road for an important rematch at Timon.

4. St. Francis (A) -  A tough start to the week for Frannies, losing in overtime to host Bishop Grimes in Syracuse.  It only got tougher from there with home losses to St. Joe's & Timon, which dropped the Red Raiders out of second place in the MMA.  A big win at Canisius on Tuesday night would turn their fortunes around faster than speeding 95 mph down the highway.

5. Health Sciences (A2) -  Big Health scored a big win at Nichols last week and did so in dominating fashion.  They did the same to Tapestry the week prior, and look like a team that's finding its chemistry.

6. Jamestown (AA) -   It feels like the Red Raiders improving to 9-1 on the season after three more wins last week against Williamsville North, Clarence, & Park is happening very quietly.  Well I sure hear the noise they're making and I'm well aware that the only loss of the season came by a point to Health Sciences.  Tied for first place in ECIC I, Jamestown can ditch the tie like it's time to dance at a reception with wins over Hamburg and undefeated Orchard Park this week.  They also head to Elmira on Friday evening.

7. Amherst (A2) -  A pair of lopsided wins over Starpoint & West Seneca East pushed the Tigers' mark to 10-2.  This week, they face Sweet Home who they beat by 11 points in round one, a rematch with West Seneca East, and then a Saturday afternoon tilt with Lockport.

8.  Williamsville East (A1) -   The Flames made it five straight wins after earning a tough victory at Sweet Home last week.  They'll need to win at Williamsville South and beat Starpoint this week to make it seven-in-a-row in their push for a league title.

9. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) -  Completed the season sweep of CSAT and now have a two-game lead in the NFL, where they are 8-0.  Home games with North Tonawanda & Lew-Port precede a duel with #1 Orchard Park on Friday night.

10. McKinley (A1) -   The Macks stayed in first place in Yale Cup I with wins over I-Prep & Hutch-Tech and are now 8-2 this season.  This week they host Riverside in a nonleague game and then it's back to division play, first visiting Middle College who pushed them in a three-point decision at McKinley back in December, and then hosting Bennett.

 

Small Schools

1. Timon (B) -   I generally stick to the results, which would normally mean Nichols' win over Timon in OT gets honored until the rematch.  However, since that game, the last two wins by the Tigers were too impressive to look past.  A 35-point walloping of St. Mary's and a catch fire & incinerate St. Francis during the final frame of a 22-point win was what convinced me.

2. Olean (B1) -  Moved their record to 10-0 on the season with a 21-point road win at Dunkirk - the ninth game out of ten played they've won by double figures.  Sole possession of first place in CCAA I West is on the line against Salamanca on Thursday night.  On Saturday, the Huskies host Class AA Hilton of Section V.

3. Nichols (B) -  Since knocking off Timon in overtime, the Vikings needed an extra session to win at O'Hara, before Health Sciences & St. Joe's came in and knocked them off last week.  They've missed the contributions of Parker Rey in the last three games and hope to get back on the winning track this week with two more home games, welcoming in Hutch-Tech and St. Mary's.

4. Randolph (C) -  Now 11-1 after a rout of Cassadaga Valley and a big win at Silver Creek.  The Cardinals head to Southwestern for a second battle with the Trojans and then host Gowanda this week.

5. Salamanca (C) -  Bounced back from the loss to Randolph by handing Allegany-Limestone a 22-point loss and then cruising past Depew by 28.  Thursday at Olean is a huge night for the Warriors, looking to earn the best win of the season and take control of CCAA I West.

6. St. Mary's (B) -   The Lancers took the sting of a bad loss at Timon out on Cardinal O'Hara, defeating the Hawks by 23 points.  A tough week on paper looms with road games at St. Joe's and Nichols ahead.

7. Lackawanna (B1) -  The highest scoring team in Section VI is now 7-4 after hanging 89 on Tonawanda & 103 on JFK.  The Steelers have scored over 100 points three times this season and they are very good.  If you are a pollster who is late to the party on this one, start driving fast and take chances!

8. Tapestry (B2) -  Win-loss-win for the Thunderhawks last week, rolling BASCS and then losing to Global Concepts, before a solid bounce back win over  Sweet Home.  They visit Cheektowaga on Friday hoping to up their record to 8-6 on the year.

9. Riverside (B1) - The Frontiers are 10-1 on the season, including wins over South Park and Lew-Port.  They have a big one coming at McKinley, a night after playing Emerson on Monday.  Then they'll go for the sweep against Olmsted on Friday night.

10. Lew-Port (B1) -  Took a tough home loss to Ken West on Friday, the only NFL team to beat them so far, which has happened twice.  The Lancers are staring down a brutal stretch with five straight games on the road coming up.  This week they visit Lockport and first place Niagara Wheatfield, then head to North Tonawanda where they'll face Williamsville South on Friday night.

 

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Top Games of the Week: 1/24/22 - 1/30/22

 

Monday, January 24th

Iroquois @ Sweet Home - 6:30 pm

Orchard Park @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm

Hamburg @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 25th

Olmsted @ Burgard - 4:30 pm

St. Mary's @ St. Joe's - 6:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Lew-Port @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Pioneer @ Maryvale - 6:30 pm

Riverside @ McKinley - 6:30 pm

St. Francis @ Canisius - 7 pm

Randolph @ Southwestern - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 26th

Sweet Home @ Amherst - 7:30 pm

Orchard Park @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm

Williamsville East @ Willaimsville South - 7:30 pm

Hamburg @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 27th

City Honors @ Burgard - 4 pm

Lew-Port @ Niagara Wheatfield - 6:30 pm

Southwestern @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm

Salamanca @ Olean - 7:30 pm

Dunkirk @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 21st

Riverside @ Olmsted - 6 pm

St. Joe's @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Jamestown @ Elmira - 7 pm

Cheektowaga @ Tapestry - 7 pm

St. Mary's @ Nichols - 7:30 pm

Clarence @ Hamburg - 7:30 pm

NFL vs. ECIC Challenge at North Tonawanda

CSAT vs. Frontier - 5 pm

Lew-Port vs. Williamsville South - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield vs. Orchard Park - 8 pm

 

Saturday, January 22nd

Hilton @ Olean - 11 am

Hutch-Tech @ Middle College - 12:30 pm

Sherman @ Clymer - 3 pm

NFL vs. ECIC Challenge at North Tonawanda

Ken East vs. Depew - 12 pm

Lockport vs. Amherst - 1:30 pm

North Tonawanda vs. Iroquois - 3 pm

 

-centercourt

NYSSWA State Rankings - Week 5

 

The fifth state rankings for the 2022 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

Orchard Park #15

Jamestown #20

 

Class A

Canisius #10

St. Francis #20

 

Class B

Timon #5

Olean #7

Nichols #9

St. Mary's #21

 

Class C

Randolph #9

Salamanca #10

 

Class D

Westfield #5

Clymer #10

Panama #13

 

According to the rankings...

- The number of teams ranked in each class is arbitrary.  Class AA & Class B each have 25 teams ranked, while the other three classes only have 20 schools ranked.  It’s never quite consistent from year to year and often times in the past when the decisions get tough the rankings just get expanded to 30 teams in certain classifications or to 25 if they were at 20.  So for teams that have yet to bust into the rankings, be patient.  You never know when the rankings will magically expand.

 

- There are eight public school teams in the NYS Class AA Top 25 that remain undefeated, including Orchard Park and Victor from Section V.

 

- Canisius sits at #10 in NYS Class A, but still have two teams ahead of them in the CHSAA, meaning they would not be projected to win a state title.  St. Francis is the fifth ranked team in CHSAA Class A .

 

- Despite a most impressive string of wins for Nichols, the state rankings panel remains sold on Timon as not only the best Class B school from WNY, but also project for them to win the Class B state title in CHSAA.

 

- Olean is one of three public schools that remains undefeated in NYS Class B.  Lowville is another of those three schools.  Both teams own double-digit wins over Cardinal O’Hara this season.

- Not much separates the two best Class C teams from our area.  Randolph and Salamanca sit at #9 & #10 respectively in the NYS Class C state rankings.  The two have split a pair of meetings this season, with Randolph holding a slightly better point differential from the two games.  A third matchup between the two in March seems inevitable to me.  Interestingly, there are two teams from Section V ranked ahead of Randolph and Salamanca.  The Section VI Class C champion has advanced past the Section V champion in 7 of the last 10 Far West Regionals.

- Avoca and Prattsburgh combined talent to make one team and are listed with a hyphen (Avoca-Prattsburgh).  South Kortright and Andes did the same, but they use a backslash (South Kortright/Andes).  If they met in the Class D state final, it would be the first championship game in high school hoops that was also a final four...

 

Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings

 

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Top 10 Rankings: 2022 Season - Week 5

 

Large Schools 

1. Orchard Park (AA) -  One of two unbeatens left after improving to 7-0 with wins over Lancaster, Clarence, & Hamburg last week.  The Quakers look to stay in first place and keep the train rolling with games at Frontier and against Williamsville North this week.

2. Canisius (A) -  After earning an exciting win over St. Joe's, the Crusaders traveled to Erie for the BK Classic.  They came back with an 8-4 record overall after splitting games there, defeating host Cathedral Prep, before falling in the championship game to St. Edward.  They host Aquinas on Saturday afternoon in a rematch of an earlier loss.

3. St. Francis (A) -  Took down Cardinal O'Hara by 12 points to start the week, then beat St. Mary's in a thrilling finish that saw Logan Reaska score at the buzzer, before hopping a bus to Cuse to knock off Corcoran in round one of the Bishop Grimes MLK Tournament.  They'll look to keep bowling over the competition with three more opponents coming up this week, beginning with a tournament championship game and then visits from St. Joe's on Wednesday & Timon (and me) on Friday. 

4. St. Joe's (A) -  The Marauders need wins at St. Francis and at Nichols this week, after coming up short in a battle at Canisius on Wednesday.  No nights off! 

5. Health Sciences (A2) - The Falcons looked mostly dominant at their rivals from Tapestry on Friday night, winning their by 26 points.  They were even more impressive at the MLK Classic against East.  On Wednesday, they face a huge test at Nichols in a classic contrast of styles matchup.

6. Jamestown (AA) - The Red Raiders are tied for first place in ECIC I with OP after staying perfect in league play with wins over Lancaster and West Seneca West.  They'll be on the road this week with two long trips to Williamsville North & Clarence, before a Saturday night date with Park at JCC. 

7. Amherst (A2) -  Took a tough loss Williamsville East on Tuesday night before bouncing back with a big home win against Iroquois on Friday.  The Tigers go to work on another win streak this week, beginning at Starpoint and then hosting West Seneca East.

8.  Williamsville East (A1) - The Flames ended a five-year losing streak to Amherst on Tuesday, earning a 57-51 victory after outscoring the Tigers by 11 points in the final frame and limiting them to 4 points.  They are now tied for first place in ECIC II and to stay there, they'll need wins at Sweet Home and against West Seneca East this week.

9. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) -  Whether you're talking about the National Football League NFL or the Niagara Frontier League NFL, the phrase "since the merger" pops up when it's statistically relevant.  Well the Falcons have been very relevant this season and after knocking off Niagara Falls for the first time since before the Falls merger with LaSalle, they are all alone in first place.  A win over Ken West on Saturday kept them there.  Next up is top league contender Lew-Port, followed by another dangerous squad in CSAT.

10. McKinley (A1) - Saw their 19-game win streak in Yale Cup action come to an end with a 62-46 loss to South Park before rebounding with a 20-point win over Bishop Kearney at the MLK Classic.  The Macks face I-Prep & Hutch-Tech this week.

 

Small Schools

1. Nichols (B) -   Took down #1 Timon with a big comeback performance that lasted an extra session and then did the exact same thing at Cardinal O'Hara two nights later, to become the new top dog.  But it's far from lonely at the top as Health Sciences & St. Joe's will keep the Vikings company in another week of fun contests.

2. Olean (B1) -   The other unbeaten team in WNY, the 9-0 Huskies have now won 8 of those 9 games by double figures, with Fredonia & Southwestern the latest to fall victim.  They should have no trouble making it 9 of 10 and 10-0 when they travel to Dunkirk.

3. Timon (B) - Lost their second MMA game of the season at Nichols in an instant classic.  The Tigers look to get back into the win column with St. Mary's and league rival St. Francis up next.

4. Randolph (C) -  Lots of new varsity faces enjoying the same old success at Randolph, marked by outstanding defense.  An impressive finish to a tightly contested game throughout before a great crowd at Salamanca has the Cardinals sitting at 9-1 on the year.  Their next two games are against Cassadaga Valley and at Silver Creek.  

5. Tapestry (B2) - The Thunderhawks won handily against Maritime before their rivalry game with Health Sciences got away from them.  They'll tune up with charters BASCS & Global Concepts, ahead of a fun one with Sweet Home.

6. Salamanca (C) -  Won by 19 at Southwestern ahead of a 52-point trouncing of Dunkirk, before dropping an intense game with Randolph that raised over $7,000 for Cystic Fibrosis.  The Warriors next welcome in Allegany-Limestone and then face Chautauqua Lake in a game played at JCC.

7. Lew-Port (B1) - Made it six wins in their last seven games with victories over Grand Island & Niagara Falls last week.  There's now just two teams in the NFL that the Lancers haven't beaten - first place Niagara Wheatfield and the only league team with a win over Lew-Port...Ken West.  The Lancers face both of those opponents in a pivotal week ahead.

8. St. Mary's (B) -   Led for over three quarters against St. Francis before the lead slipped away late.  Life in the MMA is tough and maybe the toughest place to play is at Timon where they travel on Wednesday, before their first of two meetings against Cardinal O'Hara at home on Friday.

9. Lackawanna (B1) -   Made it back-to-back games scoring 100 points with a 64-point thumping of Eden.  Roadies with Tonawanda & JFK are next for the Steelers.

10. Westfield (D) -  A 52-point win over Falconer improved the Wolverines to 10-1 on the year.  Three more CCAA II West opponents ahead in Chautauqua Lake, Panama, and at Sherman.

 

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Top Games of the Week: 1/17/22 - 1/23/22

 

Tuesday, January 18th

Lancaster @ Hamburg - 7:30 pm

Jamestown @ Williamsville North - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 19th

Health Sciences @ Nichols - 6 pm

St. Mary's @ Timon - 6:30 pm

Pioneer @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm

Williamsville East @ Sweet Home - 6:30 pm

St. Joe's @ St. Francis - 7 pm

 

 

Thursday, January 20th

Olmsted @ City Honors - 6 pm

MST Seneca @ Riverside - 6 pm

Frontier @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm

Williamsville North @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Salamanca - 7:30 pm

Panama @ Westfield - 7:30 pm

Southwestern @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 21st

St. Joe's @ Nichols - 4 pm

Hutch-Tech @ McKinley - 6 pm

Middle College @ South Park - 6 pm

Timon @ St. Francis - 6:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ St. Mary's - 6:30 pm

Ken West @ Lew-Port - 6:30 pm

Sweet Home @ Tapestry - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ CSAT - 7 pm

Depew @ Pioneer - 7 pm

Jamestown @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 22nd

Rochester East High at Niagara Falls - 2 pm

Aquinas @ Canisius - 3:30 pm

Westfield @ Sherman - 6 pm

Park vs. Jamestown * at JCC * - 7 pm

 

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Random Smatterings - Halfway through the season

 

- Heading into MLK Weekend has always signaled the halfway point of the hoops season to me.  I'm actually starting to let myself get excited about state playoffs, because we are in the absolute thick of the pandemic right now and it's still game on.  I couldn't be happier that we're letting it rip!

 

- Wyatt Cooper's double-double led Niagara Wheatfield to a 12-point road win at Niagara Falls that put his team in sole possession of first place in the NFL with a 6-0 league record.  The senior center finished the game with 16 points & 15 boards.

 

- Nichols came back to win in overtime at Cardinal O'Hara on Thursday night, 75-70.  All of the scoring output for the Vikings came from three players:  Jalen Duff (30 points), Jakye Rainey (30 points), and Makai Horton (15 points).

 

- Caleb Chapman of City Honors has five straight games scoring at least 25 points and is now 54 points away from 1K.

 

- Speaking of City Honors, they handed Riverside its first loss of the season in a 60–41 win. 

 

- And then there were two:  Olean, and Orchard Park are the only undefeated teams left in WNY.

 

- Sometimes news travels slow from the Southern Tier to myself.  I just found out last week that Blake Frank of Franklinville scored 60 points in a game to open the season.  That’s the most points any player from our area has scored in one contest since I started doing this!  Literally scored one point for every player on the All-Centercourt Team.  He also has a pair of 38 point outings this season and just went over 1,000 career points.  

- Iroquois Trey Kleitz hung 35 points on Starpoint to move into second place on the all-time school scoring list.  He’s now just 44 points from the all-time mark (1,425) held by Jacob Steck.  If I'm connecting the dots, his brother Justice Kleitz, an 8th grade varsity starter, could be the next player from Iroquois to threaten the all-time record. 

 

- TJ Robinson and Xander Fletcher of Niagara Wheatfield each scored over 30 points in the team's win at Lockport.  They are not the only duo to accomplish this, as a Jalen Duff & Jakye Rainey of Nichols have done the same multiple times this season.  Individual point totals definitely seem to be on the rise in recent seasons.

 

- Jake Notaro of Williamsville East connected seven times from downtown in a win at Iroquois.  It was one of the most efficient shooting performances of the season.

 

- Speaking of Williamsville East, Max Schneider is now the number two all-time scorer in school history, recently passing the Konst twins, Justin & Jeremy, who still use that hidden ball trick occasionally as referees when players are looking to inbound. 

 

- Declan Ryan's 30 points in the Canisius win over St. Joe's marked his third game with 30 or more points this season.  That's already the most 30 point games I've ever known a player from Canisius to have in my time covering.

 

- Aidan Kennedy of Southwestern dropped a career-high 42 points in a victory over Dunkirk.

 

- Timon’s Robert Carlock is a heck of a rebounder for the team.  He doesn’t have a lot of height, but uses timing, along with his strength and athleticism to his advantage.  He’s also strong working through screens. So my advice is, when in South Buffalo, don’t try to pick a Carlock! 

- Lancaster's Joe Harrington is now the school's second all-time leader in blocked shots and third all-time in rebounding. 

- Sean Hargrave scored a career-high 42 points for Kenmore West in a loss to district rival Kenmore East.

 

- Holland's Jake Galley finished with a career-high 43 points in a loss to Lackawanna.

 

- Lew-Port is quietly putting together a very impressive season.  The Lancers are winners in four of their last five games, beating the likes of Lockport, CSAT, & North Tonawanda.  The other win was a 30-point drubbing of Kenmore East.  Not bad for a team with a new coach and who's leading scorer transferred.  And for the first time in a long time, they are classified as a small school this season, so the competition in Class B1 had best beware.

 

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NYSSWA State Rankings 2022 - Week 4

 

The fourth state rankings for the 2022 the season have been released by the NYSSWA.  Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:

 

Class AA

Orchard Park #15

Niagara Falls #16

Jamestown #21

 

Class A

Canisius #10

Amherst #17

St. Francis #20

 

Class B

Timon #5

Olean #7

Nichols #9

Tapestry #23

 

Class C

Salamanca #7

Randolph #10

 

Class D

Westfield #5

Clymer #10

Panama #11

 

According to the rankings...

 

- The winner of Section VI Class AA is pegged to win the Far West Regional and advance to Glens Falls.  Victor holds the highest Class AA ranking from Section V and they currently sit behind both Orchard Park and Niagara Falls.  Lots of season to go, maybe Jamestown spoils the party for everybody.

 

- The gap between Section V and Section VI is glaring.  Pittsford Mendon is once again a Class A power in Rochester, currently unbeaten at 9-0 and the highest ranked public school in NYS Class A (#3).  Amherst is the highest ranked public in Class A from Section VI, checking in at #17 this week.  They've climbed six spots since debuting at #23 to start the season.

 

- Olean is a couple months away from an eighth trip to Glens Falls in the last two decades.  The Huskies sit at #7 in NYS Class B and other than Tapestry at #23, they are the only public school from here to Syracuse appearing in the rankings.

 

- A Cystic Fibrosis Fundraiser in Salamanca on Saturday night at 6 pm will feature a nonleague battle between a pair of Top 10 teams in NYS Class C when the Warriors host Randolph.

 

- Remember all the conspiracy cries in 2018 when East was in Class D and Section VI had the D's?  East won a state championship that season, emerging as local champion in a season that featured three Class D powers from Section VI (Franklinville & Ellicottville also).   Where's that same energy now that perennial Section V Class D powers Avoca & Prattsburgh have combined teams and hold down the #1 spot in NYS Class D?  

 

Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings

 

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Top 10 Rankings: 2022 Season - Week 4

 

Large Schools 

1. Orchard Park (AA) - Improved to 4-0 on the season with a 45-point win over West Seneca West, heading into a big week in ECIC I with Lancaster, Clarence, & Hamburg on the schedule.

2. Canisius (A) -  Took care of business against Timon on Monday, jumping out to an early 17-point lead and then knocked off O'Hara two nights later, with both wins coming by double figures.  They'll welcome their rivals in on Wednesday night and then pack for Erie, with a weekend at the BK Classic ahead that starts with a battle against the event hosts from Cathedral Prep.

3. Amherst (A2) - After I predicted the Tigers wouldn't lose again in the regular season, they jumped all over Williamsville South, racing out to a 42-7 lead at halftime that included a 22-2 second quarter.  No more Battle of Main Street talk.  Amherst will look to sweep Williamsville East this week and then take their first of two with Iroquois.

4. St. Francis (A) -  Bounced back from a loss at Nichols on Friday night that felt like a kick in the gut, with a big road win at Syracuse CBA.  The Red Raiders are looking to get another win streak going with games against O'Hara, St. Mary's, and Corcoran this week.

5. St. Joe's (A) - Played in a pair of hard fought battles last week, dropping the best game I've watched this season to Timon on a '3' with three seconds left, before knocking off Health Sciences in overtime on Saturday.  It's rivalry week and the Marauders head into Canisius on Wednesday...a team they now own a win streak over.

6. Health Sciences (A2) - The Falcons lost their second game of the year on Saturday when St. Joe's clipped them in OT.  They'll look to get back on track against Global Concepts before a Friday night visit to rival Tapestry.  

7. Jamestown (AA) - Took down Frontier last week and look to do so again on Monday night.  The also have a date at Lancaster on Wednesday and a game with West Seneca West on Saturday afternoon.

8. Niagara Falls (AA) - Took the frustration of cancelations out on CSAT where they won on Saturday afternoon.  A battle for first place in the NFL is coming on Tuesday night when Niagara Wheatfield swings by the Cataract City.

9. McKinley (A1) - Defeated East in their only action last week.  They visit South Park this week and take on Bishop Kearney in the MLK Classic on Saturday at City Honors.

10. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) -  The Falcons improved to 5-0 in the NFL by shooting the lights out at Lockport, getting six 3-pointers apiece from TJ Robinson & Xander Fletcher.  The win sets up the biggest game of the early season in the NFL - a battle for first place with defending league & Class AA champion Niagara Falls.

 

Small Schools

1. Timon (B) - Took a loss at Canisius on Monday and were on the ropes in danger of dropping a third game in four contests at St. Joe’s, when Jaiden Harrison found Jacob Humphrey for a game-winning 3-pointer.  Not bad for a pair of sophomores.  The Tigers knocked off Bishop Grimes on Saturday and will look for a third straight victory when they visit Nichols on Tuesday night.

2. Olean (B1) - One of three remaining undefeated teams in WNY, the Huskies won for the second time at Allegany-Limestone on Thursday night.  Olean, who hasn't allowed an opponent over 58 points this season, can up their mark to 9-0 with wins over Fredonia & Southwestern this week. 

3. Nichols (B) - Despite a one-point loss at Tapestry in December, I'm sliding the Vikings up a spot after earning a double-digit win at St. Mary's and then defeating Top 5 large school St. Francis on Friday.  Nichols takes a swing at the #1 small school on Tuesday night in their gym when Timon rolls in. 

4. Tapestry (B2) - Earned a 20-point win at Medina last week to improve to 5-4 on the season with games against Maritime and rival Health Sciences coming up.

5. Salamanca (C) -  The Warriors made it five straight wins with their finest performance of the season - a 32-point win over previously ranked Fredonia.  They visit Southwestern and host Dunkirk this week, ahead of a big rematch with Randolph, where they'll try to raise their record to 9-1 while raising money for Cystic Fibrosis. 

6. St. Mary's (B) -  The Lancers took down Pembroke on the road last week, but found out first hand how explosive Nichols can be in a 19-point loss.  They have another tough opponent visiting this Thursday when St. Francis makes the trip to Lancaster.

7. Randolph (C) -  Rolled Portville by 39 points last week and then scored a big nonleague victory over Allegany-Limestone on Saturday night.  They visit Frewsburg this week and then get a rematch with the only team to beat them this season - Salamanca.

8. Lackawanna (B1) -  On Saturday afternoon, the Steelers kept the scoreboard operator busy by hanging 106 points on Holland.  Cleveland Hill & Eden visit this week.

9. Westfield (D) - The Wolverines are now 9-1 this season and the lone loss came at Olean to start the season.  They just took a trip to Buffalo last week and came home with a 25-point win over Burgard.

10. Riverside (B1) - The undefeated Frontiers own a victory at Lew-Port this season and that result looks stronger than ever with the recent success of the Lancers in NFL play (wins over Lockport, CSAT, & NT).  So welcome to my Top 10 Riverside.  They are at City Honors this Tuesday.

 

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Top Games of the Week: 1/10/22 - 1/16/22

 

Monday, January 10th

Olean @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm

Lancaster @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm

Jamestown @ Frontier - 7:30 pm

Salamanca @ Southwestern - 7:30 pm

Panama @ Clymer - 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 11th

Riverside @ City Honors - 6 pm

Timon @ Nichols - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Niagara Falls - 6:30 pm

Amherst @ Williamsville East - 6:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ St. Francis - 7 pm

Lockport @ Ken West - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 12th

St. Joe's @ Canisius - 6:30 pm

Frontier @ Hamburg - 7:30 pm

Jamestown @ Lancaster - 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 13th

Nichols @ Cardinal O'Hara - 6:30 pm

St Francis @ St. Mary's - 7 pm

Fredonia @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 14th

Ken West @ Niagara Wheatfield - 6:30 pm

Health Sciences @ Tapestry - 7 pm

Hamburg @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 15th

Lancaster @ Clarence - 11:30 am

McKinley vs. Bishop Kearney ** at City Honors - 3:30

Randolph @ Salamanca - 6 pm

 

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Top 10 Rankings: 2022 Season - Week 3

 

Large Schools 

1. Orchard Park (AA) - I didn't even have these guys ranked in the preseason.  But after watching them win at Amherst and at Timon, along with knocking off previously unbeaten St. Mary's, the Quakers jumped in my elevator and said "Going up"!  So I told them once they reached the penthouse to go ahead and look around, but don't unpack until you win at Jamestown - coming up this Friday night.

2. St. Francis (A) - While you were busy jamming to jingle bells & slugging egg nog, the Red Raiders were piling up five straight wins (McKinley, Lackawanna, Will East, Health Sciences, & McQuaid).  Health had been #1 in the last rankings and McQuaid just beat Aquinas, who had just beat Canisius & St. Joe's.  They visit Nichols on Friday night, where a win makes it six in-a-row and a loss makes this ranking seem like a Hoak's! 

3. Canisius (A) - After earning a nine-point win at Nichols before break, the Crusaders went 1-2 in three games at the St. Pius Tournament, where they entered as the defending champs.  A big one to open the New Year looms when Timon visits on Monday, along with games against O'Hara & St. Mary's later in the week.

4. Amherst (A2) - I really like the Tigers this season and believe they will only get better over the next couple months.  The only loss in the first seven games came at the hands of Orchard Park, who is currently exploring the penthouse.  So I feel like a bold prediction is an order… Amherst doesn’t lose another game in the regular season and makes its deepest postseason run since Chris Kensy took over the program. 

5. Health Sciences (A2) -  After a great start to the season, the Grinch came along and put a lid on the baskets in Athol Springs where Health was shooting.  In consecutive games at the St. Francis Tournament, the Falcons scored 35 points and 42 points, along with dropping their first of the season to the host Red Raiders.

6. Jamestown (AA) -  Began the season 1–0 in ECIC I with a win at Hamburg before Christmas.  Two more league games await this week with visits from Frontier and #1 Orchard Park.

7. St. Joe's (A) -  After dropping three straight games (McQuaid, Aquinas, & Syracuse CBA) the Marauders face a pivotal matchup on Wednesday night when Timon visits Kenmore Avenue.

8. Niagara Falls (AA) -  A visit from Grand Island will end an extended layoff for the Wolverines, ahead of a big Friday night battle at CSAT.

9. McKinley (A1) -  After losing their first of the season to St. Francis, the Macks rebounded nicely with an 18-point win over Williamsville North. They host East and Bennett this week.

10. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) -  The Falcons have won five straight games and have a 4–0 record in the NFL.  They will be tested on Tuesday night in a visit to Lockport.

 

Small Schools

1. Timon (B) -   After collecting some small school wins to begin the year, the Tigers took their first loss of the season in an exciting battle against Orchard Park.  The competition now remains as real as it gets to start the New Year, with consecutive trips to Canisius and St. Joe’s coming up this week.

2. Olean (B1) -  Undefeated through their first six games of the season, the Huskies begin league play with a big one at Allegany-Limestone this week.

3. Tapestry (B2) -  Defeated Cardinal O’Hara right before Christmas, giving them a 2-0 record against Top 10 small schools.  The Thunderhawks host Medina on Monday.

4. Nichols (B) -  Coming off a home loss to Canisius, the Vikings look to snap a two-game skid when they head to St. Mary’s on Wednesday night, before hosting the red hot Red Raiders from St. Francis on Friday.

5. St. Mary's (B) -  The Lancers visit Pembroke this week, ahead of league play starting up, where they will host Nichols and then visit Canisius. They suffered their first loss of the year prior to Christmas at Orchard Park.

6. Cardinal O'Hara (B) -  The Hawks traveled over break and took losses to Lowville and Auburn.  Jumping back into the win column looks to be a daunting task this week with Canisius, St. Joe’s, and Bishop Ludden all waiting for them.

7. Lackawanna (B1) -  After playing a brutal December schedule designed to toughen them up, the Steelers are more than ready to start the New Year and league play in ECIC IV.   Here’s another prediction and I won’t even call it a bold one…Lackawanna doesn’t lose another game in the regular season.

8. Salamanca (C) -  Four consecutive wins for the Warriors include a big one at Randolph in a game they led throughout.  They play in one of the toughest leagues in WNY (CCAA I West) and first up in division is a visit from Fredonia on Thursday.

9. Randolph (C) - The Cardinals bounced back from their first loss of the season to Salamanca with a 30-point win over Ellicottville.  They have a huge nonleague game coming up on Saturday when Allegany-Limestone makes the trip.

10. Fredonia (B2) -  The Hillbillies, who have only lost at St. Mary’s, put their four-game win streak on the line when they travel to Salamanca on Thursday night.

 

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Top Games of the Week: 1/3/22 - 1/9/22

 

Monday, January 3rd

Timon @ Canisius - 6:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 4th

Westfield @ Burgard - 6 pm

Maryvale @ Iroquois - 6:30 pm

Niagara Wheatfield @ Lockport - 6:30 pm

Hamburg @ Clarence - 7:30 pm

Frontier @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm

 

Wednesday, January 5th

Timon @ St. Joe's - 6:30 pm

Nichols @ St. Mary's - 6:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 6th

Bennett @ McKinley - 6 pm

Fredonia @ Salamanca - 7:30 pm

Olean @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm

Sherman @ Clymer - 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 7th

St. Francis @ Nichols - 6 pm

Burgard @ Riverside - 6 pm

Niagara Falls @ CSAT - 6:30 pm

St. Mary's @ Canisius - 7 pm

Orchard Park @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm

Williamsville South @ Amherst - 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 8th

Williamsville East @ Iroquois - 12 pm

Lancaster @ Lockport - 2:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Health Sciences - 4:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Randolph - 5 pm

 

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