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Large Schools
1. Timon (A)
2. Canisius (A)
3. Health Sciences (AA)
4. Niagara Falls (AA)
5. Amherst (A2)
6. St. Joe's (A)
7. Jamestown (AA)
8. St. Francis (A)
9. Nichols (A)
10. Lockport (AA)
Small Schools
1. Lew-Port (B1)
2. Salamanca (B2)
3. Newfane (B2)
4. Allegany-Limestone (B2)
5. Randolph (C)
6. Fredonia (B2)
7. Clymer (D)
8. Lackawanna (B1)
9. Cheektowaga (B2)
10. Bennett (B2)
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Monday, February 27th
** Two Games **
Class A1 Semifinal - 6 pm
Williamsville East Flames #4 (11-10) * Finished 3rd in ECIC II
vs.
McKinley Macks #1 (17-4) * Champions in Yale Cup I
McKinley
- Unranked Large School
- Defeated Hutch Tech to get here
- Best win this season - Williamsville North
- Reached Buff State in 2022, losing in the Class A1 Semifinals to Williamsville East
- Led by Mekhi Williams & Sajon Beasley
Williamsville East
- Unranked Large School
- Defeated North Tonawanda to get here
- Best win this season - North Tonawanda
- Reached Buff State in 2022, losing in the Class A1 Final to Niagara Wheatfield
- Led by Dorian Facen Jr. & Shaun Kolnacki
Class A1 Semifinal - 7:45 pm
Niagara Wheatfield #2 (15-6) * Finished 2nd in the NFL
vs.
I-Prep #3 (14-7) *Finished 2nd in Yale Cup I
Niagara Wheatfield
- Unranked Large School
- Defeated Sweet Home to get here
- Best win this season - Lew-Port
- Reached Buff State in 2022, winning the Class A1 Final over Williamsville East
- Led by Xander Fletcher & Shawn Watson
I-Prep
- Unranked Large School
- Defeated Hamburg to get here
- Best win this season - South Park
- Reached Buff State in 2016, losing in the Class B2 Semifinals to Health Sciences
- Led by Emir Lindsay & Biel Douth
******** ******** **********
Tuesday, February 28th
** Three Games **
Class A2 Semifinal - 5:15 pm
Amherst Tigers #1 (18-3) * Champions of ECIC II
vs.
Starpoint Spartans #4 (11-10) * Finished 5th in ECIC II
Amherst
- Ranked #4 Large School
- Defeated Grand Island to get here
- Best win this season - New Hartford
- Reached Buff State in 2022, winning Class A2 over Health Sciences
- Led by Jordan Alexander & Nick Moore
Starpoint
- Unranked Large School
- Defeated CSAT to get here
- Best win this season - Williamsville East
- Reached Buff State in 2016, losing in the Class A2 Semifinals to Lew-Port
- Led by Cohen Vogel & Jackson Griesmer
Class A2 Semifinal - 6:45 pm
Williamsville South Billies #2 (17-4) * Finished 2nd in ECIC II
vs.
South Park Sparks #3 (13-8) * Finished 3rd in Yale Cup I
Williamsville South
- Unranked Large School
- Defeated Emerson to get here
- Best win this season - Williamsville East
- Reached Buff State in 2018, losing the Class A1 Final to West Seneca West
- Led by Nicco DiGiulio & Daniel Peoples
South Park
- Unranked Large School
- Defeated West Seneca East to get here
- Best win this season - McKinley
- Reached Buff State in 2020, losing in the Class A2 Semifinals to Health Sciences
- Led by Javani Rivera & Robert Carlock
Class AA Semifinal - 8:15 pm
Jamestown Red Raiders #1 (18-3) * Champions of ECIC I
vs.
Lockport Lions #5 (14-7) * Finished 3rd in the NFL
Jamestown
- Ranked #6 Large School
- Defeated Clarence to get here
- Best win this season - Williamsville North
- Reached Buff State in 2022, winning the Class AA Final over Niagara Falls
Led by Trey Drake & Sean Paige
Lockport
- Ranked #10 Large School
- Defeated Williamsville North to get here
- Best win this season - Niagara Wheatfield
- Reached Buff State in 2019, losing in the Class AA Semifinals to Will North
- Led by Jason Green & J'Lyn Darrell
*********** ************* ***************
Wednesday, March 1st
** Three Games **
Class B1 Semifinal - 5:15 pm
Lew-Port Lancers #1 (18-3) * Finished 2th in NFL
vs.
Lackawanna Steelers #1 (12-8) * Finished 3rd ECIC III
Lew-Port
- Ranked #1 Small School
- Defeated Albion to get here
- Best win of the season - Niagara Falls
- Reached Buff State in 2022, losing in the Class B1 Semifinals to Olean
- Led by Jalen Duff & Bobby Beilein
Lackawanna
- Ranked #8 Small School
- Defeated Iroquois to get here
- Best win this season - Frontier
- Reached Buff State in 2022, losing to in the Class B1 Final to Olean
Led by Juilenn Clements & Antwan Threeths
Class B1 Semifinal - 6:45 pm
Cheektowaga Warriors #6 (12-10) * Finished 4th in ECIC III
vs.
East Aurora Blue Devils #7 (11-11) * Finished 4th in ECIC III
Cheektowaga
- Ranked #9 Small School
- Defeated Pioneer to get here
- Best win this season - Pioneer
- Won the Class A2 Final in 2021 over CSAT
- Reached Buff State in 2019,losing to Lew-Port in the Class A2 Semifinals
- Led by Daryl Montgomery & Tyler Prescott
East Aurora
- Unranked Small School
- Defeated Depew to get here
- Best win this season - McKinley
- Reached Buff State in 2020, losing in the Class B1 Final to Olean
- Led by Matt Horning & Cade Wittenrich
Class AA Semifinal - 8:15 pm
Health Sciences #2 (19-1) * Charter Cup Champions
vs.
Niagara Falls Wolverines #3 (19-2) * Champions of the NFL
Health Sciences
- Ranked #3 Large School
- Defeated Orchard Park to get here
- Best win this season - St. Joe's
- Reached Buff State in 2022, losing in the Class A2 Semifinals to Amherst
- Led by Xavier Benton & Amir Moye
Niagara Falls
- Ranked #4 Large School
- Defeated Lancaster to get here
- Best win this season - St. Joe's
- Reached Buff State in 2022, losing in the Class AA Final to Jamestown
- Led by Omarion Ralands & James Robinson
******** ******** **********
Thursday, March 3rd
** Two Games **
Class B2 Semifinal - 6 pm
Salamanca Warriors #1 (19-2) * Champions of CCAA I West
vs.
Bennett Tigers #12 (14-8) * Finished 4th in Yale Cup I
Salamanca
- Ranked #2 Small School
- Defeated Southwestern to get here
- Best win this season - Allegany-Limestone
- Reached Buff State in 2022, winning the Regional in Class C
- Led by Lucus Brown & Andy Herrick
Bennett
- Ranked #10 Small School
- Defeated Olmsted to get here
- Best win this season - South Park
- Won the Class B1 Final in 2021, defeating Olean
- Reached Buff State in 2011, losing in the Class A1 Final to Will South
- Led by Jahlil Alston & Lucas Lamborghini
Class B2 Semifinal - 7:45 pm
Newfane Panthers #3 (17-4) *Champions the Niagara-Orleans
vs.
Fredonia Hillbillies #10 (16-7) * Finished 3rd in CCAA I West
Newfane
- Ranked #4 Small School
- Defeated Allegany-Limestone to get here
- Best win this season - Allegany-Limestone
- Reached Buff State in 2022, losing in the Class B2 Semifinals to Allegany-Limestone
- Led by Evan Myers & Ben Dickinson
Fredonia
- Ranked #6 Small School
- Defeated Cleveland Hill to get here
- Best win this season - Allegany-Limestone
- Won the Class B3 Final in 2021, defeating Roy-Hart
- Reached Buff State in 2020, losing in the Class B2 Semifinals to Allegany-Limestone
- Led by Ethan Fry & Davion White
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The tenth set of state rankings for the 2023 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:
Class AA
Niagara Falls #10
Health Sciences #11
Jamestown #19
Class A
Canisius #7
Timon #12
Amherst #17
Class B
Lew-Port #9
Salamanca #11
Allegany-Limestone #21
Fredonia #29
Class C
Randolph #13
Frewsburg #23
Class D
Clymer #9
Westfield #19
According to the rankings...
- No changes in NYS Class AA, other than Jamestown inching up two spots to #19. The rankings committee remains convinced that a potential semifinal between Falls and Health at Buff State is the real Class AA championship locally.
- Timon heads back up to Class A, where they had always competed prior to the 2020 season. The Tigers debut there at #12, after occupying the #3 spot in NYS Class B last week.
- Nichols was #18 in NYS Class B last week. However, with the move to Class A, the Vikings were unable to crack the Class A rankings for this week, heading into a showdown against St. Francis in the Manhattan Cup Playoffs.
- Canisius is up to #7 in the rankings, but remains the second best Catholic school in NYS Class A, with Nazareth occupying the #1 ranking in the state with a 24-0 record.
- Lew-Port is now the top-ranked local squad in NYS Class B, with its highest ranking of the season at #9.
- Gabe Michael's magic cape was returned - a package arrived at 845 Kenmore Avenue with no signature request or return address. However, by that point, the magic was gone and St. Joe's fell out of the Class A rankings. However, The Gators of Allegany-Limestone, who might know a little something about said cape, moved from #26 in NYS Class B to #21 like a magic carpet ride.
Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings
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The Section VI postseason begins Monday afternoon with a First Round matchup in Class B2 as Medina heads to the Southern Tier to face Southwestern. The winner moves on to participate in the Pre-Quarterfinal Round, which begins on Tuesday night at 7 pm. Between Friday & Saturday, 28 Quarterfinal games will decide which teams move on to Buffalo State and JCC for the semifinals. See all the postseason matchups with dates, times, & locations, along with updated results at Brackets Central - 2023
Below I take a look at some of the best matchups we could potentially see in the Pre-Quarterfinals, Quarterfinals, & Semifinals, and project the classifications with the best championship game, along with sleepers, some winning streaks, & predictions.
** Please note that many of the games below are based on my predictions of who will win in prior rounds.
Most exciting brackets, top to bottom:
7. Class A2
6. Class A1
5. Class D
4. Class C
3. Class AA
2. Class B1
1. Class B2
- How exciting is the Class B2 bracket this postseason? Well for starters, the defending champions from Allegany-Limestone are up to their old tricks again, arriving as the #6 seed just to make things interesting. This is a team that waxed both Depew & Pioneer (the #2 & #3 seeds in Class B1) by 20+ points each, knocked off Randolph, and erased a 16-point halftime deficit at Salamanca in near record time. They only have three loses on the season and all came without the services of Andrew Giardini, who is back after missing all of January.
- Remember when Bennett won Class B1 in 2021 during the 7-week season coming out of the pandemic and no one really saw it coming? Well, I'm the only guy talking about the Tigers this season - the only pollster on the Buffalo News that's voting for them. I'll bet you my seat at Buff State that they are playing there on Thursday, March 2nd when the Class B2 Semifinals tip at 6 pm and the top-seeded Salamanca Warriors have plenty to do to get ready for that game, trust me!
- Speaking of the Warriors, yeah, those guys who played in Glens Falls last season in Class C. They have a legitimate shot at returning there in Class B this season. They went undefeated in what is hands down the toughest small school league in Section VI to earn the #1 seed and have special talent in the school's all-time leading scorer Lucus Brown, who looked at home balling out at Buff State last season & turning heads as a sophomore.
- The Warriors aren't the only undefeated league champion from that bracket - there's still TWO more! Newfane rolled through the N-O & Cleveland Hill did the same in ECIC IV and both teams are good. Cleveland Hill just ended its season with a win at Depew and hasn't lost a game since December. The only game the Panthers have lost in 2023 was against North Tonawanda and as someone who lives in the district & sees a few games in multiple counties each season, I will vouch for the strength of this team and the program as a whole.
- Still aren't convinced the B2 Bracket rules? I will submit Fredonia as further evidence. The Hillbillies have been ranked in the Top 10 for most of the season, walloped the likes of MST Seneca & Westfield, won at Allegany-Limestone, beat East Aurora, and swept Southwestern. They are the #10 seed for crying out loud.
- You want a sleeper for this bracket? Not yet! You'll have to read further. But for now, I will toss out that Southwestern has to win a Play-In game on Monday afternoon as the #16 seed. So they've been a little rocky road this season, but let's highlight a couple of the streets they found to be well-paved in the Southern Tier - the Trojans shot down the Randolph Cardinals in their own gym in a 55-37 win and took a broom to Olean, sweeping the Huskies! The have a stud in Matthew Pannes who has a pair of 40+ point eruptions on the year.
- I know, this is getting long-winded, so I'll wrap it up by pointing out that I've already highlighted 7 of the teams in a 17-team playoff and there are still another five squads from the bracket I haven't even mentioned with double-digit wins on the season: Tapestry (14), Roy-Hart (13), Springville (12), Olmsted (12), & Akron (11).
Sleepers from each bracket
AA - Clarence: For a second straight season, the Red Devils head into the postseason with an 11-9 record and were never a ranked large school this season. Three of their losses happened consecutively to begin the year, so they are 11-6 in their last 17. They won by 20 points on the same court at Lew-Port where Niagara Falls lost three weeks after. They fell behind on the road at McKinley by 18 points in the opening quarter and nearly came back to win the game, and two more of the losses that came after the 0-3 start were at the hands of the top-seed Jamestown Red Raiders, with the second loss coming at the buzzer. Another happened against Health Sciences, after trailing the Falcons by just two points after three quarters, without the services of point guard Sean Gilmartin, who is averaging 12.6 PPG & 4.8 APG. Clarence might have the best big man in WNY in Grayson White and if they get past Frontier in the 8/9 game, they would head back to Jamestown to face the Red Raiders for a third time. The coffee is ready, wake up.
A1 - North Tonawanda: I get all jacked-up just thinking about teams sleeping on these guys! How could you? They have the best coach in NT history, officially now, as Ryan Mountain has surpassed Greg Ross as the program's all-time wins leader. Patrick McNeill is a talent and about as underrated as using attack crows to break up a hostage situation (tell me training those creeping squawkers to harass the bad guys wouldn't work). The only losses on the season for the Jacks have come to ranked teams - Falls, Niagara Wheatfield, & Lockport all twice, along with at Lew-Port. Buckets don't so easy in the postseason & the Jacks are as good a zone squad as there is - they are the only team in Class A1 holding opponents under 50 PPG on the season. You start sawing logs on the Lumberjacks, I'll send in the attack crows!
A2 - CSAT: Tough to find any teams in this bracket that make you feel like someone slipped a Benadryl in your Monster drink, but if there's a team that fits the bill based on past performance, I'll fly with these Eagles. Just two seasons ago, they went into Amherst and knocked off a Tiger squad that had just rolled Lew-Port by 33 points after hanging 92 on them in the quarterfinal. Then, they went to double overtime in the Class A2 Final at Cheektowaga, losing a heartbreaker. Last year, CSAT faced eventual Class A Regional champion Amherst in the semifinals at Buff State and gave them all they could handle for 32 minutes, before bowing out in a 5-point loss. They are an 11-win team on the season and if Starpoint tries slamming that Monster drink for a little extra pep before tip-off, they just might start getting heavy eyes by the third quarter.
B1 - Olean: Can you remember the last time we entered the postseason and no one was talking about Olean? I see you all value beauty rest. Well, I remember. In 2020, the defending B1 champion Huskies lost three league games and entered the postseason as the #7 seed in Class B1. The team waiting to host them in the quarterfinals that year was Iroquois, and the Huskies rolled past the #2 seed, 78-56. They went on that season to win the overall Class B championship. Well, look at what the bracket holds this season…a win over Maryvale would earn a quarterfinal trip to Iroquois. They were my sleeper pick in that 2020 Sectional Preview also. Did I mention that Olean is the defending Class B1 champions? Go grab some mouthwash for your morning breath.
B2 - Fredonia: If you were expecting to see Southwestern here, well, I guess I fooled you. And please don’t even suggest that Allegany-Limestone could be the sleeper with the #6 seed. There is not a chance that any opponent of the Gators moving forward is anything less than terrified at the prospect of facing the defending champs. Anyone pretending to sleep on them is like that dog that keeps raising one eye open. My sleeper here is a team that beat those Gators for one of its 13 wins on the season. The Hillbillies have been outstanding all season, beating every team in their league, with the exception of Salamanca. They have four players averaging over double figures in scoring, with three of them already grabbing over 100 rebounds on the year, and the other knocking down 62 three-point bombs entering the playoffs. That fiddle 'dem boys play is like a sweet lullaby.
C - East: Only five wins all season and two of those were recorded after a week of play in December. They must be terrible. I bet that Hall of Fame coach of theirs with over 400 wins forgot how to coach… I mean it’s been five years since he was able to manage a fourth state championship. They aren’t even the best Yale Cup team in the bracket. The #2 seed from MST Seneca already beat the Panthers during their 9-game win streak. By one point. There is no way a team with three victories since December 9th earns three wins in a row to reach the final four at JCC. I’m going to go lay down, just for 20 minutes or so.
D - Sherman: The Wildcats, who were finalists in Class D a year ago, need a win against Forestville just for a shot at the top seed from Ellicottville, who ran the table in CCAA II East. They are only the #8 seed. But, they are the same team that won its most recent meetings with both Westfield and Panama, two teams that defeated Ellicottville this year. A win in the quarterfinals would likely get them a game at JCC against one of the two teams they recently defeated. And when they last played their rivals from Clymer, who projects to win the whole thing, they only lost by seven points. Can you imagine if Sherman came in as the #8 seed and went on to win the whole zzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Top 7 Pre-Quarterfinal Games
7. City Honors @ Albion (B1)
6. Bennett @ Springville (B2)
5. Southwestern @ Tapestry (B2)
4. Middle College @ Cheektowaga (B1)
3. East @ Global Concepts (C)
2. Frontier @ Clarence (AA)
1. Olean @ Iroquois (B1)
Top 12 Quarterfinal Games
12. Silver Creek @ Holland (C)
11. Lockport @ Williamsville North (AA)
10. Sherman @ Ellicottville (D)
9. East @ Frewsburg (C)
8. North Tonawanda @ Williamsville East (A1)
7. Westfield @ Panama (D)
6. Lackawanna @ Olean (B1)
5. Cheektowaga @ Pioneer (B1)
4. Clarence @ Jamestown (AA)
3. East Aurora @ Depew (B1)
2. Fredonia @ Cleveland Hill (B2)
1. Allegany-Limestone @ Newfane (B2)
Most Exciting Potential Semifinals
8. North Tonawanda vs McKinley (A1)
7. South Park vs Williamsville South (A2)
6. Allegany-Limestone vs. Fredonia (B2)
5. Niagara Wheatfield vs I-Prep (A1)
4. Bennett vs Salamanca (B2)
3. Pioneer vs. Depew (B1)
2. Lockport vs. Jamestown (AA)
1. Health Sciences vs Niagara Falls (AA)
Most Exciting Championship Games
5. Class D
4. Class A1
3. Class B1
2. Class B2
1. Class AA
Winning streaks heading into sectionals
Health Sciences: 18
Salamanca: 12 & 15 of the last 16
Cleveland Hill: 12
Newfane: 11 & 15 of the last 16
MST Seneca: 9
Clymer: 7 & 16 of the last 17
Ellicottville: 7 & 11 of the last 12
Niagara Falls: 7
Amherst: 12 of the last 13
Lew-Port: 9 of the last 10
Jamestown: 8 of the last 9
Allegany-Limestone: 8 of the last 9
Williamsville South: 8 of the last 9
McKinley: 8 of the last 9
Frewsburg: 7 of the last 8
Predictions
AA - Health Sciences
A1 - McKinley
A2 - Amherst
B1 - Lew-Port
B2 - Salamanca
C - Randolph
D - Clymer
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Pre-Quarterfinal - Thursday, February 23rd
AT Higher Seed - 7 pm
(8) Clarence 42, (9) Frontier 39
Quarterfinals - Saturday, February 25th
At Higher Seed - 12 pm
(1) Jamestown 55, (8) Clarence 39
(5) Lockport 67, (4) Williamsville North 60
(2) Health Sciences 74, (7) Orchard Park 62
(3) Niagara Falls 86, (6) Lancaster 46
Semifinals - Tuesday & Wednesday, February 28th & March 1st
AT BUFF STATE - 8:15 pm
(1) Jamestown 69, (5) Lockport 64
(3) Niagara Falls 66, (2) Health Sciences 60
Final - Saturday, March 4th
AT BUFF STATE - 3:30pm
(3) Niagara Falls 53, (1) Jamestown 52
2023 Section VI Class AA Champions - Niagara Falls Wolverines
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Class A1
Pre-Quarterfonals - Wednesday, February 22nd
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(8) Hutch Tech 65, (9) West Seneca West 55
(10) Sweet Home 56, (7) Ken West
Quarterfinals - Friday, February 24th
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(1) McKinley 82, (8) Hutch Tech 41
(4) Williamsville East 82, (5) North Tonawanda 76
(2) Niagara Wheatfield 88, (10) Sweet Home 46
(3) I-Prep 48, (6) Hamburg 46
Semifinals - Monday, February 27th
AT BUFF STATE - 6 pm & 7:45 pm
(1) McKinley 76, (4) Williamsville East 74
(2) Niagara Wheatfield 68, (3) I-Prep 39
Final - Saturday, March 4th
AT BUFF STATE - 8:30 pm
(1) McKinley 60, (2) Niagara Wheatfield 56
2023 Section VI Class A1 Champions - McKinley Macks
*********** *********** **** ******* ********
Class A2
Pre-Quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 22nd
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(8) Grand Island 42, (9) Ken East 36
Quarterfinals - Friday, February 24th
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(1) Amherst 70, (8) Grand Island 34
(4) Starpoint 53, (5) CSAT 51
(2) Williamsville South vs (7) Emerson
(3) South Park 72, (6) West Seneca East 44
Semifinals - Tuesday, February 28th
AT BUFF STATE - 5:15 pm 6:45 pm
(1) Amherst 66, (4) Starpoint 38
(2) Williamsville South 68, (3) South Park 56
Final - Saturday, March 4th
AT BUFF STATE - 7 pm
(1) Amherst 58, (2) Williamsville South 56
2023 Section VI Class A2 Champions - Amherst Tigers
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Class B1
First Round - Tuesday, February 21st
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(9) City Honors 63, (16) Tonawanda 38
(12) Olean 96, (13) Maryvale 52
(15) Dunkirk 64, (10) Alden 48
(11) Middle College 65, (14) Lake Shore 46
Pre-Quarterfinals - Thursday, February 23rd
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(8) Albion 65, (9) City Honors 58
(5) Iroquois 57, (12) Olean 48
(7) East Aurora 78, (15) Dunkirk 70
(6) Cheektowaga 79, (11) Middle College 71
Quarterfinals - Saturday, February 25th
At Higher Seed - 2 pm
(1) Lew-Port 85, (8) Albion 58
(4) Lackawanna 53, (5) Iroquois 52
(7) East Aurora 59, (2) Depew 47
(6) Cheektowaga 54, (3) Pioneer 50
Semifinals - Wednesday, March 1st
AT BUFFALO STATE - 5:15 pm & 6:45 pm
(1) Lew-Port 65, (4) Lackawanna 46
(6) Cheektowaga 67, (7) East Aurora 59
Final - Saturday, March 4th
AT BUFFALO STATE - 1:45 pm
(1) Lew-Port 91, (6) Cheektowaga 66
2023 Section VI Class B1 Champions - Lew-Port Lancers
****** ****** ****** ******
Class B2
Play-In Game - Monday, February 20th
At Higher Seed - 12 pm
(16) Southwestern 70, (17) Medina 30
First Round - Tuesday, February 21st
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(16) Southwestern 62, (9) Roy-Hart 46
(12) Bennett 90, (13) Buffalo Arts 50
(10) Fredonia 74, (15) Akron 52
(11) Falconer 64, (14) Eden 52
Pre-Quarterfinals - Thursday, February 23rd
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(16) Southwestern 63, (8) Tapestry 53
(12) Bennett 61, (5) Springville 54
(10) Fredonia 73, (7) Burgard 58
(6) Allegany-Limestone 80, (11) Falconer 39
Quarterfinals - Saturday, February 25th
At Higher Seed - 12 pm
(1) Salamanca 61, (16) Southwestern 37
(12) Bennett 60, (4) Olmsted 48
(10) Fredonia 55, (2) Cleveland Hill 52
(3) Newfane 56, (6) Allegany-Limestone 55
Semifinals - Thursday, March 2nd
AT BUFF STATE - 6 pm & 7:45 pm
(1) Salamanca 74, (12) Bennett 55
(3) Newfane vs (10) Fredonia
Final - Saturday, March 4th
AT BUFF STATE - 12 pm
(10) Fredonia 58, (1) Salamanca 54
2023 Section VI Class B2 Champions - Fredonia Hillbillies
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First Round - Tuesday, February 21st
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(9) Maritime Forfeits (16) Cattaraugus-Little Valley --->
(12) JFK 68, (13) Gowanda 57
(10) Portville 66, (15) BASCS 39
(11) East 89, (14) Cassadaga Valley 41
Pre-Quarterfinals - Thursday, February 23rd
At Higher Seed - 7 pm
(8) Chautauqua Lake 83, (16) Cattaraugus-Little Valley 39
(5) Silver Creek 69, (12) JFK 51
(7) Wilson 47, (10) Portville 38
(11) East 70, (6) Global Concepts 47
Quarterfinals - Saturday, February 25th
At Higher Seed - 12 pm
(1) Randolph 71, (8) Chautauqua Lake 46
(4) Holland 72, (5) Silver Creek 64
(2) MST Seneca 67, (7) Wilson 51
(3) Frewsburg 70, (11) East 63
Semifinals - Tuesday, February 28th
AT JCC - 6 pm & 7:45 pm
(1) Randolph 59, (4) Holland 42
(3) Frewsburg 86, (2) MST Seneca 59
Final - Friday, March 3rd
AT JCC - 7:45 pm
(1) Randolph 70, (3) Frewsburg 47
2023 Section VI Class C Champions - Randolph Cardinals
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Pre-quarterfinals - Wednesday, February 22nd at 7 pm
At Higher Seed
(8) Sherman 68, (9) Forestville 39
(5) Westfield 55, (12) Brocton 29
(10) Barker 74, (7) Pine Valley 65
(6) Franklinville 64, (11) Maple Grove 55
Quarterfinals - Friday, February 24th at 7 pm
At Higher Seed
(1) Ellicottville 38, (8) Sherman 32
(4) Panama 63, (5) Westfield 38
(2) Clymer 60, (10) Barker 42
(3) North Collins 73, (6) Franklinville 64
Semifinals - Monday, February 27th
At JCC - 6 pm & 7:45 pm
(4) Panama 47, (1) Ellicottville 36
(2) Clymer 61, (3) North Collins 35
Final - Friday, March 3rd
At JCC - 6 pm
(4) Panama 41, (2) Clymer 37
2023 Section VI Class D Champions - Panama Panthers
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Below is a basic schedule outlining the key dates of postseason games for both the MMA & Section VI teams.
For specific matchups, please refer to Brackets Central 2023 (to be published on Saturday, February 18th) where you will find links to each individual bracket for the Manhattan Cup Playoffs & the 7 classifications of Sectionals for Section VI
Sunday, February 19th
Manhattan Cup Play-In Games at St. Francis HS
Park vs St. Mary's - 4 pm
Cardinal O'Hara vs St. Francis - 6 pm
Monday, February 20th
Section VI Class B2 Play-In Game
Tuesday, February 21st
Section VI First Round - Class B1, B2, C
Manhattan Cup Playoffs at St. Joe's
St. Mary's / Park vs St. Joe's - 5:30 pm
O'Hara / St. Francis vs Nichols - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, February 22nd
Section VI Pre-Quarterfinals - Class A1, A2, D
Thursday, February 23rd
Section VI Pre-Quarterfinals - Class AA, B1, B2, C
Manhattan Cup Semifinals at Canisius College
O'Hara / St. Francis / Nichols vs Timon - 5:30 pm
St. Mary's / Park / St. Joe's vs Canisius - 7:30 pm
Friday, February 24th
Section VI Quarterfinals - Class A1, A2, D
Saturday, February 25th
Section VI Quarterfinals - Class AA, B1, B2, C
Sunday, February 26th
Manhattan Cup Championship at Canisius College - 6 pm
Monday, February 27th
Section VI Semifinals at Buff State - Class A1
Section VI Semifinals at JCC - Class D
Tuesday, February 28th
Section VI Semifinals at Buff State - Class A2, Class AA
Section VI Semifinals at JCC - Class C
Wednesday, March 1st
Section VI Semifinals at Buff State - B1, Class AA
Thursday, March 2nd
Section VI Semifinals at Buff State - Class B2
Friday, March 3rd
Section VI Finals at JCC - Class D, C
Saturday, March 4th
Section VI Finals at Buff State - Class B2, B1, AA, A2, A1
CHSAA Class A State Semifinal at Hilbert
Manhattan Cup Champion vs TBD - 3:pm
Tuesday, March 7th
Section VI Crossovers - Class B, A
Saturday, March 11th
Far West Regionals at Gates Chili
Class C - 11 am
Class B - 1:15 pm
Class A - 3:30 pm
Far West Regionals at Rush Henrietta
Class D - 5:30 pm
Class AA - 7:30 pm
Friday, March 17th
NYSPHAA State Semifinals at Glens Falls
Class C - 9:30 am & 11:15 am
Class AA - 1 pm & 2:45 pm
Class A - 6 pm & 7:45 pm
Saturday, March 18th
NYSPHAA State Semifinals at Glens Falls
Class B - 9 am & 10:45 am
Class D - 12:30 pm & 2:30 pm
NYSPHAA State Championships at Glens Falls
Class C - 5:15 pm
Class AA - 7 pm
Class A - 8:45 pm
Sunday, March 19th
NYSPHAA State Championships at Glens Falls
Class B - 1 pm
Class D - 3 pm
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Play-In Games - Sunday, February 19th
AT St. Francis - 4 pm & 6 pm
(6) St. Mary's 81, (7) Park 48
(5) St. Francis 61, (8) Cardinal O’Hara 44
Quarterfinals - Tuesday, February 21st
AT St. Joe's - 5:30 pm & 7:30 p
(3) St. Joe's 86,(6) St. Mary's 65
(5) St. Francis 69, (4) Nichols 68
Semifinals - Thursday, February 23rd
AT Canisius College Koessler Center
5:30 pm & 7:30 pm
(1) Timon 66, (5) St. Francis 59
(2) Canisius 75, (3) St. Joe's 56
Manhattan Cup Final - Sunday, February 26th
AT Canisius College Koessler Center - 6 pm
(1) Timon 72, (2) Canisius 57
2023 Manhattan Cup Champions - Timon Tigers
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Below are the Champions from the 13 leagues in WNY for the 2023 Season
MMA - Timon 12-2
ECIC I - Jamestown 12-0
ECIC II - Amherst 14-0
ECIC III - Pioneer & Depew 9-3
ECIC IV - Cleveland Hill 12-0
CCAA I West - Salamanca 10-0
CCAA I East - Randolph 12-0
CCAA II West - Clymer 12-0
CCAA II East - Ellicottville 10-0
NFL - Niagara Falls 11-1
N-O - Newfane 12-0
Yale Cup I - McKinley 11-1
Yale Cup II - MST Seneca 10-2
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The ninth set of state rankings for the 2023 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:
Class AA
Niagara Falls #10
Health Sciences #11
Jamestown #21
Class A
Canisius #8
Amherst #17
St. Joe's 30
Class B
Timon #3
Lew-Port #10
Salamanca #12
Nichols #18
Allegany-Limestone #26
Class C
Randolph #14
Frewsburg #23
Class D
Clymer #9
Westfield #20
According to the rankings...
- We remain on schedule for a final Championship Saturday showdown at Buff State between Falls & Jamestown. The Red Raiders currently have the top seed locally in Class AA and Falls is projected by the rankings in the state as the team to make it out of Section VI and reach Glens Falls. The local rankings and state rankings disagree on which team reaches the final, as locally, Health Sciences is ranked ahead of Niagara Falls.
- I mentioned last week, no teams from Section V are represented in NYS Class AA. I had an opportunity to watch Victor play last week when I took a trip east, and from my vantage point, they look like the kind of team that would absolutely present a real challenge to any of our representatives in the Far West Regional. Deep, balanced, strong around the basket, and a had a floor general.
- Canisius wins the Manhattan Cup, but the ranking say that will be the end of the road for them. Un the CHSAA, there is both a team from Long Island and a team from NYC ranked ahead of the Crusaders, which projects them losing in the state semifinals.
- Amherst losess in the Far West Regional to Rochester East after cruising past the competition in Buffalo.
- St. Joe’s coach, Gabe Michael, who has several hobbies including card tricks, has made some magic happen for the Marauders. They crash into the state rankings this week at the coveted #30 spot.
- Timon winning three of the four games they played last week were enough to sway the panel to promote them one spot in NYS Class B to #3, a very solid ranking for a team with zero shot at advancing in that state classification.
- Gabe Michael's cape, worn during his most advanced card tricks, came up missing early last week. It was later recovered on Five Mile Road in Cattaraugus County, raising suspicion that Allegany-Limestone coach Glenn Anderson managed to take possession of Michael’s cape and used it to create a little of his own magic for the Gators, now appearing in the Top 26 of NYS Class B. Investigation is pending.
- Frewsburg's 8-point loss to Randolph last week was enough to cover. The Bears jump up two spots in NYS Class C to #23.
Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings
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Large Schools
1. Canisius (A) - After a 33-point win over St. Mary’s, the Crusaders made it 12 of their last 13 after dishing Timon a 12-point loss in South Buffalo. Canisius has now defeated the top four public schools in WNY and swept Timon. They wrap up their regular season with games against Cardinal O’Hara and Park.
2. Health Sciences (AA) - The longest win streak in the area extended to 17 games after a big fourth quarter produced a 20-point victory at Clarence last week. The Falcons visit UPrep out of Section V on Monday.
3. Niagara Falls (AA) - The Wolverines insured a game in the NFL championship with an 11-point win at Niagara Wheatfield on Saturday. They to travel to Grand Island where they will face Lew-Port on Thursday night for the league chip, and then put a bow on the regular season with a fun nonleague game at Nichols on Saturday.
4. St. Joe's (A) - Wins over Cardinal O’Hara, and Park made it six victories in their last seven games. They will have chocolates and a card waiting for Timon on Tuesday night before heading to Nichols on Thursday.
5. Amherst (A2) - Left the senior night festivities at Iroquois with a 30-point victory and finish up this Tuesday at home against West Seneca East.
6. Jamestown (AA) - Played both games against Lancaster in the same week, winning the pair by combined 51 points. On Thursday night, they escaped Williamsville North with a one-point win after Sean page came through with some late-game heroics for the second time this season, scoring at the buzzer. The Red Raiders host Orchard Park on Monday.
7. St. Francis (A) - The other Red Raiders bounced back from losses to McQuaid and Nichols by knocking off Cardinal O’Hara for a second time. Tuesday they head to Lancaster, where they were face St. Mary’s, and finish up with a home game against rival Timon on Thursday.
8. Lockport (AA) - Followed up a great comeback win against Niagara Wheatfield on Tuesday night with a sound 14-point victory at North Tonawanda. The Lions welcome in Grand Island this Wednesday.
9. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) - Dropped their rematch at Lockport on Tuesday night and then fell to Niagara Falls on Saturday without the services of Xander Fletcher. On Wednesday they host CSAT .
10. Williamsville South (A2) - A 10-point win over Starpoint and a quadruple overtime victory at Williamsville East gave the Billies their 13th victory in 14 games. Tuesday they draw Iroquois before a Friday night regular season finale at district rival Williamsville North.
Small Schools
1. Timon (B) - Three big victories this week included a 28-point win over O’Hara and a 29-point win against Maritime, along with hanging 102 points on Park in a 33-point win. The Tigers look to refocus from a 12-point loss to Canisius in their gym on Friday with road trips to St. Joe’s and St. Francis this week.
2. Lew-Port (B1) - Routs over Riverside and Kenmore East, along with a 21-point win at CSAT made it nine straight victories for the Lancers. On Thursday night, they have a chance to win the NFL championship outright if they can sweep Niagara Falls.
3. Salamanca (B2) - After a seven-point win at Olean on Monday, the Warriors whipped Southwestern by 32 on the road Thursday night for a 10th consecutive victory. Monday they host Dunkirk, before the rivalry finale with Randolph, while looking to raise money in the fight against Cystic Fibrosis.
4. Nichols (B) - Three straight double-digit victories for the Vikings last week against South Park, St. Francis, and St. Mary’s. Tuesday they are at Park and then come home for the last two games of the regular season with St. Joe’s on Thursday and Niagara Falls Saturday afternoon
5. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - Took it to Dunkirk by 26 on Monday and earned a tough road victory at Fredonia on Friday night. The Gators hope to take care of business Monday when Southwestern visits and make the trip to Wellsville on Wednesday.
6. Fredonia (B2) - In a game that came down to the end, the Hillbillies knocked off visiting Southwestern by three on Monday, but fell to Allegany-Limestone Friday night. They make the trip to Olean on Monday.
7. Randolph (C) - An eight-point win at Frewsburg made it wins in seven of their last eight games. On Monday, Gowanda comes to town and Wednesday night, they will play in front of a packed house in Salamanca, hoping to duplicate their best win of this season.
8. Newfane (B2) - A 28-point win against Emerson was followed by a 20-point win over City Honors last week. Then, the Panthers made it nine straight wins by knocking off Albion. The league schedule wraps up with a visit from Akron on Tuesday and a trip to Medina Thursday night.
9. Bennett (B2) - The Tigers are winners in eight of their last 10 games, most recently defeating East and Hutch Tech. The only losses during that 10 game stretch came at the hands of I-Prep and McKinley. Tuesday is their rematch with the Macks, and Thursday they host City Honors.
10. Southwestern (B2) - Following a tough three-point lost in Fredonia on Monday, the Trojans got rolled by Salamanca on Thursday. They are at Allegany-Limestone Monday night and wrap it up with a trip to Clymer on Thursday.
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Monday, February 13th
Southwestern @ Allegany-Limestone - 7:30 pm
Orchard Park @ Jamestown - 7:30 pm
Fredonia @ Olean - 7:30 pm
Health Sciences @ UPrep - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, February 14th
I-Prep @ South Park - 6 pm
Bennett @ McKinley - 6 pm
Nichols @ Park - 6:30 pm
Holland @ Eden - 6:30 pm
Barker @ Roy-Hart - 6:30 pm
Timon @ St. Joe's - 7 pm
St. Francis @ St. Mary's - 7:30 pm
Iroquois @ Williamsville South - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, February 15th
CSAT @ Niagara Wheatfield - 6:30 pm
Depew @ Lackawanna - 7 pm
East Aurora @ Pioneer - 7 pm
Lancaster @ Frontier - 7 pm
Randolph @ Salamanca - 7:30 pm ** Beat Cystic Fibrosis Night **
Clarence @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm
Frewsburg @ Panama - 7:30 pm
Allegany-Limestone @ Wellsville - 7:30 pm
Thursday, February 16th
St. Joe's @ Nichols - 6 pm
Timon @ St. Francis - 7 pm
Southwestern @ Clymer - 7:30 pm
NFL Championship Game at Grand Island
Niagara Falls vs Lew-Port - 7 pm
Friday, February 17th
Cleveland Hill @ Depew - 7 pm
Iroquois @ East Aurora - 7 pm
Lancaster @ North Tonawanda - 7 pm
Williamsville South @ Williamsville North - 7 pm
South Park @ Orchard Park - 7:30 pm
Frontier @ McKinley - 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 18th
Niagara Falls @ Nichols - 2:30 pm
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The eighth set of state rankings for the 2023 the season have been released by the NYSSWA. Below are the WNY teams that made the cut:
Class AA
Niagara Falls #10
Health Sciences #11
Jamestown #23
Class A
Canisius #9
Amherst #17
Class B
Timon #4
Lew-Port #10
Salamanca #12
Nichols #21
Fredonia #29
Class C
Randolph #14
Frewsburg #25
Class D
Clymer #10
Panama #17
According to the rankings...
- Falls has risen to #10 in NYS Class AA and Health, who's lone loss is to Canisius (a team Falls also lost to) is one spot behind them. Both teams are as big favorites from the Far West Region of the state and are currently on a collision course to dance in the Section VI Class AA Semifinals at Buff State. A Section VI loss in the Class AA Regional would be considered a massive upset, but a loss in the state semi in Glens Falls to Baldwin is projected.
- Jamestown slips to #23 in NYS Class AA from #16, following its loss to NYS Class B #4 Timon, a seven-spot drop. My strict record-keeping of the NYSSWA committee's handling of such a circumstance (a state-ranked Class AA losing to a state-ranked Class B) suggests they forgot their own precedence from a couple weeks ago. When at the time NYS Class B #16 Lew-Port beat Falls, the Wolverines only moved back two spots in the Class AA rankings. But two weeks later, the #4 team in Class B (Timon) beats a Class AA team (Jamestown) and the Red Raiders fall seven spots from #16 to #23. I guess you are better off losing to a lower ranked team than one in the Top 10....
- Unless you Nichols, that is. The Vikings (last week #11 in NYS Class B) fall way back to #21 in NYS Class B after being clipped by Randolph in overtime. Randolph entered that matchup ranked #15 in NYS Class C.
- Canisius moves up to #9 in NYS Class A, following a loss to unranked St. Joe's, a 2-point win over St. Francis, and a 9-point win against Amherst. I do recall pointing out a couple weeks back that I never remembered a time when there were zero teams state ranked in Class A from the MMA. That experiment in exclusion was very short-lived.
- Lew-Port reaches the NYSPHAA Class B state championship game, but lose to Catholic Central (you know, one of those catholic public schools).
- Nichols wins the CHSAA Class B state championship, if they can just manage to finish under .500 in league play.
- Hocus pocus, Fredonia is #29 in NYS Class B.
- Randolph's win over Nichols at the Centercourt Classic only earned them a one-spot promotion in the NYS Class C rankings from #15 to #14, but there was really no place else for them to move up without leap-frogging teams that didn't lose last week.
- Randolph's game at Frewsburg on Thursday night is a battle of state-ranked teams in NYS Class C. The Bears crashed the rankings party on Sunday night and debuted today at #25.
- Clymer continues to hold down the #10 spot in NYS Class D, but also continues to watch the defending state champions from Avoca/Prattsburgh hold down the top spot in the state, while waiting to introduce themselves to the Pirates at Rush Henrietta HS on Saturday, March 11th in the Far West Regional.
Click HERE for complete NYSSWA State Rankings
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Large Schools
1. Canisius (A) - Key wins: Timon, Health Sciences, Amherst, at Jamestown, Niagara Falls, St. Francis x 2, at Nichols, St. Mary's Local losses: St. Joe's x 2, Nichols
2. Health Sciences (AA) - Key wins: St. Joe's, at St. Francis, Nichols, South Park, St. Mary's, Lancaster Local losses: at Canisius
3. Niagara Falls (AA) - Key wins: at St. Joe's, Niagara Wheatfield, Lockport x 2, North Tonawanda x 2 Local losses: Canisius, Lew-Port
4. St. Joe's (A) - Key wins: Canisius x 2, St. Francis, Nichols, Orchard Park, St. Mary's Local losses: at Timon, Health Sciences, Niagara Falls, at St. Francis
5. Amherst (A2) - Key wins: Lockport, Williamsville South Local losses: Canisius
6. Jamestown (AA) - Key wins: Clarence x 2, at Orchard Park, Williamsville North Local losses: Canisius, Timon
7. St. Francis (A) - Key wins: St. Joe's, Nichols, McKinley, Williamsville North, St. Mary's Local losses: Canisius x 2, Health Sciences, @ Timon
8. McKinley (A1) - Key wins: Clarence, I-Prep, Williamsville North, at South Park Local losses: Timon, St. Francis, at East Aurora
9. Niagara Wheatfield (A1) - Key wins: Lew-Port, Lockport, North Tonawanda x 2, Orchard Park Local losses: at Niagara Falls, at Salamanca, at Depew
10. Lockport (AA) - Key wins: at Clarence, at Lancaster, Williamsville North, Local losses: at Timon, Niagara Falls x 2, Amherst, at Niagara Wheatfield, Lew-Port, Nichols
Small Schools
1. Timon (B) - Key wins: St. Joe's, Jamestown, St. Francis, Nichols x 2, at McKinley, Lockport, Southwestern, St. Mary's x 2, South Park Local losses: at Canisius
2. Lew-Port (B1) - Key wins: Niagara Falls, at Lockport, North Tonawanda, Orchard Park, Newfane, CSAT Local losses: at Niagara Wheatfield, Clarence
3. Salamanca (B2) - Key wins: Niagara Wheatfield, Fredonia x 2, Allegany-Limestone, at Depew, Southwestern, Olean, Lackawanna, Clymer Local losses: at Randolph
4. Nichols (B) - Key wins: at Canisius, at Lockport, at St. Mary's Local losses: Canisius, at Timon, Health Sciences, St. Joe's, at St. Francis, Randolph
5. Fredonia (B2) - Key wins: at Allegany-Limestone, at Southwestern, Olean, East Aurora, MST Seneca, Westfield Local losses: Salamanca x 2, at Clarence, Frontier
6. Allegany-Limestone (B2) - Key wins: Randolph, Depew, Southwestern, East, Olean x 2, Pioneer, Holland Local losses: Salamanca x 2, Fredonia
7. Randolph (C) - Key wins: Salamanca, Nichols Local losses: at Allegany-Limestone, Southwestern
8. Depew (B1) - Key wins: Niagara Wheatfield, at Olean, East Aurora, St. Mary's, Pioneer, at Cheektowaga, Lackawanna, at Cleveland Hill Local losses: Salamanca, Allegany-Limestone, North Tonawanda, Cheektowaga.
9. Southwestern (B2) - Key wins: at Randolph, Olean x 2, Clymer, Westfield Local losses: at Timon, at Salamanca, Allegany-Limestone, Fredonia, Cheektowaga
10. Newfane (B2) - Key wins: Starpoint, Roy-Hart x 2, Barker x 2 Local losses: Lew-Port, North Tonawanda, Williamsville North, East
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Monday, February 6th
South Park @ Nichols - 6 pm
Pioneer @ Cheektowaga - 6:30 pm
Salamanca @ Olean - 7:30 pm
Southwestern @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm
Panama @ Sherman - 7:30 pm
St. Francis @ McQuaid - 7:30 pm
Tuesday, February 7th
McKinley @ I-Prep - 6 pm
East @ Bennett - 6 pm
Niagara Wheatfield @ Lockport - 6:30 pm
Depew @ East Aurora - 7 pm
Health Sciences @ Clarence - 7:30 pm
Wednesday, February 8th
St. Francis @ Nichols - 6 pm
Burgard @ MST Seneca - 6 pm
Thursday, February 9th
I-Prep @ East - 6 pm
Randolph @ Frewsburg - 6 pm
South Park @ McKinley - 6 pm
Tapestry @ Global Concepts - 6 :30 pm
Cheektowaga @ Lackawanna - 7 pm
Westfield @ Clymer - 7:30 pm
Salamanca @ Southwestern - 7:30 pm
Friday, February 10th
St. Mary's @ Nichols - 6 pm
Lew-Port @ CSAT - 6:30 pm
Canisius @ Timon - 7 pm
Lockport @ North Tonawanda - 7 pm
Allegany-Limestone @ Fredonia - 7:30 pm
Saturday, February 11th
Starpoint @ Roy-Hart - 11:30 am
Niagara Falls @ Niagara Wheatfield - 12:30 pm
McKinley @ East - 12:30 pm
Depew @ Pioneer - 1 pm
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