(Park's Noah Hutchins - top left, Olean ready for another state title run - top right, Manhattan Cup B Champion Niagara Catholic closes its doors - bottom left, Justin Hemphill & Haakim Siner are now teammates at O'Hara - bottom right / Photos: Harry Scull/BuffNews)
The 2018-2019 Preview contains:
- Commentary
- What's New
- Returning 2018 All-Centercourt Players
- Player Watch List for 2019
- A League-by-League look at the teams
(MMA, Yale Cup, ECIC, NFL, N-O, CCAA, & Charters)
- Coaching Changes
- Classification Changes
- Preseason Top 10 Large & Small Schools
- Predictions
Commentary
Between the day I published the All-Centercourt Team and the day I started emailing requests to coaches for Season Preview information, there's been a flurry of activity related to high school basketball in WNY, and it will most certainly have a direct impact on the 2019 season. For starters, we've lost some very talented players that were underclassmen in 2018. Two of them held Division I offers and happened to be teammates on the Federation Championship team at Park, two of them were First Team All-Centercourt in 2018, and all of them were on the All-Centercourt Team.
Dan Scott earned a spot on First Team and was also made the Federation All-Tournament team after the Pioneers marched through NYS Class A, but has opted to transfer to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. His teammate, John Orogun, got better every time he took the floor as a sophomore last year and looked like a man among boys when playing in a freshmen/sophomore all-star game at the end of the season, ripping the rim nearly every time he touched the rock. The 6-10 big man with high major written all over him transferred to St. Benedict's. Park's sixth man, Julian Eziukwu, who was also the Centercourt Sixth Man of the Year last season as a junior, is no longer eligible due to his age. Needless to say, things will, at the very least, look different on Harlem Road this season.
Juston Johnson, a First Team All-Centercourt selection who led West Seneca West to a 24-0 record and the overall title in Class A before bowing out to Irondequoit in the Far West Regional, has been ruled ineligible. As of press time, the family was appealing the ruling and remains optimistic that Johnson will play this season. If he does, it drastically changes the landscape in ECIC I, Class A, and WNY hoops in general. The Indians beefed up their nonleague schedule tenfold from the one inherited by head coach Des Randall last year and will be a major contender without him, but with him, WSW becomes the favorite to return to the Far West Regional and beyond.
After following his sophomore campaign that earned Third Team All-Centercourt honors with a huge junior year that landed him on Second Team, leading Timon to a win over Park in the regular season, and eclipsing 1,000 career points, The Juice is now loose in Ontario. Julian Cunningham left South Buffalo this summer to head north of the border, transferring to Orangeville Prep, the same school WNY lost Joe Jones to after his junior year at Park in 2017.
I know, that's a lot to take in and a big blow to the talent pool in WNY, on the heels on graduating the likes of Greg Dolan, Davonte Gaines, Willard Anderson, Devin Pope, and all those boys from Canisius, including Ryan Bradley who is now at Daemen and Jayce Johnson, who was just on ESPN2 this week playing Division I ball for Middle Tennessee State. But that's not all - we've even lost teams from last year and seen some team-to-team player movement that will shake everything up even more.
Niagara Catholic closed its doors for good - the same Niagara Catholic that just built an overnight sensation of underclassmen that won the Class B Manhattan Cup. That left a lot of young players looking for a new home, or in one case, a return home. Third Team All-Centercourt pick and Manhattan Cup MVP Jalen Bradberry spent much of the summer running with St. Joe's, but ultimately wanted to play with his friends and return to his home school at Niagara Falls, where the Wolverines have won the last three Class AA titles. The same Niagara Falls that had those two young prodigies lead the team last year as a freshman (Roddy Gayle) & eighth grader (Willie Lightfoot) respectively. Wait, all three of those young studs are finally reunited? I've been hearing about Bradberry, Gayle, & Lightfoot since they started playing Biddy Ball. This could be the second coming of 2005 Falls!!! Well, not so fast.
While the arrival of Bradberry at Falls gives the Wolverines WNY's most dynamic backcourt, they won't have Roddy Gayle running in transition with them. Gayle left Falls this summer for another program in Niagara County and will run with the Lew-Port in 2019. For head coach Matt Bradshaw and the Lancers, it's a major jackpot! Gayle's presence at Lew-Port and in Class A makes them immediate contenders and must-see basketball.
Bradberry wasn't the only standout at Niagara Catholic. Haakim Siner was an Honorable Mention selection in 2018 and one of the best returning big men coming into this season. He has found a new home at Cardinal O'Hara, playing alongside the best returning big man, Justin Hemphill. Siner brought teammate Avion Harris with him, another starter at Catholic and one of the 15 All-Centercourt Defenders a year ago. With four starters back, some key reserves returning, the two key additions from Niagara Catholic, and a 6-5 shooting sophomore who joined the program, the Hawks suddenly look like not only the best team in their league, but maybe in WNY.
Remember, Cardinal O'Hara is a small school, so if they could get to and win the same game this season that Niagara Catholic lost in 2018, the CHSAA Class B State Championship, they'd be in the NYS Federation Tournament of Champions. That's the same tournament that Park won in Class A last year and also the tournament Olean reached after winning a state title in 2016. Yes, the same Olean that returns five starters to the group that held Health Sciences to 11 points in the first half last year and only lost to the Falcons by two in the overall Class B Final. Are you picking up what I'm trying to lay down yet??? I'll just spell it out - the possibility exists that both O'Hara and Olean could be two of the four teams showing up in Glens Falls during the last week of March in Class B. The last time two teams from WNY faced off in the Federation Tournament was in 2001, when Buffalo Traditional defeated Canisius. I can't imagine a much cooler scenario than driving to Glens Falls to watch two WNY teams play for the biggest prize in NYS.
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What's New ??
- After consecutive trips to the state final four in Class B, Section VI has reclassified Health Sciences, despite BEDS numbers that reflect Class B. The Falcons will compete in Class A2 this season.
- The 2019 Centercourt Classic has shifted venues to Villa Maria College and will feature six games over two days on February 8th & 9th.
- After stockpiling a loaded young squad at Niagara Catholic in one offseason and winning the Class B Manhattan Cup, the school has closed its doors and all that talent has dispersed to other teams.
- Oracle Charter has also closed. The Phoenix enjoyed their best season in 2013, reaching the Class C1 Final.
- Varsity basketball is back at Bennett. The team will be coached by Khalil Cottman and compete in Yale Cup II for league and Class C2 in sectionals.
- Falconer & Frewsburg flipped leagues. The Golden Falcons drop down to CCAA II West, while the Bears move up to CCAA I West.
- Depew & Springville flipped leagues. The Wildcats move up to ECIC III, while the Griffins move down to ECIC IV.
- Yale Cup start times have changed, again. Varsity tip times are now slated for 6 pm.
- Williamsville North has changed start times to 7 pm which kills my ability to catch double-headers there on my way home from a 6 pm game. Not cool Chuck.
- The ADPRO Public/Private Challenge has added a pair of girls games to the 11-game lineup, while Canisius & St. Joe's have opted out.
- Class C1 & C2 are back. In 2018, there was 16 teams in Class C, which is the maximum number for one bracket. This season there are 20 teams in Section VI Class C.
- This will be the last year in Binghamton for the NYSPHAA state championships. Glens Falls won the bid to be the host and will once again be the venue beginning in 2020!
- The Pastor-Cooper Showcase at Daemen College returns to three days this season, December 5th through December 7th.
- Far West Regionals will be played at Greece Athena High School on Saturday, March 9th.
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The Players
*** 6 of the top 25 players from the 2018 All-Centercourt Team return to the WNY high school hoops scene, along with 15 players that received Honorable Mentions following last season.
Returning First Teamer
Noah Hutchins - Park, Senior
Junior Season stats:
13.1 PPG
6.6 APG
5.0 RPG
2.6 SPG
1.3 BPG
The MVP of the Federation Tournament showed he could take over games during the Pioneers championship run in 2018. He should be downright dominant in his fourth season as the starting floor general for The Park School.
*All-Centercourt Defender & Centercourt #BOOM Squad*
Returning Third Teamers
Mike Schmidt - Olean, Senior
Junior Season stats:
16.6 PPG
6.4 APG
5.2 RPG
3.5 SPG
Already a state champion from 2016, Olean's point guard looks to lead the Huskies back to the top of New York State's Class B and go out on top.
* All-Centercourt Defender *
Jalen Bradberry - Niagara Falls, Sophomore
Freshman Season stats:
20.3 PPG
4.6 RPG
2.4 APG
2.1 SPG
0.7 BPG
After leading Niagara Catholic to a Manhattan Cup in its final year in existence, Bradberry returns to NFHS after two years away, already approaching 1,000 career points before his sophomore campaign.
Justin Hemphill - Cardinal O'Hara, Senior
Junior Season stats:
20.5 PPG
13.5 RPG
3.5 APG
2.6 SPG
2.6 BPG
A Division I talent and a matchup nightmare in the post for opposing defenses. He can run the floor and absolutely soar.
* Centercourt #BOOM Squad *
Returning Fifth Teamers
Kam Briggs - Health Sciences, Senior
Junior Season stats:
12.9 PPG
3.1 SPG
1.8 APG
1.5 RPG
A two-way standout who sealed the 2018 Section VI title for Health Sciences with his defense and took over offensively in the Class B state semifinal.
* All-Centercourt Defender *
Tyler Hind - Randolph, Junior
Sophomore Season stats:
23.3 PPG
6.6 APG
4.2 RPG
3.1 SPG
0.5 BPG
Already a 1,000 point scorer, Hind does it all for the Cardinals. Deceptively strong & athletic, there isn't a better shooter in WNY.
Returning 2018 Honorable Mentions
Mason Goodridge - Springville, Senior
24.6 PPG / 3.1 RPG / 2.4 SPG / 2.0 APG / 0.5 BPG - as a junior
Zamari Mitchell - West Seneca East, Senior
22.5 PPG / 4.7 RPG / 4.2 SPG / 2.4 APG / 0.6 BPG - as a junior
Trent Scott - Senior
18.6 PPG / 6.1 RPG / 4.9 APG / 3.2 SPG / 1.1 BPG - as a junior
Adrian Baugh - West Seneca West, Senior
17.6 PPG / 7.4 RPG / 2.3 SPG / 2.0 APG / 1.2 BPG - as a junior
Earl Howard - MST Seneca, Senior
17.5 PPG / 6.2 RPG / 3.4 APG / 1.1 SPG - as a junior
Dorian Plummer - Tapestry, Senior
17.3 PPG / 4.7 RPG / 2.6 SPG / 1.4 APG - as a junior
Cam Sionko - Grand Island, Senior
16.3 PPG / 7.0 RPG / 5.2 APG / 1.5 SPG / 0.5 BPG - as a junior
River Reinhardt - Clarence, Senior
15.3 PPG / 4.6 APG / 3.3 RPG / 2.7 SPG - as a junior
Haakim Siner - Cardinal O'Hara, Senior
13.7 PPG / 10.6 RPG / 1.8 SPG / 1.3 APG / 0.8 BPG - as a junior
Chris Stineman - Nichols, Senior
12.5 PPG / 10.4 RPG / 2.8 APG / 1.5 BPG / 0.9 SPG - as a junior
Devin Degree - Williamsville South, Senior
11.8 PPG / 4.6 APG / 4.1 RPG / 2.7 SPG - as a junior
Quentin Nnagbo - Park, Senior
6.6 PPG / 6.2 RPG / 1.6 APG / 1.6 SPG / 1.5 BPG - as a junior
Daesean Ashley - St. Joe's, Junior
17.6 PPG / 6.4 RPG / 3.4 APG / 3.3 SPG - as a sophomore
Tariq Eubanks - Tapestry, Sophomore
12.0 PPG / 4.2 APG / 3.5 RPG / 2.9 SPG - as a freshman
Roddy Gayle - Lew-Port, Freshman
12.8 PPG / 4.3 RPG / 3.2 APG / 1.0 SPG / 0.9 BPG - as an 8th grader
Player Watch List
SENIORS
Jermaine Haynes (Cardinal O'Hara), Noah Grabar (Lackawanna), Josiah Harris (Niagara Falls), Brady Woelben (Silver Creek), Lucas Theisen (St. Francis), Justin Poumpey (St. Francis), River Reinhart (Clarence), Malik Brooks (Lockport), Quentin Nnagbo (Park), Nate Shuart (Fredonia), Amir Radford (City Honors), Andrej Milinkovic (Iroquois), Alero World (Timon), Joe Jamison (Canisius), Anthony Whitfield (Hutch Tech), Ngenda Elias (McKinley), Ja'Kari Nettles (Middle College), Julius Laureano (Riverside), Jon Abaya (Williamsville North), Joe Nusall (Williamsville North), Jack Putney (Clarence), Grant Moore (Jamestown), Jakob Jerebko (Lancaster), Tysheen Lott (Health Sciences), Josiah Haygood (Health Sciences), Alex Card (Southwestern), Matt Droney (Olean), Brian Ramarge (Olean), Jake Mullen (Amherst), Evan John (Sweet Home), Noah Denz (East Aurora), Steve Frerichs (Wilson), Izaiah Rhim (Medina), Frederick Johnson (Cleveland Hill)
JUNIORS
Dwayne Vass (Canisius), Ish Fairclough (Canisius), Jaylen Stewart (Amherst), Anthony Mack (South Park), Jahmal Lewis (McKinley), Cameron Barmore (Panama), Cal Shifflet (Williamsville East), Aidan Horan (Nichols), David Hughes (East), Anthony Mack (South Park), Jamond Jones (Middle College), Nate Ryniec (West Seneca West), Daequan Hill (Sweet Home), Greg Poland (St. Joe's), Mike DiGiulio (Williamsville South)
SOPHOMORES
Javaughn Jones (Health Sciences), Amiel Collins (St. Francis), Tyler Putney (Fredonia), Jayden Slaughter (City Honors), Keonjay Carter (Park), Caleb Hutchins (Park), Logan Sionko (Grand Island), Isaac Brown (Salamanca), Tyler Putney (Fredonia), Andre Goldsmith (Global Concepts), Xavier Laverty (Walsh), Max Dowling (Canisius), Peyton Consigli (St. Francis), Samuel Moss (McKinley), Elijah Rojas (Jamestown), Walter Wisniewski (North Tonawanda)
FRESHMEN
Willie Lightfoot (Niagara Falls), Justin Glover (St. Joe's), Massai Graham (Timon), Trey Kleitz (Iroquois), Gabe McCoy (Randolph), Josh Haskell (Franklinville), Kegan Mancabelli (Orchard Park), Joe Harrington (Lancaster)
EIGHTH GRADER
Jalen Duff (Lew-Port)
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League-By-League
Monsignor Martin Association
Large Schools - CLASS A
Park enjoyed its greatest season in school history last year, knocking off Canisius for the Manhattan Cup, before claiming the CHSAA Class A state championship at Villa Maria College. Two weeks later, the Pioneers arrived in Glens Falls for the NYS Federation Tournament of Champions - an honor they had won as a small school in 2015. Once again, Park returned to WNY with the hardware, this time as champions of NYS Class A, after winning a thriller over Albany Academy as time expired. With the off-season transfers of Dan Scott to Oak Hill Academy and John Orogun to St. Benedicts, the Pioneers lost a pair of returning future Division I talents, but they still return Noah Hutchins and Quentin Nnagbo to the starting lineup and most certainly have a title to defend. Sophomores Caleb Hutchins and Keyounjay Carter will step in and be counted on immediately. St. Francis seems to be off the radar for many in the preseason, but the Red Raiders squad could soon be grabbing everyone's attention much like they did two years ago, when a cohesive group took all three meetings from Park and nearly ended a long championship drought. Lucas Theisen enters the season healthier than last year and should have a big campaign, while point guard Justin Poumpey is a perfect fit for the style the team plays. Dorion Ivey, David Bartholomew, and Amiel Collins all saw extended time for Frannies last year, and when you throw in some added depth on the bench, just don't say i didn't warn you about this group. You would have to go back to 2008 to find the last time Canisius went multiple seasons without winning the Manhattan Cup. That's not great news for the rest of the league, considering Park claimed the prize in 2018. Despite graduating all five starters, the Crusaders are hardly short on talent and will look to juniors Dwayne Vass and Ish Faircloth to take the reigns and get the team back to the top. Senior guard Joe Jamison is back for a third season, while junior Eric Kegler arrives from St. Mary's. Timon will undoubtedly miss the departure of guard and leader Julian Cunningham, who left the team for Orangeville Prep. Filling his role looks to be the biggest challenge for a team that has shooters and a pair of forwards that will be fun to watch. Alero World is back for his senior season and offers classic elements of a stretch four with his 6-7 frame, while freshman Massai Graham is so exciting, explosive, and athletically gifted that he's already been sized for a #BOOM Squad shirt. After six seasons at Williamsville South, Gabe Michael is the new head coach at St. Joe's, where he'll roll with five seniors who return to the program, along with a mix of underclassmen.
***
Park: Noah Hutchins 12, Quentin Nnagbo 12, Jai'den Dunn 12, Harrison Abramaitys 12, Luke Gozelski 11, Zachary Fahey 11, Caleb Hutchins 10, Keonjay Carter 10, Torian Wallace 10, Des Davis 10, Josh Bridges 10
St. Francis: Justin Poumpey 12, Lucas Theisen 12, Dorion Ivey 12, Elijah Williams 12, Nicholas Reeb 12, Noah Unger 12, Traevone Scott 12, Dan Busha 12, Ryan Lacki 12, David Bartholomew 11, Jack Bickerstaff 11, Chris Dempsey 11, Theodore Katholos 11, Amiel Collins 10, Peyton Consigli 10
Canisius: Joe Jamison 12, Andrew Hartnett 12, Joe Ingrando 12, Jason Martin 12, Jaurney Boyland 12, Dwayne Vass 11, Ish Faircloth 11, Eric Kegler 11, Christian Veilleux 11, Abdalla Masrour 11, Jihad Almadrahi 11, Max Dowling 10, Joe Ciocca 10
Timon: Alero World 12, Tahron Goudelock 12, John Shields 12, Jeremy Glinski 12, Ring Mobil 12, Sean Hayes 12, Nyan Chiagi 12, Simon Miazga 11, Brandon Lowry 11, Massai Graham 9, Kamar Goudelock 9, Kevin Thompson 9
St. Joe's: Pat McCann 12, Will Ostrowski 12, Tino Martone 12, Kemychal Clark 12, Jack Wojtazsek 12, Hamzah Abdur-Rahman 12, Daesean Ashley 11, Greg Poland 11, Nolan Phillips 11, Jack Shivinsky 11, DJ Luchey 11, James Carrington 11, Chris Carlone 10, Will Beilein 10, Justin Glover 9, Jimmy Scott 9
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Small Schools - CLASS B
Cardinal O'Hara has good reason to believe this is the year they breakthrough and win the Manhattan Cup after falling in the final to Niagara Catholic last year. Besides returning four starters, including Third Team All-Centercourt star Justin Hemphill, the team added two starters from Niagara Catholic when the school closed. That's six starters back from the Manhattan Cup Final! Among those is Haakim Siner, who was all over the glass every time he took the floor, along with Avion Harris - an All-Centercourt defender. Jermaine Haynes averaged 15 points per contest last year for the Hawks and has started the last two years. Joe Mihalics returns to coaching in the Monsignor Martin after three years away. The former Timon coach & player becomes the sixth head coach of Nichols since 2011 and takes over for a Vikings team that should be significantly better this year. Chris Stineman & Aidan Horan give the team one of WNY's best front courts with their athleticism, size, and versatile skill sets. The team is excited about sophomore guard Jesse Adamu, who along with fellow classmate Jaylen Hearon, are expected to make an immediate impact. St. Mary's was hit hard by graduation and will look to a new cast led by the lone returning starter, Brady O'Brien. Walsh has no seniors and just one junior on its roster, so the Eagles likely field the youngest team in WNY, while playing against some of the fiercest competition. Xavier Laverty averaged 20 points per game as a freshman, while connecting from long range over 80 times. CCA is a team that uses primarily guard play with a fast tempo. The Crusaders have three returning seniors and junior Daniel Tyson back, and will look to push the ball up the court and utilize all their players.
***
Cardinal O'Hara: Justin Hemphill 12, Haakim Siner 12, Jermaine Haynes 12, Brandon Broadnax 12, Joe Turri 12, Avion Harris 11, Jaedin Cottman 11, Yehshua Lee 11, Joe Bohlman 11, Ryan Kelly 10, Henry Smith 10, Jimmie Green 9
Nichols: Chris Stineman 12, Jonathan Goodloe 12, Clark Thrasher 12, Matt Raiff 12, Julian Freeman 12, Jake Bair 12, Marcus Ottaviano 12, Aidan Horan 11, Billy Locke 11, Brandon Scott 11, Jesse Adamu 10, Hugh Purks 10, Jaylen Hearon 10
St. Mary's: Brady O'Brien 12, Sean Melson 12, Alif Dunbar 12, Brendan Murty 11, Levi Taberski 11, David Persico 11, Luke Szablewski 11, Peter Duane 11, Jerome Stachura 11, Trenton Rumley 10, Nevada Eldridge 10, Sean Brown 10, Brandon Thome 10
Walsh: Marcus Esposito 11, Max Garvin 10, Xavier Laverty 10, Ajhani Parks 10, Patrick Tufino 10, Dominic Esposito 9, Russell Maine 9, Everett Swenson 9
CCA: Jabari Blodgett 12, Tyler Craven 12, Kyle Gold 12, Zach Miller 12, Brendan Cook 11, Cameron McKissic 11, David Ruhl 11, Daniel Tyson 11, Matthew Samuel 10
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Section VI
YALE CUP I
In a league that has a state champion East, a South Park team that nearly clipped West Seneca West for the overall Class A title, and resident bully McKinley...it was Middle College that raised the 2018 Yale Cup after winning the city's league race. The Kats will look to defend their Cup with a young team looking to prove themselves by playing a hard-nosed defensive style, looking to slow teams down and take them out of their comfort zone. The team will be led by Jamond Jones, Ja'Kari Nettles, Tereamell Stevens, Keith Brown, Devonte Prince, & Keyunte Jones. East is the reigning NYS Class D state champion after ending Moriah's bid to repeat and its 45-game win streak, which had been the longest in the state. This year's Panthers are back in Class C and return just one starter (Danny Carter), but remain optimistic that the victories will continue to pile up for the city's all-time winningest coach in Starling Bryant. Look for big seasons out of Dontaye Miller and 6-6 David Hughes. South Park is the defending Class A2 champ and has plenty back from last season, led by exciting point guard Anthony Mack. Jayson Armstead and Davon White will be counted on, while Elijah Lewis, Michael Crockett, and Jayon Renfro will give the team a strong presence on the boards. Willie Hutch Jones takes over as head coach at South Park, where the team has bought into his philosophy of "We Love Defense". McKinley's speed will once again be an asset this year. The Macks will be right in the thick of the race for the Yale Cup, led by smooth senior two guard Ngenda Elias, who can really heat up from the outside. Jahmal David-Lewis gives the team an inside/outside threat, while Samuel Moss is an up and coming sophomore on Elmwood Avenue. Sean Edinger takes over the Burgard program and has been really pleased with the group of young men he has to work with, saying the team is full of hard workers that never quit and are always at practice, hungry to learn the game.
***
Middle College: Tereamell Stevens Richardson 12, Ja'Kari Nettles 12, Alphonso Wysinger 12, Jayvaughn Swain 12, Jaheim Virgil 12, Keyunte Jones 11, Malik Meadows 11, Jamond Jones 11, Keith Brown 11, Deshoni Pickett 11, Anthony Smith 10, Devonte Prince 10, Zaire White 10
South Park: Elijah Lewis 12, Dabeyon Humphrey 12, Jayon Renfro 12, Anthony Mack 11, Jayson Armstead 11, Michael Crockett 11, Davon White 11, Julian Santiago 11, Andre Augustiniak 11, Donald Steward 11, Denzel Ward 11, Branden Paige 11, Tyek Griffin 11, Mykell Hepbum 11
East: Keyonya Harmon 12, Jawan Burse 12, Danny Carter 11, David Hughes 11, Juron Hill 11, Dontaye Miller 11, Aaron Smith 11, Gary Dobbs 11, Zephaniah Sanford 11, Eric Jones 11, Kabah Kabah 11, Tynell Ruffins 10, Anthony Oberlander 10, Jaiden Green 10, Christopher Walker 10
McKinley: Ngenda Elias 12, Elijah Strong 12, Tavionn Martin 12, Shahib Golden 12, Jaylen Colemen 12, Taj Rouse 12, Jahmal Lewis 11, Jesse Snow 11, Patrick Mootry 11, Jayshawn Austin 11, Alexander Johnson 11, Dominick Burgess 11, Shamere Farrow 11, Samuel Moss 10, Bush Rieang 10
Burgard: Dejauhn Williams 12, Amarni Ray 12, Sunny Hollingsworth 12, Carlos Lewis 12, Gregg Ruffins 12, Ja'Kyi Jones 12, Davon Hester 12, Davon White 12, Tyshawn Rosenthal 11, Yezeal Small 11, Prentis Simpson 11, Ammarion Viverette 11, Brandon Bratton 11, Armani Ray 11, Reggie Bess 11
Hutch-Tech: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
Emerson: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
I-Prep: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
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YALE CUP II
City Honors nearly made history during the 2018 postseason. The Centaurs traveled to Olean and nearly pulled the quarterfinal upset that would have ended a homwe winning streak that dates back to 2011. After an entire offseason to stew about it, Honors is back in force with its entire starting lineup. John Kudla's club should be the favorites to claim Yale Cup II and the major obstacle to Olean's bid to begin a state run in the playoffs. Amir Radford returns after earning co-POY honors in league as a junior, along with sophomore Jaden Slaughter, who is expected to start turning heads this year. MST Seneca is only returning three players from last year's team and will need leadership from Earl Howard to bring the team together and help build chemistry with new talent up from the JV ranks. Strong defense will need to carry the Wolves to success. Riverside returns Julius Laureano, one of the top players in the league. With the Frontiers moving into Class C2 this year, they should have their sights set on getting the team to JCC to make some postseason noise. Jarryd Austin takes over a team at Buffalo Arts that has lacked leadership at the top and will begin his efforts to build a model program. The team will be driven by returning seniors Jalen Carter-Keith & Cencear Benefield and focused on working hard to become better throughout the season. Lafayette is looking to build on last season under new head coach Brian Davis. Nick Todaro is done coaching at DaVinci after one season. As of press time, it was unknown for sure whether the school would even field a team or who would be coaching them if it did.
***
City Honors: Amir Radford 12, Eliot Solomon 12, Xavion Baines 12, Henry Nowak 12, Jerimiah Chapman 11, Nate Kahn 11, Kevion Taylor 11, Max Nowak 11, Marcale Patterson 11, Jack Galvin 11, Chia-Ho Huany 11, Dileon Campbell 10, Jayden Slaughter 10, Caleb Chapman 9
MST Seneca: Earl Howard 12, Nick Price 12, Ronald White 12, Dujuan Franklin 12, Anthony Manuel 12, Ibrahiem Lewis 12, Jihad Loynes 12, Isiah Reid 11, Morgan Eaton 11, Justus Stokes 11, Devante Simmons 11, Chad Lukas 11, DeMario James 10
Riverside: Julius Laureano 12, Javier Gonzalez 12, Asante Silva 12, Ashanti Thompson 12, Michael Villegas 12, Jean Velez 12, Ezequiel Rodriguez 10, Ali Mohammed 10, Daniel Staly 10, Ruben Casiano 10, Jaxel Cruz Figueroa 10
Lafayette: Kevin Maysonet 11, Kenneth Merced 11, Yabnel Calderon 11, Osvaldo Llanos 11, Yandell Soto 11, Arnadi Velasquez 11, Aaron Santana 11, Luis Cruz 10, Jonathan Torres 10, Yan Carlos Rodriguez 10, Edgardo Ortiz 9
Buffalo Arts: Jalen Carter-Keith 12, Cencear Benefield 12, Marquis Lacey 12, Andre Sawyer 12, Jayden Robinson 11, Drezale Mack 11, Charles Slobert 10, Corey Rodgers 10, Ezekiel Toomes 10
Bennett: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
Olmsted: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
DaVinci: Seriously, I don't know if they have a team or a coach
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ECIC I
Williamsville North is going to be a problem for the rest of the league this season. The Spartans reached the Class AA Final in 2018 and have plenty of size, muscle, & experience back with four returning starters (Jake Belote, Breht Swiech, Jon Abaya, & Scott Becht). They'll also get a big boost from the return of Joe Nusall, who started 18 games as a sophomore two years ago, but sat out all of last year due to injury. Orchard Park after leading the JV team to an undefeated season, Chris Frankowski moves up to take over as head coach of the varsity team that left everything on the court at Buff State during the 2018 Class AA semifinals. Back from that team are seniors Nathan Wereski, Josh McTigue, & Archie Bartolotti, along with juniors Tino Mancabelli & Ethan Swiatek . Juniors Chase Kline & Jack Sharp look to play a key role for the Quakers who will play aggressive pressure defense, while pushing & sharing the ball at the offensive end. Clarence returns a pair of three-year starters in River Reinhardt and Jack Putney and Brandon Ferris is back and will be counted on heavily at both ends of the floor after leading the team in 3-point shooting last year. The Red Devils will need some young guys to step up for the team to break through and make an appearance at Buff State. Jamestown's strength will be its inside play with Shaheem Freeney and Grant Moore. Sophomore point guard Elijah Rojas is a returning starter and Kameron Grant could surprise with his play this season. Lancaster should get a big season out of senior JJ Jerebko, who wasn't playing at full strength last season, but has a great all-around game. Juniors GianLuca Fulciniti, Trevor Reformat, and Justin Hughes, along with freshman Joe Harrington will all see big minutes for the Legends. Frontier has a solid big man in Brandon Dunz, along with three players who all logged big minutes and contributed last season in Tyler Bailey, Alex Hiam, and Ben Taylor.
***
Williamsville North: Jon Abaya 12, Joe Nusall 12, Jacob Belote 12, Dylan Mann 12, Austin Mann 12, Scott Becht 12, Jake Federio 12, Joe Hnat 12, Scott Hopkins 11, David Bass 11, Evan Richter 11, Breht Swiech 11, Gilad Symons 11, Michael Washington 11
Orchard Park: Nate Wereski 12, Matt Burney 12, Archie Bartolotti 12, Josh McTigue 12, Brad Fowler 11, Tino Mancabelli 11, Ethan Swiatek 11, Aidan Jennings 11, Aidan Shaw 11, Chase Kline 11, Jack Sharp 11, Jake Morris 11, Jonathon Lander 11, Thomas Callaghan 11, Kegan Mancabelli 9
Clarence: River Reinhardt 12, Jack Putney 12, Brandon Ferris 12, Akilesh Ramakrishna 12, Jon Stevens 12, Jackson Wurtz 12, Dominic Basile 11, Jake Chenevert 11, Joe DiMaio 11, Cole Harris 11, Peyton Metzger 11, Chris Stuhler 11, JD Brooks 10, Zach Ianello 10
Jamestown: Grant Moore 12, Daunte Garland 12, Kameron Grant 12, Shaheem Freeney 12, Grayson Holt 12, Justin Esquilin 12, Jordan Crofoot 11, Tyler Swegles 11, Evan Anderson 11, Andrew Dix 11, Elijah Rojas 10, Demarri Jones 10
Lancaster: JJ Jerebko 12, Jon Kisker 12, Max Molino 12, Matt Morgus 12, John Morgus 12, Nick Vacanti 12, GianLuca Fulciniti 11, Trevor Reformat 11, Justin Hughes 11, Lucas Jachimiak 11, Shane Schaefer 11, Connor Mahony 11, Joe Harrington 9
Frontier: Alex Hiam 12, Brandon Dunz 12, Ben Taylor 12, Tyler Bailey 12, Chris Jones 12, Tyler Jenkins 12, Brian Norsen 12, Jacob Nye 12, Jacob Minniefield 11, Tanner Fadale 11, Ethan Bevilacqua 11, Avery Kuryak 11, Nate Hoellig 11
West Seneca West: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
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ECIC II
Amherst will be a hungry team this season after a year that ended short of Buff State for the first time since 2011, after dropping a heart-breaker in the quarterfinals by one point in overtime to eventual champion South Park. The team's biggest loss was Daesean Ashley who transferred, but the Tigers gained a transfer in flashy guard Jaylen Stewart, who waited in the wings the past two years at Park and should be primed for a breakout season. Jake Mullen, Ja'kye Womack, Xavier Lewis, & Jackson Tan were all part of the rotation last year and return. Williamsville South has won five straight league titles and will seek a sixth under new head coach Mike Trybinski, who moves over from Alden. Trybinski was formerly a Williamsville coach at Will East and will have his work cut out for him with the loss of 2018 CC MVP Greg Dolan. The team returns starters Devin Degree & Ethan Heil, along with sixth man Mike DiGuilio, and looks for big contributions from Angel Torres and Kingsley Mitchell. The Billies will rely on a solid group of players thrust into more prominent roles, where controlling tempo and mixing defenses will be key. Sweet Home hope to build upon their performance last season, led by senior Evan John and junior big man Daequan Hill. The Panthers are coming off a 15-win season and look to continue to play with toughness & energy, seeking a trip to Buff State. West Seneca East won just five games last season, but that included a playoff upset at Williamsville East. Zamari Mitchell is back after scoring 22.5 per contest as a junior and earning First Team All ECIC honor, along with Trent Cordone, who was second on the team in scoring and assists. Starpoint will have more depth than in recent years and has five returning players who will be regulars in the rotation, led by three-year starter Justin Mott. Williamsville East will be a very young team with only three returning players, but one is the team's leading scorer in junior Cal Shifflet. Max Schneider will start at the point as a freshman for the Flames as part of an influx of talent up from last year's JV team that won 15 games. Hamburg carried six sophomores on the roster a season ago and will have just three seniors, but the Bulldogs hope the youth movement pays dividends this year in the form of more victories.
***
Amherst: Ja’Kye Womack 12, Xavier Lewis 12, Jake Mullen 12, James Moore 12, Deadrea Tyson 12, Jackson Tan 12, Matt Gramza 12, Jaylen Stewart 11, Noah Woldu 11, Aden Clemente 11, Marcus Hall 11, Nick O'Neil 11, Rayshawn Allen 11, Gavin Warren 11, Myles Cooper 11, Imari Jenkins 11
Williamsville South: Devin Degree 12, Ryan Schouten 12, Ethan Heil 12, Angel Torres 12, Jamelle Jones 12, Sean Kerr 12, Mike DiGiulio 11, Kingsley Mitchell 11, Demetrius Wells 11, X'zavion Galarza 11, Marshone Eggelston 10, Michael Kelly 10, Robert Kelly 10, Jeremy Matute 10
Sweet Home: KiAiir Brunner 12, Marjohn Manuel 12, Evan John 12, Matthew Nix 12, Kevin Gunn 12, Jevon Schumaker 12, Jamel Lucas 11, DaeQuan Hill 11, Brian Ferguson 11, Rhydell Griffin 11, Jaden King 11, Adriane Harris 11, Isaiah Killian 11, Jacob Chilvas 11
West Seneca East: Zamari Mitchell 12, Marcus Barney 12, Matt Ibrahim 12, Adam Wojciechowski 12, Ethan Bilski 12, Alex Sarick 12, Trent Cordone 11, Tommie Ferrell 11, Andrew Radka 11, Michael Marcezin 11, Carson Kelly 11, Jason Perillo 11, Cole Ignaszak 10, Devare Mathis 10, Jaiden Lewis 7
Starpoint: Aaron Chase 12, Brendan Gawel 12, Justin Mott 12, Adam Rankie 12, Rob Roetzer 12, Braden Zdrojewski 12, DJ Wick 11, Joe Carlson 11, Clevester Bradley 11, Aidan Davis 11, Joe Dell'Oso 11, Jack Putney 11, Ethan Wright 11, Harry Dhaliwall 11, Tim Olson 11, Dexter Brooks 10
Williamsville East: Dylan Moorhouse 12, Zach Rudewicz 12, Jaden Gerena 12, Dylan Lobdell 12, Cal Shifflet 11, Mark Greco 11, Kevin Early 11, Ethan Neu 11, Jack Gelder 11, Jake Skidmore 11, Cole Ronan 11, Yusuf Hashmi 10, Joee Mack 10, Jake Cloen 10, Max Schneider 9
Hamburg: Kevin McDermott 12, Connor McDonnell 12, Matthew Reagan 12, Nathan Severson 11, David Benningfield 11, Andrew Genzel 11, David Lambert 11, Jason Golembiewski 11, Maxwell Haney 11, Corey Munro 11, Nathan Neudeck 11
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ECIC III
Maryvale has Nathan Crombie, Rashaad Law, and Xaier Mitchell back, while senior Jay Henley returns after contributing two seasons ago. Sophomore Andrew Dockery enters his second varsity season for the Flyers. Cheektowaga won't have a lot of size or experience, but should entertain fans with their style of play. Get it & go and look to get to the rim to create as much havoc as possible is the goal of the Warriors and they have plenty of athleticism to help accomplish that, led by seniors Armondez Cleague and Jason Saloman. Iroquois reached Buff State in Class A2 last season and returns plenty of depth at the guard position from that team. Freshman Trey Kleitz looks poised for a breakout season in his second year with the varsity team, while 6-9 Andrej Milinkovic from Serbia brings a shooter's touch and the team hopes he can provide a major presence inside. Lake Shore hopes to be more than a one-year wonder after reaching the Class A2 Final in 2018. They bring back a pair of starters in Ajay Cybulski and Josh Buchanan who will be strong contributors at both ends. Efrain Barreto brings a high energy to the point, while the combo of Marcus & Zach Evans will handle the shooting gurad position and Nate Lockwood mans the post. Pioneer is coming off a 13-9 season and looking to build on that success with a run at Buff State. The Panthers will be led by returning starters Nick Rinker and Dillon Giboo and should benefit from the return of Jason Corbett. East Aurora has just three seniors and will rely on Noah Denz for leadership and scoring. Junior Will Covington returns to the backcourt after missing most of his sophomore season due to injury. Ian Moog is a 6-7 sophomore who should be a big contributor, while hard work in the offseason by senior Nate Mucci and freshman Dominic Phillips should earn them some opportunities. Depew returns to ECIC III after a year away. The Wildcats have a lot of scoring and leadership to replace with the graduation of five-year player Chad Biersbach and will likely improve as the season wears on. Expect their style to stay the same - moving the ball and looking for perimeter shots, while digging in defensively.
***
Maryvale: Nathan Crombie 12, Rashaad Law 12, Jay Henley 12, Ryan Smith 12, Nahjir Derby 12, Christian Gueth 12, Xaier Mitchell 11, Glenn Daniels 11, Deondre Rice 11, Andrew Dockery 10, Dean Orlowski 10
Cheektowaga: Jason Salomon 12, Armondez Cleague 12, KeShone Beal 12, Rayshawn Minter 12, Jaylen Wiliams 11, Latrell Stone 11, Jesse Hawkins 10, Keonte' Brown 10
Iroquois: Charlie Ottomano 12, Calvin Gawlick 12, Cole Augustine 12, Sean Holleig 12, Andrej Milinkovic 12, Ethan Bowen 12, Matt Matla 11, Andy Osuch 11, Sam Fones 11, Jon Reidel 11, Nick Parstch 11, Nick Bowen 10, Trey Kleitz 9
Lake Shore: Ajay Cybulski 12, Josh Buchanon 12, Marcus Evans 12, Nate Lockwood 12, Jack Perry 12, Efrain Barreto 11, Zach Cervola 11, Zach Evans 11, Tyler Hassel 11, Spencer Kwilos 11, Thomas Michael 11, Matt Mieszczak 11, Mahlik Thompson 10
Pioneer: Nick Rinker 12, Dillon Giboo 12, Jason Corbett 12, Gabe Higgins 12, Cole Pleace 12, Tra’e Hill 11, Colton Raiber 11, Kaleb Phillips 11, Denton Tilly 11, Skyler Kirsch 11, James Rupert 11, Gavyn Mason 11
East Aurora: Noah Denz 12, Nate Mucci 12, Andrew Cohn 12, Will Covington 11, David Morris 11, Jimmy Tanner 11, Chris Sieracki 11, Ryan Maloney 11, Tage Hoeg 11, Matteo Duennebacke 11, Ian Moog 10, Drew Kenney 10, Dominic Phillips 9
Depew: Sean Miller 12, Matt Martin 12, Joe Pagano 12, Jacob Wentland 12, Max Cotton 12, Collin Bruencz 12, Tyler Anderson 12, PJ Burns 11, Collin Coburn 11, Nathan Kulesz 11, Justin Losel 11, Daivon March 11, Christian Pagano 10
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ECIC IV
Cleveland Hill has an explosive three-year senior and captain in Fredrick Johnson. He's a dynamic player who can score inside and out and at 6-6, makes passing lanes difficult for opponents. Peyton Barker missed most of last season with an injury and his return should help in the paint at both ends of the floor. Springville moves back to ECIC IV this season and will have a deep bench with eight returning seniors from last year, led by all-around talent, Mason Goodridge. Adam Pruitt, Alex Francisco and Austin Boies will also be key for the Griffins, who play a fast-paced tempo and strong defense. JFK graduated three starters and a lot of points from the team that went to theClass B2 Final in 2018. The Bears have some good athletes, but lack size & varsity experience and will rely on Zack Manzella, Mitchell Fischer, and Alan Suarez for leadership & scoring. Alden has a new head coach in Tim Stone and will be a young team with little experience, returning only starter from last year. The Bulldogs will be led by Max Gilbert and Lucas Jurek. Tonawanda returns four starters and all but two players from a season ago. Though still young, Trevin Boling & JJ Valazquez played a lot last year, while Pat Carney , Owen Baker and Khristian Valazquez started most of the games. Holland has just three seniors, but should be a balanced team with decent depth, led by Brennan Lewandowski who made Second Team ECIC IV last year. Eden has a new head coach once again this season in Don Genco and he's set a lot of goals for the Raiders to accomplish this year, with competing in the area being a big part of that. The team is led by Jared Sobczyk & Alec Henry and has an abundance of three point shooters, led by Brandon Haller, CJ Sroda and Hunter Stetz.
***
Cleveland Hill: Fredrick Johnson 12, Aaron Wahler 12, Peyton Barker 12, D'Mario Grant 12, Alfred Walker 12, Thomas Jonson 11, Caron Marshall 11, Jayden Krueger 11, Rashad Spencer 11, Samuel Pitts 11, Pierre Brown 11
Springville: Mason Goodridge 12, Adam Pruitt 12, Tyler Attebery 12, Alex Francisco 12, Adam Ditchey 12, Mike Sobota 12, Zach Parker 12, Austin Lux 12, Nick Sullivan 11, Chris Smith 11, Austin Boies 10
JFK: Zack Manzella 12, Kage Dauman 12, Mitchell Fischer 12, Mark Konczal 12, Jason Leonarczyk 12, Scott Prell 12, Alan Suarez 11, Stuart McLeod 11, Jax Lighten 11, Jamaal Huff 11, Da'Rell Dabney 11, Kenny Avery 11
Alden: Lucas Jurek 12, Max Gilbert 12, Quinn Keller 12, Trey Samsel 11, Lucas Bush 11, Robby Motz 11, Tad Lacki 11, Matt Boucher 11, Joey Motz 10, Jacob Baker 9, Walker Wrest 9
Holland: Brennan Lewandowski 11, Josey Rivera 11, Logan Filipiac 12, Nolan Perry 11, Tanner Beicke 11, Joe Ferrara 11, Nolan Kirsch 11, Jon Nellis 11, Josh Ostrowski 11, Tyler Scheffler 11, Jon Staniszewski 11, Aidan Wrazen 11
Tonawanda: Owen Baker 12, Khristian Valazquez 12, Pat Carney 12, William Zeughardt 12, Hayden Lilly 12, David Perry 11, Rudy Warren 10, JJ Valazquez 10, Travis Davis 10, Mike Tantillo 10, Trevin Boling 9
Eden: Jared Sobsyk 12, Connor Blake 12, Jaden Rodriguez 12, Zach DeCardis 12, Louis DeCardis 12, Gavin Hill 11, Alec Henry 11, Brandon Haller 11, Robert Grunder 11, Matt Kobie 11, Jake Dimarco 11, Hunter Stetz 10, CJ Sroda 10
Lackawanna: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
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Niagara Frontier League
Niagara Falls made it a three-peat in Class AA last year and I can't see any reason why the fun would stop there. With Third Team All-Centercourt selection Jalen Bradberry returning home after already playing two varsity seasons and leading Niagara Catholic to the CHSAA Class B state championship game, along with the player I'm most excited to see this season in freshman guard Willie Lightfoot, stopping the Wolverines title run seems highly unlikely. Lightfoot is one of those rare talents who spent last season running the point at Falls and is ready to explode onto the scene this year. Add in the return of Josiah Harris, Moran Montgomery, and Taylor Sanders, along with Jaemon Turner back after Niagara Catholic closed, and get ready to watch NFHS wear teams down with speed, pressure, and all that talent. Lew-Port hit the local lottery of sorts, gaining future high major standout Roddy Gayle, a freshman who transferred in the offseason after starting for Class AA champion Niagara Falls. His presence immediately elevates the Lancers into serious contention for a sectional title in Class A2. The team returns its leading scorer in Trent Scott, who earned Honorable Mention as a junior, and also brings up 8th grader Jalen Duff - a sniper from the perimeter with big things ahead. North Tonawanda fielded a young team around Trevor Book last season, who is now at Daemen. Now the Jacks have plenty back on a balanced team with the experience of battling at Buff State. Dante Moultrie was Third Team NFL after staring the season as a sophomore point, while juniors Noah Fox-Stoddard and Sebastian Reid, along with sophomore Walter Wisniewski are developing into ballers at NT. Niagara Wheatfield benefits from the addition of a pair who came over from Niagara Catholic in Roman Wright and Raejuan Smith. While neither started for the Patriots last year, both are expected to contribute for the Falcons. Davon Ware returns as the team's point guard, while Zach Stanley looks to build on his seven points per game as a junior. The Falcons drop to Class A1 and should be right in the mix of teams vying for a spot at Buff State in February. Grand Island likes to run & gun and shoot the 3-pointer. They'll have four-year starter Cam Sionko leading the way, who should eclipse 1,000 career points early in the season. Jeremiah Wilkes gives the Vikings a physical scoring presence inside, while sophomore Logan Sionko cannot be left along on the wing. Kenmore East welcomes Jim Badgley as the new head coach, who will put the effort in to get the most oput of the talent at the school. The Bulldogs are not big, but very athletic and quick with a fairly deep bench. The top returning players are Nate Murdie and D'anzo Young, while juniors Austin McCullough, Amari Gordan, Dominic Ferguson and Dalton Gaughan should get plenty of playing time Kenmore West should be deeper and more athletic this season, looking to push the ball in transition and play aggressive defense. The Blue Devils are led by Dylan James, Kyle Schmidt, and Zac Boyes. Lockport will try to play uptempo and find scoring in transition to compensate for a lack of size. The Lions will be led by returning starters Malik Brooks, who just signed with UB for football, along with Torree Cheatom. CSAT will be a talented mix of youth and experience, led by the seniors of Lenard Harris, Daighlyon Willoughby and Kavon Wright. Sophomore Jamyier Patton and junior Amir Morris are ready for break out seasons.
***
Niagara Falls: Josiah Harris 12, Moran Montgomery 12, Jaden Turner 12, Naim Bradley 12, Taylor Sanders 11, Jaemon Turner 11, Joe Palka 11, Arthur Miller 11, Jalen Bradberry 10, Faybion Prather 10, Arien Robinson 10, Willie Lightfoot 9
Lew-Port: Joe Powers 12, Trent Scott 12, Jake Kasbaum 12, Zach Claybourne 12, Jason Boslet 12, Andrew Perrault 12, Aidan Salick 12, Cooper Krawczyk 12, JP Stewart 11, Noah Coppins 11, Joe Beatty 11, Jack Berstein 11, Roddy Gayle 9, Jalen Duff 8
North Tonawanda: Colin Beach 12, James Holler 12, Donny LaVerdi 12, Dante Moultrie 11, Noah Fox-Stoddard 11, Sebastian Reid 11, Tyler Macneil 11, Cameron Cutter 11, Jordan Cutter 11, Timothy Osborn 11, Jaxon Hummel 11, Walter Wisniewski 10
Niagara Wheatfield: Davon Ware 12, Zach Stanley 12, Roman Wright 12, Raejuan Smith 12, Cam Miller 12, Andy Devantier 11, Ben Solomon 11, Clay Ruhland 11, TJ Robinson 9
Grand Island: Cam Sionko 12, Jerimiah Wilkes 12, Will Soos 12, Nick Bibik 12, Easton Spear 12, Austin Webber 12, Tejpaul Sing 11, Luke Webb 11, Sean Murry 11, Sean Rustowicz 11, Ben Moskala 11, Trevor Knight 11, Logan Sionko 10
Kenmore East: D'Anzo Young 12, Bill Carvallio 12, Nate Murdie 12, Franc Schmoyer 12, Brandon Beltran 12, Joe Brooks 12, Amari Gordon 11, Mark Falzone 11, Dominic Ferguson 11, Dalton Gaughan 11, Emery Lang 11, Austin McCullough 11, Isiah Walker 11, Lathan Thompson 10, Alex Murdie 10
Kenmore West: Dylan James 12, Christian Montes 12, Zach LaPlante 12, Anthony Dolce 12, Dom Schmidt 12, Kyle Schmidt 12, Zac Boyes 11
Lockport: Malik Brooks 12, Torree Cheatham 12, Duane Barrow 12, Jayln Jones 12, Josh Cooper 12, Hayden Coackley 12, Nico Haney 12, Javon Ruffin 12, Anthony Haak 11, Ceion McDowell 11, Jonathon Rivera 11, Kameron Williams 11, Amier Mohammad 10, Dante Shellman 10, Julius Williams 10
CSAT: Daighlyon Willoughby 12, Lenard Harris 12, Kavon Wright 12, Jeffrey Bellamy 12, Lenard Harris 12, Cruz Mauricio 12, Xavier Alvarez 11, Quincy Drake 11, Khalil Davis 11, Keyontae Ricks 11, Jalen Johnson-Williams 11, Pierre Gabart 11, Richard House 11, Amir Morris 11, Nate Wilson 11, Jamyier Patton 10
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Niagara-Orleans
Medina is the league's three-time defending champ and will need to be a well-conditioned group to repeat for a fourth straight season. The Mustangs have just seven players on their current roster, but five of them bring extensive experience. Izaiah Rhim leads a Medina charge that also features Vincent Montague, Brian Fry, Nate Sherman, and Tyler Chinn. Albion carried a young team last year and now returns seven guys to a versatile squad. The Purple Eagles should gain a big boost from a healthy season out of Deyonci Farley, one of the league's top players. Newfane has reached the Class B1 Final each of the last two seasons and will have to rely on a new cast to keep that streak going. Graduation hit the Panthers hard, but a talented JV team from last year should keep the team in the mix. With quality size in the front court, it will be up to the development of their young guards to to keep them competitive. Wilson has seven players back from last season and most started at some point and saw plenty of time. Steve Frerichs is a four-year varsity starter and will lead the Lakemen from the point guard position. Roy-Hart will be deep and balanced, as all 12 guys can contribute and play. Charlie Brigham, Charlie Bruning, and Blake Halstead are all returning starters, while the Rams' JV team was tough in 2018. Akron fields a young roster with six of its players being sophomores or freshmen. The Tigers will be led by returning seniors Jake Siska and Brandon Orr, and look for Adam Mietz to take another big step forward after starting last season as a freshman.
***
Medina: Izaiah Rhim 12, Vincent Montague 12, Tavian Rhim 12, William Braswell 12, Nate Sherman 11, Brian Fry 10, Tyler Chinn 10
Albion: Bryce Pritchard 12, Dylan Fox 12, Vincent Zona 12, Jonathan DePuy 12, Deyonci Farley 11, Kevin Hillman 11, Liam Ward 11, Xavier Cornick 11, Michael DiCureia 11, Brilliance Johnson 11, Dominic Burton 11
Newfane: Jarrett Gilson 12, Matt DiTullio 12, James Leibring 12, Jonah Wisniewski 12, Garrett Srock 11, Josh Everett 11, Connor MacEvoy 11, Caden Gibson 11, Jaydon Clemons 11, Deuce Capen 10, Sam Capen 10, Zach Snow 10
Wilson: Steve Frerichs 12, Jake Miller 12, Ian Evans 12, Jon Littere 12, Andrew Hadsell 12, Brayden Thompson 11, Julian Andreola 11, Mitch Mahar 11, Alex Martinez 11, Drew Westmorland 11, Declan Faery 11, Luke Bradley 11, Bobby Atlas 11
Roy-Hart: Charlie Brigham 12, Charlie Bruning 12, Quinten Koch 12, Lance Krieger 12, Hunter Pratt 12, Ben White 12, Reed Albee 11, Austin Garrow 11, Blake Halstead 11, Canyon Wood 11, Peyton Rhinehart 10, Gavyn Boyle 9
Akron: Matt Delre 12, Donovan Nephew 12, Brandon Orr 12, Jake Siska 12, Daevyn Abrams 11, Gage Willis 11, Adam Mietz 10, Mitchell Dugan 10, Mitchell Holtz 10, David Kalinowski 10, Jake Mazza 10, Aiden Smith 9
Barker: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
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CCAA I West
Olean enters this season with high expectations and for a program this caliber, that means they are eyeing the top of the mountain in NYS Class B. All the major moving parts are back from a Huskies squad that had Health Sciences on the ropes for the overall Class B title before falling by two points in the final minute. A strong and disciplined rotation of seven players from that game are led by floor general Mike Schmidt, a Third Team All-Centercourt selection in 2018 who sees the floor better than any player in our area. Matt Droney serves as the team's 'big' and is vital piece that allows the Huskies to space the floor and crush you from the perimeter. Chautauqua Lake has a solid core back, with six players returning who saw extended time last season. The Thunderbirds will run 10 deep and expect contributions from their sophomores and freshman. Fredonia is looking to be competitive on both ends of the floor where they have seven returners who played significant time last year. the Hillbillies put together a tough nonleague schedule to prepare for the playoffs. Southwestern is led by four-year standout Alex Card, who guided his team to an appearance at Buff State in Class B2 last season. Frewsburg got 17 points per contest from Brad Nelson last year and a double-double from Quinn Conlan, who both return. The Bears hope for balanced scoring from Aaron Hair and Dylan Pearson as well, with the team's move into CCAA I West presenting a more challenging schedule. Maple Grove returns Carson Christ & Peter Auer and will have Rob Collver coaching the Red Dragons.
***
Olean: Mike Schmidt 12, Josh Bihler 12, Matt Droney 12, Brian Ramarge 12, Jack Dwaileebe 12, Alex Weakfall 12, Jarrett Prizel 12, Caden Keim 12, Rheyquon Davis 12, Matt Antonioli 12, Covi James 11, Jah'Karee McClain 11, Dan Klein 11
Chautauqua Lake: Kyler Majka 12, Zach Fisher 12, Bryan Anderson 12, Trey Sauerland 12, Alex Gleason 12, Zack Saunders 12, Andrew Kuhn 12, Nate Adams 11, Zach Martin 11, Will Stahlsmith 11, Michael Anderson 10, Luke Waters 10, Devin Putney 9
Fredonia: Nate Shuart 12, Parker Rivera 12, Keith Piper 12, Raziel Pearl 12, Owen Nicosia 12, Brayden Myers 12, Ka'Rim Levens 12, Joell Colon 12, Kaleb Rybij 11, Alec Schrader 11, Colton Kuzdzal 11, Patrick Reading 11, Tyler Putney 10, Nick Whitfield 9
Southwestern: Alex Card 12, Faizan Munir 12, Mayson Mathews 12, Jake Hnatyszyn 12, Cooper Pannes 11, Mitchell Pascarella 11, Dominic Certo 11, Cameron Calimeri 11, Jon Pearson 11, Charles Bailey 11, Brady Fye 11, Aiden Kennedy 9
Frewsburg: Quinn Conlan 12, Dan Reinagel 12, Nolan Brink 12, Dylan Pearson 12, Brad Nelson 11, Aaron Hair 11, Peyton Hayes 11, Caleb Carr 11, Jason Dustin 11, Traden Gray 10
Maple Grove: Peter Auer 12, Carson Christ 12, Jack Eimiller 12, Rivera Willfredo 12, Zach Hendricks 12, Austin Lindell 11, Lawton Tranum 11, Tyler McPherson 11, Cade Egan 11, Darius Jones 11, Ayden Reagle 11
Dunkirk: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
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CCAA I East
Allegany-Limestone returns all but one starter, including two all state players in Michael Wolfgang and Sam Flanders. Casey Curran is also poised for a breakout year after a great summer, while the JV players coming up have lost only one game in the last two seasons. This is a deep and experienced team that gave Tapestry everything they could handle at JCC last year. The Gators are now in Class B2 and I think they're the favorites, which would have them on a collision course for a date with their neighbors from Olean in a March crossover game at Buff State. Forget the Southern Tier small schools for a moment, Randolph has one of the best inside/outside combinations in all of WNY...and both are still underclassmen. Tyler Hind, a junior who enters the season having already scored 1,000 points, earned Second Team All-State in Class C and Fifth Team All-Centercourt last year after averaging over 23 per game as a sophomore. He'll team with freshman big man Gabe McCoy, who flashed a very bright future as an eighth grader and continues to add polish to his game every time he takes the court. Silver Creek has a solid core back, led by Brady Woleben, who is approaching 1,000 career points and gives the team great minutes in the post. Tucker Gates and Dom Jamison both return after starting for the Black Knights a season ago and both can heat up from beyond the perimeter. Salamanca will be guard oriented and play very fast. They return six players with meaningful varsity experience, who are fast, physical, and can shoot. Sophomore Isaac Brown set the school scoring record for a freshman and is a very skilled slasher who can get to the basket. Gowanda has a new head coach in Eric Ring, who is trying t0 build a program through consistent play, strong defense, and an uptempo offense. Portville brings back five players from last season and will be led by seniors Nathan Kloc and Jarrett Mathes.
***
Allegany-Limestone: Sam Flanders 12, Conner Golley 12, Michael Wolfgang 11, Casey Curran 11, Ben Giardini 11, Gus Napoleon 11, Chad Carlson 11, Colin Yorke 11, Jayden Gustafson 10, Tyler Curran 9, Corey Potter 9
Randolph: Andrew Bernard 12, Dylan Lydic 12, Deter Miinte 12, Dawson Bosley 12, Tyler Hind 11, Branson Morrison 11, Kaleb Steward 11, Ty Rosengren 11, Isaac Hind 10, Gabe McCoy 9
Silver Creek: Tucker Gates 12, Braeden Woleben 12, Ammon Jones 12, Jack Brennan 12, Dylan Snow 12, Dom Jamison 11, Spencer Harford 11, Jeremy Wilcox 11, Darren Jimenez 11, Nathaniel Parker 11, Luke Zybytek 11, Andre Rosario 10
Salamanca: Tyler Hedlund 12, Ira John 12, Xavier Taylor 12, Hunter McAuley 12, Zach Helms 12, Camaron Pratt 12, Aaron George 11, Jarrett McKenna 11, Ira Snyder 11, Kohl Ambuske 11, Isaac Brown 10, Lucas McKenna 10
Gowanda: Matt Smuda 12, Damen MacLeod 12, Aaron Colantino 12, Nick Weston 12, Ryan Gernatt 12, Tanner Olson 12, Nick Siragusa 12, Justin Kohn 12, Dylan John 11, Jason Dunning 11, Tyee Nagel 11, Austin Clark 11
Portville: Nathan Kloc 12, Dalton Nuffer 12, Noah Pullins 12, Cameron Lott 12, Jarrett Mathes 12, Arik Kavanaugh 12, Dalton Tobola 11, Cameron Kalsman 11, Addison Howard 11, Tyler Morris 11, Zayne Tarr 11, Hunter Griffin 10
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CCAA II West
Sherman reached the semifinals at JCC in Class D for the 10th consecutive season last year. With eight seniors back for head coach Cory Emory's team, the Wildcats are a great bet to extend the streak and look like the favorites in the section. Collin Mulcahy takes over as head coach at Brocton, and he's very pleased with the group he has to work with. "It's a great feeling to be a part of this program and coach this group," Mulcahy said. "I've got thirteen young men who are driven, want to work hard, and are passionate about playing. With seven returning players, leadership should be a strength for the team. Westfield has six players with varsity experience and the biggest is 6-5, 260 lb junior Andrew Baribeau. Falconer should see more wins this season after moving down from CCAA I, where they competed twice a year with the likes of Olean and Dunkirk.
***
Sherman: Collin Ramsey 12, Jordan Caron 12, Kameron Ayers 12, Austin Tallman 12, Mike Beatman 12, Reece Bates 12, Chance Meeder 12, Hunter Cooper 12, Gordon Caron 12, Jacob Eastham 12, Justiss Hannold 11, Paul Majchrak 11, Troy Lamoni 11, Richard Burgess 11, Blake Mitchell 11, John Swabik 10, Keith Gormley 10
Westfield: Coby Bills 12, Evan Hauser 12, Matt See 12, Nathan Culbreth 11, Andrew Baribeau 11, Michael Johnson 11, Ryan Jafarfian 11, Dylan Scriven 11, Hayden Backus 11, Randy Trippe 11, Zachary Roache 11, Kori Loutzenhiser 11
Brocton: Bubba Brown 12, Riley Rivera 12, Jordan Kyrstofiak 12, Derrick Burns 12, Darien Booker 12, Seth McFadden 11, Gabe Morello 11, Caleb Chelton 11, Michael Steward 11, Isaac Weaver 11, Nicholas Putcher 11, Dakota Planty 11, Connor Dispense 10
Falconer: Nate Seaholm 12, Chris Bollman 12, Ben Schrader 12, Bobby Samuelson 12, Brody Rowan 12, Adam Colon 12, Austin Buffone 12, Nate Abbey 12, Drew Troutman 11, Joe Youngberg 11, Nolan Bridges 11, Zach Micek 11
Clymer: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
Panama: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
Cassadaga Valley: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
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CCAA II East
Ellicottville was a Willard-Anderson-score-as-time-ran-out away from ending the eventual Class D state champ's season and advancing. Instead, the Eagles have said goodbye to a memorable senior class that compiled 35 wins the last two seasons. The Eagles will be a young team as only four players will have varsity experience. Steven and Clayton Rowland will serve as leaders to the newcomers up from a 17-1 JV team. Franklinville finds itself in the same place as Ellicottville, just as they have the last couple seasons. The Panthers graduated five starters that delivered the school 39 wins in two years. Freshman Josh Haskell, who is long and can really heat up from outside, is the most experienced returning player. Pine Valley graduated all five starters, but does have half its team back. The question for them will be who fills the leadership void left from last years team and who can make a big shot when the team needs it. Makiah Snyder, Anthony Yaskow, and Brady Andrews are all candidates to step up for the team. Josh Forster takes over as head coach at Cattaraugus-Little Valley and wants to see his team play fast and be aggressive at all times, hoping for a more competitive group. North Collins will hang its hat on defense and rebounding, trying to slow games down by being patient on offense and getting good looks at the basket, led by Tyler Robinson, David Gullo, and Christian Loretto. Forestville returns some players who saw a lot of time on the court last year and expects to be much more competitive in league play this year as they look to spread the ball around and not lean on one person.
***
Franklinville: Ben Mooney 12, John Yan 12, Vinny Marchese 11, Tyler Clear 11, Vincenzo Marchese 11, Jacob Torpey 11, Zack Wolfer 11, Hunter Helgas 11, Logan Frank 10, Josh Haskell 9, Blake Frank 9
Ellicottville: Steven Rowland 12, Brenden Chudy 12, Brennan Finn 12, Jordan Grinols 11, Nik Logel 11, Christian Hutchinson 11, Nate Ploetz 11, Leif Jimerson 10, Wyatt Chudy 10, Clayton Rowland 10
Pine Valley: Brady Andrews 12, Bayley Finch 12, Jesse Jenkins 12, Branden Libby 12, Makiah Snyder 12, Ryan Snyder 12, Anthony Yaskow 12, Connor Bentham 11, Corey Ellis 11, Curtis Goodwill 11, Wesley Lachut 11, Christian Ortiz 10
Forestville: Travis Drozdziel 12, Nikolas Lelonek 12, Orlando Soto 12, Skyler Christian 12, Luke Szumigala 12, Gavin Christian 11, Dalton Hastings 11, Angel Carabello 11, Michael Mulchinski 11, Gage Davis 11, Jake Smith 11, Deacon Congdon 11, Javier West 10
North Collins: David Gullo 12, Jewel Lee 12, Tome Filkov 12, Dominik Gebhardt 12, Wout Frees 12, Tyler Robinson 11, Christian Loretto 11, AJ Puntillo 11, Brody Klawinski 11, Hunter Petit 11, Dominic Fricano 11, Mitchell Warsaw 11, Tyler Lawson 11
Cattaraugus/Little Valley: Mike Perkins 12, Shane O’Neill 12, Damian Ly 12, Tyler Drewiega 12, Jordan Walters 12, Bryce Gearman 12, Derek Dechow 12, Nick Burroughs 11, Jason Young 11, Mason Snyder 11, Justin York 11, Elijah Perkins 10, Nick Savidge 10
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Charter Schools
Health Sciences made it back-to-back trips to the state final four in Class B last season. Their prize coming into this year was a bump in classification from Section VI, placing the Falcons in Class A2. Even with the new competition, I expect The Health to continue its winning ways and be among the teams vying for a sectional title once again at season's end. Kam Briggs, who earned a Fifth Team All-Centercourt selection in 2018 is back, along with Tysheen Lott, Josiah Haygood, Daciare Riley, and emerging standout Javaughn Jones. Tapestry is the defending champion in Class C and has plenty back for a run at a state championship second year head coach Mike Ester. The Thunderhawks will once again be led by the dynamic duo of Dorian Plummer and Tariq Eubanks, who both nabbed Honorable Mentions last year, along with returning starter Ramel Robinson. Global Concepts has only three varsity players back, but that includes talented guards Luis Mercado and Andre Goldsmith. The team gained six new players from transfer, most notably David Stroud from South Park, who will be a force in Class C. They have beefed up their nonleague schedule and plan to pressure teams right out of the opening tip until the final whistle. BASCS, which stands for Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School, has Don Marsh taking over as head coach. Marsh is active in developing young players and should attract some talent to his program. Ibrahim Osmani and Sean Johnson return to lead the team.
***
Health Sciences: Tysheen Lott 12, Kameron Briggs 12, Josiah Haygood 12, Daciare Riley 11, Jalil Harvey 11, Ja'Hon Massey 11, Miles Ladd 11, Tyler Smith 11, Javaughn Jones 10, Jabari Spencer 10
Tapestry: Dorian Plummer 12, Ramel Robinson 12, Frank Williams 12, Dejuan Baldwin 12, Anthony James 12, Lindell Long 12, Juan Rodriguez 12, Jelani McDade 11, Kaleb Thompson 11, Tre Johnson 11, Anthony Brown 11, Ryver Brooker 11, Tariq Eubanks 10, Romeo Bell 9
Global Concepts: Luis Mercado 12, David Stroud 12, Shontez Asturias 12, Raekwon Graves 12, Shawnery Jones 12, Mysonne Johnson 12, Alex Pagan 11, Andre Goldsmith 10, Shawn Mesi 10, Jahiem Knightner 10, Jayontae Coleman 10
BASCS: Ibrahim Osmani 12, Sean Johnson 12, Justin Hunt 12, JaVar Jones 12, Devante Rosado 12, Zach Gaik 12, Marvell Williams 12, Abraham Tarwo 12, Vote WaVote 12, Jeremy McKitchen 11, Damion Myricks 11, Devin Pope 10
Maritime: Requested information was not provided by the head coach
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Teams with New Coaches (22)
St. Joe's - Gabe Michael
Nichols - Joe Mihalics
South Park - Willie 'Hutch' Jones
Burgard - Sean Edinger
I-Prep - Pat Foster
Lafayette - Brian Davis
Buffalo Arts - Jarryd Austin
Bennett - Khalil Cottman
BASCS - Don Marsh
Maritime - Josh Parker
Orchard Park - Chris Frankowski
Williamsville South - Mike Trybinski
Lackawanna - Marcus Rivers
Alden - Tim Stone
Eden - Don Genco
Kenmore East - Jim Badgley
Fredonia - Nick Bertrando
Dunkirk - Luke Gullo
Gowanda - Eric Ring
Maple Grove - Rob Collver
Brocton - Collin Mulcahy
Cattaraugus-Little Valley - Josh Forster
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Classification Changes
Niagara Wheatfield moves down from Class AA to Class A1
West Seneca East moves down from Class A1 to Class A2
I-Prep moves up from Class B1 to Class A2
Health Sciences moves up from Class B2 to Class A2
East Aurora moves down from Class A2 to Class B1
Buffalo Arts moves up from Class B2 to Class B1
MST Seneca moves down from Class B1 to Class B2
Burgard moves down from Class B1 to Class B2
Lafayette moves up from Class C to Class B2
Allegany-Limestone moves up from Class C to Class B2
Middle College moves down from Class B2 to Class C1
East moves up from Class D to Class C1
Riverside moves down from Class B2 to Class C2
Westfield moves up from Class D to Class C2
Frewsburg moves up from Class D to Class C2
Ellicottville moves up from Class D to Class C2
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Preseason Polls
** I checked back on last season's preseason poll and compared it to my final poll of 2018. I nailed all of the top ten large schools in the preseason Top 10, (went 10 for 10!!) but just had them out of order. I was also very close on the small schools, correctly picking 8 of the 10 that would be there in the end. I had Nichols & Dunkirk as preseason top 10 teams instead of Tapestry & Ellicottville who ended up there.
Large Schools
1. Park
2. Niagara Falls
3. St. Francis
4. Canisius
5. Health Sciences
6. Williamsville North
7. Lew-Port
8. West Seneca West
9. Amherst
10. South Park
Small Schools
1. Olean
2. Cardinal O'Hara
3. Tapestry
4. Middle College
5. Nichols
6. Randolph
7. Allegany-Limestone
8. East
9. City Honors
10. Global Concepts
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Predictions
MMA Class A - Park
MMA Class B - Cardinal O'Hara
Yale Cup I - South Park
Yale Cup II - City Honors
ECIC I - Williamsville North
ECIC II - Amherst
ECIC III - Maryvale
ECIC IV - Lackawanna
NFL - Niagara Falls
N-O - Medina
CCAA I West - Olean
CCAA I East - Allegany-Limestone & Randolph split
CCAA II West - Sherman
CCAA II East - Ellicottville
Charters - Health Sciences & Tapestry split
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Manhattan Cup (A)
Last year I picked Canisius and was wrong. History tells me I better pick them this year, since they haven't gone consecutive seasons without winning a Manhattan Cup since 2007 & 2008. However, history also shows that I've only predicted the Manhattan Cup winner correctly once over the last five seasons - in 2017 when I picked Canisius, who came in as a #4 seed and beat the St. Francis team that took all three meetings from Park that year. Logic tells me to pick Park, who I already have winning the MMA above. But there's something about that Red Raiders team that went just 13-13 last year. I think they'll be the surprise team of the season, so here comes my bold prediction...it's only been 41 years since they won it last. If I'm wrong, at least I'll have history on my side.
** St. Francis **
Manhattan Cup (B)
I see this as a clear two-horse race, but one of the horses looks like Seabiscuit coming it. Nichols will be really good this season, but if Cardinal O'Hara doesn't win it all with the squad they have this season, I'll be covering wrestling next year.
** Cardinal O'Hara **
Class AA
Final Four to reach Buffalo State:
Niagara Falls, Williamsville North, Clarence, & Orchard Park
** Niagara Falls **
Class A1
Final Four to reach Buffalo State:
West Seneca West, McKinley, Williamsville South, & North Tonawanda
** West Seneca West **
Class A2
Final Four to reach Buffalo State:
South Park, Amherst, Lew-Port, & Health Sciences
** Health Sciences **
Class B1
Final Four to reach Buffalo State:
Olean, City Honors, Lackawanna, & Medina
** Olean **
Class B2
Final Four to reach Buffalo State:
Cleveland Hill, Southwestern, Wilson, & Allegany-Limestone
** Allegany-Limestone **
Class C1
Final Four to reach JCC:
Tapestry, Middle College, East, & Silver Creek
** Tapestry **
Class C2
Final Four to reach JCC:
Randolph, Global Concepts, Maple Grove, & Riverside
** Randolph **
Class D
Final Four to reach JCC:
Franklinville, Sherman, Panama, & Brocton
** Sherman **
-centercourt
