Wednesday Roundup: Lady Eagles remain undefeated behind dynamic start, big games by Russell, Rose in 58-25 win over Hammondsport; Ark/Can volleyball outlasts GV/Belfast in competitive 4-set duel
By Chris Brooks, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com, photo gallery by Tricia Davenport
FILLMORE — Through nearly two weeks of the 2023-24 campaign, just two teams without a single loss to hang into the loss column, remained. On the boys side, the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg are off to a phenomenal start to their campaign after rattling off five straight wins just last night on their home floor against Portville.
On the girls side, that hallmark belongs to the Lady Eagles of Fillmore, who could make it five straight games themselves. When Wednesday night arrived, an opportunity to do that on their home floor against the Hammondsport Lady Lakers, presented itself in full.
All they needed was a quick start to go with some stout defense on the opposite end of the floor. Together, two big ingredients that created a winning formula for the Lady Eagles, as they held the Lady Lakers to under 10 points across all four quarters of play to build momentum for the offense in turn, collecting their fifth straight win to open the season by a 58-25 count in The Rock.
“The girls played exceptionally well tonight against a good Hammondsport team,” said Lady Eagles coach Tom Parks. “I know the score might not reflect it, but Hammondsport has a trio of very good shooters and some athletic players. We were able to affect the game with our defense, and that turned into some great opportunities that we cashed in on, on the offensive side.”
The Lady Eagles (5-0) exploded right out of the gate in the first eight minutes of play with their biggest frame of the night, using the offensive momentum to shift gears towards a strong stance on defense, as they kept Hammondsport held to single digits across all four stanzas. That included a humongous 21-9 that allowed them to set the bar for the remainder of the game.
The dynamic combination of Hope Russell and Amelia Rose meshed together to combine for 31 of the team’s 58 points. Russell was the team’s leading scorer with a game-high 18 points. Rose followed behind with 13 points of her own to coincide with five rebounds and five steals. In addition, Preslee Miller and Emalyn Mucher each chipped in seven points, with Mucher recording four steals along the way.
Off the glass, Mattie McCumiskey provided another powerful stand under the rim with 11 more rebounds to grab.
The Lady Eagles are now off until next Thursday night, as they prepare to welcome Genesee Valley/Belfast into town for a big Allegany County clash beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Hammondsport 9 4 5 7 – 25
Fillmore 21 16 10 11 – 58
HAMMONDSPORT: LaZell Locey 2 0-0 4, Danica Dresser 5 1-2 11, Sam Pratt 3 1-2 10. Totals: 10 2-4 25.
FILLMORE: Hope Russell 8 1-2 18, Grace Russell 2 2-2 6, Rachel Hatch 1 0-0 2, Amelia Rose 5 2-2 13, Mattie McCumiskey 2 1-2 5, Preslee Miller 2 3-4 7, Emalyn Mucher 3 0-0 7. Totals: 23 9-12 58.
3-point goals: Fillmore 2 (H. Russell, Mucher).
Total Fouls: Hammondsport 12, Fillmore 13. Fouled out: None.
Jasper-Troupsburg 39, Andover/Whitesville 17
GREENWOOD — With a first quarter that Jasper-Troupsburg took under wraps, they would create an opening against Andover/Whitesville to keep constructing. On Wednesday, the Lady Wildcats did just that behind an electric performance from Natalie Cornell and her game-high 18 points — 10 of them in the second half down low to help propel the hosts in white and black towards a 39-17 win in Greenwood.
In the midst of a 13-5 opening frame, Kahley Stewart was able to deliver a heavily charged effort that witnessed her score half of the team’s points to set up shop. Heading into the next frame, an exchanging of pleasantries between both teams occured, as Andover/Whitesville (1-5) did everything in their power to chip away at the deficit.
But with an 11-point lead in hand going into the second half, the Lady Wildcats were able to pick up right where they left off with a 10-2 run in the third quarter to pull away and out of reach from Andover/Whitesville behind Cornell’s 10 points in the last 16 minutes of action — eight of those points immediately coming in the third.
Leading the scoring for Andover/Whitesville was Graci Lewis-Ellison, who had seven points. Grace Fry chipped in with five points.
Andover/Whitesville will make their return home to Whitesville on Tuesday with a 7:30 p.m. tip-off against Bolivar-Richburg.
Andover/Whitesville 5 7 2 3 – 17
Jasper-Troupsburg 13 10 10 6 – 39
ANDOVER/WHITESVILLE: Graci Lewis-Ellison 3 1-2 7, Grace Fry 2 0-0 5, Olivia Waters 0 2-2 2, Katrina Lewis 1 0-0 3. Totals: 6 3-4 17.
JASPER-TROUPSBURG: Kahley Stewart 5 2-3 13, Kiera Marsh 2 0-2 4, Lauren Ross 1 0-0 2, Natalie Cornell 9 0-0 18, Reagan Miles 1 0-0 2. Totals: 18 2-5 39.
3-point goals: A/W 2 (Fry, Lewis), J-T 1 (Stewart).
Total Fouls: A/W 3, J-T 11. Fouled out: None.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Hammondsport 59, Friendship/Scio 24
SCIO — Behind a stellar performance from all angles on the floor from Henry Morrison, Hammondsport was able to get the job done behind a massive first half that allowed them to set the tone against Friendship/Scio on Wednesday, as they used his 22-point game to airlift their way towards a 59-24 road win in Scio.
““I know the score isn’t what we wanted, but when you look at it closely, we got it down to 10 in the third quarter to give us a chance,” said Friendship/Scio coach Dillon McFall. “We fell apart with way too many turnovers after that, and you can win games like that. I’ll give our boys credit, we had a little gut-check last week and they have responded with their effort and intensity on the floor. We will continue to get better.”
The Lakers seized total control after a 12-6 early lead developed across the opening eight minutes, as they used a strong end to the first half to cement their advantage even further, running off on another big 17-6 spurt of Friendship/Scio (1-4).
Despite it, the hosts in white were able to climb back to within reach in a third quarter that saw the continued collective effort assist in chipping their deficit down to 10. But Hammondsport was able to remain buckled in the driver’s seat with another branching of the advantage to take care of business over the road.
Leading the scoring for Friendship/Scio was Aiden Golden, Jerome Harmon and Connor Blouvet, all of which bucketed six team-high points. On special teams, Harmon chipped in with six boards off the glass, while Golden had five steals.
On Friday, Friendship/Scio heads back out on the road with a 7:30 p.m. visit to the Eagles of Fillmore.
Hammondsport 12 17 18 12 – 59
Friendship/Scio 6 6 6 6 – 24
HAMMONDSPORT: Ty Ritter 1 0-4 2, Andrew Morrison 4 0-1 9, Alex Brown 2 0-0 4, Ben Dluzak 3 4-9 10, Isaiah Ali 3 1-4 7, Ethen Beers 1 0-0 2, Peyton Crooks 1 1-2 3, Henry Morrison 8 1-2 22. Totals: 23 7-22 59.
FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Aiden Golden 2 2-2 6, Jerome Harmon 3 0-2 6, Connor Blouvet 2 0-0 6, Charlie Taylor 0 2-2 2, Jerimiah Brown 0 1-2 1, Cooper Greenman 0 1-4 1, Deacon Brown 1 0-0 2. Totals: 8 x-x 24.
3-point goals: Hammondsport (H. Morrison 5, A. Morrison), F/S .
Total Fouls: Hammondsport 18, F/S 18. Fouled out: Brown (F/S).
West Valley at Hinsdale – No report.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Arkport/Canaseraga 3, Genesee Valley/Belfast 1
BELMONT — Arkport/Canaseraga and Genesee Valley/Belfast gave it quite the battle across the four sets of action the Jungle would see, Wednesday night. The ending results produced a degree of separation that was no more than five points, including a two-point win for each team in the first two sets.
But after succumbing to a narrow 25-23 decision in set two, the Wolves proved that the bounce back was the greatest result of them all, as they went forth and delivered two close decisions in the last pair of sets of action left to finish off a four-set, 25-23, 23-25, 25-20, 25-21 win over Genesee Valley/Belfast.
“We were lucky enough to have our first practice in a week, because we’ve had so many games,” GV/Belfast coach Darren Bradt said. “It was good to get everybody on the same page again, working on things. I think this team really has some potential when they figure out their role on the team, and learn more about the game of volleyball itself.”
Genesee Valley/Belfast (1-4) was ignited by a 10-kill night from Brayden Cooper on the front line, as he added four big blocks and an ace into the fray. Jackson Stout chipped in with four kills, four blocks and an ace, while Sean Mahon kept the ball off the floor with six digs, pairing them with four assists, three kills, two aces and a block.
Arkport/Canaseraga was led by Marcos Gutierrez-Navas, who recorded seven aces from the back line to couple with his five kills.
Coming up on Monday, Genesee Valley/Belfast will stay put on their home floor to welcome in Cuba-Rushford for battle at 6 p.m.
WRESTLING
Fillmore/Keshequa 42, Campbell-Savona 18
CAMPBELL — After garnering three straight forfeit wins, and five wins in the first seven matches on the docket Wednesday night, it served as a big boost for Fillmore/Keshequa to earn an early lead and never look back on it against host Campbell-Savona, as they rolled towards a 42-18 road victory to close out the week in competition on a high note.
In the midst of three straight forfeit wins from Fillmore/Keshequa from Connor McCumiskey (101 pounds) to begin the night, as well as Jules Cotton (108 pounds) and Garrett Hodgson (124 pounds), they would bounce back to their winning ways after a hard-fought battle from Alivia Cartwright at 131 pounds, as she was pinned by Campbell-Savona’s Liam Maddock with just 52 seconds remaining in regulation.
Ryan Vedder (138 pounds) and Graham Howe (145 pounds) would deliver back-to-back wins for the visitors by record pinfall victories of their own, as Vedder raced towards a pinfall win with under a minute remaining in the opening period, while Howe mimicked a pinfall win of his own coming with just eight seconds remaining in the first.
That would help serve as Fillmore/Keshequa’s winning edge, despite a couple of more forfeits from Campbell-Savona down the stretch, as they saw Gage Hartman (190 pounds) and Caleb Green (285 pounds) put a victorious end to the match with forfeit wins of their own accord.
Fillmore/Keshequa will return home and wrestle again on Tuesday with a 5:30 p.m. visit in store from Alfred-Almond, in Fillmore.
Results
*101 – Connor McCumiskey (F/K) by for.
108 – Jules Cotton (F/K) by for.
116 – Double for.
124 – Garrett Hodgson (F/K) by for.
131 – Liam Maddock (C-S) def. Alivia Cartwright (F/K) by pin, 5:08.
138 – Ryan Vedder (F/K) def. Mason Reed (C-S) by pin, 1:41.
145 – Graham Howe (F/K) def. Corbin Warner (C-S) by pin, 1:52.
152 – Christopher Elliott (C-S) by for.
160 – Bryan Bulkley (C-S) by for.
170 – Double for.
190 – Gage Hartman (F/K) by for.
215 – Double for.
285 – Caleb Green (F/K) by for.
