Tuesday Roundup: GV/Belfast forces streaking Fillmore to overtime, but Eagles survive back-and-forth finish to score 12th straight win; And/Whi boys provide massive bounce back with win at Fri/Scio
By CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com, photos by TRICIA DAVENPORT
BELMONT — Back at the beginning of the month, Genesee Valley/Belfast presented the Eagles of Fillmore with a challenge on the defensive front, attempting to limit as many opportunities as they could while being in perhaps one of the most difficult venues to play in the County — The Rock.
The Eagles were able to shake it off however and resume business to claim the victory — one of 11 straight they have amassed thus far. But when the days continued to pass and the 30th day of January arrived in full force on Tuesday, the rematch between the two clubs followed suit with it.
It was a road trip that Fillmore head coach Randy Crouch was looking forward to making in due time. While for Genesee Valley/Belfast, after their win over Houghton Academy back on Friday to close out the week, they were ready to embrace yet another challenge from the County’s hottest team once again, behind a full head of steam.
This time around, it was much different.
Overtime to decide it all.
After an amazing fourth quarter rally from Genesee Valley/Belfast, four final minutes of extra basketball were needed to decide it all between the two foes. A timeframe that saw the action tilt many different directions all throughout until the waning seconds, when the Eagles clinged to a one-possession lead and the ball in the hands of the hosts with the chance to end the game.
With five ticks standing on the scoreboard, Genesee Valley/Belfast went for the win with one last heave from beyond the arc. But the ball was not able to find its way through the twine when time expired, as the Eagles of Fillmore survived by the slimmest of margins to claim victory in one of their toughest battles of the season — a 67-65 edging of Genesee Valley/Belfast to find the win column a 12th consecutive time to keep their fire ablaze.
“The kids are playing better each and every game. We’ve talked to them about the concept of family. You’re playing for your mother, your brother, whoever it may be. We’re more than just 14 kids playing basketball together. The last couple of weeks, they took that to heart and they have continued to work hard because of it,” GV/Belfast coach Lintz Bliven said. “You know exactly what you’re going to get with Fillmore and their man-to-man coverage. We were going to have to lock horns and whatever was going to happen, will happen. Randy (Crouch) came up to me after the game and told me that the kids were ready to go. It was one of those old fashioned games between both these programs. They were pretty happy after the game despite the outcome, and I can’t be more proud of how much they battled against a team like them.”
It was tight quarters all through the first half of play between both squads, with Genesee Valley/Belfast (7-9) coming away after each quarter with the advantage in hand, beginning with a back-and-forth trade in the opening quarter before extending upon it with a 16-point frame immediately following, in the second to close it out on a high note.
But the Eagles (14-2) were able to run the table in a third quarter that has become a hallmark in setting their tone all season long. Their latest stint to open up the new session on the hardwood was no different, as they came out firing on all cylinders with a powerful 22-8 push against Genesee Valley/Belfast to turn a 29-22 halftime deficit into a 44-37 lead going into the final eight minutes of play.
In that last eight minute stanza, a remarkable rally from behind was had by the hosts in white. Genesee Valley/Belfast continued to hold their heads up high and fight right down to the wire, where they would ultimately deliver an outstanding 19-point punch — one that would allow them to force an extra four-minute session after applying a 56-56 deadlock on the scoreboard.
With time ticking away in overtime, it was anyone’s game.
The two foes delivered back-and-forth blows all the way down to the end, with the Eagles, in the fullness of time, having the final word with the two-point victory after Genesee Valley/Belfast’s last-second, game-winning triple just missing as time expired.
Leading the Eagles on the attack was Zach Sisson, who came through with a game-high 23-point performance that consisted of three of the team’s 10 triples from downtown, as well as a 14-for-17 outing at the charity stripe. Right behind him was Jonah Bialek, who had the team’s hot hand from downtown, sinking five more triples to coincide with his 22 points in total. Cam Mucher finished with 15 points of his own.
Genesee Valley/Belfast witnessed Jacob Borden take the lead down low as one of four different scorers who eclipsed double figures on offense, as he recorded a team-high 17 points. Ian McKenzie chipped in with 13 points, while Kadin Logue and Kenton Shultz both tallied 11.
Each team makes their return to the hardwood Thursday night in a pair of 7:30 p.m. contests, as Fillmore heads back home to welcome in Andover/Whitesville for a visit, while Genesee Valley/Belfast hits the road up north to Belfast to play host to Friendship/Scio.
Fillmore 12 10 22 12 11 – 67
Genesee Valley/Belfast 13 16 8 19 9 – 65
FILLMORE: Cam Mucher 5 4-6 15, Isaiah Sisson 1 0-0 3, Layton Sanasith 0 2-2 2, Zach Sisson 3 14-17 23, Jonah Bialek 8 1-1 22, Gavin Barnhart 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 21-26 67.
GV/BELFAST: Kyle McCumiskey 2 1-2 5, Kadin Logue 4 0-0 11, Lannden Tilton 1 1-2 3, Matt Cater 0 2-6 2, Ian McKenzie 6 0-0 13, Owen Heaney 1 0-0 3, Jacob Borden 8 1-3 17, Kenton Shultz 5 0-0 11. Totals: 27 5-13 65.
3-point goals: Fillmore 10 (Jo. Bialek 5, Z. Sisson 3, Mucher, I. Sisson), GVB 6 (Logue 3, McKenzie, Heaney, Shultz).
Total Fouls: Fillmore 14, GVB 21. Fouled out: Shultz (GVB).
Andover/Whitesville 55, Friendship/Scio 37
SCIO — There was only one thing at the top of the minds of Andover/Whitesville a mere 24 hours following their battle with Arkport-Canaseraga: rebound.
The trip to visit Friendship/Scio on Tuesday was not easy by any means, as the hosts in white and black battled right alongside them through the majority of the opening quarter, ultimately claiming the game’s first lead.
While remaining well within reach of their opposition, Andover/Whitesville continued to dig in. And with it, came a power shift.
To close out the first half, Andover/Whitesville used contributions far and wide to deliver a run that saw them springboard ahead of Friendship/Scio with the advantage going into the break. From the start of the second half on, they were able to build on it with their largest stand of offense of the night, captained by another team-leading performance from Vinny Joyce, as they officially navigated their way back into the win column with a 55-37 road win in Scio.
“It certainly was not a complete effort at all by us, but give Dillon (McFall) and his crew credit. They’ve made some big gains since the last time we played them,” Andover/Whitesville coach Jimmy Joyce said. “Defensively, I thought we played pretty well. The shots just weren’t falling for us, particularly in the first quarter. Vinny had another solid game offensively and on the boards. Brody (Vance) came back with a very nice effort as well. We will take this win for sure.”
Across the opening quarter, it was a back-and-forth exchange between both squads that saw Andover/Whitesville (8-7) look towards some early special teams aid on one end, while Jerome Harmon took charge of Friendship/Scio’s offense on the other, as the foes traded baskets left and right until the hosts were able to climb out on top with a 13-12 lead behind Harmon’s nine points, while the visitors in black assembled a 7-for-8 outing at the charity stripe.
Despite garnering the lead, it would not remain in Friendship/Scio’s (3-13) possession much longer, as Andover/Whitesville countered right back with a spread of baskets from four different scorers from the field, while the defense assumed control of the pace of play by holding Friendship/Scio to just four points to close out the first half with a 22-17 lead.
The momentum would airmail into the third quarter where Andover/Whitesville would further cement their advantage for good behind Vinny Joyce’s breakout stanza. Out of the team’s 18 points recorded, Joyce recorded nine of them, including his second and final triple from beyond the arc.
Joyce would finish off the night with 11 of his team-high 14 points coming in the second half.
Following him was Colton Calladine, who chipped in with his 12-point performance. Brody Vance added in 11 points. For Friendship/Scio, Harmon would close out the contest as the leading scorer on the hardwood, posting 16 game-high points. Connor Blouvet added in nine points, while Jerimiah Brown had six.
“It was closer than what the score indicated. Andover/Whitesville did a nice job of balancing their offense, and we did a nice job against Vance and Calladine. We held them to 23 points combined, but we let a couple of other guys make up for that behind them,” Friendship/Scio coach Dillon McFall said. “We just have to be more disciplined on defense, but compared to the last time when we last played them, this was much better. This stretch we’re on, we are starting to do things a lot better than where we were earlier this year and it’s showing.”
Both teams mark their return to the hardwood on Thursday in a pair of 7:30 p.m. contests over the road, as Andover/Whitesville prepares for a visit to Fillmore, while Friendship/Scio follows right behind them with a pit stop in Belfast to take on Genesee Valley/Belfast.
Andover/Whitesville 12 10 18 15 – 55
Friendship/Scio 13 4 11 9 – 37
ANDOVER/WHITESVILLE: Derek Perkins 0 3-4 3, Jake Mattison 3 1-2 9, Vinny Joyce 6 0-0 14, Brody Vance 3 5-8 11, Trey Kent 2 0-0 4, Colton Calladine 5 0-0 12, Gage Putnam 1 0-0 2. Totals: 20 9-14 55.
FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Aiden Golden 1 0-0 2, Jerome Harmon 7 2-2 16, Connor Blouvet 3 3-6 9, Charlie Taylor 1 0-1 2, Jerimiah Brown 3 0-0 6, Cooper Greenman 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 5-9 37.
3-point goals: A/W 6 (Mattison 2, Joyce 2, Calladine 2).
Total Fouls: A/W 9, F/S 15. Fouled out: None.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Hammondsport 62, Friendship/Scio 26
HAMMONDSPORT — Right from the start, the Hammondsport Lady Lakers went full speed ahead against visiting Friendship/Scio.
Across a first half that saw them hold their opposition to just eight combined points, the tone was set immediately by the hosts in white and purple behind a massive night from Sam Pratt to aid their 62-26 home victory on Tuesday.
No time was wasted by the Lady Lakers behind what was an 18-4 run to open the game — 16 of those points came in unanswered fashion to ignite the fuse on the team’s incredible start. The momentum would shift over into the second quarter where Hammondsport picked up where they left off while under control of both ends of the floor, as they wrapped up the first half with a 33-8 lead after another long run of Friendship/Scio (8-4) to further cement their advantage permanently.
Four different scorers eclipsed the double-figure mark for the Lady Lakers, with Sam Pratt propelling the offense with her 23 game-high points.
On the other side for Friendship/Scio, Morghyn Ross led with nine team-high points. Nevaeh Ross had five points, while Avery Lamberson and Sophie Bolzan each had four to add.
“Avery came back for the first time in a month after an injury, and she played really well, as did Sophie Bolzan through the post,” Friendship/Scio coach Ashleigh Lewis said. “They were our two silver linings for our team that didn’t quit and they both kept their heads up through it. Hammondsport returned everyone from last year and they’re just as good as they were after their deep Sectional run. There are a lot of tough teams in the Ds, and they’re one of them. They came ready to play tonight and we did not.”
Friendship/Scio will look to rebound back home in Scio tonight with a 7:30 p.m. visit from Andover/Whitesville.
Friendship/Scio 4 4 12 6 – 26
Hammondsport 18 15 15 14 – 62
FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Grace Drumm 1 0-0 2, Nevaeh Ross 2 1-4 5, Hunter Hint 1 0-0 2, Avery Lamberson 2 0-0 4, Sophie Bolzan 2 0-0 4, Morghyn Ross 4 0-0 9. Totals: 12 1-4 26.
HAMMONDSPORT: Gabby Doyle 1 0-0 2, LaZell Locey 5 0-0 10, Danica Dresser 5 0-0 10, Sam Pratt 11 0-0 23, Nichole Pratt 4 2-3 10, Alexis Hurd 3 1-1 7. Totals: 29 3-4 62.
3-point goals: F/S 1 (M. Ross), Hammondsport 1 (S. Pratt).
Total Fouls: F/S 4, Hammondsport 10. Fouled out: None.
Livonia 49, Canisteo-Greenwood 30
LIVONIA — After a brilliant start through the first eight minutes, there was no other direction for the Livonia Lady Bulldogs to go than up on Tuesday.
Under control of a seven-point lead, the Class B powerhouses took it to another level to close out the half, keeping visiting Canisteo-Greenwood off the board completely while branching their advantage to remain out front and towards eventual victory by a 49-30 count.
After a 13-6 lead for the Lady Bulldogs developed in the first quarter behind the guidance of Mary and Libby Kwak, the momentum shifted gears into the next frame of play where they held the Lady Chargers (9-7) off the board completely while capitalizing on a run that allowed them to remain in the driver’s seat.
When the half closed its book, the hosts in white and blue formulated a gigantic 15-0 run, aided by a 9-of-12 outing at the charity stripe between four different scorers.
The Lady Chargers were able to chip away at their deficit at the beginning of the second half with their strongest outing of offense, propelled by all seven of Kora Button’s points within the frame. But in the end, the first half lead constructed by Livonia would be too much to overcome.
Leading the scoring for the visitors in red was Bailey Mullen and her team-high 10 points, chipping in eight rebounds along the way. Following Button’s seven-point effort was Kadyn Piliero and Harlie McCaffery, each adding four points.
On special teams, McCaffery led the rebounding department with nine, while Lila Greenfield grabbed seven of her own.
Canisteo-Greenwood will look to take aim at their 10th win of the season back home Thursday night, as they welcome in the Avoca-Prattsburgh Lady Titans for a 7:15 p.m. visit.
Canisteo-Greenwood 6 0 14 10 – 30
Livonia 13 15 12 9 – 49
CANISTEO-GREENWOOD: Kora Button 3 0-0 7, Bailey Mullen 4 1-4 10, Kadyn Piliero 2 0-0 4, McKenna Ferris 1 0-0 2, Lila Greenfield 1 0-0 2, Harlie McCaffery 1 2-4 4, Paris May 0 1-2 1. Totals: 12 4-10 30.
LIVONIA: Mary Kwak 3 2-2 9, KJ Einhiple 2 2-2 6, Libby Kwak 6 4-4 19, Genny Strom 1 0-0 2, Molly Hitchcock 3 5-10 11, Morgan Meys 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 13-18 49.
3-point goals: C-G 2 (Button, Mullen), Livonia 4 (L. Kwak 3, M. Kwak).
Total Fouls: C-G 18, Livonia 12. Fouled out: None.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Allegany-Limestone 3, Arkport-Canaseraga 1
ALLEGANY — The two teams at the top of the Allegany County League mountain met for the second and final time in the regular season, Tuesday night.
With the Playoffs right around the corner and the top seed hanging in the balance, Arkport-Canaseraga and Allegany-Limestone had one final score to settle when the fog subsided. It was a start that the Wolves wanted to have under wraps, as they claimed the first set’s upper hand to break the ice right away.
But soon after, what momentum was built was erased by the Gators in the Swamp, as Allegany-Limestone provided a bounce back of epic proportions to put Arkport-Canaseraga on their feet, scoring victories across the next three sets of play to score a four-set victory to remain undefeated with a 19-25, 25-18, 25-17, 25-13 win to all but secure the number one seed for the postseason ahead.
Leading the Gators were Josh Nolder and AJ Riordan on the attack, as the two strikers came together to record a whopping 28 kills. In the middle of the floor helping set the offense up for success was CJ Ellison, who handed out 25 helpers while on defense, Jesse Decker recorded 37 incredible digs to keep the ball off the floor.
Statistics for Arkport-Canaseraga were not made available to report upon publication. The Wolves will now await play for the Playoffs.
Allegany-Limestone will close out their regular season with a 6 p.m. visit from Friendship/Scio tonight.
