Wednesday Basketball: And/Whi girls survive nailbiter to spoil Senior Night for Lady Rebels with 35-34 road win; B-R, GVB girls use balanced offense to claim home victories
Photos and stories by CHRIS BROOKS, managing editor, wellsvillesports.com
CUBA — There was plenty of nail-biting to go around in the Wighthouse on Wednesday.
With plenty of emotions already on the rise for the Lady Rebels of Cuba-Rushford and their annual Senior Night celebration, they would reach new levels in the heat of battle down the stretch, as both teams vied for the winning edge in the game’s waning seconds.
With Cuba-Rushford garnering possession of what was the final possession, a pass inside next to the rim was made and later, a game-tying attempt was let go. The shot however, rolled straight over top of the basket and back down on the other side as time expired, leaving Andover/Whitesville in the driver’s seat for good, as they warded off the Lady Rebels one more time to put away a 35-34 road victory.
“This was a pretty sloppy game as a whole. Andover/Whitesville is tough, and they really work hard every minute to put a lot of pressure on you. I am happy with how we were able to fight back after being down in the last two minutes. They earned the chance to try and tie and win the game for us.” said Lady Rebels coach Aaron Wight.
The scoring was a bit difficult to scavenge at first between both squads through the first five minutes and change of battle, with Andover/Whitesville (13-4) posting the game’s first three points to break the ice.
A short time later, the Lady Rebels provided a response by doubling-up their opposition from three-point land, with Lily Tompkins and Brynn Lavery going back-to-back to propel them ahead with their first lead.
Despite falling behind down the stretch, Andover/Whitesville went on to wipe the slate clean and finish the frame with the last six points in consecutive fashion themselves, using some assistance at the charity stripe along with a buzzer-beating three from Stella Bledsoe off the glass and down through the twine to score a 9-6 lead at the conclusion of the frame.
The Lady Rebels (12-8) re-assumed control on the floor with a rapid response right back to Andover/Whitesville’s quarter-ending make, as they launched a game-tying triple of their own before speeding back ahead with six more points down low.
The scoreless jaunt to open the second quarter reached as much as 11 points, as the hosts in white and blue wrapped up the first half with a 17-11 lead behind an 11-2 run of their opposition.
In the second half, plenty of more fireworks came.
Especially in the fourth quarter.
After both teams combined for 12 points across a quiet offensive third quarter, the Lady Rebels went into the last eight minutes primed to finish the job. In order to do that, they would have to fight Andover/Whitesville in a back-and-forth slugfest all the way down to the end, even after the visitors in black helped spearhead a humongous 7-0 run led by Olivia Waters down low against the Cuba-Rushford defense, along with a lengthy three-point bomb from near mid-court.
It would remain close quarters entering the final minute when both teams traded stances at the charity stripe to paste more points on the scoreboard. With a 35-34 lead for Andover/Whitesville intact, the Lady Rebels were presented with one final opportunity to turn the tide in favor of overtime with a phenomenal look inside the arc off a Brynn Lavery pass on the dribble, as she then supplied a dish to Kendall Tompkins next to the rim with 3.3 seconds left.
Tompkins provided one stutter-step against a defender in front of her before turning around to let her game-tying fadeaway fly right before the buzzer sounded. But the ball rolled straight over the basket and down onto the floor on the opposite side, as Andover/Whitesville held on to capture victory by the slimmest of margins.
Lavery led all scorers for the Lady Rebels with a team-high 10 points. Lily Tompkins finished with nine points, while Lilly Farwell had six points.
For Andover/Whitesville, Olivia Waters paved the way with 14 game-high points. Stella Bledsoe chipped in with nine points, while Graci Lewis-Ellison had six to add.
Right before tip-off, the Lady Rebels honored both of their senior leaders, Lavery and Cloey Larabee, during their Senior Night celebration in front of their home crowd.
Wight reflected on both seniors and their endless contributions on the floor they have made over the years.
“These two seniors are really going to be missed,” he said. “They have been great on and off the court. They’re both outstanding students and outstanding people. It won’t be the same next year without them. They have both been staples here for so long, with both of them being on Varsity for more than four years. Hopefully, we can keep their careers going a little longer in Sectional play.”
The Lady Rebels will now wait for Sectional play to begin, as they officially reach the end of their regular season.
Andover/Whitesville will head back home to Andover on Friday for a colossal 7:30 p.m. showdown with the Fillmore Lady Eagles.
Andover/Whitesville 9 2 8 16 — 35
Cuba-Rushford 6 11 4 13 — 34
ANDOVER/WHITESVILLE: Makenna Vance 0 1-2 1, Stella Bledsoe 4 0-2 9, Graci Lewis-Ellison 2 2-6 6, Lilly Harrington 2 0-0 5, Olivia Waters 5 3-8 14. Totals: 13 6-18 35.
CUBA-RUSHFORD: Aubrey Williams 1 2-4 5, Cloey Larabee 1 0-3 2, Lily Tompkins 3 2-2 9, Brynn Lavery 3 2-2 10, Arlah Shaffer 1 0-0 2, Lilly Farwell 3 0-0 6. Totals: 12 6-11 34.
3-point goals: A/W 3 (Bledsoe, Harrington, Waters), C-R 4 (Lavery 2, Williams, L. Tompkins).
Total Fouls: A/W 13, C-R 18. Fouled out: None.
More stories after photo gallery:
Bolivar-Richburg 46, Friendship/Scio 27
BOLIVAR — The Lady Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg broke away and out of reach from visiting Friendship/Scio on Wednesday, as they used two big conclusions to each half of basketball — the latter in the final eight minutes to officially solidify a rebounding victory on their home floor, a 46-27 final count.
The two teams engaged in early back-and-forth combat through the opening quarter, with opportunities on both ends of the floor becoming limited along the way. Through it all, the Lady Wolverines (8-11) were able to find their way out in front with a one-point advantage.
When the second quarter came around, that lead was branched out heavily, as they closed out in dominant fashion with the first of two 13-2 runs of Friendship/Scio to take a 21-9 lead into the break.
Friendship/Scio (3-14) brought it all back to close the gap right behind Bolivar-Richburg in the third quarter, as they used all three phases of attack to power a massive 16-point stand — with three different contributors all digging down low for eight big points, along with a pair of triples from Alexiss Herring and two shots at the line from Avery Lamberson to power their special teams efforts.
Trailing by eight going into the fourth quarter, the momentum Friendship/Scio had established was ultimately stolen away by the Lady Wolverines, as the hosts in white and red put the finishing touches on the victory with their second 13-2 run, cementing the victory that awaited at the night’s final buzzer.
Leading the scoring for Bolivar-Richburg in a balanced effort across the board was Carmen Crowley, who had a game-high 11 points. Nadia Baldwin chipped in with 10 points right behind her, while Jaelyn Kinnicutt and Raegan Giardini each had eight points.
Friendship/Scio was captained by Emily Lamberson and her team-leading 10 points. The team hits the road once more tonight, as they visit the Lady Eagles of Fillmore at 6 p.m.
The Lady Wolverines are back on the floor on Tuesday for their regular season finale, as they then host the Fillmore Lady Eagles in a 6 p.m. tip-off.
Friendship/Scio 7 2 16 2 — 27
Bolivar-Richburg 8 13 12 13 — 46
FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Emily Lamberson 5 0-0 10, Kaydence Sadler 1 0-2 2, Huntar Hint 1 0-2 2, Avery Lamberson 0 3-4 3, Alexiss Herring 2 0-0 6, Emma Bolzan 1 0-0 2, Ella Perry 1 0-0 2. Totals: 11 3-8 27.
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Nadia Baldwin 2 4-5 10, Emma Sisson 1 0-0 2, Jaelyn Kinnicutt 3 0-0 8, Raegan Giardini 3 2-2 8, Sydney Faulkner 3 0-0 7, Carmen Crowley 5 1-5 11. Totals: 17 7-12 46.
3-point goals: F/S 2 (Herring), B-R 5 (Baldwin 2, Kinnicutt 2, Faulkner).
Total Fouls: F/S 8, B-R 14. Fouled out: None.
Genesee Valley/Belfast 45, Hinsdale 19
BELFAST — After the Lady Bobcats of Hinsdale took the advantage through the opening moments of battle, the Genesee Valley/Belfast ladies then took over the show, as every single scorer all harnessed the spotlight on the hardwood inside the Paul Vienna Memorial Gym on Wednesday to power what was a 45-19 Senior Night victory.
It was not easy by any means right from the starting gate, as the Lady Bobcats raced stride for stride right alongside Genesee Valley/Belfast (12-8) in a back-and-forth exchange that saw the visitors jump out first and foremost with a 9-7 lead.
But the momentum then shifted hands in the second quarter in favor of the hosts following an initial 14-14 tie, as the offense went full throttle with six of the final eight points of the half to garner the advantage.
The lead would remain in their favor going forward following a dominant display of defense across the entire second half, as Genesee Valley/Belfast held the Lady Bobcats (1-15) to just four more points in the midst of what was a 25-4 run to pull out of reach once and for all, sending all four of their seniors out swinging on the highest of notes.
Shining the light on the attack was Ava Aronson, as she posted a game-high 10 points. Bayleigh Tallman had seven points to add into the mix, while Whitney Young and Jenna Hill each had six points.
Hinsdale was led by Lily Bushnell and her team-leading eight points. Sarah Easterly had four points. The Lady Bobcats return to their home floor for a 6 p.m. contest against West Valley.
Genesee Valley/Belfast has concluded their regular season, as they now await Sectional play in two weeks time.
Hinsdale 9 6 2 2 — 19
Genesee Valley/Belfast 7 13 11 14 — 45
HINSDALE: Kaylie Foskit 1 1-4 3, Sarah Easterly 1 2-4 4, Alexa Saunders 1 0-0 2, Kaleigh Buckles 1 0-0 2, Lily Bushnell 3 1-2 8. Totals: 7 4-10 19.
GV/BELFAST: Keanna Sands 2 0-0 4, Bayleigh Tallman 3 1-2 7, Sophie Zillgitt 1 1-4 4, Whitney Young 2 0-0 6, Addisyn Ely 2 0-0 4, Alexa Ely 1 0-0 2, Kate Calanni 1 0-0 2, Ava Aronson 5 0-2 10, Jenna Hill 3 0-0 6. Totals: 20 2-8 45.
3-point goals: Hinsdale 1 (Bushnell), GVB 3 (Young 2, Zillgitt).
Total Fouls: Hinsdale 15, GVB 15. Fouled out: Aronson (GVB).
Tuesday Roundup: In third and final match of season, Lions assemble dominant straight-set sweep of C-R to move into County Finals; B-R, C-R, Fillmore boys hoops all capture victories
WELLSVILLE — The final stepping stone ahead of Tuesday night was the Allegany County Championship game.
A beacon that shines brighter than ever before, and for two of the final four teams remaining, they will have an opportunity to bask in every bit of that illumination while going toe-to-toe for the winter’s biggest prize on the volleyball court.
Two of those teams left standing, alongside Arkport-Canaseraga and Portville, are two combatants that are no stranger to one another. Two teams that have shared plenty of history over the years.
More notably, during the COVID-19 stricken 2019-20 season, when an incredible five-set battle between Cuba-Rushford and Wellsville sent shockwaves throughout the entire gym in the Lion’s Den.
From the very first serve of the game to the when the ball dropped onto the floor for the 15th and final point.
That was a match that the Rebels held on for dear life over the Lions to claim the County’s top prize, which was their first from within a strand of three championships across the next four seasons.
In between those? — The Lions delivering the ultimate bounce back of them all the following season, in a shortened 2020-21 campaign to capture their third championship in a four-season span.
Now, the Rebels and Lions are two of the hottest teams heading into the postseason. And for one of them, their fire had to be doused in order to fill in one of the Championship game’s vacancies.
Push came to shove throughout the night in the Lion’s Den, with two of the first three sets being determined right down to the bitter end. With everything hanging in the balance, both teams gave it their all to try and be one of the first teams to play for this year’s crown.
But when the night wrapped up in what served as the rubber match, Wellsville extinguished Cuba-Rushford’s flame that had burned since the return to action at the beginning of January, as they survived two high octane battles with the Rebels, sandwiched in between a dominant second set to help construct what was their biggest victory of the season — a straight-set win in front of their home fans to send the team back to the County Finals for the first time since 2021, in a 25-23, 25-13, 25-23 final tally.
”I couldn’t have asked for a better group of kids to take to the Finals. They play so hard, and they played outstanding tonight on both sides of the court. Cuba-Rushford really made the game exciting and it gave us another great challenge after having played them tough twice already. It was everything that you would want a playoff game to be.” said Lions coach Adam Kellogg.
The Lions (11-3) were ignited by Xavier Scott on the offense, as he powered the way forward with six kills and six big blocks at the net. Lucius Griggs chipped in with four kills and a block of his own.
From the service line, Kam Dodge provided three big aces, pairing them alongside two kills and two digs, while Terrence Benz rounded off the efforts with three kills and three blocks.
On the opposite side of the net, the Rebels saw Anderson Siegel take charge of the attack at the net, as he recorded a team-high 12 kills to go with three aces and three digs. Brock Stadler added more fuel to the fire with eight more kills of his own, pairing them with five additional digs on defense, while Coen Kellogg, the team’s setter, handed out 15 helpers to go with two aces and two digs.
Cuba-Rushford concludes a remarkable first chapter of the Whitney Miller era, as they put a wrap on a 2024-25 campaign with a record of 10-5 overall.
As for Wellsville, they will now press on and battle for their first Allegany County Championship in four years, as they now either host Arkport-Canaseraga or travel to top-seeded Portville for all the marbles later on this week.
The Wolves and Panthers will do battle in the other Semifinal battle of the Playoffs, tonight at 6 p.m. in Portville.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Bolivar-Richburg 65, Houghton Academy 33
BOLIVAR — Landon Barkley, Waide Karnuth and Maddox Davison have shared plenty of moments together on the hardwood during their time with the Wolverines of Bolivar-Richburg program.
For the very last time this regular season on Tuesday, they joined together in a moment of honorary reflection alongside their families, their fellow teammates and their fans for Senior Night.
Coincidentally enough, the three Wolverines seniors all carved the path forward for the offense when it came to gametime on the hardwood against the visiting Panthers of Houghton Academy, as they outlasted a fierce fight early on in the first quarter and placed a vehement stamp on their end of the first half, hardening their advantage throughout the second half to put a bow on their strong send-off with a 65-33 home win.
“It was an awesome send-off for them. Basketball is a tireless grind, so it was nice to wrap up the regular season in a way that saw our seniors shine a little bit for them on their night,” said Wolverines coach Justin Thomas. “They had some great moments and they did some great things, and then the other guys came in and filled in the blanks to support the cause. It’s been a journey to watch them develop not just in this game, but across the board. Maddox and Waide care about what they do and how hard they have to work to earn it, and then there’s Landon. They don’t get much better than that. He’s got the entire world in front of him and you can see it in the way he prepares. He handles everything with a calm head and he’s always out there competing regardless of the outcome. All three of these guys will be sorely missed next year.”
It was a beginning that the Wolverines had to fight alongside Houghton Academy with all throughout, with a back-and-forth exchange of pleasantries taking place before the hosts wedged their way ahead with the quarter’s final four points to end their pursuit of a 16-10 lead.
The second quarter was a frame that saw the hosts make their mark, as they cemented their advantage insurmountably with a 19-7 run of the Panthers to extend what was a 35-17 lead at the break, never looking back in the same swing.
In the midst of the offensive efforts for Bolivar-Richburg, Landon Barkley charted his course to the front of the pack with another stellar night from the field, bucketing a team-high 20 points. Maddox Davison followed with 15 points, while Waide Karnuth had 10 of his own to chip in.
For Houghton Academy, Jack Prentice ignited the hardwood with 31 of the team’s 33 points. Hoang Phung had the team’s remaining two points.
The Panthers are back on the floor Thursday night, hosting Friendship/Scio at 6 p.m.
Bolivar-Richburg has now put a bow on their regular season, as they now await Sectional play beginning in two weeks time.
Houghton Academy 10 7 4 12 — 33
Bolivar-Richburg 16 19 15 15 — 65
HOUGHTON ACADEMY: Jack Prentice 11 3-6 31, Hoang Phung 1 0-0 2. Totals: 12 3-6 33.
BOLIVAR-RICHBURG: Maddox Davison 7 0-0 15, Landon Barkley 6 6-8 20, Braden Zilker 3 0-0 9, Ryder Iantorno 2 0-0 5, Dylan Abdo 1 0-0 3, Waide Karnuth 5 0-4 10, Mason Baldwin 1 0-0 3. Totals: 25 6-12 65.
3-point goals: HA 6 (Prentice), B-R 9 (Zilker 3, Barkley 2, Davison, Iantorno, Abdo, Baldwin).
Total Fouls: HA 10, B-R 8. Fouled out: None.
Cuba-Rushford 49, Hinsdale 19
HINSDALE — The Rebels of Cuba-Rushford overcame a back-and-forth battle with host Hinsdale immediately out of the gate Tuesday night, as they turned the ship around in the second quarter and sailed straight towards victory, holding the Bobcats to just nine more points across the remaining three quarters to secure a 49-19 road win.
“We struggled big time out of the gate with lack of energy and some timid guys. But we really woke up right before the half and third quarter to go on a 30-2 run and put the game away. I thought Adam (Roe), Finn (Ricketts) and Eli (Sleggs) really controlled the boards. But credit to Hinsdale, they played their butts off the whole game.” Rebels coach Pat Wight said.
The Rebels (15-5) reversed the momentum that Hinsdale established in the opening eight minutes of play in a hurry, as they flipped the action upside down following a 10-8 deficit going into the second quarter and found every corner of the paint possible to take control of the offensive end going forward.
After ending with a half-ending go-ahead run, the visitors in blue and maroon stepped hard on the gas pedal and took off with a 20-0 third quarter run to bolster their advantage permanently.
Pacing the offensive efforts for Cuba-Rushford was Donovan Breckenridge, who posted a game-high 14 points. Adam Roe and Carter Brown each scored 10 points, while Finn Ricketts sank eight points of his own.
Adding special teams help along the way was Eli Sleggs, who controlled the boards with eight off the glass. Zach Deck handed out five assists.
The Bobcats were led by Tyler Richards and his team-high 10 points. Hinsdale stays put on their home floor to welcome in Andover/Whitesville at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
Cuba-Rushford will now await Sectional play in two weeks, as they officially put a wrap on their regular season.
Cuba-Rushford 8 10 20 11 — 49
Hinsdale 10 2 0 7 — 19
CUBA-RUSHFORD: Carter Getz 1 0-0 2, Adam Roe 5 0-1 10, Donovan Breckenridge 7 0-0 14, Eli Sleggs 1 0-1 2, Carter Brown 4 2-2 10, Finn Ricketts 3 2-4 8, Landon Hendryx 1 0-0 3. Totals: 22 4-8 49.
HINSDALE: Chris Forney 1 0-0 2, Sean Forney 1 0-2 3, Aiden Baird 2 0-0 4, Tyler Richards 3 2-5 10. Totals: 7 2-7 19.
3-point goals: C-R 1 (Hendryx), Hinsdale 3 (Richards 2, S. Forney).
Total Fouls: C-R 8, Hinsdale 11. Fouled out: None.
Fillmore 52, Friendship/Scio 25
SCIO — The house was brought down by the Fillmore Eagles right off the bat on Tuesday, as a magnificent stand of offense through the first eight minutes allowed them to ring in the evening on the loudest of notes, setting the tone against host Friendship/Scio to assemble a dynamic 52-25 victory on the road in Scio.
“Besides turnovers, I thought their defensive pressure sped us up and it really made us take some bad, rushed shots. That really hurt us across the board. On a brighter note, we rebounded the ball really well, which was great especially against a team like Fillmore who does that really well themselves.” said Friendship/Scio coach Dillon McFall.
The Eagles (15-2) wasted no time striking while the iron was scorching hot in the first quarter, as the offense took shape around a massive 22-point outing while the defense held up their end of the bargain in return on the opposite side of the floor, limiting Friendship/Scio to just six points in a tone-setting sequence that gave them the advantage permanently.
Charging those herculean efforts for the visitors in green and black was Cam Mucher, who went all out to deliver a game-high 27-point performance. Isaiah Sisson followed with 10 points of his own, while Ezra Knapp had seven points.
For Friendship/Scio (7-11), Deacon Brown led the scoring down low with a team-high 10 points. Jerome Harmon pitched in with five points.
The team will look to rebound on the road Thursday with a 6 p.m. visit to Houghton Academy.
Fillmore will travel over the road themselves to close out the week on Friday, as they trek north for a monstrous 6 p.m. clash with the C.G. Finney Falcons.
Fillmore 22 9 14 7 — 52
Friendship/Scio 6 10 3 6 — 25
FILLMORE: Isaiah Sisson 4 2-5 10, Tyler Voss 1 0-0 3, Ezra Knapp 3 0-0 7, Jameson Rhett 2 0-0 5, Cam Mucher 9 5-5 27. Totals: 19 7-10 52.
FRIENDSHIP/SCIO: Jerome Harmon 2 1-4 5, Connor Blouvet 0 2-6 2, Aiden Golden 1 2-2 4, Jerimiah Brown 2 0-0 4, Deacon Brown 5 0-2 10. Totals: 10 5-14 25.
3-point goals: Fillmore 7 (Mucher 4, Voss, Knapp, Rhett).
Total Fouls: Fillmore 9, F/S 12. Fouled out: None.
