Here is the Nye Automotive Top 10 for the week of March 22…..
- For the first time Marcellus boys basketball is a state Class B champion. In BinghamtonSunday the Mustangs built a double-digit lead on Woodlands in the second half, then held on late with big plays on offense and defense to prevail 63-58 and claim the title it just missed a year earlier. Between them the trio of Dom Gosh-Sandy, Connor Ciota and Tucker Burnett combined for 54 of those points…
- When Marcellus beat World of Inquiry 65-55 in the state Class B semifinals last Saturday in Binghamton, it held the Griffins to seven points in the second quarter to take control. Connor Ciota’s 21 points was one short of a season high while Tucker Burnett had a double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds as Dom Gosh-Sandy chimed in with 12 points and seven rebounds…
- Earlier that weekend LaFargeville girls basketball won its first-ever state championship, claiming it in Class D when it beat Northville 43-37 in the final at Hudson Valley CC in Troy. Emmeline Barton, the leader all season for the Red Knights, hit a crucial basket with 32.8 seconds left when her team was only up by two on her way to 25 points as Margie Barton contributed 11 points…
- In order to reach the state final LaFargeville first had to get past Chateaugay in the semifinals a day earlier. Emmeline Barton made absolutely sure of it, piling up 38 points as the Red Knights prevailed 56-41. For the season Barton scored more than 600 points averaging nearly 25 a game. Elyza Smith also had a big role in this victory by nabbing 14 rebounds to give her team more possessions…
- Again Liverpool got to the state Class AAA championship game and again it was stopped one victory short by a Section I powerhouse. The Warriors jumped out 10-2 on Albertus Magnus, last year’s state Class AA champions, but Magnus dominated the rest of the game and won it 67-47 largely thanks to junior forward Julia Scott putting up 33 points and 22 rebounds, too much to handle..
- Liverpool made quite a comeback to get to this state final. Trailing Syosset at halftime of the state Class AAA semifinal at Hudson Valley CC in Troy the Warriors roared into the lead in the third quarter and eventually prevailed 65-56 as A’briyah Cunningham, injured most of the post-season, got 25 points and 13 rebounds as eighth-grader Gia Kinsey picked up 21 points..
- Two other area basketball teams reached state semifinals but lost them. In Binghamton the Sackets Harbor boys could not make a return to the state Class D title game as it did in 2024, falling to Panama 74-53, while in Class C girls Cooperstown looked for glory only to run into Stillwater in the semifinals, the Hawkeyes ultimately taking a 59-37 defeat…..
- And now we get to spring sports. A quick melt of all the February snow means that lacrosse, baseball and softball would get underway relatively on time as well as flag football, who grows this season with F-M joining the teams already present from last year’s inaugural campaign. C-NS got that season underway Friday night facing Queensbury from Section II….
- A big story in boys lacrosse is new head coaches at prominent programs. F-M saw Doug Madden step away as Eric Wood, who coached the JV Hornets, was promoted and the Hornets lost a close season opener 11-10 to a visiting Ohio school, Worthington-Kilbuourne. CBA, a state champion in 2017, has Jason Boltus in charge now to replace Mike Powell, while at Westhill Aaron Cahill takes over..
- In girls lacrosse it’s C-NS coming off a run to last year’s state Class A championship, the Northstars opening its season Saturday against Penfield. West Genesee went to the state Class B final last year but saw a coaching change with Jessica Lavelle replacing Shannon Burke, while Fulton (Class C) and South Jefferson (Class D) are the other defending sectional champions…
