AFLAC Amazing Athlete: Eli Welch, Westhill boys basketball. Setting a career mark with 20 points, adding six rebounds, three assists and three steals, Welch led the Warriors past Central Valley Academy 59-52 on March 2 for the Section III Class A championship.
Atlas Fence All-Star: Grayson Gall, New Hartford girls gymnastics. During the March 2 NYSPHSAA championships at Clarence High School, Gall was victorious in the balance beam with a 9.825 routine.
Attilios Ace Award: Mason Farrell, Sauquoit Valley boys volleyball. Sauquoit earned a third consecutive Section III Class C winter title led by Farrell, who not only had 52 aces on the season, he also had 155 assists and 114 kills.
Byrne Dairy Prime Performer: Emeline Barton, LaFargeville girls basketball. Baron piled up 19 points, six rebounds, five assists and three blocks when the Red Wolves beat Sackets Harbor 45-41 in the February 27 Secti0n III Class D semifinal.
CNY Sealing and Paving Defensive Standout: Donte Sparace, Rome Free Academy ice hockey. Though the Black Knights lost an epic Section III Division I final 2-1 to West Genesee on February 26, it can hardly be put on Sparace, a freshman who stopped 49 of the 51 shots he faced.
Ethan Allen Award of Excellence: Miyanah Robinson, Nottingham girls indoor track and field. Robinson brought home a state championship from the March 2 NYSPHSAA meet on Staten Island when she cleared 5 feet 6 inches to win the high jump.
Holbrook Heating and Air Conditioning Outstanding Athlete: Lorenzo Garafolo, Tully boys basketball. Each of Garafolo’s 24 points was needed for the Black Knight to edge Port Byron 63-62 in the February 24 Section III Class C quarterfinal.
The Image Press Icon: Alexis Kress, Little Falls girls basketball. The Mounties were victorious 55-47 over Phoenix in the February 24 Section III Class C quarterfinal, led by Kress and her total of 24 points.
M. Lemp Jewelers Rewarding Effort: Jackson Blaszkow, Chittenango boys volleyball. The Bears beat Central Valley Academy in four sets on March 1 for the Section III Class B winter championship led by Blaszkow’s 13 kills on the offensive side and 14 digs on the defensive side.
Mooney Marketing Group/Bristol 7 Enterprises Major Performance: Lucas Clay, Baldwisville boys swimming. Clay peaked with a seventh-place performance in the 100 breaststroke during the March 1-2 state championships at Ithaca.
North Syracuse Lawn and Snow Notable Effort: Tim Kirilko, New York Mills boys basketball. The Marauders’ valiant 76-74 defeat to Faith Heritage in the February 29 Section III Class D semifinal was largely due to Kirilko setting a new career mark with 42 points.
Nye Automotive Mark of Excellence: Ava Fellows, West Canada Valley girls basketball. West Canada’s 23rd consecutive win this season, a tough 42-38 decision over Weedsport February 28, was led by Fellow, who gained 18 points.
Purcell Paints Prime Performer: Jonah Vormwold, West Genesee ice hockey. It was Vormwold’s goal, short-handed, in overtime that delivered the Wildcats another Section III Division I championship February 26 in a 2-1 decision over Rome Free Academy.
Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists Student-Athlete: Claire Turner, Cortland girls basketball. Turner’s 16 points and game-saving block allowed the Purple Tigers to hold off Jamesville-DeWitt 41-40 in the February 27 Section III Class A semifinals.
University Sports Shop/Manny’s Major Moment: Danny Dunn, Liverpool boys basketball, hitting the 3-pointer with 1:10 left that put the Warriors ahead to stay as it edged Cicero-North Syracuse 55-52 on March 2 for the Section III Class AAA championship.
Upstate Urology Upstart: Erin Trinkaus, Utica Notre Dame girls basketball. Long in the shadow of twin sister Ella, Erin’s 20 points was a bit part of the Jugglers’ 73-48 win over Little Falls in the February 28 Section III Class B semifinals.
U.S. Army Athlete of the Week: Tawakal Omar, Corcoran boys indoor track and field. Omar won the NYSPHSAA championship in the 55-meter hurdles March 2 on Staten Island, speeding to victory in a time of 7.37 seconds.
Wilkins RV Winning Player: Luke Mizro, Skaneateles boys ice hockey. Recording a three-goal hat trick, Mizro led the Lakers past Webster Thomas 5-1 in the Division II regional final March 2 at Allyn Arena.
