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TIMES SPORTSWATCH
Locals at Empire State Games
Western Region team - competing July 27-30 in Rochester area
 | | STUMPF'S STARS...Participating for the Western team in this summer's Empire State Games and Stumpf's Gymnastics Center members, from left, include Aaron Benson (Cheektowaga resident), Depew residents Joe Conti and Cory Kowalski, Erica Gasiecki (Cheektowaga) and Coach Dan Molnar (Depew). Benson and Kowalski are participating in the Scholastic Men's All-Around Individual gymnastics events, Conti, the Open Men's All-Around Individual gymnastics, Gasiecki, the Scholastic Women's All-Around Individual gymnastics, and Molnar, heading the Open Men's team. |
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Raymond Peoples, Cheektowaga
Scholastic Men's
100 and 200-meter dashes
Peoples, who is heading into his senior year at Cleveland Hill High School, is making his first ESG appearance. He is coming off an outstanding junior season in which he helped the Golden Eagles' boys track and field 4x100-meter relay team win the New York State Public High School Athletic Association competition among small school participants at St. Lawrence University.
At the ESG, Peoples said he hopes to finish in the top three or five in his events.
"I'm confident," said Peoples, who added that he is training for the events at the University at Buffalo clinic and practice fields. "Some of my friends told me about the Empire games and a lot of people said (the ESG) was a fun experience, so I decided to go for it. I just want to go out and compete and do my best." Coach Pete Szymanski, West Seneca
Scholastic Men's Athletics
Szymanski, who coaches the John F. Kennedy High School boys's cross country, indoor track and track and field teams, returns for his 10th ESG appearance. He lists former Bear runner Art Jozwiak's gold medal-winning performances in 1999 and 2000 as his favorite memories at the Games.
The JFK head man will get a chance to guide Cleve Hill's Peoples, who he has coached against the past few seasons in ECIC-IV, on the Western team.
"Without question, I think (Peoples) has a very good chance to go a long way at the games," Szymanski said of Peoples. "He got a taste of what it's all about by winning at states on their 4x100-meter relay team. He's one of the favorites."
Szymanski added that the Western team's strengths this year include the scholastic sprinting and steeplechase events. Coach Pete Tonsoline, Cheektowaga
Scholastic Women's Field Hockey
Tonsoline is certainly no stranger to coaching in the ESG, as the Iroquois girls' field hockey coach and teacher, as well as Lancaster Ice
Hockey coach, is making his 16th appearance. He also made appearances in the ESG in boys hockey throughout the 1980s, earning five gold medals and one silver. Tonsoline's first women's field hockey appearance was in 1989, earning two gold medals and two silver, as well as several bronze awards.
"We've gotten some exceptional talent over the years," said Tonsoline, whose field hockey team includes a pair of Lady Chiefs and several returning girls from last year. "We have a really solid team this year. I'm very familiar with them, and that always helps."
Coach Dan Molnar, Depew
Open Men's Gymnastics
Molnar is another experienced coach at the ESG, making his 13th appearance. The regional gymnastics director coaches at Stumpf's Gymnastic Center in Williamsville - Stumpf's member Harrison Riesweler won back-to-back gold medals in the All-Around Men's Gymnastics event at the ESG under Molnar's guidance in 2005. Last year, Molnar's group also won gold in the Scholastic Men's event and bronze in the Open competition.
"We've got a really good group of guys again this summer," Molnar told the Times. "We're hoping for gold in both events (scholastic and open men's) this year."
Cory Kowalski, Depew
Open Men's All-Around
Individual Gymnastics
Kowalski, who will be a senior at Depew High School in the fall, is making his second consecutive appearance in the ESG. Coached by Molnar at Stumpf's, he is hoping the Western Regional squad improves on last year's solid third-place finish.
"We're going for gold," Kowalski said. "I hope our team does well."
Joe Conti, Depew
Open Men's All-Around
Individual Gymnastics
Conti, a recent graduate of Lancaster High School, is making his third appearance in the ESG, having helped the Westerners earn a bronze medal last year.
The Depew resident is hoping to have another medal hanging around his neck come the end of the games this year, crediting Stumpf's for his development.
"I've learned a lot of self-discipline there," Conti said. "You get better and learn to leave negative things in the past. You also learn a lot of endurance."
Aaron Benson, Cheektowaga
Open Men's All-Around
Individual Gymnastics
Benson, who attends Depew Middle School, is making his second ESG appearance, having won individual gold last year. The 13year-old works out at Stumpf's and credits Molnar for improving his techniques.
"He's done a very good job of teaching me things," Benson said of Molnar. "It's helped a lot."
Erica Gasiecki, Cheektowaga Scholastic Women's All-Around
Individual Gymnastics
Gasiecki, who is another graduate of Stumpf's, is headed to her fourth ESG appearance. The Maryvale junior, who qualified for the floor vault finals three years ago at the ESG, said having competed multiple times at the summer games is helpful.
"I don't get as nervous," Gasiecki said. "I want to have fun and hopefully make finals." Coach Jerry Slawek, Cheektowaga
Scholastic Men's Baseball Team
Coach Bob Kowal, Hamburg
Scholastic Men's Baseball Team
Former area baseball coaches Slawek (Cheektowaga Central) and Kowal (Maryvale) return for their sixth consecutive co-coaching appearance at the ESG, having won three straight gold medals from 2002-2004. Slawek, who currently umpires, and Kowal, a Lake Shore teacher, have also captured a pair of bronze medals at the ESG.
Kowal, who stepped down from Maryvale this past spring after 20 seasons, listed his favorite ESG squad as the first gold-medal winning group, which was comprised of several future Division-I college players, including current minor league players Ricky Brooks (drafted by Chicago White Sox) and Jim Negrych (Pirates).
This year, Kowal said, a young Western team, which returns just one starter from last year's bunch, is aiming for at least bronze.
"You always shoot for at least bronze," Kowal told the Times. "If we can manage to win the gold, we'd overtake Long Island's total of top medals (five). That would be pretty nice."
Slawek described the ESG as a great opportunity for athletes to showcase their skills.
"There are a lot of collegiate and professional scouts at the games," Slawek said. "I always tell the kids the games are about scouts watching you. It's a big chance to write your own ticket."
Alex Bagne, Depew
Scholastic Men's (123-lb.)
Greco-Roman Wrestling
Bagne, who is heading into his junior year at Maryvale High School, is making his first ESG appearance. He had an outstanding 2005-2006 season for the Flyers, qualifying for states in his weight class. Bagne set his personal standards relatively high for the ESG.
"I want to do better than I did at states," Bagne said. "I know most of my (Western) teammates from states and other competitions this past year, so that'll help a little."
Bagne added that he hopes this summer is the first of several ESG appearances.
Mark Miskovski, Cheektowaga Open Men's Weightlifting Team
(169.75 lbs)
A teammate of Bagne on the Flyers' wrestling squad, Miskovski is making his first appearance in the ESG - in the Open Men's weightlifting event, however. The recent Maryvale graduate said there are many similarities between wrestling and weightlifting, which both feature strength and endurance as key components.
"Both have a lot of explosive moves, and a lot of power comes from the legs," Miskovski said.
Miskovski, who will attend Daemen College in the fall, added that he hoped both he and the Western Division obtain medals at the ESG.
Jessica Stechenfinger, Sloan
Scholastic Women's
10,000-meter run
Stechenfinger, who is heading into her junior year at John F. Kenndy High School, is making her first ESG appearance. She qualified for the ESG 10,000-meter run with a time of 45 minutes, which Stechenfinger said she hopes to better during her first race on July 27.
"I just want to try my best," Stechenfinger told the Times.
Stechenfinger, who qualified for states in the fall, added that she is friends with a handful of girls in other ESG events.
Rob Szymkowiak, Cheektowaga
Scholastic Men's Ice Hockey -fwd
Szymkowiak will play forward for the Western Ice Hockey team one season after being selected to the games as an alternate. He helped lead Cheektowaga Central to another Super Sunday championship win this past club hockey season, posting more than 60 goals and 50 assists. Szymkowiak, who will be a senior in the fall, has the benefit of playing at the ESG along with Warriors' teammate Jared Fischer, who also had an excellent all-around winter season for Central.
"I'm familiar playing hockey with (Fischer)," Szymkowiak said. "I'm looking forward to playing in the games with the group we have. We've got a really good bunch of guys."
Jared Fischer, Depew
Scholastic Men's Ice Hockey fwd
Fischer, who is also headed into his senior year at Central, is making his first ESG appearance. He was an important part of the Warriors' Super Sunday and states victories this past winter season, providing solid two-way play.
Fischer, who said playing with Szymkowiak is a "big help," feels the Western squad has a good chance of capturing gold.
"We're going to do real good," Fischer told the Times. "We've got some great players on the team."
Richard Fabiszewski, Cheektowaga
Scholastic Men's FITA
All-Around Archery
Fabiszewski, who is heading into his junior year at St. Francis High School, is making his first appearance at the ESG. Being relatively new at the sport, Fabiszewski said he began shooting with archery just two years ago.
"I'm looking forward to the experience of getting better," said Fabiszewski, who practices archery at Leo's Club in West Falls. "Getting a medal would be nice. I want to do better at the sport."
Melissa Chamberlin, Lancaster
Scholastic Women's
FITA All-Around Archery
Chamberlin, who is heading into her senior year at Lancaster High School, is already making her fourth appearance at the ESG. Both she and the Western team have turned in gold medal-winning performances the past two years under the guidance of Chamberlin's mother, Jane.
"I want to win gold again," said Chamberlin, who had several relatives living in Cheektowaga. "My mom is there to help me out when I need assistance, so it helps the process."
Kristin Brunetto, Depew
Open Women's
Softball Team - CF
Joelle Brunetto, Depew
Open Women's
Softball Team - SS/2B
The Brunetto sisterly combination, which led Depew softball to success in the early 2000s, will form a potent duo in their first appearance at the ESG.
The sisters graduated from Depew in 2002 and both recently obtained finance degrees from St. Bonaventure University, with Joelle minoring in accounting. She and Joelle have also played together for the Bisons' softball team and in other summer leagues. Playing with her sister in the ESG, Kristin said, is extra special.
"It's exciting because we've played together since T-ball," Kristin said. "It's also exciting because I feel (the Westerners) can take gold. We've got some of the best talent from the area. We're stacked." Other athletes/coaches that will be
previewed in next week's issue: Paul MacOnaghy, Cheektowaga Coach - Open Men's Athletics Donald McArdle, Depew
Scholastic Men's
12-lb. Hammer
Pamela Zgoda, Cheektowaga Scholastic Women's Hockey Team
Molly Schrantz, Depew Open Women's Volleyball Team
John Hutton, West Seneca Open Men's Volleyball Team
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