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TIMES SPORTSWATCH
Warriors hockey on roll, thumps more league foes
 | | FEARSOME FOURSOME...From left, Cheektowaga Central's Rob Szymkowiak, Jayson Selbert, Ryan Klein and Jared Fischer, who were named to the All-Tournament Team for the Cheektowaga Christmas Hockey Invitational, have emerged as team leaders this season. (Times photo) |
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The good times keep on rolling for the Cheektowaga Central varsity club hockey team, as the Warriors inched closer last weekend to wrapping up another division championship.
Central (25-3-2 overall, 9-0-1 in the Small Schools West Division) defeated St. Mary's, 7-3, on Saturday and Southwestern/Maple Grove, 8-4, on Sunday.
Against St. Mary's, senior center Rob Szymkowiak, who leads the Warriors in scoring with 45 goals and 41 assists, as well as sophomore forward Ryan Jaracz, each tallied two goals. Forwards Jared Fischer (senior), Josh Burgett (junior) and Tom Mahoney (junior) also hit the back of the net.
Goaltender Jordan Kasprzak earned the win between the pipes.
Szymkowiak led the way against Southwestern/Maple Grove, recording a hat trick. Jaracz again added two goals, while Fischer, senior defenseman Ryan Klein and senior center Jeff Fillipski added single tallies.
Chris Rinaldi started in goal and earned the win for Central.
Fischer is second on Central in scoring with 24 goals and 41 assists, while senior center Steve Nworyta stands third at 21 goals and 42 helpers and Jaracz, fourth, with 24 and 28, respectively.
The Warriors, who have seven Small School Division games remaining, are an incredible 63-0-1 in their last 64 league games. Including sectionals and states, Central is 91-1-2 in its last 94 league contests overall.
"It's a testament to the program and the hard work of players who have been here a while," said Warriors head coach Steve Ferrentino.
Ferrentino believes Central could break the Western New York league unbeaten streak, set by Orchard Park at 71 earlier in the 2000s, early in sectionals if the locals do not lose in any of their remaining league contests.
This week, the Warriors prepare for non-league games against Grand Island (today, 5:45 p.m. at Hyde Park), North Tonawanda (tomorrow, 6:30 p.m.), West Seneca East (Saturday, 3:15 p.m.) and Hamburg (Monday, 2:15 p.m.).
Central won the Cheektowaga Christmas Invitational Tournament over winter break. The Warriors defeated Niagara-Wheatfield of the Large School Division in the championship, 5-3, on December 30.
Fischer, Szymkowiak, Klein and sophomore defenseman Jayson Selbert, were also named to the All- Tournament team. Szymkowiak tallied 17 points (nine goals, eight assists), while Klein added five assists and Selbert, three points.
The foursome is happy about Central's development this season as a young team that graduated nine seniors from the 2005-06 roster.
"It feels good," Fischer told the Times. "People doubted us because we had young kids. As team leaders, we're looking to help the firstyear players....I think we've got a good shot to do well at Super Sunday."
Szymkowiak, the team's leading scorer, said non-league Large School competition has made Central a better team.
"It's good to see difficult competition and beat big schools," the center said. "We've stayed relaxed and played well as a team."
Klein described the feeling of winning the Christmas tournament as "awesome."
"We're stepping up," the blueliner said. "We knew coming into the season that leaders needed to emerge and that we needed to play well on all lines. We've got excellent coaching as well."
Selbert, who experienced the success of winning a state title last season as a freshman, said he's enjoying this winter campaign.
"It feels good," Selbert said of Central's excellent start. "We lost some good players from last season but we've played well. Coach expects us to keep the puck out of our net, and we've done that pretty well so far this season."
Nworyta also had a solid tournament, contributing 13 points on six goals and seven helpers, while sophomore forward Tom Leone added three goals and five assists.
Flyers earn revenge win
over local foe Depew
After suffering a 5-4 setback to Depew on December 23, the Maryvale varsity club hockey team overtook the Wildcats (3-5 in league play) by that same score less than two weeks later.
On January 3, the Flyers came back from a 3-1 deficit to edge Depew. Late in the second period, senior forward Christian Wheeler scored to bring Maryvale within one, then senior center Joe Bodkin hit the back of the net twice to put the Flyers ahead. Junior left winger Corey Krawczyk's goal offset the Wildcats' tally in the third period to bring victory to the marooners.
"The guys who we expect to play well did that Wednesday," said firstyear Maryvale head coach Roger Gmerek. "I was happy with our effort."
Senior forward Jeff Szpylman scored in the first period before Depew scored three consecutive goals.
The Wildcats outshot Maryvale 22-20, as Flyers senior goaltender Kyle Worley stopped 18 shots. Depew sophomore goaltender Ryan Clarke made 15 saves.
Maryvale, 5-4-1 in the Small Schools East Division, defeated Tonawanda on Friday, 3-1, as Bodkin, Krawczyk and junior Kyle Gmerek hit the back of the net. The Flyers then dropped a 4-1 decision to Lewiston-Porter on Sunday.
Maryvale returns to action Saturday against league opponent St. Mary's at the Cheektowaga Recreation Center, with face-off scheduled for 9:15 p.m.
Cleve-Hill/JFK splits two
in Southtowns League play
The Cleveland Hill/John F. Kennedy boys varsity club hockey team lost a chance to capture first place in the Southtowns "B" Division last weekend but remains well positioned for a playoff berth.
The Highlanders (16-5-2 overall, 6-4-2 in league play) dropped a 6-3 decision to second-place St. Francis, 6-3, on Friday. St. Francis scored four power-play goals in the first two periods, offsetting goals from Cleve Hill/JFK seniors Sean Olejniczak, Paul Hockwater and Josh Anderson.
However, the Highlanders rebounded to rout league foe East Aurora, 10-1 on Sunday, as Olejniczak recorded four goals and two assists. Hockwater tallied a hat trick with three goals, as well as three assists, while Anderson, junior defenseman Chuck Eichhorn and senior Keith Piatek also hit the back of the net.
Cleve Hill/JFK faced non-league opponent McKinley Wednesday night, with results coming too late for press time. The locals return to action Friday against Southtowns foe Canisius at Leisure Rinks at 9 p.m.
The top four teams in Southtowns "B" make the postseason, with a chance to compete in the Super Sunday championship. The Highlanders currently sit third with 14 points.
Central grapplers earn
respect in WNY rankings
Following a blowout win over Amherst on Friday, the Cheektowaga Central varsity wrestling team is climbing the list of top large schools in Western New York.
The Warriors (8-1 overall, 5-0 in Erie County Interscholastic Conference II) are currently ranked No. 3 among Western New York large schools and are listed as an honorable mention in New York State.
Central defeated Amherst at home, 77-0. The Warriors earned pins in every weight class but one.
Leading the way for the Warriors this season are sophomore Jared Messina (119-pound division), whose record is 16-1. Junior Clay Reeb (140) is 16-2. The two are both ranked No. 2 in WNY in their weight classes, respectively.
Senior Jonah Messina (152) is 14- 5 and is ranked as a WNY honorable mention.
Over winter break, Central finished 10th out of 14 teams at the Spencerport Tournament, as Jared Messina finished second in his weight class and Reeb, fourth.
The Warriors faced Starpoint on Wednesday night, with results coming too late for press time. Central will participate in the Pal-Mac Tournament Saturday.
JFK indoor track runs well at Southern Tier Invitational
The John F. Kennedy girls and boys indoor track teams performed solidly at last weekend's Southern Tier Invitational at Cornell University in Ithaca.
On the girls' side, the Lady Bears' 4x400-meter relay team finished 13th among approximately 45 schools with a time of four minutes, 41.23 seconds. The squad consisted of senior Jessica Campas, juniors Denise Brucz and Jessica Stechenfinger and freshman Mariah Orwat.
Campas also finished 17th in the triple jump with a distance of 30 feet, 11.5 inches, while Stechenfinger placed 15th in the 1,500-meter run with a time of 5:29.23. Senior Candace Ping accomplished a personal-best mark of 14 feet, three inches in the long jump event, good for 17th overall.
On the boys' side, sophomore Andy Wrazen finished 14th in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 8:71 seconds. Wrazen also placed 20th in the 55- meter dash with a time of 7.15 seconds.
Junior Chris Scharf finished 15th in the shot put event with a distance of 40 feet, seven inches.
At the Dartmouth Relays, senior Greg Craft finished third overall in the pole vault event, vaulting a season-best 13 feet. This is the highest-ever finish for a JFK athlete at Dartmouth. Craft, who qualified for states earlier this season in pole vault, is ranked No. 2 in WNY.
JFK will participate in the Western New York Relays Monday at Fredonia State College at 9 a.m.
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