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TIMES SPORTSWATCH
Depew boys basketball earns revenge victory
By Steven Dlugosz Times
 | | STAYING HER GROUND...Katie Aquino of St. Mary's defends against a Cardinal O'Hara dribbler during the teams' January 26 meeting. The Lady Lancers won, 43-36. (Times photo) |
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The Depew boys varsity hoops team had some unfinished business to take care of Friday night against local foe Cheektowaga Central, and the Wildcats didn't waste much time in taking the play to the Warriors.
Depew exacted revenge against Central, 58-49, holding off a late Warriors charge. Central had handed the Wildcats their only loss of the season, 42-41, on December 19.
This time, Depew opened up running and gunning against Central, building leads of 16-5 after one quarter and 31-17 at halftime. The Wildcats' transition game was effective against the primarily halfcourt-playing Warriors, as senior guards Scott Jachimiak and Chris Jones used their speed in transition to get to the bucket.
By the end of the third, Depew had upped its lead to 19 before Central closed the gap to just six with one minute remaining in the final quarter. However, the Wildcats connected on nine of 13 free throws down the stretch to then ice the contest.
 | | PLENTY OF ROOM...Depew guard Greg Osika makes his move to the basket as Cheektowaga Central forward Kevin Hairston looks on during Friday's game. (Times photo) |
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Using good balance on offense, Depew had five players score between seven and 13 points. Jachimiak scored 13, while senior forward Eric Wild added 12. Depew outrebounded Central, 41-26, as Wild grabbed a game-high 11 boards. Jones added five steals, and senior Brad Kujawa contributed five assists.
Depew head coach Larry Jones credited his team's role players- particularly junior guard Greg Osika and senior forward Jordan Kroecker- for their energetic play.
"Those guys made excellent contributions," said Jones. "In the first half I thought Greg and Chris (Jones) were also sensational on the defensive end."
Depew forced Central into committing eight turnovers in the third quarter.
With the victory, the Wildcats improved to 16-1 overall, 8-1 in Erie County Interscholastic Conference- III. Depew could have clinched at least a tie for its division with a win Tuesday at home against Pioneer, but because of snowy weather conditions the game was rescheduled to Wednesday night, with results coming too late for press time.
Depew concludes its regular season with league games tomorrow (home against Tonawanda, Senior Night) and next Thursday (at Springville).
Guards Deval Watkins (senior) and Donte Parker (junior) each scored 11 points to pace Central, against Depew, while senior forward Chris Huggins-Weaver added 10. Huggins-Weaver also contributed nine rebounds and four blocks.
Warriors head coach Luke Vogel credited the Wildcats for their defensive tenacity, as well as his own team for its heart late in the game.
"Depew played physical and forced us into committing turnovers," Vogel told the Times. "(Depew) does all the little things in the hustle category and does an ex- cellent job of collecting loose balls and rebounds. They're so team-oriented. Coach Jones has guys buying into his system.
"Had we played with the same intensity the entire game that we showed in the fourth quarter, it could have been a different outcome," Vogel added. "At halftime, I was probably as mad as I've ever been at my team, but at the end, I was as proud as I've ever been."
With the loss, Central fell to 10-8 overall, 5-5 in ECIC-III. The Warriors conclude their regular season with league games against Starpoint (tomorrow at home, 6:30 p.m.) and at Springville (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.).
Maryvale boys edge Tigers in ECIC Interdivision game
The Maryvale boys varsity basketball team rolled up its sleeves against the top team in ECIC-II on Friday, earning an impressive comeback win against Amherst.
The Flyers overcame an early 10- point deficit, as well as 29 turnovers, in a 66-58 home triumph. Senior frontcourtmen Matt Brennan and Matt Mohr and sophomore point guard Brooks Estarfaa each contributed 15 points. Brennan also recorded 17 rebounds (thought to be a school record) and four blocks, while Mohr grabbed nine boards. Estarfaa added five assists and three steals.
Mohr, along with seniors Jake Nowak and Jeremy Mountain, took turns playing excellent defense against high-scoring Cordell Freeman, who had to work for his 20 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter.
Freshman forward Andre Davis grabbed 11 rebounds off the bench.
The Flyers forced 16 Amherst turnovers and also went 21-26 at the free-throw line. Estarfaa has shot a sizzling 87 percent at the charity stripe this season to lead the locals.
Because of snowy weather, Maryvale's non-league contest on Tuesday at Williamsville South was rescheduled to Saturday at 1:30 p.m. The Flyers will host ECIC-III foe Springville tonight at 7:30 p.m. for their Senior Night game. The locals then face Tonawanda on the road Tuesday, also at 7:30 p.m.
JFK drops heartbreaker,
faces Black and Blue rival
The John F. Kennedy boys varsity basketball team is becoming all too familiar with losing fourth-quarter leads against league opponent Alden.
The Bears (3-14 overall, 2-8 in ECIC-IV) held a 49-47 lead at home with 4:30 remaining Friday, but were then outscored 12-2 down the stretch en route to a 59-51 defeat.
It was the third straight time JFK blew a late lead against the Bulldogs. Earlier this season, the Bears saw a 10-point, fourth-quarter lead evaporate in a one-point road loss. Last year, Alden came back from a 20- point deficit in the final quarter against the Bears.
On Friday, senior center Corey Knox led JFK with 14 points, while junior forward Mike Bartoszek added 10.
The Bears' Tuesday contest at West Seneca East was canceled due to cold weather. JFK will face local and league rival Cleveland Hill tonight at home for a 7 p.m. tip-off.
The Eagles (2-12 overall, 1-9 in league play) defeated the Bears at Cleve Hill earlier this season.
Cleve Hill was pounded by firstplace Lackawanna at home Friday, 103-29. Junior guard Lenard Smith led the Eagles with 15 points.
St. Mary's boys beat Nichols,
Girls fall to Niagara Catholic
On Friday, the St. Mary's boys basketball team put itself back in league contention by edging Monsignor Martin Association opponent Nichols on the road, 65-62.
Freshman guard Joe Bernhardt scored a game-high 28 points, while junior forward and Depew resident Bob Mohring added 10.
The Lancers (7-12 overall, 2-3 in the Monsignor Martin "A" League) will again face Nichols on Tuesday at home, with tip-off scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
The St. Mary's girls (5-12 overall, 3-5 in league play) lost to Monsignor Martin foe Niagara Catholic last Thursday on the road, 58-42.
Carly McNeil led the Lady Lancers with 10 points, while junior forward and Cheektowaga resident Rachelle Besser added nine.
St. Mary's returns to action Saturday at non-league foe Maryvale. Tip-off is scheduled for 2:30 p.m.
Lady Bears-Eagles contest
postponed to next week
A Black-and-Blue matchup between the John F. Kennedy and Cleveland Hill girls varsity basketball teams was put on hold until next Tuesday, thanks to too much of the "white stuff."
Snowy conditions caused Tuesday's rivalry contest between two struggling teams to be rescheduled to next Tuesday at 7:30 p.m., on the Lady Bears' home court.
Cleve Hill (2-12 overall, 1-9 in league play) edged JFK earlier this season in the Lady Eagles' lone ECIC-IV victory. The Lady Bears (2-14 overall) are still winless in league play at 0-9.
Junior forward Melissa Schultz led JFK with 14 points in a 66-39 home loss last Thursday to league opponent Alden. Depew girls beat Starpoint,
Maryvale loses to Pioneer
In need of a pick-me-up after a 30- point loss to first-place Pioneer on January 26, the Depew girls varsity hoops team got just that last Thursday with a big win against Starpoint.
In a 50-38 home victory, senior guard Jordan Schrimmel led the locals with 18 points, while senior center Jen Godson and sophomore forward Alexis Wayne added 10 apiece.
Elsewhere in ECIC-III, Maryvale (5-12 overall, 3-7 in league play) dropped a 78-42 decision at home to Pioneer last Thursday. Sophomore guard Olivia Gmerek led the Lady Flyers with 12 points.
Depew and Maryvale were supposed to play Tuesday in a local matchup, but snowy weather caused the contest to be rescheduled to Wednesday night, with results coming too late for press time.
Local hoops note
Holy Angels freshman Abigail Fronckowiak, a Cheektowaga resident, sunk a school-record six threepointers last Thursday against Nichols in her team's 58-55 loss. Fronckowiak scored 20 points.
The Times will preview each local team's drive into the Section VI and Monsignor Martin Association playoffs,
coming up in the following weeks' editions
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