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JFK boys hoops earns rivalry win over CleveHill
 | | DENIAL...John F. Kennedy forward Jasen Ineson defends an inbounds pass from Cleveland Hill's Shaun Borowski during last Thursday's 62-52 Bears win. (Times photo) |
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The John F. Kennedy boys varsity basketball team has had some difficulties maintaining leads against league opponents this season. Last Thursday against Black-and-Blue rival Cleveland Hill, the Bears had no such problem.
JFK earned its third win in Erie County Interscholastic Conference- IV at home on its Senior Night against the Golden Eagles, 62-52. The contest was much more freeflowing and featured less turnovers than the teams' first meeting of the season, won by Cleve Hill, 33-30.
The Bears (4-15 overall, 3-9 in league play) were led Thursday by seniors Corey Knox and Joe Duquette, who contributed 20 and 14 points, respectively, offsetting the strong effort of Eagles junior guard Lenard Smith, who poured in a gamehigh 23 points.
After leading 16-13 after one quarter, JFK went on a 12-5 run to end the second with a 35-26 advantage, as Knox scored 13 points in the first half. Junior guard Angelo Yavicoli also provided a spark off the bench in the first half with six points on layups in transition.
In the third quarter, Duquette carried much of the offensive load, scoring eight points on a variety of drives and layups. Also, his bucket with 2:30 left in the fourth gave JFK its biggest lead at 59-46.
Knox's hard work on the offensive glass in the second half kept many JFK possessions alive. The center grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.
Bears head coach Tony Krupski said his team deserved to win Thursday after letting many league contests slip away in the fourth quarter this season.
"We got the lead and maintained it," said Krupski whose team ends its regular season tonight at non-league foe West Seneca East. "We didn't get rattled. We shot the ball a lot better than we did at Cleve Hill earlier in the season. A win can do wonders for our confidence heading into the postseason."
Cleve Hill (2-14 overall, 2-10 in ECIC-IV) was unable to get many buckets from its post players, although Smith and fellow junior backcourtman Joe Sanders had some success from the perimeter. Sanders finished with 14 points, including three treys.
The Eagles committed 16 turnovers to JFK's 13. At the free-throw line, the Eagles went 12-17 (70 percent), while the Bears shot 8-15 (53 percent).
Knox said Thursday's win brought back positive memories in the JFKCleve Hill rivalry. He added that a win going away late could be just what the Bears need going into the playoffs.
"It felt how it used to be," Knox told the Times. "The fans came out and were loud.
"Playing in close games is always good, whether you win or lose," the senior added. "We usually try to get the ball inside against teams that we size up well against. A win is just what we needed."
JFK ended its league schedule at Holland on Saturday, losing 59-53. Duquette and junior Mike Bartoszek each scored 10 points to pace the Bears. The Bears hurt themselves by committing 22 turnovers, as well as shooting just 8-18 from the foul line.
Cleve Hill celebrated its Senior Night on Tuesday with a 56-41 win over league foe Eden. Smith led the way for the Eagles with 21 points.
JFK girls celebrate senior
night with win over rival
Despite struggling throughout the regular season, the John F. Kennedy girls basketball team celebrated Senior Night on its home gym floor with a worthy send-off performance. Led by one of the few active seniors on the seven-member squad, the Lady Bears earned their first league win in 12 tries Tuesday, spurning cross-town rival Cleveland Hill, 36-25.
Using a tenacious defense and opportunistic offense, JFK pulled away from the Lady Eagles midway through the second quarter of the lowscoring contest and never looked back. One of two upperclassmen playing on Senior Night, Jen Wesolowski scored a team-high 12 points and helped lead a pesky halfcourt press which caused problems for Cleveland Hill.
JFK's victory also avenged an early season loss to Cleveland Hill on the Lady Eagles' home court. That victory stands as Cleveland Hill's lone win of the league season and the two teams are now tied for last in Erie County Interscholastic Conference- IV.
"This was a pretty good feeling (to get this win)," said Wesolowski, who is one of four seniors on the team during an injury-plagued season for JFK upperclassmen. She scored six of her points in the third quarter, including converting on a three-point play. "We all just came together tonight."
Despite a height mismatch, JFK asserted itself on both ends of the floor, offensively getting the ball inside with great success to soften up the outside for its shooters, while defensively creating a great deal of turnovers and opportunities with an aggressive defense that held the Lady Eagles to just nine first-half points.
After Cleveland Hill took its second and last lead of the game at 7-6 one minute into the second quarter on an Alyssa Luksch basket- she scored a game-high 16 points- JFK outscored the Lady Eagles 12-2 the rest of the quarter to take a nine-point lead into halftime.
"I'm proud of the whole effort," said JFK head coach Steve Sokolski, who noted that he likes to use the press when the opportunity presents itself. "It's been a long season, so this was nice. The girls played hard, they worked hard at it and this was Senior Night, so it was especially nice for them. Everyone contributed."
Cleveland Hill did have its opportunities when it was able to break the press, but head coach Elisabeth Beccue said her team continued, as it has this entire season, to struggle with converting chances offensively, even on short-range shots and putback opportunities.
"We took a lot of shots but not many dropped and we had a hard time working the ball around and having our offense work for us," she said. "I'm really proud of the way the girls hustled, stayed in there and exhibited more focus and concentration, but it's just that extra element that is lacking of being able to offensively get the job done."
Luksch, a second-year varsity player, who kept Cleveland Hill in the game with her aggressive play in the paint, was praised by her coach for her toughness and continued progress in all aspects of the game. Erin Kracker added six points in a losing effort.
JFK junior Melissa Schultz was held to five points despite at times being a dominant force inside against the taller Kemba Buchanan and Lucksh. The forward was fouled on many of her inside efforts but was only able to convert three of 13 free throws. Junior Krissy Wesolowski contributed nine points, including two three-pointers for JFK.
Also celebrating Senior Night for JFK, Danielle Smith, who was injured twice this season, played Tuesday and scored two points, while Julie Czaplinski and Arielle Gaiter were inactive for the game.
JFK (3-15 overall, 1-11 in ECICIV) lost to league opponent Holland on the road Monday, 42-33. Junior guard Krissy Wesolowski led the locals with 14 points.
Cleve Hill lost to ECIC-IV Eden last Friday, 48-39, as Buchanan led the Lady Eagles with 18 points.
Top-seeded Wildcats secure
first league title since 1994
In dominating fashion, the Depew boys varsity hoops team guaranteed its first ECIC-III title since 1994 with a 40-point win over league foe Tonawanda on Friday.
The Wildcats went on a 20-1 run to end the first half and never looked back in a 72-32 home victory. Senior guard and super sixth man Scott Jachimiak led the locals with 22 points, while senior forward Eric Wild added 11 and fellow frontcourtman Brad Kujawa, eight.
Depew (18-1 overall, 10-1 in ECIC-III) came back from a fivepoint halftime deficit on February 7 to defeat league opponent Pioneer, 58-46, outscoring the Panthers 16-7 in the third quarter. In the second half, the Wildcats shot 17-22 from the freethrow line.
Jachimiak led the locals with 20 points, while Kujawa added 17 to help offset the performance of Pioneer's Ron Malicki, who contributed a game-high 24 points and 12 rebounds.
Jones credited his team's man-toman press defense for limiting Pioneer's dangerous outside shooting in the second half.
Depew concludes its regular season tonight at winless league foe Springville at 7:30 p.m. The Wildcats will enter the A-2 playoffs as the No. 1 seed and on February 23 will host the winner of the No. 8 vs. 9 prequarterfinal matchup.
Maryvale hoops flying high,
Central similar to '05-06
Even though it won't win ECICIII this year, the Maryvale boys varsity basketball team is certainly a team with which to be reckoned entering the postseason.
The Flyers (13-6 overall, 8-3 in ECIC-III) can clinch either the No. 2 or 3 spot in the A-2 playoffs with a road win tonight against league opponent Starpoint.
Maryvale squashed ECIC-III foe Springville Friday during the Flyers' Senior Night, 80-37. All 12 Flyers scored, including sophomore Scott Jarmusz, who scored 10 points in his first varsity game. Senior center Matt Brennan contributed 14 points, 11 rebounds and six steals, while fellow senior Matt Mohr added 13 points, four boards, four steals and three assists. Senior Jeremy Mountain (nine points, eight assists), sophomore Brooks Estarfaa (11 points, six assists) and senior John Rutherford (seven points, six rebounds, five assists) also had solid performances.
Maryvale recorded 30 assists on 34 baskets and forced 29 Springville turnovers.
The Flyers also split a pair of road games this past week- Monday against ECIC-II foe Williamsville South and Tuesday against league opponent Tonawanda.
In a 58-55 loss at South, Mohr contributed 14 points and a school-record 19 rebounds. Estarfaa scored 15 points, while Brennan added 10 points and five steals.
Maryvale then routed league opponent Tonawanda, 83-38. Brennan (20 points), Mohr (18) and Estarfaa (15) led a balanced scoring effort. Brennan also grabbed a game-high 10 boards.
Elsewhere in ECIC-III, Cheektowaga Central's boys hoops squad finished its regular season 12-8 overall, 7-5 in league play after defeating league opponents Starpoint (Friday) and Springville (Tuesday).
Against Starpoint, senior center Chris Huggins-Weaver contributed one of his best performances of the season with 19 points, 12 rebounds and six blocks. Senior forward Kevin Hairston added 17 points, while senior guard Deval Watkins finished with 12 points and 10 assists.
The Warriors hung on to win after building a 21-point lead in the third quarter, withstanding a late Spartans' charge.
In a 73-38 win against winless Springville, Huggins-Weaver and Hairston each poured in 17 points, while Watkins added 13.
The Warriors finished their regular season with identical overall and league records from last season, and, also ironically, will likely play its first-round opponent from 2005- 2006- Tonawanda- in a No. 6 vs. 11 prequarterfinal matchup on Central's home court on Wednesday.
If the Warriors defeat Tonawanda, they would likely face either Maryvale or Grover Cleveland on the road February 23 in the A-2 quarterfinals.
Lady Wildcats leading local
squads' chances in A-2s
The Depew girls varsity basketball team is entering the postseason as the No. 3 seed in the A-2 playoffs behind Pioneer and Bennett.
Depew (14-6 overall, 9-3 in ECICIII) beat a pair of local rivals- Maryvale and Cheektowaga Central- during this past week. Against the Lady Flyers on February 7, senior guard Jordan Schrimmel led the 'Cats with 18 points, while sophomore Alexis Wayne added 14, senior Jen Godson, 12 and eighth grader Taylor Schrimmel, 10. Junior guard Toni Caruso led Maryvale with 14 points.
In a 72-36 win against Central last Thursday, the Lady Wildcats were led by Jordan Schrimmel's game-high 21 points, while Wayne added 19 and Godson, 18. Junior forward Breanna Harris led the Lady Warriors (4-15 overall, 0-12 in league play) with 12 points.
Central also lost to Tonawanda on February 7, 41-27. Junior guard Margo Pagano led the locals with 11 points.
In non-league action, Depew lost to Immaculata on the road Saturday. Leading the Lady Wildcats' offense were Wayne (17 points), Jordan Schrimmel (16) and Godson (12). Because of snowy weather, Depew's Tuesday contest at Lackawanna was rescheduled to Friday at 7 p.m.
One year after being upset by Olean in the A-2 quarterfinals, the Lady Wildcats will face the winner of the No. 6 vs. 11 matchup on Depew's home court next Thursday.
A coin flip will determine where Central will travel to play in its prequarterfinal matchup on Tuesday. The Lady Warriors and Lewiston- Porter of the Niagara Frontier League are tied record-wise for the No. 10 and 11 spots in A-2.
The Lady Flyers (6-14 overall, 3- 8 in ECIC-III) lost to non-league foe St. Mary's on Saturday, 44-43. Junior guards Joey Ruderman and Caruso led Maryvale with 19 and 18 points, respectively.
Maryvale will also open the playoffs Tuesday as either the No. 7 or 8 seed at home against the No. 9 or 10 seed, which has yet to be determined.
Rosati sets school record
for treys in St. Mary's win
St. Mary's of Lancaster junior Bridget Rosati was feeling it from downtown last Thursday in a 52-40 road win over non-league opponent Christian Central.
Rosati hit a school-record seven three-pointers, finishing with a gamehigh 25 points.
St. Mary's (7-13 overall, 3-6 in Monsignor Martin Association) edged Maryvale 44-43 on the road Saturday. Junior guard Katie Kapanek, a Cheektowaga resident, hit two free throws with seven seconds remaining to complete the win.
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