RANDOLPH, NY — In its final game of the regular season, the Salamanca girls basketball team fell to Randolph in an overtime thriller.
Knotted up at 41-41, four quarters were not enough to split the sides. And in overtime it was the host Cardinals that made the better of the final minutes, surging ahead to hand Salamanca a 54-47 defeat.
Kynleigh Wass led the Warriors with a team-high 14 points to go along with nine rebounds and seven assists. Liana Jimerson also hit double-figures for the game, recording 10 points and seven rebounds.
Ava Sears scored 25 points to lead Randolph. Tessa Brown added 12 points for the hosts.
“We had too many fouls and turnovers down the stretch,” Salamanca head coach Joe Hinman said. “It was an exciting game for both teams and I think both got better tonight despite our loss. Coach Pihlblad runs a great program and we look forward to playing them for many years to come. Overall, it was a good test for us heading into the playoffs. We will get back to work and learn from this defeat.”
AT RANDOLPH
Salamanca (47)
Wass 5 3-5 14, Jimerson 3 2-4 10, M. Crouse 2 4-6 8, Foster 2 2-2 6, E. Crouse 2 1-2 5, Earley 1 0-0 2, Galante 1 0-0 2. Totals: 16 12-19 47
Randolph (54)
Sears 6 11-14 25, Brown 4 0-0 12, Bowles 2 3-6 9, Bushey 2 0-0 4, Hill 1 0-0 2, Conley 0 1-2 1. Totals: 16 15-22 54
Sala. 10 20 29 41 47
Rand. 6 19 37 41 54
Three-point goals: Sala. 3 (Jimerson 2, Wass), Rand. 5 (Brown 4, Sears); Total fouls: Sala. 20, Rand. 21; Fouled out: Hill (Rand.).
Allegany-Limestone 48, Cuba-Rushford 27
ALLEGANY, NY — The Allegany-Limestone girls basketball team rounded out its regular season with a comfortable win at home over Cuba-Rushford. Serena Frederick, Mya Hayes and Emerson Ortego shared the team-high in points for the Gators with 10 apiece.
Lily Tompkins scored a game-high 16 points for the Rebels.
AT ALLEGANY
Cuba-Rushford (27)
L. Tompkins 3 10-12 16, Williams 1 2-4 5, K. Tompkins 1 0-0 3, Brooks 1 0-0 3. Totals: 6 12-16 27
Allegany-Limestone (48)
Frederick 5 0-0 10, Hayes 3 4-4 10, Ortego 3 1-4 10, Giardini 5 0-0 8, John 1 2-4 5, Potter 1 0-0 3, Kahm 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 7-12 48
C-R 7 12 27 27
A-L 9 27 40 48
Three-point goals: C-R 3 (Williams, K. Tompkins, Brooks), A-L 3 (Potter, John, Ortego); Total fouls: C-R 8, A-L 8; Fouled out: None.
WRESTLING
NYSPHSAA Section 6 State Qualifiers
FREDONIA, NY — For the first time since the 2013-14 season, the Salamanca wrestling team will be represented at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) Meet.
Kasen Hardy (285) took first place in his weight class, pinning Roy-Hart/Barker’s RJ Townsend in the third period in a time of 5:19.
Brad Cunningham was the last Salamanca wrestler to reach the state tournament. Hardy is also the first Section 6 champion for Salamanca since two-time state champion Ben Haas in 2011-2012.
Warrick John and Conner Seeley each grabbed individual fifth-place finishes at the State Qualifiers as well.
As a team, the Salamanca boys finished last season 25th of 30 teams. This year, they placed eighth out of 32 teams.
As for the Salamanca girls wrestling team, Emma Domres notched a fifth place finish individually.
Arianna Acosta and Kendra Bova-Redeye both came up just short of placing with losses in the blood rounds.
As a team, the Warriors finished 19th of 25 teams.
Hardy will compete next at the NYSPHSAA Division 2 Championships in Albany on Feb. 27 at 10 a.m.
