C-NS boys stopped by CBA in Class AA playoffs

BY PHil BlACKWEll

For the second year in a row, the Cicero-North Syracuse boys basketball team’s aspirations were halted in the quarterfinals of the Section III Class AA playoffs. Every exit at the end of a season hurts, and last Tuesday’s 58-53 defeat to Christian Brothers Academy fit into that category, even if the Northstars weren’t at home, as it was when it fell in this same round to Fayetetville-Manlius a year earlier. C-NS arrived with confidence after an impressive 74-57 first-round win over Henninger on Feb. 17, which contrasted CBA’s struggles against “Holy War” rival Bishop Ludden in a 51-47 decision.

Yet even as the Northstars overcame a 6-0 start by CBA in the early stages and even led at many different points in the first half, it had no answer for the Brothers’ senior standout, Braeden Burns.

Hitting on everything from open lay-ups to contested 3-pointers, Burns notched 21 of CBA’s first 23 points, and none of his teammates had a field goal until Luke Boule’s 3-pointer midway through the second quarter.

Far more damaging, though, was what Steve DeRegis did, hitting on backto-back baskets and then, as the clock run out on the half, he hit a leaning, contested 3-pointer, was fouled and completed the rare four-point play. What was close game now threatened to get away, but C-NS, trailing 40-28, went on a 9-0 run to battle back, then stayed within reasonable striking range the rest of the way.

All through the stretch, though, when the Brothers needed something, it would attain it, whether it was a timely basket or rebound by Burns, who finished with 25 points, or key 3-pointers by Jason Brunson and Ethan Harris.

Andrew Benedict led C-NS with 18 points, yet it was spread out and hardearned in the face of a CBA defense that constantly doubled-teamed him.

Reece Congel had 13 points, but eight of his points came in the first quarter as Michael Gallo got most of his 10 points in the second half. DeRegis finished with 17 points to complement Burns’ 25 points.

Liverpool, C-NS wrestlers take part in state meet

BY PHil BlACKWEll

Four wrestlers from Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse would make their way to Albany’s MVP Arena for last weekend’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association Division I championships.

And of them, only one, the Warriors’ Owen Atchie, was able to win a match against the elite competition all of them would face.

The Section III Division I champion at 172 pounds, Atchie drew the no. 9 seed and a first-round bout against no. 8 seed Joseph Ponesse, from Newburgh Free Academy. It was close most of the way, but Atchie was able to pin Ponesse with just three seconds left.

Now, though, Atchie had to face the top seed, Fairport’s Brady Unger, in the quarterfinals. Unger proved too tough, winning a 22-6 technical fall on his way to, a night later, beating Andrew Filip (Minisink Valley) 3-2 for the state title.

Moving to the consolation bracket, Atchie dropped a 4-1 decision to Hamburg-Eden’s Luke Smeader, who went on to a sixth-place finish. Atchie went 34-9 this winter.

Two of Atchie’s teammates could not win a bout. At 189 pounds, Jayce Bliss, 28-7 on the season, took a 37-second fall to Lindenhurst’s Michael Sanchez in the opening round. Sanchez would finish sixth overall as Bliss lost 10-2 to New Rochelle’s Deandre Woods in the consolation bracket.

Anthony Kelly, who made it to the state meet at 160 pounds, suffered a thirdperiod fall by East Meadow’s Matthew Coffey and also fell 5-3 to Queensbury’s Lucas Schell as he finished the season 19-13. C-NS’s lone representative at the state meet, Kennedy Thomas, went into the state meet 33-11. He lost a tight 8-6 decision to the no. 13 seed, Clarence’s A.J. Didas, before a 9-2 loss to ChurchvilleChili’s Cael Raines.