Helping kids ‘Stick to Reading’
Recently Syracuse Crunch forward Jack Finley came to the Liverpool Library and read a book to a room full of hockey-loving children. The story, “Glory on Ice” by Maureen Fergus, tells the hilarious tale of a centuries-old vampire
who joins a local peewee hockey team. Children had many great questions for the hockey player including, “How much do you practice?”, “What are your pre-game rituals?”, and humorously, “Why do hockey players fight so much?”
Finley then handed out Crunch “swag bags” that included a ticket to an upcoming game. Finley appeared as part of the Syracuse Crunch’s “Stick to Reading” program presented by New York’s 529 College Savings Program Direct Plan.
Graze Craze opens in Liverpool Speach Candy Shoppe holds Dollars
The Greater Liverpool Chamber along
and
Submitted photo
Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon, Savor-
Graze Craze to the area. Located at 4599 State Route 31,
boards offers catering, take out lunch boards, cookie, baklava and much more. For more information visit grazecraze.com or call 315-409-4171.
for Scholars fundraiser
Liverpool Dollars for Scholars is partnering with Speach Candy Company, an established family business run by Liverpool High School alumnus Michael Speach. Liverpool
Dollars for Scholars was selected as the company’s charity of choice for the month of February. All proceeds from the jukebox will fund additionSpeach l Page 2
Police discover unregistered handgun after routine traffic stop
By RUSS TARBy
Contributing writer
After pulling over a white Chevrolet pick-up truck on the 600 block of Oswego Street on New Years’ Eve, Liverpool Police discovered an unregistered, loaded Glock 9mm.
Officer Matt Jones reportedly had stopped the truck because of its noisy muffler, but after discussion with the driver, Jones quickly realized the driver’s license had been suspended.
The truck’s driver – a 33 year old man from Nedrow – was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a vehicle and driving with an inadequate muffler.
As the suspect sat in Jones’ cruiser, Officers Morgan Baumler and Robert Llamas arrived on the scene.
The three policemen searched the “grabable area” of the inside of the truck and reportedly found two ounces of marijuana and a loaded pistol. The firearm was found in a duffel bag on the floor behind the driver’s seat, according to Liverpool Chief of Police Jerry Unger.
The driver admitted the gun was unregistered, Unger said. He told the officers that he carried it for self-defense and claimed he had purchased it on the street and paid for it with marijuana.
When purchased legally, a Glock 9mm could cost anywhere between $450 and $750.
So the driver was also charged with a second-degree felony, criminal possession of a weapon. Unger reviewed the body cam video images captured by the responding officers, and the chief was impressed with the professionalism his officers displayed on the scene.
“They deserve some kudos for the way they handled this thing,” Unger said.
The incident marked the fourth time in 10 years that the LPD has had to deal with illegal handguns discovered after routine traffic stops, Unger said.
“And it probably won’t be the last time,” Unger said. “People need to realize that this kind of stuff is no longer relegated to the city. It’s here in suburbia now too.”
Submitted photoS
Syracuse Crunch forward Jack Finley recently paid a visit to the Liverpool Library, reading to a group of children.
with
cuse
Damian Ultowski, welcomed
Clay. This graze-style charcuterie
LCSD Fine Arts Hall of Fame seeks nominations
The Liverpool Central School District is seeking nominations for its Fine Arts Hall of Fame. The Fine Arts Hall of Fame was established in 2003 through the efforts of VITAL (Vision In The Arts at Liverpool,) a not-for-profit organization dedicated to supporting the arts in Liverpool.
The Fine Arts Hall of Fame seeks to honor
those who have contributed to the arts (music, visual arts, dance and theater.) There are three categories in which individuals may nominate someone for this award:
Contributor: A person who has given time, talent or resources to the fine arts program of Liverpool, its staff and students.
Mentor: A former or retired Liverpool fine arts staff member or administrator who has
provided leadership, guidance, inspiration and innovation to the fine arts at Liverpool.
Alumnus: A person who graduated from Liverpool High School and participated in the LHS fine arts program (academic or extracurricular LCSD sanctioned activities). The graduation year must be 2019 or before.
Nominations will be accepted through March 1, 2025. An induction ceremony will
take place on Sunday, June 14, in the LHS Auditorium.
Dwnload the nomination form found at www.liverpool.k12.ny.us/departments/finearts/fine-arts-hall-of-fame, and send the completed form to Adam Shatraw, director of fine arts, Liverpool High School, 4338 Wetzel Road, Liverpool, N.Y. 13090. Please direct any questions to Shatraw at 315-453-1500 ext. 6929.
Onondaga County Parks named 2024 Municipal Partner of the Year
Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District (OCSWCD) has named Onondaga County Parks as their 2024 Municipal Partner of the Year.
This award was presented to County Parks at the Griffin Visitor Center in Liverpool on Feb. 5.
County Parks has been a strong partner with OCSWCD over the years, from invasive species projects to hydroseeding and stormwater, Parks has always strived to do what’s best for the park system and the community.
“We are proud to accept this award. We work closely with Mark Burger and his staff on several projects and their staff is always helpful and professional. We are thankful to have them as a resource and partner. The work they do is always top-notch and we look forward to a continued partnership with them,” Brian Kelley, Onondaga County Parks’ commissioner, said.
Regarding invasive species, Parks has worked with
Speach
OCSWCD to coordinate the removal of almost 11,000 ash trees to date within the parks, replanting of 3,845 trees, treatment of 391 ash trees, and the treatment of 812 hemlock trees over the years.
Parks has also taken the initiative regarding stormwater by participating in the County’s Save the Rain program at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo where they have implemented a wetland, porous pavement with infiltration beds, bioswales, rain gardens, rain barrels, and green roofs. They also work with the NYS DEC to stock local waters with fish and to release pheasants; both of which are raised at Carpenter’s Brook Fish Hatchery.
Lastly, Parks has been implementing erosion controls on foot trails at Highland Forest such as armored ditches on steep slopes, belt deflectors, upsizing stone, etc. These are just a few examples of the many exemplary efforts undertaken by County Parks.
l From page 1
“The SWCD appreciates the dedication of County Parks to implementation of conservation projects that provide a great recreational experience for the public to
al scholarships for students in the Liverpool High School Class of 2025. Speach Candy Shoppe is located at 2400 Lodi St., Syracuse. Pay a quarter (25¢) at the Speach Can-
dy Shoppe. Make a selection from 100 new and vintage 45 rpm vinyl records. Listen to music as you browse the shop. Music selections may also be made online at the Speach Candy website at Quarters 4 Change Selection | Q4CHANGE. Support a local business and a worth-
Leaving from Cicero Methodist Church to see NOAH live on stage! at Sight & Sound Theatre in Lancaster, PA
ASAP!! $250 deposit required to save your seat! For more information or to RSVP call 315-699-7181
while cause. Celebrate Valentine’s Day. Treat yourself, family and friends. Thank someone who helped you.
Unable to participate but want to contribute? Donations are always welcome – contribute online at liverpooldfs. org or mail a check to Liverpool Dollars
for Scholars, PO Box 32, Liverpool, NY 13088-0032. Liverpool Dollars for Scholars has so far been able to award 178 scholarships worth $135,425 to LHS graduates in the Class of 2024 and more than $2.38 million since 1970.
the Shantz Road Bridge and the Fabius VFD for their response to an overturned manure tanker and
of Fabius Brook.
Submitted photo
Onondaga County Soil & Water Conservation District has named Onondaga County Parks as their 2024 Municipal
Partner of the Year. This award was presented to County Parks at the Griffin Visitor Center in Liverpool on Feb. 5.
Torrente is sweet and spicy
By ELEnA SELTHUn
photo provided by the CnySpCA
Torrente is a three-year-old orange and white medium-haired cat who is ready to be out of the shelter and in a home he can call his own. He is a big cat who initially seems to have a bit of a spicy attitude, but this is probably because Torrente does not like other cats and is in the stressful situation of being surrounded by many other cats at the shelter. He was apprehensive and standoffish when he first arrived, but he has gotten more comfortable and warmed up a lot since then. Torrente may be unsure about strangers at first, but he calms down once he gets to know you. With his soft fur and round orange eyes, he can be quite the charmer. He enjoys chin scratches and cuddles most of the time but will let you know if he’s not in the mood! A great way to redirect Torrente’s energy is via playtime and treats, which he is always in the mood for. If you’re looking for a fluffy king of the house, Torrente is the perfect cat for the job. Come visit him today and help him find his forever home! In order to adopt, you must fill out an application, pay an adoption fee, and have your pets up to date on their rabies vaccines. All adopted cats and dogs are spayed or neutered, microchipped, and up-to-date on their vaccinations before they go home. The C ny SPCA is located at 5878 East Molloy Road, Syracuse. For more information about adoption, call 315-454-4479, email frontoffice2@ cnyspca.or g , or visit cnyspca.or g .
Family business honored for 125 years of service
Sen. John W. Mannion recently honored Hallinan’s Wine and Liquors for 125 years of exemplary, family-owned service to the Syracuse and Camillus communities.
Mannion presented an official New York State Senate Proclamation to celebrate the Hallinan’s five generations of small business ownership with a legacy dating to 1899.
Founded by Jerry Ragan in downtown Syracuse on South Warren Street, Hallinan’s Wine and Liquors quickly became a cornerstone of the local community.
From its early days filling customers’ jugs directly from barrels transported via the Erie Canal to its modern operations on Genesee Street, the store is a part of Central New York’s history.
“Five generations of family ownership and 125 years of exemplary service make Hallinan’s Wine and Liquor a
l Page 10
Submitted photo
Sen. John W. Mannion presents a nyS Senate Proclamation to Michael and Jon Hallinan of Hallinan’s Wine and Liquors in recognition of 125 years of exemplary service.
Hallinan’s
ALL-STArS And ALTernATiVeS
Throughout this week and next top hockey players from the United States, Canada, Sweden and Finland are taking part in a tournament meant to tease a similar gathering at the Olympics next February in Italy.
This, for 2025, serves as a replacement for the All-Star weekend, which remains in place in the NBA but will, in its latest renewal in San Francisco, feature a revamped format with drawn-up teams and future stars squaring off, hoping it will lead to more real
competition.
And this comes on the heels of the recent Pro Bowl, no longer a fullcontact football game but instead a mélange of skill competitions and flag football designed for maximum fun and minimal injury.
Ask some, though, and they just wish for the whole thing to go away, everywhere. Their take – why bother with these events if the athletes themselves don’t care all that much?
That’s a simple answer to a far more complicated question. Sure, in a per -
fect world we would love to have these guys go all-out all the time, but alas this world is flawed and, more importantly, these athletes at the top of their profession make millions of dollars.
To some degree, the very size of these paychecks and investments made by teams and their billionaire bosses run counter to the All-Star ethos because it’s far more important to them to have their stars on hand for the games that count than to go to an event which only counts in social standing.
Yet executives aren’t entirely at fault. Players, especially in the NHL and NBA, have more frequently balked at All-Star responsibilities especially when their less noted peers get an extended break.
Which explains partially why the NHL went to this “Four Nations Cup”. True, it’s an Olympic promotion, especially with NHL players allowed to go back to the every-four-year spectacle after they didn’t travel to Asia in 2018 or 2022.
It also serves as a longer break for the en -
COMMUNITY CALENDAR
MAY 10 & 11
tire league. In past years there might be four days off, but now teams will go nearly two weeks in between games. It will be quite interesting to see how they all perform, both top contenders and the rest of the pack, once things resume.
Moving to the NBA, it’s difficult just to be an All-Star, and as the years have passed the traditional East vs. West format was abandoned in favor of a player draft captains, then returned to in 2024 in Indianapolis and, well, the final score was 211-186. And
this wasn’t bowling. No one will do that this year. Instead, three specially chosen teams from the 24 will join the winning side of the Rising Stars Game (first and second-year players) for single-period games to 40 points, two semifinals and a final.
Hopefully it works and players will, if only for pride, make it memorable for the fans (who paid too much) and courtside celebrities (who likely didn’t pay at all) who show up in San
All-stars
THROUGH
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 12
Kids Make: 3D Flowers
3:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. NOPL Cicero. Make your own card for Valentine’s Day. Register at www.nopl.org/events.
FRIDAY, FEB. 14
Friday Features
10 a.m.-12 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. A Valentine’s Match. Rated G. 1 hr. 22 mon. All-Ages Valentine’s Crafts
2 p.m.-4 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Enjoy drop-in crafts for all skill levels.
Puzzle Race
2 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Bring a team of 2-3 people and race to complete a Valentine’s Day puzzle. Ages 16+. www. nopl.org/events.
SATURDAY, FEB. 15
Library Farm Member Crockpot Potluck
10 a.m.-12 p.m. NOPL Cicero. Bring a dish to share. Drinks provided. PAWS of CNY Read to George
10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. NOPL Brewerton. Practice your reading skills with George!
TUESDAY, FEB. 18
Senior Social Club
10 a.m.-12 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Join a weekly gathering for seniors. Each week brings a new activity! DIY Tweens and Teens: Tissue Paper Flower Crowns
4 p.m.-5 p.m. NOPL Cicero. Register www.nopl.org/ events.
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 19
Kids Learn Cupcake Decorating
2 p.m.-3 p.m. NOPL Cicero. Register at www.nopl. org/events.
Floor Yoga
2 p.m.-3 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Bring mats and any yoga blocks you need. Register at www.nopl.org/ events.
Hot Drinks for Cold Winter Days
3 p.m.-4 p.m. NOPL Brewerton. Taste three different non-alcoholic beverages and get the recipe. Register at www.nopl.org/events.
THURSDAY, FEB. 20
Teens Create with Oreos
2:30 p.m.-4 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Make oreo cupcakes and truffles. Teen and tweens only. Register at www.nopl.org/events.
FRIDAY, FEB. 21
Drop-in Craft
9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. NOPL Brewerton. Drop-in and make art using the 2025 color of the year: mocha mousse.
1,000 Books Before Kindergarten Celebration
10 a.m.-12 p.m. NOPL Cicero. Join an interactive preschool musical storytime adventure with puppets and facepainting.
Friday Features: Harriet
10 a.m.-12 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Rated PG-13. 2hr. 5m.
SATURDAY, FEB. 22
Town Hall with Senator Rachel May
10:30 a.m. Baldwinsville Public Library.
FEB. 22 & 23
Cayuga Lake Wine Trail’s Ports of Call
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Embark on a global culinary journey! Each winery will showcase a different country with a wine and food pairing. Information and tickets at www.cayugawinetrail.com/events/trail/02-22-2025.
MONDAY, FEB. 24
Chair Zumba
12 p.m.-1 p.m. NOPL Cicero. Join for music and movement! Register at nopl.org/events.
TUESDAY, FEB. 25
Senior Social Club
10 a.m.-12 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Join a weekly gathering for seniors. Each week brings a new activity!
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Party
4 p.m.-5:30 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Make wimpy kid inspired crafts! Register at www.nopl.org/events.
Happy Hour with Power of Two
5 p.m. Barnes and Noble, 3956 Rt. 31, Liverpool. The Liverpool Public Library is happy to present the acoustic duo Power of Two.
Evolution of AI
6:30 p.m. Liverpool Public Library. Syracuse University PhD student Zifan Wang will discuss Artificial Intelligence’s evolution and how you can use it.
FRIDAY, FEB. 28
Friday Features: Hidden Figures
10 a.m.-12 p.m. NOPL North Syracuse. Rated PG. 2hr. 7m.
SATURDAY, MARCH 8
Sharing the Green St. Patrick’s Day Party
Following the 5:15 Mass. St. Margaret’s Church, 200 Roxboro Rd., Mattydale. Traditional corned beef dinner, raffles, and more. Proceeds benefit St. Margaret’s Parish for Capital Improvements.
MARCH 8 & 9
CNY Folksmarch
Village of Liverpool. Registration 9 a.m. to Noon on March 8 and 1 to 3 p.m. on March 9. $4 for adults, $1 for kids ages 5 to 18. Active military and veterans walk for half-price. First timers walk free. For more information visit https://folksmarch.wordpress.com/ or facebook. com/folksmarch
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
TACNY Junior Café Scientifique
9:30 a.m. The MOST, Downtown Syracuse. Continental breakfast at 9:15 a.m. “Physics of Dimension and Perspective”. Following the program, attendees are welcome to explore the museum. Free.
SATURDAY, APRIL 12
TACNY Junior Café Scientifique
9:30 a.m. The MOST, Downtown Syracuse. Continental breakfast at 9:15 a.m. “Climate Change: a Focus on Carbon Footprints”. Following the program, attendees are welcome to explore the museum. Free.
APRIL 12 & 13
CNY Folksmarch
Oxbow Falls, Canastota. Registration 9 a.m. to Noon on April 12 and 1 to 3 p.m. on April 13. $4 for adults, $1 for kids ages 5 to 18. Active military and veterans walk for half-price. First timers walk free. For more information visit https://folksmarch.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/folksmarch
CNY Folksmarch
Salmon River Fish Hatchery and falls, Altmar. Registration 9 a.m. to Noon on May 10 and 1 to 3 p.m. on May 11. $4 for adults, $1 for kids ages 5 to 18. Active military and veterans walk for half-price. First timers walk free. For more information visit https:// folksmarch.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/folksmarch
SATURDAY, MAY 17
TACNY Junior Café Scientifique
9:30 a.m. The MOST, Downtown Syracuse. Continental breakfast at 9:15 a.m. “Secret Messages with Encryption”. Following the program, attendees are welcome to explore the museum. Free.
SATURDAY, MAY 24
North Syracuse Family Festival
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Village of North Syracuse with vendors, food trucks, music, raffles, inflatables, and a historical display. Visit www.facebook.com/northsyracusefamilyfestival.
JUNE 14 & 15
CNY Folksmarch
Lime Hollow Nature Center, Cortland. Registration
9 a.m. to Noon on June 14 and 1 to 3 p.m. on June 15. $4 for adults, $1 for kids ages 5 to 18. Active military and veterans walk for half-price. First timers walk free. For more information visit https://folksmarch.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook. com/folksmarch
SATURDAY, JUNE 21
TACNY Junior Café Scientifique
9:30 a.m. The MOST, Downtown Syracuse. Continental breakfast at 9:15 a.m. “STEAM Challenge Accepted!”. Following the program, attendees are welcome to explore the museum. Free.
ONGOING EVENTS
THURSDAYS
Family Storytime
10 a.m. NOPL Cicero, 8686 Knowledge Lane. Join Miss Raena for Thursday morning storytime to enjoy stories, songs, and fun! Registration is required; call 315-699-2032 or visit nopl.org.
Adult Exercise: Chair Yoga
9:15 a.m.-10:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Marcellus Free Library. $25 for 8-week session. Register at 315-673-3269.
Read, Sing, Play Story Time
10:30 a.m. Skaneateles Library, 49 E. Genesee St. Can’t sit still? No problem! Join us for stories, songs and movement. For ages 18 months to 4 years.
Bingo
4 p.m. Fingerlakes Mall Conference Center, 1570 Clark Street Rd., Aurelius.
Yoga with Becca
6 p.m.-7 p.m. Brewerton Center for the Arts, Rt. 11. Registration and information: 315-920-8121 or www.yogosnacks.org. All levels welcome.
Baldwinsville Rod & Gun Club
7 p.m. First Thursday of each month. 1405 Kingdom Road, Baldwinsville. Learn about the workings of the club and help us run the organization. For more information, visit bvillerodandgun.com.
FRIDAYS
B’ville Cardio Ball Drumming
9:30 a.m. Canton Woods Senior Center, 76 Canton St., Baldwinsville. Onondaga County Healthy Schools and Communities has provided cardio ball drumming
kits for workout classes led by senior volunteer Arlette Folckemer. This fun cardio workout is set to upbeat music and folks can participate and enjoy the class seated or standing. For more information, call Canton Woods at 315-638-4536.
Clay Cardio Ball Drumming
10:30 a.m. Clay Senior Center, 4948 Route 31. Gwen McCarroll leads this one-hour class. Free with a Town of Clay Senior Center Membership and Safety ID badge for admission. Drop-in; no entry after the day’s class begins. Equipment provided on a first-come, first-served basis for ball and basket setup. For more information or to sign up for a membership and ID badge, contact Chrissy Clancy at 315-6523800 ext. 137 or cclancy@townofclay.org.
Acoustic Music Jam 7 p.m. Marcellus American Legion, 13 E. Main St. Bluegrass,country and gospel music. All acoustic musicians welcome. $2 donation for free coffee and cookies. For info call 315-673-2329.
SUNDAYS Cicero UMC Services
9:30 a.m. Cicero UMC, 8416 Brewerton Road. The church is returning to two Sunday services (contemporary 8:30 a.m. and traditional 10:30 a.m.). All are welcome to enjoy worship and fellowship. The church is fully accessible. For more information, visit ciceroumchurch.org.
MONDAYS Drop-In Tech Help
10 a.m. to noon. Skaneateles Library, 49 E. Genesee St. Let us help with your tech questions: computers and mobile devices, downloading e-content from the library’s catalog, using Google Drive and social media platforms. Bring your device and drop in during a Tech Help session to get started. Appointments are also available; please give us a call at 315-685-5135 or email andrea@skanlibrary.org to schedule.
Game Day 1 p.m. Salina Free Library. Bring your own game or play one of the library’s. 18+. Cruisin’ with Vets 4-7 p.m. VFW Post 3146, 2000 Lemoyne Ave., Mattydale. Check out classic cars and bikes while enjoying food, 50-50 raffles and live music from Roadhouse Prophets. Sponsored by Hungers for Hope, InFocus Insurance, Microbore and Dynamax Digital Printing.
MONDAYS, TUESDAYS & WEDNESDAYS Thrift Shop 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Elbridge Community Church, 109 E. Main St. No consignments, but donations accepted. For more information, call 315-689-3797. MONDAY & FRIDAYS Senior Exercise Class 9 a.m.-10 a.m. Marcellus Free Library. Taught by dance instructor Mary Jo Pelc. 315-673-3269. MONDAYS, THURSDAYS & FRIDAYS OCRRA’s Household Toxics Drop-Off Appointment required. 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Miller Environmental, 532 State Fair Blvd., Syracuse (off Hiawatha Boulevard). Business materials are not accepted. Residents of the town and village of Skaneateles are not eligible for this program as these municipalities are not part of the OCRRA service area. Visit OCRRA. org to make an appointment and see the full list of what is and is not accepted.
OuR vOiCE
Raising awareness
Feb. 4 marked World Cancer Day, a time to focus on raising awareness of the disease in its many forms as well as shine a light on the progress that has been made in detecting, treating and possibly one day eliminating cancer.
It also marked more than two decades of the movement according to worldcancerday.org.
According to the website, this is a global uniting initiative led by the Union for International Cancer Control (UICC).
The day is led by the UICC and was established in 2000.
“By catalysing personal, collective and government action, we are all working together to reimagine a world where millions of cancer deaths are prevented and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equitable for all no matter who you are and where you live,” worldcancerday.org states. “Each year, hundreds of activities and events take place around the world, gathering communities, organisations and individuals in schools, businesses, hospitals, marketplaces, parks, community halls, places of worship - in the streets and online - acting as a powerful reminder that we all have a role to play in reducing the global impact of cancer.”
The mission statement of the website states that by raising worldwide awareness, improving education and catalyzing personal, collective and government action, progress is being made to reimagine a world where millions of preventable cancer deaths are saved and access to life-saving cancer treatment and care is equal for all - no matter who you are or where you live.
It is the organization’s goal to reduce the number of premature deaths from cancer and noncommunicable diseases by one third by 2030.
According to worldcancerday.org, 9.6 million people die each year from cancer. That’s more than HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined, according to the website and it is estimated that by 2030, cancer deaths to rise to 13 million.
The website also shares that at least one third of common cancers are preventable, cancer is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, and 70% of cancer deaths occur in low-to-middle income countries and according to the website, up to 3.7 million lives could be saved each year by implementing resource appropriate strategies for prevention, early detection and treatment.
The total annual economic cost of cancer is estimated at $1.16 trillion.
Cancers can be caused by a number of different factors and, as with many other illnesses; most cancers are the result of exposure to a number of different causal factors, according to worldcancerday.org.
It is important to remember that, while some factors cannot be modified, around one third of cancer cases can be prevented by reducing behavioral and dietary risks.
Some modifiable risk facto include alcohol consumption, being overweight/obese, diet and nutrition, lack of physical activity and tobacco consumption to name a few.
Other factors can include exposure to radiation such as radon, x-rays, gamma rays and other forms of high-energy radiation. Prolonged and unprotected exposure to ultraviolet radiations from the sun, sunlamps and tanning beds can also lead to melanoma and skin malignancies.
Work place hazards such as chemical dyes and asbestos and exposure to human papillomavirus (HPV).
Signs to be aware of and proactive in speaking to a doctor about include, unusual lumps or swelling, coughing, breathlessness or difficulty swallowing, changes in bowel habit, unexpected bleeding, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, new mole or changes to a mole, complications with urinating, unusual breast changes, appetite loss, a sore or ulcer that won’t heal, persistent heartburn or indigestion, heavy night sweats.
By being aware of changes we may be experiencing, early detection and treatment may be possible.
To learn more visit worldcancerday.org.
DEBATInG A DIAGnOSIS
There’s a lot of recent discussion about adult ADHD. Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorderyou know, that syndrome that is defined by inability to stay focused, with spurts of intense activity and out-of-context impulsive thoughts and or behavior.
Do I have this malady? After all, I am one of those people who find the world infinitely interesting. There is always something new to experience and learn … the next shiny thing can pull me away from the last shiny thing. Thus my need to make lists and follow them.
So, this morning, I reviewed the lists that I had made for myself for the last five days and, voila … I only accomplished seven out of 25 objectives as outlined in my journal. What an abject failure!
I have been able, over the years, to find subjects, problems, etc. that can hold my interest for extended periods of time. For example, I have had a garden where all of the plants, at least most of them, remained alive for a whole season. I did make a lot of my children’s clothing when they were little. I even make my daughter’s senior prom dress. It took me three months, but I did it. I’ve been able to raise a lot of money for not-for-profits and resettle hundreds of refugees successfully. But I have closets and drawers of unfinished projects to highlight my flash-in-the-pan interests. Anyone interested in three acrylic paintings? What
about a collection of bears, tiny pitchers, boxes of yarn or yards of fabric? I am wondering about those books that I started for which I quickly lost interest.
However, the second part of the ADHD quad would indicate that I have a lot of energy. Once upon a time that would be the case, but that energy dissipated long ago. I can maybe marshal a half hour now, sometimes a whole hour if I’ve had a nap. And impulsivity? Does changing the TV channel several times an hour fall into that category? Or dashing off to the store to buy something that I just feel a need for at the moment? The latter used to be possible when we had a functioning grocery store in the village, but now that would mean driving over snow and sometimes ice-covered roads to either Skaneateles or Camillus… something I find off-putting when it means that I have to put on boots and clean the snow off the car and scrape the car window free from ice. Sounds more like sloth than impulsivity. There is the mind wandering thing though. For instance, yesterday I began to think about a course that I took as a senior in college. My advisor Don Hart urged me to take folklore and mythology as part of my anthropology curricu -
lum. It turned out to be an interesting, even fun course. Folklore refers to the oral traditions of a culture that include that culture’s myths, legends, songs, stories, etc. The anthropologist becomes a detective , using knowledge about language, language changes, culture change, etc. to ferret out the basic meanings of the oral traditions.
A classic example is the children’s rhyme, “Ring around a Rosie,” which is found as a part of all European cultures. There is a heated debate about whether this is an example of how an adult problem is mutated into a children’s jingle. In our text at the time, it was said to be derived from the experience of the 17th century London plague. Today, others say that it is more pedestrian, attributable in other versions to romantic endeavors or just a jingle for children.
Another example, far more universal, can be found in the folklore in the highlands of New Guinea as well as in Siberia, Europe and America … the story of Cinderella. The basic idea of a single female, forces of evil that surround her, her ability to overcome and the limitations of her powers are almost universal. So, pondering this intrusion into my attempt to stay focused I found another shiny thing to grab my attention. I wondered if there weren’t a modern version of this. My television offered the answer. I watched a commercial for a product that was guaranteed to rid
your face of wrinkles with only tiny application of a special cream. The women, beset by the evils of aging, spoke about their experiences, indicating that they were transformed, that life was better because of the magic like potion, adding with the warning that, like Cinderella, that the transformation was only temporary. In Disney’s version of Cinderella, when the clock struck 12, all Cinderella’s trappings that were changed reverted to their former status.
One wonders when the magic of this wrinkle cream fades? On a date? At the grocery check out line? At a job interview? The response of surroundings is up for grabs.
Cinderella leaves a glass slipper that leads her true love to find her. What does our gal leave? I guess it depends on where and when the wrinkle cream’s magic ends.
Why would I spend precious time thinking about such stuff? It’s probably better than pondering what is happening to politics and the price of eggs. Am I one who is defined by ADHD or is it just my hard-won combination of traits that equal who I am, my unique personality which leads me to think that I should probably look into that wrinkle cream?
Ann Ferro is a mother, a grandmother and a retired social studies teacher. While still figuring out what she wants to be when she grows up, she lives in Marcellus with lots of books, a spouse and a large orange cat.
Three Galeville guys to be honored by the Sammys
Three lifelong rock’n’rollers who grew up in Galeville will be honored at the Syracuse Area Music Awards Hall of Fame Induction dinner, Thursday, March 6 at Middle Ages Brewery, 120 Wilkinson St. in Syracuse.
The Galeville guys include record producer Matt Forger, drummer Brian Meegan and the late guitarist Harold Mantor.
Forger, who now lives in Los Angeles, will receive the Sammys Lifetime Achievement Award recognizing a career that featured creative collaborations with artists such as Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones and George Duke.
Meegan will be inducted into the Sammys Hall of Fame as a member of the Wilkesbury Brigade, a band that played more than 200 consecutive Saturday-night shows in the early 1970s at the old Poor House North on Old Liverpool Road. Wilkesbury Brigade recalled
Wilkesbury’s classic lineup was Tommy “Woody” Forest (vocals), Liverpool’s own Warren Paschetto (guitar), Joe Rao (keyboards), Tim Cleary (bass), and Mike Campbell (drums). In 1975 drummer Brian Meegan replaced Campbell who
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joined The Alligators.
Meegan now lives and works in Los Angeles where he’s still hittin’ the skins with more than one West Coast rock ensemble.
Mantor, who died tragically last March 18 after being struck by two busses in downtown Syracuse, will be inducted as a member of Alecstar.
Alecstar was initially formed in late 1975. But the main lineup of George Mahoney (drums/lead vocals), Jack Murray (bass), Dick Murphy (guitar) and Mantor (guitar) came together in 1978.
After a few years on drums, singer Mahoney moved out front.
The band went through two more drummers before landing on Binghamton native Tim Sharp.
And Alecstar
In the spring of 1982 the band released its self-titled LP. Two years later they released a highly unusual picture disc, which featured a photo of the band underneath a see-through 45rpm vinyl disc.
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Over the band’s tenure which lasted until January 1985, Alecstar opened for plenty of big-name headliners such as Boston, Foghat, Pat Benatar, the Guess Who and Johnny Winter.
Tickets to the 7 p.m. March 6 induction dinner cost $30 and can be purchased at syracuseareamusic.com/ticket s Free online streaming of the event will be available onThe Sammys’ Facebook page, courtesy of Meier’s Creek Brewing Company.
Sammy Award nominees
The Sammys Awards Show will recognize the best area recordings of the past year at 7 p.m. Friday, March 7, at the Palace Theater in Eastwood.
Tickets can be purchased at syracuseareamusic.com/ ticket s for $25.
Nominees with Liverpool connections include Best Jazz nominee CNY Jazz Orchestra for its CD, “If a White Horse from Jerusalem…” Larry Luttinger, who lives in Liverpool, plays drums for CNY Jazz Orch. Larry’s pretty proud of the disc’s wide acceptance by the wider jazz community.
“It finished number 146 in the top 200 jazz radio airplay charts for North America, fourth in big band airplay and was chosen in the Top
25 big band albums of 2024 by allaboutjazz.co m ,” he boasted. “Pretty hot for a non-label indie release.” Other locally relevant L’pool nominees include “Tumbleweeds,” a disc by Harmonic Dirt, an eclectic combo helmed by guitarist Mike Gridley, nominated for Best Americana.
L’pool concerts People’s Choice?
And our Liverpool Is The Place Summer Concert Series – which will kick off its 39th season on June 9 with the Stan Colella Band at Johnson Park – is in the running for a Samys People’s Choice Award as Best Local Event or Music Series. You can vote for free once every day in the 2025 Syracuse Area Music Awards People’s Choice Awards at syracuseareamusic.co m
Last word
“Too many people view recording as a technical experience. It is important to understand technology and be able to control it, but it’s the music at center stage. It’s the song people remember, not the recording system.”
–Record producer Matt Forger.
Ramblings from the empty nest ann Ferro
Livin’ in Liverpool russ tarby
LArGe CrOwdS AT THree riVerS
By JEFF SnOW town of ClAy hiStoriAn ClAy hiStoriCAl ASSoCiAtion member
As I search for my next top -
ic, I always enjoy looking at older newspaper articles, some from over a hundred years ago. I find the terminology used back then interesting and how some things have remained unchanged over the years. I came across some older newspaper articles online about Three Rivers, which I’ll touch on, but today’s open area at the river’s corners was quite different a long time ago.
An article from the Syracuse Herald on Aug. 7, 1904, describes an event where about 2,000 people attended the local farmers’ annual picnic from Onondaga and Oswego counties. With a crowd of this size, many arrived by carriage. The article mentioned “fakers” in full force, which likely referred to counterfeiters, con artists or people trying to extort money from farmers. Medicine men were also mentioned, implying that they were around in abundance, alongside peddlers. Some of the terms used in the articles were unfamiliar, like “cane rack” and “buncoed.” It can be assumed that a “cane rack” was something used to hold walking canes, similar to a coat rack, possibly for people who owned multiple canes and needed a place to store them. The term “buncoed” was used to mean swindled or cheated, which is a term not commonly used today.
The baseball game seems to have been the highlight of the day for the farmers, with a match between Solvay Process and Phoenix. (Example picture)
The following year, in 1905, the Farmers’ Annual Picnic article in the Syracuse Herald on Aug. 6, 1905, described more of the same events.
The event reportedly had around 5,000 attendees in the Three Rivers area. The main event was another baseball game, this time between Solvay Process and Fulton. The Sagawath Boat Club also hosted boat races. The prizes for the boat races are comical by today’s standards: first place received a clock, second place in a couple of races won a pair of pants and fourth place in two races won a straw hat and a pair of bicycle tires. It’s interesting to note that participants could win tires for a bicycle, but not a bicycle itself. A band and orchestra provided music, and the dancing pavilion was crowded with many dancers. The evening concluded with fireworks. Sometimes events at Three Rivers didn’t go as planned. In July of 1906, nearly a thousand people attended an outing hosted by the Hebrew Free School from Syracuse. Boat rides were taken to enjoy the summer day. Unfortunately, on that fateful day, a boat capsized, and a couple of people drowned because
safety precautions were not observed. Had life vests been worn, like they are today, this tragedy might never have happened. It’s hard to believe that thousands of people used to attend events at Three Rivers compared to today. Probably the biggest event
there now is the weekly car show, which attracts a few hundred people (pictured.) It’s a shame I couldn’t have been a fly on the wall to witness all the events that took place at Three Rivers. If anyone would like to read these stories in full, they are encouraged
to email me and I’ll send the link. For more information, suggestions or article requests, please visit the Clay Historical Association’s Google page. Any questions can be directed to historian@ townofclay. org. The Clay Histori-
Francisco.
And if it doesn’t? Well, just wait for the summer.
Last year the WNBA hit just the right spot putting up its best players against the U.S. Olympic team in Phoenix. It was exciting, intense, loud in the arena – and the WNBA side won over the future gold medalists.
Also, there’s always baseball, where they still mostly play at full throttle each year. American League vs. National League, and this year will wisely go back to wearing their own team uniforms instead of sporting special jerseys that no one liked. Even MLB, though, got burned in 2002 by a tie when they ran out of players and went for a while to
SUDOKU
cal Association meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Clay Historical Park. Those interested in attending, inviting others to join, or sharing historical photographs are encouraged to reach out.
For if the players are smiling and the fans are smiling, the least we could do is smile, too, for we’ll be back to all the business part soon enough.
Phil Blackwell is sports editor at Eagle News. He can be reached at pblackwell@ eaglenewsonline.com.
having home-field advantage in the World Series determined by the AllStar Game. Purists howled – but the games were pretty good, even if the AL still won most of the time. Maybe we’re just bellyaching too much. Whatever format used by whatever sport, we should grant these All-Stars the right to have some fun since it’s so serious most of the time. Allow for the enjoyment of the sport instead of wondering whether there should be stakes.
CROSSWORD
Barton & Loguidice employees get promotions
Barton & Loguidice (B&L), a multidisciplinary consulting firm that provides technical solutions to public and private clients with 400 employees
I believe that about 50% of golfers still don’t know, nor understand, the benefits and liabilities of using a Hybrid golf club. Let’s start with a universally accepted definition of a Hybrid golf club and then move on to why we should or should not play them. Golf Span says, “A Hybrid golf club looks like a wood but hits like a long iron. It offers more forgiveness on off-center strikes and versatility from the tee. Its ability to get the ball out of the rough led to the original name of…’rescue club’.
Do you remember which golf company first launched a version of the Hybrid club? It was Cobra. They released one in 1975 and called it the Cobra Baffler. When Taylor Made released their version of the Hybrid in 2003, they called it a “Rescue Club”. A revolution started in golf clubs that became tremendously popular and remains popular even today. For almost 20 years, I played with four Hybrids in my bag. This season, I am planning to play with only three. Why? Read on… A popular misconception about Hybrids is that they are only suitable for beginners or high handicap players. This is false. Even golf professionals recognize the benefits of playing with Hybrids.
1. They have a compact club head for…better control.
2. They have a wider sole for… improved turf interaction.
3. They have a lower center of gravity for…higher launch.
4. They have consistent performance for…various lies.
5. They have a higher degree of forgiveness and playability… compared to long irons.
Tips for improving Hybrid consistency include:
1. Place the ball slightly forward in your stance to encourage cleaner contact.
2. Focus on a smooth and controlled swing, rather than overcompensating for distance.
3. Develop trust in your hybrid club. Practice with it as often as you can to build familiarity.
Biggest Advantages of Playing Irons:
1. Playability (from fairway)
2. Distance Control (from fairway)
3. Dispersion (left to right & front to back)
Biggest Advantages of Hybrids:
1. Versatility (rough or poor lies)
2. Accuracy
3. Forgiveness
Biggest Advantages of Fairway Woods:
1. Distance (longer)
2. Ball Flight (higher)
Making the choice to play long irons, hybrids or fairway woods is an individual decision. I decided to play with “four” hybrids (a 6,5,4 & 3) when my club head speed was no longer fast enough…to launch the golf ball high enough…with a steep angle of decent…to stop the ball on the green. This year I am planning to replace my “3” hybrid for a “7” wood because my club head speed is even slower and the “7” wood will allow me to hit the ball “higher and farther”. Before you make your final decision, please experiment at the range, or even better, the golf course, to see if you are ready for hybrids. Still aren’t sure? It’s time to see your favorite CNY PGA Golf Professional.
throughout the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, announces that three professionals in the Syracuse office have received senior promotions.
Charles White, P.E., LEED AP has been promoted to vice president of the firm.
A resident of Fayetteville, he received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky. White is a member of the firm’s sustainable planning and design practice area based in the Syracuse office.
Gregory Mosure, P.E., BCEE has been promoted to vice president of the firm.
A resident of Marcellus, he received his bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering technology from the University of Dayton.
Mosure is a member of the firm’s water resources practice area based in the Syracuse office.
Kurt Rademacher, P.E., LEED AP has been promoted to associate of the firm.
A resident of Baldwinsville, he received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University.
Rademacher is a member of the firm’s facilities practice area based in the Syracuse office.
About Barton & Loguidice, D.P.C. Barton & Loguidice, is a multi-
l From page 5 Calendar
TUESDAYS
Coffee with the Liverpool Chamber
8 a.m. Zoom. Network with fellow entrepreneurs virtually. Visit liverpoolchamber.com/events-calendar/ to register.
Story Time for Bookworms
10:30 a.m. Skaneateles Library, 49 E. Genesee
St. For children who enjoy longer books, this story time includes multiple stories, songs, and ends with hands-on play. For ages 2-5.
Preschool Story Time
10:30 a.m. Skaneateles Library, 49 E. Genesee St. Grab a blanket or lawn chair and join us as we read, sing, and play
disciplinary consulting firm with 400 employees that provides technical solutions to public and private clients from offices in New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Connecticut and Maine. For more information, visit BartonandLoguidice.com or follow the firm on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
together on the Library Lawn. For ages 3 to 5 years. Registration required; visit skanlibrary.org or call 315-685-5135. Fun for all Story Time 11 a.m. Salina Free Library. Weekly story time for ages 3-6. Bring lawn chairs or blankets for sunny days.
JE Seniors Lunch Noon. JE Community Center, 1 Route 31, Jordan. The town of Elbridge hosts PEACE, Inc., Senior Nutrition lunches every Tuesday and Friday. Reservations required; $3.75 suggested donation. Lunch is followed by a guest speaker or activity on the first Tuesday of the month. Special events are $10. Please call 315-378-8004 or visit townofelbridge.com to confirm registration dates and times.
Eagle Newspapers is here to help readers share their milestone celebrations, including birth announcements, engagements, weddings, anniversaries and milestone birthdays. The deadline to submit an announcement is 10 a.m. the Friday before publication. Announcements of up to 250 words with a photo cost just $50, with an additional 15 cents per word over 250 words. Announcements will be posted to eaglenewsonline.com within 24 hours of receipt of payment. To submit a milestone announcement, email Alyssa Dearborn at adearborn@eaglenewsonline.com, or call 315.434.8889 ext. 305.
Charles White Gregory Mosure
Kurt Rademacher
Liverpool, C-NS boys hoops roll to big wins
By PHIL BLACKWELL
On the last Friday night of the regular season the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse boys basketball teams renew their rivalry a month after the Northstars won a close one at LHS. Liverpool began last week’s activity stinging from a narrow 57-55 loss at West Genesee on Jan. 31 where it took a 47-37 lead to the fourth quarter, only to surrender all of it.
Outscored 20-8 in the final period, Liverpool wasted a season-best 27 points from Trombley, who didn’t get much help beyond the 11 points from Fowler as Giancarlo Galimi got seven points and seven rebounds. WG was led by Aidan Phelan’s 21 points and Kolton Castrello’s 18 points.
Angry at this, Liverpool took it out last Monday at Auburn in a 76-34 blowout where
it built a 67-26 lead on the Maroons through the first three quarters, including a 29-8 thirdquarter blitz.
Trombley (19 points) and Danny Dunn (16 points) combined on six 3-pointers. Fowler added 10 points as 11 different players earned points by game’s end.
Far more impressive was that Liverpool did close to the same thing against FayettevilleManlius two nights later in terms of containment in the course of a 56-37 victory over the Hornets.
Echoing its 66-40 romp of F-M late in January, Liverpool this time started to get away late in the first half after a quiet start and, while its offense was inconsistent, the defense held the Hornets under 10 points in three of the four periods.
Dunn, for the first time all season, led his
team in scoring with 20 points as he and Trombley (12 points) both hit on three 3-pointers. This, along with Brady Michaud’s seven points, made up for F-M limiting Fowler to four points.
Another blowout happened a night later, only here it was C-NS, who had moved up to no. 14 in the latest state Class AAA rankings, going to Corcoran and putting away the Cougars 85-50. In a first-quarter scoring blitz the Northstars amassed 32 points, establishing a big lead that it would augment the rest of the night with Andrew Benedict back at the forefront. Having seen Nate Francis lead his team in scoring all three games the previous week, Benedict got 29 points here as Francis earned 21 points and Sam Werts stepped up with 15 points. They each hit on three 3-pointers as Andrew Potter and Brennan Tyler got six
points apiece, Weather again affected the schedule, C-NS seeing its game at Henninger last Thursday pushed back 24 hours – but the delay did little to stop the Northstars, who on Friday put away the Black Knights 65-41.
C-NS took charge in the second quarter, holding Henninger to six points, and then went on a 23-6 third-quarter blitz led by Francis and Werts, who combined to hit seven 3-pointers. Francis finished with 19 points and Werts got 15 poins, with Benedict getting 13 points. MiyJon McDowell earned seven points, with Potter again earning six points.
Aside from facing Liverpool, the Northstars also had games early this week against New Hartford and Baldwinsville as Liverpool would go to Corcoran in preparation for the trip to C-NS.
Liverpool girls shut down B’ville; C-NS awaits
By PHIL BLACKWELL
No matter when they play or what might be at stake, the Liverpool and Cicero-North Syracuse girls basketball teams always are motivated to get the best of one another.
The rematch of their Jan. 7 battle which Liverpool won 55-48 takes place Friday night at 5:30 the newly revamped C-NS gymnasium, part of a doubleheader with the boys teams squaring off, too.
They’ll do so with Liverpool having played Baldwinsville twice in the previous week, in-
cluding last Friday night’s initial battle which would feature more spectacular defense from the reigning sectional champions in a 53-32 victory.
As it turned out, what happened in the first half was pivotal. Liverpool struggled for baskets, but its 1-3-1 zone defense smothered B’ville and continued to do so even as it started to pull away in the third period.
A’briyah Cunningham led the getaway, burning B’ville for 26 points, nearly half her team’s output. The other half of it was mostly from Gracie Sleeth, who had 11 points, and Gi-
anna Washington, who got 10 points.
Only Olivia Davis, with 11 points, hit double figures for the Bees, with Liverpool limiting two standouts, Maddy Polky and Natalie Hollingshhead, to a combined three field goals.
C-NS, meanwhile, saw its game last Tuesday against Bishop Ludden pushed back to Feb. 16 and so, by the time it met state Class AA no. 7-ranked Rochester Aquinas on Friday it had not played in a week and had practices curtailed, too.
All of this may have contributed to the Northstars taking a 65-52 loss to the Irish, who
jumped out 19-7 only to watch C-NS, with the competitive rust off, make up most of the ground in the second and third periods. Only trailing 42-40, the Northstars could not keep Aquinas from pulling away late, especially with the offense struggling aside from Grace Villnave’s 17 points. Leah Benedict and Alexis Gasparini had eight points apiece and Liv Cook got seven points, but Jilly Howell was held to five points, a total Meadow Werts equaled.
C-NS ice hockey charges into sectional playoffs
By PHIL BLACKWELL
Maybe more than at any time in program history, the Cicero-North Syracuse ice hockey team believes that it can get to the Section III Division I championship game and perhaps even win it.
A regular season where the Northstars went 15-3-2 and, among other things, twice played defending champion and state no. 1-ranked West Genesee to 3-3 ties was the source of this belief.
So too, though, was the way C-NS did not hold up against competition it expected to beat, as was the case on Jan. 31 when the Northstars routed Auburn 7-1 at the Twin Rinks.
Steadily C-NS built a 3-0 margin through two periods before more than doubling that total in the third, Emmit Porter and Jase Knopp each picking up three assists as six different players netted goals.
Only Nate Bustin converted twice, with Porter joined by Andrew Gabor, David Cooley, Gabe Springer and Evan Sobolewski getting single goals. Jake Roskopf had two assists as single assists went to Alex Kirkby, Calen Brown, Rob Warner and Landon Russo.
Still at the Twin Rinks last Tuesday to face Ontario Bay, C-NS rolled again, stopping the Storm 6-1 by bolting out to a 5-0 advantage through two periods.
Austin Clarke’s three assists anchored a well-balanced attack where only Bustin would score twice. Dylan Ling and Cam Walker each had one goal and one assist, with Knopp and Brown also converting. Porter earned two assists and single assists went to Gabor and Cooley.
Two nights later, the Northstars were supposed to go north for a key game against Watertown IHC but it got snowed out. It would get made up Tuesday and might help determine just where C-NS would end up as a seed for the sectional Division I playoffs.
C-NS boys bowlers battle way to sectional team title
By PHIL BLACKWELL
Taking full advantage of a format change and displaying plenty of poise and perseverance, the Cicero-North Syracuse boys bowling team are now Section III Division I champions. The Northstars emerged from a long battle to win the sectional tournament Feb. 2 at Strike-N-Spare Lanes, ultimately outlasting East Syracuse Minoa for the title.
In years past every team in the sectional tournament rolled six games and total pinfall determined who would advance to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association tournament in March.
Now, though, they would bowl four games, and the top four teams in both Division I (large school) and Division II (small school) would advance to two elimination rounds to determine the ultimate winner.
One added twist in 2025 was that Section III would get an at-large state tournament bid,
C-NS
so whoever made it to the finals would advance regardless of the ultimate result.
C-NS was among the leaders from the outset, rolling 1,121 in its opening game led by Cameron Miller’s 254 just behind Auburn’s 1,133. Then it had a 1,032 in the second game as ESM used a 1,200 total to go into first place.
During the third game Garrett Arnold, who had already rolled two 300 games this winter for C-NS, nearly did it again, getting 11 consecutive strikes before a seven-count on his final ball left him with 297, the best individual game of the day.
All told the Northstars got a 1,102 in the third game which, along with a fourth-game 1,022, left it with 4,284, third behind ESM (4,341) and Baldwinsville (4,289) with New Hartford (4,197) in fourth place.
Now all four of these teams went to the semifinals under the “Baker” format where, instead of individual games, the team bowls together, with no individual getting more than
gets sweep at
By PHIL BLACKWELL
With its unmatched depth and ability to win a wide spectrum of events, the Cicero-North Syracuse indoor track and field teams turned back all challengers on the way to claiming both of the Section III Class AAA championships last Friday night at SRC Arena.
On the girls side the Northstars earned 171 points more than doubling the total of Liverpool, whose 82 points put it in second place. Over in the boys meet C-NS earned 128.5 points, comfortably ahead of the 80 from runner-up West Genesee.
As she has done all season, Anna Eells provided multiple victories for C-NS in field events including the high jump where she waited until the bar was 5 feet 4 inches then cleared it, half a foot ahead of the field.
The long jump had Eells go 18’1 1/2” in her second attempt to win over the 17’3 1/4” from Selena Moreno in second place. Finally, in the triple jump Eells gained a third title with 38’2” more than a foot ahead of the field, Moreno (34’10 3/4”) earning fourth place.
Nearly getting a relay sweep, C-NS started with Grace Murray, Alexa Belknap, Callie Bednarski and Evelyn Maglente taking a tight 4x400 in 4:05.17, just ahead of Baldwinsville’s 4:05.35 as Liverpool (4:28.04) was fourth.
In the 4x800 it was Gabby Putman,
two frames.
C-NS faced B’ville, the two sides having split their regular-season meetings. In a bestof-five series the Northstars won the opener 202-131 and dropped the second game 186172, but in the pivotal third game pulled it out by a single pin 211-210 and then finished off the Bees 220-212 in a tight fourth game.
Meanwhile, ESM swept New Hartford three in a row, so the final was set, and even though C-NS and ESM both knew they were state tournament-bound, it still would prove a classic.
The Spartans dominated the first game 225-161, but the Northstars absorbed that blow and, over the next two games, shot 208 in both of them to beat ESM’s totals of 176 and 191.
Then in the fourth game it was the Spartans staging its own comeback 205-176, setting up a decisive fifth game where C-NS strung together enough marks and won it by a score of 200-162.
Despite Arnold’s 297 it was Nehemiah Bachmann leading the Northstars in the fourgame tournament with a 921 total to Arnold’s 917. Bachmann rolled 258 in his third game as Cameron Miller got an 881 total and Terry Miller a 754 aggregate. Hunter Baciuska had games of 235 and 233 and Jayson Gilchrist rolled 190 in his lone game.
Liverpool finished seventh in Class A and ninth in Division I, led by Kyle Lake, who opened with a 258, also had a 247 and posted 900 for four games to finish 12th among individuals. Mykey Hatherill had a 245 in his 810 series as Jahkir Jackson had a 747 series. Then in a head-to-head match against Syracuse two days later Liverpool won a pair of 7-0 shutouts. Sara Conover led the girls with games of 233 and 228 in her 607 series as, on the boys side, Jackson and Kyle Lake both shot 224 games, Lake getting a team-best 546 series as Kaden Lake shot a 210 game and Chris Harding added a 539 series.
Class AAA indoor track sectionals
Cameron Sisk, Sophia Graham and Katy Harbold winning in 9:36.32 to FayettevilleManlius’ 9:41.01, with Liverpool third in 10:02.64. But in the 4x200 the Northstars, in 1:48.52, ended up just behind B’ville’s winning 1:48.28.
Jaydin Mackey would get first in the 55meter dash in 7.36 seconds ahead of Liverpool teammates Nahlia Battle-Crenshaw (7.44) and Mia Wright (7.45) as Stephanie Todd (7.56) was fourth for the Northstars. Mackey added a second in the 55 hurdles in 8.38 as Aaliyah McDonald got third in 8.54 and Moreno was sixth in 8.96.
More wins followed from Sophia Graham going 2:58.09 to win at 1,000 meters over the 2:59.16 from Liverpool’s Taylor Page, with Gabby Putman third in 3:02.94. Maglente ran to second at 600 meters in 1:41.43 with Gianna Melfi fourth in 1:44.58.
Harbold needed 4:49.48 for third place at 1,500 meters, while Kennedy Jones (10:51.13) edged Mya Patti (10:51.20) for fourth place in the 3,000-meter run.
Liverpool countered by winning the 300 thanks to Wright, whose 40.91 beat out a C-NS quartet led by Mackey in second place (42.17) with Todd (42.61), McDonald (43.57) and Murray (44.18) rounding out the top five.
Ailanees Leon won the pole vault as the only athlete to clear 8’6” ahead of C-NS’s Annie Capone (8 feet) in second and Natta
Luangaphay (7’6”) in fourth. Taima Tearney got second and Audrey Jenkins fourth in the high jump topping 4’10” ahead of June Piorkowski (4’8”) in fifth place.
Kaitlyn Hotaling added a third in the 3,000 in 10:44.62 to go with a sixth in the 1,500. Maddie Devendorf took fourth in the 55 hurdles going 8.81 seconds as Eseroghene Uloho threw the shot put 30’1 1/2” to get sixth place. Tearney added a fifth (34’8 3/4”) an inch ahead of Devendorf (34’7 3/4”) for fifth in the triple jump along with a sixth (16 feet) in the long jump.
Camron Ingram set the pace for the C-NS boys as he went 6.43 seconds to beat out Fayetteville-Manlius’ Nick Domashenko (6.51) in the 55 sprint and then, in the 55 hurdles, dominating in 7.47 as part of a 1-2-3 Northstars sweep with Xander Provost second in 8.10 and Jaiden Tagliarano third in 8.26.
Winning the 4x800, C-NS had Dominic Petrera, Dante Melfi, Joe Massett and Tyler Graham go 8:36.14 to hold off Auburn (8:37.42). The Northstars also got a close second (3:31.33) to West Genesee (3:30.44) in the 4x400, Christian Kahrs part of that event along with his third in the 300 in 37.38 seconds.
Piling up 18 more points in the long jump, C-NS had Anthony Johnson second and Matt Freeman third each of them going 20’7 3/4” to beat out the 20’4 3/4” from Zuriel Dickerson in fourth place. But Free-
man won the triple jump, his 42’ 1 1/2” a half-inch ahead of the 42’1” from F-M’s Buchi Nwokedi.
Colin Daley added a second-place pole vault of 10’6” as Liam Pierce Joss was fourth and Provost sixth in the high jump each clearing 5’6”, Provost improving to fifth in the shot put heaving it 37’8”. Melfi would earn second in the 600 in 1:27.15 as Graham (1:29.72) was sixth. Petera took third in the 1,000 in 2:45.11 with Massett fifth (2:52.65) and Benjamin Rose sixth (2:53.38) as Nolan Zinsmeyer went 10:26.43 for sixth place at 3,200 meters. C-NS claimed fourth (1:36.25) in the 4x200. Liverpool’s boys, who finished sixth with 46 points, had Josh Vang contend at 1,600 meters, his 4:39.72 putting him second ahead of Massett (4:47.92) in third place as Brian Juston was sixth in 4:54.33. Taj Ryan was fourth (8.36 seconds) and Brayden Smith fifth (8.46) in the 55 hurdles, Jack Monroe adding a fifth in the 300 in a personal-best 38.31 as Ryan, clearing 10 feet, beat out Jamal Lesperance (9’6”) and Tom Nguyen (9 feet) for fourth in the pole vault. Jayjay Nagbe went 39’4” in the triple jump for sixth place.
Mason Dineen, seventh in the 1,600, was fourth in the 3,200 in 10:08.99 and Trenton Gallup fourth in the 1,000 going 2:47.70, with Liverpool also fourth in the 4x400 in 3:39.01.
