Derek Clyburn doesn’t care if he’s in the starting lineup or coming off the bench at the start of the game. As long as the Cheektowaga Central boys basketball team is ahead at the end of the game, he’s a happy man. Clyburn has moved from a starting role to Cheektowaga’s sixth man and the change has paid dividends, both for the junior forward and for the Warriors. “I give a spark to the team so I like coming off the bench,” he said after pouring in a career-high 20 points in a win over Maryvale. “It doesn’t matter, we play as a team. It doesn’t matter who starts, we’re all a team working together.”Clyburn has averaged 9.6 points per game and reached double-figures in perhaps Cheektowaga’s two... more

BUFFALO, NY - Sometimes, an institution’s progress can be aided by returning heroes’ march forward.After finishing their 2011 season with a championship loss in its NJCAA Region III final, Coach Dennis Greene and his Erie Community College Kats had plenty of reasons to feel optimistic about the future of their program. For one, they fought through a 2-8 season to come within one touchdown from stealing their region’s crown from Alfred State. And two, future recruitment into their foray of red and black uniforms was about to get an unexpected boost by a member of their defensive line, former Marine Andrew Buczek. Before he found ECC this past fall, Buczek—a native Western New Yorker—played full-contact... more

AMHERST - In a game that had a playoff feel to it, it was a fluke goal that decided the contest.Junior defenseman Mike Iannello’s goal 13:45 into the second period was all St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute would need as they defeated St. Francis, 1-0, in a Catholic qualifying game at the Northtowns Center in Amherst.The win gave the Marauders the number seed for the upcoming Catholic school playoffs, while St. Francis will play neighborhood rival Bishop Timon-St. Jude in one of the semifinals Sunday, Feb. 19 at the Buffalo State College Sports Arena.“I thought we played a very good game and St. Joe’s is a very good team,” stated St. Francis coach Craig Fattey. “We said in the locker room, we... more

BUFFALO - If you are a former player or coach from the Buffalo Junior Sabres, the Niagara Scenics or the Buffalo Lightning, the team is looking for you.On Tuesday, Feb. 7, the Buffalo Jr. Sabres will face off against the Oakville Blades at 7:30pm at the Northtown Center in Amherst. It’s the final home game of the Ontario Junior Hockey League regular season schedule, and the Jr. Sabres are marking the occasion by hosting its first “Alumni Night.”.The team is inviting all former players of the junior franchise to attend the game and catch up with old friends, coaches and teammates. Family members of alumni are also invited. Admission to the game is free to alumni and their families.Following... more

TONAWANDA - Four more Warriors will live forever.The Tonawanda High School Athletic Wall of Fame will welcome four new members when Chris Slauson (Class of 1998), Tom Perkovich (Class of ‘99), Jim Keller (Class of ‘54) and John White (Class of ‘75) will take their place among the legends of THS athletics on Feb. 9.Taking place between the JV and varsity boys basketball games when the Warriors host Eden, the ceremony will start at 6:15 in the George H. Miller Gym.Perkovich is being honored for his achievements in basketball, football and track.Second on the Warriors all-time scoring list with 1,035 career points, Perkovichwas recently displaced from the No.1 slot by senior Jesse Lalka.Jim Keller,... more

Lancaster- "Every kid in America should have the opportunity to play baseball in Cooperstown!" said Louis A. Presutti.  This will be a memorable year for the Lancaster Depew Storm 12U Baseball Team as they will have this opportunity. The team has been selected to compete with 104 teams from various states across the USA in Cooperstown Dreams Park in August. This will be the first team from the Lancaster Depew Baseball Association to compete in Cooperstown, the home of baseball.  This tournament is nationally recognized as the premier youth baseball tournament in the country.  This is a significant accomplishment for the team to participate in this tournament. 

The... more

CHEEKTOWAGA - It's one of the biggest events of the scholastic bowling season and the perfect primer for the post season.Teams from all over Section VI will head for AMF Thruway Lanes on Cheektowaga on Feb. 4 for the 33rd Roy Sommer Memorial Invitational Tournament.With some of the strongest talent coming from the Niagara Frontier League.Leading the way on the girls side will be the North Tonawanda Lady Jacks, who are led by captain Hannah Mosher.A varsity bowler since seventh grade, Mosher's 702 high series leads the league and her 199.31 average is second only to Lockport's Brittany Wright (199.42).Mosher and Wright, interestingly enough are the best of friends, even thought their two teams... more

Aaron Ertel might not put up dazzling numbers on a nightly basis, although he’s sure had his share of big games. But the Depew High School senior has sure done his part in the Wildcats’ quest to get back to the Section VI championship game. “I’m just looking to do my job,” Ertel said. “Everyone on the team has their job and I want to do my part. I just go out there and hustle, make some smart passes and hit some shots.”Ertel has averaged 8.4 points per game for the Wildcats. He has been money from downtown, draining 14 shots from 3-point land. He’s been held without a trey in only three games and all three of those were empty-the-bench wins. Not bad considering his top contribution comes on defense.... more

KENMORE - (Part 12: Coach Masters)Finish strong. That’s been a motto all season long for the Lady Blue Devils.One thing that I have always respected about Ken-West coaches Mike Licata and Jeff Martin, they are always open to ideas and opinions of others. Anything to help their team get better.Enter Coach Mike Masters.Master’s has been bringing his motivational and team building skills to Lady Blue Devil practices once a week for five seasons.Each letter in the “Finish Strong” motto represents a different characteristic that is key to success-in sports and in life.On Jan. 25, “T” took center stage as Coach Masters spoke to the Blue Devils about toughness, and what it really meant.Masters told... more

NORTH TONAWANDA - Spend a few minutes with Hannah Mosher and try not to smile.Go on, I dare you. It simply cannot be done.A co-captain on the North Tonawanda Lady Jacks bowling team, Mosher has gone from being a shy seventh grader, who didn’t say very much, to the perfect senior leader who keeps the game fun for her teammates.“She went from being a seventh grader who was scared, shy and afraid to open her mouth to being somebody that’s real loose,” NT coach Bill Rohring said.Taking a few throws himself during the team’s Jan. 30 practice at the Tonawanda Bowling Center, Rohring was on the lane next to Mosher and could not keep the smile off his face when she playfully bounced around trying to... more

The Springville-GI boys swim team remained atop the ECIC Division III standings after defeating Maryvale on Jan. 20 by a score of 67-34. The team’s showing in the relay events, along with a first place finish by Hunter Louth in diving, proved to be the difference between the two squads.The 200 medley relay team of Donny Piatek, Trey Aebly, Mitchell Bunic and Dylan Boberg swam to a first place finish that was only 2 seconds off the Griffs’ school record. S-GI swimmers also won both the 200 and 400 free relays.Individual event winners included Piatek in the 500 freestyle, Bunic in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke and Boberg in the 50 free and the 100 backstroke.The boys set 23... more

Springville’s JV wrestling team took down Amherst in a hometown final match to finish the season 60-21 on Wednesday, Jan. 25.At 113, Jobe Fleming pinned his first opponent in :51. In his second match, he pinned in 3:08. At 128, Jake Smith pinned his first opponent in 3:16 and his second opponent in 1:08. At 132, Anthony Orsini pinned in 1:16 and won a decision in the second match 10-7. At 138, Bryant Boundy lost a decision 13-6 and was pinned in :37. At 145, Zack Gernold was pinned in the first match and pinned his second opponent.At 170, Pat O Brien was pinned in the first match and then came back to win a decision 7-3. At 195, Noah Snyder pinned his opponent in :42. At 220, Josh Ball pinned... more

Springville’s Modified Griffin wrestlers handed defeat to traditional powerhouse, Pioneer, on Tuesday, Jan. 17. The Griffs scored 45 points to Pioneer’s 3. East Aurora scored 9 points, also.Bryce “Scuba” Szudzik scored 1 pin, 1 technical fall and a decision, to finish 3-0. He remains undefeated this year. Ian Baker scored a pin and a decision against two older wrestlers. Jerry Weeks scored 1 pin and a decision over both Pioneer and East Aurora wrestlers. Connor O’Brien took a major decision and a decision. Taylor Green scored a pin in his only match of the night.The Baby Griff Grapplers won over visiting West Seneca 33-30 on Thursday, Jan. 19. Winning for Springville were Jaylen Estabrook with... more

Results of the Western New York Trap League at Sardinia on Jan. 29 are as follows:Springville 4, 143 - Glen Coe 2, 141; Sardinia, 138 - Glen Coe 3, 129; Evans, 128 - Lime Lake, 136; Springville 2, 137 - Glen Coe 1, 131; Ellicottville, 127 - Boston, 138; Springville 1, 144 - Java, 145.Perfect scores of 25 were shot by Wally Wagner Jr., Mark Offhaus, Bob Fagnan and Ron Ferguson.Scott Klahn has shot 50 straight; Scott Wolfer has shot 75 straight and Don Hopkins has shot 100... more

A baseball clinic will be held at Hilbert College, 5200 South Park Ave., Hamburg on Saturday, Feb. 11. Session one for 7 - 12 year-old boys will be held from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. and session two will be held from noon - 3 p.m. for boys ages 13 - 17. The instructors will be Head Coach Jim Pernick, assistant coaches and Hilbert players.There is a charge for the clinic. For more information, contact Pernick at 868-7551 or email baseball@hi... more

Troy Studd, a senior at Springville-Griffith Institute High School, was recently named to the All New York State High School Football Team for 2011, sponsored by the NYS Sportswriters Association.He has been honored as an offensive lineman on the fourth team. Studd is one of only 13 high school football players statewide to be selected for this offensive team.This athlete, the son of Douglas Studd and Julie Studd, is anticipating graduating this month and said he is considering several college football scholarship... more

The junior varsity basketball team at West Valley Central High School attempted to even out its win-loss count when the boys traveled to Forestville on Tuesday, Jan. 24. Coming into the game, the team found itself mired in a 2-6 skid, erasing its 3-0 start to the season. The Wildcats stayed close with Forestville throughout the game and the team was able to hang around in the final seconds.With 6 seconds left in the game and Forestville up by 2 points, Mike Nowak stepped up and sank a 3-point shot to put West Valley in front. The defense rallied around that tally for the final seconds to hold on and secure the 45-44 victory, buoying the team’s record to 6-6.“It was a competitive game throughout,”... more

The Springville-GI boys varsity swim team competed against Pioneer on Friday, Jan. 27.The Griffins dominated the meet, claiming first place in nine of the 12 events. Eighth grader and first-year diver Hunter Lauth took first place in diving.Relay teams consisting of Garrett Olrogg, Trey Aebly, Ryan O’Hara, Trevor Cooper, Elliott Tessmer, Dylan Boberg, Mitchell Bunic and Don Piatek all took first place in the 200 medley relay and the 200 and 400 free relays.Individual first place finishes were as follows: Bunic in the 200 free and 100 fly, O’Hara in the 500 free, Piatek in the 100 back and Aebly in the 100 breast.The team has a 9-3 record and is now preparing for ECIC and sectional competitio... more

On Feb. 2, the Springville-Griffith Institute varsity Lady Griffs will host the Cheektowaga Warriors in the annual “Coaches versus Cancer” basketball game. High school coaches around Western New York will be wearing special sneakers in support of this program. Donations to the American Cancer Society may be made at this event.The following evening, on Friday Feb. 3, the Lady Griffs will host WNY girls basketball power Williamsville East in a non-league contest. During this event, the girls varsity players and parents will hold their annual dessert auction, with proceeds benefitting summer camps for younger student athletes.On Friday, Feb. 10, prior to the Griffins’ hosting the Depew Wildcats,... more

After losing to the Pioneer Panthers 62-41 on Jan. 24, the Springville-Griffith Institute girl’s varsity basketball team responded by winning its next two matches on Jan. 26 and Jan. 28, as the girls defeated the Depew Wildcats and the Amherst Tigers. In the team’s matchup against Depew on Jan. 26, the Lady Griffins defeated the Wildcats 49-34. Although Coach Chris Mathewson reported that his girls’ opponents were “physical” and “had good rebounders,” he added that the Griffins overcame their opponents’ strengths through the hard work and effort they put into the practice before entering the match.Tainne Dallas had a team high of 12 rebounds during the game. Olivia Emerling had 25 points in the... more