History was made on consecutive nights in Western New York high school basketball. Dominick Welch of Cheektowaga surpassed Burgard of Buffalo's Richie Campbell as the all time leading scorer locally.Buffalo's South Park Sparks were the opponent for the Warriors of Cheektowaga, and the record seemed more important than the win. However, following the 25th and record breaking points early in the third quarter, the Warriors overcame a double-digit deficit, but would not lead by more than two before falling back to double digits with four minutes and change in the Section VI Class A2 semifinal. Welch would finish with 45, well over the requirement to top with 2376 in total on his career.
The following night, more heroics. The Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association finals were held as a separated event for a third season in a row after the class A and B teams perviously contested the tournament together despite separated during the regular season for scheduling purposes. St. Mary’s had just won the club hockey final ahead of states and a move to federation play for 2018 but something that has never been achieved on hardwood had an opportunity arise again to win the Manhattan Cup playoffs. Many close calls have come, most notably 2012 against Canisius's Crusaders and 2015 against the Vikings from the Nichols School, albeit the latter as a result of splitting the large schools from the small making sense as to state catholic qualification.
That, on the other hand has been done plenty of times at least recently, the first of which came in 2009 when St. Mary's, Cardnial O'Hara, and Niagara Catholic made second round exits. The latter two had a play-in game as the regular season record of St. Mary's was superior. The winner at O'Hara would play at Canisius College's Koessler Athletic Center. Though it appeared that O'Hara's Hawks would soar to victory, a day later it was announced a transfer had illegally participated in a number of games and thanks to an oversight by former St. Mary's athletic director Angelo P. Sciandra III, the school forfeited their chance to play the Lancers to the Patriots from Niagara Catholic. While the Lancers struggled throughout, they did defeat a stingy NC team for their first qualification in ten seasons to the state catholic tournament. They would go on to defeat the now-defunct Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel Cardnials from the Catholic High School Athleticc Association of the New York City greater metropolitan area at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Gymnasium.
While there are other Catholic schools in New York state, they compete with the other public schools and thus, two Catholic schools can play at the state federation tournament as St. Marys did in 2009 against Rochester’s Bishop Kearney Knights. As has been the case in the 2000s decade, the second quarter was the achilles heel as the Knights downed St. Mary’s but lost to Collegiate Prep’s Dutchmen. The following year, SMH was the only team to reach the second round having lost to the Crusaders in MMAA play having won every quarter except being trounced in the second quarter. Canisius then went on to lose to the Vikings, who as the best team in WNY secured the right to host the CHSAA’s Salesian Eagles for a second consecutive state catholic title. But history would repeat itself as the second quarter again would bite the Lancers this time against eventual state fed champ Collegiate Prep.
Coming into the evening hours at Koessler, St. Mary’s had the best regular season record in the Msgr. Martin B Division and won their opening playoff fixture. Now it was time to face a familiar foe for the title. Nichols was the opponent and the two sides met twice as per the B Division schedule. The first of those was at Nichols’ Gerard Gymnasium on January 13, which I was asked to fill in as the Vikings public address (it was a little akward) shortly upon my arrival with the intent just to watch the game. The Lancers took one on the road 50-43 in a tight affair the whole way. The return leg the following month on the 16th saw a Lancers 53-42 home win. It would be tough to win three straight against any team, much less against Nichols who in the past decade has had their number in big games.
While there was a lot of back and forth in the opening fram, the final portion of it saw Nichols go on a 10-0 run that extended into the next session. Following a few exchanges, Nichols widened their lead to double digits as a familiar tone began to set in among the St. Mary’s contingent - the second quarter. While SMH managed to chip away at that following the half time interval, Matt Cieszki managed to provide their first lead of the half before sinking a three a bit before the buzzer. By bolstering up their defense in the second half, the Lancers exercised their demons and for the first time in their history and that of the tournament which dates back to 1948, went on to claim their first Manhattan Cup by a final score of 64-61.
In that late 2000s, I was a part of what started my path as an athletic administrator. To pick up basketball and my enhanced knowledge of the sport with that particular group of individuals was something that inspired me to use that as a tool to speak to others regarding "silent partners" as I was. And while being appreciated for my effort, I appreciated have those opportunities to pick up a new trade of sorts and living life through a somewhat new lens. As much as I gained from it all and now being also removed from my time with Barry and Springfield College. My high school years are my most cherished cumulative time period memories. If I had the opportunity to relive them, I would all over again. Springfield was great, but that one spring morning in 2007 when I was introduced to my key to life epitomized all of those experiences that would follow both in high school and my undergrad. So every time I come back for events, I get that same euphoria for one more time. And with luck, I’ll be able to do that over and over and over again.
The following night, more heroics. The Monsignor Martin High School Athletic Association finals were held as a separated event for a third season in a row after the class A and B teams perviously contested the tournament together despite separated during the regular season for scheduling purposes. St. Mary’s had just won the club hockey final ahead of states and a move to federation play for 2018 but something that has never been achieved on hardwood had an opportunity arise again to win the Manhattan Cup playoffs. Many close calls have come, most notably 2012 against Canisius's Crusaders and 2015 against the Vikings from the Nichols School, albeit the latter as a result of splitting the large schools from the small making sense as to state catholic qualification.
That, on the other hand has been done plenty of times at least recently, the first of which came in 2009 when St. Mary's, Cardnial O'Hara, and Niagara Catholic made second round exits. The latter two had a play-in game as the regular season record of St. Mary's was superior. The winner at O'Hara would play at Canisius College's Koessler Athletic Center. Though it appeared that O'Hara's Hawks would soar to victory, a day later it was announced a transfer had illegally participated in a number of games and thanks to an oversight by former St. Mary's athletic director Angelo P. Sciandra III, the school forfeited their chance to play the Lancers to the Patriots from Niagara Catholic. While the Lancers struggled throughout, they did defeat a stingy NC team for their first qualification in ten seasons to the state catholic tournament. They would go on to defeat the now-defunct Blessed Sacrament-St. Gabriel Cardnials from the Catholic High School Athleticc Association of the New York City greater metropolitan area at Fordham University’s Rose Hill Gymnasium.
While there are other Catholic schools in New York state, they compete with the other public schools and thus, two Catholic schools can play at the state federation tournament as St. Marys did in 2009 against Rochester’s Bishop Kearney Knights. As has been the case in the 2000s decade, the second quarter was the achilles heel as the Knights downed St. Mary’s but lost to Collegiate Prep’s Dutchmen. The following year, SMH was the only team to reach the second round having lost to the Crusaders in MMAA play having won every quarter except being trounced in the second quarter. Canisius then went on to lose to the Vikings, who as the best team in WNY secured the right to host the CHSAA’s Salesian Eagles for a second consecutive state catholic title. But history would repeat itself as the second quarter again would bite the Lancers this time against eventual state fed champ Collegiate Prep.
Coming into the evening hours at Koessler, St. Mary’s had the best regular season record in the Msgr. Martin B Division and won their opening playoff fixture. Now it was time to face a familiar foe for the title. Nichols was the opponent and the two sides met twice as per the B Division schedule. The first of those was at Nichols’ Gerard Gymnasium on January 13, which I was asked to fill in as the Vikings public address (it was a little akward) shortly upon my arrival with the intent just to watch the game. The Lancers took one on the road 50-43 in a tight affair the whole way. The return leg the following month on the 16th saw a Lancers 53-42 home win. It would be tough to win three straight against any team, much less against Nichols who in the past decade has had their number in big games.
While there was a lot of back and forth in the opening fram, the final portion of it saw Nichols go on a 10-0 run that extended into the next session. Following a few exchanges, Nichols widened their lead to double digits as a familiar tone began to set in among the St. Mary’s contingent - the second quarter. While SMH managed to chip away at that following the half time interval, Matt Cieszki managed to provide their first lead of the half before sinking a three a bit before the buzzer. By bolstering up their defense in the second half, the Lancers exercised their demons and for the first time in their history and that of the tournament which dates back to 1948, went on to claim their first Manhattan Cup by a final score of 64-61.
In that late 2000s, I was a part of what started my path as an athletic administrator. To pick up basketball and my enhanced knowledge of the sport with that particular group of individuals was something that inspired me to use that as a tool to speak to others regarding "silent partners" as I was. And while being appreciated for my effort, I appreciated have those opportunities to pick up a new trade of sorts and living life through a somewhat new lens. As much as I gained from it all and now being also removed from my time with Barry and Springfield College. My high school years are my most cherished cumulative time period memories. If I had the opportunity to relive them, I would all over again. Springfield was great, but that one spring morning in 2007 when I was introduced to my key to life epitomized all of those experiences that would follow both in high school and my undergrad. So every time I come back for events, I get that same euphoria for one more time. And with luck, I’ll be able to do that over and over and over again.
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