High School Extra /News and notes
Kopp, Gmerek join clubs
Tuesday was all about milestones and victories in girls basketball for Franklinville and Maryvale.
Samantha Kopp scored her 2,000th career point in helping Franklinville earn a 56-46 nonleague victory at Silver Creek. Kopp finished with a game-high 37 points and grabbed 23 rebounds. Kopp, with 2,004 points, joined her mother, Laura, as the only Franklinville players in the 2,000-points club, when she scored on a layup midway through the fourth quarter.
Kopp is the seventh female in Western New York history to score at least 2,000 points.
“That’s awesome,” said Kopp, who trails her mother for the school’s career scoring record by 192 points. “I’m excited. I can’t believe it. I’m just real happy. . . . Going into it, I kind of knew it was definitely a possibility that I just had to play well for a few games to get it.”
Kopp’s cousin, Joelle Connelly, is Western New York’s all-time scoring leader with 2,300 — a mark the Hofstra freshman set last year.
In Cheektowaga, Olivia Gmerek became just the second Maryvale Flyer to reach 1,000 career points during the Flyers’ 44-20 rout of town rival Cleveland Hill. Gmerek canned a three-pointer from the left corner with four seconds left in the third quarter to hit the milestone she didn’t know she was so close to achieving because her parents and coach didn’t clue her in.
“When I actually scored my 1,000th point I didn’t know, I ran back on defense,” Gmerek said. “When they stopped the game that’s when I knew. . . . I’m so excited.”
Falls’ Agee Jr. scores 41
Kelvin Agee Jr. was pretty much unstoppable for Niagara Falls, which survived a test at Niagara Frontier League host North Tonawanda, 85-72.
Agee poured in a career-high 41 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as The News’ No. 1-ranked large school had to work a little for the win after the Lumberjacks, who trailed 30-15 after the first quarter and 45-34 at halftime, had pulled within six after three quarters.
But every time NT got close, Falls (10-0, 5-0) responded with a quick 6-0 run to stay comfortably in front. NT crawled back into the game by switching from zone to pressure, holding Falls to one shot and rebounding well.
Davon Marshall added 20 points for Falls. Aaron Davis had 24 points and 10 rebounds for the ’Jacks.
Elsewhere, Kenmore West held off visiting Niagara-Wheatfield, 53-50, as Damour Bailey had 13 points, six rebounds and three steals. Brian Favors hit four free throws in the final minute to seal the win.
Lockport, KW girls win
The Kenmore West and Lockport girls basketball teams remained unbeaten in Niagara Frontier League play. Sophomore Ashley Krier had 18 points, while Jenna Rickan added 14 to lead Ken West (7-2, 5-0) to a 49-42 win at Niagara-Wheatfield.
Lockport improved to 5-0 in the Niagara Frontier League with a 44-33 win over Grand Island. Lea Sobieraski had eight rebounds and 13 points for the Lions (7-2). Lockport hosts Ken West next Tuesday.
Testman sinks Lancaster
Nick Testman had the winning basket with 12 seconds remaining as led the Bulldogs with 22 points and Gavin Collins added 18. Lancaster got 23 points from Brandon Harrison.
In the Yale Cup, Hutch-Tech improved to 2-0 in the league with a 61-56 win over Bennett. Kenny Bulls had 15 points to lead three Engineers who hit double figures, with Wayne Williams recording 13 points and 12 rebounds and Justin Hawkins 12 points, 10 rebounds and six steals.
Mansa Habeeb recorded a triple-double of 13 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists during McKinley’s 119-43 rout of Emerson.
Grover Cleveland set a single-game school record by canning 13 of 20 three-pointer during its 103-61 triumph over Buffalo Arts. Ricky Alejandro (19 points) nailed five three-pointers for the Presidents, which broke the mark of 10 for 20 set in 2004.
O’Brien set EA record
Alex O’Brien broke a 41-year-old East Aurora diving record during the Blue Devils’ 69-32 ECIC IV boys swimming win over Tonawanda. O’- Brien, who finished fourth at the Section VI meet last year, finished with a six-dive total of 250.85 points to break the old mark of 245 points set in 1968 by EA Sports Hall of Fame member Jim Oubre.
Ken West bowls to record
Here’s a sign of just how good the Niagara Frontier League is in boys bowling.
Just last week, Niagara Falls set the league record for six-man total pinfall in a match. That record now belongs to Kenmore West.
The Blue Devils broke Falls’ record while emphatically winning the battle of Kenmore with old friend Ken East, 7-0. Ken West’s top six bowlers finished with a total of 4,234 at Tonawanda Bowling Center to break the mark of 4,223 the Wolverines had established in a win over Grand Island last Thursday.
Ken West had four bowlers finish with 700 series, with senior Bryan Murzynowski providing a huge lift in his first start of the season, firing a 713 set that included a closing game of 276. Freshman Rob Ricketts had a 745, with a high game of 285. His older brother, senior Ron, had a 249-715, while senior Sean Bentley had a 702 series. Senior John Stopka had a 680, while senior Rob Gatas had games of 210 and 258 before substitute, sophomore Josh Czamara, closed out that set with a 211.
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