Springville journal b 12 20 2014

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JACOBS STARTS SUITS FOR TROOPS

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Springville Journal /Saturday, December 20, 2014

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SECTION B

Holiday wish list not just for kids

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2014

S-GI girls edge Rosten-less Flyers, down Maryvale on the road

Mike Haim

SPORTS COLUMNIST

At this time of year, in a variety of locations from coast to coast, kids are lining up to have a chat with Santa Claus and relay what’s on their Christmas wish list. But why limit it to the kids? I’ve long have been alarmed at the number of school-age kids who no longer visit with Santa, thinking they’re too cool to be part of a time-honored tradition. I was personally horrified years ago when my own son, perhaps around age seven, seemed to be the oldest kid in line. So in the spirit of the season, I’m taking the tradition back and have made a sports-related list of things I’d tell Santa I’d want this Christmas: First, I’d like to see one of our local college basketball teams pull off an upset of a nationally-renowned program. UB almost did it against top-ranked Kentucky a few weeks ago and will have another kick at a highly-regarded opponent when they travel to Wisconsin for a Dec. 28 game. St. Bonaventure took Pitt down to the wire this past Saturday, nearly ending the Panthers’ 25-game home winning streak against non-conference opponents. There are a wealth of stories about some upstart program recording a significant victory against a powerhouse, so why can’t we enjoy that kind of moment for a change? Next, I’d like to have some sort of personal epiphany which leads me to either love or loathe UB’s mission to become identified as “New York.” I’m still ambivalent about the idea, since I think the state needs a true representative on the national athletic stages but I also don’t want to see the university’s civic identity get compromised. I tend to think that most universities with a state moniker are located in smaller communities (think Michigan and Ann Arbor, Missouri and Columbia, Kentucky and Lexington, etc.), so it doesn’t make sense for Buffalo to make itself seem smaller. But the idea of having New York City-based alumni become a force in fund-raising and awareness is irresistible. At some point I’d like there to be an overwhelming reason to commit to an opinion either way. Next, I’d like to see fewer kids get saddled with terminal illnesses. While this doesn’t appear to be a sportsrelated wish, it becomes one when I see what seems to be a constant parade of teams and individual stars offering wonderful, heartwarming experiences to children who have been dealt a devastating prognosis. Bad news is a fact of life, and organizations such as “Make a Wish” have tried to make tragic journeys more palatable, but I’d like to see a day when this sort of outreach isn’t necessary.

See “List” on page B2

DAVE DELUCA

Heaven Rollek had a game-high 15 points to go with 10 rebounds in Springville’s win over Maryvale.

By Dave DeLuca SPORTS REPORTER

Springville girls basketball coach Bob Gainey must be thrilled to see Ciara Rosten playing in big-time college arenas rather than on the high school hardwood.

Rosten, a 6-foot-2 center who now plays at Division I UMass, has been the proverbial thorn in Springville’s side for two years. Not this year. The graduation of Rosten has left Maryvale looking for a new identity and Springville was able to earn a road victory in the process, defeating the host Flyers, 43-31, on Dec. 12. With the win, Springville improved to 3-1 overall and 1-0 in league play. “Their team definitely looks a lot different,” Gainey said

of Maryvale. “I think they’re trying to figure out how to play without her (Rosten). It’s a big hole for them to fill.” Springville had lost four of its last five games against Maryvale with Rosten in the lineup before the 12-point victory last Friday. The Lady Griffs got out to a quick start, shutting out Maryvale, 15-0, in the first quarter. Maryvale came out in a 2-3 zone defense and Springville was able to respond, scoring points with its zone offense and scoring

points in transition, noted Gainey. “It was a great start, we got them right out of that zone,” Gainey said. Much like Maryvale, Springville has been forced to replace much of its offensive production from last year. The Lady Griffs graduated their top three leading scorers in Tia Woodarak (13.3 points-per-game), Alena Woodarek (8.4), and Erin Kwiatkowski (8.4), and four starters overall. However, Gainey likes what he’s seen

from his offense of late. “It is starting to show glimpses,” Gainey said. “That first quarter against Maryvale showed the potential of what we really could do. It tapered off a bit, but if we can sustain what we did to start the game over a 32-minute game, I think we’re really going to be tough to beat.” Heaven Rollek, Springville’s lone returning starter from a year ago, led the way for the Lady Griffs, scoring a game-high 15 points. Rollek added 10 rebounds for her first double-double of the season and had four blocks and four steals. “She was outstanding,” Gainey said. “She was great on both ends of the floor as always.” Gainey noted that he has seen junior guard Sara Kwiatkowski take on a scoring role to take some weight off Rollek’s shoulders. Kwiatkowski was second on the team in scoring with 10 points against Maryvale. “Sara has done a great job of knocking down open shots when she gets the chance,” Gainey said, “but also getting out in transition and getting some easy baskets.” Springville has yet to eclipse 45 points in a game, something it did 11 times last year. While the offensive production isn’t as explosive early on, Springville has maintained, or even improved, its defensive game. The Lady Griffs have limited opponents to just 25.5 points per game and have amassed 54 steals in their first four games, including 20 against Maryvale. “Whenever you can hold a team to nothing to end a quarter, that really sets the tone for the game,”Gainey said, referring to the Maryvale game. “Our activity on the ball and away from the ball has been a huge plus.”

See “Lady Griffs” on page B3

Wiede breaks own record, Griffs compete at Fredonia

By Dave DeLuca SPORTS REPORTER

When Springville’s Jess Wiede broke the school record in the shot put last year, it took three weeks for anyone to even realize it. This year, there wasn’t any confusion. Wiede’s record-setting performance highlighted the Springville co-ed track team’s meet at Fredonia State College on Dec. 13. Wiede’s 35-foot throw broke her previous record of 33 feet, 8 inches she set last year at Lancaster. “She’s been in the low 30s in practice, she hasn’t hit 35 feet so that’s great for her,” Springville head coach Joe Marvin said. “Her speed is a little bit better than last year and I think her confidence is

higher having thrown 35 last year in outdoor.” Wiede finished 10th at sectionals last season, however, she has already jumped to second place in the sectional seedings with seven meets still to go before the sectional meet. Freshman Elle Russell had a first place finish in the 3,000 — with a time of 12 minutes, 6 seconds — and ran a leg in Springville’s 4x800-meter relay team that finished in fourth place. Russell was a sectional qualifier in outdoor last season as an eighth grader and is poised to lead Springville’s distance team with the graduation of Jess Wojkowiak, who is now running cross country at Division II Mansfield University. “She’s looking good,” Marvin said of Russell. “She took some time off after the cross country season and I think she has to get her endurance back up a little bit, but she ran some good races at Fredonia.”

Russell also took third place in the 1,600 (5:39). Joelle Adamczyk, Kalei Brautlacht, Nicole Paler, and McKenzie Maloy teamed up to finish first in the 4x400 (4:48.5). Adamczyk anchored the team and broke open a tightly-contested race. “She ran a smart race,” Marvin said of Adamczyk, who also ran a leg in the 4x800. “I guess you could say she ‘hawked’ the girl she was going against; she stayed right in her hip pocket, up until she found a good time to pass her on a turn and basically smiled and finished out the rest of the race well ahead of her.” Juniors Molly Darling and Brautlacht finished in second and third place, respectively, in the triple jump. Darling jumped 29 feet, 10 inches and Brautlacht jumped 29 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Darling added a sixth place finish in the long jump (13 feet, 3 1/4 inches). BILL WENDE/SECTION6RUNS.COM

See “Track” on page B3

Molly Darling finished second in the triple jump for Springville Dec. 13 at Fredonia State College.


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