by Paul Lane
BUFFALO – The West Genesee boys hockey team came up just short of a fifth state championship in program history against a familiar foe Sunday, falling 3-1 to Suffern in the Division I state final at Buffalo’s LECOM Harborcenter.
This championship was the third time in the past four seasons these teams have played for the title, with Suffern winning in 2022 and the Wildcats winning in 2023. The Mounties also won in 2024, when West Genesee didn’t qualify for the state final four.
Familiar foes tend to play close games – West Genesee also beat Suffern 4-1 this past December – and Sunday’s action held to that form.
A scoreless first period saw the Wildcats manage only five shots on goalie C.J. Sgueglia. The West Genesee defense, meanwhile, tightened up after an early Suffern surge, holding the Mounties to six shots on senior Luke Beck.
“It took us a while to find our footing,” coach Frank Colabufo said.
A surge by each team early in the second period failed to yield results, with play tightening up again afterward. Most of the Wildcats’ seven shots on goal were from the outside, but Sgueglia prevented any rebound opportunities. Suffern likewise managed seven shots, but Beck stood tall once again to keep the game scoreless after 34 minutes.
Suffern managed to break the ice three minutes into the third period, with Matthew Norum converting on a two-on-one rush to give the Mounties a 1-0 lead. Sean Tyrell assisted on that goal and then scored the insurance tally 10 minutes later, carrying a Norum pass through the offensive zone before tucking it past Beck.
The Wildcats pulled Beck in the game’s final two minutes, and senior Jacob Pensabene managed to keep West Genesee alive. One-timing a Jonah Vormwald pass, his shot from the blue line made the score 2-1. But McCarthy scored a late empty-netter to secure the championship for Suffern, shooting into an empty net.
“We gave it a good try,” Beck said. “I’m grateful to have played here and worn this jersey.”
West Genesee needed a late Michael Vetter goal in Saturday’s 2-1 semifinal win over Section V’s Pittsford to earn the right to play Sunday. Christian Ball also scored for the Wildcats, while Beck made 22 saves.
That effort, like others throughout the Wildcats’ season, softened the blow of the team’s first regulation loss coming in the most important game.
“When you think about the path we had to take to get here, it’s amazing,” Colabufo said. “We took on all the heavyweights. We got to Harborcenter and beat Pittsford, who could have easily won the title. We had a good run.”
