West Genesee boys swimmer Ben Seketa emerged as one of the biggest stars as the Empire State Games returned last weekend in Buffalo.
Seketa, on his own, earned two gold medals and a silver at Erie Community College’s Burt Flickinger Center. He won the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:08.77 Thursday, added a victory in the 200 breaststroke (2:30.73) a day later and took second in the 400 freestyle.
As if that were not enough, Seketa also led Central to gold medals in the 4×100 medley relay and 4×100 freestyle relay, the latter in an ESG-record time of 3:41.81 to close out the meet Saturday.
Seketa’s WG teammate, Carson Elias, also was on that record-setting relay squad and earned bronze medals in the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle. On the women’s side, Kim Pedrotti claimed a bronze in the 800 freestyle and fourth in the 1,500 freestyle.
In the diving portion at University at Buffalo’s Alumni Arena, Westhill/Corcoran standout Imani Williams earned a silver medal in the scholastic women’s one-meter springboard and a bronze in the three-meter. Meghan Shea (Camillus) did the same in the open division, with a silver in the three-meter and bronze in the one-meter.
This was just a small part of what local athletes did for Central region teams throughout the Western New York area. Here’s some more results
Lacrosse – Dylan Donahue, John Sabert (both from West Genesee) and defender Joe Snyder (Westhill) all helped Central go a perfect 5-0 in round-robin play, the highlight a thrilling 8-7 overtime win over perennial champion Long Island in front of a huge crowd at Canisius College. But in the final on Sunday, Long Island got revenge, holding on for a 7-6 victory and, once again, leaving Central with the silver medal.
Despite solid performances by Nora Barry (Marcellus) and the Jordan-Elbridge quartet of Carrie-Jo Farrugia, Ella Thorpe, Kelsey Richardson and Amanda Wheeler, Central could not translate a 3-2 round-robin mark into a medal, losing the third-place game Sunday to Adirondack 11-6 at Niagara University.
Baseball – Rivals during the spring, Kevin McAvoy (Westhill), Phil Zdanowski (Marcellus) and Matt Pirro (Bishop Ludden) both pitched on a Central scholastic team that overcame an 0-2 start to win its next three games (Pirro got the win against Adirondack) and reach the gold-medal game.
But a Saturday rainstorm during the bronze-medal game rendered conditions at the Amherst-Audubon complex unplayable, and when it didn’t improve by Sunday, Central had to settle for the silver behind unbeaten Long Island, based on round-robin standings.
Basketball – Throughout the women’s ESG tournament at Niagara University, Jordan-Elbridge’s Molly Hourigan and Bishop Ludden’s Ashley Cianfriglia played leading roles as Central’s scholastic side won all three games to reach the finals before falling to Hudson Valley 99-53. Westhill graduate Carlee Cassidy and Ludden alum Molly Byrne helped Central to the open women’s bronze medal, topping Long Island 67-56 for that honor.
Solvay’s Dan Aiello played all four games as Central’s scholastic men’s team went 3-0 to reach the finals at Canisius College. Central led Hudson Valley by 16 early in the second half of Sunday’s title game before three players fouled out and HV rallied to win, 92-85, leaving Central to settle for the silver medal.
Shooting – Camillus native Braden Farley finished with three medals. He teamed with Central Square’s Joseph Millert to earn the silver medal in the free rifle prone team match with a score of 2,211, just 25 points from Western’s gold-medal effort.
Farley, with Leanne Higby (Constableville), had another silver medal in the air rifle with 1,086 (Long Island won with 1,123) and got his own bronze in the individual free rifle prone with 1,200.
Soccer – Marcellus graduate Emmy Lou Potter helped Central win both of its first two games to reach the finals at Amherst North French Soccer Complex, where it lost 2-1 to Western on Sunday so Potter picked up a silver medal. Jessie Nye and the Central scholastic women’s squad went 1-2 and did not reach the medal round.
Volleyball – Lauren Fletcher’s powerful spikes on the front line helped Central’s open women’s team reach Saturday night’s final against Western at UB’s Alumni Arena. And even though Central lost a close 25-23, 22-25, 25-19 decision, Fletcher still brought home a silver medal.
Wrestling – Marcellus native Pat Cost earned the silver medal in the open freestyle 139-pound division at Buffalo State College, reaching the finals before falling to Silas Murray in a close decision as Vito Argese took the bronze at 119 pounds. WG’s Ian Coolican nearly won the 123-pound Greco-Roman scholastic prize, only to claim the silver as he lost to Western’s Tom Page in another decision. Jason Heggelke competed at 128 pounds in open freestyle.
Ice Hockey – On the men’s scholastic side at Amherst-Audubon Ice Center, WG’s Shawn Lynch and his Central mates went 2-2-1, poised to defend its gold medal won in 2008 before late losses to Western and Long Island left them to settle for the bronze medal. Marissa McNamara played in goal for the Central scholastic women, who finished 1-2-2, out of the medals. Western, the host team, won both gold medals.
Track and Field – Westhill graduate Donna Langerfeld tore her way to the silver medal in the open women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in a time of 11:57.71 at UB Stadium. Current Warrior Jack Honis earned a bronze medal as part of Central’s scholastic men’s 4×100 relay team after taking seventh place on his own in the 400-meter dash.
