Going around the OHSL Liberty division and Section III Class B boys basketball ranks prior to the start of the 2015-16 season, the sense was that a major opportunity was at hand, and folks like Solvay and Marcellus want to jump on that opportunity.
Westhill, the two-time defending state Class B champions, no longer have superstars Jordan Roland (now at George Washington) and Tyler Reynolds in the fold, and also have graduated the likes of Jeff Lobello and Dan O’Connell. The new-look Warriors will debut this week, meeting Bishop Grimes Friday in the Peppino’s Invitational at Henninger High School.
Meanwhile, Solvay returns most of its lineup and has high expectations, something that didn’t get tempered by the team’s 61-33 rout over the Phoenix Firebirds in last Tuesday night’s season opener.
Ready at the gate, the Bearcats bolted out to a 17-3 lead by the end of the first quarter. Though Phoenix closed the gap to 26-16 by halftime, Solvay doubled that margin with a 15-5 push through the third quarter and pulled further away from there.
Ten different players scored at least one point for the Bearcats, who spread it around. Only Colin Lucio, with 15 points, hit double figures, with Mike Yaizzo getting nine points. Sammy Kippen added seven points as Blake Bagozzi and Jake Dippold had six points apiece.
Marcellus underwent a coaching change in the off-season. Jim Marsh left to take the varsity job at Auburn, while Scott Cotter, a 2009 Marcellus High School graduate and assistant at Onondaga Community College the last three years, takes over as one of the youngest head coaches in the Section III ranks.
Cotter would have a successful debut last Tuesday night, at East Syracuse Minoa, where the Mustangs defeated the Spartans 50-44, largely on the strength of a second quarter where it went on a 19-5 run to build up a 32-16 halftime advantage.
Despite going cold in the third quarter to let ESM back in it, Marcellus held on, leaning on Mike Melnyczuk, who poured in 16 points, and Tom Fiacchi, who earned 15 points. The Spartans lost despite 13 points from Gabe Holloman and Dave Dabrowski, plus 12 points from Ty Barkins.
In contrast to the wins by Solvay and Marcellus, Jordan-Elbridge lost its opener to Chittenango 70-48, unable to keep pace with a Bears side that started each half strong, registering 21 points in the first quarter and 20 points in the third quarter to establish much of its winning margin.
The Eagles still had Brandon Macvicz (11 points) and Sam Robles (10 points) reach double figures, with Dale Wagner adding nine points. Chittenango’s Zach Falkenburg buried five 3-pointers on his way to 25 points, with help from Eli Kim (17 points), Matt Milliman (11 points) and Sam Hill (10 points).
