Published: July 26, 2008 11:22 pm            

EMPIRE STATE GAMES: Big day on track for locals

Lockport High School senior Erin Miller won a pair of silver medals Saturday to highlight a big day for local track and field competitors at the Empire States Games in Binghamton. Miller, a state finalist for both indoor and outdoor track this past school year, took second in the women’s shot put and discus events. Also in the scholastic ranks, Niagara Falls senior Brian Archie won bronze as a part of the Western Region’s 400-meter relay. Archie won the gold medal in the long jump competition earlier in the week.

In the men’s open competition, recent Albion graduate Morris Taylor won a gold medal after finishing first in the 400-meter dash. University at Buffalo hurdler Reggie Rucker also brought home a gold in the 110 high hurdles.

Meanwhile on the hardwood, the Western men’s scholastic team continued to roll as it trounced Adirondack 102-77. Niagara Falls senior Kelvin Agee continued to have the hot hand with 27 points. Davon Marshall (Niagara Falls) and Aaron Davis (North Tonawanda) each had 11 in the win. Western will play for the gold medal at noon today against the host Central Region. Western will be without point guard Jerrold Brooks (foot) and Frontier forward Grant Wrap is listed as day-to-day with a knee injury.

Former Niagara Falls star and current Niagara University guard Rob Garrison was impressive in defeat Saturday, going toe-to-toe with Penn State star Talor Battle. Garrison had a team-high 21 points for Western, but it still wasn’t quite enough to overcome Battle’s 33 as the Adirondack Region pulled out a 96-92 victory. UB forward Greg Gamble (Niagara Falls) added 19 points in the loss.

Also in the gymnasium, the Western scholastic women’s volleyball team and Starpoint sisters Samantha and Sydney Palka picked up a gold medal after beating Long Island 25-13, 25-21, 25-23.

On the mats, a trio of local wrestlers earned medals in the scholastic competition. Kenmore West’s Nathan Skiba won a silver medal at 154 pounds, Tonawanda’s Kyle McGregor took bronze at 115 and Angelo Malvestuto of Niagara-Wheatfield took bronze at 192.

On the ice, St. Joe’s graduate and reigning Tonawanda News Hockey Player of the Year Cole Schneider had a hat trick in an 11-0 scholastic men’s win over New York City. Ryan White of Grand Island added two goals and Lewiston’s Hayden Fitzpatrick had an assist for Western, which held a 52-10 shot advantage.

In the pool, Kenmore West graduate Jen Burgess took silver in both the 400- and 800-meter freestyle in women’s open competition. Kristen Champoux, a Niagara Falls High School junior, took bronze in the 400 individual medley.

On the soccer fields, the scholastic women’s team got a goal from Grand Island’s Jenna Raepple in a critical 2-1 overtime win over Long Island. The win helped Western earn a spot in today’s bronze medal game against Adirondack. In the men’s open tournament, Niagara University’s Eric Brodfuehrer had a pair of tallies in a 7-2 loss to Hudson Valley.

Kenmore East senior twins Kevin and Scott Whitehead helped the Western team win bronze in the scholastic baseball tournament. Western topped Central 3-1 in the third-place game. On the softball diamond, the Western open team lost the gold medal game 7-4 to Adirondack. Earlier, Western beat Long Island 7-2 as Niagara Falls graduate Emily Thompson had two hits and two RBIs.

Finally, in shooting competitions held late Friday, Kenmore’s Jimmy Perrin teamed up with Robert Belko of Clarence to win a bronze in the three-position rifle team competition. Debra Hahn of Lockport and Newfane’s Lisa Fletcher were fourth in the women’s team air pistol.

        

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