Archive: Sports

The Tompkins Girls Hockey Association 12-and-under team went undefeated in 5 games at the Top Gun Tournament hosted by the Amherst Youth Hockey Association on January 18th through the 21st.

Ithaca's first game was Friday night against Cazenovia Girls (a Buffalo area team) which ended in a 2-2 tie.

Saturday the 12U team played and won 2 more games, first against the Tonawanda Lightning, winning 4-1. Game 3 was against the Amherst Knights winning 3-2.

The Bobcat Varsity boys basketball begins the month of February with the last home game of the regular season against Trumansburg and their annual Senior recognition night.  The team has come off of pair of solid, workmanlike, wins over Groton and Union Springs. Next week is the last week of the regular season and is shaping up to be exciting to the very end. The IAC Large School North division is a tight three team race.

"The team is pretty confident right now and we just have to worry about ourselves," says Co-captain Ellington Hopkins.

Co-captain Greg Lehr adds, "We feel pretty good where we are.  It's just about taking care of business one game at a time."

The Varsity boys basketball team currently has a 1/2 game lead in the IAC Large school north division. Lansing is 3-1 in the division and 9-2 overall. Whitney Point is 2-1 and 7-2 overall while Dryden is 2-2 and 6-4. To summarize some of the recent hardwood happenings the boys hosted the Fred Caliel Christmas tournament. Lansing defeated Newark Valley in their first round game. During the second quarter Lansing displayed a front court lineup that many coaches would be excited over with Ben Rourke, Thomas Towner, and Jack Stevens providing nearly 20 feet of height and at least that in wingspan. Troy Osterman capped the 68-40 victory with a nice reverse layup.

Due to weather, the Fred Caliel tournament championship game was postponed a couple days versus Moravia. Both teams entered the game undefeated. On this day, Moravia proved to have the hot hand and left Lansing with a convincing 68-51 win. Moravia boasts a formidable inside/outside presence in Chandler Benson and Dylan Powers. Powers' three quick three pointers to open the second half stymied any Lansing rally opportunities to cut their 4 point halftime deficit. Ellington Hopkins and Thomas Towner scored to begin the fourth and bring the Cats within six but could not get any closer. Hopkins and Ben Rourke were all-tournament selections and the MVP went to Moravia's Benson.

Lansing saw another successful athletics season this Fall with the varsity boys soccer team and Lansing swimmer Adele Ferris making it to the state championships.  The soccer team finished 21 and 1, making it all the way to the finals, where it was defeated by Port Jefferson for the second year in a row.  The team was given a Sportsmanship Award, and coach Adam Heck was named Coach of the Year.

Ferris, a sophomore, placed 8th in the 200 individual event, and competed in the 500 IM at the Icatha College pool.  She shaved time off her previous 500 IM.  Going in she ranked in the 30s and cut it down to take her into the top ten.

"She demonstrated great sportsmanship," says Lansing School Superintendent Chris Pettograsso, who watched Ferris compete.

Niskayuna, NY – The New York State Scholastic Rowing Association recently announced high school rowing teams and clubs, including Ithaca’s Cascadilla Boat Club varsity boys and girls, recognized as Fall 2012 NYSSRA Scholar/Athlete Teams.   Local students were among those honored.  Cascadilla Boat Club’s Girls’ and Boys’ Teams, led by Head Coach Marina Traub, earned Scholar/Athlete Team status.

Ithaca area student rowers honored are: Michaela Brew, Ellie Cramton, Carrie D’Aprix, Ava Dodge Staff, Marlena Doerr, Rori Henderson, Clara Karastury, Alexandra Kilts, Jessie Liu, Narissa McCarty, Molly Pritz, Zsofia Szegletes, Megan Wallace, Katie White, Elizabeth Yearsley, Andrew Bezirganian, Andrew Culver, Henry Ellis, Gabriel Falk, Gracen Glabitz, Andrew Jin, Matt Kehoe, Noah Leonard, Kupono Liu, Makana Liu, and Jonathan Overton. The rowers attend Ithaca High School, Lehman Alternative, and Lansing High School.

Two individual athletes and two teams were inducted into the Lansing Athletics Hall of Fame at a banquet at the Lakewatch Inn December 22.  Nancy Wells (1993), Jamie Wright (2001), the 2001 Women's Basketball Team, and the 1989-1990 Girl’s Swimming & Diving Team joined the ranks of the 59 individuals and 19 teams previously honored.

The 14th annual induction ceremony was MCed by Geoff Wright, popularly known as the 'voice of Lansing sports'.  Wright introduced the inductees, verbally painting their Lansing High School careers as if he were announcing them in real time.  Wells and Wright were presented with plaques, while team members received certificates.  Plaques depicting all four recipients are being permanently mounted in the Hall Of Fame behind the Lansing High School gymnasium.

On a seasonally warm Friday evening, the Bobcats Varsity boys basketball team remained hot. The Wolves of Union Springs traveled down the lakeside seeking their first win of the season. The enthusiasm of the Lansing cheerleaders and a supportive student body becoming affectionally known in the sporting community as the Lansing "Lunatics" had reason to cheer early in the game.

Lansing Center Ben Rourke had four steals and 14 points in the opening quarter alone. Union Springs countered with some exceptional play of Kenny Morhiser netting 12 points for the game and his teammate Cody Halverson adding a couple of blocked shots. However, any blocks, steals or scores by the Wolves was quickly countered by a balanced Bobcat attack in their 68-42 win.

On Tuesday December 11, 2012 The Lansing Varsity Bowling teams hosted Candor at Helen Newman, Cornell.

The Lady cats won their first game by only one pin.  Kaela Teitelbaum's 161 game and 410 series led her team with help from teammate Melissa Seymour (140-368). The team is bowling well with only 5 female bowlers.  Candor took the last 3 points of the match, with high scores and series by Jessica Shawley (156-397) and Rachel Henry (142-391).

Aurora, N.Y. – Wells College Director of Athletics Michael Borsz announced the hiring of Kylie Burghardt and Daisuke Sekine Monday afternoon. Burghardt will pilot the school’s Field Hockey and Women’s Lacrosse teams while Sekine joins the Express as the Head Athletic Trainer.

Burghardt comes to Aurora after serving as the assistant field hockey coach at Ithaca College for the 2012-13 season. With the Bombers, Burghardt was directly responsible for the team’s defense and goaltending while also setting up overnight visits, recruiting, practice planning and game strategy under long time Head Coach Tracey Houk. As a squad, the Bombers ranked third in the Empire 8 Conference in defensive saves and fourth overall in goaltender saves under Burghardt’s supervision.

You’re now an assistant to Lansing Varsity boys basketball coach, Adam Heck. What strategy do you want to go with?  You may consider the one-three-one,  two-three zone, or man to man defenses.  You could opt for full court press, set up offensively for perimeter shots, or emphasize the inside power game.

These have all been options played out in the early stages of the boys season. The team has the 3-dimensional luxury of height, length, and depth with its personnel. The 4th dimension of experience at all positions could make this an exciting winter of hoops.

Tuesday December 4, 2012 the Lansing high school bowling traveled to Watkins Glen for a match against Odessa Montour.

The Lady Cats won their first game of the season despite having only 5 of 6 bowlers. Kaela Teitelbaum lead her team with a high game of 143 and a 407 series. Teammates Keisha Lee (143-374), Melissa Seymour (130-369), Carli Teitelbaum (148-366), and Amanda Seymour (100-271).  Odessa's Sarah Simmons helped her team taking the last 3 points with a high 177 game, 463 series.

During the December 7-9 weekend, Tompkins Girls Hockey Association (TGHA) hosted the 14th annual Ithaca Shooting Stars Invitational tournament with 23 teams playing in five age levels. Four Ithaca Shooting Stars teams (19U, 14U, 12U and 10U) competed with other girls from across New York State and from Colorado.

The 19U Ithaca Shooting Stars won its age level Championship on Sunday defeating the Southern Tier, 5-1.  To advance to the finals, Ithaca defeated West Seneca, 3-1, Colorado, 1-0, and tied Southern Tier 0-0.  Goalie Ali Pace stopped 23 shots when shutting out Colorado. Anastasia Lyon led the offense in the championship game with two goals, and Marlena Doerr had two assists and one goal.  Rachel Brock and Aiya Taylor also scored. The team is coached by Jeff Luschwitz who is assisted by Peter Seznec and Eddie Ramos.