Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2017: Tully player scores 28 points in one quarter

   Leading off today: Jason Phelps' productivity fell off fairly drastically as the Tully boys basketball team's game against Greene progressed Tuesday. Of course, that has to be expected when you sore 28 points in the first quarter.

   With the help of 11-for-13 shooting in the first quarter, Phelps finished with 45 points in Tully's 82-37 win.

   "He had a couple very tough finishes and 3s, but did in fact miss (two shots) in the quarter, so I guess he was human after all," Tully coach Ryan Dando told Syracuse.com.

   The Syracuse.com story page includes a 75-second video of Phelps' first-quarter scoring spree.

   Section 5 hockey: Koby Dusett and Maison Fadale scored twice apiece as 10th-ranked Brockport defeated No. 3 Canandaigua 6-2 in Division II action. Andrew Harley had a goal and two assists.

   In Division I, No. 11 Penfield edged No. 12 Fairport 5-3 on goals from five different players.

   Early signing options: A proposed June signing period for high school football recruits was rejected Wednesday, but a possible December signing period remains in play.

   The Division I Council modified a proposal for flexibility in the recruiting calendar at the NCAA's annual convention by removing a request for a 72-hour signing period that would have started on the last Wednesday in June. The proposed December period requires approval from the Collegiate Commissioners Association, which administers the national letter of intent.

   The American Football Coaches Association supported the December signing period but came out against the June date.

   Coaches of the year: New Rochelle and Manhasset had two honorees apiece Tuesday when the NYSPHSAA released its list of 2015-16 coach of the year winners in conjunction with the New York State Coaches Association.

   One winner per varsity sport was selected from across the state. The winners became eligible for regional and national coach of the year honors by the National Federation of State High School Associations. Seven won regional recognition, and Katherine Stackel (Copenhagen girls soccer), Danielle Gallagher (Manhasset girls lacrosse) and Reid Sciafami (Garden City girls golf) garnered the national awards in their respective sports.

   Joining Gallagher from Manhasset as a statewide winner was boys golf coach Charles Collyer. New Rochelle's honorees were Lou DiRienzo in football and Andy Capellan in girls cross country.

   End of an era: One of the longest-tenured sport coordinators in the history of New York high school sports tendered his resignation Wednesday morning.

   Dick Cerone informed the Section 5 Executive Committee at its regularly scheduled meeting that he was stepping down after 43 years in that position. He had relinquished his role as the New York State Public High School Athletic Association football chairman after the 2014 season.

   Navigating the tortured path to the creation of a state football tournament required the work of numerous individuals, but Cerone is widely credited with brokering the

deals that allowed the NYSPHSAA to institute playoffs while Sections 8 and 11 were OK'd to create a Long Island championship in 1992.

   Cerone is the athletic director at University Prep in Rochester.

   Pinch-hitting: Coach Sean Backus had to miss a Lisbon boys basketball last weekend to attend a wedding in New York City. Fortunately, he was able to turn the duties over to a cagey veteran -- a man who'd been coaching JVs or assisting on the varsity bench for three decades.

   His name is Mike Backus. Also known as "Dad."

   "It was the first time he ever got to coach a varsity game and I have joked with him its his first win in 35 years," Sean Backus said in an email this week. "I am pretty lucky everyday to work with him as my assistant and the players love having him around."

   Lisbon defeated host Belleville-Henderson 63-28.

   "It was a lot of fun today," Mike Backus said. "The guys played good defense and were able to get the ball inside. We didn't take a lot of 3-point attempts."

   Extra points: In alumni news, Holy Cross freshman linebacker Jesse Conners has transferred to Syracuse University. Conners was a rising prospect for Pittsford before leaving to play two seasons at the Salisbury School in Salisbury, Conn.