Leading off today: West Islip senior Patrick Carter repeated as the state diving champion on the first day of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association swim meet Friday.
The five-time Section 11 champion scored 580.05 points for 11 dives at the Nassau Aquatic Center.
"I've been diving here since I was a little child, so this place has got a lot of memories," Carter, who'll attend the U.S. Naval Academy in the fall, told Newsday. "So to be able to win it here, especially, means the world. I really couldn't ask for anything better."
The rest of Friday's action consisted of qualifying for the championship races. Among the highlights was the work of the Half Hollow Hills relays. Dylan Chan, Alex Park, Ethan Tack and Daniel Lee set a state Federation record in the 200-yard medley in 1:33.82 and a NYSPHSAA mark in the 200 free relay in 1:25.33.
"We honestly didn't even know what the records were before the meet," Chan said. "Once we finished and we heard the announcer tell us we broke the record, we were just in complete awe."
Top-ranked Perry loses: Trevor Smith and Noah Decker scored 18 points apiece as Cuba-Rushford rolled past Perry 71-59 in the Section 5 Class C-3 final, handing the state's top-ranked team its first loss.
Camren Larabee added 17 points for the winners. Cuba-Rushford took command in the third quarter by going on a 21-9 run.
• In the Rochester area's Class C-1 final, third-ranked Northstar Christian won its second straight title by holding off Gananda 55-50 as Miles Brown scored six of his 20 points in the fourth quarter.
Glens Falls still rolling: Joseph Girard III's fifth 3-pointer of the game put Glens Falls ahead for good and the Indians, ranked first in the state in Class B, downed Mekeel Christian 60-55 for the Section 2 championship.
Girard, a sophomore with more than 2,100 career points, scored all four of his team's third-quarter buckets and then three more in the fourth quarter to finish with a game-high 34 points.
Glens Falls held Mekeel to 6-for-31 shooting in the second half.
In Class D, Argyle avenged two losses against Fort Ann to repeat as champion with a 64-60 victory after surrendering the contest's first 10 points.
Senior Kobe Lufkin, the section's career scoring leader, missed eight of his first nine shots but recovered to make eight 3-pointers and finish with 26 points.
A long time in the making: Franklinville earned its first Section 6 boys crown in a quarter of a century, beating Sherman 59-48 in Class D. Junior Brock Blecha scored 11 of his 15 points in the second half as the Panthers won the 12th title in program history.
"It's pretty incredible to be able to pull this off after 25 years," Blecha told The Buffalo News.
Downstate CHSAA action: Will Edwards came off the bench to score 14 points and spark Monsignor Farrell to a 60-46 win over Fordham Prep for the CHSAA Class A Intersectional championship.
Edwards added seven rebounds for the Lions, who became the first Staten Island program to win back-to-back Intersectional titles. Farrell advances to the state CHSAA championship game against the winner of today's Chaminade vs. Canisius contest.
Eric Klayman finished with 17 points and six rebounds for Farrell.
• Tournament MVP James Bouknight scored all 21 of his points in the second half of a 78-64 win by LaSalle Academy over Yonkers Sacred Heart for the Class B city championship.
Senior guard Reggie Outlaw had 19 points and junior guard Korey Williams added 16 points as the Crusaders move on to the state CHSAA final vs. Lancaster St. Mary's.
Pine Plains girls three-peat: Ashley Starzyk scored 10 of her team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter and finished
