Sunday, March 5, 2017: Cheerleading, bowling, gymnastics and hockey

   Leading off today: Section 5 schools scored a sweep of all five divisions Saturday in the second annual NYSPHSAA competitive cheerleading championships at Onondaga Community College.

   Fairport defended its crown in the Division I large squads field, and Avon successfully defended against Division II small squads.

   The other champions crowned were Greece Athena (Division I small), Wayne (Division II large) and Eastridge (co-ed).

   Bowling, Day 1: The North Rockland boys took home the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship by a single pin at AMF Gates Bowl outside Rochester.

   North Rockland edged East Islip 5,743 to 5,742.    Freshman Nick Varano shot 1,310 for six games, with a high of 258, to pace North Rockland, which won its first team crown since 2010. Andrew Burckhalter of West Seneca West had the day's top series with a 1,356, including a 275 game.

   On the girls side, Colonie (5,661) was all that stood between North Rockland (5,607) and a sweep of the team titles.

   Quinn Hudson of Colonie and North Rockland seventh-grader Victoria Varano, Nick's sister, tied for top the overall series at 1,236. Amanda Chrzanowski of Colonie was third with a 1,222 total.

   South Colonie's most recent titles came back-to-back in 2010 and '11.

   Gymnastics: Led by a record floor-exercise score by Williamsville North sophomore Zoe Kyriakopoulos, Section 6 swept first place in every event of the NYSPHSAA meet in Latham.

   Kyriakopoulos won the all-around with 37.900 points. Her score of 9.85 on the floor exercise broke the record of 9.825 set by Brittany Tassar in 2009, and she was also first on the parallel bars with a 9.55 score.

   Gabbie Gare of Williamsville South won the vault with a 9.7 score while Madison Penetrante of Williamsville North was first on the balance beam with a 9.6.

   New Hartford's Miranda Smith scored 37.425 in the all-around to earn second place.

   State hockey quarterfinals: Sections 1, 5 and 10 all advanced two teams to the NYSPHSAA semifinals next Saturday at HarborCenter in Buffalo.

   Leading the way were the state's top No. 1-ranked teams.

   In Division I, Mamaroneck dominated Monroe-Woodbury 6-0 as goalie Tommy Spero made 11 saves to establish a NYSPHSAA record with his 20th career shutout.

   Harrison Schreiber, James Torre and Henry Alimanestianu connected for two goals apiece.

   "It was a good effort," Mamaroneck coach Mike Chiapparelli told The Journal News. "The beginning of the week was tough. We had to have a few discussions in the locker room about getting ready for this team and I think we got their attention. We looked good again Thursday and Friday and we brought that attitude onto the ice here."

   In Division II, Pelham drubbed Queensbury 7-0 for its 23rd consecutive victory by surrendering just eight shots on goal.

   Pelham's top line piled up 12 points, paced by Stefan Miklakos' hat trick, two goals from Nat Heintz and one from Ben Hurd.

2017 NYSPHSAA boys basketball brackets 2017 NYSPHSAA girls basketball brackets 2017 NYSPHSAA boys hockey brackets N.Y. indoor track championships: Boys | Girls 2017 N.Y. boys swim championships (PDF) 2017 N.Y. wrestling results (PDF)

   "When I looked up at the scoreboard and saw that they only had eight shots for the entire game, I knew we limited their possessions and it made me comfortable as to what was going on," Pelham coach Ed Witz said. "Offensively, we know we're going to score. It's just a question of keeping teams off the board."

   The day was nothing but nail-biters for the Section 10 contingent as Massena and St. Lawrence pulled out one-goal wins and Salmon River fell in double overtime.

   Massena advanced in Division I by edging LaSalle 2-1.    With 5:14 left in regulation, Sam Chilton's shot deflected into the net off of goalie Zac Rentz's leg pad for the winning goal moments after Rentz had made a series of acrobatic stops.

   "I got the puck and got my head up to see if any of our guys were in front of the net," Chilton said. "I was just hoping someone would get a stick on it but I guess I got a great bounce and it went in."

   In Division II, St. Lawrence edged Skaneateles 5-4 after rallying from two goals down in the third period. Drew Rose Drew Rose Drew Rose figured in the winners' final four goals, including an unassisted tying goal at 12:50 of the third period and an unassisted gamer at 4:48 of overtime.

   Goaltender Rico DiMatteo made 36 saves for the Larries.

   Also in Division II, wildcard entry Salmon River took the game to double OT but fell to Beekmantown 2-1 on Kade Collins's goal 2:22 into the second extra stanza.