Friday, Jan. 26, 2018: No. 9 Skaneateles skates past No. 2 Auburn

   Leading off today: Skaneateles scored three third-period goals, including two on power plays, to defeat Auburn 5-1 Thursday in boys ice hockey.

   The Lakers, ranked ninth in the state in Division II, scored three power-play goals in the game against the second-ranked Maroons.

   Luke Lynn scored a pair of goals early in the second period and added an assist. Bauer Morrissey recorded three assists and goaltender Chris Falso made 27 saves.

   "The special teams, when you have two good teams playing each other in a big rivalry, are always a big part of it," Skaneateles coach Mitch Major said. "(The power play) has actually been something we've been struggling on so we've spent a lot of time trying to fix it. The players executed tonight."

   The schedule doesn't get any easier for Auburn, which plays Friday against Division I No. 3 Victory.

   Grinding it out: Thousand Islands, down to six healthy players, pulled out a 55-53 girls basketball victory over defending Class D state champion Heuvelton.

   Thousand Islands is ranked ninth in Class C and Heuvelton 15th in Class D this week according to the New York State Sportswriters Association.

   Senior forward Anna Hoover scored 26 points and hit the game-winning shot with 21 seconds left.

   "She's been sick, I really didn't know much we were going to get out of her," coach Pete Pettit said. "We toyed with the idea of getting her a sub, but she was adamant that she was OK and that she could tough it out. She showed what a senior who doesn't want to go down without a fight is all about."

   Hoover, who scored 19 of her points in the second half, also grabbed 12 rebounds.

   Last hurrah: Beaver River's Sierra Neddo, a career 1,000-point scorer, has missed her senior basketball season due to a knee injury suffered on the soccer field.

   However, she gained medical clearance to participate in a single play and received a pass from long-time teammate Emma Puddington (22 points) to score an uncontested basket to start Beaver River's 54-24 victory over South Lewis.

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   Left out: After 36 years as public address announcer of Section 1's basketball championships, Rich Leaf has been informed that he won't work this year's games because the contract with new host Pace University requires the section to use the college's personnel for game operations.

   In addition to announcing, Leaf has worked as a soccer official for nearly 40 years and is president of the Westchester/Putnam Approved Officials Association. But his induction into the Westchester County Hall of Fame last fall celebrated him as "the Voice of the County Center," The Journal News reported.

   Leaf has been among the many critics of the section's decision to move the playoffs out of the Westchester

County Center, and he suspects that may have played into the decision to drop him from games next month.

   "I'm beginning to think more and more that this is vindictive," he said.

   Ban tackling? A group that includes some former NFL players and physicians wants Illinois to ban all tackle football for players under the age of 12.

   The group cites concerns about the long-term effects on the brain of repeated blows to the head on the field. The bill is being introduced by state Rep. Carol Sente.

   Michael Benedetto, a New York assemblyman from the Bronx, has been sponsoring a bill for several years that would prohibit youth leagues from allowing anyone age 13 or younger to tackle. The bill has lacked a sponsor in the state Senate that would allow it to move forward for consideration.

   Making a choice: By virtue of qualifying for the inaugural NYSPHSALL dual-meet wrestling championships tomorrow in Syracuse, Pearl River will have to miss the Rockland County Championships. It will mark the first time any Rockland team has missed the event since Suffern had a conflict during the 1976-77 season.

   Choosing the new state tournament over the local meet "wasn't even a question," Pirates coach Billy Donnelly said. "This might be our one shot to do it. We'll go for a state title any day."