Leading off today: Gene Sundberg picked up his
600th career victory Wednesday when the Beaver River girls volleyball team swept General Brown 35-10, 25-6, 25-11.
Kierstin Getman served seven aces and Syklar Schmitt chipped in with eight kills in the victory for unbeaten Beaver River, hasn't lost a set since the season-opener versus Sandy Creek on Nov. 27.
Sundberg is the second NYSPHSAA volleyball coach to reach 600 victories this school year and ninth overall. Anne DiPrima of Bethpage reached the milestone in October.
"We've had great kids, great athletes and amazing coaches," said Sundberg, who is his 34th season. "All of my assistant coaches have been people that have come up through Beaver River volleyball."
Breakthrough for Briarcliff: Unbeaten Briarcliff scored three seconds into the game and never relinquished its lead in defeating perennial Section 1 power Irvington 52-43 in girls basketball.
Briarcliff hast lost the past two sectional Class B finals to Irvington and hadn't defeated the Bulldogs in more than a decade.
"It's Dec. 12, and this is our fifth game, so I didn't want to make this like a big, big deal," coach Don Hamlin said. "I just wanted us to be able to play."
Senior guard Kacey Hamlin finished with 19 points for Briarcliff, which was without Princeton commit Maddie Plank (torn meniscus), and Irvington shot just 1-for-15 on 3-pointers and 8-for-15 on free throws.
Boys basketball: Dewayne Vass had 18 points for Canisius in a 65-60 win at McQuaid.
McQuaid is ranked eighth in the state in Class AA and Canisius is 18th in Class A this week.
Following up, part 1: A State Supreme Court ruling in the Juston Johnson eligibility dispute could come down Monday, but Justice Dennis Ward declined to issue a stay that would allow the West Seneca West boys basketball star to play in the interim.
Ward conducted a two-hour hearing Wednesday. Johnson was seeking an immediate stay that would have allowed him to play while appealing a Section 6 ruling to the New York State Education Department.
Following up, part 2: Yesterday's blog mentioned that the New York State Public High School Athletic Association has recommended a bid from Section 11 to host the state softball championships from 2020-22.
Moreau Recreational Park an hour north of Albany has hosted since 2014. Prior to that, the semifinals and finals were held at the Adirondack Sports Complex in Queensbury from 2011-13.
NYSPHSAA Executive Director Robert Zayas said the Moriches and Moreau Rec bids opened Wednesday were similar financially.. However, the Moriches Athletic Complex in Suffolk County has four artificial turf softball fields and
