Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2019: Syracuse wins Sec. 3 hockey final in four OTs

   Leading off today: Ryan Eccles scored 2:12 into the fourth overtime as Syracuse defeated West Genesee 3-2 for the Section 3 boys Division I hockey championship M. Eccles' second goal of the game came as the senior skated in from the right corner and slipped a shot past goalie Chris Wells, who had turned aside 53 shots.

   "I just found a burst of energy," Eccles said. "We'd been working way too hard in overtime not to get it done there. I was just glad I could help."

   The score was 2-2 after the second 17-minute period and stayed that way through the third period and then three overtimes of 7:30 each. If neither team scored in the fourth OT, there would have been a shootout to decide which team advanced to the state quarterfinals next weekend.

   The Cougars will host the Section 5 champion (Pittsford and Fairport play Tuesday) on Saturday for a berth in the semifinals the following weekend in Buffalo.

    • Bauer Morrissey, Ryan Gick and Charlie Major scored in the first five minutes to lead Skaneateles to a 4-1 victory over Cortland/Homer for the Section 3 Division II championship.

   "Cortland/Homer is a very good team, so I was a little bit surprised," Skaneateles coach Mitch Major said, "but we were certainly ready, and the guys responded. Our bench is so positive and the culture these guys have going right now -- they support each other. Once things get going the right way everyone just jumps on board."

   Last-minute heroics: Mitchell Fusillo scored with :23.1 left in regulation as Grand Island edged West Seneca West 3-2 in the Section 6 Division II final at HarborCenter. The Vikings' first championship season continues Saturday against Skaneateles.

   West Seneca West gets the wildcard berth in the NYSPHSAA tournament and will travel to play Section 1 champion John Jay Cross River at the Brewster Ice Arena.

    • In the Division I final, Ryan Albert made 18 saves as Orchard Park blanked Niagara-Wheatfield 4-0 to earn its first Section 6 hockey title.

   More hockey: Norwood-Norfolk's Bobby Voss put up a hat trick to lead the Flyers to a 6-1 victory over Salmon River in the Section 10 Division II title contest at Clarkson University.

   Voss scored his 21st goal of the season 5:03 into the game and assisted on Cody Fobare's power-play goal early in the second period for a 2-0 advantage.

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    • In the Division I final, Canton downed seven-time defending champion Massena 7-3. Freshman Rhett Palmer scored twice and senior Jack Finnerty chipped in with a goal and three assists.

    • Mitchell Floccare scored twice as St. Joseph's edged Lancaster St. Mary's 4-1 to capture the Monsignor Martin Association's Niagara Cup.

   State ski meet, Day 1: Pittsford Mendon's Anna Schriefer took first place in the girls individual 7K race and Teddy Warfle of Honeoye Falls-Lima won the boys individual 10K event on the first day of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Skiing Championships at Gore Mountain.

   Schreifer finished in 28:02.6.

   Warfle won his race in 35:23.1 as the Cougars placed five boys in the top 12.

   In the slalom races on Day 1 of the alpine meet, Hunter Montgomery of Queensbury posted a two-run time of 1:30.61

2019 NYSPHSAA boys hockey brackets 2019 NYSPHSAA boys basketball brackets 2019 NYSPHSAA girls basketball brackets 2019 N.Y. wrestling results (PDF)

to defend his boys championship and Logan Fredrickson of Ellicottville took girls honors in 1:35.66.

   Fredrickson was sixth in the slalom and second in the giant slalom in 2018.

   Girard scores 66: Not that it was going to make a difference either way, but you have to figure the Watervliet fans are now regretting the "overrated" chants aimed at Joe Girard III.

   The Glens Falls senior outdid himself with 66 points in the Indians' 88-70 victory in the Section 2 Class B semifinals at Cool Insuring Arena.

   Girard made eight 3-pointers and went 24-for-25 from the free-throw line. His final 22 points came in the fourth quarter.

   "Joe was more than Joe," coach Rob Girard said. "And our other 11 guys, they believe in the system and believe in what is going on with him."

The Watervliet student section is chanting "overrated" at JG3.

Good luck with that.#518hoops

— Michael Kelly (@ByMichaelKelly) February 25, 2019

   Speaking of mega-scorers: Syracuse-bound senior Teisha Hyman registered a game-high 34 points and narrowly missed a game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer during a 55-52 loss to Irvington in the Section 1 girls Class B basketball semifinals.

   Hyman's performance came on the heels of a pair of 46-point performances earlier in the tournament. She ends her five-year scholastic career third on the Section 1 all-time list with 2,568 points.

   Irvington was led by sophomore center Grace Thybulle, who scored a team-high 25 points despite missing half of the third quarter after picking up her fourth personal foul.