Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2019: Moriah ends 18-year dry spell in swimming

   By posting an 83-79 victory over AuSable Valley on Tuesday, the Vikings ended an 18-year winless streak in the sport. Jillian McKiernan led the way with two individual victories and one as part of a relay.

   "After the score was determined, the look on all of their faces was unforgettable," coach Brenna Provoncha said. "Tears of happiness were shed, hugs were shared, and the Lady Vikings swim team finally got a piece of what they deserve from all of their hard work. It's taken 18 years, but boy, the feeling after the meet tonight was worth the wait."

   McKiernan won the 50-yard freestyle and 100 breaststroke in addition to helping the 200 free relay win. Emma Collard was part of the same relay and also captured first place in the 200 freestyle.

   "Our goal tonight, as usual, was to swim against your personal best and beat it," Provoncha said. "The majority of these young ladies accomplished exactly that."

   McKinley loses another round: The Buffalo Public Schools' second appeal to Section 6 on behalf of the McKinley football team was turned down by Section 6. BPS was seeking to be awarded a forfeit for the Week 2 football game vs. Kenmore West, which was postponed over safety concerns.

   The Buffalo News reported BPS will not continue the case with an appeal to the New York State Public High Schools Athletic Association. Instead, the district will work with Ken-Ton School District to fit in the game next month according to Nate Kuzma, the Buffalo schools' general counsel.

   The dispute began Sept. 13 when the game between the schools was called off because of a Snapchat message that appeared to threaten violence to someone who was suspected of being the shooter in a homicide over the summer and was expected to be at the game. McKinley wanted a forfeit declared because it said the decision to call off the game was not mutual.

   Girls soccer: Juniors Emma Herrmann and Cora Keohane (two goals) combined for all the goals as Central Square blanked Jamesville-DeWitt 3-0 to send the Red Rams to their first regular-season loss since Sept. 22, 2017.

   Freshman goalie Samantha Haley was credited with 19 saves.

   Jamesville-DeWitt was a NYSPHSAA Class A finalist last fall and has won 10 consecutive Section 3 championships.

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    • Westhill improved to 7-1-1 by scoring a 4-1 victory that sent Chittenango to its first loss of the season. Seniors Erica Gangemi (two goals) and Ciarra Rudnick (one goal, three assists) led the way.

   Boys soccer: Churchville-Chili avenged an earlier loss with a 1-0 victory over Webster Thomas, ranked ninth in the state in Class AA. Senior Nick Millard scored his first goal of the season as the Saints (6-3-0) won their fifth straight contest.

   "We've lost three games and all three were to one-loss teams," coach John Mahoney said. "This win was not like a revelation to any of us. We just haven't hit our stride yet."

RoadToSyracuse.com football site

   Unexpected change: Josh Peck has stepped down as Shaker boys basketball coach without having coached a game there, AD Matt Stein confirmed to The Daily Gazette.

   Peck, who was appointed to the job in the spring after previously coaching at Mohonasen, cited undisclosed health reasons, Stein said. Peck is continuing in his social work position at Mohonasen.

   Stein said the coaching position has been posted and he intends to begin interviewing candidates next week.

   Meanwhile, Mohonasen is still without a coach after Ray Kearney, who succeeded Peck before last season, stepped down.

   Following up: The Ohio football official who was head-butted by a player during a recent game testified before the Ohio State Senate to ask for measures protecting athletics officials.

   Scott Bistrek testified in support of Ohio Bill 118, which would make assaulting a sports official a felony. The bill would make assault against a sports official a fifth-degree felony rather than a first-degree misdemeanor.

   Bistrek was head-butted in the second quarter by a player from Dayton Dunbar during an Aug. 31 game. The player had been penalized for a personal foul penalty moments before the incident, which caused officials o end the game.

   Bistrek said doctors determined he suffered a concussion.

   "The headaches the first couple of days were worse than I have ever had," he said. "Two weeks later I still have occasional headaches. I am a very active person, and to not be able to do much at all for a week after was extremely hard for me."