Sunday, Oct. 27, 2019: Former champ Andreach heads back to tennis states

   Leading off today: A former state champion is in the mix for the 2019 NYSPHSAA singles crown in girls tennis following a straight-sets victory Saturday.

   Our Lady of Mercy senior Julia Andreach, the 2017 state champion as a sophomore, defeated Pittsford Mendon junior Jessica Bodewes 6-0, 6-0 in the Section 5 state qualifier final. She did not drop a set in her four tournament matches.

   Andreach became the first player from Section 5 to win a girls title in the sport and then departed for IMG Academy in Florida for midway through her sophomore year in school. She returned in January and will be in the hunt for a second NYSPHSAA title Nov. 2-4 at the Tri-City Tennis Center in Latham.

   "I'm very glad to be back on the court representing Mercy," said Andreach, who'll attend Notre Dame next fall. "Mercy has done a lot for me, all of the teachers have been very helpful whenever I miss school for tournaments.

   "Obviously, the tennis team is a great aspect, because I love team sports. It's been great. I love representing Mercy, it's one of the main reasons I played again this year."

   Lackawanna wins in OT: Ahmed Daifallah scored nine minutes into overtime to give Lackawanna a 2-1 victory over East Aurora in the Section 6 boys Class B-1 soccer quarterfinals. Ali Alomari, who scored the first Steelers goal, his 45th of the season, assisted on the winner.

   More boys soccer: Shenendehowa finally solved a short-handed Ballston Spa side with 11:43 to play on a Toba Akinyemi header for a 1-0 win in the Section 2 Class AA quarterfinals.

   Ballston Spa played one man down for the final 48 minutes after losing sophomore defender Matt King to a red card with 7:48 left in the first half.

   "To maintain that level, and that amount of fight, being a man down is just outstanding," Shen coach Jonathan Bain said. "Even when they went down a man, they didn't break stride. The goalkeeping was outstanding. They were dangerous."

   The Plainsmen finally broke through when Jake Miller server up the corner kic that Akinyemi cashed in for just his second goal of the season.

   "I think we got lucky in a mismatch in that Toba got on a shorter player. We got a little fortunate," Bain said.

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   Four times a champion Hempstead Sacred Heart senior Maggie Maier earned her fourth straight CHSAA league cross country championship on a wet Sunday morning at Sunken Meadow Park, covering 2.5 miles in 15:37.01.

   Maier, who recently committed to attend Penn next fall, won by 28 seconds.

   "I really can't believe it," she said. "There are so many great girls in this league and they all make it so fun to race against them. It's just such an honor to be able to have my name there four years in a row."

   She'll compete for her third CHSAA Intersect- ional title Nov. 9 at Van Cortlandt Park.

   Coaching change: An online petition supporting Terry Nowden has garnered more than 1,300 signatures since late last week after Gates Chili administrators confirmed that the eight-year boys basketball coach will not be brought back for the upcoming season.

   The Spartans went 18-4 last season and reached the Section 5 Class AA semifinals.

   Column: We've posted the latest column from Western New York resident Skeet Whitlow, who is putting his psychology degree and background in basketball to use to offer strategies and insights into coaching.