Leading off today: Does somebody owe Niagara Falls a mythical national championship in boys basketball? Should the Wolverines at least be credited with a perfect record for the 2004-05 season?

   Nate Beutel of The Niagara Gazette took note of developments late last week in Missouri that make the questions interesting if not necessaily legitimate.

   Follow along for a moment (C'mon, you've got time now that sping sports are over) as we explain:

   Dan Bazzani's Niagara Falls team went 28-1 in 2004-05, winning NYSPHSAA and Federation championships to cap the season. The only loss came to St. Louis Vashon by a 69-66 score — in overtime — at the Prime Time Shootout in Tenton, N.J. Niagara Falls ended the season ranked third and Vashon seventh in the USA Today national rankings.

   Last week, however, Vashon got taken to the woodshed by the Missouri State High School Activities Association, which stripped the school of three state and five district championships to wrap up a 19-month investigation into recruiting violations and eligibility issues. The state runner-up showing in 2005 also was vacated. State championship trophies from 2001, 2004 and 2006 will be handed over to the losing finalists.

   The state association examined the period of 1998 to 2007, and six ineligible players were found to have competed for Coach Flord Irons, who won more than 800 games and 10 state championships in a 33-year career that was already tarnished in 2006 when an internal audit revealed Vashon administrators had improperly spent $50,000 on a scoreboard, about $100,000 for new uniforms and $5,900 on a gymnasium floor.

   Irons pleaded guilty in September 2007 to a role in a real estate scheme designed to siphon money and was sentenced to one year in federal prison. As part of a plea agreement, Irons agreed to tell the association everything

Spring tournament brackets NYSPHSAA baseball NYSPHSAA boys lacrosse NYSPHSAA girls lacrosse

he knew about recruiting violations. Among other things, he admitted spending more than $25,000 to rent an apartment for Illinois brothers Johnny and Bobby Hill, key members of the 2004-06 run.

   Bazzani, now the AD at Niagara Falls, told the paper he was not aware of his team being credited for a forfeit victory, nor is he overly interested in pursuing the matter.

   "It’s not like I’m going to go to school tomorrow and take down the banners and have them changed (to 29-0)," he said. "We lost that game on the floor. It was a great game that we’ll never forget.

   "I had no clue about any of their violations, I just remember that they were the No. 1 team in the country and the Hill kids hurt us. They were exceptional ballplayers."

   Green steps down at Chenango Forks: Kelsey Green is stepping down as head football coach at Chenango Forks and will be replaced by Dave Hogan, The Press & Sun-Bulletin reported.

   Green, who will retire after 31 years in teaching, will remain on the football staff as an assistant. He was 117-19 in 12 seasons, including 84-6 with seven straight Section 4 championships since 2001. His teams won NYSPHSAA crowns in 2003 and 2004.

   "We plan on having the same four guys on staff," Green told the paper. "Philosophically, I don't think a whole lot will change. . . . I think a lot of things will be very similar, just the way Dave thinks they should be done."

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