Gowanda Small Town Times

Photo: Tyler Smith (#15) scores Gowanda’s 2nd run against Southwestern on a wild pitch in the 1st inning. The game was played on May 9 at Panther Park.

On Tuesday, May 9 the Gowanda Varsity baseball team hosted Southwestern. The two teams had just played on Saturday with Gowanda mounting a 13-10 come from behind win. This game would not prove to be as competitive.

In the bottom of the 1st inning Gowanda started out with a fly out before Alex Pachucinski was walked. Pachucinski was later caught trying to steal home for Gowanda’s second out. John Ondus and Tyler Smith singled before bases were loaded as Cole Herman was walked. Both Ondus and Smith scored on consecutive wild pitches before Southwestern secured a third out.

Holding Southwestern scoreless for two innings Gowanda doubled their production adding another two runs in the 2nd inning. Brayden Smith scored on a Ondus double and Pachucinski came home on another Southwestern wild pitch. Southwestern finally got on the scoreboard in the 3rd inning taking the score to 4-1 after three. Gowanda got a huge break in the 4th inning. They had the bases loaded with Pachucinski, Ondus and Cole Herman on two outs as Carter Capozzi came up to bat. A blast to left center field that was mishandled got Capozzi a 3 RBI double. Gowanda rolled on taking a 9-2 victory. Pachucinski started on the mound for Gowanda with both Tyler Smith and Carter Capozzi getting some time near the end of the game. In all Gowanda gave six walks in a 5-strikeout six-hitter.

While the boys were busy with Southwestern, the Gowanda Varsity softball team was at Forestville. That game was much closer than the baseball game in the early going with the first three innings going scoreless. Gowanda finally got on the board with a pair of runs in the 4th inning. After a scoreless 5th inning, Gowanda got a burst in the final two innings scoring 4 in the 6th and 3 in the 7th. Pitching for Gowanda, Addison Kota tossed a 10-strikeout two-hitter for a 9-0 shutout. Standing out for the Gowanda offense were Hailey Christopher (2-run double a groundout RBI) and Jada Geiger (an RBI and three runs).

Finally, the Gowanda boys track team was at Franklinville/Ellicottville on the 9th. In a 123-16 loss Gowanda only secured a single 1st Place finish. Chase Bolen won the 1,600m in 5:06.8.

Photo: Before the Gowanda Varsity girls lacrosse team took on Williamsville East on May 8, they took a group photo with Emma and Lea Golden. The game was dedicated to the Courage of Carly Fund, a Roswell Park affiliated organization providing support for children with cancer or blood disorders.

On Monday, May 8, Gowanda’s Hillis Field saw two GCS lacrosse games as both the girls and boys Varity teams played host to their Williamsville East counterparts.

For the girls team, it was their inaugural “Shooting For A Cure” game which was dedicated to the Courage of Carly Fund. The Roswell Park affiliated organization provides support for children with cancer and blood disorders. Before the game, the team gathered with Lea Golden and her daughter, Emma, for a photo. The Goldens are members of the GCS family and Emma is a Neuroblastoma survivor.

Things started out bright for Gowanda. Two minutes and 35 seconds into the game, Ke’ya Stevens scored to put Gowanda up 1-0. Stevens upped that to 2-0 20 seconds later after winning the next draw. Then Williamsville slowly started to build momentum eventually taking a 3-2 lead. Aurora Stevens evened things at 3 with 13:35 left in the half. Her shot was initially blocked by the Williamsville goalie without getting control of the ball which dropped to the ground and rolled into the goal. From that point, Williamsville scored three unanswered goals, including one as the last second of the half ticked off.

In the 2nd half Williamsville increased their lead to 7-7 before Gowanda mounted a bit of a rally. Ke’ya Stevens started that out scoring four minutes into the 2nd half. That was followed by goals from Alaina Kaczmarczyk and Cadence Luther closing the score to 7-6 with 8:26 left in the game. It was all Williamsville from there with five unanswered scores. That left the final score at 12-6. In goal for Gowanda, Nina Coulon faced 22 shots and making 10 saves.

Following the girls game it was the time for the boys game. Gowanda got off to a slow start giving up the first goal just 14 seconds into the game. They were down 4-0 before the game was two minutes old. At 9:20 Ethan Steeprock scored for Gowanda. That was followed by a score by Winter Rivera that tightened the score to 4-2. With the score at 6-2, Rivera scored again flipping the ball over his right shoulder into the goal with 1:44 left in the period. The 1st quarter ended with Gowanda down 6-3.

The game got steadily more physical. There was no scoring in the 2nd quarter until midway through the period. A Williamsville goal was answered just 17 seconds later by Ha’tsihgahdo:d Stevens. After two more Williamsville scores, Steeprock stuck again taking the score to 9-5. A Williamsville score with 8 seconds on the clock made the halftime score 10-5.

It was Ha’tsihgahdo:d Stevens keeping Gowanda in the game in the 3rd quarter. He scored three times in the period matching the Williamsville production and holding the deficit at 5 goals. With that much of a lead, the Williamsville offense slowed things down in the final quarter. It became as much about holding the ball and running the clock as it was trying to add to their total. They did get a pair of goals in the period after Gowanda sent in their backup goalie. A lone Rivera goal in the period took the final score to 15-9. Gowanda goalie, Faolan Quinn, faced 19 shots in the gave making 6 saves.

Away from Gowanda, the Gowanda track team was at Salamanca. The boys lost by a score of 44-88 and girls fell 44-92. Standing out for Gowanda, Mason Wilson won botrh the 110m (20.5) and 400m (1:08.5) hurdles events. Chase Bolen won the 800m in 2:18.3. Also, the Gowanda relay team of DerekMilne, Ethan Bachek, Mason Wilson, Chase Bolen won the 1,600m relay event in 4:14.7. The only individual Gowanda results for the girls was that Crissa Scanlan won both the shot put and discus events.

Photo: The Gowanda Athletic Department put out this photo of Daniel Stang, of the Gowanda Trap team, who shot his first perfect 50 straight earlier in the week.

By Friday, May 5, the rainy conditions that had marked the first half of the week gave way to dry, but still cool, weather. The Gowanda Varsity softball team was at Silver Creek. Going into the game, Silver Creek had been the only CCAA East 1 team to beat Gowanda have won a 6-3 decision back in April.

On this day things would not be any easier. Gowanda started out fast as lead batter, Addison Kota tripled. Gao:Wisa:S “Wassy” Stevens singled to score Kota and would later also score. Holding Silver Creek scoreless in the bottom of the inning leaving Gowanda with a 2-0 lead. Two scoreless innings followed. Silver Creek continued to hold Gowanda off in the top of the 4th inning before exploding for 3 runs taking the lead by a 3-2 score. Silver Creek upped their lead to 4-2 in the 5th inning. In the final inning, it was again the Kota/Stevens combo that connected. Another Addison Kota triple. While Stevens again scored Kota, the Silver Creek defense tightened to avoid giving up a tying run. The 4-3 loss leaves Gowanda and Silver Creek tied at 5-2 at the top of CCAA East 1 as the week ends.

The Gowanda Track team was at the Falconer Invitational on the 5th in a group of 22 schools. As a team the Gowanda boys fell somewhere below 16th place, but the names of the last six schools were not reported. The Gowanda girls did somewhat better in the middle of the pack at 12th. The best individual results for the Gowanda boys were Chase Bolen 17th 800m (2:18.54) & 9th 1600m (5:08.23) and Mason Wilson 16th 400m hurdles (1:07.76). For the Gowanda girls the most noteworthy results were turned in by:
* Autumn Pupo 2nd 800m (2:14.93) and 13th 1500m (5:42.35)
* Calie Hudson 18th 800m (2:50.00)
* Rhianna Woods 21st 100m dash (14.21) and 11th 200m dash (29.24)
* Alexia Harvey 19th 400m dash (1:09.40)
* Elizabath Malek 16th 100m hurdles (19.63)
* Crissa Scanlan 9th Shot Put (29-2) & 4th Discus (89-5)

Finally, despite rainy weather in the 40s, Gowanda’s Daniel Stang scored his first 50 straight. Overall, for Week 3, the Gowanda trap team increased their lead in Conference 1A - 11 with a score of 878.50 taking their season total to 2,669.00. In 2nd Place, Hammond scored 827.50 on the week taking their season total to 2,546.00. Gowanda shooters also continue to top the conference with 4 boys and 1 girl in the Top 10. Daniel Stang currently is in 1st Place with a season average of 48.33. He also is ranked #7 in the state. Other Gowanda boys in the Top 10 are Zayne Laskey (2nd, 47.00, 25th in State), Daniel Humphrey (4th, 45.00) and David Dirienzo (8th, 44.33). In 1st Place in conference for girls is Gowanda’s Maddison Smith with a season average of 43.00.

Baseball 10-1, 8-1

Tuesday, May 2

Gowanda at Falconer
- moved to May 4 -

Wednesday, May 3

West Seneca East at Gowanda
- cancelled -

Thursday, May 4

Gowanda at Falconer
- played at Falconer -
Gowanda 25, Falconer 0

Falconer at Gowanda
Gowanda 19, Falconer 2

Saturday, May 6

Gowanda at Southwestern
Gowanda 13, Sothwestern 10

Softball 8-5, 5-2

Tuesday, May 2

Fredonia at Gowanda
- rain out -

Wednesday, May 3

Gowanda at Brocton
- played at Gowanda -
Gowanda 14, Brocton 1

Friday, May 5

Gowanda at Silver Creek
Gowanda 3, Silver Creek 4

Boys Lacrosse 4-6, 4-3

Monday, May 1

Gowanda at Fairview (PA)
Gowanda 14, Fairview 15

Wednesday, May 3

East Aurora at Gowanda
Gowanda 2, East Aurora 19

Girls Lacrosse 0-9, 0-4

Tuesday, May 2

Gowanda at Niagara-Wheatfield
Gowanda 2, Niagara-Wheatfield 18

Track

Tuesday, May 2

Salamanca at Gowanda
- postponed to May 8-

Friday, May 5

Gowanda at Falconer
Boys
1st Randolph 92

Girls
1st East Aurora 90.5
12th Gowanda 12
19th Silver Creek 2

Trap

Week 3 score & Season total
1st Gowanda 910.00 2,669.00
2nd Hammond 856.00 2,546.00
7th Potsdam 282.50 1,025.00

On May 4, the Gowanda Varsity baseball team played a doubleheader at Jamestown. The first game was a makeup of a rain cancelled game originally scheduled to be played at Gowanda two days earlier.

In Game 1, Gowanda blew by Falconer 25-0 with Alex Pachucinski and Brayden Smith pitching. Cole Herman led the Gowanda offense in the game with two hits, including a double, and four RBIs.

Gowanda went with Tyler Smith and Logan Ruff on the mound in Game 2. John Ondus led the Gowanda offense with a bases-clearing triple for a Game 2 win by a 19-2 score.

The Gowanda Athletic department reported the following about the Falconer trip on their Facebook page: “The Panthers have had hot bats with a team batting average of .403 and 7 hitting .375 or better.

A Saturday, May 6, morning game was played by the baseball team at Southwestern. While a 13-10 Gowanda win was reported, no other details were available.