Gowanda Small Town Times

Crystal Rose-Williams, Jamestown Community College interim associate vice president of student affairs, and Jessica Kubiak, JCC vice president of academic affairs, recently announced students awarded degrees or certificates from the the Jamestown Community College Jamestown and Cattaraugus County campuses in the summer of 2024.

Sixteen of the 49 graduates earned high honors with a 3.50-3.99 GPA. One Gowanda student, Mary Denea (A.S.: Business-Business Administration – High Honors), was included in that announcement.

On November 1, the Gowanda/Pine Valley Varsity football team hosted Wilson for a Class D Quarterfinal playoff game. Gowanda had entered the playoffs as the #4 seed with Wilson as #5.

Gowanda’s first series saw them initially pick up a 1st down on a 4th-and-2 play from their own 28. A completion to Winter Mentley-Peters got them a second 1st Down out to the 45. They got as far as the Wilson 34 before coming up short on a 4th-and-1 run. Wilson’s opening series got them to the Gowanda 49 before a sack set them back to 4th-and-19 on their own 41.

The teams traded 4-and-outs after that before Gowanda got a big break as the 2nd quarter began. Another 4-and-out saw the Gowanda punt reach the Wilson 15, a fumble on the return had Gowanda back in business on the 30. Two plays later, a Trelin Warrior touchdown catch gave Gowanda a 7-0 lead after a successful extra point kick. That lead increased to 13-0 on 35-yard completion to Winter Rivera later in the quarter. A bad snap resulted in a failed attempt to kick for an extra point. Wilson’s next series started and ended with a reverse that ended in a fumble. Three plays later Gowanda scored again. This time it was an 18-yard Warrior catch. The 2-point conversion attempt failed and Gowanda held a 19-0 lead with 2:34 left in the half. That score held to halftime.

Wilson saw disaster strike as the 3rd Quarter started. Their 6-yard return of the kickoff ended in a fumble on the 30. Gowanda turned that into another touchdown. Gowanda kicked off again. Wilson fumbled again after a 12-yard return to the 32. A final quick Gowanda score followed and it was 31-0 with 9 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.

Shortly before the 3rd Quarter ended, Wilson finally put points on the board. It was 31-6 after a 2-point conversion pass attempt failed. With 5:27 left in the game Wilson upped their total to 13. An onside kick followed that was bobbled by Gowanda and recovered by Wilson. Quickly scoring again, Wilson tighten the score to 31-20, but it was too little/too late. Gowanda got the ball back on their own 32 with 4:54 left in the game. Wilson would not see the ball again as Gowanda mounted a game closing drive. They reached the Wilson 10-yard-line with under as the last minute ticked down. Gowanda closed out the game with a kneel-down as time expired.

Gowanda statistics from the game include:
Carter Capozzi
22/32 passes for 257 yards; 4 TD; 2 int.
4 carries for 11 yards
Winter Mentley-Peters
7 carries for 28 yards; 1TD
5 catches for 63 yards
Camryn Slade
7 carries for 24 yards
Zane Rogers
1 carry for 2 yards
Trelin Warrior
7 catches for 136 yards; 2 TD
Brayden Smith
5 catches for 59 yards
1 interception
Winter Rivera
3 catches for 70 yards; 2 TD
Kyan Austin
1 catch for 5 yards