Gowanda Small Town Times

Photo: Gowanda’s Blake Herman (#27) scores for the second time against Allegany-Limestone. This came in the 2nd inning of the May 11 home game.

On May 11, Gowanda Varsity sports action was limited to the baseball team. They played a home game versus Allegany-Limestone. This would be another contest ended early by the 10-run rule.

Gowanda got off to a quick start grabbing a 3-0 lead after the 1st inning. In the bottom of the 2nd inning, the 1st four Gowanda batter were walked. They added 3 runs to their total in the inning including one scored on a wild pitch. By the end of the 3rd inning Gowanda was up 7-0. With the Gowanda defense continuing to stand strong, they were ready to add to their total in the bottom of the inning. Gowanda started out with a Alex Pacucinski walk. After registering one out, Tyler Smith, Cole Herman, Carter Capozzi and Logan Ruff hit consecutive singles scoring three runs in the process. Heading into the 5th inning Gowanda had a 10-0 lead. The first Allegany-Limestone batter in the inning singled. Past that, three straight fly outs ended the game.

Leading the Gowanda attack were Cole Herman (2 runs) and Blake Herman (2 runs & a triple). Logan Ruff had a run, a double and an RBI in the game. Tyler Smith, Brayden Smith and Alex Pachucinski each contributed a run and an RBI. Rounding out the scoring with one run each were John Ondus and Drew Shull. In support, Carter Capozzi had 2 RBIs. At pitcher, Cole Herman registered 5 strikeouts and a walk in the shutout.

Photo: Gowanda’s Winter Rivera (#20) fires a low shot up the middle to open the scoring against Newfane. He would score often in this May 10, Senior Night, game.

As the Spring sports season begins to wind down, three Gowanda teams celebrated Senior Night on May 10. Senior Night for each team recognizes the Senior Class members of the team before their last home game of the regular season.

At Gowanda’s Lady Panther Park the Gowanda Varsity softball team hosted Pine Valley on the 10th. Gowanda got off to a slow start in the game falling behind 2-1 in the 1st inning. After two innings of scoreless play, Gowanda pulled together a 3-run 4th inning to take the lead, 4-2. The Gowanda advantage ballooned to 9-2 in the 5th inning. Pine Valley was limited to a single 6th inning run for the 9-3 final. Leading the way for Gowanda was Gao:Wisa:S “Wassy” Stevens with two hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Jada Geiger and Lily Bobseine both contributed a run, a double and an RBI. Also credited with RBIs were Holland Browning (1 run, 2 RBIs) and Kailyn Farner (1 run, 1 RBI). Rounding out the Gowanda scoring with single runs were Addison Kota, Hailey Christopher and Alhanna Gabel.

Meanwhile, both of the Gowanda Varsity lacrosse teams had games at Hillis Field. The Gowanda boys lacrosse team hosted a winless Newfane team. In a very one-sided event, Gowanda ran up a 23-0 win. That started 40 seconds into the game with Winter Rivera launching the ball into the goal. Rivera also closed out the 1st quarter scoring with 46 seconds left in the period to put Gowanda up 8-0. It was 17-0 by halftime. In the shutout, Gowanda goalies Faolan Quinn and Alanson Stafford had an easy night. They faced just two shots each on the night. Winter Rivera led all scorers with 10 goals and 3 assists. Scoring two goals each were Nakotah Jackson (2 goals, 6 assists), Ethan Steep rock (2 goals, 2 assists), Jessup Stevens (2 goals) and Seneka Jackson (2 goals). Getting extra playing time due to the one-sided score, five other players scored single goals in the game. They were Ha’tsihgahdo:d Stevens, Benjamin Krajewski, Christopher Burger, Hodaweo:je Wisniewski and goalie, Faolan Quinn.

The Gowanda Varsity girls lacrosse team played before the boys took the field hosting Eden. It was a very strange game where the 1st half and 2nd half couldn’t have been more different. Gowanda took the early lead as Aurora Stevens scored 3 minutes and 48 seconds into the game. Ke’ya Stevens scored two minutes later and Gowanda had a 2-0 lead. After an Eden score, Ke’ya Stevens gave a two goal lead back to Gowanda. Midway through the 1st half, a penalty was called on the Gowanda goalie. That gave the ball to Eden with the goalie moved to corner of the field as play resumed. In what amounted to an empty net goal Eden closed the score to 3-2. Several minutes later Gowanda’s Karice John came racing up the middle, launching the ball into the net. The score was disallowed on an offsides call. Eden tied the game at 3 with 8:25 still left in the half. Two minutes after that, Aurora Stevens put Gowanda back in front 4-3. Just when it was starting to look like Gowanda might go into halftime with a lead, Eden scored with 19 seconds still on the clock.

In the 2nd half Eden went from looking very disorganized to being super efficient. They expanded their lead to 11-4 in the first ten minutes of the 2nd half. After a Ke’ya Stevens score for Gowanda interrupted that streak, Eden added another three unanswered goals making the final 5-14. Ke’ya Stevens ended up with 3 goals and an assist while Aurora Stevens totaled 2 goals and an assist. Cadence Luther was credited with 2 assists. Gowanda goalie faced 24 shots on the night, the bulk of those coming in the 2nd half.

May 10 was a big day for the Senior Class members of Gowanda Spring sports teams. Three teams held Senior Night ceremonies before their final home games of the season including softball, girls lacrosse and boys lacrosse. Below are group photos of the Seniors foe each team.

Softball Seniors - (left to right) Gao:Wisa:S “Wassy” Stevens (#17), Jada Geiger (#1), Kailyn Farner (#11), Starla Smith (#25), Lani Farley (#7) and Lily Bobseine (#33).

Girls Lacrosse seniors - (front, left to right) Ke’ya Stevens (#12), Abril Corrales (#25) and Gabrielle Whipple (#1) (back, left to right) Shelby Weston (#7), Emma Schindler (#28) and Aurora Stevens (#32).

Boys Lacrosse Seniors - (from left to right) Benjamin Krajewski (#5), Kallan John (#32), Jordan Smith (#17) and Ruben Rivera IV (#14).

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.