Gowanda Small Town Times

[photo] Ella Luther lines up on the ball for a dig during the Gowanda Volleyball home opener against Falconer.

With the Gowanda High School gym still taped off from the Summer resurfacing project, the first Gowanda home action of the 2023 Fall sports season was shifted to the middle School gym. The Gowanda Varsity Lady Panthers hosted a very strong group of Frewsburg Lady Golden Falcons on August 31.

Gowanda got off to a slow start in the opening game of the match. After gaining the first point of the game on a Falconer missed serve, Gowanda slid into a 1-3 hole. The game was tied at 5 and again at 8 before Gowanda took their first, and only, lead in the game. They managed to pull in front 12-8 before sliding back into a tie at 13. From there Falconer moved in front 24-17 and held on for a 25-18 Game 1 win.

While Game 2 started out a bit tighter, Gowanda was behind until the score was again tied at 5-5 on the way to a brief lead at 6-5. Falconer surged back to take a 12-7 lead. From there the battle remained tight with Gowanda only able to close the gap to four points at 11-15. Falconer held on to take Game 2 by a score of 25-19.

Things looked bleak at first in Game 3 as Gowanda gave up the first seven points. The score was 3-9 when Gowanda went on a 6-point run, with Corrina John serving, to tie things at 9. Frewsburg again moved into a slim lead. The game was tied at 13 and 15 before Gowanda began to take control of the game. Though a series of long hard fought volleys the Lady Panther moved into a 21-18 lead. The gap would thin to 23-22 before Gowanda got their first game win of the year at 25-22. The final point of the game was scored on a Holland Browning ace.

Still down 2-1 in the match, the Lady Panthers found new life in Game 4. After dropping the first point, Gowanda surged into a 4-1 lead. Frewsburg answered tying the score at four as they moved into a short-lived 7-4 lead. The battle continued to be very competitive with frequent long volleys. Gowanda tied the game at 7. Falconer held on, with Gowanda holding a thin lead, to even things again at 11. While Frewsburg was unable to regain a lead, the scored was tied at 18, 19 and 20. Gowanda scored the next three points, including an Addison Kota ace, to take control 23-20. The Lady Panthers held on to tie the match at 2-2 with a 25-21 win.

Gowanda sputtered as the final game started falling into a quick 1-5 hole. Despite being able to close the score to 8-10, Gowanda was not able to avoid a 10-15 loss in the game to fall short in the match 2-3.

Aubrie Heron led Gowanda with 12 kills, 2 points and a block. Other prominent players for Gowanda included Corrina John (10 kills, 12 blocks), Ella Luther (17 digs), Addison Kota (3 aces, 5 kills, 3 assists), Jillian Gernatt (35 assists), Ellizabeth Green (5 aces, 7 kills).

In other sports, the Pine Valley/Gowanda Varsity girls soccer team continued to struggle. The team was at Westfield/Brocton taking a 0-2 loss. Continued issues with ball control resulted in Pine Valley/Gowanda Lady Panthers only managing six shots on goal while their goaltender, Destiny Lindquist, faced 15 shots stopping all but two of those.

The first game of the 2023 sports season took place on Tuesday, August 29. With the Pine Valley/Gowanda Varsity boys soccer team game at Dunkirk that day postponed, it was up the Pine Valley/Gowanda Varsity girls to start things out. The girls soccer team hosted Silver Creek/Forestville for the first game of the season. After being shutout 3-0 in the first half, the Pine Valley/Gowanda girls picked up the pace in the second half with both teams picking up a pair of goals. While taking a 5-2 loss, that second half effort left them something to build on going forward. As of this writing, no scoring stats were available.

8/31 Update: It has now been reported that both of the Pine Valley/Gowanda 2nd half goals were scored by Sarah Kruszka closing the gap to 2-3. Those goals were later answered by Silver Creek/Forestville taking the margin back to three goals. It has also been reported that Pine Valley/Gowanda goaltender, Destiny Lindquist, made 24 saves in the game keeping her team close. In contrast, Silver Creek/Forestville goaltender, Kimberly Bauer only faced a total of eight shots making two saves.

[photo] Volunteers wait at finish line in the Cattaraugus Creek for the 2023 Ducky Derby. Photo courtesy of Gowanda Area Chamber of Commerce

On Sunday, August 27, at 2 P.M. the annual Ducky Derby was held on Cattaraugus Creek. For the second year, the Gowanda Area Chamber of Commerce event was held at Gateway Park with the finish line in front of the amphitheater. Top prizes were $200, $150 and $100 for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place finishes, respectively. Additionally, there were prizes of $50 for places 4-6 and $25 for places 7-10.

With congratulations the Chamber has announced the derby winners. Along with their ducky’s number, the winners were Deb Winship (1st Place, #298), Sharon LeRoy (2nd Place, #598), Allie Reid (3rd Place, #700), Delilah Goodemote (4th Place, #303), Michelle Twoguns (5th Place, #243), Lola Neu (6th Place, #383), Brenda Clabeau (7th Place, #735), Cameron Nagel (8th Place, #315), Kelly Booth (9th Place, #329) and Cindy Freer (10th Place, #376).

Below are the schedules for Gowanda, Gowanda/Pine Valley (football) and Pine Valley/Gowanda (soccer) teams for Fall 2023. This list is a composite of information currently posted on Section 6, Gowanda and Pine Valley school websites. There are a few minor conflicts between these sources and the information below is the best currently available.

Fall Sports Season open August 21

Football (Gowanda/Pine Valley)

Friday, September 1 at Silver Creek
Thursday, September 7 vs. Catt/Little Valley (at Pine Valley)
Friday, September 15 vs. Franklinville/Ellicottville
Saturday, September 23 at Cardinal O’Hara (non-league)
Friday, September 29 vs. Wilson - Homecoming game -
Friday, October 6 vs. St. Mary’s
Saturday, October 14 at CSP (Panama)
Friday, October 20 vs. Randolph

Girls Volleyball

Wednesday, August 30 vs.Springville
Thursday, August 31 vs.Falconer
Tuesday, September 5 at North Collins
Friday, September 8 vs.Pine Valley
Saturday, September 9 at Falconer (non-league)
Thursday, September 14 vs.Silver Creek [moved to 9/25?]
Tuesday, September 19 at Randolph
Thursday, September 21 vs.Catt.-Little Valley
Friday, September 22 at Clymer/Sherman
Saturday, September 23 vs.Ellicottville
Monday, September 25 vs.Silver Creek
Tuesday, September 26 at Salamanca
Wednesday, September 27 vs.North Collins
Tuesday, October 3 at Pine Valley
Thursday, October 5 at Ellicottville
Friday, October 6 at Lake Shore
Tuesday, October 10 at Silver Creek
Wednesday, October 11 at Eden
Thursday, October 12 vs.Randolph
Tuesday, October 17 at Catt.-Little Valley
Thursday, October 19 vs. Salamanca

Cross Country

Tuesday, September 12 vs. Jamestown
Tuesday, September 19 at Allegany-Limestone
Tuesday, September 26 at Salamanca
Tuesday, October 10 at Southwestern
Monday, October 23 at Silver Creek [boys]
Friday, November 3 at Middle early College

Boys Soccer (Pine Valley/Gowanda)
Tuesday, August 29 at Dunkirk (non-league)
Tuesday, September 5 vs Westfield-Brocton (non-league)
Thursday, September 7 at Silver Creek (non-league)
Saturday, September 9 at Westfield-Brocton (non-league)
Tuesday, September 12 vs. Cass. Valley-Falconer
Thursday, September 14 at Salamanca (non-league)
Saturday, September 16 vs. Silver Creek (non-league)
Tuesday, September 19 vs. Portville
Thursday, September 21 at Ellicottville
Saturday, September 23 vs. Dunkirk (non-league)
Tuesday, September 26 vs. Randolph
Thursday, September 28 at Cass. Valley-Falconer
Tuesday, October 3 vs. Salamanca
Thursday, October 5 at Portville
Tuesday, October 10 vs. Ellicottville
Thursday, October 12 at Randolph

Girls Soccer (Pine Valley/Gowanda)
Tuesday, August 29 vs. Silver Creek/Forestville
Thursday, August 31 at Westfield
Tuesday, September 5 at North Collins
Friday, September 8 vs. Ellicottville
Monday, September 11 at Randolph (non-league)
Wednesday, September 13 at Catt.-Little Valley
Friday, September 15 vs. Westfield/Brocton
Monday, September 18 at Franklinville
Wednesday, September 20 vs. Salamanca
Friday, September 22 vs. Portville
Monday, September 25 at Ellicottville
Wednesday, September 27 vs. Randolph
Friday, September 29 vs. Catt.-Little Valley
Wednesday, October 4 vs. Franklinville
Friday, October 6 at Salamanca
Wednesday, October 11 at Portville (non-league)
Friday, October 13 at Silver Creek

Jamestown Community College recently made several announcements including graduates and Dean’s List honors.

Kirk Young, Jamestown Community College vice president of student affairs, and Marilyn Zagora, vice president of Academic Affairs, have announced the names of those awarded degrees or certificates from the Jamestown and Cattaraugus County campuses in May 2023. A total of 347 students earned degrees and certificates. Highest honors represents a 4.0 grade point average, high honors a 3.5 to 3.99 GPA, and honors a 3.25 to 3.49 GPA. Among those graduates, from Gowanda, was Julianna Grudzien (Associate of Science Degree.: Liberal Arts & Sciences: Early Childhood Education).

Several other local JCC part-time students were named to the Dean’s List for academic excellence during the spring 2023 semester. These included, from Collins, Donovan Jackson and, from Gowanda, Jairus Chung, Joseph Maxwell, Marquise Moore and Jeffrey Ryan.

Additionally, many area high school students were named to SUNY Jamestown Community College’s full-time student dean’s list during the 2022-23 academic year. To be eligible, students must achieve a grade point average of 3.50 or better while enrolled in at least 12 degree credits. Local honors for FALL 2022 went to
Lani Farley (Collins), Logan Forthman & Julia Jefferson (Gowanda) and Chase Cooper (Perrysburg).