Fichera qualifies for state skiing races
Giovanna Fichera is returning to the state skiing championships in Lake Placid. Her teammate Emma Sabini came close to going with her.
Giovanna qualified by finishing fifth in the Section IX meet at Belleayre on Feb. 9. The four girls ahead of her came from schools in Sullivan or Ulster County.
The skiers got two runs on the giant slalom and two on the slalom. Their faster time on each course was the only one that counted. Their combined time for the two events determined the order of finish.
The top nine girls and top nine boys advanced to the statewide meet on Feb. 22 and 23. Emma Sabini just missed the trip as she finished 10th. Emma and Giovanna are seniors. who have been skiing for Cornwall since seventh grade.
Giovanna is a five-time state qualifier. She missed the meet as a freshman in 2013, because she was attending the National Sports Academy. Mitchell Bell was the leading finiisher this year for the boys team.
SEC. IX MEET
Girls: Giovanna Fichera (5) 59.59, Emma Sabini (10) 64.01. Boys: Mitchell Bell (32) 70.13, John Zanin (35) 72.97, Tim Melvin (39) 76.92, Stephen Musco (40) 77.91.
Goshen game important to boys basketball team
The Dragons needed to defeat Goshen to be sure of a spot in the Section IX playoffs. An ice storm caused the game to be postponed until after we went to press.
The Goshen game became significant after the Dragons downed Monticello 52-35 on Feb. 9 but lost at Port Jervis. 42-37 on Feb. 11.
Jason Bailey had his high game of the season as he scored 28 points against Monticello — a team that had defeated the Dragons earlier in the year.
A key to the turnaround was Dom Marzigliano and Chris Robinson shackling the Panthers’ leading scorer. They held Donovan Williams to eight points after he had scored 36 in the teams’ last meeting.
Chandler Ricci came off the bench to bolster the Dragon attack, and the Cornwall players were able to read the Panthers’ defense. Coach Tom Howe said he hadn’t seen Monticello employ a zone since 1992. They normally play man-to-man.
“The Port Jervis game was a story of three quarters,” Coach Howe said. His team held a 34-24 lead at the start of the final period, but it wasn’t enough because Port Jervis rallied to win the game. Coach Howe said the Raiders played with “reckless abandon,” because they had to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. The Dragons didn’t get many good looks at the basket in the closing minutes and some of their best efforts went in and out.
Points (vs. Monticello and Port Jervis): Bailey 41, Hartnett 20, Marzigliano 8, Ricci 6, Marlow 5, Robinson 4, Alemany 3, Handforth 2
Lady hoopsters don’t hold a Senior Night
The Lady Dragons were due to be home on Feb. 17 for their final basketball game of the regular season. But it wasn’t Senior Night, because the team has no seniors.
A victory over Goshen on the 17th would give the girls a perfect record in league play and, most likely, the top seed in the section playoffs. The team has a 12-7 record overall, which is deceptive because five of the losses have occurred in games against larger schools.
For example, the girls lost 65-45 in Kingston on Feb. 12. Their hosts had a size advantage, and the Kingston gym can be a tough place for visitors to play. Cornwall Coach Chris Miller was satisfied with his team’s effort. “We forced several turnovers,” he said, “but we missed some easy shots.”
Two days before that the girls played at home and defeated league rival Port Jervis 55-34. Maggie Malone scored over 20 points for the fourth time this season. She led the Dragons with 24, while teammate Sam Incognoli had 14. Against Kingston, Malone and Maddie Vinett were the top Cornwall scorers.
2 GAMES — Points: Malone 41, Vinett 22, Incognoli 21, Moreau 10, Davet 5, Hurley 1, Morasse 1. Threes: Incognoli 3, Moreau 1. Free throws: Malone 7-11.
Deja vu for Dragons’ winning weight thrower
Yogi Berra would call it “deja vu all over again.” Jillian Dorego won another weight throwing competition, and set a school record for the third time this year.
The Dragons were in The Armory in New York City last Friday night, participating in a meet with more than 50 teams. Despite the size of the field, Jillian easily won her specialty, outdistancing the runner-up by two feet three inches.
Her winning toss of 41-11.50 surpassed the school record she set in winning the county championship on Jan. 29.
NORTH SHORE INVITATIONAL
BOYS — Long jump: Avery Burton (5) 19-5.25. 3200 relay: Rivera, Scileppi, Miller, St. Germain (5) 8:20.0. Distance medley relay: St. Germain, J. Wallace, Scileppi, Mike Miller (6) 10:48.89.
GIRLS– 55 m: Kayla Meade (5) 7.52. Distance medley relay: Mellino, Nicosia, Fanning, Caroli (4) 12:34.30. High jump: Katie Murphy (5) 4-10. Weight throw: Jillian Dorego (1) 41-11.50 (new school record), Tamera Dorcinville (7) 35-4.50.
Gym Kids win three team awards in Commack
Gym Kids’ Copper, Bronze and Silver Teams won team awards at the Snowflake Invitational Meet in Commack, Long Island.
Audrey Caesar, Samantha Miller, Summer Neff and Sadie Steiner won All Around Titles.
Dragons preparing for section-wide swim meet
Seven Cornwall swimmers and four divers have qualified for the Section IX meet at Valley Central on Feb. 19-20. The Dragons will be facing the same competition they saw at the OCIAA meet in Washingtonville, where they finished sixth out of 17 teams.
Based on 2015-16 performances. the following Dragons are among the section leaders in their specialties:
Ciaran O’Gorman — 200 freestyle (5th), 500 freestyle (4th)
Joseph Sullivan — 100 backstroke (13th)
Ben Vondrak — 200 medley (5th), 100 breaststroke (1st)
Kyle Washington — Diving (5th)
The winners at the section meet advance to the state championships along with the people who meet state qualifying standards.
