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HS SOFTBALL: Attfield named NFL's top player
Niagara Gazette Softball Player of the Year Caitlin Attfield of Niagara-Wheatfield was also named the Niagara Frontier League’s Most Outstanding Player at its recent year-end meeting. The freshman shortstop was also recently named third team all-state in Class AA.
Also for N-W, junior hurler Kelly Bourque was named the NFL’s Co-Pitcher of the Year with reigning award winner Holly Conte of Niagara Falls. Both players were also first team all-Gazette picks. Conte’s NFHS battery-mate Nikki Kraft also garnered first team all-NFL honors.
Two other locals, pitcher Carly Knight of Lewiston-Porter and outfielder Emily Thompson of Grand Island, were named to the first team. Rounding out the squad are Kenmore West’s Danielle Frye and Jenna Rickan, North Tonawanda’s Joanna Fretthold and Shaina Bunker, Kristen Deschenes of Kenmore East and Emily Belfield of Lockport.
N-W coach Eric Belter was named the league’s Coach of the Year after helping the Falcons to a share of the NFL title with West. Lockport earned the team sportsmanship award.
Wilson catcher Elise Jancef and utility player Jessica Curry were each named to the Niagara-Orleans League’s first team. Starpoint’s Danielle Lanternier was a first team all-ECIC II selection.
ALL-NIAGARA FRONTIER LEAGUE
First Team: Danielle Frye (Senior, INF, Kenmore West), Jenna Rickan (Senior, OF, Kenmore West), Caitlin Attfield (Freshman, INF, Niagara-Wheatfield), Kelly Bourque (Junior, P, Niagara-Wheatfield), Joanna Fretthold (Senior, INF, North Tonawanda), Shaina Bunker (Sophomore, C, North Tonawanda), Holly Conte (Junior, P, Niagara Falls), Nikki Kraft (Senior, C, Niagara Falls), Kristen Deschenes (Senior, P, Kenmore East), Emily Thompson (Senior, P/OF, Grand Island), Carly Knight (Senior, P, Lewiston-Porter), Emily Belfield (Freshman, OF, Lockport).
Second Team: Lexi Santa Maria (Sophomore, P, Kenmore West), Kaley Vazquez (Junior, INF, Kenmore West), Shelly Maggard (Junior, INF, Niagara-Wheatfield), Angela Elliott (Senior, INF, Niagara-Wheatfield), Natalie Hils (Senior, OF, North Tonawanda), Caitlin Kirbis (Junior, INF, North Tonawanda), Jamie Olander (Senior, INF, Niagara Falls), Jordan Dudish (Junior, INF, Grand Island), Kasey Sumnar (Junior, C, Grand Island), Alex Dickson (Junior, INF, Kenmore East), Janeanne LePage (Senior, C, Lewiston-Porter), Megan Anderson (Senior, P, Lockport).
Third Team: Kirsty Webb (Junior, C, Kenmore West), Ashley Krier (Junior, INF, Kenmore West), Katie Gruarin (Sophomore, OF, Niagara-Wheatfield), Katie Destino (Junior, C, Niagara-Wheatfield), Allie Gibson (Junior, P, North Tonawanda), Julie Harmon (Senior, INF, North Tonawanda), Chelsea O’Laughlin (Junior, OF, Lewiston-Porter), Sam price (Senior, C, Kenmore East), Savannah Sanders (Senior, OF, Kenmore East), Sam Tilkins (Junior, P, Grand Island), Megan Cuda (Freshman, INF, Lewiston-Porter), Kelly McKeever (Freshman, INF, Lockport).
ALL-NIAGARA ORLEANS LEAGUE
First Team: Lindsey Colonna (Junior, P, Albion), Coleen Rausch (Senior, P, Royalton-Hartland), Gub Jonathan (Senior, P, Akron), Justine Daniels (Junior, C, Albion), Deb Harding (Senior, C, Medina), Elise Jancef (Sophomore, C, Wilson), Lisa Bierdeman (Senior, INF, Albion), Jessica Curry (Junior, INF, Wilson), Aileen Hinton (Junior, INF, Barker), Sam Kelly (Junior, INF, Newfane), Allysa Taborn (Senior, INF, CSAT), Amanda Werth (Sophomore, INF, Royalton-Hartland), Amanda Walker (Senior, OF, Royalton-Hartland).
Second Team: Molly Bloom (Senior, P, Wilson), Raela Wiley (Senior, P, Wilson), Alexis Moreland (Eighth Grade, P, Newfane), Megan Corriere (Sophomore, C, Royalton-Hartland), Gus Hallett-Jonathan (Sophomore, C, Akron), Rebecca Quackenbush (Junior, C, Barker), Katie Renaldo (Senior, C, CSAT), Paige Golden (Junior, INF, Albion), Jenn Knaak (Freshman, INF, Albion), Becca Wagner (Senior, INF, Royalton-Hartland), Lizzy Zacher (Senior, INF, Medina), Ashley Wyder (Sophomore, OF, Akron).
Honorable Mention: Mallory Brewer (Senior, Akron), Kierstyn Sturmer (Freshman, Akron), Emalee Soule (Sophomore, Akron), Ellie Dietz (Junior, Barker), Paige Remington (Junior, Barker), Nicole Estep (Junior, Barker), Katleyn Moore (Junior, Barker), Alishia Foss (Sophomore, Medina), Jen Werth (Junior, Newfane), Sonya Rinaldo (Sophomore, Newfane), Jordan Beutel (Eighth Grade, Newfane), Sam Smith (Senior, Royalton-Hartland).
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For SU, tourney will show whether key departures were a blessing
“Certainly it hurts to lose your top three scorers,” said Andy Rautins, a fifth-year senior for the Orange. “But at the same time, it made us into a better team. We have a lot of chemistry this year. Everybody is always on the same page regardless of what five guys are on the floor. I think we’re a very unselfish team. That’s what has made us so successful.”
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Falls' Carter ready to get back in the ring
Niagara Falls' Terry Carter will make his first appearance in the boxing ring in five years when he fights in the Golden Gloves Tournament Saturday at ECC's Flickinger Center in Buffalo.
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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL: Falls' Harrison helps Robert Morris into WNIT
It’s not quite a homecoming, but it’s close enough to get Destiny Harrison excited. The Niagara Falls native will be in Olean tonight when her Robert Morris team meets St. Bonaventure in the first round of the women’s National Invitation Tournament.
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MMA: GI’s Weiser heads from field to octagon
Former Grand Island standout and current Buffalo State linebacker Eddie Weiser’s roots run deep when it comes to fighting.
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NCAA TOURNAMENT: Gonzaga trumpets small conference cause as a mid-major player
With a big budget, a 6,000-seat arena that’s nearly impossible to get into, and a string of top national and international recruits, Gonzaga has become the poster child for the emergence of mid-major basketball.
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SABRES: Miller pulled in 4-3 loss to Thrashers
Ryan Miller was pulled after giving up three goals in the first 6 minutes and Jim Slater’s third-period goal gave the Thrashers a 4-3 win over the Northeast-leading Sabres on Tuesday night.
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FOOTBALL: Falls to get semi-pro team
According to numerous reports, Niagara Falls will be the site of an expansion team in the United States Football League, a semi-pro league that currently has teams in Lockport, Buffalo and Lackawanna.
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MEN'S HOCKEY: UAH stuns Niagara in OT to take CHA title
In what might be a fitting finale to a league that never really found continuity or conformity, the last College Hockey America hockey game finished with a surprise and little sense of closure for the home team.
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NCAA TOURNAMENT: Syracuse opens in Buffalo as seedings unfold
Kansas, Kentucky and Duke won their conference tournaments and the top seeding that went with them when the selection committee rolled out its 65-team NCAA tournament bracket Sunday.
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MEN'S BASKETBALL: Next year, Niagara will be in Nelson's hands
Always a gifted passer, Nelson has improved his all-around game since his freshman year, and although he wasn’t one of the five point guards on the 15-member all-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference’s team last year, Lewis predicted he’ll be recognized as one of the league’s best players next year.
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