For Girls, There’s Francis And Everybody Else
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Randolph’s Skylar Herington is third in Section VI in scoring at 25.5 points per game. P-J file photo
As the Section VI girls basketball regular season wrapped up Friday night, it felt like an appropriate time to assess what went on over the past three-plus months.
In what should be a surprise to no one who follows the sport in Western New York, Madison Francis was impressive.
The Lancaster senior, who has committed to NCAA Division I Mississippi State University next fall, led Section VI in scoring at 33.3 points per game and also led the section in steals with 118. Francis was also second best in rebounds (329) and third in blocked shots (64).
A pair of local teams got up-close looks at Francis during the regular season.
On Dec. 14, as part of the Roger Weiss Memorial Showcase at Jamestown High School’s McElrath Gymnasium, Frewsburg beat the Legends 68-43. That day, Francis had 22 points, 15 rebounds, four blocked shots, three steals and three assists.
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Frewsburg’s Jadyn Trocki finished the regular season ninth in Section VI in assists and 11th in steals. P-J file photo
On Jan. 10, Jamestown traveled to Lancaster and lost to the Legends 63-32. Francis had 26 points, 12 rebounds, five steals, three assists and two blocked shots.
Francis was even more dominant the second time she played both teams.
On Feb. 7 at Jamestown, the Legends beat the Red & Green 78-52 as Francis had 44 points, 16 rebounds, nine steals, six assists and two blocked shots.
And just last Friday, Francis had 41 points as Lancaster avenged one of its three losses this year with a 66-46 win over Frewsburg.
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While Francis was the only girl in Section VI to average 30-plus points per game, several averaged more than 20 points per game — including a few in Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties.
Leading that group was Randolph sophomore Skylar Herington, who led the Cardinals to a 12-8 record overall and a share of the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 East title with a 9-1 record.
Herington averaged 25.5 points per game to go along with 3.6 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 2.6 assists.
Herington’s senior teammate, Quinn Pence, led Section VI in assists with 138 to go along with 86 rebounds and 60 steals while averaging 10.7 points per game.
The team that Randolph shared the league title with, Frewsburg, also finds several girls lurking at the top of the Section VI leaderboards.
Bears sophomore guard Jadyn Trocki averaged 19.2 points per game while finishing ninth in assists (103) and 11th in steals (87).
Senior Ava Jimerson led Frewsburg in rebounds (93) and was second in scoring (14.3), while her twin sister, Taytum, was second in assists (68) and steals (56).
Cassadaga Valley, another Class C and Division 3 team, also had a pair of girls near the top of the sectional leaderboards.
Cougars senior guard Emiley Anderson averaged 21.2 points per game on her way to becoming the school’s all-time leading scorer. Anderson was also ninth in the section in steals (90) while handing out 75 assists and grabbing 82 rebounds.
Anderson’s senior teammate, Aliyah Hopkins, finished fifth in rebounds (225) and ninth in blocked shots (37) while averaging 13.9 points per game.
Forestville junior Carilene Sliwa finished seventh in the section in scoring, averaging 20.4 points per game.
Maple Grove junior Bryanna Cornell was fifth in the section in blocked shots (49) and eighth in rebounds (217).
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Class D Sherman has raced to a 19-1 overall record and an undefeated CCAA Division 2 season with a very balanced attack.
Senior Kelsey Wagner led the Wildcats in scoring (15.6 ppg) and assists (58), senior Teagan Gratto led Sherman in rebounds (107), and freshman Emmersen Crawford led the team in steals (77).
Pine Valley, the Division 4 champion, also featured several contributors.
Senior Danielle West led the Panthers in scoring (14.5 ppg), senior Sarah Kruszka led Pine Valley in assists (109) and steals (85), and senior Danica Farnham led the team in rebounds (188).
Kruskza’s assist total was fourth in the section, her steal total was 13th and Farnham’s rebound total was 12th.
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In Class B, Southwestern and Salamanca have been the best teams locally.
Seventh-grader Gianna Sirianni burst on to the scene for the Trojans, averaging 16.9 points per game, including a section second-best 64 3-pointers.
Sophomore Marlana Cresanti has picked up 108 steals for Southwestern, which ranked tied for fourth across the section.
Junior Braya Beaver led the Trojans in assists (59) and her freshman sister, Charlotte, led the team in rebounds (108).
As for Salamanca, junior Makenzie Crouse finished fourth in the section with 53 blocked shots and led the team with 145 rebounds.
Four Warriors — junior Leilene McComber, Crouse, freshman Maliyah Foster and senior Skyla Dowdy — scored over 100 points.
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Jamestown, the only local Class AAA team, got better as the season went along.
Red & Green freshman Aiyanna Stam finished fourth in the section in rebounds with 240.
Eighth-grader Carley Daniels finished fifth in the section in assists with 105.
Four Jamestown girls — Stam, junior Anna Engquist, sophomore Makena Pryce and eighth-grader Payton Gibbs — scored more than 100 points.
- Randolph’s Skylar Herington is third in Section VI in scoring at 25.5 points per game. P-J file photo
- Frewsburg’s Jadyn Trocki finished the regular season ninth in Section VI in assists and 11th in steals. P-J file photo