One squad has not lost to a team from NYS this season. Another is making its third regional appearance in program history. Wayne and Williamsville South are set to square off against one another in the Boys’ Class A Far West Regional. Here’s the breakdown:
WAYNE EAGLES (22-2 / Finger Lakes East)
vs.
WILLIAMSVILLE SOUTH BILLIES (16-8 / Erie County Interscholastic)
Saturday, Buffalo State, 2:45 p.m.
How they arrived here: Wayne defeated Wilson (83-51), Geneva (65-33) and Pittsford Sutherland (44-34) to reach the Section V Class A title game. The Eagles then downed top-seeded East 48-42 to capture the Class A crown. Williamsville South opened the postseason by defeating South Park (62-44), then Pioneer (48-43) and Amherst (76-71) to hoist the Section VI Class A1 trophy. The Billies then dropped Olean (76-53) to advance to the Far West Regional.
Scoring offense: Wayne (59.6), Williamsville South (61.8)
Scoring defense: Wayne (41.8), Williamsville South (52.0)
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM JENNIFER LAEMLEIN.
SECTION VI NOTES COURTESY OF CHAD ANDREWS/VIEW FROM CENTER COURT.
Trends: Wayne is on a 19-game win streak and has not lost to a team in New York State this year, with its only two losses coming against Northview (CA) and Murphysboro (IL) and has only been in two contests decided by a single possession. Williamsville South has won four straight and seven of the last eight.
Players to watch for Wayne: Cam Blankenberg So. 23.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG; PJ Ostrowski Sr. 17.0 PPG, 10.0 RPG; Stephen Habecker Sr. 6.0 APG, 3.0 SPG, 5.0 RPG; Josh Warner Sr. 2.0 BPG; Aidan Twist So. 5.0 PPG; Jonah Schichtel Sr. 4.0 PPG
Williamsville South: Carter Lampke Jr. F 15.0 PPG, 4.8 RPG, 1.9 APG, 1.9 SPG; Nate Wilemski So. G 11.9 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.7 SPG; John Opfer Sr. G 9.2 PPG, 2.7 RPG; Michael Munzert Sr. F 9.5 PPG, 2.0 RPG, 1.9 SPG, 1.0 BPG; Noah Redd Jr. F 8.7 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 1.4 APG, 1.9 SPG; Sean Munzert So. F 5.7 PPG, 4.5 RPG
Coaches: Bill Thomson (Wayne), Mike Trubisky (Williamsville South)
History 101: Wayne is making its first regional appearance in program history. The Eagles hold three sectional titles but fell in the Far West Regional qualifier twice to Irondequoit in 2017 and 2018. Williamsville South is making its third regional appearance in program history. The Billies are 1-1, having lost to Anthony Lamb and Greece Athena in 2015. In 2016, Williamsville South downed Batavia on a buzzer-beater but fell in the NYS semifinal. Those Will South squads were coached by the late Gabe Michael and led on the floor by current Loyola-Chicago Rambler, Greg Dolan.
What’s at stake: A spot in the NYS Class A semifinal against the winner of Southampton (XI) and Friends Academy (VIII).
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