Both squads are looking for a first sectional title since merging. One squad has a combined five titles, while the other has seven. Genesee Valley-Belfast and Arkport-Canaseraga will battle in the Class D Sectional title game. Here’s the breakdown:
Class D
No. 1 GENESEE VALLEY-BELFAST (17-4 / Allegany I)
vs.
No. 2 ARKPORT-CANASERAGA (13-3 / Steuben)
Saturday, Hornell HS, 1 p.m.
How they arrived here: Top-seeded Genesee Valley-Belfast defeated Andover-Whitesville (17-1) and reigning champion Avoca-Prattsburgh (5-4) to reach the Class D final. Arkport-Canaseraga beat Elba (5-2) and Fillmore (9-6) en route to the championship game.
Tempo and trends: Genesee Valley-Belfast averages 11.57 runs per game and allows 2.52. Arkport-Canaseraga scores 8.88 runs while allowing 3.31 runs. Genesee Valley-Belfast has won three of the last four and has posted eight shutouts this season. Arkport-Canaseraga is riding a five-game win streak into the championship game.
Players to watch for Genesee Valley-Belfast: Matt Cater Sr. 3B .475 AVG, 40 RBI, nine 2B, two 3B, four HR, 23 SB; Ryan Daciw Jr. 5-1 W-L, 2.27 ERA, .512 AVG, 23 RBI; Ian MacKenzie So. SS .365 AVG, 23 RBI, 22 SB; Evan Turybury Jr. C .315 AVG, 14 RBI, 22 SB; Ben Cater Fr. 6-0 W-L, 0.80 ERA, 27.0 IP, 49 K; Ty Hutchison Jr. 2B .410 AVG, 13 RBI, eight SB
Arkport-Canaseraga: Ben Leibham Sr.; Bryer Drake Jr.; Eli Merry Jr.; Tayven Lavesky Jr.; Bryson Jones Jr.; John Marcus So.; Micah Marvin So.; Caden Carey Fr.
Coaches: Dennie Miles (Genesee Valley-Belfast), Nick Smith (Arkport-Canaseraga)
History 101: Since merging, both squads are looking for a first sectional title. Genesee Valley has four sectional titles with the most recent coming in 2016, while Belfast won its lone title in 1986. Arkport holds six titles, including five since the turn of the millennium. Canaseraga won its only title in 1973. Genesee Valley-Belfast head coach Dennie Miles, who recently registered the 800th victory of his coaching career, will be looking to claim a sectional title with his third different Section V program. Miles previously won championships with Wellsville and Avoca-Prattsburgh.
What’s at stake: A spot in the Class D Far West Regional against the Section VI winner.
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