One team is making its third straight appearance in the state tournament and its sixth in program history. The other is coming off its first sectional championship in 43 years. Aquinas and West Seneca (VI) are set to face off in the Class AAA state quarterfinals. Here’s the breakdown:
AQUINAS LI’L IRISH
(12-9 / Private/Parochial / No. 24 NYSSWA)
vs.
WEST SENECA WARHAWKS
(20-2 / ECIC I / No. 16 NYSSWA)
Friday, Finger Lakes Community College, 7:45 p.m.
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM STEVEN TWARDZIK.
How they arrived here: Aquinas defeated Rush-Henrietta (74-17), Greece Arcadia/Olympia (79-32) and Fairport (59-52) to arrive at the state quarterfinals. West Seneca West defeated Jamestown (78-54) and Lancaster (56-40) to make a state quarterfinals appearance.
Scoring offense: Aquinas (55.3), West Seneca West (71.1)
Scoring defense: Aquinas (49.9), West Seneca West (40.8)
Trends: Aquinas enters the tournament on a five-game win streak including three double-digit victories. West Seneca West enters on a six-game winning streak with each of those wins coming by double-digits.
Players to watch for Aquinas: Loren Green Jr. (21.0 PPG, 2.0 APG), AJ Orr Sr. (14.0 PPG, 5.0 SPG, 4.0 RPG), Jade Harvey Jr. (9.0 PPG, 3.0 RPG), Carle Thomas So. (9.0 PPG)
West Seneca: Ava Gunnells Sr. (18.1 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.9 BLK/G, 1.7 STL/G); Bellarose Milligan Jr. (15.9 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 4.1 STL/G); Jayden Ecker Sr. (11.4 PPG, 6.6 APG, 5.3 RPG, four STL/G); Isabella Ceccarelli So. (nine PPG, 3.6 RPG, 1.7 STL/G); Juliana Vanegas So. (5.5 PPG, 3.7 RPG, 1.2 STL/G).
Coaches: Mark Loria (Aquinas), Joe Dougherty (West Seneca)
History 101: Aquinas is looking to win its third straight regional title in a third different class. The Li’l Irish took the A championship in 2024 and the AA championship in 2025. AQ is 5-0 in state quarterfinal matchups with wins over Eden in 2011, Olean (2012), Lewiston-Porter (2024) and Starpoint in 2025. West Seneca combined its two high schools (East and West) for the first time in the programs’ histories. West Seneca West won a Class A1 title in 1983.
What’s at stake: A ticket to the Class AAA state semifinals against the winner of William Floyd (XI) and Corning-Painted Post (IV).
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