Daily Sports Digest: Pearl River Advances, Albertus Faces Rematch with Burke

The Pirates dictated the tempo and controlled the pace of the game from the opening tip to open the state playofs by, Tuesday at Johnson City.

Senior captain Christa Scognamiglio led Pearl River with 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and four steals in the win and Allison Cook scored 12. The Pirates ended the game with 24 steals, eight of them by Kerry Sullivan, who also added eight points and 10 rebounds.

Senior Courtney Melia led the Indians with 11 points in the loss.

Pearl River’s season will continue as the Pirates (21-2) will meet up with Section 9’s Red Hook 115-6) Friday at Mount St. Mary’s College at 5:30 p.m.

Albertus Magnus Faces Burke Catholic Again

One year ago, Section 9 champion Burke Catholic defeated Albertus Magnus, 75-65, in the first round of the state Class B playoffs.

The two teams meet in the first round of states again 7:30 p.m. tonight at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh.

Burke returns only one starter from that game, but he is a good one. Senior guard Zach Rufer sdored 21 points when these teams met last year. Stan Buczek, a 6-foot-6 junior forward who is now a starter, came off the bench with 15 in that game for Burke, which is 17-3 this season despite the turnover in its lineup. 

Albertus Magnus features a quality big man of its own in senior Tyler Sayre, the school's all-time leading scorer and MVP of the Section 1 Class B Tournament. The Falcons' guards must handle Burke's pressure, something they did not in the second half last season. 

Tuesday’s Results:

Sport: Boys Basketball Class A Regional Semifinals

Game: Tappan Zee vs. Seton Catholic (Section 4)

Score: Tappan Zee Won 51-27

Highlights: Seton Catholic Central kept the game close for the majority of the first half but the Dutchmen pulled away at the end of the second quarter and turned the game into a blowout. Tappan Zee was led by Pat Peterson’s 14 points and 10 rebounds as Brian McLaughlin added 12 points and Joe Letizia tacked on 10. 

Seton Catholic was led by Tom Torto’s 13 and Cole Smothers’ 10 in the loss.

Tappan Zee will head to Mount St. Mary College on Friday to take on Section 9’s Red Hook at 5:30 p.m.

Sport: Girls Basketball Class B Regional Semifinals

Game: Irvington vs. Highland (Section 9)

Score: Irvington Won 79-36

Highlights: The Bulldogs pounced on every Highland mistake early and Irvington jumped out to a 26-4 lead at the end of the first quarter. Lexi Martins and Marley Giddins led the team with 20 points each and Martins picked up yet another double-double as she collected 16 rebounds.

Kelly Murphy finished the game with 10 points in the loss.

Irvington will face off against the winner of the Cold Spring Harbor/South Hampton game on Mar. 10 at 5 p.m. at Farmingdale State.

Sport: Boys Basketball Class C Regional Semifinals

Game: Tuckahoe vs. Pine Plains (Section 9)

Score: Tuckahoe Won 62-44

Highlights: Tuckahoe’s Sky Williams proved once again that he is one of the best scorers in the state as he led the tigers with 35 points, Williams also picked up a double-double with 12 rebounds and he was the only Tiger to reach double figures but several other players made contributions as the team turned the game into a blow out in the second half. Justin Nolan had eight points and nine rebounds, Tyler Freire scored seven and Shyheim Nixon tacked on six points and six assists in the win.

Rob Lamont led Pine Plains in the loss with 13 points and eight rebounds and Zach Lyndon scored 10.

Tuckahoe will take on the winner of the East Rockaway/Pierson game on Saturday Mar. 10 at 2:45 p.m. at SUNY New Paltz.

Sport: Girls Basketball Class C Regional Semifinals

Game: Hamilton vs. Coleman Catholic (Section 9)

Score: Coleman Catholic Won 49-44

Highlights: Hamilton’s furious comeback fell short as Coleman Catholic was able to hold on for the five-point victory.

Mackenzie Burud and Lauren Melville led Coleman with 12 points each in the victory.

Hamilton was led by Maia Hood and Amani Lightbourne who each had 14 points.

Sport: Boys Basketball Class D Regional Semifinals

Game: Livingston Manor vs. Greenburgh Academy (Section 9)

Score: Livingston Manor Won 86-54

Highlights: After being awarded the section championship due to issues with eligibility of one of Biondi’s players Greenbugh Academy fell in the regional semifinal. Tony Testagrose picked up 18 points for Greenburgh Academy and Yubiny Henriques added 17 in the blowout loss.

Senior Troy Correa led all scorers with 31 points for Livingston Manner, Mike Mills added 17 and Ken Fisk picked up 16 in the win.

Livingston Manor will go on to play Section 11’s Bridgehampton on Mar. 10 at SUNY New Paltz at 4:30 p.m.

Today’s Schedule:

In boys basketball, Section 9 champion Burke Catholic will host Albertus Magnus at Mount St. Mary College in Newburgh at 7:45 p.m. in the Class B Regional Semifinals. 

College Sports Notebook

Bonnies fall short in title game

The St. Bonaventure University women’s basketball team climbed out of a 22-point deficit to take a late lead, but Dayton pulled out a 56-53 victory in the final of the Atlantic 10 championship in Philadelphia.

St. Bonaventure (29-3), ranked No. 16, held a one-point lead with 2:16 to go, but Dayton (23-6) sank free throws a minute later and hung on for the win.

Alaina Walker of Pomona had five rebounds and four points for the Bonnies, including two free throws to give St. Bonaventure its first lead at 51-50.

St. Bonaventure is awaiting word on whether it will receive an at-large berth into its first-ever NCAA Championship.

Mortarboard musings

• Andrew Moscadelli of Pearl River, a sophomore defenseman, and the Wentworth College hockey team advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament after upsetting two-time defending champion Curry, 1-0, in overtime. The Leopards (20-6-1), earning their fifth berth into the tournament, will travel to Plymouth State (17-6-3) to play a first-round game on Wednesday night at 7 p.m.
• The Dominican College baseball is headed home after a road trip to Florida ended with a 13-5 non-conference loss to St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, FL. The Chargers (1-3) are scheduled to visit C.W. Post, another non-conference foe, on Friday at 3 p.m.

• The Iona College baseball team, coming off a trip to Cullowhee, NC, to meet Western Carolina, has a weekend trip scheduled in Philadelphia. The Gaels, featuring senior right-handers Hugh Henry of Mount Vernon and Anthony Castellitto of Mahopac, take on Saint Joseph’s on Friday, and then meet Villanova and Temple on Saturday and Sunday. Junior right-hander Pete Ladis of Yonkers is also on the staff, and Dean Dignelli of Katonah is a veteran outfielder.

Weekly Sports Poll

This week’s poll deals with the New York Jets and quarterbacks Mark Sanchez and Peyton Manning. If you were sitting in General Manager Mike Tannenbaum’s chair would you make a hard push for the NFL’s only four-time MVP, would you ride out the turbulence with the Sanchize, or would you bring in Manning to mentor Sanchez in his fourth year in the league?

Let your voice be heard in our .