Sports
AUTO RACING: Burley named Big R’s top driver
Todd Burley was named Ransomville Speedway’s Driver of the Year after winning the modified division with six feature wins during the season. Pete Bicknell was second and Chad Brachmann was third.
Ryan Susice became the youngest champion in the sportsman division. Susice won six times on the year en route to the 2009 Performance Award. Don Spatorico and Justin Wright rounded out the top three.
Derrick Borkenhagen took the checkered flag three times this season on his way to the streetstock title. Borkenhagen nipped Ricky Wachburn on the final night of racing for the title. Scott Krull was third.
Jamie O’Donnell was the Firehall Enduro champion, while Darryl Haag took the inaugural Flexcare 4-Bangers title.
Most popular driver awards, decided by fan voting, were given to Jeff McGinnis (modified), Susice (sportsman), Gerald Poole (streetstock) and Jamie Woods (4-cylinder).
Most improved awards were handed out to Tommy Flannigan (modified), John Smith (sportsman) and Webb Nashwinter (streetstock).
Best looking car went to Erick Rudolph (modified), Spatorico (sportsman), Mike Greenwalt (streetstock) and Mike Pahl (4-cylinder).
Rookie of the Year was awarded to Mat Williamson (modified), Mike Williams (sportsman) and Timmy Kott (streetstock).
Justin Wright was given the Trevor Wilkins Memorial Hard Charger award, which is given to a sportsman competitor that comes from the back on a weekly basis.
The Jimmy Binks Memorial Mechanic of the Year award was presented to Ralph Vinson, who works on his son Rich’s modified machine.
Sam Crogan was handed the Hard Luck award after he suffered a season-ending crash midway through the season.
Robbie Krull was presented with the Sportsmanship award.
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News names Farrell swimming POY
Scott Farrell, the Tonawanda News' Player of the Year in boys swimming, capped his five-year varsity career at NTHS by competing in the 50 and 100 freestyle events at the NYS championships, during which he was named the recipient of the Section VI Sporstmanship Award.
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For SU, tourney will show whether key departures were a blessing
“Certainly it hurts to lose your top three scorers,” said Andy Rautins, a fifth-year senior for the Orange. “But at the same time, it made us into a better team. We have a lot of chemistry this year. Everybody is always on the same page regardless of what five guys are on the floor. I think we’re a very unselfish team. That’s what has made us so successful.”
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MMA: GI’s Weiser heads from field to octagon
Former Grand Island standout and current Buffalo State linebacker Eddie Weiser’s roots run deep when it comes to fighting.
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NCAA TOURNAMENT: Gonzaga trumpets small conference cause as a mid-major player
With a big budget, a 6,000-seat arena that’s nearly impossible to get into, and a string of top national and international recruits, Gonzaga has become the poster child for the emergence of mid-major basketball.
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Blue Devils' Badgley to step down
After 10 seasons as head coach of the Kenmore West boys basketball team, Jim Badgley is resigning in order to spend more time with family.
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SABRES: Miller pulled in 4-3 loss to Thrashers
Ryan Miller was pulled after giving up three goals in the first 6 minutes and Jim Slater’s third-period goal gave the Thrashers a 4-3 win over the Northeast-leading Sabres on Tuesday night.
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Blachowski lifts Lightning to state hockey title
Chris Blachowski buried the game-winning goal with under four minutes left in regulation, lifting the Tonawanda Lightning 99s to the title over the host Binghamton Jr. Senators.
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Caruana named News' Wrestler of the Year
Kenmore West sophomore Dylan Caruana compiled an overall record of 37-5 this season en route to the Section VI title at 119 pounds and a bid to the state tournament.
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TENNIS: Ken White revels in match of a lifetime
City of Tonawanda native Ken White played the biggest match of his career when he recently competed in the Babolat World Tennis Championships in Palm Springs, Calif.
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HOCKEY: Kenmore East's Arnone is Player of the Year
Mark Arnone led the division with 18 goals and 15 assists during the regular season. He's also Kenmore East's career leader in points and goals.
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