Friday, Jan. 15, 2016: West Genesee downs top-ranked Syracuse in hockey

   Leading off today: West Genesee fell behind for the first time in five weeks before rallying to a 3-1 boys hockey victory over Syracuse, the state's top-ranked Division I team, on Thursday.

   Senior defenseman Matt McDonald scored twice for the Wildcats, ranked fifth in the state.

   Colby Skrupa's knuckling shot found the back of the net 43 seconds into the second period, putting the Wildcats behind on the scoreboard for the first time since Dec. 5. but McDonald tied the contest less than five minutes later.

   Less than two minutes later, Jeff Kopek followed up his own shot on a power play and scored the go-ahead goal. McDonald added insurance with 3:37 left in the third period.

   Already in record territory: Becoming a school's career scoring leader understandably is usually somewhat of a big deal. North Shore girls basketball player Gabby Zaffiro accomplished the feat Thursday in very unusual fashion: She did it as a sophomore.

   The 5-foot-9 10th-grader moved to No. 1 on her school's list with a 3-pointer shortly before halftime of the 75-43 victory against Lawrence. Alex Cantwell had scored 1,135 points by the time she graduate last spring.

   "It's very exciting, but I wouldn't have been able to get there without my teammates," Zaffiro, who is averaging 28.3 points per game this season in her fourth season as a starter, told Newsday. "If they weren't able to make the little plays like the assists, rebounds and steals, I wouldn't have been able to break it."

   Montesano steps down: Rush-Henrietta football coach Joe Montesano has decided not to return to the position next season, the Democrat and Chronicle reported.

   Montesano, 40, coached R-H for 11 years, including two Section 5 championships and a NYSPHSAA Class AA title in 2010.

   "He's had quite a run, right up there with everyone else, especially at a large school," Rush-Henrietta AD Tom Stewart told the paper.

   Lawson selected: Corning junior Jessica Lawson has been selected New York's female cross country runner of the year for the second time by Gatorade.

   Lawson, recently named the state runner of the year by the New York State Sportswriters Association, was also the Gatorade award recipient after the 2013 season.

   Lawson was second in the NYSPHSAA Class A championships, won her second Federation crown the following week and went on to an 11th-place showing at the Foot Locker Cross Country Championships last month in San Diego.

   Leftovers from Wednesday action: Dean Baumann scored twice in the first six minutes to start Clarkstown to a 3-2 boys hockey upset of Suffern on Wednesday.

   Suffern is ranked fourth and Clarkstown 12th in the state Division 1 rankings. Suffern had not lost in 38 games against Rockland opponents dating back to December 2006.

   Kyle Ryder knocked in a loose puck with 1:56 to go in the opening period, and goalie Tim Cavanagh made 29 saves.

    • In boys basketball featuring state-ranked Class AA boys teams, No. 9 Aquinas beat No. 6 Fairport 65-54. Earnest Edwards was the leading scorer for Aquinas with 20 points just hours after being selected state co-player of the year in football.

    • In the matchup of state No. 1 teams from Suffolk County, Class C Stony Brook edged Class D Bridgehampton 46-43. Stony Brook built a 19-point lead, held a 35-20 margin at the half and then held on. Luke O'Connor led Stony Brook with 14 points.

   Game ended: Albany's girls basketball game at Bethlehem on Tuesday was ended with 42 seconds to play after a spectator hurled a water bottle onto the court, The Times Union reported.

   Bethlehem led 59-53 when Albany was hit with two technical fouls. Jenna Giacone of Bethlehem made all four free throws to extend the lead. That's when the bottle was thrown in the direction of one of the officials on the court.    The game was declared final with a score of 63-53 and police were called. Fans were asked to leave the gymnasium.