Cole Marcoux's fourth-quarter performance at the U.S. Army All-American Bowl in San Antonio opened plenty of eyes. Marcoux, a 6-foot-5, 234-pound Fieldston School senior named to the New York State Sportswriters Association Class B second team last week, impressed observers with two TD passes and several nicely thrown balls while finishing 5-for-8 for 99 yards (plus a two-point conversion) in less than a quarter of work.
Marcoux made the roster by winning a television contest as a last-minute replacement. He won out over seven other QBs on "The Ride," a FOX Sports reality show, after being noticed at a camp in Philadelphia last spring.
"I really wanted this for myself, to compete and stack myself up against everyone else," he told The American-Statesman in Austin, Texas. "The week of practice was just as much of a moment for me as today's game was. Today went unbelievably well and I'm really happy and feel blessed that it did go that way."
Marcoux was 2-for-2 on his first drive, capped off by a 50-yard catch-and-run with wideout Ivan McCartney. Following a successful onside kick, he threw 16 yards to tight end Gerald Christian for another score and then threw the conversion pass to C.J. Fiedorowicz.
New York, long an afterthought for Division I recruiters, has had an outstanding postseason. Marcoux’s showing came on the heels of an outstanding week of practice and game MVP performance by Staten Island Curtis defensive lineman Dominique Easley at the Under Armour All America Game in St. Petersburg, Fla.
First-team all-state linebacker Quentin Gause of Class C Bishop Kearney received a written scholarship offer from Rutgers coach Greg Schiano while in San Antonio for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl junior combine.
Rivalry week for two Section III schools
Jamesville-DeWitt and Christian Brothers Academy, rivals located less than three miles apart outside Syracuse, will compete alongside or against each other 13 times over four days this week.
The schools field combined squads in ice hockey, boys swimming and wrestling but are spirited combatants in a number of other sports. The rivalry is so good that Time Warner will cablecast their boys and girls varsity basketball games locally this week.
The schedule kicks off Wednesday when the indoor track teams compete at the George Constantino Memorial Invitational and with Thursday's hockey game vs. Corcoran.
Girls basketball and boys basketball take the spotlight on Thursday and Friday night, respectively, and there's also a swim meet vs. Mexico on Friday.
On Saturday, the wrestling team is at Marcellus, the hockey team takes on Watertown Immaculate Heart and there's also a boys freshman basketball game in the morning.
Boys basketball: Jamestown stays unbeaten with tournament triumph
Here’s a game that was worth the wait:
Jaysean Paige's 3-pointer with a minute left in the second overtime was the deciding margin for Jamestown as it improved to 9-0 with a 60-59 win over previously unbeaten Newark in the final of the United Way Tournament in Jamestown.
Newark missed a shot at the buzzer before a capacity crowd at the tournament, which had been rescheduled due to a December snow storm.
"It was an epic game. We had a full house; it was loudest it's ever been," Jamestown coach Ben Drake told The Buffalo News. "It was probably the greatest game I've been involved in."
Jamestown's Carlos Rivera led the way with 28 points and eight rebounds, and Fletcher Larson added 12 points and 12 rebounds. Newark's Javon McCrea scored 17 points to go with 25 rebounds.
McCrea, a University of Buffalo recruit, had a stellar weekend. He put up 29 points, 26 rebounds and five blocked shots in a 64-48 victory against Class D power Maple Grove in the first round.
More basketball: Shen'
s state-ranked teams decimated
Eight Shenendehowa varsity basketball players have been hit with four-game suspensions for school code of conduct violations after attending a party at which alcohol was served, several newspapers reported.
Six girls from the state's No. 4 team in Class AA and two boys from the No. 11 squad were affected. The suspensions began last week. Athletic Director Chris Culnan said the party took place on New Year's Eve, and "concerned individuals" contacted girls coach Ken Strube to make him aware. School officials began their investigation on Monday.
"Any time an event like this occurs you’re disappointed," Culnan told The Saratogian. "We have taken steps to try to enforce the importance of proper behavior expected of a Shenendehowa student-athlete."
* Watervliet survived a rugged battle that included 56 fouls and four technicals to defeat Class C No. 1 Voorheesville 66-60 in boys action. Junior guard Devote Gleason led the way with 22 points, five steals and three assists as the Cannoneers handed Voorheesville its first loss. Watervliet junior guard Ryan Manning suffered a broken nose late in the second quarter following a hard foul.
* Maryvale, coached by Mark Kensy, beat Amherst, coached by his son Chris, 66-56 in Section VI boys action. Bryce Shepard had 27 points and 10 rebounds as Maryvale overcame deficits of 10-0 and 22-10.
"I wish him all the luck in the world except two nights in the year," Mark Kensy told The Buffalo News. "He's brought a lot of life to that program and he will continue to be successful."
* North Tonawanda went three overtimes to score a 75-70 win vs. Lewiston-Porter. All-Western New York football players Aaron Davis (29 points, 15 rebounds) and Darrik Bloomfield (21 and 16) put up double-doubles.
Hockey: Suffern prevails in Section I showdown
John Redgate skated onto a loose puck and fed junior forward Mike Gorton for a goal 2:40 into overtime, giving No. 4 Suffern a 5-4 victory over No. 3 Mamaroneck in a clash of state-ranked Division I hockey rivals from Section I.
Mamaroneck, the two-time defending sectional champ, had rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the third period. Suffern won three straight sectional championships from 2005 to 2007. The teams will meet again Feb. 5.
"You get 200 or 300 screaming high school kids. You get all the parents. You get the press. Everything that makes you want to play well is there," Mamaroneck forward Joe Naclerio told The Journal News.
* Nino DiPasquale and Scott Edwards scored for No. 6 Pittsford in a 2-0 triumph over No. 7 Gates Chili in Division I action in Section V.
* Michael Iulianello put up five goals and two assists as Division II No. 1 Webster Thomas downed Webster Schroeder 8-5 to improve to 11-0.
* Ryan Michael had two goals and an assist for No. 1 West Genesee in a 5-2 triumph over No. 9 Oswego as a pair of Section III opponents squared off.
Wrestling: New York dominates at Eastern States
Rocky Point and Johnson City each walked away with a pair of individual champions in a quality field at the Eastern States Wrestling Classic at Sullivan County Community College.
Stephen Dutton (140 pounds) and Anthony Volpe (160) triumphed for Rocky Point. Johnson City's Sean McCormick and Lance Moore won at 112 and 285 pounds, respectively, in a meet attracting competitors from 74 schools in four states.
Greene senior Tyler Beckwith (171), the reigning Division II state champion and three-time sectional champion, gave Section IV a third champ at the meet by posting a pin, three lopsided decisions and then a 4-0 victory over Billy Coggins of Rocky Point.
In an anticipated clash, Andrew Lenzi of Fordham Prep topped Valley Central's Cody Ruggirello 6-5 in the 135-pound final. The Penn recruit was named the meet's top performer after edging Ruggirello, who has a 254-19 career record that includes 24 pins during a 35-1 start this winter. Hauppauge won the team title with 162.5 points.
Indoor track: Masterful duel at Hispanic Games
Emily Lipari of Roslyn finished in 4:54.76 to fend off Cornwall's Aisling Cuffe (4:54.84) in the girls invitational mile at the 16th Hispanic Games at the New York Armory. The times are the fastest in the country this season.
Despite running out of Lane 1 for the first 150 meters, Patrick Farmer of St Anthony's roared to victory in the 400 meters in 0:48.2. Chamique Francis of Cardoza won the girls 400 in 0:55.69. Both are national leaders.
Suffern star Jen Clayton won the girls long jump in 20-5.75 to climb to No. 9 all-time on the U.S. scholastic list, and Oneil Sandiford of Paul Robeson took over the national-season lead in the high jump at 6-10. The two-day event attracted an estimated 5,000 athletes from eight states.
* At the Dartmouth Relays, Lancaster senior Melissa Kurzdorfer scored double, throwing 47-5 in the shot and a meet-record 55-7 in the weight throw.
The Shenendehowa girls rolled to wins in the distance medley relay (12:25.62) and sprint medley (4:15.13) on Friday, and then sophomore Lizzie Predmore returned Saturday to win the 2 miles in 10:36.89, taking over the national season lead.
Odds and ends
Oceanside gymnastics coach Andy Morris picked up his 200th win in the Sailors' meet against Hicksville. Morris has coached for 28 years.
