Natalie Angeletti

Natalie Angeletti’s dream of winning a state title at Panama was cut short in early March when the Panthers’ season came to an end due to the coronavirus pandemic.

While the ultimate team validation of a championship never came, individual validation for the work Angeletti put in over six years at Panama came Wednesday.

The Panthers’ senior forward was named the Class D Player of the Year by the New York State Sportswriters Association, headlining a group of 14 local athletes recognized.

Angeletti averaged 16.5 points, 12.7 rebounds, 3.1 steals, 2.8 assists and 1.7 blocked shots per game this past season for the Panthers en route to being named the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 West and Post-Journal Player of the Year.

She was joined on the Class D First Team by senior teammate Kylie Schnars, who averaged 16.8 points, 7.6 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.4 assists and 1.3 blocked shots per game en route to being named to the CCAA Division 2 West First Team and Post-Journal First Team, and freshman teammate Mandy Brink, who averaged 13.8 points, 3.9 steals, 3.1 assists and 2.5 rebounds per game on her way to CCAA Division 2 West First-Team and Post-Journal Second-Team recognition.

Kylie Schnars

Dunkirk, which enjoyed its greatest season in history behind Post-Journal Coach of the Year Ken Ricker, saw four of its five senior starters receive all-state recognition in Class B. Kymi Nance received Second-Team recognition after averaging 20 points, six rebounds, three assists and three steals per game on her way to CCAA Division 1 West First-Team and Post-Journal First-Team honors. Nadara Odell was named to the Fourth Team after averaging 23 points and nine rebounds per game. She was earlier named the CCAA Division 1 West Player of the Year and received Third-Team Post-Journal honors. Point guard Jessica Beehler was named to the all-state 15th Team after averaging 9 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds per game for the Marauders. She was named to the CCAA Division 1 West First Team as well as The Post-Journal’s First Team. Finally, 3-point specialist Olivia Smith was an Honorable-Mention selection.

Also in Class B, Southwestern senior Gianna Hoose was named to the Sixth Team after averaging 16.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game for the Trojans. She was earlier named a CCAA Division 1 West First-Team all-star and a Post-Journal Second-Team all-star.

Randolph junior Sydney Hvizdzak was named to the Class C Fourth Team after averaging 24.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals per game for the Cardinals. She was named a CCAA Division 1 East First-Team all-star and a Post-Journal First-Team all-star. Chautauqua Lake sophomore Lily Woodis was named to the Sixth Team after averaging 15.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.3 blocked shots per game for the Thunderbirds. She was a CCAA Division 1 West First-Team and Post-Journal Second-Team all-star. Silver Creek sophomore Abby Rice received Eighth-Team recognition after averaging 17.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.1 steals and 2.1 blocked shots per game for the Black Knights. She was a CCAA Division 1 East First-Team and Post-Journal Second-Team selection. Maple Grove senior Bre Hill rounded out the Class C selections locally with 10th-Team recognition. Hill averaged 16.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.2 steals, 1.9 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game for the Red Dragons en route to Second-Team CCAA Division 1 West and Post-Journal honors.

In Class D, Sherman senior Carrie Sands was named to the Fifth Team after averaging 11.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 1.5 steals per game for the Wildcats. Her junior teammate MacKenzie Gratto was an Honorable-Mention selection after posting averages of 11.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.7 steals, 1.1 assists and 1.0 blocked shots per game.

Cambridge senior Sophie Phillips was named the Class C Player of the Year while her twin sister, Lilly, was named to the First Team. Cambridge beat Maple Grove in the 2019 state semifinals. Franklinville senior Dani Haskell was named to the First Team along with Holland sophomore Claire Pikett. Holland senior Myla Kline was named to the Second Team and Portville senior Karly Welty was named to the Fourth Team while Franklinville senior Abby McCoy made the Sixth Team.

Mandy Brink

Horace Mann senior Ella Anthony and South Jefferson’s Jackie Piddock were named co-Players of the Year in Class B. Other Section VI honorees included: City Honors junior Kyra Wood, First Team; Iroquois senior Logan Streety, Third Team; Iroquois junior Emily McLaughlin, Seventh Team; Olmsted senior Gabrielle McDuffie, 10th Team; Depew freshman Kaylee Krysztof, 12th Team; Springville eighth-grader Mackenzie Owens, 14th Team; Maryvale senior Christie McGee-Ross, 14th Team; City Honors senior Desmonique Veal, 15th Team; Eden junior Brooke Woodard, Honorable Mention; Wilson senior Skylar Munnikhuysen, Honorable Mention; East Aurora sophomore Haley Potenza, Honorable Mention; Eden sophomore Jessica Zittel, Honorable Mention; and Wilson senior Izzy Dinse, Honorable Mention.

In Class AA, Ursuline junior Sonia Citron was named the Player of the Year. Section VI athletes honored included: Clarence senior Claire Kiener, Eighth Team; Orchard Park senior Lily Flannery, 10th Team; Williamsville North junior Marcie Colca, 12th Team; Lockport senior Camri King, 13th Team; Williamsville North senior Courtney Herlan, Honorable Mention; and Orchard Park sophomore Madison Stevenson, Honorable Mention.

Williamsville South junior Amari DeBarry — a verbal commit to UConn — was named the Class A Player of the Year. Other Section VI players honored included: Grand Island senior Lydia Sweeney, Second Team; Amherst junior Ella Wanzer, Third Team; Williamsville South senior Hannah Dolan, Sixth Team; Williamsville South freshman Gretchen Dolan, Seventh Team; Hamburg freshman Claire Strock, Ninth Team; Hutch Tech junior Cortinea Smith, 10th Team; Lake Shore senior Jadyn Jones, 11th Team; Lewiston-Porter senior Claire Skowronski, 12th Team; Emerson junior Jayda Smith, 14th Team; Amherst junior Emma Klein, 15th Team; Lewiston-Porter freshman Sophie Auer, Honorable Mention; Lake Shore senior Sophie Snyder, Honorable Mention; and Hamburg sophomore Maddy Harrison, Honorable Mention.

Kymi Nance

Nadara Odell

Olivia Smith

Sydney Hvizdzak

Gianna Hoose

Lily Woodis

Abby Rice

Bre Hill

Carrie Sands

MacKenzie Gratto