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Westfield, Gowanda Take On Section V Today

Haleigh Dellow (11) and the Westfield Wolverines, coached by Shawn Gnadzinski, left, will take on Section V champion Scio-Friendship in a rematch of last year’s Far West Regional today in Gowanda. P-J file photo by Matt Spielman

One time in program history, Westfield advanced past the Far West Regional stage of the state softball playoffs.

For Gowanda, it’s never happened.

Both the Wolverines and Panthers will be playing for a trip to Long Island tonight.

Gowanda High School will be the site as Westfield and Gowanda attempt to take down their Section V counterparts in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association quarterfinals.

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Jada Geiger (1) and the Gowanda Panthers, coached by Mike Maloney, left, will have a home Far West Regional today at 5 p.m. against Section V champion Bolivar-Richburg. P-J file photo by Matt Spielman

The Panthers, who had never won a Section VI championship until Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Chautauqua Lake at Allegany-Limestone, will take the field first at 5 p.m. when they battle Bolivar-Richburg in the Class C regional.

Gowanda, now 15-6 on the season and the No. 13 Class C team in the state according to the latest New York State Sportswriters Association rankings, entered the sectional playoffs as the No. 7 seed after 7-3 record in Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 East play. After beating Frewsburg 15-1 at home, the Panthers went on the road to beat No. 2 Randolph 8-5 in the quarterfinals and No. 6 Silver Creek 5-3 in the semifinals before Tuesday night.

Bolivar-Richburg is now 23-2 on the season after Tuesday’s 10-8 victory over Addison in the overall Class C final. The Wolverines, who are ranked No. 2, won Rochester’s Class C2 title with a 5-0 shutout of Dundee-Bradford, while Addison was the Class C1 winner after beating Letchworth 4-2.

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Westfield, which has now won five sectional crowns after Tuesday’s 4-0 shutout of Clymer/Sherman in the sectional final, will take on Scio/Friendship at 7 p.m. in a Class D rematch of last year’s Far West Regional that was played at Fillmore High School.

Westfield’s previous four appearances in the state quarterfinals ended with just one victory, in 2007 when the Wolverines beat Section V’s Pembroke in the Class C regional before falling to eventual state champion Hoosic Valley of Section II in the semifinals.

Westfield is currently ranked No. 2 in the state and sports a 20-1 record that includes 18 straight victories since losing to Gowanda on April 15.

Scio/Friendship, which lost to eventual champion Deposit/Hancock of Section IV in the state semifinals after beating Westfield a year ago, won the Section V Class D overall title 3-0 over Notre Dame-Batavia. The Golden Eagles, ranked No. 3 in the latest poll, captured the Class D2 crown with a 15-0 shutout of C.G. Finney, while Notre Dame-Batavia beat Lyndonville 5-2 in the Class D1 final.

Scio/Friendship and Westfield will feature rosters fairly recognizable to each other.

The Golden Eagles graduated left fielder Keely Sisson, third baseman Kendra Gleason and first baseman Jadeyn Shields from their 2022 regional championship team, but returned six starters, most notably batterymate sisters in pitcher Nevaeh Ross — now a junior — and catcher Morghyn Ross — now a freshman.

Westfield graduated just one senior from its 2022 sectional championship team in center fielder Bianca Seger. The Wolverines rolled through CCAA Division 2 West play with a 12-0 league record before beating No. 8 Maple Grove, No. 4 Ellicottville and No. 6 Clymer/Sherman by a combined 33-2 in the postseason.

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The state final four will be held next Friday and Saturday at the Moriches Athletic Complex on Long Island. The Class D semifinals will take place at 1 p.m. Friday with the championship game slated for 11:30 a.m. Saturday. The Class C semifinals are scheduled for 6 p.m. Friday with the title game at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Other regionals involving Section VI teams include: Clarence and Rush-Henrietta in Class AA at 11 a.m. Saturday at Webster-Schroeder High School; Williamsville East and Webster Thomas in Class A at 4 p.m. Saturday at Webster-Schroeder High School; and Iroquois and Wellsville in Class B at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Webster-Schroeder High School.

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