A Voice from the Eastern Door
A Voice from the Eastern Door
By Andy Gardner.
In recent Salmon River and Massena varsity sports action, the Shamrocks boys hockey squad tied with Thousand Islands and, in their season opener, beat Malone. Meanwhile in girls basketball, Massena came out the victors of a bout with Salmon River.
Saturday, Dec. 9, boys hockey, Salmon River 5 Thousand Islands 5 (OT tie) – The Salmon River boys varsity hockey team concluded a thrilling and high-scoring match against Thousand Islands, ultimately securing a well-fought tie as the contest remained undecided even after overtime.
The action-packed game kicked off with Owen Bismarck notching a goal for the Islanders in the middle of the first period. Responding swiftly, Salmon River’s Canyon Laughing matched him, ensuring an early equilibrium. Nevertheless, Thousand Islands managed to take a slender 2-1 lead into the intermission after Cooper Solar redirected a pass from Austen Packer past Shamrock goalie Ethan Gibson late in the opening period.
The second period witnessed Salmon River seizing control, courtesy of outstanding performances by Carter Johnson and Dylan Johnson. The dynamic duo combined for three goals in a five-minute span, propelling the Shamrocks to a 4-3 advantage heading into the final stanza.
In a game characterized by momentum shifts, Ray Peters and Mason Savage orchestrated a comeback for the Islanders in the early stages of the third period, securing a 5-4 lead. The tension reached its peak with only thirty seconds remaining in regulation when Carter Johnson, receiving a precision pass from Alex Delormier, netted his third goal of the evening, forcing the game into overtime.
The extra period unfolded as a goaltending duel, with both netminders delivering stellar performances to maintain the deadlock.
Carter Johnson emerged as the standout for the Shamrocks, completing a hat trick, while Dylan Johnson (with one assist) and Laughing also found the back of the net. Delormier and Oscar Cook showcased their playmaking skills with two assists each, and Kahontiio Lazore contributed with a solo helper. Gibson, guarding the net for the Shamrocks, made an impressive 39 saves.
For the Islanders, Bismarck contributed two goals, and Savage had a standout night with three points (one goal, two assists). Peters and Solar each added a goal to the scoreboard, and Evan Sanford recorded two assists, supported by Kole Steben’s one helper. Sean Sherboneau, the Islanders’ goaltender, concluded the game with 38 saves. The collective effort of both teams, highlighted by individual performances, made this contest a memorable and evenly contested battle on the ice.
Thursday, Dec. 7, girls basketball, Franklin Academy 74 Salmon River 11 – The Franklin Academy girls varsity basketball team clinched their second victory of the season, marking their inaugural triumph in the Central Division as they dominated Salmon River with a resounding 74-11 win on Thursday night in Malone.
Leading the scoring for Salmon River, Taya Ransom of the Shamrocks contributed four points, while Adrienne Brill added three, and Ariyah LaFrance and Shania Stewart each notched two points.
From the opening quarter, the Huskies asserted their dominance, amassing a commanding 16-5 lead over the Shamrocks. Building on this momentum, they expanded their advantage to a staggering 28 points by halftime. The second half showcased the Huskies’ prowess on both offensive and defensive fronts, resulting in a lopsided 39-4 scoring differential in favor of Malone.
A notable aspect of Malone’s success was the balanced scoring effort exhibited by all six Husky players throughout the game. Ava Lilliock led the scoring charts with an impressive 17 points, closely followed by Raegan McArdle with 16. Alyvia Roberts contributed 15 points, while Lilliana Sosa added 14 to the tally. Sadie Varin made her presence felt with eight points, and Peyton Welch rounded out the scoresheet with four.
Wednesday, Dec. 6, girls basketball, Massena 68, Salmon River 18 – Meghan Firnstein scored 21 points and Sophie Greco netted 17 as the Raiders beat the Shamrocks in an NAC Central Division game in Fort Covington. Sydney Rochefort added 10 points for Massena.
Monday, Dec. 4, boys basketball, Hermon-Dekalb 42 Salmon River 38 – In a game decided by just five points, Edward Jacobs scored a game-high 18 points for Salmon River and Ty Leroux and Chaiff Fayad each added four.
For the Green Demons, Emerson McQuade (10), Jeremey Carr (8) and Noah Locy (8) combined for 26 points in the second half as Hermon-DeKalb shaded Salmon River 42-38 to win its debut under first year coach Jake Fenlong. McQuade went 7-7 from the foul line in a 16-point effort and Locy also finished with 16 points. Hunter Bouchey added five points.
Friday, Dec. 1, boys hockey, Salmon River 4 Franklin Academy 2 – In the inaugural matchup of the season at the Malone Civic Center, the Salmon River boys varsity hockey team exhibited their prowess by defeating Franklin Academy with a final score of 4-2 on a Friday night.
Heading into this season, the Shamrocks faced numerous uncertainties, having lost key players from the previous year’s state semifinalist team. Despite these challenges, Section 10 still regards the Shamrocks as the team to beat, and the early signs suggest that this perception holds true.
The opening minutes of the game saw Oscar Cook making a statement by scoring within the first five minutes, courtesy of a precise pass from Casey Jacobs. Shortly thereafter, Bronson Bero extended the lead, finding the back of the net to give the Shamrocks a comfortable 2-0 advantage by the end of the first period.
The second period showcased the offensive prowess of Carter Johnson, who notched two goals, further solidifying the Shamrocks’ dominance with a 4-0 lead. Recognizing the challenge posed by the Shamrocks, the Huskies opted for a change in netminder, relieving Trevyin Deyour and bringing in Eli Rivera. Deyour concluded the night with 10 saves.
Malone’s Brock Spaulding managed to break through the Shamrocks’ defense late in the second period, capitalizing on assists from Jake Kaska and Trent Carriero to put Malone on the scoreboard.
As the game progressed into the third period, both teams engaged in a fierce battle, resulting in a near standstill. However, with under two minutes remaining, Malone’s Jonathan Scharf seized an opportunity to narrow the margin. Unfortunately for Malone, the Salmon defense held strong, securing a 4-2 victory.
Carter Johnson emerged as a standout performer for the Shamrocks, not only netting two goals but also contributing an assist. Cook and Bero added to the scoring, with Jacobs showcasing playmaking skills by recording an assist. Ethan Gibson, guarding the net for Salmon River, demonstrated resilience with 24 saves.
For the Huskies, Spaulding and Scharf each contributed goals, with Spaulding also recording an assist. Kaska and Carriero provided crucial support with solo assists. Deyour and Rivera, the goaltenders for Malone, combined for a total of 26 saves, reflecting their efforts in facing the offensive onslaught from the Shamrocks.
Wednesday, Nov. 29, girls basketball, Massena 52 Potsdam 30 – The Raiders took a 22-4 lead after one quarter in a Northern Athletic Conference Central Division win over Potsdam in the season-opener for both teams at Massena.
Sophia Greco scored 15 points with a good showing from the three-point line. Meghan Firnstein added 13 points. Emma Fields scored nine points for Potsdam.
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