Kearney Classic offers alternative to Super Bowl

RIT hosts games High school hockey players have the ice at the Rochester Institute of Technology's Frank Ritter Ice Arena tonight and Saturday. The McQuaid Invitational Hockey Tournament features two state-ranked teams and area-power Fairport, which takes on Bishop Timon from the Buffalo area in tonight's opening game at 5 p.m. McQuaid (12-3-2), ranked sixth in the state among large schools, takes on ninth-ranked Ithaca (11-6-2) of Section IV at 7:15 p.m. The consolation (10 a.m.) and championship (12:15 p.m.) games are on Saturday Admission each day is $3 for adults, $2 for students and free for children 10 and under.

By Jeff DiVeronica and James Johnson
Democrat and Chronicle

(Friday, February 1, 2002) -- The last thing Tom O'Neil, director of Sunday's Kearney Invitational Basketball Classic, wanted was to have the 13th annual event go head to head with the Super Bowl.

But when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks pushed the big game back a week, that's what happened. Bishop Kearney officials tried to reschedule the event, which is at Blue Cross Arena at the Community War Memorial, but it wasn't feasible, athletic director Pat Grow said.

''We tried to get it moved but too many teams in it couldn't do it,'' Grow said. ''We tried to move it to (last Sunday) -- the War Memorial was ready for us -- but there were too many conflicts, (our teams) included.''

So the show will go on (admission $5). The five-game lineup begins at noon with probably the day's best game: the Rush-Henrietta boys face Greece Athena. Here's the rest of the lineup:

2 p.m. Webster vs. Fairport (girls).

3:30 p.m. McQuaid vs. Canisius (boys).

5:30 p.m. Kearney vs. Elba (girls).

7:30 p.m. Kearney vs. Aquinas (boys).

City girls hoops showcase

Bringing the six Rochester League girls basketball teams up to speed with the top programs in the area will take time.

There have been signs of progress this winter. Franklin barely had enough players to field a varsity team and had no JV club four seasons ago. This week, the Quakers clinched their first outright league title since 1990-91 after sharing it with School of the Arts and East last year.

Wilson senior Kyecia Freeman, who recently scored her 1,000th career point, was a member of last summer's Western Region Empire State Games team.

The coaches in the league are trying to work together more to continue the progress spurred on by among other things, a summer city league that provides opportunities for athletes to play.

All of the league's teams will gather at East on Saturday to play in the first annual Rochester City League Girls Basketball Classic. Festivities will include trophy presentations for outstanding play and sportsmanship, plus salutes to the seniors on each team.

''We wanted to do something special for the players,'' East coach Betty Rich said. ''It's a chance to promote all of the programs in the city.''

Admission is $2 and covers all three games, which begin at noon. Students from middle schools in the Rochester School District have been invited as non-paying guests.

Barons play tough

With just two starters back from last year's 7-14 boys basketball team, most Monroe County opponents probably figured Brighton would be a Division III doormat this winter.

The Barons have been just the opposite.

They are 4-5 in league play and 8-7 overall heading into tonight's game at second-place Pittsford Mendon. Although in fifth place in the seven-team division, Brighton has been a tough out since upsetting Pittsford Sutherland in the season opener.

''I wouldn't have bet on it,'' coach Dave Connolly said, when asked if he would have predicted his team would have more wins than losses after 15 games. ''But with the character of these kids, I'm not surprised.''

Brighton uses a three-guard lineup -- seniors Danny McNamara and Chris Hill and junior Chris O'Rourke. McNamara leads the team in scoring (15 ppg). Junior Jason Moyer, a 6-foot-3 center, also has played well in his first varsity season.

Fast feet in section

Aquinas junior Arel Gordon is establishing himself as one of the state's fastest sprinters this winter.

Gordon is tied for second for the fastest 55-meter dash time in New York at 6.54 seconds. He is behind Central Islip's Oliver Williams (6.39).

Gordon is on top of the state's 45-meter leaderboard (5.54), which includes Edison's Roy Richards, Pittsford Sutherland's Tom Hainsworth, Spencerport's Bryan Zemaitis and Hornell's Tom Laverde in the top eight.

Cheering in the House

A total of 86 teams will compete for nine team titles during the Section V Cheerleading Championships at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday.

The cheering starts at 11 a.m. with the Class D and DD schools and won't stop until after the Class AA awards are handed out at 7:45 p.m. Admission is $5.