CENTRAL NEW YORK – From the pinnacle of a first-ever state Class B championship, the Marcellus boys basketball team knew that following it up in 2025-26 would prove a mighty challenge. Gone from those magical Mustangs of 2024-25 are standouts like Mitch Donegan, Connor Ciota and Damyn LeClair, tho ugh point guard Tucker Burnett and forward Dom Gosh-Sandy both return. And Marcellus would not exactly ease into the season, either, instead hosting reigning sectional Class A champion Westhill, the only other Section III side with a state title this decade earned in Class B in 2023. Having moved up to Class A and earned back-to-back sectional titles there, the Wolf Pack still have standouts like Eli Prince, Eli Welch, Jackson Goodness and Kamari Lewis on hand and they would help beat the Mustangs 57-42. Much of this story was about Westhill’s swarming defense, which limited the Mustangs to 14 first-half points. The Wolf Pack surpassed that total late in the first quarter, led by double digits before halftime and never let go of that margin. Prince’s 23 points were supported by 11 points from Lewis and eight points apiece from Goodness, who just led Westhill’s boys soccer team to a state Class B title, and Brahim Altheblah. Gosh-Sandy, meanwhile, was held to two points, something Burnett could not overcome despite his 22 points. Finn Criss and Henry Lawrence added eight points apiece. While the Westhill-Marcellus game drew the most local attention, what Skaneateles senior Reid Danforth accomplished in his team’s season-opening 93-57 win over Solvay on Friday night might not get topped all winter. Having lost last March’s sectional Class B final to Marcellus, the Lakers were eager to get going, as it showed jumping out 32-7 on the Bearcats in the first quarter and maintaining a torrid pace all night. Danforth never let up. Hitting on 20 field goals, six of them 3-pointers, and adding eight free throws, Danforth’s total added up to 54 points, nearly equaling Solvay all by himself. Aiden Beaudet, with 20 points, and Joe Delmonico with 13 points helped out as Solvay got 22 points from Vinny Sinko but only had one other player, Chris Nichols (11 points) hit double figures. Solvay had opened its season hosting Mexico and, despite surrendering a fourth-quarter lead, was able to recover and defeat the Tigers 62-56 in overtime. Looking to improve on last year’s 5-16 mark, the Bearcats rode a strong third quarter to a 41-37 lead. Mexico made up that ground, only to have Solvay limit them to four points in the four-minute extra period. Sinko had an impressive varsity debut, earning 19 points as Nichols added 16 points. On Thursday Westhill ventured to Baldwinsville two nights later and nearly doubled up the Bees in the course of a 72-37 victory. Right from the outset the steady, relentless Wolf Pack defense contained B’ville just like it had with Marcellus, and over the course of the second and third quarters Westhill outscored the Bees 48-15. Prince drew defensive attention and still got 16 points, but it freed up Jack Hayes to set a career mark with 22 points as Trevor Young also stepped up, earning 13 points. Lewis earned eight points and Welch got seven points. Jordan-Elbridge made it two wins in as many games leaning heavily on Nolan Brunelle in a 60-27 rout over Pulaski. By himself, Brunelle managed to outscore the Blue Devils with his 32 points from 11 field goals, two of them 3-pointers, plus eight successful free throws. Chase Brunelle and Westin Werth put up 10 points apiece in support. ...read more read less