(Franklinville's Sam Erickson is guarded by Elliot Bowen of Ellicottville)

 

Here's a list of what I think are the top games to follow this week:

 

Monday, January 8th

Ellicottville @ Franklinville – 7:30 pm

Silver Creek @ Allegany-Limestone – 7:30 pm

Southwestern @ Dunkirk – 7:30 pm

 

Tuesday, January 9th

Park @ Timon – 6:30 pm

Jamestown @ West Seneca West – 6:30 pm

Wilson @ Medina – 6:30 pm

Grand Island @ Lockport – 6:30 pm

East @ Middle College – 6:30 pm

McKinley @ Burgard – 6:30 pm

MST Seneca @ Olmsted – 6:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Canisius – 7 pm

Lancaster @ Williamsville North – 7:30 pm

Cardinal O'Hara @ St. Mary's – 7:30 pm

 

Thursday, January 11th

Health Sciences @ Tapestry – 6 pm

Grand Island @ West Seneca West – 6:30 pm

Allegany-Limestone @ Gowanda – 7:30 pm

 

Friday, January 12th

Medina @ Newfane – 6:30 pm

Niagara Catholic @ Cardinal O'Hara – 6:30 pm

St. Joe's @ Timon – 6:30 pm

Cheektowaga @ Lake Shore – 6:30 pm

Canisius @ St. Francis – 7 pm

Williamsville South @ Sweet Home – 6:30 pm

Williamsville North @ Jamestown – 7:30 pm

Orchard Park @ Clarence – 7:30 pm

MLK Classic at City Honors HS

City Honors vs. JFK – 4:30 pm

I-Prep vs. Maritime – 6 pm

Hutch-Tech vs. Dunkirk – 7:30 pm

 

Saturday, January 13th

MLK Classic at City Honors HS

Middle College vs. Tapestry – 11 am

Olmsted vs. East Aurora – 1 pm

McKinley vs. Amherst – 3:30 pm

East vs. Health Sciences – 5:30 pm

 

* Game of the Week * – Ellicottville @ Franklinville on Monday, January 8th

Remember last season when I kept highlighting the fact that Franklinville and Ellicottville were both top area small schools that each started all underclassmen?  Well they're all back, they remain two of the very best small schools in WNY, and the time has come for them to renew their rivalry once again and entertain fans with the game they've looked forward to & talked about for months.

The cool thing about this rivalry, besides the already stated parallels of returning lineups, is that these guys are all buddies that spent the summer and fall going to battle with each other, not against.  Not only do the players team up in the summer for AAU ball, but they were part of a combined program in football that rode an undefeated season into the Section VI Class D Final.  But come hoops time, they go at each other!

Last season, the the two were co-champions of CCAA II East, with each team winning on the other's home court.  There was a rubber match played in the Class D semifinals at JCC, and it was the Panthers who prevailed handily and went on to begin a state run.

Following the season, Elliot Bowen of Ellicottville and Sam Erickson from Franklinville were each selected to the 2017 All-Centercourt Fourth Team, rewarding outstanding top 20 seasons turned in by both.  A few weeks later, it was announced that Bowen had repeated as a First Team All-State pick, while Erickson earned a place on the All-State Second Team.

Currently this season, they are each in the top 10 of the NYS Class D state rankings.  Franklinville is one of two Section VI teams that reached the state final four last year, while Ellicottville is one of just three teams remaining in all of WNY with an undefeated record.

This might be the first of three games between the two again this season, but I'm not waiting past Monday night to see them square off.  The two hour drive from my house just past Farmersville to Franklinville High School should be well worth it and I'm going to cue up the same Fetty Wap tracks I remember listening to when I made the same trip to see the same game last season, just for the sake of tradition.  You can click HERE to read my article on the first game they played last year.  It was the 'Game of the Week' then too!

 

-centercourt