In 1938 Ontario High School captured their second straight sectional basketball title. In 1949, Ontario High consolidated with neighboring districts to form the Wayne Central School District. In 1964, Wayne played in a sectional title game and lost, never to return to a basketball final until Saturday afternoon’s Section V Class A2 Championship game against Wilson-Magnet at Fairport High School.
Below is video with the call from FL1 Sports of the final minutes of the fourth quarter, post game celebration, and awards ceremony…
Click here for the full game video from Fairport HS on Saturday (camera by Gavin Lennox).
The young Wayne Eagles, starting three sophomores and two juniors, would defeat the Wilson-Magnet Wildcats on Saturday, 50-43, to become the first team in the history of their school to hoist a sectional trophy.
You would have thought this was a grizzled group of senior veterans while watching the Eagles respond to a 4-0 deficit early in the first quarter with a 19-4 run, hold off a third quarter Wilson charge, protect the ball against full-court pressure and pull away late with great foul shooting.
Junior forward Braeeden Zenelovic would lead Wayne with 17 points and seven rebounds while making 6-7 free throws. Sophomore Logan Blankenberg scored 15 points including a late 4th quarter three pointer with the shot clock expiring to extend the Wayne lead to four points. Late free throws from Zenelovic and sophomore point guard Billy Thomson would seal the victory. It was Thomson, son of Coach Bill Thompson, who would lead the Eagles with 11 rebounds.
The ability of the Eagles to control the glass was a major factor in the win as they outrebounded the Wildcats by a 38-31 margin. Wayne scored 14 second chance points while Wilson managed just 5.
Sophomore big man Nick Carmichael would score 10 and pull down 7 rebounds, Thomson had 6 points, and Logan Holgado would score 2 points to round out the scoring for the 2017 Class A2 Sectional Champions.
Logan Blankenberg hits the pull-up jumper. End of 3rd: @WCSD_Athletics 37 @wildcats_wilson 35 pic.twitter.com/BI3923WM0p
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) March 4, 2017
Getting ready for tip off @WCSD_Athletics #waynecsd pic.twitter.com/2ZrpTVJYEE
— James A. Beneway (@WayneCentralHS) March 4, 2017
.@DandC Section V Class A2 #Basketball
Blackenburg gives @WCSD_Athletics 44-40 lead with 43 secs remaining in 4th pic.twitter.com/Xptj5KY66n— James A. Johnson (@jjDandC) March 5, 2017
It’s Wayne’s world? Excellent.
Party on, Wayne. @WCSD_Athletics @braedenz7
Story by @jjDandC https://t.co/vGtu40rPLx— D&C Digital (@DandC) March 5, 2017
Congrats to Billy, Logan on making all tournament team along with MVP Braedon. pic.twitter.com/cmPZ2SwyDE
— WayneCSD Athletics (@WCSD_Athletics) March 4, 2017
So proud of my alma mater and my mentor and friend, Bill Thomson, for their sectional title. Awesome game! https://t.co/pYJmMhuGJp
— Mr. Grasta (@MrGrasta) March 4, 2017
Receiving the block. @FingerLakes1 @RocDevo pic.twitter.com/s0v1fIWwQ3
— WayneCSD Athletics (@WCSD_Athletics) March 4, 2017
Tommy bolt earning a well deserved sportsmanship award. pic.twitter.com/sIhAFhPFKH
— WayneCSD Athletics (@WCSD_Athletics) March 4, 2017
SECTION V CHAMPS CLASS A2 pic.twitter.com/WWWRov8oZp
— WayneCSD Athletics (@WCSD_Athletics) March 4, 2017
The Wayne train parade post championships celebration @WCSD_Athletics pic.twitter.com/SDugIrDShn
— Taylor Gabriel (@taylorgabriel04) March 4, 2017
Next, Wayne will face Irondequoit, the Class A1 Champions, in the Class A state play-in game.
