The girls made their 21st foray into the 16 and under bracket and finished a respectable 3-1. Again starting slow the gilrs lost their 1st game to the WNY Sting 57-41 as a slow start doomed the team. Hayley Pickett scored 13 points and added 8 rebounds. Shannon Dougherty added 11. The girls then rebounded and played their uptempo game and defeated the Rochester Warriors 62-47. Erin O'Brien scored 16 points to lead the winners. Shannon Dougherty scored 14 points. Pickett added 11 points and Mia Manzella scored 10 points. On sunday the girls overcame injuries and 10 point half time deficet to defeat the Bath Blaze 63-51. Pickett had another dominating performance with 20 points and 10 rebounds. O'Brien showing a great knack of knowing when to shoot and when to pass had 18 points and 7 assists. The girls then showed they know how to finish a tournament by defeating the Southern Tier Pride 69-47 as 5 girls scored in double figures led by Pickett's 19. Shannon Dougherty and Julie Hagner scored 12 points apiece. O'Brien and Alex Skomra scored 11 each. The team's record now stands at 28-4 on the season including a 25-3 record as a 15 year old team. The team now readies itself for the Nike Summer Slam tournament being held in Jersey City, New Jersey featuring some of the best team's from the New York City and the country.

The Buffalo Defenders 15 and under team entered the NYS Championship's held at Canisius College and finished 3-1. The only loss came in the opening game to eventual champion KW Lightning 43-41 in a game which starting point guard Erin O'Brien did not play. Hayley Pickett led the team with 11 points and Julie hagner added 10. Playing at full strength for the second games saw the girls hand the Niagara Rapids a convincing 54-32 defeat. The girls broke open a game agter halftime with a 34 point second half. The balance attack was led by Pickett's 9 points and saw 6 other girls score at least 5 points. On sunday the girls defeated the Buffalo Storm - Deren 45-31. O'Brien led the team with 9 points and Meg McGrath chipped in with 8 points and 6 rebounds. The girls finished the tournament strong by defeating the the Shock from Ontario 71-41. Julie hagner scored 16 points, Erin O'Brien scored 12 more. Mia Manzella scored 11 points and Pickett chipped in with 10.

The Buffalo Defenders 15 and under team won 7 games over the weekend to capture the Jamestown Shootout. The hot shooting continued as the team hit 46 3 point shot's over the 7 game span including a team record 12 in one game. The 15's will next be in action at the New York State Championship's held at Canisius college.

The Defenders 15's won their second title in as many weeks by defeating the Elmira Express 71-58 and avenging an earlier loss, in doing so qualified for the AAU National Championships. Julie Hagner hit 3 of the team's 7 3 pointers as they raced to a 46-33 halftime lead. Shannon Dougherty 20 points and 5 assist's led the winners. Hagner scored 14 points, Meagan Heldwein 13 points and 8 rebounds and Erin O'Brien scored 12 points and 3 assists. The girls opened the tournament losing to the same Elmira team 46-40. They then defeated the Rochester Warriors 46-27, led by Dougherty's 13 points. On sunday they ran off wins vs. Central Western 58-36, and a gutsy Jasper - Troutsburg squad. The girls hit 19 3 pointers in the 3 sunday games.

The Buffalo Defenders 15 and under won the 2008 WNY Lady Lakers tournament defeating the Buffalo Storm in the final 38-37 for the title. Mia Manzella led the winners with 11 points. The team also defeated two Rochester Warrior teams as well as coming from 7 down in the final 1:45 to defeat the Unity Wildcats 55-54. Shannon Dougherty started the comeback by hitting a 3 pointer to cut the lead to 4. After a timeout, Julie Hagner steal and subsequent layup cut the lead to 2. After getting a defensive stop, the girls worked the ball and Erin O'Brien hit a 3 pointer from the left wing with 8 seconds remaining for the win. Meagan Heldwein led the winners with 10 points. Hagner, Dougherty and Hayley Pickett scored 9 points apiece.

The second tournament saw the girls play a tough schedule and falling in the championship game. The girls opened the tournament with a convincing 42-23 win over the Buffalo Storm - Deren. Meagan Heldwein led a balance attack with 12 points. Sarah Federico scored 7 points. A strong rebounding effort led by Casey Frants 9 rebounds. Heldwein, Federico and Erin O'Brien had 7 rebounds apiece. A hard fought second game resulted in a 42-35 win over Defenders - Reinholz. Hayley Pickett had 13 points and 7 rebounds. Heldwein had 8 points, 6 rebounds and Julie Hagner chipped in with 7 points. A stubborn WNY Elite team put up a stubborn fight before the girls prevailed 61-47. Pickett scored 16 points, Hagner added 12 points to the cause. Shannon Dougherty had 11 points and 4 assists. Sarah Federico added 5 rebounds. On sunday the girls drooped the championship game to the Niagara Rapids 34-29 in a nip and tuck battle. Erin O'Brien led the team with 10 points.

THe 14 and under girls finished with a 3-2 record at the Jr. National in Washington D.C.. THe girls opened with the NY Explosian a national team from Queens, N.Y. The girls played very hard before falling 55-32. Erin O'Brien 8 points and Shannon Hughes scored 7. Next up was Montreal SUn youth which resultedin a 57-36 win. Shannon DOugherty scored 11 points, Megan Heldwein scored 9 and Jamie Warren added 8 points apiece. The girls then defeated Team Connecticut 53-32. O'Brien and Dougherty scored 11 points apiece. Sarah Federco scored 7 points and tracked down every loose ball. Warren and Sarah Pawlak scored 6 points apiece. The team then dropped a decision to the Connecticut Heat 49-30 as cold shooting spelled doom. Dougherty scored 9 points and O'Brien and Marissa Boniszewski scored 5 points apiece. The team then closed the tourney with a 39-37 victory over the Massachusetts Heat. Erin O'Brien continued her steller play scoring 15 points and running the show on offense. Jamie Warren and Julie Hagner led a late comeback from a 8 point deficet scoring 7 points apiece. Hagner's 3 pointer put the team ahead to stay 38-37 and Warren added a late free throw for the final margin. THe girls finished a successful season with a 26 & 12 record, losing just 1 game all season against Western New York teams. Other team member's included Casey Franz & Bridgit Andrews.

The girls they played the Collegeville Jags from near Philadelphia and overcame a early 13 point deficet and defeated the Jags 45-37. Three pointers by Brianna Smith and Maria Kotas at the buzzer closed the first half deficet to 2 points. Shannon Dougherty, Julie Hagner and Megan Heldwein scored 7 points apiece. Erin Obrien scored 6 points and Kotas and Smith added 5 points apiece in the balnced attack. The team then avenged a loss from the previous year in defeating the N.J. Mavericks 43-37. Heldwein dominated at both ends of the court scoring 11 points, 9 in the second halfand added 12 rebounds. Maria Kotas scored 9 points. THe game of the tournament may of been the 70-63 loss to the Lower Delco Wildcats from Philadelphia.The girls down 18 in the first half battled and missed 2 late three pointers which would of tied the game before fouling led to the final deficet. A total of 46 fouls were called in the game. Megan Heldwein scored 13 points, Shannon Dougherty 11 and Brianna Smith scored 10 points. Erin Obrien 3 three pointers led to her 9 points and had 7 assists. THe team closed the tournament with a 47-36 to the pool champions Comets from Philadelphia. The girls were down 7 with a minute to go. Julie Hagner scored 11 points. It was a vast improvement from last year and leaves the girls record at 23-10 for the season, with 9 of the losses to teams outside the area. The next tournament will be the USJN National Championship in Washington D.C. at the end of the month.

Buffalo Defenders 14 and under trip to Penn State ended in a 4-5 record. They opened against the WBA Knicks from Westchester County and dropped a 47-34 decision. The team led 19-16 at halftime, and for a large part of the second half before faltering. Shannon Dougherty scored 11 points and Megan Heldwein added 8. The team then played the Renegades from Philadelphia and dropped a 40-35 decision. A slow start led to a 11 point halftime deficet which could not be overcome. Dougherty scored 10 points and Marissa Boniszewski added 6 points. THe third game led to the teams first victory against the CT. Spirit by a 41-34 score. Shannon Dougherty scored 14 and Meg Heldwein added 9 points. THe team dropped a 33-30 decision to Triple Threat from the NYC area. A back and forth game and a questionable late game call doomed the squad. Megan Heldwein scored 12 points in a dominating performance at both ends of the court. Erin Obrien chipped in with 5. The Defenders then brought their record to 2-3 with a 48-42 win against a pesky Pa. Blue Thunder team. A balanced attack led by Jamie Warren 10 points and 10 rebounds. Erin Obrien and Brianna Smith scored 8 points apiece. Sarah Federico strong game added 7 to the win.

The Defenders 14 and under blue team went 4-1 in the Pre National tournament held in Syracuse, N.Y.. THe girls won their pool defeating Albany Falcons, Hudson Valley Titans, Syracuse Stars and Unity Wildcats. The girls lost in the semi-final's to Blessed Sacrament, The Ontario National Champs by 8. Good job by all the girls.

Thanks to Coach Reinholz and Sammie Wozniak, Chloe Wingerter, Bridget Andrews, Sarah Pawlak and Kylie Reinholz for contributing last weekend. Coach John you should be very proud of the girls for the way they performed.

The girls then rebounded and overcame a 17 point second half deficet in defeating Unity 58-51. Chloe Wingerter scored 15 of her game high 20 points in the second half. Shannon Dougherty and Julie Hagner scored 8 points apiece. Maria Kotas 10 steals sparked a tenacious defense to go with her 7 points and 5 assists. Bridgit Andrews 3 pointer put the team ahead for good. Sarah Pawlak 15 rebounds led a strong board game. The girls record is 15-4 during this AAU season.

On sunday the girls could not overcome poor shooting and the loss of Meagan Heldwein to the flu in losing to the eventual champions Elmira Lady Express 54-29. Sarah Pawlak had 10 points and Julie Hagner chipped in with 9. Sarah Federico had 10 rebounds.

Coach Dougherty's 14 and under team went 3-1 at the N.Y.S. Championships which were held in Buffalo. The girls opened the tournament with a 53-33 win over the Lady Laker's from Rochester. Meagan Heldwein scored 15 points and Sarah Pawlak chipped in 12. The girl's then defeated the Buffalo Storm 48-41 overcoming a 7 point half time deficit. Shannon Dougherty led the way with 17, and Sarah Pawlak added 9 points. Erin O'Brien scored 4 points and had 6 assists.

Congrats to the 14 and under Rochester Warrior May Madness tournament win. A total team effort. Wins on Saturday vs WNY Lady Lakers and Rochester Warriors by about 8. Sunday wins vs Unity from Syracuse by 7 and Niagara Rapids by 4 in a great game to be involved in. Way for everyone to step up. You are playing in all A tournaments. You should all be proud of yourself's.

Schedule for this weekend is the following:
05/26
2:30PM @ Churchville Chili H.S. - gym B vs. WNY Lady Lakers
5:00PM @ Spencerport Middle School West vs Rochester Warriors.

05/27
1:15PM @ Spencerport H.S. west vs Unity Wildcats
3:45PM @ Spencerport Middle School west vs Niagara Rapids

We will practice monday 05/28 at St. Mary's School