NEWFANE, N.Y. (WKBW) — It’s playoff time for winter sports in Western New York! Our 7 News anchor Ed Drantch and reporter Adam Campos made their way up to Newfane High School to highlight three of its sports teams in the playoffs.
The wrestling team is sending three individual wrestlers to the state championships this weekend in Albany.
For Junior Aidan Gillings, this will be his fourth straight appearance in the state championships. After falling just short of a state title last year in the championship, Gillings is looking to redeem himself with a state title win this year.
“We like to represent and protect the [Newfane] brand,” Gillings said. “All three of us have worn this on our chest since we were young. We’re going to come back stronger than last year”.
Both the boy’s and girl’s basketball teams are also heading to the sectional playoffs.
For the girl’s basketball team, they have had a challenging season, dealing with injuries including one of their leading seniors. Despite the injuries, the team is looking to push through and make a run for a section title.
“It would be really special, especially for the seniors because we’ve all worked really hard,” Senior Guard Mallory Schultz. “After all the injuries we’ve had, a lot of people have stepped up. To be able to play at Buff State will be really cool experience”.
The boy’s team carries nine seniors, many of whom have played together since elementary school. Now at the tail end of their careers, they are hoping to ride their last year out with a section title.
“It’s everything we’ve ever worked for. We come into the season wanting to win championships and we also want to hang banners,” Senior Guard Landon Braman said. “We’ve been [in the section semifinals] all three years that I’ve played. So hopefully this year with this group of seniors, the guys I’ve been playing with since 3rd and 4th grade, my best friends, we can finally get it done this year”
The wrestling team will be heading down to Albany to compete in the state championship tournament this weekend.
The boy’s basketball team is hosting their first playoff game on Saturday at noon. The girl’s basketball team is playing on Friday at 7 p.m.