Published: July 10, 2008 11:13 pm      

EMPIRE STATE GAMES: Former Falls stars Gamble, Garrison reunite

Greg Gamble and Rob Garrison, senior leaders for the Niagara Falls High School juggernaut that won the state basketball title in 2005, will team up again later this month at the 31st Empire State Games in Binghamton.

The former Wolverines are among ten players expected to compete for the Western Region’s open men’s squad, posted Thursday on the Empire State Games Web site.

“We had practice yesterday, and after I took a shot, Greg looked at me and said, ‘I just realized this is the first time we’ve played on the same team since high school,’” Garrison said Thursday. “It’s a great feeling. We don’t have to re-learn how to play together. It’s like riding a bike.”

The ESG, which pits six regional teams against each other from July 23 through 27, will also give Garrison his first chance to play sanctioned games with Niagara University teammate Bilal Benn. Both players sat out last season, per NCAA rules, after transferring to Niagara. Garrison came from the University of Connecticut, while Benn first attended Villanova University.

“I think that will help us build more chemistry that will be vital for our team in the season,” Garrison said. “We’ll be able to learn more about each other on the court.”

Gamble, on the cusp of his senior season with the University at Buffalo, is coming off a breakout performance at last year’s ESG. Averaging 22 points over the final two games and hitting the game-winning shot in the semifinals, Gamble lifted the Western squad to a gold medal.

Last year, Gamble was assisted by UB teammate Byron Mulkey, a Niagara-Wheatfield High School graduate who had 14 points in the gold medal game. This year, Gamble will be joined by Andy Robinson, the Bulls’ leading scorer in 2007-08.

The preliminary rosters, which won’t be made official until July 22, include several athletes from this area.

Sanborn’s Nick Melligan and Grand Island’s Benjamin Certo will be looking to repeat as gold medalists with the scholastic men’s hockey team. They’ll be joined on the ice by Lewiston’s Hayden Fitzpatrick and Grand Island’s Ryan White.

Jake Brandt, of Cambria, will once again compete in the heavyweight division of the open men’s weightlifting competition. The former Starpoint High School football star now playing at St. John Fisher College was a silver medalist last year.

Kelvin Agee and Davon Marshall, members of Niagara Falls High School’s 2008 state finalist team, will play for the scholastic men’s basketball squad.

Jamie and Jenna Raepple, of Grand Island, are members of the scholastic women’s soccer team. Former Viking Jessica Kuehne will play for the open women’s team.

Michael Curatolo, of Youngstown, is on the scholastic men’s soccer roster.

Brian Archie, Jr., of Niagara Falls, will compete in the 100-meter dash at the long jump in the scholastic division. Greg Feathers of Grand Island will throw the javelin and discus, while Adam Helman, another member of the Vikings’ Niagara Frontier League outdoor championship team, will compete in the pole vault.

Carl Caughell, of Niagara Falls, will run in the open men’s 110 hurdles.

Emily Thompson, of Niagara Falls, is playing for the open women’s softball team.

In the water, Niagara Falls will be represented by Kristen Champoux and Kelsey Ward, both scholastic athletes. Champoux is set to compete in the 200-meter breast stroke and the 400 individual medley. Ward will race the 400 freestyle.

Derrick Adams, of Niagara Falls, is competing in open freestyle wrestling at 157 pounds. Niagara Falls’ Angelo Malvestuto is in the 192-pound scholastic division.

In open Greco Roman wrestling, Marco Mendez, of Niagara Falls, is at 187 pounds, and Christian Held, of Wilson, is at 139 pounds.

Ed Knab, of Grand Island, will compete in the criterium, the time trial and the road race in the masters men’s cycling division.

Ed Quarantillo, of Lewiston, is on the scholastic men’s diving roster. He is set to jump off both the one-, and three-meter boards.

Jenna Van Dusen, of Lewiston, is on the open women’s gymnastics team.

Jimmy Pezzino, of Grand Island, is on the scholastic men’s gymnastics team.

Anthony Gugino, of Grand Island, claimed the Western Region’s spot in the 161-pound division of the open men’s judo event.

James Allen, of Sanborn, is entered in both the 5K and 10K open men’s racewalks.

Ryan Steimel, of Grand Island, is a member of the masters men’s rugby team.

Sharon Lopacki, of Lewiston, will shoot in the open women’s sport pistol competition.

Mark Bellanca, of Grand Island, will throw the javelin in the masters men’s track & field event.

Janelle Cardamone, of Niagara Falls, is playing for the masters women’s volleyball team.

In addition to Garrison and Benn, the Niagara Purple Eagles will be represented by open men’s soccer players Eric Brodfuehrer, Billy Gustafson and Matt Stedman, as well as open women’s basketball players Liz Flooks, Jennifer McNamee and Sarah Wilson. Shauna Ambrose, Niagara’s leading scorer two seasons ago, will play for the Central Region.



WESTERN-MOST WESTERNERS

Locals heading to the Empire State Games, according to rosters published Thursday at www.EmpireStateGames.org. Please pass along any additional names, including transplanted locals competing for another region, to scoreboard@gnnewspaper.com.

Open Men’s Basketball

• Rob Garrison, Niagara Falls

• Greg Gamble, Niagara Falls

• Bilal Benn, NU

Scholastic Men’s Basketball

• Kelvin Agee, Niagara Falls

• Davon Marshall, Niagara Falls

Open Women’s Basketball

• Liz Flooks, NU

• Jennifer McNamee, NU

• Sarah Wilson, NU

Masters Men’s Cycling

• Ed Knab, Grand Island

Scholastic Men’s Diving

• Edward Quarantillo, Lewiston

Open Women’s Gymnastics

• Jenna Van Dusen, Lewiston

Scholastic Men’s Gymnastics

• Jimmy Pezzino, Grand Island

Scholastic Men’s Hockey

• Benjamin Certo, Grand Island

• Hayden Fitzpatrick, Lewiston

• Nick Melligan, Sanborn

• Ryan White, Grand Island

Open Men’s Judo

• Anthony Gugino, Grand Island

Open Men’s Racewalk

• James Allen, Sanborn

Masters Men’s Rugby

• Ryan Steimel, Grand Island

Open Women’s Shooting

• Sharon Lopacki, Lewiston

Open Women’s Soccer

• Jessica Kuehne, Grand Island

Open Men’s Soccer

• Eric Brodfuehrer, NU

• Billy Gustafson, NU

• Matt Stedman, NU

Scholastic Women’s Soccer

• Jamie Raepple, Grand Island

• Jenna Raepple, Grand Island

Scholastic Men’s Soccer

• Michael Curatolo, Youngstown

Open Women’s Softball

• Emily Thompson, Niagara Falls

Open Women’s Swimming

• Kristen Champoux, Niagara Falls

• Kelsey Ward, Niagara Falls

Masters Men’s Track & Field

• Mark Bellanca, Grand Island

Open Men’s Track & Field

• Carl Caughell, Niagara Falls

Scholastic Men’s Track & Field

• Brian Archie, Jr., Niagara Falls

• Greg Feathers, Grand Island

• Adam Helman, Grand Island

Masters Women’s Volleyball

• Janelle Cardamone, Niagara Falls

Open Men’s Wrestling

• Derrick Adams, Niagara Falls

• Christian Held, Wilson

• Marco Mendez, Niagara Falls

Scholastic Men’s Wrestling

• Angelo Malvestuto, Niagara Falls