North Buffalo Pee Wee Major Bisons capture title

The North Buffalo Pee Wee Major Bisons recently won the Tonawanda Tournament. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: front row - Andrew Werynski and Jim Basil; second row - Andrew Rampado, John Lenahan, JC Grabenstatter, Alex Laversa, Marc Bezbatchenko, Rickey Wiorkowski, Josh Little, John Hettrick, and Jordan Rusek; third row - Mason Evans, Sean Basil, Kyle Moslow, Dean Arthur, Oscar Ostendorf, Max Capizzi, and Austin Kneer and coaches Rob Kneer, Pat Dwyer, and Joe Brown.

The North Buffalo Pee Wee Major Bisons capped off a successful 2006-07 season by defeating the Tonawanda Thunder, 5-0, and winning the 15th annual Tonawanda Tournament last Sunday at Brighton Arena.

The week-long tournament began last week for the Bisons as they settled for a 1-1 tie against Tonawanda then defeated Grand Niagara, 3-1. Early on Sunday, North Buffalo completed round robin play by thumping Olean, 10-0. Making it to the scoring sheets were Marc Bezbatchenko (Amherst), Kyle Moslow, Jordan Rusek (Amherst), JC Grabenstatter (Amherst), Andrew Rampado, John Hettrick, Alex Laversa, Dean Arthur (Amherst), Max Capizzi, Oscar Ostendorf, and Rickey Wiorkowski.

Andrew Weyrinski (Amherst) and Jim Basil (Amherst) played fantastic in net, allowing only two goals in the tournament. John Lenahan, Sean Basil, and Austin Kneer made sure the area in front of the net was cleared after any of their opponent's shots.

The title game before a packed house of 127 started quickly for the Bisons, when Mason Evans, from Rampado, fired a lightning shot from the right point that found the back of the net when the game was only two minutes old.

Josh Little opened the second period going coast to coast, shaking off a check, and burying the puck behind the startled Thunder goalie to make it 2-0.

Several minutes later, a scrum formed in front of the net and Arthur back-handed his shot and Buffalo took a commanding 3-0 lead. Basil started the game in net and Werynski finished for the combined shutout.

Tonawanda needed to press to get back in the game and were caught with two breakaways, first by Moslow, and then by Arthur as the clocked ticked off the final seconds to seal the victory and the trophy for head coach Pat Dwyer, and assistants Joe Brown and Rob Kneer, and manager Jim Basil.