SYRACUSE — The Randolph and Westfield boys basketball teams faced off in the Section VI finals last year and spent much of that season atop the Class C state rankings.

Well, it hasn’t taken much time for both teams to establish themselves not only as top teams in Section VI, but also, for the third straight week, the New York State Sportswriters Association has ranked Randolph and Westfield as the No. 1 and 2 teams in Class C.

After dropping its first game of the year, the state’s top-ranked Cardinals have won six straight, including the Tully Tournament, and a 72-19 over Silver Creek on Thursday has improved their record to 7-1 overall.

Westfield also dropped a nonleague game to begin the year and has responded with nine straight victories with senior Carson Swanson surpassing 2,000 points along the way. A 69-53 victory over Class C honorable-mention Chautauqua Lake (5-5) on Thursday improved the Wolverines to 10-1 overall.

Also taking notice at the state level among Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association teams are the Panama Panthers and Forestville Hornets in Class D.

The Panthers have moved up a spot from last week and now are the No. 3 team in Class D with their only loss coming at the hands of the Wolverines. Panama most recently put on an offensive clinic against Gowanda in a 91-46 victory and then defeated Clymer on Thursday 68-32.

No. 9 Forestville (8-0) remains undefeated, running through Division 4 competition, including a 75-45 win over defending sectional champion Pine Valley on Thursday.

Sherman has earned an honorable mention in Class D, while Section V’s Fillmore sits atop the rankings with an unblemished record.

Several Section VI teams have started strong in Class B and in turn earned spots in the rankings. Allegany-Limestone takes the highest spot at No. 4, but a Thursday loss to No. 11 Salamanca could see the teams moving closer together after the next vote.

Akron (8-0) is at No. 5 Olmsted (6-1) is No. 16 and Eden (7-1), Falconer (6-4) and Fredonia (5-6) have earned honorable mentions. Section V’s World of Inquiry is currently ranked No. 1 in Class B.

Moving into Class AAA this year, Jamestown continues to move up the state rankings, ascending five spots to No. 19 this week. The Red & Green (6-1) have only faltered once this season, losing to Canisius which occupies the No. 5 spot in Class AA.

Behind Jamestown is rival Niagara Falls (4-4) at No. 18 and Archbishop Stepinac (6-3) is the top team.

Class AA features local private schools in St. Joe’s (6-2) at No. 2, Canisius (8-2) at No. 5 and Bishop Timon (7-2) at No. 9. Then, in Section VI competition, Health Sciences (5-3) is No. 10, Lockport (6-3) No. 25 and Orchard Park (5-0) is an honorable mention.

Albany Academy is the No. 1 team in Class AA, while Section V’s Greece Athena is No. 3 as the top public school.

Williamsville South (6-1) at No. 9, Grand Island (8-0) at No. 13, Amherst (7-1) at No. 17 and honorable mentions Buffalo Science (7-3), Iroquois (6-2), Lewiston-Porter (6-2) and Pioneer (5-3) represent Section VI in Class A. The top ranked Class A school is defending state champion Glens Falls (7-0) of Section II.

GIRLS

The Frewsburg girls basketball team started the year at the top of the Class C rankings and have dominated all of the competition in New York, regardless of class size. In order for the Bears to find a challenge they needed to go out of the state and hosted Cathedral Prep out of Erie, Pa.

Cathedral Prep lost the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Atheltic Association 5A championship game last year, which would be Class A in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, and the Bears struggled with the challenge at first. However, the Bears finished the game strong, winning the second half, but ultimately falling 52-42.

Frewsburg (7-1) responded to its first loss with a dominant 66-14 win over Falconer and remained atop the Class C NYSSWA rankings.

Randolph continued its difficult nonleague schedule with another game against St. Mary’s of Lancaster and the loss pushed the Cardinals (4-4) down a spot to No. 5 in the state.

Despite adding two more wins and no losses, Cassadaga Valley (6-1) fell one spot to No. 12 and Maple Grove (7-1) stayed put at No. 16.

Even after adding a couple of wins from last week, Sherman (8-1) fell a spot in Class D, but are still high at No. 4. Pine Valley (5-1) continues to climb, reaching No. 17 with another two wins this past week and Section V’s Elba (6-0) remains No. 1.

Southwestern (7-1) added another couple of wins this past week and are just outside the top 10 in Class B at No. 11, while Salamanca (4-3) fell to No. 21 and Akron (8-2) No. 22. The top team in the state is Section III’s Bishop Grimes (10-1).

Class AAA still is led by top-ranked Christ the King with a 7-3 record and Section VI’s Monsignor Martin Assoctiona member Cardinal O’Hara (6-4) is No. 22.

Section VI’s North Tonawanda (7-1) moved inside the Class AA top 10 at No. 9, while St. Mary’s of Lancaster (10-3) is No. 8 and West Seneca West (7-1) is at No. 24. The top of Class AA is Section V’s Hilton (6-0) which was the state runner-up last year.

In Class A, Dalton (9-0) of the Association of Independent Schools is No. 1, while Section VI’s Iroquois (7-1) remains No. 11.