A host of local athletes made the 2 1/2 hour journey to the Buffalo area for last week’s revival of the Empire State Games. They joined thousands of other competitors from the Central, Western, Adirondack, Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island regions pursuing medals in more than 20 sports. Several of them got medals, too Soccer – Cazenovia graduate Mackenzie Moore helped the Central open women’s soccer team earn the silver medal at the Amherst North French Soccer Complex, the only Central side to reach the podium. Moore had the first goal in Friday’s 5-1 romp over Adirondack, which led to Sunday’s championship game, a 2-1 defeat to Western. Chittenango goalie Brigid St. Leger started in the net of all three of Central’s games, winning one of them (a 3-1 decision over New York City) and making 21 total saves. Baseball – Vernon Verona Sherrill’s Tyler Mautner helped Central’s scholastic team overcome an 0-2 start to win its next three games, including a 2-1, eight-inning decision over Western that put Central in the finals. Unfortunately, heavy rains at the Amherst Audubon Complex forced a cancellation of the rest of the tournament so, based on the standings, Mautner and Central took the silver medal as Long Island (5-0) won the gold. Basketball – On the scholastic men’s side at Canisius College, Oneida star Benn DeRocker saw action in all four games. Central won its first three contests to advance to Sunday’s final against Hudson Valley, and DeRocker had 17 points in that game to lead Central. But Hudson Valley rallied from a 15-point second-half deficit (helped by the fact that three Central players fouled out) to win 92-85, leaving DeRocker and his teammates to accept the silver medal. Volleyball – Hailing from Hamilton, Kristin Fiorillo and Central’s open women’s team took the silver medal at University at Buffalo’s Alumni Arena, finishing tops in round-robin play and making it to Saturday’s title match before losing a close three-game decision to Western 25-23, 22-25, 25-19. Two Oneida natives, Phil Pendleton (open men) and Paige Pendleton (scholastic women), were unable to earn medals, as was Cazenovia’s Lizzy Reed on the scholastic side. Ice Hockey – Alex Brink (Hamilton) and Kollyn Jones (Cazenovia) each had parts in the Central scholastic men’s 2-2-1 run to a bronze medal at the Amherst Audubon Ice Center. Brink had goals in a 2-2 tie with Hudson Valley and 3-1 loss to Western (the eventual champions), while Jones played in goal twice, including the Hudson Valley tie and a 3-1 win over New York City where he made 15 saves. Wrestling – In scholastic matches at Buffalo State, Chittenango’s Wes Blanding claimed the 123-pound freestyle bronze medal by beating Central teammate Colton Perry, and Bears teammate John Regan got a bronze in the Greco-Roman 143-pound division. Brad Lucas (Cazenovia) did not medal in 275 pounds freestyle, nor did Tyler Sirota (Canastota) at 165 pounds, Cody Carberry (Chittenango) at 96 pounds and Ryan Cook (Cazenovia) at 123 pounds. Oneida teammates Conner Russ and Matt Fisher also competed. Field Hockey – Cazenovia teammates Tori Widrick and Belle Hoagland both started for Central, who won its opener over Adirondack, but lost its next three games to fall out of medal contention at UB’s Walter Kunz Field. Widrick had two goals in the tournament, including Central’s lone tally in Saturday’s 2-1, overtime defeat to eventual champion Hudson Valley. Lacrosse – Despite having Cazenovia’s Gabby Jaquith as a major offensive presence, Central’s scholastic women’s team could not medal at Niagara University, going 3-2 in round-robin play but losing 11-6 to Adirondack in the bronze-medal game. Gymnastics – With Chittenango’s Ahshinnhare Tarbell part of the side, Central’s scholastic men’s gymnastics team claimed the bronze medal Thursday at Buffalo State Sports Arena. Softball – Oneida’s Beth Kann had four hits and three RBIs in Central’s 19-4 win over New York City Thursday to start open division play at Audubon, but that would be the only victory as, with a 1-3 mark, Central did not medal. Track and Field – Running twice at UB Stadium, Austin Hirsch (Morrisville)Eaton took sixth in the scholastic men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase and seventh in the 1,500-meter run. James Moyer (Oneida) made it through all 10 events in the scholastic decathlon and earned 3,902 points for sixth place.