Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s large veteran group includes, in front, Jimmy Dieter, Jayzon Wills, Kolton Fletcher and Avion Johnson. In back are Briley Allen, Jerrell Nealy, Preston Woodworth and Christian Moss.

Anchored by a large veteran group, including three All League squad honorees, Medina is looking to challenge for top Niagara-Orleans basketball honors this season.

Senior Jerrell Nealy, who earned first team N-O All-League honors, junior Preston Woodworth who was a second team selection and senior Christian Moss who was an Honorable Mention pick head the veteran group for the Mustangs which went 7-5 in the league and 9-12 overall last year.

Nealy scored 392 points (19.6 average) and grabbed off 181 rebounds while Woodworth scored 326 points (16.3 ave.) and Moss had 175 points (0.2 ave.) and 169 rebounds.

The Mustangs returners also include seniors Kolton Fletcher, Avion Johnson, Jimmy Dieter, Briley Allen and junior Jayzon Wills.

Medina’s lone graduating starter was Cole Callard.

“The league will be a dogfight. There are a lot of returning first and second team All League players” said Mustangs Coach Justin Morgan in noting that defending champion Akron, Wilson, Newfane and Albion all return most of their key All League players. “We hope our experience gives us an edge. We have a lot of guys who can score and play defense.”

The Mustangs will tune-up for the December 11 N-O opener at Barker with three non league games including against West Seneca East on Dec. 5 at Kenmore East, at Kenmore East on Dec. 6 and at Starpoint on Dec. 8.

The Kendall girls basketball tournament will highlight this coming week of high school sports competition.

The Kendall tourney will get underway on Thursday with Medina vs. Holley (5:30 p.m.) followed by Albion vs. Kendall ( 7 p.m.). The tournament will conclude on Saturday.

Weekly Schedule
Monday
Boys Basketball – Lyndonville at Barker, 6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Roy-Hart at Kenmore East, 7 p.m.

Tuesday
Girls Basketball – Barker at CSAT 5 p.m.; Albion at Wheatland-Chili, 7 p.m.

Wednesday
Girls Basketball – Roy-Hart at Lyndonville, 6:30 p.m.

Thursday
Girls Basketball – Kendall Tournament (Medina vs. Holley, 5:30 p.m.; Albion vs. Kendall, 7 p.m.); Pembroke at Barker. 6:30 p.m.
Swimming – Pembroke at Medina, 5:30 p.m.
Wrestling – Albion at Byron-Bergen; Medina at Churchville-Chili, 6 pm.

Friday
Boys Basketball – Medina vs. West Seneca East at Kenmore East, 5 p.m.; Houghton at Lyndonville, 6 p.m.; Allegany-Limestone at Roy-Hart, 6:30 p.m.; Pal-Mac at Albion, 7 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Lyndonville at Global Concepts, 5 p.m.; Roy-Hart at Niagara-Wheatfield, 7 p.m.
Swimming – H-A-C at Albion; Oakfield-Alabama at Roy-Hart/Barker, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday
Boys Basketball – Medina at Kenmore East, 1 p.m.; Holley at Perry, 2:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball – Kendall Tournament
Wrestling – Albion at Cheektowaga; Roy-Hart hosts the Dick Lang Duals; Lyndonville, Medina and Holley-Kendall at Byron-Bergen Tournament

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Anchoring the Holley lineup this season will be this group of veterans. In front are Logan Stoick and Logan Gillespie. In back are Cam Mosier, Blake Coleman, Avante Walker and Josh Silpoch.

Having lost four starters to graduation, Holley faces a bit of a rebuilding job as the Hawks prepare for the December 10 season opening Genesee Region League game against Pembroke.

Anchoring the Holley lineup with be the veteran group of seniors Josh Silpoch, Blake Coleman, Logan Gillespie and Logan Stoick along with juniors Avante Walker and Cam Mosier.

The Hawks graduation losses include the starting quartet of Destin Kuyal, Vinnie Golisano, Mason Moyer and Chris Mosier.

“It will be a good challenge,” said Hawks Coach Wyatt Wink. “I’m excited to see who steps up.”

The Hawks went 9-6 in G-R action and 10-11 overall last year.

Contributed Photo – Lyndonville’s All Tournament team honorees Lane Woodworth, left, and Colton Smith are shown here with Quincy McClinsey who is holding the Tigers trophy.

Putting together a big second half, Lyndonville rallied to defeat the host Red Knights 51-44 in the Tigers second game of the season opening LaFargeville Tournament this evening.

Trailing 20-18 at the half, the Tigers rebounded to outscore the Red Knights 33-24 in the second half to claim the win.

The Tigers featured a balanced attack as Lane Woodworth had 15 points and 9 rebounds, Colton Smith 10 points and 14 rebounds and Quincy McClinsey 12 points and 8 rebounds. Devin Babcock and Lyric Raduns also both chipped in with 5 points, Atticus Mank 3 and Thomas Blake 1.

Woodworth and Smith were both named to the All Tournament team.

The Tigers lost to Thousand Islands 33-22 in the opening game on Friday.

Now at 1-1, Lyndonville will next visit Barker at 6:30 p.m. Monday for a non league game.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – All WNY honorees, from left, Luke Duffina (Medina), Cole Herrmann (Wilson) and Andrew Danner (Wilson).

Overall ALL WNY team honoree Aidan Neumann from Wilson.

The Niagara-Orleans League is represented by four players on the All Western New York boys soccer squad and by three players on the All State small schools team.

Undefeated N-O champion Wilson, which advanced to the state finals, is represented on the All WNY squad by the trio of senior forward Aidan Neumann, junior midfielder Cole Herrmann and senior defender Andrew Danner.

Neumann, who scored 55 goals and had 13 assists, has been named to the overall All WNY team. He was also honored as N-O League Player of the Year.

Herrmann, who had 8 goals and a school record 28 assists, and Danner, who had 1 goal and 5 assists, have both selected to the All WNY small schools team.

Medina has placed senior defender Luke Duffina on the All WNY small schools team.

Neumann, Herrmann and Duffina have also all been named to the All State small schools team.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s veteran quintet includes, from left, Wesley Olles, Nate Gibson, Tyler Cody, Josh Schoeberlein and Elliot Trapiss.

After finishing in the runner-up spot last year Albion is again looking to contend for the Niagara-Orleans League basketball title led by a quintet of veterans.

Senior Wesley Olles, who earned first team N-O All-League honors and senior Tyler Cody, who was a second team honoree, heads that veteran group which also includes seniors Nate Gibson, Josh Schoeberlein and Elliot Trapiss.

Olles scored 262 points (11.9 ave.) and grabbed off 177 rebounds and Cody tallied 279 points (12.7 ave.)

“We’ve got decent experience back including two All Leaguers and that’s huge,” said Coach Travis Downs. “We have to play real good defense and be efficient on offense.

The Purple Eagles graduation losses included Kyle Radder, Isaiah Riley, Seth Krenning, Luke Bell and Kwami Riley.

Albion, which went 9-3 in the league and 13-9 overall last year, will tune up for the December 11 N-O opener at defending champion Akron by hosting Palmyra-Macedon on Dec. 5.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s veteran group includes, in front, Vinny Fazzio, Tysen McCaa and Ian Earl. In back are Isaac Smith, Matt Aquilina, Tyler Rothwell and G’Ahmeer Barnes. Missing is Nick Harding.

Looking to bounce back from last year’s 2-10 Niagara-Orleans League record, Roy-Hart returns a large group of eight veterans.

That contingent includes seniors Tysen McCaa, Vinny Fazzio, Tyler Rothwell, Ian Earl, Isaac Smith and Nick Harding along with juniors Matt Aquilina and G’Ahmeer Barnes.

The Rams roster also includes senior Josh Bronschidle, junior Owen Madel and sophomores John Brigham, Jakob West and Gavin Ickowski.

“We’ve got good experience back and they are working hard,” said Rams new Coach Connor Brooks. “We’re looking to build on what is here.”

Roy-Hart, which went 6-15 overall last year, will open the season on December 5 with a non league home game against Allegany-Limestone. The Rams N-O opener will be at Medina on Dec. 19.

Lyndonville opened the local high school basketball season in the North Country this evening as the Tigers dropped a 33-22 decision to the Thousand Islands Vikings in the opening game of the LaFargeville Tournament.

Colton Smith had 8 points and 8 rebounds, Lane Woodworth and Lyric Raduns 5 points each and Atticus Mank 4 points and 11 rebounds for the Tigers.

Lyndonville will next face LaFargeville at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Roy-Hart/Barker/Medina Club Hockey team opened their home season against Buffalo this evening and came away losing 7-3.

Team Buffalo entered the game with a 1-1 record, while RBM was 1-0.

Buffalo opened the scoring at the 6 minute point of the opening period and took a 2-0 lead two minutes later.

With 5:23 left in the first, John Peracciny (R-H) scored from Sean Mettler (R-H). Before the end of the first, RBM tied the score on a goal by Viktor Snyder (Albion), assisted by Ryan Felicetti (Wilson).

Buffalo again scored the first two goals of the second period, but Mettler’s unassisted goal at the 9:55 mark, brought RBM back to within one goal.

Unfortunately, Buffalo again scored in the second and added two more in the third.

Now 1-1 on the young season, RBM’s next game is this Sunday morning at 11:35 at home against unbeaten Olean.