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High School Football Weekend Recap
Weekend Notes
West Seneca East (5-1) took a narrow lead in the tight B1 Division title race with a 35-34 win over Albion/Medina ( 4-1) Friday as McKinley also improved to 4-1 with a 54-14 win over Lake Shore.
Defending champion Barker/Roy-Hart stayed undefeated at 5-0 in the C North Division with a 51-18 win over Akron. The Bulls remain a game ahead of 4-1 Springville.
B1 Division
Game Results
West Seneca East 35, Albion/Medina 34
Maryvale 31, Williamsville South 26
McKinley 54, Lake Shore 14
Amherst 28, Lew-Port 0
Standings (Division, Overall)
West Seneca East 5-1, 5-1
Albion/Medina 4-1, 5-1
McKinley 4-1, 5-1
Williamsville South 4-2, 4-2
Maryvale 3-2, 4-2
Lake Shore 1-5, 1-5
Amherst 1-5, 1-5
Lew-Port 0-5, 0-6
Friday’s Schedule
Amherst vs. Albion/Medina, 7 p.m. at Medina
Maryvale at McKinley, 7 p.m.
Williamsville South at West Seneca East, 7 p.m.
Lew-Port at Lake Shore, 7 p.m.
C North Division
Game Results
Barker/Roy-Hart 51, Akron 18
Alden 28, Tonawanda 7
Springville 37, Cleveland Hill 14
JFK 50, Eden/North Collins 44
Standings (Division, Overall)
Barker/Roy-Hart 5-0, 5-1
Springville 4-1, 5-1
Cleveland Hill 3-2, 3-3
JFK 3-2, 3-3
Alden 3-2, 3-3
Eden/NC 2-4, 2-4
Akron 1-4, 1-5
Tonawanda 0-6, 0-6
Thursday’s Game
Tonawanda at Springville, 7 p.m.
Friday’s Games
Barker/Roy-Hart at Alden, 7 p.m.
Akron at Eden/NC, 7 p.m.
Saturday’s Game
JFK at Cleveland Hill, 2 p.m.
Albion youth football teams score 3 wins
Albion youth football teams won three of four games against Batavia Saturday to close out the Niagara Orleans Football Association (NOFA) regular season.
Batavia downs Albion Beginners
The Albion Beginners fell to Batavia 34-12 despite a solid effort on both sides of the ball.
Myles LaBarge led Albion’s rushing attack with 57 yards and a touchdown, while James Mahoney Jr. added 52 yards and a score of his own. Jaxon Nashburn contributed 28 rushing yards, followed by Levi Purnell with 12 yards and Tanner Beecher with 2 yards.
Contributed Photos – Roman Allport picks up yardage for the Eagles.
Defensively, Nashburn led the Eagles with 6 tackles, while Beecher added 3. Purnell, LaBarge and Mahoney also contributed tackles for the Albion defense.
Nicholas Gifaldi came up with a big defensive play, recovering a fumble for the Eagles.
The Beginners Eagles will have a playoff game Saturday at Bullard Park, time TBD.
Mini Eagles post 7-0 shutout
The Albion Mini Eagles ended their season on a high note Saturday, earning a hard-fought 7-0 shutout victory over Batavia behind a late fourth-quarter touchdown and a strong defensive performance.
With the game scoreless late in the fourth quarter, Patrick Westlund broke free for a 34-yard touchdown run to give Albion the lead. Arlen Beecher added the point-after attempt to secure the 7-0 victory.
Westlund led the Eagles’ rushing attack with 82 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Lexington Pridgen added 21 yards on seven carries, while Elijah Cornick contributed nine yards on four attempts. Hudson Palmer rushed for six yards on two carries and added an 11-yard reception. Xavier Weis chipped in four yards on three carries, and Beecher added two yards on one attempt.
Quarterback Gunner Jackson completed two passes for 11 yards.
Defensively, the Mini Eagles turned in one of their strongest performances of the season, keeping Batavia off the scoreboard and coming up with key stops throughout the contest.
Jaxon Sloper led the defensive effort with 10 tackles, followed closely by Westlund with nine and Palmer with seven. Cornick, Weis and Pridgen each recorded six tackles, while Zavier Richardson added five.
Wyatt Snyder, Landon Stalker, Kaydence Harper, Artavion Lewis, Beecher, Jackson and Quinton Gottberg also contributed tackles.
Sloper and Weis each recorded a sack, while Cornick came up with a fumble recovery to help preserve the shutout.
The victory was a fitting way for the Mini Eagles to close out their season. Despite finishing with a 3-5 record, Albion showed determination and continued improvement, battling until the final whistle and ending the year with a hard earned victory over Batavia.
The Mini Eagles finished their season the way every team hopes to together, playing tough defense and walking off the field as winners.
JV Eagles win 19-6
Jayce Torres rushed for 208 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Albion JV Eagles to a 19-6 victory over Batavia in their regular-season finale.
Cayden Farrell added 43 rushing yards, Conor Murphy 27, Jai’Kaih Drisdom 25 and Kairo Bennett 10. Through the air, Farrell added 14 passing yards, while Elijah Warren had 13 receiving yards and Harrison Froman 11. Murphy also added a point-after conversion.
Defensively, the Eagles were relentless, forcing four interceptions on the day. Torres picked off two passes, Parker Gardner added another, and Farrell came up with one of the game’s biggest defensive plays, returning an interception 57 yards for a touchdown.
Bennett led Albion’s defense with 11 tackles, followed by Kaydence Russaw with seven. Arkell Lewis and Mason Cornick each recorded six tackles, while Froman and Kyle Schomske added five apiece. Warren, Zion Richardson, Farrell and Gardner each finished with three tackles.
Owen Beecher heads up field for the Eagles.
Torres, Khrystopher Wilston-Jones, Jaidyn Harper, Chase Armer, Wyatt Purnell, David Parcell and Tyler Patten were also in on defensive stops.
The Eagles will now turn their attention to the postseason as they prepare for a playoff game Saturday at Albion High School, time TBD.
Varsity Eagles roll to win
The Albion Varsity Eagles put on an offensive show Saturday, rolling past Batavia behind a powerful rushing attack, big plays on special teams, and a strong defensive effort.
Jeramiah Hildreth led the Eagles’ ground attack with 146 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Damareon Shine added 57 yards rushing and two touchdowns, while AJ Lewis broke loose for a 45-yard touchdown run.
Jace Wright contributed a 38-yard touchdown run and provided one of the game’s biggest highlights with a 74-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
Camden Holt added 30 yards rushing and a touchdown, while Matthew Colmenero chipped in 8 yards and Roman Allport added 4 yards.
Quarterback Jace DiMatteo also got the passing game involved, connecting with Shine on a 25-yard touchdown pass.
Defensively, Holt led the Eagles with 8 tackles, followed by Wright with 5. Shine, Ryan Gardner and Lewis each recorded 3 tackles.
Conner Hinkley, Allport, Hudson Armer, Owen Beecher, Hildreth and Harrison Galloway were also in on tackles. Colmenero added a tackle and an interception to help the Eagles’ defensive effort.
The Eagles will have a post season game Saturday night at Albion High School, time TBD.
Christmas at the Lighthouse celebrated today at Golden Hill State Park
Photo by Ginny Kropf: The 30-Mile Point lighthouse at Golden Hill State Park will be decked out for the holidays today when Friends of the Lighthouse sponsor their annual Christmas at the Lighthouse.
BARKER – Christmas at the Lighthouse has been an annual event at Golden Hill State Park for more than 25 years.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. today, Friends of the Lighthouse will again open the lighthouse – decorated for the holidays – for tours by the public.
The day will also feature a barbecued pulled pork dinner, hot dogs and chili, as well as pop and coffee.
Renee Campbell, park manager, said she has been employed there 27 years and the event had already taken place for several years. It was an idea of Tom Harris as a fundraiser by Friends of the Lighthouse who were raising money to refurbish the landmark, Campbell said.
A basket raffle is also part of the day’s activities, and Santa is set to arrive about 1 p.m. The Gift Shop will be open and crafters and vendors will be set up on the grounds.
The lighthouse is a special place for Mike and Kathy Dreyfus of Medina, whose daughter was married there. Since then, they have been supporters of the lighthouse – especially Mike who makes magnets which are sold in the Gift Shop – just one of the many unique items to be found there.
All funds raised go back to continue upkeep of the historic structure.
Mustangs down Rams in N-O soccer
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Aleks Seefeldt works to advance the ball against Roy-Hart’s Ethan Brown during the Mustangs win over the Rams at Vets Park this afternoon.
Six players contributed to the point production as Medina blanked Roy-Hart 8-0 in a Niagara-Orleans League boys soccer game this afternoon at Vets Park.
Aidan Papaj had 3 goals and 2 assists, Aleks Seefeldt 2 goals and 1 assist, Izzy Anderson 2 goals and 1 assist, Cam Fike 1 goal, Lathan McEwen-Miller 3 assists and Jake Duffina 1 assist.
River Jones and Steven Gobeli shared in earning the shutout in goal for the Mustangs as the quartet of Owen Sargent, Bryson Ford, Brayden Lewis and Tyler Raduns anchored the defense.
Medina is now 5-4 and Roy-Hart 1-7-1 in N-O action.
Roy-Hart’s Mikey Fuller works to keep the ball away from Medina’s Jake Duffina.
Akron 6, Albion 1
Akron (7-2) downed Albion (0-7-1) 6-1 in another N-O contest.
Sawyer Ranney scored 3 goals for Akron as Luke Piscatelli, Thatcher Ranney and Evan Kabangria Rugadju each netted 1.
Garret Jones scored the Albion goal.
N-O Girls Soccer
Wilson 4, Barker/Lyndonville 1
Front-running Wilson (8-0) downed Barker/Lyndonville (3-7) 4-1 in an N-O girls contest.
Abby Alexander scored the Barker/Lyndonville goal off an assist from Braelynn Dillenbeck.
Akron 2, Albion 1
Akron (7-1) trimmed Albion (5-5) 2-1 in another N-O game.
Abby Gerstung had a goal and an assist and Sahpur Grijalva a goal for Akron.
Madison Frasier scored the Albion goal.
About 200 joined Walk to End Alzheimer’s today in Medina
Photos by Tom Rivers
MEDINA – Kyle Webb of Albion and his twin sons, Wyatt (in sunglasses) and Elias, near the finish line in today’s 2-mile walk in Medina to end Alzheimer’s. Webb’s older children, Colin and Keara Webb, also were part of the walk.
There were about 200 participants in the walk who raised at least $12,000 for the Alzeimer’s Association of Western New York.
Hayley Schmidt and her mother Beth Schmidt of Albion completed the walk. Beth is the Walk to End Alzheimer’s Committee for Orleans Committee. Hayley and Beth raised $2,175 for the Alzeimer’s Association. Nicole Tuophey was the top individual for fundraising, at $2,037.
The SUNY Brockport Cheer Club congratulated the participants for completing the 2-mile walk.
The Brockport Cheer Club formed a “Thank You Brigade” for the first time at the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The walk started and ended at State Street Park.
There were about 30 Cheer Club members near the finish with signs, bells and loud cheers for the participants.
One of the last stretches of the walk was along East Center Street before a final turn at State Street Park.
Lynn Hughes, the staff walk manager for the Alzheimer’s Association of WNY, rang bells and thanked the participants for their efforts.
Medina trims Roy-Hart in OT in field hockey
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Amelia Stalker, left, celebrates her game winning overtime goal with Olivia Bessel and Jenelle Stalker (7). Medina edged host Roy-Hart 3-2 this morning.
Medina nipped Roy-Hart 3-2 in overtime in a Niagara-Orleans League field hockey game this morning at Middleport.
Amelia Stalker scored the game winner for Medina with 2:35 remaining in the 7 on 7 10 minute overtime period.
Madison Zeiner made several big saves in goal for the Mustangs in the overtime.
Medina jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half on goals by Stalker and Savannah Jo Thompson.
Roy-Hart came battling back to knot the contest as Stella Stoll scored in the third period and Adella Dukes in the fourth quarter.
Medina is now 2-6 and Roy-Hart 2-8 in N-O action.
Roy-Hart’s Adella Dukes scored on this shot in the fourth quarter to pull the Lady Rams even at 2-2.
Medina goalie Madison Zeiner made several big saves in the overtime period. Here Roy-Hart’s Savannah Newton tries for a shot as Jillian Schimek and Medina’s Adelynne Lacy move in.
Downtown Browsery celebrates expansion on Main Street in Medina
Photo by Ginny Kropf: Officials and personnel of the Downtown Browsery in Medina gathered for a ribbon cutting on Friday morning to celebrate the store’s expansion. From left are Sharon and store manager Erik Sinkora; vendor Ruth Higgins; Medina mayor Deb Padoleski; vendor Julie Sanford; Dave Sevenski, member of the board and vendor; building owner, Tom Snyder; and Marlene Seielstad, candidate-at-large for County Legislature.
MEDINA – The Downtown Browsery at 413 Main St. celebrated the store’s expansion into an adjoining space with a ribbon cutting on Friday morning. Taking part were store manager Erik Sinkora and his wife Sharon; board member and vendor Dave Sevenski; Ruth Higgins and Julie Sanford, vendors; Deb Padoleski, Medina mayor; Tom Snyder, owner of the building; and Marlene Seielstad, candidate-at-large for county legislature.
Padoleski cut the ribbon, thanking Tom Snyder for his support and saying she and the Village Board are pleased with business in Medina.
“I am happy to see that the Browsery was able to add on to their business,” Padoleski said. “This establishment is a gem for our downtown – a favorite of Medina residents and visitors. This neat little shop is chock full of goodies – literally something for everything. Congratulations on your expansion.”
One happy vendor is Julie Sanford of Albion, who sells industrial lighting made by her husband, and vintage items.
“I like the community, the people of the town and the visitors,” Sanford said. “And I enjoy rescuing and repurposing items that would otherwise end up in a landfill.”
Tom Snyder, who also owns Medina Lumber, added his appreciation of business in Medina.
“It’s exciting that a local downtown business is expanding,” he said. “It’s a feather in our cap that we have a bustling Main Street.”
The expansion brings the number of vendors to the Medina location to 36, according to Sinkora. The Downtown Browsery started in Albion in 2004. The Browsery now occupies three store fronts in Albion. Between Albion and Medina, the stores now accommodate 75 vendors.
Alec Sherman honored for 46 seasons as ‘Voice of the Purple Eagles’
Jeff Radder takes over at microphone in new era of Rivals football
Photo by Cheryl Wertman: Alec Sherman is presented a plaque in appreciation for his 46 years at the microphone of Albion football games. Mickey Edwards, a former Albion player and now the district superintendent, presents the plaque to Sherman before Friday’s game versus West Seneca East. Sherman performed the honorary coin toss before the game.
ALBION – After 46 seasons as the voice of the Purple Eagles, Alec Sherman has retired from the position.
Hundreds of times over his tenure he called out, “The Eagle has landed!” when Albion scored a touchdown.
But it’s a new era of football with Albion and Medina fielding a merged team – the OC Rivals.
Sherman thought the timing was right to hand off the reins. Jeff Radder, a middle school science teacher and a DJ, is the new announcer at home games in Albion.
Radder introduced his own catchphrase for when the team scores a touchdown: “In for the paydirt!” The Rivals have two shovels as part of their logo to signify the building of the Erie Canal. Radder thought paydirt was a nice tie-in with the logo.
Radder was able to call out five touchdowns in Friday’s game for the Rivals. They lost a close one, 35-34, to West Seneca East.
Sherman said the crowd is in good hands with Radder.
“He knows the kids,” Sherman said. “He has the voice for it and the knowledge.”
Sherman was able to call many monumental games in his tenure, especially the hard-fought contests between Albion and Medina. Four times he was the announcer for Albion in games at the Buffalo Bills stadium. In those games, each team’s announcer called a half.
Sherman, an Albion grad, said he was always pulling for the Purple Eagles to win.
“The emphasis was on our side, but I tried to be fair,” he said.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Jeff Radder, right in press box, calls out the action in Friday’s football game in Albion.
Sherman was honored before Friday’s game, the first home game in Albion for the new Rivals team. He performed the coin toss and was presented with a plaque from Mickey Edwards, the Albion district superintendent and a former Albion player.
Sherman graduated from Albion on 1968 and started working at the district as a teacher in 1977. He spent most of his career teaching U.S. history. In 1979, he called his first JV game for Albion and started doing the varsity games in the mid-’80s.
He also coached JV softball, and boys and girls basketball. Two of his girls varsity basketball teams won Niagara-Orleans titles.
Alec Sherman served performed the honorary coin toss before Friday’s game, which was homecoming in Albion.
Sherman is pleased to see the merged team off to a strong start, and to see a big crowd at Friday’s football game.
“It has always been a joy,” Sherman said about the role of announcer. “It meant a lot to be able to do it for my hometown, for the kids and the community. I never did it for myself, I did it for them. Now that we are entering into a new era with the new merger, it’s time to give somebody else a turn.”
Jeff Radder called Friday’s game from the press box and introduced his catchphrase for Rivals’ touchdowns: “In for the paydirt!”
Trojans snap Rivals five game winning streak
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Hadrian Batista hauls in a touchdown pass for Albion/Medina during the Rivals narrow 35-34 loss to West Seneca East at Albion this evening.
A season long five game winning streak came to an end as Albion/Medina dropped a narrow 35-34 decision to West Seneca East in a key B1 Division game this evening on Homecoming at Albion.
The teams traded scores throughout the game as a bushel basket full of penalties and three missed extra point attempts proved costly to Albion/Medina which slips to 4-1 in the division (5-1 overall).
The OC Rivals are now in a virtual three-way tie for the B1 Division lead with West Seneca East (5-1, 5-1) and McKinley (4-1, 5-1) which downed Lake Shore 54-14. Maryvale (3-2, 4-2) knocked Williamsville South (4-2) out of a share of the division lead by posting a 31-26 win.
Trailing 34-28, West Seneca East scored the game winner as Josh Urban ran 11 yards for his fifth touchdown of the evening and Andrew Ross tacked on his fifth extra point kick of the evening for the deciding point and a 35-34 lead with 1:22 remaining.
Rivals receiver Jack Conn works to get away from a Trojans defender.
Albion/Medina did have one last scoring chance as Elijah Doxey returned the ensuing kickoff 40 yards to the West Seneca East 43 yard line. However, the Rivals drive stalled out on downs inside the 20 in the final seconds as the Trojans held on for the one point win.
At the outset, the Rivals grabbed a 12-7 lead at the end of the first quarter on touchdown runs of 1 yard by quarterback Preston Woodworth and 14 yards by Jayzon Wills. However both key extra point attempts failed.
The Trojans scored in the quarter on on a 25 yard TD run by Urban and a PAT kick by Ross.
Albion/Medina maintained a 20-14 lead at the half as a 15 yard touchdown pass from Woodworth to Hadrian Batista and a two-point conversion pass from Woodworth to Noah Harrison in the second quarter off set a West Seneca East 2 yard TD run by Urban and PAT kick by Ross.
Again the teams traded scores in the third quarter as a 70 yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Doxey for the Rivals offset a 4 yard TD run by Urban and a Ross PAT kick for the Trojans keeping the Rivals up 26-21 at the three-quarter mark.
The lead continued to sea-saw back-and-forth in the decisive final period.
First the Trojans went ahead 28-26 on a 4 yard TD run by Urban and a PAT kick by Ross.
Then the Rivals answered with a 6 yard touchdown run by Doxey and a two-point conversion pass from Woodworth to Harrison to regain the lead for what proved to be the last time at 34-28 with 4:48 remaining. Woodworth had pass completions of 17 yards to Batista and 16 to Harrison to highlight the drive.
That set the stage for the Trojans decisive final 60 yard scoring drive which was aided by a couple of Rivals penalties.
Elijah Doxey breaks loose for a touchdown run for the Rivals.
Barker/R-H improves to 5-0 in C North Div.
Defending champion Barker/Roy-Hart stayed undefeated in C North Division competition at 5-0 with a 51-18 victory at Akron this evening.
Carter DerSarkissian, who had a total of 275 yards rushing, led the Bulls attack with three touchdowns on runs of 86, 70 and 23 yards.
Aaron Bowerman also had a 32 yard touchdown run and Owen Maedl a 16 yard TD carry.
Bulls quarterback Max Townsend hooked up with Ashton Ark for a 17 yard TD pass play and Billy Jaques chipped in with a 25 yard field goal.
Barker/Roy-Hart next visits Alden next Friday evening.
