The Kendall and Holley faculty teams will meet in a special benefit basketball game at 7 p.m. Thursday at Kendall High.

Proceeds from the contest will go to benefit Kendall High junior Payton Walters who was seriously injured during a youth hockey game in January.

Photo by Mike Wertman – Leading the Medina lacrosse team into the upcoming season is this veteran contingent which includes, in front, Mason Lewis, Brendan Luthart, Ian Joseph and Mason Pecoraro. In back are Mike Carson, Coby Albone, Tyler Howard, Jake Cotter and Cody Crane.

The return of four of their top five scorers anchors the lineup for the Medina Mustangs lacrosse team heading into the upcoming season.

Senior Jake Cotter, who has also ready accepted a scholarship to play lacrosse at Canisius College, heads that veteran quartet as he had 61 goals and 20 assists last year.

The Mustangs also return junior Brendan Luthart (32 goals, 17 assists), junior Mason Lewis (28 goals, 31 assists) and senior Coby Albone (24 goals).

“We return a lot of firepower so scoring goals should be one of our strengths,” said Coach Gordy Luthart. “And in this division you have got to score a lot of goals.”

The Mustangs also return varsity experience in seniors Tyler Howard on defense and Mike Carson at attack along with the junior trio of Ian Joseph (midfield/defense), Cody Crane (goalie) and Mason Pecoraro (goalie).

Medina’s youthful defensive unit also looks to include junior Luke Wilson, sophomores Tim Roy and Blaire Prest and freshman Bobby Geiger.

“I’m really excited about our young defensemen,” said Luthart . “Overall we’re ahead of last year defensively even though that young group doesn’t have any varsity experience.”

The Mustangs lineup also includes juniors Austin Cox (midfield/defender), Ethan Leonard (midfield), Joe Gates (midfield), Josh Miller (midfield) and DaRon Bellan (midfield) along with sophomores Christian Silversmith (attack) and Chaise Prest (midfield).

“We have a lot of speed,” said Luthart. “I’m very optimistic about this season. This group has a lot of energy and it has a good mix although we are still very young.”

The Mustangs graduation losses include midfielders Tyler Valley, Greg Husung and Dylan Lewis along with defensemen Trent Cotriss, Kalvin Packer, Charlie Enderby and Josh Klotzbach.

Medina, which went 6-8 in the league and 7-10 overall last year, will be competing in the new Section VI Class D division this season along with Akron, Wilson, Gowanda, Silver Creek, Salamanca and Eden.

The Mustangs are scheduled to open the season at home next Wednesday with a non league game against Lockport after scrimmaging West Seneca West on Monday..

Schedule:

March 22 – Lockport, 5 p.m.

March 29 – Gowanda, 5 p.m.

March 31 – at Salamanca, 5:30 p.m.

April 3 – at Gananda, 5:30 p.m.

April 5 – Silver Creek, 5 p.m.

April 7 – Akron, 7 p.m.

April 18 – Eden, 5 p.m.

April 21 – Wilson, 7 p.m.

April 24 – North Tonawanda, 7 p.m.

April 26 – Salamanca, 5 p.m.

April 28 – at Gowanda, 7 p.m.

May 1 – at Brockport, 7 p.m.

May 5 – at Wilson, 5 p.m.

May 10 – at Akron, 5 p.m.

May 12 – at Eden, 5:30 p.m.

May 15 – at Silver Creek, 5:30 p.m.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s duo of Corey Hydock, left, and Eric Neace have earned Genesee Region League All-Star honors.

Lyndonville’s senior duo of Eric Neace and Corey Hydock have been named to the Genesee Region League All-Star basketball team.

Both three year varsity starters, the two compiled nearly identical statistics this season.  Neace scored 259 points (11.8 average) and had 131 rebounds, 34 assists and 25 steals while Hydock tallied 247 points (11.1 ave) and had 123 rebounds, 56 assists and 27 steals.

Lyndonville senior Jacob Hoffee earned Honorable Mention to the G-R squad as did Kendall senior Brandon Miller.

Hoffee scored 223 points (10.2 ave,) and had 97 rebounds, 68 assists and 42 steals while Miller had 266 points (13.3 ave.), 194 rebounds, 35 assists and 21 steals.

The G-R All-Star team also included Brian Burke and Colin Noeth from Byron-Bergen, Tucker Bezon and Henry Pflaumer from Elba, Reice Woodward and Ryan Douglas from Oakfield-Alabama, Ryan Cansdale and Reed Miano from Pembroke, Dustin Schmieder from Alexander and Owen Thompson from Attica.

The Honorable Mention selections also include Matt Genaway, Chris McClinic and Erik Scharlau from Alexander, Levi Snyder from Attica, Chase Felton from Byron-Bergen, Jordan Miller and Shane O’Hollaran from Elba, Tyler Ohlson from Oakfield-Alabama, Nico Zambito from Notre Dame, Zach vonKramer from Pembroke and Adam Lund from Wheatland-Chili.

Final G-R Standings

Division 1: Pembroke* 12-3, Byron-Bergen 12-3, Alexander 10-5, Oakfield-Alabama 8-7, Attica 9-6, Holley 0-15.

Division 2: Elba 13-1, Lyndonville 6-8, Notre Dame 4-10, Kendall 4-10, Wheatland-Chili 2-12.

* Pembroke won Division 1 title on head to head tie breaker.

Looking to avenge a loss in last year’s inaugural contest, the Lyndonville faculty will host the Medina facility in a benefit basketball game at 7 p.m. Thursday.

The Lyndonville lineup will include Lee Dillenbeck, Jeff Kingsbury, Todd Wolford, Joe Suhr, Brad Hoffee, Barry Webber, Shane Phillips, Joe Moore and Jim O’Connor.

The Medina squad will include Eric Valley, Chris Hughes, Mike Lepkyj, Jesse Mankowski, PJ Bell, Jon Sherman, Adam Hellwig, Tom Forrestel and Lucas Evans.

Valley scored 17 to lead the way for Medina in last year’s narrow 42-37 win.  Phillips shared game high scoring honors with 17 for Lyndonville.

Proceeds from the contest will go to benefit the Lyndonville Sports Boosters Camp Scholarship Program.

The Lyndonville youth basketball teams will play exhibition games at 6:30 p.m. and at halftime of the faculty contest.

Reversing the outcome of the previous week’s results, front-running Legion combined a 45-25 win over Vets Club with runner-up Sacred Heart’s 36-34 loss to JR Wilson Monday to extend its Medina Euchre League lead to 13 points.

Legion is now 839-771 on the season followed by Sacred Heart at 826-784, JR Wilson 811-799 and Vets Club 744-866.

League competition continues on March 20 with Vets Club at Sacred Heart and JR Wilson at Legion.

The location and game times are the same only the date has changed.

Postponed last Friday due to school closings from the severe wind storm, the 18th annual Niagara-Orleans League vs. Genesee Region League Exceptional Senior basketball doubleheader has been rescheduled for this coming Friday at Medina High.

The girls game is slated for 5 p.m. to be followed by the boys contest at 6:45 p.m.

The N-O holds leads of 12-5 in the boys series and 11-6 in the girls’ series.

Last year, the N-O won the boys game for the fourth year in a row by a score of 73-67 while the G-R took the girls contest for the second time in three years by a narrow 40-39 margin.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Aubrey Lewis, Lyndonville

Capping off a four year varsity career, Lyndonville senior Aubrey Lewis has been named to the Genesee Region League All-Star girls basketball team.

Lewis led Lyndonville in scoring this season with 231 points (11.5 average). She also had 125 rebounds, 80 steals and 60 assists.

Lyndonville senior Makenzie Muck received Honorable Mention on the G-R squad as did the Kendall duo of senior Lizzie Rath and junior Taylor ReQua.

Muck led Lyndonville on the boards this season with 226 rebonds. She also scored 179 points (9.9 ave.).

Rath had 149 points, 138 rebounds, 70 assists and 63 steals on the season for the Lady Eagles while ReQua had 175 points, 165 rebounds, 87 steals and 61 assists.

Division 1 champion Oakfield-Alabama led the G-R All-Star team with three honorees including juniors Kylie Schlagenhauf and Makayla Hilchey along with freshman Brianna Smith.

The All-Star team also includes the Notre Dame duo of junior Margaret Sutherland and sophomore Callie McCulley along with Pembroke junior Olivia Kohorst, Alexander senior Olivia George, Wheatlad-Chili junior Alyssa Seilheimer, Attica senior Emily Weber, Byron-Bergen junior Dana Van Valkenberg and Elba junior Emily Reynolds who was named G-R Player of the Year.

The G-R Honorable Mention honorees also include Jenna LaMere and Abbie Callaghan from Wheatland-Chili, McKenna Johnson and McKenzie Jurek from Pembroke, Hailey Hubbard and Karson Richenberg from Byron-Bergen, Carly Bogue and Tatiana Draper from Elba, Alyssa Meyer and Taylor Gadd from Attica, Marissa Scharlau from Alexander and Lakin Woodward from Oakfield-Alabama.

Final G-R Standings

Division 1: Oakfield-Alabama 14-1, Byron-Bergen 8-7, Alexander 8-7, Attica 7-8, Pembroke 5-10, Holley 0-15.

Division 2: Notre Dame* 11-3, Elba 11-3, Wheatland-Chili 11-3, Kendall 4-10, Lyndonville 1-13.

* Notre Dame won division title on tie breaker of best division record.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s duo of Johnny Salone, left, and Jalin Cooper head the first team of the Hub All-Area squad.

Niagara-Orleans League champion Medina’s underclassman duo of junior Jalin Cooper and sophomore Johnny Salone head the fourth annual OrleansHub All-Area boys basketball squad.

Lyndonville’s senior duo of Eric Neace and Corey Hydock along with Barker senior Nate Luckman complete the first team.

Barker’s Nate Luckman

Cooper and Neace are both two-time first team honorees.

Cooper, a three year starter, tied a Medina school record by scoring 458 points this season (20.8 average). He also had 207 rebounds, 66 steals and 58 assists.

Salone, a two year varsity player, tallied 284 points (12.9 ave.) and also had 174 rebounds, 70 steals and 28 assists.

Both three year varsity starters, Neace had 259 points (11.8 ave.), 131 rebounds, 34 assists and 25 steals while Hydock had 247 points (11.1 ave.), 123 rebounds, 56 assists and 27 steals.

Luckman, a four year varsity player who surpassed the 1,000 point career scoring milestone late in the season, scored 487 points (22.1 ave.) and added 115 rebounds, 70 assists and 50 steals.

The All-Area second team includes Medina sophomore Izaiah Rhim, Albion senior Kory Reynolds, Kendall senior Brandon Miller and Roy-Hart junior Jacob Bruning along with Lyndonville’s Jacob Hoffee and Barker’s Eddie Wasnock, both seniors, who share the fifth spot.

The return of Rhim, who missed last year due to an injury, helped key Medina’s successful quest for a second straight N-O title. He scored 197 points (9.0 ave.) and had 167 rebounds, 107 assists and 37 steals.

Reynolds led Albion in both scoring with 260 points (12.3 ave.) and rebounds with 235. He also had 39 assists and 37 steals.

Miller scored 266 points (13.3 ave.) and added 194 rebounds, 35 assists and 21 steals.
Bruning led Roy-Hart in scoring with 323 points for a 15.3 average.

Hoffee scored 225 points (10.2 ave.) and had 97 rebounds, 68 assists and 42 steals while Wasnock also had 225 points (10.2 ave.), along with 197 rebounds, 46 assists and 45 steals.

Lyndonville’s Eric Neace, left, and Corey Hydock.

Contributed Photo – Dominick Callara

Two members of the Medina Youth Wrestling Club, Dominick Callara and Luke Duffina,  competed at the NYWAY State Qualifier Tournament today at Pioneer.

Callara placed second in the D4 (11-12) 65 lb. weight class qualifying for the NYWAY State tournament in Syracuse on March 18th.

Going 2-1 on the day he won his first match by a 16-6 major decision over Gavin Warner of Falconer, and then won 3-0 over Aden Harris of Newfane before suffering a fall to Gavin Ciarfella of Prescott Wrestling School.

Duffina went 1-2 on the day ending his season.

Three other Medina Club wrestlers went to the Holley tournament  with Sawyer Kingsbury and Jayden Travis placing first and Liam Castricone finishing second.

Contributed Photo – This trio of Medina youth wrestlers, from left, Liam Castrione, Sawyer Kingsbury and Jayden Travis placed at the Holley Tournament.

Contributed Photo – Reece Senske

Reece Senske, a fourth grader at Medina’s Wise Middle School, placed fourth at the NYWAY Far West Regional State qualifier tournament today qualifying him for the state championships in Syracuse next weekend. It will be his fourth trip to the state tournament.

Senske, who wrestles with Prescott Wrestling School in Lancaster and the Batavia Little Devils wrestling team, has competed in tournaments in N.Y., Pennsylvania, Michigan, Maine and Massachusetts this year compiling a record of 31 wins and 12 losses.

The tournament champion at Perry, McGuffey Pa. and North Pa., he  placed second at Batavia, Young Guns Pa., Lansing Mi. and Webster and third at Mexico N.Y. and Butler Pa.