Steadily pulling away, Medina downed host Barker 50-20 this evening to maintain sole possession of the Niagara-Orleans League girls basketball lead at 5-0.

In other N-O games, defending champion Wilson (5-1) topped host Albion (4-2) 52-39 to take over sole possession of second place and Newfane (3-3) bested Akron (2-3) 56-31.

Je’ne Brown scored a game high 23 points to lead the way for Medina as Maddie Winters added 9, Kayla Cuadra 6, Molley Gross 4, Maddie Williams and Kharise Johnson 3 and Hannah Sones 2. Brown and Winters also both grabbed off 10 rebounds.

Gabby Baker led Barker with 9.

Medina built up leads of 12-2 after one quarter, 26-6 at the half and 39-16 at the three-quarter mark.

Wilson 52, Albion 39
Breaking away from a 24-24 halftime deadlock, Wilson used a 15-7 third period scoring edge to key the 52-39 win over Albion.

Rachel Senek scored 22 and Kayla Neumann 14 to spark Wilson.

Chanyce Powell sparked Albion with 20.

Newfane 56, Akron 31
Paige Emborsky scored 19, Emily Foltz 12 and Olivia Littman 11 for Newfane which built up a 28-14 half-time advantage in route to posting a 56-31 victory over Akron.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Jalin Cooper blocks a shot attempt by Barker’s Eddie Wasnock during the Mustangs win over the visiting Raiders this evening.

Surviving a bit of a scare, Medina edged past visiting Barker 51-44 this evening to maintain sole possession of the Niagara-Orleans League lead at 5-0.

In other N-O action, runner-up Newfane (4-1) defeated Akron (0-5) 56-42 and Wilson improved to 3-2 by edging past visiting Albion (1-5) 64-61.

Jalin Cooper scored 18 and Alex Allis 12 to lead the offense for Medina as Vincent Montague added 7, Johnny Salone and Izaiah Rhim 4 and Mason Lewis and Tyrellis Atkins 3.

Nate Luckman poured in a game high 34 points, including six threes, to lead the way for Barker which slips to 3-2. Eddie Wasnock added 5, Malik Smith and Ryan Voss 2 and Shawn Callaghan 1 for the Raiders.

Medina’s Mason Lewis puts up a layup as Barker’s Nate Luckman tries for the block.

Luckman scored all 8 of the Raiders points in the opening period which finished deadlocked at 8-8.

Medina looked to be about to break the game open by putting together a 15-2 run to start the second quarter, highlighted by three threes by Allis, to move out to a 23-10 lead.

However, Barker answered with a 6-0 run to close the period on a layup and two free throws by Luckman and a layup by Voss to cut the deficit to seven, 23-16, at the half and get right back in the game.

Keeping the momentum, the Raiders then opened the third period with a 10-2 run, including two threes by Luckman and one by Wasnock, to take the lead for the first and only time at 26-25.

Answering the challenge, the Mustangs countered with an 11-5 run to close the period and regain the lead for good, 36-31, at the thee-quarter mark. A dunk off a steal by Cooper highlighted that scoring burst which also included two layups by Montague and one each by Lewis and Rhim.

Barker did battle back to within one twice in the final period, the first time at 36-35 after a three and a free throw by Luckman, and then at 40-39 after a pair of foul shots by Luckman.

Atkins answered with a big three to give Medina a little breathing room at 43-39.

Barker did cut the deficit back to two, 43-41, after two more free throws by Luckman, but the Raiders could get no closer.

The Mustangs finally pulled away for good with a 6-0 run on a jumper by Cooper followed by one foul shot each by Montague, Cooper, Allis and Lewis to open up a 49-41 lead.

Luckman hit one more three with just six seconds remaining to make it 49-44 but Allis answered with a pair of foul shots for the Mustangs to close out the win.

Barker’s Ryan Voss blocks a shot attempt by Medina’s Izaiah Rhim.

Newfane 56, Akron 42
Max Weber scored 15, Caleb Russell 12 and Kyle DeVoogel 11 to set the pace for Newfane which built up a 30-14 half-time advantage in route to posting a56-42 win over Akron.

Wilson 64, Albion 61
Jonah Miller scored 20, including six threes, Connor Seeley 18, including four threes, and Justin Daul 14 to spark Wilson to the narrow 64-61 win over Wilson.

Ugene Harrison scored 17, Chase Hall 16 and Kory Reynolds and Lamar Chambers 13 for Albion.

Seeley made a clutch three-point play with 40 seconds to go to give Wilson a five point, 63-58, lead.

Hall answered with a three for Albion to cut the deficit to 63-61 with 19 seconds to go but the Purple Eagles could get no closer.

Barker’s Nate Luckman drives by Medina defenders Jalin Cooper and Tyrellis Atkins.

For the second week in a row Sacred Heart scored a narrow (38-34) win over Legion Monday to slighty increase its Medina Euchre League lead again, this time to five points.

Vets Club trimmed JR Wilson 36-34 in the other match.

Sacred Heart is now 547-503 on the season followed by Legion 542-508, JR Wilson 527-523 and Vets Club 484-566.

League competition continues on January 23 with JR Wilson at Sacred Heart and Vets Club at Legion.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Tyrellis Atkins and Albion’s Brylie Hapeman and their Mustangs and Purple Eagles teammates both have key Niagara-Orleans basketball games on tap this coming week.

Fresh from earning a pair of key road wins last week at Wilson (52-48) and Newfane (77-65), defending champion Medina faces another key Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball test this week as the Mustangs host Barker on Tuesday.

Medina is currently in sole possession of first place at 4-0 while Barker is tied for second place at 3-1 with Newfane.

The Albion girls likewise face a key home test on Tuesday against defending champion Wilson.

Albion and Wilson are currently tied for second place at 4-1 behind undefeated (4-0) Medina. The Mustangs visit Barker on Tuesday.

Medina took over sole possession of first place by scoring key home court wins over Wilson (61-56) and Newfane (55-37) last week.

In N-O swimming, the defending champion Roy-Hart boys and Newfane girls teams will be looking to lock up titles with wins on Wednesday. Roy-Hart (8-0), which has won 10 straight N-O titles, will host runner-up Albion (7-1) while seven time defending champion Newfane (8-0) will visit Barker ((3-5)

Weekly Schedule
Tuesday
Boys Basketball: Albion at Wilson, 6 p.m.; Barker at Medina, Newfane at Akron, 6:30 p.m.
Girls Basketball: Medina at Barker, Akron at Newfane, Roy-Hart at CSAT, 6:30 p.m.; Wilson at Albion, Lyndonville at Byron-Bergen, Holley at Notre Dame, Pembroke at Kendall, 7 p.m.
Wrestling: Holley-Kendall at Red Creek.

Wednesday
Boys Basketball: Byron-Bergen at Lyndonville, Notre Dame at Holley, Kendall at Pembroke, 7 p.m.
Swimming: Newfane at Barker, Albion at Roy-Hart, Medina at Akron, 4:30 p.m.
Wrestling: Medina at Newfane, 5 p.m.; Akron at Barker/Roy-Hart, Albion at Wilson, 6 p.m.

Thursday
Girls Basketball: Roy-Hart at Barker, Medina at Akron, Wilson at Newfane, 6:30 p.m.; Lyndonville at Oakfield-Alabama, Holley at Lima Christian, Kendall at Attica, 7 p.m.
Wrestling: Lyndonville at Pavilion, 6 p.m.

Friday
Boys Basketball: Newfane at Wilson, 6 p.m.; Akron at Medina, 6:30 p.m.; Barker at Roy-Hart, Oakfield-Alabama at Lyndonville, Rochester Career Mentoring at Holley, Attica at Kendall, 7 p.m.
Swimming: Akron at Albion, Roy-Hart at Newfane, Medina at Barker, 4:30 p.m.

Saturday
Girls Basketball: Lyndonville at Elba, 12:30 p.m.; Albion at Oakfield-Alabama, 1:30 p.m.

N-O Standings
Boys Basketball: Medina 4-0, Barker 3-1, Newfane 3-1, Wilson 2-2, Roy-Hart 2-3, Albion 1-4, Akron 0-4
Girls Basketball: Medina 4-0, Albion 4-1, Wilson 4-1, Akron 2-2, Newfane 2-3, Barker 0-4, Roy-Hart 0-5
Boys Swimming: Roy-Hart 8-0, Albion 7-1, Barker 4-4, Medina 3-5, Newfane 2-6, Akron 0-8
Girls Swimming: Newfane 8-0, Roy-Hart 6-2, Akron 5-3, Barker 3-5, Medina2-6, Albion 0-8
Wrestling: Newfane 4-0, Akron 3-1, Albion 2-2, Barker/Roy-Hart 2-2, Wilson 1-3, Medina 0-4

Contributed Photo – Members of the Medina Wrestling Club who competed in today’s Lockport Tournament include, in front, Luke Duffina, Drew Boardway, and Dominick Callara. In the middle row are Gauge Moore and Trenton Morley In back are Bryden McMurray, Avion Johnson, Landon Johnson and Breydin Miller.

The Medina Wrestling Club opened their tournament season today by competing at the Lockport Youth Wrestling Tourney.

The Medina squad was led by a trio of champions as Dominick Callara went 4-0 on the day while both Trenton Morley and Bryden McMurray were 3-0 to all claim first place honors.

Luke Duffina and Avion Johnson both placed placed as Gauge Moore, Breydin Miller, and Drew Boardway all took thirds and Landon Johnson a fourth to round out Medina’s place finishers.

“I’m always excited to see what the first tournament brings,” said Coach Jamie Duffina. “The boys wrestled hard and converted from practice to competition successfully. It was a great start to the season.”

Contributed Photos – Jesse DeWaters, left, and Tanisha Moyer

Two local players, Roy-Hart graduate Jesse DeWaters and Albion grad Tanisha Moyer, are now both in their senior year of collegiate basketball competition.

DeWaters has started in 9 of 16 games to date for Daemen College. Averging 3.9 points and 2.6 rebounds, she had a season high 18 point effort in a 79-66 Daemen win over Mercy.

She is a nursing major.

Moyer is averaging 2.8 points and 3 rebounds for American International College.

She is a criminal justice major.

DeWaters and Moyer are both former teammates and graduates of Niagara County Community College.

Going 3-2 on the day, Holley-Kendall earned third place honors at the Eastridge Duals today.

Holley-Kendall opened the tourney by finishing second in pool play at 2-1 defeating Penfield 37-32 and Waterloo 44-35 but losing by a single point to Greece (38-37) on criteria after the teams tied 37-37 at the end of the match.

In the cross-over match, Holley-Kendall dropped a 48-24 decision to eventual tourney champion Attica/Batavia.

Rebounding, the Hawks defeated Eastridge 43-36 for third place honors.

Jayden Pieniaszek, who went 5-0 on the day, earned Holley-Kenndall’s team co-MVP honor and also was named the tournament’s MVP for the lightweights.

Hunter McLean also went 3-0, Nate Schoonmaker 2-0 and Braxton Leary-Hart 4-1 for the Hawks as Eli Stanton, Dalton Moyer, Erik Balys and Dylan Spellan were all 3-2. Stanton also earned the Hawk’s team co-MVP award for the tourney.

Albion competes at Will North Tourney
Five Albion wrestlers earned top four finishes at the Williamsville North Tournament today.

Preston Flugel placed second and Jessy Cruz third for the Purple Eagles as Ben Restivo, Donamic Farley and Ugene Harrison each took fourth.

Flugel and Cruz both went 3-1 on he day while Harrison was 3-2.

Lyndonville, Medina at Lockport Tournament

Lyndonville had a trio of place finishers at the Lockport Tournament as Dustin Joy took first going 4-0, Dustin Hinkley second going 3-1 and Chase Stinson fifth.

Medina’s Colby Petrie placed third at 113  going 3-1 on the day.

In the JV Tournament for Medina, Joe Gates placed first going 4-0 and Da’Ron Bellan took fourth.

Gress competes at Eastern States

Lyndonville senior Jeff Gress Jr. competed in the Eastern States Tournament this weekend going 4-2.

A two year unbeaten streak came to an end as the Medina youth basketball team dropped a narrow 25-23 overtime decision to Akron today.

Trailing 8-2 after the opening quarter and 16-12 after the third quarter, Medina battled back to send the game to overtime by tying the score at 20-20.

Lavonn Guy led the scoring for Medina with 12 points. Chris Johnson added 7 and Justin Pitts 4.

Liam Haak, son of Medina girls varsity basketball coach Ken Haak, made the game winning basket for Akron with no time left on the clock.