Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Emily Blanchard puts up a shot against Notre Dame defenders Natalie Thornton (23), Margaret Sutherland (33) and Hannah Bowen (20) during the Purple Eagles overtime win over the host Lady Irish this evening.

In a tight sea-saw battle, Albion edged past host Notre Dame 50-49 in overtime this evening in a non league girls basketball thriller.

Breaking away from a 41-41 tie at the end of regulation time, Albion jumped out to a 48-42 lead midway through the four minute overtime after a layup and a three-point play by Caitlynn Snook and a layup off a steal by Natalie DiCureia.

A three by Callie McMulley pulled Notre Dame back to within two, 48-46, but Albion answered back with two clutch free throws by Janae Doty with only two seconds remaining for a 50-46 lead. The free throws proved to be the game winners as Margaret Sutherland hit a three at the buzzer for the Lady Irish.

“They just played extremely hard and did it all game,” said Albion Coach Lucian Price. “It’s just great to see them believe they could do it and see their confidence grow. Everybody stepped up.”

Albion’s Natalie DiCureia puts up a shot over Notre Dame’s Natalie Thornton.

Emily Blanchard took game high scoring honors for Albion with 17 as Nicole Eldred, Snook and Brylie Hapeman each had 7, Sierra Chudy and DiCureia 5 and Doty 2.

McCulley and Sutherland each scored 16 to lead the way for Notre Dame as Hannah Bowen had 7, Kimmy Keeler 5, Natalie Thornton 3, and Emma Finch 2.

Notre Dame grabbed an 8-4 lead at the end of the first quarter but Albion answered with a 12-8 scoring edge in the second period to knot the contest at 16-16 at the half.

The Purple Eagles opened the period with a 6-0 run on jumpers by Chudy, Snook and Blanchard and closed it with another 6-0 run on buckets by Eldred, Blanchard and Hapeman.

The Purple Eagles then moved out to a five point, 31-26, advantage at the three-quarter mark on threes by Blanchard, Eldred, Hapeman and DiCureia and a jumper by Blanchard.

The Lady Irish though quickly regained a 32-31 lead at the outset of the fourth quarter as a three by McCulley capped a 6-0 run.

There were five more lead changes and three ties for the final six minutes as Albion tallies by Hapeman, Blanchard and Chudy offset Notre Dame scores by Bowen, McCulley and Keeler. A free throw by McCulley with 34 seconds remaining knotted the contest at 41-41 forcing the overtime.

A layup by Snook at the outset of the overtime period put Albion back on top to stay. A three-point play by Snook off another layup followed by a layup off a steal by Dicureia put the Purple Eagles up by six and Doty later clinched the win with a pair of clutch free throws in the final two seconds.

Albion, which played without scoring and rebounding leader Chanyce Powell, who missed the contest with a foot injury, is now 5-2 on the season.

Boys Basketball
Newfane 69, Tonawanda 46
Kyle DeVoogle had 19 points, 7 steals and 7 rebounds and Max Weber 14 points and 12 rebounds to lead Newfane to a 69-46 non league win over Tonawanda.

The Panthers led 32-21 at the half and 53-30 at the three-quarter mark.

Caitlynn Snook puts up a shot for Albion against Notre Dame defenders Margaret Sutherland (33), Hannah Bowen (20) and Callie McCulley (42).

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Kory Reynolds puts up a shot over Batavia’s Antwan Odom during the Purple Eagles loss to the Blue Devils this evening in the semifinals of the Batavia Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

Moving on top to stay with a second period scoring burst, Batavia went on to defeat Albion 60-43 this evening in the opening round of the Batavia Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

Trailing 21-17 early in the second period, Batavia closed the stanza with a key 9-0 run, including 6 by Antwan Odom, to regain the lead for good by a 26-21 margin at the half.

Albion’s Chase Hall goes up over Batavia’s Andrew Francis for a shot.

The Blue Devils then used a 15-7 third period scoring edge to extend the lead to 13, 41-28, at the three-quarter mark. Tee Sean Ayala had two threes and Odom three baskets to lead that uprising.

Batavia went on to lead by as much as 21, 57-36, in the final period.

Ayala finished with a game high 21 on 7 threes as Odom added 16.

Lamar Chambers scored 19 and Kory Reynolds 16 to spark Albion as Tanner Ferris added 4 and Chase Hall and Demetrius Gardner 2 each.

Batavia jumped out to an 11-4 lead at the outset as Ayala had three quick threes.

Albion though answered back with a 10-0 run, including back-to-back threes and a layup off a steal by Chambers, to take the lead for the first time at 14-11.

Reynolds tallied 9 and Chambers 8 to account for all of Albion’s scoring in the period which finished deadlocked at 17-17.

The Purple Eagles regained the lead for what proved to be the last time at 21-17 at the outset of the second period after a jumper by Reynolds and a layup off a steal by Chambers.

However, the Blue Devils countered with a 9-0 run to close the period and regain the lead for good 26-21 at the half.

Batavia will now face city rival Notre Dame in the championship game at 8 p.m. Thursday while Albion will take on Niagara-Orleans League foe Roy-Hart in the consolation contest at 6:30 p.m. Notre Dame downed Roy-Hart 47-41 in the other semifinal.

Albion’s JaQuess Harrison drives against Batavia defender Alesso LaRock.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s DJ Davis puts up a shot over Nico Zambito of Notre Dame during the Rams loss to the Irish this evening in the semifinals of the Batavia Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

Rebounding from as much as an 8 point deficit early in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame put together a clutch 12-0 scoring burst to close the game and claim a 47-41 victory over Roy-Hart this evening in the opening round of the Batavia Lions Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

Threes by Ryan Moffat, Jordan Lyons and Brendin Klotzbach keyed that rally which turned a 41-35 deficit into a 44-41 lead. The Irish then locked up the win on two free throws by Klotzbach and one by Lyons in the final minute.

Roy-Hart’s Eric Fitch puts up a shot as Jacob Wetherwax tries to block for Notre Dame.

Nico Zambito finished with 14 and Moffat 13 to lead the way for Notre Dame as Klotzbach and Lyons both added 7 and Anthony Gugino 6.

DJ Davis took game high scoring honors with 15 for Roy-Hart as Brendon Hess had 9, Jacob Bruning 8, Noah Kindron 5 and Eric Fitch and Tim Moriarity 2 each.

Notre Dame also got off to a fast start jumping out to a 18-9 first quarter lead as Moffat scored 8, including two three’s, and Zambito 7, including a three.

However, Roy-Hart put together a 10-0 run to rally into the lead for the first time at 23-22 late in the second quarter. Bruning scored 6 on two baskets and a pair of free throws to lead that rally which also included a jumper by Moriarity and a layup off a turnover by Kindron.

The Irish went back up 26-23 at the outset of the third period on a three by Lyons but the Rams answered with a 9-0 run to close the quarter and grab a 32-26 lead at the three-quarter mark. Hess had a three and layup and Davis a jumper and a layup to lead the uprising.

Two threes by Davis upped the Roy-Hart lead to 8, 38-30, early in the decisive final period but Notre Dame got right back in the game at 38-35 after a layup and a three by Zambito.

Another three by Kindron did keep Roy-Hart up by 6, 41-35, with four minutes to go in the game.

Notre Dame though answered with one last rally as consecutive threes by Moffat, Lyons and Klotzbach put the Irish back on top to stay at 44-41 with 1:20 remaining.

Notre Dame will now face city rival Batavia in the championship game at 8 p.m. Thursday while Roy-Hart will take on Niagara-Orleans League rival Albion in the consolation game at 6:30 p.m. Batavia topped Albion 60-43 in the other semifinal.

Girls Basketball

Iroquois 52, Newfane 44

Iroquois downed Newfane 52-44 this evening in the opening round of the Depew Tourament.

Paige Emborsky led Newfane with 23.

Matt Borel of Roy-Hart puts up a shot against a block attempt by Notre Dame’s Nico Zambito.

Sacred Heart used the combination of a 38-32 win over Vets Club with Legion’s 37-33 loss to JR Wilson Monday to regain first place in the Medina Euchre League standings.

Now on top by a single point, Sacred Heart is 440-400 on the season followed by Legion 439-401, JR Wilson 418-422 and Vets Club 383-457.

League action resumes on January 2 with position round matches as Legion will be at Sacred Heart and Vets Club at JR Wilson.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s Andrew Moseman, right, and his Hawk teammates will host the annual Holley Tournament this coming Thursday and Friday. Roy-Hart’s Jacob Bruning, left, and his Ram teammates will compete in the Batavia Lions Club Tournament on Tuesday and Thursday as will Albion.

Three local teams will be competing in the annual Holley Holiday Tournament to highlight this coming week’s area high school basketball action.

Thursday’s opening round of the Hawks tourney will have Lyndonville vs. Kendall at 5:30 p.m. followed by Geneseo vs. Holley at 7 p.m. The consolation and championship games will then be held on Friday at 5:30 and 7 p.m.

The Albion and Roy-Hart boys teams will both be competing in the Batavia Lions Club’s annual tournament at Genesee Community College. Tuesday’s opening round will have Roy-Hart vs. Notre Dame at 6:30 p.m. and Albion vs. Batavia at 8 p.m. The consolation and championship games will be held on Thursday at 6:30 and 8 p.m.

The upcoming week’s wrestling competition will spotlight the Holley-Kendall Duals on Wednesday at Holley beginning at 10 a.m. In addition to the Hawks, the tournament’s field will include Albion, Addison, Caledonia-Mumford, Eastridge, Marcus-Whitman

Weekly Schedule
Tuesday
Boys Basketball: Batavia Lions Club Tournament (Roy-Hart vs. Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m., Albion vs. Batavia, 8 p.m.)

Wednesday
Girls Basketball: Albion at Notre Dame, 7 p.m.; Barker at Pembroke Tournament
Wrestling: Holley-Kendall Duals, 10 a.m.

Thursday
Boys Basketball: Holley Tournament (Lyndonville vs. Kendall, 5:30 p.m., Geneseo vs. Holley, 7 p.m.); Batavia Lions Club Tournament (Consolation 6:30 p.m., championship, 8 p.m.)
Girls Basketball: Barker at Pembroke Tournament

Friday
Boys Basketball: Holley Tournament (Consolation 5:30 p.m., Championship 7 p.m.), Barker at Pembroke, 7 p.m., Medina v.s O’Hara at Villa Maria College, 8:15 p.m.
Girls Basketball: Roy-Hart at Elba, 7 p.m.

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

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall senior Jake Adams

Kendall High senior Jake Adams has been named to the second team of the All Greater Rochester boys soccer squad.

Adams, who was named Genesee Region League Player of the Year this past fall, led Kendall in scoring with 30 goals and 7 assists.

A three-time Genesee Region All-Star and a two-time All Greater Rochester honoree, Adams finished his four year varsity career with a total of 67 goals and 24 assists.

Several local players also received Honorable Mention including Kendall’s Joe LoSapio and Holley’s trio of Derek McArthur, Chris Balys and Andrew Cary, all seniors.

The girls soccer All-Greater Rochester team had several local players earn Honorable Mention including Lyndonville seniors Aubrey Lewis and Makenzie Muck, Kendall junior Taylor ReQua and senior Lizzie Rath and Holley junior Madison Papaj.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Postseason Section VI wrestling competition will include both individual and team championship tournaments for the first time this season. Shown here in action is Albion’s Jessy Cruz.

Postseason high school wrestling competition will take on a new look this season with the addition of a Section VI Dual Match (team) championship tournament.

The sectional event will be a prelude to the introduction of a state team championship tournament in February 2018.

The sectional and state team tournaments will be held in addition to the long standing sectional and state individual championships.

The inaugural Section VI Dual Match Tournament is scheduled for Saturday January 28 at Starpoint with eight teams competing for the title in Division 1 (large schools) and eight in Division 2 (small schools).

The competing teams will be selected by the Section VI Wrestling Committee on Sunday January 22.

The traditional road to the state individual championships will then begin on Saturday February 4 with Division Tournaments in five classes (AA, A, B, C and D).

The Section VI championships (state qualifier) tournament will then be held on February 11 in two divisions (Division 1, large schools and Division 2, small schools).

The state championships for Division 1 and Division 2 will then be held on February 24 in Albany.

That busy month long sequence of sectional competition has not only condensed the regular season, which now virtually ends in mid January, but has put the future of the long standing Niagara-Orleans All-League Tournament very much in doubt.

This year’s N-O tourney has been moved back from its original date of January 28 to January 21 because of the advent of the Section VI team tourney whose field will likely include at least one N-O team. And next year, because of the start of the state team tournament, the Section VI event will move into that weekend likely spelling the end of the N-O tourney.

“There’s a 95 to 100 percent chance that this will be the last year for the N-O tournament” said Medina Coach Eric Gross. “There was a consensus at our coaches preseason meeting that this would be the last year. The number of wrestlers competing has been decreasing  in recent years (only 74 last year) and there is a good chance that at least one of our teams will be invited to the sectional tournament so this looks to be the end of an era.”

Genesee Region League football teams, including Holley, look to be merged with the Livingston County League beginning next fall. Shown here is Hawks quarterback Jeremy Mallett.

The addition of the sectional, and next year the state, team championship tournament which adds to an already crowed calendar of weekend tournament events, also concerns Gross.

“I know what they are trying to accomplish to determine the best team. Pennsylvania has been doing it for some time having both individual and team championship tournaments,” said Gross. “However, I think it’s too much. I think we’re adding a little too much.”

High School Football
G-R looks to have new gridiron partner
The area high school gridiron landscape will likely also have a new look next fall as the Genesee Region League and Livingston County League have reached an agreement to merge for football competition.

Currently the G-R League has only six football squads (Holley, Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, Attica, Alexander, Pembroke and Notre Dame) while the Livingston County loop has 16 teams split into two divisions.

“It’s a positive thing,. Now we’ll have a full league,” said Holley Coach Wil Prince of the merger. “There are a couple of different options they are looking at for a lineup and scheduling with either a three or four team division league setup but nothing is set in stone yet.”

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Holley-Kendall’s Jayden Pieniaszek (106) works toward a pin over Churchville-Chili’s Jake Potts during the host Hawks Alumni Night victory this evening.

Dylan Spellan (182) of Holley-Kendall in route to scoring a pin over Max Leisenring of Churchville-Chili.

Celebrating Alumni Night, Holley-Kendall posted a 57-30 victory over visiting Churchville-Chili in a non league wrestling match this evening.

With some 50 former Holley and Kendall wrestlers on hand, the Hawks used a total of seven pins to key the victory and improve to 3-0 on the young season.

Leading by narrow 27-24 margin, the Hawks broke the match wide open by erupting for four straight pins by Braxton Leary-Hart (170) in 3:07, Dylan Spellan (182) in 4:00, Nate Silversmith (195) in 4:10 and Brandon Stewart (220) in 1:20 to take a commanding 51-24 advantage and put a lock on the victory.

Earlier in the match the Hawks got pins by Jayden Pieniaszek (106) in 3:28 and Joe Franzese (120) in 2:00 to grab a 12-6 lead.

The visiting Saints countered with back-to-back pins by Ty Raines (126) in 4:23 and Nathan Sanborn (132) in :33 to take what proved to be their only lead at 18-12.

The Hawks regained the lead for good at 27-18 after an overtime decision win by Eli Stanton (138) followed by back-to-back forfeit wins at 145 and 152.

The Saints did cut the deficit to three, 27-24, after a pin by Tyler Wittman (160) in 1:37 but the Hawks answered right back with the decisive surge of four straight pins to lock up the victory.

Tristyn Moyer (99) capped off Holley-Kendall’s big night by registering the Hawks quickest pin in just 45 seconds in the final bout.

Holley-Kendall next hosts its Duals Tournament on December 28.

Holley-Kendall’s Braxton Leary-Hart (170) works toward a pin over Churchville-Chili’s Michael DiFlorio.

Steadily pulling away, Newfane posted a 67-31 victory over visiting Albion this evening in a Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball game.

In another N-O contest, Wilson edged past visiting Roy-Hart 51-48.

Kyle DeVoogel took game high scoring honors with 26 and Max Weber tallied 17 to set the pace for Newfane which held leads of 15-12 after one period, 32-19 at the half and 45-27 at the three-quarter mark. Weber also had 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

Chase Hall scored 10, Kory Reynolds 8 and Jacob Buzard 7 for Albion.

Newfane is now 2-0 and Albion 0-2 in N-O action.

Wilson 51, Roy-Hart 48
Wilson used a 15-8 fourth period scoring edge to rally for a narrow 51-48 win over Roy-Hart.

Jonah Miller scored 14 and Nate Fox 12 to lead the way for Wilson.

Jacob Bruning took game high honors for Roy-Hart with 21 as Cam Meadows added 9 and DJ Davis 8.

Wilson is now 2-0 and Roy-Hart 0-2 in N-O competition.

Notre Dame 60, Kendall 51
A third quarter scoring edge keyed Notre Dame to a 60-51 win over visiting Kendall in a Genesee Region League game.

Leading by a narrow 26-24 margin at the half, Notre Dame outpointed Kendall 21-16 in the third to open up a 47-40 advantage at the three-quarter mark.

Ryan Moffat and Nico Zambito, who finished with a game high 22 points apiece, combined for 17 during that decisive third period run.

Brandon Miller scored 12, Nate Warters 12, Collin Lewis 10, James Longrod 8 and John Rath 7 for Kendall. Miller also had 20 rebounds, 5 blocks and 5 assists.

Notre Dame is now 2-2 in the league and Kendall is 1-2.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Maddie Williams drives by Elba defenders Leah Bezon (3), Madison Howard (15) and Carli Bogue (2) during the Mustangs loss to the visiting Lady Lancers this evening.

A late rally fell just short as Medina dropped a narrow 52-49 decision to visiting Elba this evening in a non league girls basketball game.

Trailing by 12, 49-37, three minutes into the final period, Medina put together a 12-2 run to slice the deficit to just two, 51-49, with 15 seconds to go. Back-to-back threes by Maddie Williams and Emily Kams capped off that uprising which was ignited by another three by Williams and a rebound bucket by Je’ne Brown.

However, a turnover with nine seconds to go, the Mustangs fifth in the final three minutes, helped to dash that comeback bid as a free throw by Madison Howard with three seconds to go gave the Lady Lancers a three point win.

Medina’s Je’ne Brown puts up a shot against Elba defender Madison Howard.

Carli Bogue scored 13 and Howard 11 to lead the way for Elba as Emily Reynolds and Isabella Riner both added 8, Maddie Muehlig 6, Tatiana Draper 4 and Meaghan Kogut 2.

Williams took game high honors with 22 and Brown tallied 15 for Medina as Kams netted 7 and Molley Gross 5. Brown also grabbed off 11 rebounds and Maddie Winters 10.

Bogue and Muehlig both hit two threes to help Elba grab a narrow 18-17 lead at the end of a sea-saw first period which saw no less than seven lead changes. Williams erupted for 11 during that stretch for the Mustangs including a pair of threes.

Medina put together a 9-1 run, including two layups and a rebound bucket by Brown, to open up a six point, 28-22, lead late in the second period.

However, the Lady Lancers answered with a 5-0 run to close the period on tallies by Reynolds and Bogue to cut the deficit to one, 28-27, at the half.

The Mustangs extended the lead to seven, 32-27, at the outset of the third period on tallies by Williams and Brown but the Lady Lancers again answered back, this time with a 13-5 run, to close the stanza and take a 40-37 lead at the three-quarter mark. Howard scored 6 and Riner 5 to lead that rally.

Elba then went up by as much as 12, 49-37, early in the final period but had to hold off a late Medina rally to claim the narrow win.

Elba is now 5-1 and Medina 6-1.

Wilson 59, Roy-Hart 35
Defending champion Wilson posted a 59-35 win over host Roy-Hart to improve to 3-0 in Niagara-Orleans League action.

Rachel Senek scored 26 and Kayla Neumann 15 to lead the way for Wilson.