Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Senior captains Jesus Reyes, Brody Hazel and Michael Alexander will lead the newly merged Lyndonville/Barker soccer squad.

For the past several years Lyndonville and Barker have merged for a girls varsity soccer team which competes in the Niagara-Orleans League.

Now this fall, Lyndonville and Barker will also be combining for a boys varsity soccer team which will compete in the Genesee Region League.

Anchoring the squad will be Lyndonville’s veteran group of seniors Jesus Reyes, Brody Hazel, Michael Alexander and Ethan Franks along with juniors Jacob Franks, Chanse Amsdill, Logan Fonda, Amir Zimmerman, Gavyn Draper; sophomores Maddox Smith, Barrett Alexander and Iziah Rodriguez.

The Tigers graduation losses included Colton Smith, Raul Morales, Greyson Romano and Austin Fonda.

Coach Casey Winiecki’s squad went 6-6 in G-R action last fall and 10-8 overall.

The fledgling Lyndonville/Barker squad will open with a non league game at Park on September 3 and then begin G-R competition at home on September 9 against defending champion Kendall.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s veteran groiup includes, in front, Aaliyah Jones. In the first row Madison Frasier, Yaritza Fernandez Perez, Lena Grillo and Alayna Flugel. In back are Isabella Truelson, Jane Nesbitt, Lux Froman, Ava Woolston, Brittany Lewis and Dulce Sanchez. Missing is Shayla Higgins.

Albion will open the girls soccer season by hosting a tournament on September 3 and 5.

The opening round on Thursday will have Attica vs. Oakfield-Alabama and Albion vs. Barker/Lyndonville. The Albion vs. Barker/Lyndonville contest, which will be at 6:45 p.m., will also count as an Niagara-Orleans League game.

Albion returns a good nucleus including seniors Ava Woolston, Shayla Higgins, Brittany Lewis, Yaritza Fernandez Perez, Dulce Sanchez and Isabella Truelson along with junior Alayna Flugel; sophomores Aaliyah Jones, Lena Grillo, Lux Froman, Jane Nesbitt and freshman Madison Frasier. Lewis was a second team N-O All-League honoree last fall and Wooston earned Honorable Mention.

“We have most of our team back and they are working hard so we should be improved,” said Coach Maggie Orbaker.

Albion went 2-6-4 in N-O action last fall.

For the second day in a row bogey problems proved costly as Medina’s Melanie Green has missed the cut at the LPGA Tour’s FM Championship Tournament being played near Boston.

Green, who opened with a 5 over par 77 on Thursday, had a similar 4 over par round of 76 today to finish at 9 over missing the cut which was at even par.

On the day, Green had three bogeys, two double bogeys and 3 birdies.

Contributed Photo – Aidan Papaj

Fresh from helping lead Medina High to the state baseball tournament finals in mid June, shortstop/pitcher Aidan Papaj kept sharping his diamond skills over the summer by competing in half a dozen major baseball tournaments in Florida, Alabama and Long Island.

Papaj, who will be starting his senior year at Medina High next month, tuned up for the busy summer on the road by playing locally with the East Coast Pipeline 17U Showcase in the Hilbert College Showcase Tournament. The team won the tournament going 4-0 on the weekend. Papaj played shortstop, pitched and hit 2 home runs in 3 games one of which was a grand slam.

All four weekends in July Papaj played in tournaments down south with the national team of USG/Elev Rawlings out of Texas. He was teammates with players from California, Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and NY to name a few, including the PBR NY Top 2027 Players, Derek and Ryan Yormack, who are already committed to Vanderbilt.

The team got off to a fast start going 4-0 to win the 17U PG Freedom Classic at Fort Myers, Florida.

Next came the PG 17U National Elite Championship at Hoover, Alabama where the team went 2-1 in pool play, won 1st round of playoffs but lost in round of 16 game.

Returning to Fort Myers, the team competed in the PG 17U BCS National Championship which was an invitational tournament. The team went 4-0 in pool play, won 1st 2 rounds of playoffs only to lose in the quarterfinals 6-1 and finished in top 8 of 62 teams.

Next at Jupiter, FL. the team competed in the PG WWBA Florida Invitational. The team went 2-0 in pool play but lost in quarterfinals to the Puerto Rico Scout Team which went on to win the event but again finished in top 8 of 26 teams.

USG Elev8 Rawlings was 15-4 on the summer national circuit. Papaj played 2nd base, shortstop and third base throughout the month of July. His batting average was .258.

Then in mid August Papaj headed out to Long Island for a regional event. He played for USG NY 18U Showcase Team, in the LaSorda Legacy Park All-American Invitational. The team went 4-0 to win the championship as he played shortstop and pitched.

Overall, Papaj played on 3 different teams this summer: 1 local, 1 regional and 1 national. All three of those teams won a tournament that Aidan participated in. His overall team record for the summer was 22-4. He played middle infield at all levels as well.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s large veteran group includes, in front, Aidan Kelley, Jasmar Hernandez, Dylan Warner and Cameron Kelley. In back are Cooper Wolf, Chase Kempa, Gage Yockel, Isaac Bartlett, Tarek Garrett and Breyden Crawford. Missing is Hawkins Daly.

Anchored by a large contingent of nearly a dozen veterans, the Holley boys varsity soccer team will tune-up for the Genesee Region League season by hosting Albion in a non league opener at 7 p.m. Tuesday September 1.

The Hawks veteran group includes seniors Chase Kempa, Cooper Wolf, Breyden Crawford, Aidan Kelley, Jasmar Hernandez, Hawkins Daly and Gage Yockel along with juniors Dylan Warner, Tarek Garrett, Isaac Bartlett and sophomore Cameron Kelley.

Kempa earned G-R All-Star honors last fall while Wolf, Aidan Kelley and Warner were all Honorable Mention selections. Kempa had 5 goals and 8 assists and Wolf 6 goals and 3 assists while Warner made 61 saves and had a 0.67 goals against average in goal.

“We’ve got a good returning group,” said Coach Zach Ritz. “It is a pretty balanced team.”

The Hawks graduation losses included G-R All-Stars Cam Mosier and Hunter Pacha and Honorable Mention selection Blake Coleman.

Holley, which went 7-5 in the league and 10-8 overall last fall, will open the G-R campaign at home against Pembroke on September 9.

Albion School District Press Release

Contributed Photo – Mike Sanders

Albion middle and high school English teacher and varsity wrestling Coach Mike Sanders has been appointed the district’s new Athletic Director by the Board of Education. He will assume his new position next Tuesday.

An Albion High graduate, Sanders has taught English in the district for 8 years and has served as varsity wrestling coach since 2022. He is also the founder and president of the Purple Eagles Wrestling Academy.

In his new position, Sanders will oversee all sports programs and provide leadership, coordination and innovation in the areas of interscholastic athletics and physical education.

“I am looking forward to the challenge of this new role,” said Sanders. “I am excited to build a strong athletics culture at Albion. A culture I grew up hearing stories about.”

“Education and athletics have truly defined my life, and that foundation was built right here in Albion,” added Sanders. “Growing up as a Purple Eagle taught me the value of community, grit, and pride. It’s that same deep-rooted love for the Albion community and athletics that makes me want to give back to our athletes and coaches, help elevate our athletic tradition, and guide them toward success. It won’t be easy. It may take some time. But as Joshua Medcalf says in Chop Wood, Carry Water, ‘Dream BIG. Start small. Be ridiculously faithful.'”

Sanders is a licensed New York State teacher and administrator. He attended Gannon University in Erie, PA, where he received his bachelor’s degree in English with minors in Pre-Law and Philosophy. While there, he competed on the wrestling team and was an NCAA Division II All-American. After graduating, he and his wife moved to Florida where he began his teaching and coaching career. He spent five years in Florida before moving to Woodstock, Virginia. While in Virginia, he attended Shenandoah University, where he earned his Master’s in Educational Leadership. In 2018, he moved back to Albion with his family to raise his kids in the same community that raised him.

Contributed Photo – Melanie Green

Bogeys on the first two holes set an ominous tone as Medina’s Melanie Green went on to post a 5 over par 77 today on the opening round of the LPGA Tour’s FM Championship being held near Boston.

Green was 3 over after the front nine as she also had bogeys on 5 and 6 and a birdie on 4.

A birdie on 13, which offset a bogey on 11, did keep her at 3 over with a couple of holes to go.

However, disaster struck at the end as it did at the start as she bogeyed the final two holes to finish the day at 5 over par.

The tournament will continue on Friday after which the field will be cut for the title deciding final two rounds on Saturday and Sunday.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Anchoring the Barker/Roy-Hart lineup will be, in front, Ashton Ark, Max Townsend, John Brigham and RJ Townsend. In back are Jakob West, Owen Maedl, Logan Flint and Carter DerSarkissian.

Filling a number of holes at the skill positions will be key as Barker/Roy-Hart prepares to defend its C North Division football title.

The Bulls graduation losses at those positions included four first team All-Stars quarterback Tysen McCaa, running backs Joey Reiter, Vince Fazzio and Anthony Adinolfe along with second team honoree wide receiver Carson Schwab.

Looking to help fill those voids are junior quarterback Max Townsend along with senior wide receivers Ashton Ark and Carter DerSarkissian and junior running back Owen Maedl. DerSarkissian was a first team All-Star while Townsend and Ark were both second team selections. The receiving corps has also been bolstered with the addition of senior Matt Aquilina who did not play last year.

The Bulls return a solid group upfront on both sides of the line of scrimmage including seniors RJ Townsend and Logan Flint along with  juniors Jakob West and John Brigham. Townsend and West were both first team All-Stars while Flint was a second team honoree and Brigham and Honorable Mention selection.

“Up front on both sides of the ball looks to be our strength,” said Coach Bill Brunning.”Overall we’ve got good experience. We’ll be tough to beat.”

Barker/Roy-Hart will open the season by hosting Newfane in an interdivisional game at 7 p.m. September 4. The Bulls will then begin C North Division competition on September 11 at Tonawanda.

The Bulls, which went 6-0 in the division and 8-2 overall last fall, will tune-up for the season opener by competing in a scrimmage at Oakfield-Alabama on Saturday.