Contributed Photo – The Orleans County players on the Genesee Community College baseball team include, from left, Joe DeFelice and Josh Porter from Holley along with John Warne, Connor Barleben and Dominic DiCureia from Albion.

Academically Genesee Community College has become much more actively involved in the Orleans community since the development of satellite campuses at Albion and Medina.

The GCC athletics program is now likewise becoming more popular locally as this spring five Orleans players are members of the Cougars baseball team.

The sophomore battery of pitcher Connor Barleben and catcher John Warne, both Albion High graduates, head that quintet which also includes freshmen shortstop/pitcher Joe DeFelice and pitcher Josh Porter, both Holley graduates, and infielder Dominic DiCureia, an Albion grad.

“They are contributing quite a bit,” said GCC assistant coach and long-time former Albion Coach Gary Mannella. “It’s nice to get the local talent to stay close to home and hopefully have success here and then move on to four-year schools to continue their education and playing careers.”

Barleben, who has started 4 games on the mound is 1-1. An outfielder when not pitching, he is hitting .317 with 4 doubles, 1 triple 4 home runs and 15 RBIs.

Warne is hitting .256 with 2 doubles and 7 RBIs and defensively has a fielding average of .966.

DeFelice, who has seen considerable action at shortstop, is hitting .379 with 6 RBIs.

Porter has pitched in five games both as a reliever and spot starter while DiCureia has seen some action at second base and has hit a home run.

The Cougars are set to begin the conference portion of their schedule and weather permitting will host Niagara County Community College in a doubleheader Saturday and then visit NCCC for a twin bill on Sunday, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. both days.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Mike Carson and his Mustang teammates will host Eden on Thursday.

It’s very early in the season but the Medina High lacrosse team is already facing a key stretch of games as the Mustangs will face the Class C Division’s last thee undefeated teams over the next five days.

Medina will host Eden at 5 p.m. Thursday, travel to Gowanda/Silver Creek on Friday and then visit defending champion Akron on Monday.

The Eden contest is a switch of location as the Mustangs were originally scheduled to visit the Raiders Thursday. Medina will now travel to Eden on April 25.

Medina is currently 1-1 in the division while Akron, Eden and Gowanda/Silver Creek are all 2-0.

The Medina attack has been led in the early going by the trio of Tyler Valley with 8 goals and Jake Cotter and Brendan Luthart with 7 each.

Contributed Photos – Kyle Smith, left, and Mike Laine

Two Albion High seniors, quarterback Kyle Smith and lineman Mike Laine, have been selected to play in the annual Kensington Lions Club Western New York All Star football game on July 27.

Smith, a four year starter and team captain his junior and senior years for the Purple Eagles, will be continuing his academic and football career at Ithaca College this fall.

Laine, a two-year two-way starter on the offensive and defensive lines for the Purple Eagles, will be continuing his academic and football career at Alfred University.

Both players earned second team B East Division All-Star honors last fall.

Photo by Mike Wertman – The veteran duo of Evan Gaesser, left, and Jacob Adams will lead the Kendall golf team into the upcoming Genesee Region League season.

Two returning Genesee Region League All-Stars will set the pace for the Kendall High golf team this season.

Senior Evan Gaesser, who captured his second G-R title last spring, and junior Jacob Adams, who tied for fourth at the league tourney to earn G-R All-Star honors, anchor the Eagles lineup.

Gaesser, a three-time G-R All-Star and Section V state tourney team qualifier, placed fourth at the state championships last spring.

The lineup for new Coach Jack Keenan’s Eagles also includes seniors Creagan MaClaren and Bridget Miller; juniors Clancy Frearson, Jonathan Miller and Cooper Rowley and freshmen Ethan Billings and Callahan Speer.

The Eagles are scheduled to open the season at Churchville-Chili on April 14.

Schedule
April 14 – at Churchville-Chili, 4 p.m.
April 19 – Pembroke ,4 p.m.
April 20 – vs. Holley and Attica, 4 p.m.
April 26 – Churchville-Chili, 4 p.m.
May 2 – at Aquinas, 4 p.m.
May 3 – vs. Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, 4 p.m.
May 5 – at Wheatland-Chili, 4 p.m.
May 9 – Notre Dame, 4 p.m.
May 11 – at Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, 4 p.m.
May 13 – at Notre Dame ,4 p.m.
May 16 – G-R All-League Tournament
May 17 – Wheatlnd-Chili, 4 p.m.
May 19 – at Byron-Bergen, 4 p.m.
May 24 – Aquinas, 4 p.m.

Photo by Mike Wertman – The Roy-Hart track teams large contingent of veterans includes, in front, Jon Huntington, John Stoddard, Austin Dodge, Andrew Villella and Jamasen Johnson. In back are Ben Bacon, Eugene Bush, Amber Villella, Ava Bligh, Tanner Bulmer and Kelsey Ciemny. Missing from the photo are Emma Lindke, Kaleigh Kuzma and Avery Green.

Boasting a large contingent of returnees, the Roy-Hart boys and girls track squads are both looking for rebound seasons in Niagara-Orleans League competition this spring.

Seniors John Stoddard, who won the 110 hurdles, and Avery Green, who took first in the 3200 and second in the 1600, at last year’s N-O All-League meet lead the way for the Roy-Hart boys squad which went 2-4 last year.

The Rams veteran group also includes seniors Austin Dodge (400, pole vault), Andrew Villella (pole vault), Eugene Bush (200, 400) and Ben Bacon (1600, 3200) along with junior Tanner Bulmer (800, 1600) and sophomores Jon Huntington (Pentathlon) and Jamasen Johnson (100, 200). Dodge placed second in the pole vault and fifth in the 400 and Bush fourth in the 400 at the All-League meet.

Senior Emma Lindke, who placed second in the Pentathlon, junior Kaleigh Kuzma, who was second in the 400 hurdles, and sophomore Ellie Todd, who was fifth in the pole vault), leads the way for the Lady Rams squad which went 0-6 last spring.

The Lady Rams veterans also include senior Amber Villella (sprints, jumps), junior Ava Bligh (200, 400) and freshman Kelsey Ciemny (1500, 3000).

Roy-Hart is scheduled to begin N-O competition at defending champion Barker on April 14.

Schedule:
April 14 – at Barker, 4:15 p.m.
April 19 – Newfane, 4:15 p.m.
April 26 – Medina/Lyndonville, 4:30 p.m.
April 28 – at Wilson, 4:15 p.m.
May 3 – at Albion, 4:15 p.m.
May 5 – Akron, 4:15 p.m.
May 18 and 19 – N-O All-League meet

Contributed Photo
Lyndonville High junior Eric Neace was invited to the Syracuse University football team’s annual Spring Game this past Saturday at the Carrier Dome as a recruit. Neace, who plays running back and linebacker for the Medina/Lyndonville varsity squad, also took part in a football camp offered by the Syracuse Alumni. Neace, at left, is shown here with Syracuse Head Coach Dino Babers and Billy Maynard, a Syracuse area high school quarterback and SU recruit whose grandparents, William and Marilyn Maynard, reside in Lyndonville.

Having already locked up first place, Medina 1 posted a 7-4 victory over Zimmi’s Auto Service at the Kenan Center over the weekend to improve to 7-0 in the Senior Division of the Lockport Indoor Soccer League.

Brian Anderson scored 4 goals to lead the way as Nick Albone added 2 and Angelina Careri 1.

Medina 2 battled to an 8-8 tie with Lockport Orthodontics leaving both teams tied for second place at 3-3-1.

Greg Husung scored 3 goals, Colm Cooper and Chase Pecoraro 2 and Matt Doherty 1.

Ever since the postseason high school baseball and softball playoffs were expanded to include open sectionals and state championships start of the league seasons have moved earlier and earlier into April making inclement weather a bigger factor.

That certainly is the case this season as area ball fields are now white instead of green and with more snow in the forecast the scheduled start this week of the Niagara-Orleans League baseball and softball seasons and the Genesee Region League softball campaign is in doubt.

In the N-O League, the Roy-Hart softball team is scheduled to begin defense of its title at Barker on Monday. The Lady Rams went 14-0 last spring.

The Roy-Hart baseball squad is also slated to open at home Monday against Barker.

The remaining N-O diamond openers are slated for Friday including the defending champion Medina baseball squad hosting Newfane.

In the G-R, the Holley and Kendall softball squads are scheduled to open league action on Monday and Lyndonville on Wednesday.

The Medina lacrosse squad faces a busy week as the Mustangs are slated to host West Seneca West on Monday, Gowanda/Silver Creek on Tuesday and then visit Eden on Thursday.

The Mustangs stickmen are currently 1-1 in Class C Division action while Gowanda/Silver Creek, Eden and Akron are all at 2-0, East Aurora 1-1 and Salamanca, Lew-Port and Wilson all at 0-2.

The week’s schedule:

Monday
Baseball – Lyndonville at Webster Christian, 4:30 p.m.; Barker at Roy-Hart, 4:45 p.m.
Softball – Lyndonville at Wilson, Notre Dame at Kendall, Holley at Oakfield-Alabama, 4:30 p.m.; Roy-Hart at Barker, 4:45 p.m.
Tennis – Albion at Wilson, Barker at Medina, 4 p.m.
Lacrosse – West Seneca West at Medina, 5 p.m.

Tuesday
Baseball – Barker at Alexander, 4:30 p.m.; Niagara-Wheatfield at Roy-Hart, 4:45 p.m.; Albion at North Tonawanda, 5 p.m.; Holley/Kendall at Medina, 7 p.m.
Softball – Newfane at Lyndonvlle, 4:30 p.m.; Elba at Medina ,4:45 p.m.
Tennis – Akron at Barker, Attica at Holley, Wheatland-Chili at Kendall, 4 p.m.; Medina at Newfane, 4:30 p.m.
Lacrosse – Medina at Gowanda, 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday
Baseball – Albion st St. Mary’s Lancaster, 4:30 p.m.; Alden at Medina, Wilson at Newfane, 4:45 p.m.
Softball – Wheatland-Chili at Lyndonville, Monroe at Kendall, Byron-Bergen at Holley, 4:30 p.m.; Albion at Lew-Port, 4:45 p.m.
Tennis – Alexander at Holley, Kendall at Oakfield-Alabama, 4 p.m.
Track – Holley at Oakfield-Aalbama, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday
Baseball – Roy-Hart at Tonawanda, Byron-Bergen at Barker, 4:30 p.m.
Softball – Medina at Lew-Port, 4:45 p.m.
Tennis – Akron at Newfane, 4 p.m.
Track – Byron-Bergen/Elba at Kendall, 4:30 p.m.
Lacrosse – Medina at Eden, 5 p.m.

Friday
Baseball – Barker at Lyndonville, 4:30 p.m.; Newfane at Medina, Wilson at Albion, 4:45 p.m.; Akron at CSAT, 5 p.m.
Softball – Elba at Lyndonville, Kendall at Wheatland-Chili, Pembroke at Holley, 4:30 p.m.; Albion at Wilson, Medina at Newfane, CSAT at Akron, 4:45 p.m.
Tennis – Pembroke at Holley, Kendall at World of Inquiry, 4 p.m.

Saturday
Baseball – Batavia at Medina, 1 p.m.

Photo by Mike Wertman – Veterans Nick Fazzolari and Glen Lajoie will help lead the Barker tennis squad into the upcoming Niagara-Orleans League season.

A quintet of veteran players provides the experience as Barker looks to rebuild after losing four players to graduation who earned spots on the Niagara-Orleans All-League tennis squad last spring.

Seniors Emma Duffy, Paige Fudella and Glen Lajoie along with juniors Nick Fazzolari and Brandon Lindke provide that veteran experience for the Raiders whose other 10 players are newcomers to tennis. Fazzolari earned N-O All-League honorable mention.

“Our experience is with those five players as we have 10 brand new kids,” said Dave Carson who has taken over as the Raiders coach this spring. “We’re getting better with each practice and we’re hoping to continue to get better. It will be a learning experience.”

The Raiders graduation losses include Sean Benoit and Tristan Payne, who were both first team N-O All-League honorees, Brian Hefferon, who was a second team honoree, and Erik Herlan, who was an honorable mention selection.

Barker is scheduled to begin N-O competition at Medina on Monday.

Schedule
April 4 – at Medina, 4 p.m.
April 5 – Akron, 4 p.m.
Apri l14 – Albion, 4 p.m.
April 18 – Wilson, 4 p.m.
Apri l20 – at Newfane, 4 p.m.
April 22 – at Roy-Hart, 4 p.m.
April 25 – at Akron, 4 p.m.
April 27 – Medina, 4:30 p.m.
May 2 – at Albion, 4 p.m.
May 4 – at Wilson, 4 p.m.
May 5 – Newfne, 4 p.m.
May 9 – Roy-Hart, 4 p.m.

Photos by Mike Wertman – The veteran duo of Patrick Sheelar and Elliot Spitzer look to anchor the lineup for the Roy-Hart tennis team this season.

Underclassmen will lead the way for the Roy-Hart tennis team this spring as the Rams look to fill a number of holes due to graduation losses.

Two returning regulars, junior Elliot Spitzer and sophomore Patrick Sheelar, lead the way for the Rams which went 2-10 in Niagara-Orleans League competition last spring.

The Rams also return seniors Samantha Koch, Shawn O’Grady, Desree Taylor along with juniors Angelina Ciarfella, Rachel Hutter and Quinn Gross.

“We’re a young team without a lot of experience so we’ll be working to improve as the season goes along,” said Coach Doug Meyer.

The Rams re scheduled to open the N-O season at home against Albion on April 7.

The Rams returning contingent also includes Angela Ciarfella, Rachel Hutter, Quinn Gross, Samantha Koch and Shawn O’Grady. Missing from the photo is Desree Taylor.

Schedule
April 7 – Albion, 4 p.m.
April 12 – at Medina, 4 p.m.
April 14 – at Akron, 4 p.m.
April 18 – Newfane, 4 p.m.
April 20 – Wilson, 4 p.m.
April 22 – Barker, 4 p.m.
April 27 – at Albion, 4 p.m.
April 29 – Medina ,4:30 p.m.
May 2 – Akron, 4 p.m.
May 4 – at Newfane, 4 p.m.
May 6 – at Wilson, 4 p.m.
May 9 – at Barker, 4 p.m.