Photos By Cheryl Wertman
Local high school spring sports action got underway this afternoon as the Medina lacrosse team hosted Gananda and Williamsville East in a three-way scrimmage. Here Jake Cotter gets set to put a shot on the Gananda goal for the Mustangs.

Here Da’Ron Bellan brings the ball upfield for Medina against Williamsville East. The Mustangs also have a scrimmage scheduled at Brockport next Tuesday before opening the Class C Division season on March 30 against East Aurora at Vets Park.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman

Brad Hoffee was the lucky Lyndonvile faculty team member to receive a pie in the face, which was delivered by Alissa Klinetob, during halftime of this evening’s inaugural Faculty Classic game against Medina at Lyndonville.

The Lyndonville sixth grade teams provided the pre game and halftime entertainment.

Young Gavin Hughes, son of Medina faculty squad player Chris Hughes, gets a boost from Medina’s Jason Barnum as he trys to make a basket during halftime.

Dave King of Medina puts up a shot against Lyndonville defender Barry Webber during the feature contest which was won by Medina 42-37.

Lyndonville’s Lee Dillenbeck drives against Medina defender Chris Hughes who is a Lyndonville High graduate.

Contributed Photo – Ed Urbanik

Lyndonville’s Ed Urbanik helped hurl Team Victory to a second place finish at a Men’s Senior Wooden Bat League tournament in Las Vegas over the weekend.

Urbanik threw a two hitter with one walk over seven innings in Team Victory’s opening round 7-2 win over the Las Vegas Gamblers/Senators.

The Gamblers/Senators went on to earn the No. 1 seed by winning the rest of their games.

Team Victory ended up losing to Las Vegas 7-3 in the championship game as three home runs accounted for all of the Gamblers/Senators runs.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Eric Valley grabs a rebound for Medina as Kevin Lasky defends for Lyndonville during this evening’s Faculty Classic basketball game at Lyndonville.

In a free wheeling, fast paced battle up and down the court and on the boards, Medina trimmed host Lyndonville 42-37 this evening in the inaugural Faculty Classic basketball game.

The many students in the large crowd especially enjoyed watching their teachers and administrators in action on the court and gave plenty of loud vocal reaction to most every shot, miss, rebound and steal.

Eric Valley led the Medina attack with 17 points as PJ Bell added 7, Jesse Mankowski 6, Dave King and Jason Barnum 3 and Chris Hughes, Mike Lepkyj and Steve Luksch 2 each.

Shane Phillips shared game high scoring honors for Lyndonville with 17 as Lee Dillenbeck and Jeff Kingsbury both added 6, Brad Hoffee and Colt Tooley 3 and Sonny Dent 2.

Lyndonville grabbed a 5-2 lead at the outset on a bucket by Kingsbury and a three by Dillenbeck.

However, Medina answered with a 10-0 run, highlighted by threes by Valley and King, to take a 12-5 lead at the end of the period.

Jeff Kingsbury puts up a shot for Lyndonville as Chris Hughes and Mike Lepkyj defend for Medina.

Medina’s PJ Bell goes to the basket against Lyndonville defender Jeff Kingsbury.

Battling back, Lyndonville opened the second period with a 9-2 run capped off by a three by Tooley, to rally into a 14-14 tie.

Medina though regained the lead for good at 22-14 as Valley erupted for eight straight points on two threes and a two.

Once again Lyndonville came battling back in the third period as Phillips hit three straight threes to slice the Medina lead to one at 25-24.

Medina though again answered the challenge by closing the period with a 7-0 run including buckets by Bell, Mankowski and Barnum to open up a 32-24 advantage.

Lyndonville did rally back to within three four times in the final period on tallies by Dent, Kingsbury, Dillenbeck and Hoffee but could get no closer.

Each time Medina countered with scores by Valley, Lepkyj, Mankowski and Hughes whose bucket made it 42-37 and put a lock on the victory.

The Medina faculty team also included Matt Albone and Dylan Jay while the Lyndonville squad also included Barry Webber, Joey Suhr, Jim O’Connor, Kevin Laskey and Jason Wilhelm.

Part of the proceeds from the contest, which was sponsored by the Lyndonville Boosters Club, will go to Camp Rainbow.

Photo by Mike Wertman – Eddie Wasnock, left, and Devon Mangan and their Barker teammates are prepping for the upcoming Niagara-Orleans League baseball season.

Bolstered by larger numbers, including a good contingent of seven returnees, Barker is taking aim at improving upon last years 5-9 Niagara-Orleans League baseball record.

Seniors Brad Wilson (pitcher/third base), Michael Snell (shortstop/pitcher) and Jared Ginther (outfield) head that veteran group which also includes juniors Eddie Wasnock (pitcher/third base), Devon Mangan (catcher), Jacob Meister (first base) and sophomore Collin Webb (centerfield).

The Raiders are also looking to juniors Ryan Voss (second base), Chauncey McKee (pitcher/infield) and Kyle McDonald (outfield) to help round out the starting lineup.

Wilson and Wasnock, who will anchor the Raiders mound staff, both earned N-O All-League honorable mention last year.

“Our numbers are better this year, which is a plus, and we’ll have solid pitching which will keep us in games, that’s a strong point,” said Coach Rob Mucha. “We should be a better hitting team and our defense is stronger. I’m very much looking forward to the season with this group.”

The Raiders are slated to host Holley in the non league season opener on March 30 and then begin N-O competition at Roy-Hart on April 4.

Schedule:
March 30 – Holley, 4:30 p.m.
April 1 – Pembroke, 4:30 p.m.
April 4 – at Roy-Hart, 4:45 p.m.
April 5 – at Alexander, 4:30 p.m.
April 7 – Byron-Bergen, 4:30 p.m.
April 8 – at Lyndonville, 4:30 p.m.
April 11 – at Wilson, 4:45 p.m.
April 13 – Akron, 5 p.m.
April 14 – at Byron-Bergen ,4:30 p.m.
April 15 – Medina, 4:45 p.m.
April 18 – at Newfane, 4:45 p.m.
April 20 – at Albion, 4:45 p.m.
April 22 – CSAT, 4:45 p.m.
April 27 – Roy-Hart, 4:45 p.m.
April 29 – Wilson, 4:45 p.m.
May 2 – at Akron, 4:45 p.m.
May 4 – at Medina, 4:45 p.m.
May 5 – Newfane, 4:45 p.m.
May 9 – Albion, 4:45 p.m.
May 11 – at CSAT, 4:45 p.m.

Front-running Sacred Heart combined a narrow 36-34 win over JR Wilson with Vets Club’s 40-30 victory over runner-up Legion Monday to open up a 30 point lead in the Medina Euchre League title race.

Sacred Heart is now 896-784 on the season while Legion is 866-814, JR Wilson 835-845 and Vets Club 763-917.

League competition continues on March 21 with Sacred Heart at JR Wilson and Vets Club at Legion.

Photo by Mike Wertman – Getting set to lead defending champion Roy-Hart into the upcoming Niagara-Orleans League softball season is this large group of returnees. In front are Brianna Brewer, Kayla Brown, Maddie Fry and Lexie Lovewell. In back are Maddy Glena, Rielly Albee, Delaney Draper and Rachael Rausch.

Boasting a large, but youthful, contingent of returnees, Roy-Hart is prepping to defend its Niagara-Orleans League softball championship.

Roy-Hart, which went 14-0 in N-O competition last spring, returns eight veterans including senior Rachael Rausch (first base/outfield); juniors Brianna Brewer (outfield) and Rielly Albee (outfield/first base); sophomores Kayla Brown (shortstop), Maddy Glena (first base) and Delaney Draper (second base) along with freshmen Maddie Fry (catcher/pitcher) and Lexie Lovewell (pitcher/shortstop).

Brown earned first team N-O All-League honors last spring while Glena was a second team honoree and Fry an honorable mention selection.

The Lady Rams are also looking to another freshman, Ashley Hill, to help round out the infield at third base.

“We’ll be as young as any team I’ve had,” said Coach Larry Lash. “We have holes to fill and we’re really young but with all that youth we do have good experience. It’s a really good team.”

Roy-Hart’s key losses to graduation were pitcher Taylor Fry and infielder Ashley Bower, both first team N-O All-League honorees, and infielder Lindsay Yates, a second team selection.

The Lady Rams are scheduled to begin their N-O title defense at Barker on April 4.

Schedule:
April 1 – at Oakfield-Alabama, 4:30 p.m.
April 2 – at Kenmore West, 11 a.m.
April 4 – at Barker, 4:45 p.m.
April 5 – at Starpoint, 4:30 p.m
April 7- Kenmore East, 4:45 p.m.
April 8 – at Lew-Port, 4:45 p.m.
April 9 – Attica, 11 a.m.
April 11 – CSAT, 4:45 p.m.
April 13 – Wilson, 4:45 p.m.
April 14 – Akron, 5 p.m.
April 18 – Albion, 4:45 p.m.
April 19 – Medina, 4:45 p.m.
April 22 – Newfane, 4:45 p.m.
April 27 – Barker, 4:45 p.m.
April 29 – at CSAT, 4:45 p.m.
May 2 – at Wilson, 4:45 p.m.
May 4 – at Akron, 4:45 p.m.
May 6 – at Albion, 4:45 p.m.
May 9 – at Medina, 4:45 p.m.
May 11 – at Newfane, 4:45 p.m.

Over a dozen local wrestlers earned individual weight class titles at the annual Gold Force Holley Wrestling Club Tournament this past weekend.

The local winners included Preston Flugel from Albion; Samuel Kingsbury from Medina, Parker Denning and Andrew D’Augustino from Kendall along with Camron Thorn, Kaden Rheinwald, Zach Day, Trent Wright, Josh Silpoch, Aro Kruger, Mason Moyer, Antonio Farruggia, David Farruggia and Morgan Blosenhauer from Holley.

Earning second place honors were Matthew Armstrong, Danny Shuler and James Fox from Kendall along with Peyton Wright, Jacob Silpoch, Cecilia Farruggia, Erik Balys, Ricky Hodge and Aiden Robbins from Holley.

Local third place finishers included Rashawn Bloom, Sawyer Kingsbury, Breydin Miller and Cole Herman from Medina along with Matt Hahn, Eli Stanton, Joey Camacho, John Blosenhauer, Dylan Murphy Bell and Nate Schoonmaker all from Holley.

The fourth place finishers included Sydney Brown and Liam Castricone from Medina, Jon Soule from Kendall along with Hunter Smith, Nate Silversmith, Brandon Gardner, Arianna Silversmith, Miguel Vasquez, and Jack Newman all from Holley.

Contributed Photo
Roy-Hart senior Amber Villella signed a National Letter of Intent Monday to play soccer at Roberts Wesleyan College. Villella had 56 goals and 29 assists in three years of varsity competition for the Lady Rams. She is shown her with her parents John and Amber Lena Villella and brother Andrew Vilella. In back are Roy-Hart girls varsity soccer Coach Rich Jennings and GPS-NY soccer Coach Ryan Louis.

While national attention may be focused on the start of the NCAA Tournament this week, the local basketball spotlight will shine on the Lyndonville High court Wednesday evening for a special cage contest.

Local bragging rights and a trophy will be on the line as Lyndonville and Medina faculty squads will meet in the 7 p.m. challenge contest. The trophy which will go to the winning team will reside at that school until the next game next year.

The Lyndonville faculty team will include Lee Dillenbeck, Brad Hoffee, Colt Tooley, Shane Phillips, Kevin Lasky, Barry Webber, Jeff Kingsbury, Jim O’Connor, Joey Suhr, Sonny Dent and Jason Wilhelm.

The Medina faculty squad will include Eric Valley, Chris Hughes, Mike Lepkyj, Steve Luksch, Jesse Mankowski, Jason Barnum, PJ Bell, Dave King, Matt Albone, Jon Sherman, Dylan Jay and Adam Hellwig.

The activities will get underway with a youth basketball game at 6:30 p.m.

The game is sponsored by the Lyndonville Boosters Club and a portion of the proceeds will go to Camp Rainbow.