Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Levi Pace and Akron’s JC Tretter battle during the 2008-2009 season which saw the Mustangs and Tigers share the Niagara-Orleans League title, the last time Medina claimed the crown.

One team is looking to double its lead and the other to pull into a tie for the top spot as front-running Medina hosts runner-up Roy-Hart at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in a key Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball showdown.

Currently at 8-0 Medina can open up a two game lead with a victory while 8-1 Roy-Hart can pull into a virtual tie for the top spot with a win.

Medina handed Roy-Hart its only league loss to date by a 50-34 margin earlier in the season.

Interestingly, the last time Medina opened the league season at 8-0 was the 2008-09 season, which was also the last time the Mustangs captured the N-O championship.

That season Medina, which was led by Levi Pace, shared the crown at 13-1 with Akron which was led by JC Tretter who went on to star on the gridiron at Cornell University and is now a versatile lineman with the Green Bay Packers.

Medina’s opening 8-0 win streak that year included a narrow 50-46 early season win over Akron. However, the Tigers ended that Mustangs win streak by taking the rematch 63-44 in game nine as Tretter scored a game high 22 points.

The two teams then both won their final five league games to end up as co-champions at 13-1.

This season Jalin Cooper leads the Medina attack averaging 14.7 points per game. Tyler Ames is averaging 9.9, Daryl Haynes 9.6, Justin Morgan 8.8 and Jared Zinkievich 6.0 for the Mustangs.

Roy-Hart, which is looking to end a two decade long N-O title drought, is sparked by Andy Xapsos who is averaging an area high of 22.4 per outing. Chris Anderson is averaging 8.7, Justin Heschke 7.1 and Ben Maynard 6.2 for the Rams.

Roy-Hart last captured the N-O crown just 20 years ago during the 1995-96 season when the Rams shared the title with Wilson at 12-2.

Roy-Hart and Wilson split their two meeting that season as the Lakemen won the first 67-49 and the Rams the rematch 71-62. However, the Rams also lost to Barker (69-55) and the Lakemen to Starpoint (57-53), both in early season contests. Both teams won their final six games to emerge as co-champions.

N-O Standings:

Medina 8-0, Roy-Hart 8-1, Wilson 5-4, Albion 4-4, Newfane 4-5, Barker 4-6, CSAT 2-7, Akron 0-8.

Six pins sparked Holley to a 63-24 victory over host Churchville-Chili this evening in a non league wrestling match.

Nick Shenck, Patrick Purtell, Braxton-Leary Hart, Ross Pinson, Camron Thorn and Austen Vroman all registered pins for Holley which also got a decision win from Eli Stanton.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Collin Stevener heads toward a win in the 100 Butterfly during the Raiders victory over host Medina this afternoon.

Barker swept to a doubleheader victory over host Medina this afternoon to close out the dual meet portion of the Niagara-Orleans League swim season.

The Raiders defeated the Seahorses 89-81 in the boys meet and 99-71 in the girls competition.

Collin Webb was a double winner in the 50 Freestyle and 100 Free and Andrew Jenks in the 200 Individual Medley and 500 Free to lead the way for the Barker boys.

Adam Wagner also took the 200 Free and Collin Stevener the 100 Butterfly for the Raiders.

Stevener, Jenks and Webb also teamed up with Ian Goodlander to win the 200 Medley Relay while Webb, Jenks, Goodlander and Kevin Biggs combined to take the 200 Free Relay.

Hunter Heil in action for Medina in the 100 Backstroke.

Daniel Heil won the 100 Backstroke and Kristian Snyder the 100 Breaststroke for Medina.

The Seahorses also won the 400 Free Relay with the foursome of Damien Norrish, Chase Pecoraro, Powell Stephens and Hunter Heil.

Medina finishes the regular season at 5-5 and Barker at 4-6.

The Barker girls were sparked by a trio of individual event double winners including Christiana Carestia (200 Free, 500 Free), Sara Gendrue (200 Individual Medley, 100 Breaststroke) and Natalie Menz (50 Free, 100 Free).

Gendrue and Menz also teamed up with Chloie Goodlander and Mireia Coll-Vincent to win the 200 Medley Relay.

Andrea Toussaint won the 100 Butterfly and Olivia Carter the 100 Backstroke for Medina.

Toussaint also combined with Alyssa Beyer, Hannah Heil and Emma Gardner to win both the 200 Free Relay and the 400 Free Relay.

Barker finishes at 6-4 and Medina at 3-7.

Barker’s Natalie Menz works toward win in the 100 Freestyle.

Roy-Hart, Akron split

The Roy-Hart boys swim squad completed a 10th straight undefeated N-O championship season by downing visiting Akron 126-38 as Tanner Rees doubled in the 200 Free and 100 Breaststroke, Nathan Mikoll in the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Free and Elliott Spitzer in the 50 Free and 100 Backstroke.

The Akron girls completed an 8-2 season by besting Roy-Hart 108-59 as Morgan Harris doubled in the 50 Free and 500 Free and Julia Deibel in the Individual Medley and 100 Backstroke.

Medina’s Andrea Toussaint in route to a win in the 100 Butterfly.

Newfane sweeps Albion

The Newfane girls completed a seventh straight undefeated N-O championship season by downing host Albion 70-24 as Allie DeBiase doubled in the 500 Free and 100 Breaststroke.

The Newfane boys completed a 6-4 season by edging Albion (5-5) 51-43 as Thomas Schultz won both the 200 and 500 Free and Andrew Hamelink the Individual Medley and 100 Free.

N-O Standings

Boys: Roy-Hart 10-0, Newfane 6-4, Albion 5-5, Medina 5-5, Barker 4-6, Akron 0-10.
Girls: Newfane 10-0, Akron 8-2, Barker 6-4, Medina 3-7, Roy-Hart 3-7, Albion 0-10.

Runner-up Legion downed front-running Sacred Heart 37-33 Monday in Medina Euchre League action.

Vets Club defeated JR Wilson 40-30 in the other game.

Despite the loss Sacred Heart still holds a 16 point lead over Legion. Sacred Heart is now 635-555 on the season followed by Legion 619-571, JR Wilson 592-598, Vets Club 534-656.

League competition continues on February 1 with Legion at Vets Club and JR Wilson at Sacred Heart.

Contributed Photo

A dozen members of the Kendall Youth Wrestling Club competed in the group’s first team tournament of the season at Perry on Sunday. Kendall’s participants and their place finishes included, in front, Brendan Eichas (1st), CJ D’Agostino (1st), Mason Moyer (5th), Aro Kruger (3rd) and Andrew D’Agostino (1st). In back are Jeffery Moyniham-Eichas (2nd), James Fox (3rd), Sammy Conte (2nd), Jonny Conte (1st), Hunter Smith (2nd) and Dennis Mathes (4th). Not in the picture is Jonny Soule (2nd).

Photo By Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Nate Luckman scored 40 in the Raiders win over CSAT this evening.

Sparked by a huge 40 point scoring effort by Nate Luckman, Barker outlasted visiting CSAT 75-71 this evening in a Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball game.

Luckman scored 11 in the first quarter and later netted 13 in both the third and fourth periods as Barker held leads of 18-9 after one period, 35-24 at the half and 54-47 at the three-quarter mark.

Eddie Wasnock and Michael Snell both added 12 points for Barker which improves to 4-6 in N-O action.

Jaheel Burks scored 26 and Shaun Wilson 21 for CSAT which slips to 2-7.

Girls Basketball

Wilson 52, Newfane 42

Defending champion Wilson downed visiting rival Newfane 52-42 this evening to open up a two game lead in the N-O title race.

Kayla Neumann scored 16, Rachel Senek 13 and Jodie Vincent 12 for Wilson which improves to 10-0.

Paige Emborsky scored 22 and Olivia Littman 10 for Newfane which slips to 8-2.

Wilson led 28-23 at the half.

Lew-Port 39, Barker 29

Up 18-16 at the half, Lew-Port pulled away iin the second half to defeat visiting Barker 39-29 in a non league game.

Caitlyn Mason scored 10, Lindsey Williams 7, Haley Brown 5 and Kylie Miller 3 for Barker.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Je’ne Brown (1) goes up for a rebound against Hutch-Tech’s Nisa Raquib during the Mustangs home court loss this evening.

Hutch-Tech bested host Medina 45-30 this evening in a non league girls basketball game.

Imani Lewis scored 14 and Sylvia Felton 12 to set the pace for Hutch-Tech which led 15-11 after one quarter, 25-17 at the half and 32-24 at the three-quarter mark.

Je’ne Brown scored 15 to lead Medina as Maddy Winters and Molley Gross both added 7. Brown scored 12 in the first half to keep the Mustangs within 8.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Manwell Taylor (10) goes up for a rebound between the LeRoy duo of Canyon Roster (23) and Nick Egeling (32) during the Purple Eagles loss to the visiting Knights this evening.

Plagued by a rash of turnovers throughout, Albion dropped a 66-59 decision to visiting LeRoy this evening in a non league boys basketball game.

Tom Dunn scored 19, Canyon Roster 14 and Nick Egeling 10 to lead the attack for the quick moving, ball hawking LeRoy Knights which improve to 10-5.

Tommy Mattson and Kory Reynolds both scored 17, Chase Hall 10 and Evan Pappalardo 9 for Albion.

Albion did jump out to a 12-7 lead at the outset as Mattison and Pappalardo both hit threes.

However, LeRoy closed the quarter with an 8-0 run, including three straight layups off turnovers, two by Egeling, to rally into the lead for good at 15-12.

No less than seven of LeRoy’s 12 second period baskets then came directly off of turnovers as the Knights upped the lead to 10, 41-31, at the half. Dunn scored 8 during that stretch which was capped off by a three by Ryan Boyce.

Three straight baskets off turnoffs to open the third period, two by Roster, then ignited a 13-5 LeRoy scoring burst which upped the Knights advantage to 18, 54-36, late in the third period.

Albion’s Kory Reynolds (22) goes in for a layup between LeRoy defenders Nick Egeling (32) and Reese Triesco (31).

Battling back, Albion did close the quarter with a 10-0 run, including a three by Brady Meakin, a three-point play by Reynolds and a layup off a steal by Pappalardo, to pull the Purple Eagles back to within eight, 54-46, at the three-quarter mark.

A bucket off a turnover by Egeling put LeRoy back up by 12, 58-46, at the outset of the fourth quarter but again Albion came rallying back.

The Purple Eagles answered with an 8-0 run, including a rebound bucket by Reynolds along with a three-point play and a layup by Mattison, to cut the deficit to four, 58-54, with 3:10 remaining.

A layup by Pappalardo kept Albion within four, 60-56, with 1:45 to go but the Purple Eagles could get no closer.

LeRoy answered with a layup by Roster and then a big layup off a steal by Dunn to regain an eight point, 54-64, lead with a minute to go.

Mattison countered with a three to pull Albion back to within five, 64-59, with 43 seconds remaining but LeRoy finally put a lock on the victory on two clutch free throws by Roster.

Albion next hosts Newfane on Thursday in a Niagara-Orleans League contest.

Contributed Photo

The Medina Youth Wrestling Program started its tournament season on Sunday as five club members placed at the Niagara-Wheatfield Tourney. Rashawn Bloom, Dominick Callara and Luke Duffina all earned first place honors by going 3-0 in their respective weight classes while Lex Gray took a fourth place and Oliver Wilson a fifth. The Medina team will hold an intra-squad match at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Oak Orchard gym and then compete in the Lew-Port Tournament on Sunday.

Medina 1 downed rival Medina 2 by a score of 8-4 over the weekend to open the Lockport Indoor Soccer League season at the Kenan Center.

Brian Anderson scored 6 goals to lead Medina 1 as Adam Ciselli and Andrew Houseman both netted 1.

Greg Husung and Zach Laird each scored a pair of goals for Medina 2.