Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Kendrick Russaw and his Mustangs teammates will face Olmsted in the Section VI Class B1 championship game at 6 p.m. Wednesday at SUNY Fredonia.

Looking to keep the momentum from Saturday’s come-from-behind semifinal victory, No. 5 seed Medina will now face No. 2 Olmsted in the championship game of the Section VI Class B1 boys basketball playoffs at 6 p.m. Wednesday at SUNY Fredonia.

The Mustangs gained a spot in the title contest by rallying from a 44-40 deficit with a big 22-8 fourth quarter scoring surge to defeat No.9 Southwestern 62-52 in the semifinals.

Olmsted advanced with a 49-34 win over No. 6 Springville.

The Mustangs bring a 16-6 record into the final while the Owls are 15-7.

This is Medina’s first appearance in the championship game since the Covid shortened 2021 season. Seeded No. 1 that season, the Mustangs captured the Class B2 title with three straight home court victories downing Alden 68-48 in the quarterfinals, Newfane 64-55 in the semis and Lackawanna 68-57 in the title contest.

Medina’s only other Section VI championship came in 1971 when the Mustangs downed then Niagara-Orleans League foe Starpoint 84-73.

Offensively, Medina has been led by Jerrell Nealy, who is averaging 16 points per game and Preston Woodworth who is averaging 14.

Olmsted is led by Tacon McCray who has scored 481 points for a 21.9 average and Jaden Wood who has tallied 298 poins (13.0 ave.)

Akron seeks B2 title

The N-O League will also be represented in Wednesday’s Class B2 championship game at No. 2 Akron will face No. 1 Tapestry at 7:45 p.m. at SUNY Fredonia.

Akron brings a 19-2 record into the final while Tapestry is 20-2.

Last year Akron captured the B1 championship with a 49-38 win over Olmsted.

Wilson in Class C semi tonight
Top seeded Wilson will take on No. 6 Westfield in the Class C semifinals at 6 this evening at Jamestown Community College.

Wilson is 19-2 and Westfield 12-9.

Last year Wilson captured the Class B2 championship.

The other Class C semi will have No. 2 Global Concepts vs. No. 6 Ellicottville at 7:45 at Jamestown Community College.

Contributed Photo – Aidan Paul

Medina High graduate Aidan Paul earned his first collegiate Division 1 pitching victory on Sunday as he hurled High Point University to a 4-3 win over visiting Binghamton.

Paul went seven innings allowing just 2 hits with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on two home runs provided the margin of victory for High Point.

Paul is now 1-1 with 14 strikeouts in 15.2 innings of work on the mound.

High Point is now 7-5.

Paul pitched for SUNY Niagara the past two years. He earned All Region III honors last spring as he helped hurl the Thunderwolves to a fourth place finish at the national tournament.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green

Medina’s Melanie Green will make her LPGA Tour debut this week half a world away in China.

She will tee off on Thursday at the LPGA’s Blue Bay Tournament at the Jian Lake Blue Bay golf course on Hainan Island, People’s Republic of China.

Green will make her U.S. LPGA debut March 19-22 at the Fortinet Founder’s Cup Tournament at the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club at Menlo Park, California.

She will then compete at the Ford Championship at the Whirlwind Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona on March 26-29.

She does have experience competing in LPGA events as an amateur including the Evian championship in Europe and the Canadian Open.

Green earned her LPGA Tour Card by putting together an outstanding season on the Epson Tour last year. The tour’s season long points leader, she earned both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors.

Prior to her big year on the Epson Tour she had four outstanding years at the University of South Florida where she was a multi year All Conference and All American honoree.

During her scholastic days at Medina High she was a two time state Public High School Athletic Association tournament champion.

Led by 6-7 junior Derren Brooks, No. 2 seed Akron downed No.3 Randolph 58-41 in the semifinals of the Section VI Class B2 boys basketball playoffs this afternoon at SUNY Fredonia.

Dominating inside, Brooks poured in 32 points to spearhead the Tigers attack as Blake Gerstung added 9, Ben Gerstung 8, Jackson Pragle 4, Brodie Hill 3 and Ace Abrams 2.

For Randoph, 12 of the Cardinals 13 baskets were threes.

Trailing 15-12 at the end of the first period, Akron rallied into leads of 27-21 at the half and 48-26 at the three-quarter mark.

Brooks scored 9 in the first quarter, 12 in the second, 6 in the third and 5 in the fourth as Blake Gerstung hit three threes in the third.

Akron will now face top seeded Tapestry for the B2 title on Wednesday at SUNY Fredonia. Tapestry downed MST 63-48 in the other semifinal.

Albion’s version of “March Madness” is set for this coming Saturday, March 7, with holding of the fifth annual Albion Boys Basketball Sports Boosters 3 on 3 tournament.

The “Albion Madness” is a double elimination 3 on 3 basketball tournament for boys and girls in grades 5-12.

The tournament is scheduled to tipoff at 10 a,m. at the Albion High gym.

“We had over 100 sign up last year and we are hoping to be bigger and better this year,” said tourney organizer Jeff Radder.

The deadline for registering is this coming Friday March 6.

Players and teams can register by clicking on this link.

The Northshore Fury, an AAU basketball club representing Orleans and Eastern Niagara counties, is preparing for its upcoming spring season.

First up for the Fury will be an open tryout March 15th at the Orleans County YMCA in Medina from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for their 15U Boys team.

The Northshore Fury, a subsidiary of the Finger Lakes Fury Basketball Club, was established in 2025 by Kendall’s Varsity Coach Kevin Rhodes and featured local Junior and Senior High School players from Kendall, Holley, Albion, Medina and Roy-Hart.

This year’s team will be coached by Albion’s Joshua Dix and Holley’s Kevin McGuire.

March 15th’s tryout is open to 8th and 9th grade boys. In addition, 10th grade boys who are 15 years old as of August 31st, 2026, are also welcome. Interested players must be accompanied by a parent.

The Fury’s season will run from March 15th-June 20th and will include 5-6 weekend tournaments.

Player fee and other information can be obtained by contacting Joshua Dix at ocfuryhoops@gmail.com or by texting (585) 356-6215

Lyndonville and Kendall were both defeated in Section V girls basketball quarterfinal round playoff games today.

In Class D, top seeded Avoca-Prattsburgh downed No. 8 Lyndonville 57-33.

Isabella Groves scored 13 and Alexa Robinson 11 to lead the Lady Tigers as Lilly Raduns added 3 and Hannah Fox, Emily Dill and Braelynn Dillenbeck 2 each.

In Class C1, top seeded Letchworth downed No. 9 Kendall 51-19.

In a Section VI Class B contest Eden defeated Akron 44-40.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Jerrell Nealy drives to the basket against Southwestern defenders Carter Casselman (24) and Oscar Harris (0) during the Mustangs sectional semifinal victory over the Trojans at SUNY Fredonia this afternoon.

Putting together a big fourth quarter scoring surge, No. 5 seed Medina rallied to down No. 9 Southwestern 62-52 in the semifinal round of the Section VI Class B1 boys basketball playoffs this afternoon at SUNY Fredonia.

The victory propels Medina into the Class B1 championship game on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at SUNY Fredonia against No. 2 Olmsted which downed No. 6 Springville 49-34 in the other semifinal.

Trailing 44-40, Medina rallied with a big 22-8 fourth period scoring edge to claim the victory as seven players contributed to the point production during that stretch.

A three by Kolton Fletcher followed by baskets by Jayzon Wills and Kendrick Russaw ignited that decisive uprising rallying Medina back into the lead for good at 47-46.

Keeping the momentum, the Mustangs then got baskets from Christian Moss and Russaw, a free throw by Wills and a three-point play by Avion Johnson to hike the lead to five at 55-50.

Preston Woodworth puts up a shot for Medina as Oscar Harris defends for Southwestern.

The Trojans could get no closer than 55-52 after that as the Mustangs put a lock on the victory with a 7-0 closing run. Jerrell Nealy had a basket and two free throws and Preston Woodworth three from the foul line during that closing run.

Nealy finished with 17 and Woodworth 15 as Moss added 8, Wills 7, Russaw 6 and Hadrian Batista, Johnson and Fletcher 3 each.

Landon Hooks took game high honors with 18 to lead Southwestern.

Southwestern held narrow leads of 14-11 at the end of the first period, 29-24 at the half and 44-40 at the three-quarter mark. Hooks hit three threes in the first quarter and later tallied 7 points in the third for the Trojans.

Moss hit two threes and Woodworth one for the Mustangs in the first quarter. Woodworth then had two more threes and Wills a pair of baskets in the second period while Nealy erupted for 11 points in the third stanza.

There was a total of four ties and six lead changes in the first half.

The Mustangs will take a 16-6 record into Wednesday’s B1 title contest.

Medina’s Christian Moss drives against Southwestern’s Jalen Edwards.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall’s CJ D’Agostino goes in for a layup during the Dragons sectional quarterfinal loss to Pembroke at Oakfield-Alabama this evening.

Combining a fast start with a strong finish, No. 3 seed Pembroke downed No. 6 Kendall 59-46 in the quarterfinal round of the Section V Class C1 boys basketball playoffs this evening at Oakfield-Alabama.

Nolan Peterson scored 17, Lennox Kohorst 16 and Luca Baker 14 to spark Pembroke which will take a 20-2 record into Monday’s C1 semifinal against No. 2 Geneseo.

Vinnie D’Agostino took game high honors with 20, CJ D’Agostino 11 and Noah Morehouse 8 to lead Kendall.

Unleashing a barrage of five early threes, including two each by Peterson and Baker and one by Owen Schultz, Pembroke jumped out to a 17-5 lead at the outset.

Pembroke’s Owen Schultz (0) and Mason Weatherbee (11) try to block the drive to the basket by Kendall’s Vinnie D’Agostino.

The Eagles did close the opening period with a 9-2 run including 5 by CJ D’Agostino and 4 by Vinnie D’Agostino to cut the deficit to 19-14 but the Dragons went on to hold maintain a 10 point, 31-21, lead at half-time.

Kendall though came battling back with a 14-5 scoring surge to open the third period to rally back to within one at 36-35.

Morehouse hit two threes, Vinnie D’Agostino and Sammy Conte one each and Jonny Conte a two during that rally.

However, the Eagles could not pull even as the Dragons went back up 40-35 at the end of the third period and then put a lock on the victory with a 19-11 scoring edge in the decisive final period.

Kohorst spearheaded that late Dragons surge with 11 points including three huge threes as Barker also hit a big three.

Kendall finishes the season at 15-7.

Kendall’s Noah Morehouse looks to put up a shot as Luca Baker (5) and Lennox Kohorst (43) defend for Pembroke.

An injury suffered during the recent sectional competition has forced Albion freshman Stryker Sanders (118) to withdraw from the state wrestling championships which began today in Albany.

“We made the decision to pull him,” said his father Albion wrestling Coach Mike Sanders. “He was hurt at the very end of his match at the sectionals (final 12 seconds). He dislocated his elbow. We rehabed and practiced through this week hoping he could go. The plan was to brace it and give it a go. But it flared up in warmups so we medically forfeited him out.”

Roy-Hart/Barker junior RJ Townsend lost his opening match by a 4-0 decision to Trey Parker of Susquehanna Valley.

No. 5 seed Medina will face No. 9 Southwestern in the Section VI Class B1 boys basketball semifinals at 4 p.m. Saturday at SUNY Fredonia.

The victor will advance to next Wednesday’s B1 title game at SUNY Fredonia against the winner of Saturday’s other semifinal between No.2 Olmsted and No. 6 Springville.

Medina advanced by defeating No. 4 Alden 53-35 in the quarterfinals while Southwestern ousted No. 1 Middle Early College 65-54.

On Sunday, No. 2 Akron will face No. 3 Randolph in the Class B2 semifinals at 2 p.m. at SUNY Fredonia.

The No. 5 seed Akron girls will face No. 8 Eden in the Class B semifinals at noon on Saturday at SUNY Fredonia.

Kendall, Lyndonville girls play Saturday

The Kendall and Lyndonville girls teams will both face the top seeds on Saturday in the quarterfinals of the Section V playoffs.

In Class C1, No. 9 Kendall (13-8) will visit No. 1 Letchworth (20-1) at 6 p.m.

In Class D, No. 8 Lyndonville (11-10) will visit No. 1 Avoca-Prattsburgh (17-3) at 2 p.m.

Top seeded Wilson defeated visiting No. 8 Portville 73-51 and No. 12 Barker dropped a 54-39 decision at No. 4 Westfield this evening in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class C boys basketball tournament.

Wilson will now face Westfield in the Class C semifinals on Tuesday at Jamestown Community College.

Aidan Neumann scored a  game high 22, Ryan Hough 16, Shamus George 13 and Brock Lepsch and Nick Lemke 9 each to lead the way for Wilson.

Aidan DeFazio scored 15 and Eilijah Truman to to pace Portville.

Wilson jumped out to a 15-8 first quarter lead as Lepsch hit two threes and Chase Martin one.

The Lakemen went on to increase their advantage to 15, 36-21, at the half and to 22, 56-34, at the three-quarter mark.

Neumann and George both scored 6 and Hough 4 in the second quarter. Lemke then hit two threes and Neumann had 6 points and Hough 4 in the third period.

Westfield 54, Barker 39
Leading by four, 21-17, at the half, Westfield used a 21-15 third period scoring edge to open up a 10 point, 42-32, advantage at the three-quarter mark and Barker could get no closer than six in the final period.

Brayden Paddock scored 16, including five threes, Grant Beadle 15 and Braylon Swanson 11 to spark Westfield.

Paddock and Lincoln Thomas both hit threes and Swanson had a three-point play to lead the decisive third period uprising in which the Wolverines got point production from seven players.

Anthony Taliaferro scored 16 and Carter DerSarkissian 13, including three threes, to lead Barker as Donovan Hefferon and JJ Prynn both had 3 and Peyton Wagner and Caden Garcia 2 each.

Threes by Taliaferro and DerSarkissian did pull Barker to within six, 45-39, early in the final period but Westfield answered with a 9-0 run to close the game and lock up the win.

For the second playoff game in a row Kendall will take on  a very familiar opponent as the No. 6 seed Eagles will face Genesee Region League foe No. 3 Pembroke in the Section V Class C1 quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Friday at Oakfield-Alabama.

Kendall, which downed G-R foe Byron-Bergen 70-46 in the opening round, lost to Pembroke twice during the G-R campaign by scores of 58-52 and 56-39.

Kendall brings a 15-6 record into the contest while Pembroke, which defeated Letchworth 50-30 in the opening round, is 19-2.

The victor will face the winner of the No. 2 Geneseo vs. No. 7 Alexander game in the semifinals on Monday.

Barker, Wilson in quarterfinals tonight
Section VI Class C quarterfinal round games this evening at 7 will have No. 12 Barker at No. 4 Westfield and No. 8 Portville at No. 1 Wilson.

The winners will advance to the semifinals on Tuesday at Jamestown Community College.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart/Barker’s RJ Townsend, left, and Albion’s Stryker Sanders will be competing in the state wrestling championships this weekend in Albany.

Two local wrestlers – Albion freshman Stryker Sanders (118) and Roy-Hart/Barker junior RJ Townsend (285) – will be competing in the state Division 2 championships this weekend at Albany.

It will be the second trip to the states for Sanders who went 2-2 a year ago, and the first for Townsend.

Sanders,  the No. 13 seed, who is 37-6 will open against No. 20 Tristan Bellis a junior from Red Jacket who is 34-4.

The victor will face No. 4 seed Lukas Mills-Travis, a junior from Bath Haverling who is 37-4 in the second round.

“Stryker really needs to stick to his game. Move his feet, stay disciplined and focus on scoring the next points,” said his father Albion Coach Mike Sanders. ” Everybody is tough at this level. So sticking to what has worked for him throughout the season is important. That, and he has to keep his foot on the gas pedal all six minutes.”

Townsend, who is 33-4 and the No. 21 seed, will open against No. 12 seed Trey Parker a sophomore from Susquehanna Valley with a 32-10 record.

The victor will face No. 5 seed Nick Oosterom, a junior from Port Jervis, who is 38-3.

“RJ will need to continue to wrestle well on his feet to be successful,” said Roy-Hart/Barker Coach Matt McCauley. “We will also try to avoid being on the bottom since we give up around 30 pounds to the heavy kids in the 285 class.”

The first two rounds and the quarterfinals are scheduled for Friday with the semifinals and finals on Saturday.

The Nisgara-Orleans Lesgue will also be represented at the state championships by Akron senior Joey Burg (165) and Newfane junior Jake Morello (150).