White Birch swept to a pair of victories over Poler’s Pub by scores of 9-5 and 12-4 Monday evening to close out the Medina Women’s Softball ‘A’ League regular season with an 8-4 record.

In the opener, Aubrey Lewis and Kenzie Muck both had 3 hits; Ella Lewis, Brynn Howell and Dana Siffringer 2 and Maddy Boyle, Gracie Johnson, Anna Lewis, Bekah Hoffee and Mallory Albone 1 each. Boyle’s hit was a double.

In the second game, Aubrey Lewis had a pair of doubles as Ella Lewis, Boyle and Howell each had 1.

Hoffee and Aubrey Lewis both had a total of 3 hits as Ella Lewis drove in a total of 4 runs.

Muck, Anna Lewis, Stacy Buckland, Siffringer and Albone also each had a hit.

Banes 16, Jr. Wilson 11
Banes improved to 8-3 with a win over Jr. Wilson as Lindsay Chatt, Robin Blaun, Rileigh McCabe and Grace Capstick each had 2 hits. Chatt and Sue Seefeldt both had 2 doubles as McCabe and Capstick each had 1.

In the sea-saw battle, Banes took a 7-5 lead by scoring 5 times in the second on doubles by McCabe, Seefeldt and Lindsay Chatt along with singles by Patti Page, Capstick, Blaun and Jami Chatt.

Banes kept a 10-7 lead after scoring 3 times in the fourth on a double by Seefeldt and singles by Capstick, Connie Heschke, Lindsay Chatt, Blaun and Amy Lavender.

Banes then opened up a little breathing room by scoring 4 times in the fifth on doubles by Capstick and Lindsay Chatt, singles by McCabe, Jen Masse, Page, Heschke and Blaun and a sac fly by Seefeldt.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Nate Dillenbeck goes up for a header for the Medina Mustangs FC during Monday’s semifinal playoff game at Vets Park.

A lightning quick goal in the first five minutes sparked the No. 4 seed Celtic Brigade to a 4-2 win over the top seeded Medina Mustangs FC in the semifinals of the Buffalo District Soccer League 2nd Division playoffs at Vets Park Monday night.

The Celtic Brigade made it 2-0 15 minutes later and held a 3-0 lead in the second half before Medina could get on the scoreboard.

Nate Dillenbeck scored both Medina goals, the first on a header off a corner kick by Ethan Leonard and the second off an assist from Greg Husung.

The Mustangs, which finish at 8-4, will be competing in the 1st Division next year having earned the promotion by virtue of capturing the regular season 2nd Division title.

The Celtic Brigade will now face No. 3 Ukraine for the playoff championship on Sunday. Ukraine downed No. 2 United Warriors 4-1 in the other semifinal.

Medina’s Kyan Mathieu knocks the ball away from a Celtic Brigade player.

Contributed Photo – Melanie Green

Medina’s Melanie Green put together a strong opening round today at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Green fired a one under par round of 70 with 17 pars and one birdie which came on the 9th hole.

She was two shots back of the leader when she competed her round with much of the field still out on the course.

Green was in a threesome with defending champion Megan Schofill, who also shot a 70, and Adela Cernousek from France who shot a 2 under par round of 69.

Another round of stroke play will be held on Tuesday after which the field will be cut to the 64 low scorers for the match play portion of the championship which begins on Wednesday.

This is Green’s second appearance at the championship as she also competed in 2022 when she advanced to the match play round of 64.

The Medina Mustangs 16U Travel team split a pair of games today to close out competition in the Lou Gehrig Iron Horse Classic at Amherst.

Medina opened with a 15-2 win over Leaside as Brody Fry, Brady Christiaansen and winning pitcher Ryan Pegelow each had 2 hits. On the mound, Pegelow scattered 4 hits and struck out 2.

The Mustangs scored a quick run in the first inning on a single by Fry and tacked on 3 in the second and 2 in the third.

A marathon 9 run fourth frame, which included singles by Colton Smith, Fry, Christiaansen, Pegelow and Lukas Grimes, capped off the win.

Medina then dropped an 8-1 decision to Lou Gehrig Panarese as the Mustangs had only 3 hits.

The Mustangs went 3-2 for the tournament.

The top seeded regular season champion Medina Mustangs FC will host the Celtic Brigade at 8 p.m. Monday at Vets Park in the semifinal round of the Buffalo District Soccer League 2nd Division playoffs.

The victor advances to next Sunday’s championship game against the winner of the other semifinal between No. 2 seed United Warriors and No. 3 Ukraine. Ukraine advanced by downing No. 6 LaSalle 1-0 in the quarterfinals last weekend.

Medina, which went 8-3 during the regular season, downed the Celtic Brigade 3-1 in a late season meeting. The No. 4 seeded Celtic Brigade advanced by downing the No.5 Cosmos 3-2 in the quarterfinals.

Offensively, Medina has been led by Nate Dillenbeck with 13 goals which is second among 2nd Division scorers. Steven Anderson and Greg Husung both had 4 goals as Elian Gonzalez, Ethan Leonard and Casey Winiecki have each netted 3. Husung also leads the team in assists with 6.

By virtue of capturing the regular season title, the Mustangs have also earned a promotion to the 1st Division for next season.

It marks the second year in a row that the Mustangs have earned a promotion. Last summer the Mustangs claimed the 3rd Division playoff crown to advance to the 2nd Division this season.

Contributed Photo – Melanie Green

Continuing a busy summer of major golf tournament competition, Medina’s Melanie Green will be competing in the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship this coming week at Tulsa, Oklahoma.

It will be Green’s second appearance at the Women’s Amateur championship as she advanced to the match play round of 64 in 2022.

The tournament will begin with rounds of stroke play competition on both Monday and Tuesday. The field will then be cut to the low 64 scorers for the match play portion of the tourney which begins on Wednesday. Match play will continue on Thursday with the quarterfinals on Friday, the semis on Saturday and the finals on Sunday.

She is scheduled to tee off for the first round at 8:28 a.m. Monday (Central time) on the first hole.

Green has had excellent success in match play competition this summer as she won the R&A British Women’s Amateur championship and also helped Team USA win the Arnold Palmer Cup, which both featured match play.

A huge first inning powered the Medina Mustangs 16U Travel team to a 9-0 victory over the GLOW Legion today in the Lou Gehrig Iron Horse Classic Tournmanet.

The Mustangs scored all 9 of their runs in the first inning as Tyler Kroening had a double and Jackson Prynn and Colton Smith singles to highlight the decisive frame which was also aided by wild pitches, a hit batter and walks.

Medina will continue competition in the tournament on Sunday.

Contributed Photo – David Curtiss Munson

Reporters Note – Thanks to the following information provided by reader Rebecca Cooley, who during a research project on a local family, brought to light the interesting story of Medina native David Curtiss Munson who earned a gold medal at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.

Munson won the Olympic gold medal at the 1904 games in St. Louis as a member of the NYAC’s 4 Mile team.

In addition, he also placed fourth at the Olympics in the 1500.

Born in Medina on May 19, 1884 to Dr. Edward and Lillian (Smith) Munson, attended Cornell University and competed on the University’s track and cross-country teams before and after the 1904 Olympics.

Munson gained enrollment at Cornell by earning the New York State Cornell Scholarship for Orleans County while attending Medina High.

In his sophomore year at Cornell he won both the IC4A and AAU mile events.

Returning to Cornell after the Olympics he again won the IC4A mile and also set a new world indoor record for the mile and a half and a new Cornell record in the outdoors mile.

He served as captain of both the Cornell track and cross-country teams in 1906 and is a member of Cornell’s Hall of Fame.

After Cornell, Munson attended the New York Law School graduating in 1909 after which he had a fine career in law.

Limited to just two hits, the Medina Mustangs 16U Travel team dropped a 6-2 decision to LG Panarese Friday in a Lou Gehrig Iron Horse Classic game.

Trailing 1-0, Panarese rallied for 2 runs in the fifth inning on an error and a wild pitch and 3 more in the sixth on a pair of singles, a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Medina’s 2 runs came in the first inning on a single by Colton Smith, a walk, a wild pitch and a ground out.

Brody Fry pitched 4 innings for the Mustangs allowing only 3 hits and striking out 10.

The Mustangs will continue competition in the tournament today.