Making a big early lead hold up Sandstone downed Carlton 8-5 in an Albion Midget League game this past week.

Eli Johnson and Nikko Russo both had 2 hits, Eli Spada a two-run double and Liam Skowneski an RBI single for Sandstone.

Luke Bedford had 3 hits including a triple for Carlton as Hank Aina had a pair of hits. Bedford also registered 6 strikeouts on the mound and Caden Woolston 5.

Carlton also downed Hamlin ‘B’ 6-5 turning a triple play in the fifth inning.

Bedford had 3 hits, including a double, as Woolston, Connor Hinkley and Brian Patton each had 2. Bedford also had 7 strikeouts on the mound, Hinkley 3 and Aina 2.

Hamlin ‘A’ scored a pair of Midget League wins, 4-3 over Sandstone and 9-0 over Elba ‘B’, to improve to 3-0.

Elliott Slocum had a two-run single for Sandstone which is now 2-1.

No. 5 seed Wilson edged No. 2 Gowanda 3-1 in the Section VI Class C baseball championhip game this afternoon at Jamestown.

Breaking away from a 1-1 deadlock, the Lakemen scored the decisive two runs in the fifth inning on an RBI single by Blake Simpson and a wild pitch.

Tyler Johnston hurled a 3 hitter with 12 strikeouts for the Lakemen.

Wilson will next face the as yet to be determined Section V champion in the Class C Far West Regional on Friday at Salamanca.

The Lakemen become the second Niagara-Orleans League team to advance to the state playoffs as Medina will take on Section V champion Wellsville in the Class B Far West Regional at 10 a.m. Saturday at Grand Island.

Holley and Kendall both had individual event winners at this past week’s Section V track and field class championship meets.

Holley athletes captured both the boys’ and girls’ High Jump events at the Class B3 meet held at Sodus with victories by Vinny Golisano (5-10) and Samantha Bates (5-3).

Kendall’s Hunter Richards won the Shotput (47-11 2/4) at the Class B4 meet held at Dundee..

In the girls’ competition at Sodus, Holley also had Alivia Wolf place 3rd in the Pentathlon, Allison Merle 3rd in the 100 Hurdles, Emma Brady 4th in both the 3000 and Steeplechase, Zoey Wolf 4th in the Pole Vault, Jailyn Bishop 4th in the Shotput, Alexia Renner 5th in the Triple Jump and Mya Brown 5th in the 1500.

The Lady Hawks also took 3rd in both the 400 Relay and 3200 Relay and 4th in the 1600 Relay.

In the boys’ competition for the Hawks, Keon Hughton placed 3rd in both the 100 and 200, Aiden Kelley 4th in the Pentathlon and Golisano 5th in the Triple Jump.

The Hawks also placed 3rd in the 3200 Relay and 4th in the 1600 Relay.

For Kendall in the girls’ competition at Dundee, Hannah Brundage placed 5th in the 1500.

The Lady Eagles also placed 5th in the 400 Relay.

Contributed Photo – Gavyn Boyle

Roy-Hart graduate and SUNY Niagara freshman Gavyn Boyle has been named to the first team of the All Region III baseball squad.

Boyle had a big season at the plate in helping the Thunderwolves compile a 48-11 record.

He hit .395 with 14 doubles, 2 triples, 8 home runs and 57 runs batted in.

Two Medina High grads, sophomore Zach Fike and freshman Aidan Paul, also had big seasons as members of the Thunderwolves pitching staff.

Fike went 5-0 on the mound and also had 1 save. He compiled a 2.32 earned run average ith 45 strikeouts.

Paul went 5-1 and added 2 saves. He had a 2.27 era. with 59 strikeouts.

In addition, Medina grad Rylee VanNostrand has received a Thunderwolves Award after completing a three sport year in which she played soccer, basketball and softball for the Thunderwolves.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Preston Woodworth, who came on in relief in the sixth inning, celebrates getting a strikeout for the final out of Medina’s 4-3 win over Fredonia in the Section VI Class B championship game this afternoon at Grand Island High School.

In a tight sea-saw, rain interrupted contest, top seeded Medina nipped No. 2 Fredonia 4-3 in the Section VI Class B championship game at Grand Island High School this afternoon earning the Mustangs a berth in the upcoming state playoffs.

“It feels great. I’m really excited for our next game,” said designated hitter Richard Keppler who drove in what proved to be Medina’s winning run in the sixth inning.

That next game will be next Saturday when the Mustangs face Section V champion Wellsville in the Class B Far West Regional at 10 a.m. back at Grand Island High School. Wellsville edged Notre Dame 1-0 to win the Section V title.

“It’s just amazing, really amazing,” added catcher Ryleigh Culver who singled in Medina’s first run of the day in the opening inning. A leadoff walk to Julian Woodworth and a sacrifice bunt by Aidan Papaj set up the opportunity.

Fredonia answered back with the tying run in the second inning on a fielders choice play and later grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth on an RBI double by Brady Helmer.

Medina, which had stranded a runner at third base in the second inning and had another thrown out at home in the third, quickly retied the contest at 2-2 in the home half of the fifth. A two out RBI single by Papaj drove in Vinny Gray who had reached on a one out single.

The sea-saw battle continued into what proved to be the decisive sixth inning.

First, Fredonia regained the lead for what proved to be the last time at 3-2 on a two out RBI double by Nathan Sercu.

However, the Mustangs quickly answered the challenge by responding with the deciding two runs in the home half of the frame.

A single by Carter Woodworth drove in the tying run and Keppler followed up with a double to plate what proved to be the game winner. A leadoff walk to Fry followed by a sacrifice bunt by Preston Woodworth set up the threat.

Now needing to get just three more outs to lock up the win the Mustangs would have to wait three hours before being able to celebrate.

With one on and one out in Fredonia’s top of the seventh lightning strikes halted play and the sky opened up with a monsoon downpour.

The rain lasted for some two and a half hours and when play resumed just three hours after being stopped it took the Mustangs just six minutes to get the final two outs on an infield grounder and a strikeout by Preston Wooworth who came on in the sixth inning in relief of Fry who who hurled the first five and two-thirds innings.

“It’s really nice especially for our seniors,” said Fry of the win which improves the Mustangs season record to 19-1.

The trip to the state playoffs will be the third for the Mustangs since 2019.

Mustang seniors Henry Winters, Julian Woodworth, Brandon Christiaansen and Richard Keppler hold up the championship plaque.

Richard Keppler bangs out a double to drive in the Mustangs winning run. At right, Carter Woodworth, who singled in the tying run, scores the game winner.

Roy-Hart had a trio of individual event winners at the Section VI Class C track championships held Friday at Jamestown.

Jayden Swygert won the Long Jump (21-5 1/2), Sophia Santella the Pole Vault (8-0) and Julia Miles the High Jump (5-0). Miles also placed third in the 400 Hurdles.

The Rams also had Braden Ricker place second in the 200 and third in the 100, Josiah Rodriguez third in both the 1600 and 3200 and Lawson Wallworth second in the Steeplechase.

Newfane had a quartet of winners as Liam Betteridge took the 3200, Ben Dickinson the Triple Jump, Jayde Jerge the 800 and Kylie Bowman the 1500. Betteridge also placed second in the 1600 and third in the 800 and Bowman second in the 3000.

The Panthers also had Brianna Michalek place second in the Triple Jump and third in the Long Jump.

Class D Championships
Host Wilson had Jaydan Ruble place second in the Steeplechase, Addison Elia in the 800, Marissa Schultz in both the Triple Jump and Pole Vault, Jack Mahar in the Pole Vault and Bella Thrush in the Long Jump at the Section VI Class D track championships.

Barker’s Jordyn Kinne placed second in the 100 Hurdles as did Kiera Dalton in the Discus and Wyatt Payne in the Discus.

Medina’s Gordon Young won the High Jump (5-10) at the Section VI Class B track championship meet held Thursday at Alden.

In addition, the Mustangs had Penelope Schalck place second in the Pole Vault and Aurora Owczaraczyk take third in the 100.

Those results were made available today when the complete Class B meet summary compiled by Milesplit was listed on the Section VI’s track website.

Several Medina top four place finishers were listed in Hub’s initial story on the Class B meet on Thursday evening. They included Madelynn Rutledge who placed second in both the Long Jump and Triple Jump, Owczaraczyk third in the 200, Kaedon Cleveland fourth in the 110 Hurdles and Neveah Moss fourth in the Long Jump.

 Contributed Photo – Melanie Green

Medina High graduate and University of South Florida senior Melanie Green has been named to the second team of the Women’s Golf Coaches Association Division 1 All American squad.

Green earned All American Honorable Mention last year.

This year’s American Athletic Conference Player of the Year, Green has also been named to the All Conference team for the fourth straight year.

Ranked 23rd in the nation, Green won two tournaments this season.

She finished in the top 4 in 8 of 11 tourneys while shooting par of better in 32 of 33 rounds.

She has been selected to play for Team USA in the up coming Arnold Palmer Cup competition which will be held in Ireland.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina catcher Ryleigh Culver and his Mustang teammates will face Fredonia for the Section VI Class B championship on Saturday at Grand Island High School.

Advancing to the finals for the fifth time in the last six seasons, top seeded Medina will face No. 2 Fredonia for the Section VI Class B baseball championship at new time 10 a.m.(changed from 11 a.m.) Saturday at Grand Island High School.

The victor will advance to the Far West Regional of the state tournament.

Medina advanced by edging No. 4 Roy-Hart 3-1 in the semifinals while Fredonia downed No. 3 Portville 4-1.

Medina brings an 18-1 overall record into the title contest while Fredonia is 17-5.

The Mustangs have gone 3-1 during their recent run sectional title game appearances.

The only setback came in the opening year of that run as Medina dropped a 4-2 decision to Roy-Hart in the 2018 Class B2 final.

Rebounding, Medina captured the 2019 B1 title with a 10-6 win over rival Albion. The Mustangs went on to claim the overall Section VI Class B title by besting Roy-Hart 15-4 and win the Far West Regional 10-2 over LeRoy to advance to the state semifinals.

The Mustangs also captured the Section VI Class B2 title in both 2021 and 2022 with wins over Roy-Hart by scores of 7-0 and 1-0.

Just was the case with the 2019 team this year’s team is a versatile, underclassmen dominated squad.

The Mustangs lineup has been including just three seniors Julian Woodworth (pitcher/outfield), Richard Keppler (outfield/designated hitter) and Branden Christiaansen (first base) along with four juniors Ryleigh Culver (catcher), Brody Fry (pitcher/infield/outfield), Carter Woodworth (infield) and Brady Christiaansen (outfield); one sophomore Vinny Gray (outfield/infield) and two freshmen Aidan Papaj (infield/pitcher) and Preston Woodworth (infield/pitcher).

Spectators are reminded that tickets should be purchased on line in advance by clicking here.