Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Leading the Albion swim teams into the upcoming Niagsra-Orleans League season is this group of veterans. In front are Gina Sidari, Mia Olles, Willow Gaines and Kiera Sidari. In back are Joel Slack, Mark Ames, Justin Kania, Finn McCue and Mason Giatino. Missing from the photo is Maggie Olles.

Albion, Roy-Hart/Barker and Medina will all begin tuning up for the Niagara-Orleans League swim season with non league meets against Genesee Region League foes on the road Thursday.

Those meets will have Albion at Oakfield-Alabama, Medina at Pembroke and Roy-Hart/Barker at Wheatland-Chili.

The N-O openers for the three local teams will have Albion at Akron on Dec. 7, Akron at Medina on Dec. 12 and Albion at Roy-Hart/Barker on Dec. 12.

The Albion boys squad is led by the veteran quintet of seniors Finn McCue, Mark Ames, Joel Slack, Mason Giatino and junior Justin Kania. McCue won the 100 Freestyle at the All-League meet and also teamed up with Kania and Giatino on the Purple Eagles winning 200 Freestyle Relay team.

The Albion girls squad is led by seniors Gina Sidari, Mia Olles, juniors Willow Gaines and Maggie Olles and eighth grader Kiera Sidari. Mia Olles, Kiera Sidari, Gaines and Maggie Olles were all members of the winning 400 Freestyle Relay team. Mia Olles also placed second in the 200 Free as did Gaines in the 100 Breaststroke. Kiera Sidari took third in both the 200 Individual Medley and 100 Butterfly and Mia Olles in the 100 Free.

Leading Roy-Hart/Barker are returning All-League meet individual event champions, at left, Sean Labick and Julia Miles. At right are Medina team captains Sophia Goyette and Caiden Class.

The Roy-Hart/Barker boys squad is paced by junior Sean Labick, sophomore Garrett Glyshaw and seniors Nick Armenia and Carson Hashem. Labick won the 200 Free, placed second in the 100 Backstroke and was a member of the winning 400 Fee Relay team. Hashem was on the winning 200 Medley Relay team and placed third in the 100 Free as did Armenia in the IM.

Julia Miles, who won both the 50 Free and 100 Free, heads the Roy-Hart/Barker girls squad whose veterans also include juniors Abigail Glyshaw (3rd in 200 Free and 500 Free), Karisma Washington (4th in 100 Butterfly), Ava Achtyl (2nd in 100 Backstroke) along with sophomores Madeline Pavlock (2nd in 500 Free) and Cora Lennon (4th in Backstroke) and freshman Maria Trombley (5th in 50 Free and 100 Free).

Senior Caden Class and junior Sophia Goyette are serving as captains for the Medina swim teams. Class placed third in the 500 Free and Goyette fifth in the 100 Breaststroke.

The Medina girls squad also returns senior Madelynn Rutledge (5th in Backstroke) along with sophomore Malloree Rinker (8th in 50 Free)and freshman Madeline Mark (6th in IM and 500 Free)..

This season’s edition of the Roy-Hart/Barker/Medina) (RBM) Club Hockey team came away from the opening weekend with a win on Saturday night and a loss on Sunday morning.

The season began for RBM, which also has players from Newfane and Wilson, with an away game 6-5 win against Dunkirk/Fredonia.

After falling behind 2-0 early in the First Period, RBM fought back to tie before the end of the stanza. Jack Goehle (Newfane) scored both goals with assists from Paul Lassman (Wilson) and Jackson Hauser (Barker).

RBM grabbed a 6-2 lead by the end of the Second Period on scores from Austin Woodward (Wilson), Hauser, Lucius Wagner (Medina) and Lawson Wallworth (Roy-Hart).

D/F scored once in the Third and RBM left with a 6-5 win.

Just sixteen hours later, RBM hosted ELPS (Eden, Lakeshore, Pioneer, Springville) at home and lost 6-1.

This was an extraordinarily physical game with a total of 20 penalties, five of them majors. The lone RBM goal was scored in the First Period by Jackson Hauser (B) assisted by Lucius Wagner (M) and Colby Boyer (Newfane).

RBM’s next game is Friday, December 8 at 9PM in Cheektowaga against St. Mary’s of Lancaster.

Beginning a busy season opening three game week on a high note, Kendall downed visiting Rochester Prep 34-12 in a non league girls basketball game this evening.

Addison Kludt scored 8 and Brooke Rodas 7 to lead the balanced attack for the Lady Eagles.  Alea Barrett added 5, Ava LaMay and Stella Kwiatek 4 each and Danielle Offhaus, Lia Larson and Mykenzie Armstrong 2 apiece.

Kendall jumped out to a 7-0 first quarter lead as Kludt and Rodas hit threes. Rodas’ shot came at the buzzer.

The Lady Eagles went on to lead by margins of 17-2 at the half and 23-8 at the three-quarter mark.

Kendall will next host Medina at 7 p.m. Thursday in the opening round of the Lady Eagles Tournament. Holley will face Barker in the first game at 5 p.m. The consolation and championship games are scheduled for 2 and 4 p.m. Saturday.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Getting set for Holley’s season opener at the Kendall Tournament on Thursday are, in front  Alexis VanAmeron, Zoey Wolf, Alivia Wolf and Samantha Bates. In back are Layne Walker, Leigha Walker, Jailyn Bishop, Bella Thom and Emma Brady. Missing from the photo is Lily Newman.

Looking to keep the momentum they generated by a history making run to the state Final Four in soccer this fall, players on the Holley girls varsity basketball team are set to open the season at the Kendall Tournament on Thursday.

Holley’s veteran group of upperclassmen is comprised of players from that history making soccer squad including seniors Samantha Bates, Jailyn Bishop, Emma Brady, Leigha Walker, Layne Walker and Bella Thom along with juniors Alivia Wolf and Zoey Wolf. The Lady Hawks squad also includes sophomores Lily Newman and Alexis VanAmeron. Bates and Alivia Wolf both earned Genesee Region League All-Star Honorable Mention last year.

“They are pretty motivated,” said Coach Mark Thomas. “We’ve got good speed and quickness so we are looking to play a suffocating defense, get turnovers and score on layups.”

Holley will face Barker in the opening round of the Kendall Tournament on Thursday. Kendall will take on Medina in the second game. The consolation and championship games are scheduled for Saturday.

Holley will open the G-R season on December 6 at Oakfield-Alabama.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s veteran group includes, in front, Jason Beyer, Jack Cecchini, Jerrell Nealy, Christian Moss and Roosevelt Mitchell. In back are Preston Woodworth, Alex Benz, Justin Pitts, Cole Callard and Trevon Shine.

Looking to rebound from last year’s 1-11 Niagara-Orleans League season (4-17 0verall), Medina’s boys varsity basketball squad returns a large contingent of 10 veterans.

Seniors Justin Pitts, Alex Benz, Jason Beyer, Roosevelt Mitchell and Jack Cecchini along with junior Cole Callard and sophomore Jerrell Nealy head that veteran group. Also returning is a trio of players brought up from the JV ranks late in the season including sophomores Christian Moss and Trevon Shine and freshman Preston Woodworth.

“We’ve got a good combination of youth and experience,” said Coach Justin Morgan. “Our JV callups got some good experience last year and they worked hard over the summer and hopefully that pays off. The key will be to develop good team chemistry. They have to play together.”

The Mustangs graduation losses included starters Cayden Lilleby and Aiden Pitts.

Medina faces a challenging early season non league schedule with games at Kenmore East on December 6, Lancaster on Dec. 8 and West Seneca West on Dec. 13 before hosting Holland on Dec. 15 and Maryvale on Dec. 27. The Mustangs will also compete in the Kendall Tournament on Dec. 29 and 30 before opening the Niagara-Orleans League season at Roy-Hart on January 3.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – This veteran quartet of Tisha Zeitz, Isabella Groves, Ashlee Stephens and Addison Dillenbeck will lead Lyndonville into the upcoming season.

Led by a pair of returning starters, Lyndonville will host Elba at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Genesee Region League girls basketball season opener.

Senior Ashlee Stephens and junior Addison Dillenbeck, who both earned G-R All-Star Honorable Mention, lead the way for Lyndonville which went 15-8 last year. Dillenbeck averaged 12.5 points and Stephens 9.4 per game.

Sophomore Isabella Groves, who saw considerable action, also returns.

Lee Dillenbeck and Kate Draper are again co-coaching the Lady Tigers whose lineup also includes senior Tisha Zeitz, junior Madison Davis, sophomore Lilly Raduns and freshman Hannah Fox.

Lyndonville’s graduation losses included the starting trio of Lorelei Dillenbeck, Haley Shaffer and Shelby Boring.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Leading Barker into the upcoming season will be this trio of veterans, from left, Luey Castro, Aidan Mescall and Jordan Leising.

With only two returning starters, Barker will be looking to use a season opening stretch of six non league games to rebuild for the upcoming Niagara-Orleans League campaign.

Seniors Luey Castro, who earned first team N-O All-League honors last season, and Aidan Mescall are the Bulldogs only returning starters. Both players averaged 13 points per outing. The team’s only other returning senior is Jordan Leising.

“We’ve only got a couple of starters back and we’re young,” said Bulldogs Coach Jake Haight. “We’re going to be stressing defense.”

The Bulldogs graduation losses included Brad Cantrell, Mason Allee-Castro and Aidan Voss. Cantrell and Voss both earned All-League Honorable Mention.

Barker, which will visit Lyndonville this Friday to begin that run of six straight non league games against Genesee Region League foes, will open N-O competition at home against Akron on Dec. 22. Barker went 3-9 in N-O competition last year.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran members of Albion’s varsity team include, in front, Jonathan Eibl and Blake Preston. In back are Brody Vercruysse, Kyle Radder and Seth Krenning.

Looking to fill a number of holes in the lineup caused by graduation losses, Albion is prepping for the upcoming basketball season led by a quintet of returnees.

Seniors Blake Preston, who averaged 12 points per game, and Johnathan Eibl head that veteran group which also includes juniors Seth Krenning, Kyle Radder and Brody Vercruysse who were late season call ups from the JV ranks.

“We’re young but we have a good mix of size and guard play,” said Coach Travis Downs.

The Purple Eagles graduation losses include a trio of second team Niagara-Orleans All-League honorees Amari Jones, Javon Jones and Aquil Gaffney.

Albion will open the season by hosting a pair of Finger Lakes area non league foes – Pal-Mac on December 1 and Midlakes on Dec. 5 – before beginning the N-O campaign at home on Dec. 15 against Akron.

The Pembroke Dragons varsity football team finished a 13-0 season with a 36-0 victory over the Section 4 Moravia Blue Devils on Friday to capture a second straight state 8 man championship.

Behind the blocking of Ben Steinberg, Jayden Mast, Jayden Bridge, Madden Perry, JJ Gabbey, Octavius Martin and Hayden Williams, the Dragons, which led 28-0 at the half, racked up over 500 yards on offense with no punts for the game. Tyson Totten ran for 401 yards and 5 touchdowns to finish the year with over 4000 yards rushing and 70 rushing touchdowns. Fullback Caleb Felski had 102 yards rushing as well as converting on three 2 point conversions.

Defensively the Dragons were led by Felski with 16 tackles and a interception, while Totten, Sean Pustulka, Jayden Mast, Jayden Bridge, Octavius Martin, Hayden Williams, and Vijay Dhanda all had 5 or more tackles. Jayden Bridge also added a sack and a blocked punt.