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Kendall runner, 16, youngest to complete Sehgahunda 72-kilometer race at Letchworth
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LETCHWORTH – Ben Brundage, 16, of Kendall crosses the finish line on Sunday in the Vale of Three Falls at Letchworth State Park. He completed three courses that day – the Lower Falls 5K, Middle Falls 10K, and Upper Falls 15K.
The previous day he ran the Sehgahunda trail marathon. He covered 72-kilometers in all or 44.7 miles. He is the youngest to ever complete the Sehgahunda 72.
Two years ago he was the youngest at age 14 to finish the Sehgahunda trail marathon. He did it in 7 hours, 43 minutes as a 14-year-old.
The course is notoriously difficult, with a 3,000-foot elevation change on narrow, winding paths.
As a 15-year-old Brundage lowered his trail marathon time to 5 hours, 43 minutes.
Saturday there was a deluge of rain, and the course turned muddy. Brundage still finished in a new personal best of 5 hours, 4 minutes.
That was 34th out of 182 finishers. Not too many would then run another 30-kilometers or 18.6 miles on Sunday.
“It is very challenging but it is a lot of fun,” Brundage said today. “It’s not your average marathon.”
His father Daniel also finished the trail marathon on Saturday. His mother Sarah has conquered the course in previous years.
(Left) Ben Brundage stays focused while running a soggy course at Letchworth on Saturday during the Sehgahunda trail marathon. (Right) Ben Brundage smiles and holds a plaque on Sunday for completing the Sehgahunda 72. All of the finishers receive the “Put a Nail in Me, I’m done” plaque.
Ben is a member of Kendall’s cross country and track teams. He runs the 1,600 meter, 800 meter, 400 meter and 4-by-400 relay for Kendall. He competes at Sectionals on Saturday.
He said he enjoys long-distance running and often trains on the country roads in Kendall, Hamlin, Holley and Albion.
A junior at Kendall, he would like to run cross country in college at the Division II level.
It was the season of the Tiger in the N-O
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Greg Bell
This spring in the Niagara-Orleans League it was certainly the season of the Tiger – the Akron Tigers.
In all, Akron captured top N-O honors in four of the league’s five spring varsity sports.
Heading that list of champions was the Tigers baseball team which went 11-1 to capture the school’s first N-O diamond title since 1975. It was an extra special title for Coach Greg Bell who was a member of that Tigers 1975 championship squad.
The Akron tennis team went 12-0 to claim the N-O crown for the fifth straight year. The Tigers have gone 59-1 during that stretch.
The Lady Tigers softball team claimed the N-O title for the second time in three years by posting an 11-1 record.
Going undefeated at 6-0, the Lady Tigers track squad captured the league crown for the first time since 2017.
Lady Tigers and Rams face sectional title contests on Saturday
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart outfielder Zach Walker and his Ram teammates will face Fredonia in the Class B2 title game on Saturday at Grand Island while Lyndonville outfielder Kayli Miller and her Lady Tiger teammates will take on Notre Dame in the D1 title contest on Saturday at Fillmore.
The Lyndonville softball and Roy-Hart baseball teams will both be making a fourth straight appearance in the sectional finals on Saturday.
The No. 2 seeded Lady Tigers will face a very familiar foe in No. 4 Notre Dame in the Section V Class D1 championship game at Fillmore at 1 p.m.
Notre Dame trimmed Lyndonville twice during the Genesee Region League season by scored of 9-8 and 9-6.
Lyndonville advanced to the finals by downing Genesee Valley/Belfast 14-6 in the quarterfinals and No. 3 Honeoye 10-8 in the semifinals. Notre Dame defeated No. 5 Alfred-Almond 3-2 in the quarterfinals and No. 1 Keshequa 7-4 in the semis.
The Irish bring a 16-5 record into the title contest while the Lady Tigers are 15-3.
Lyndonville is looking for its first sectional title since 2017 when the Lady Tigers downed Alfred-Almond 10-1. Bolivar-Richburg bested the Lady Tigers in both the 2021 (9-7) and 2022 (4-3) finals as did Keshequa in 2019 (10-8).
The victor will advance to the Section V Class D state qualifier game on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Fillmore against the winner of Saturday’s D2 title contest between Scio/Friendship and CG Finney.
No. 6 Roy-Hart will face No. 4 Fredonia in the Section VI Class B2 championship game at 3 p.m. at Grand Island.
Roy-Hart, which is 18-4, downed No. 3 Akron 9-1 in the quarterfinals and No. 7 Salamanca 6-2 in the semifinals.
Fredonia, which is 14-4, defeated No. 5 Eden 11-1 in the quarterfinals and No. 8 Southwestern 12-1 in the semis.
The victor will advance to the Section VI Class B state qualifier contest on Monday at 2 p.m. at Sal Maglie Stadium in Niagara Falls against the winner of Saturday’s B1 title contest between Depew and Iroquois.
Roy-Hart’s last sectional title came in 2019 when the Rams downed Gowanda 5-1. The Rams lost to rival Medina in both the 2021 (7-0) and 2022 (1-0) Class B2 championship games.
Albion and Medina have top 5 finishers at Section VI Class B track championships
Albion and Medina both had a number of top five finishers in the individual events at the Section VI Class B track championship meet held today at East Aurora.
Albion’s Cincere Lowe won the Long Jump (21-6 3/4) and placed fourth in the Triple Jump (38-5 1.4) to lead the local place finishers.
Medina’s Bryson Costich placed second in the Triple Jump (40-6) and fifth in the Long Jump (19-1 3/4).
Also for Albion, Nick Harling tied for second in the High Jump (5-8) and Kyle Radder took fifth in the 110 Hurdles (:17.31).
Also for Medina, Ellie Roath took third in the 100 Hurdles (:16.84), Kaedon Cleveland third in the 110 Hurdles (:16.97), Mason Moreland third in the Triple Jump (38-7 1.2) and fourth in the 200 (:23.31), Gordon Young fourth in the High Jump (5-6) and Jackson Moreland fifth in the 200 (:23.48).
Akron also had a good day at the meet as Madison Brege won the Pole Vault (8-6), Emma Marie Forrestel took second in the Steeplechase (8:04.26), Isabelle Jones second in the Shotput (33-8 1.2), Sophia Jones third in both the 100 (:13.26) and 200 (:27.77), Jack Holland third in the Discus (114-0) and Madigan Regan fourth in the 800 (2:29.63).
Lady Tigers earn return trip to sectional finals
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville shortstop Lorelei Dillenbeck awaits the throw as Honeoye’s Sydney Pulver slides to second base on a steal. The action took place during the Lady Tigers sectional semifinal win this afternoon at Oakfield-Alabama.
Earning a fourth straight trip to the finals, No. 2 seed Lyndonville downed No. 3 Honeoye 10-8 in the semifinals of the Section V Class D1 softball playoffs this afternoon at Oakfield-Alabama.
Breaking away from a 3-3 deadlock, Lyndonville regained the lead for good by erupting for 7 runs in the third inning on RBI singles by Addison Dillenbeck and Brooke Robinson along with three fielders choice plays, a bases loaded walk and an error. Singles by Brianna Krisher, winning pitcher Haley Shaffer and Bella Groves set up the threat.
Honeoye did cut the deficit to two at 10-8 by scoring 4 times in the fifth frame aided by a three-run error but could get no closer.
Shaffer and her defensive mates blanked Honeoye over the final two innings. A double play from Addison Dillenbeck in centerfield to Groves at first base closed out the seventh inning to put a lock on the victory.
Earlier in the game the Lady Tigers scored twice in the first inning on a sacrifice fly by Lorelei Dillenbeck and an RBI single by Shaffer and once in the second on an RBI triple by Lorelei Dillenbeck.
Shaffer finished with a total of 3 hits and Groves 2,
Improving to 15-3, Lyndonville will now face the No. 4 Notre Dame in the D1 title contest at Fillmore at 1 p.m. Saturday. Notre Dame upended No. 1 Keshequa 7-4 in the other semifinal.
The Lady Tigers lost to Keshequa 10-8 in the 2019 title contest and bowed to Bolivar-Richburg in both the 2021 and 2022 championship contests. There were no sectionals in 2020 because of the Covid 19 shutdown.
Lyndonville’s Bella Groves gets the out a first base on Honeoye’s Alexa Colon.
Roy-Hart tops Salamanca in B2 semifinal
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart third baseman Thomas Russo gets set to put the tag on Salamanca’s Jorden Ambuske during the Rams sectional semifinal win over the visiting Warriors this afternoon.
A quick 4 runs first inning scoring burst sparked No. 6 seed Roy-Hart to a 6-2 victory over No. 7 Salamanca in the semifinal round of the Section VI Class B2 baseball playoffs this afternoon at Gasport.
Trailing 1-0, Roy-Hart combined RBI singles by Ethan Kuzma and Rem Albee along with a two-run single by Zach Walker to move on top to stay in the home half of the first at 4-1.
Singles by Sean Mettler and Thomas Russo helped to set up a second inning tally. Russo then tripled and stole home for the Rams final run in the fourth frame.
Brayden Hy picked up the win on the mound scattering 4 hits and striking out 12 in five and one-third innings of work. Jake Gould came on to hurl the final inning and two-thirds allowing no hits and striking out 2.
Defensively Russo also turned a double play in the seventh inning.
Improving to 18-4, Roy-Hart will now face No. 4 Fredonia in the B2 title game at 3 p.m. Saturday at Grand Island. Fredonia defeated No. 8 Southwestern 12-4 in the other semifinal.
It will be Roy-Hart’s fourth straight appearance in the sectional finals. The Rams defeated Gowanda 5-1 in the 2019 title game but lost to rival Medina in both the 2021 and 2022 title contests. There were no sectionals in 2020 because of the Covid 19 shutdown.
In the Class D semifinals, No. 5 Ellicottville downed No. 8 Barker 6-3.
Brayden Hy delivers a pitch for the Rams.
Medina Unified will host playoff game
The Medina Mustangs Unified Basketball team will host the Olmsted Owls in the first round of the C Bracket playoffs on Tuesday May 30th at 5:00.
The Mustangs bring a 5-0 record into their first home playoff game.
Medina will be seeking to avenge a loss in last year’s playoffs as the Owls nipped the Mustangs 40-39 on a last-second bucket.
Medina will close out the season with a Culminating Championship game at Lancaster High School on Friday, June 2 at 5 p.m.. The opponent will be determined after Monday’s contests.
Wolves down Lady Raiders in Class D semi
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Barker shortstop Mia Herman goes high for the ball as Clymer/Sherman’s Janelle Burchanowski slides into second base. The action took place during Barker’s sectional loss to visiting Clymer/Sherman this afternoon.
Jumping out to a quick first inning lead, No. 6 seed Clymer/Sherman went on to defeat No. 2 Barker 19-6 in a Section VI Class D semifinal round softball playoff game this afternoon at Barker.
Clymer/Sherman grabbed a 3-0 first inning lead as Elli Bodamar had a two-run single and Janelle Burchanowski an RBI double.
The Wolves doubled the advantage to 6-0 in the third inning before breaking the contest wide open with a huge 8 run fourth frame on 5 hits and 2 errors for a commanding 14-1 lead.
Bodamar finished with a total of 4 hits Reagan Bates 3, including a third inning RBI triple, and Burchanowski added a two-run home run in the sixth inning
Rachel Sutter and Peyton Bradley both had RBI doubles for Barker as Aaliyah Wheat and Lilly Monthony had RBI singles.
Gowanda downs Medina in lacrosse sectionals
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Cole Callard puts a shot on goal during the Mustangs sectional loss to Gowanda at Vets Park this afternoon.
Avenging a regular season 20-11 loss, No. 5 seed Gowanda defeated No. 4 Medina 16-9 in a Section VI Class D quarterfinal round lacrosse playoff game this afternoon at Vets Park.
Gowanda held leads of 5-2 after the frist quarter, 10-6 at the half and 13-9 after three quarters.
Cayden Lilleby scored 4 goals and Cole Callard 2 for Medina which also got single goals from Josh Wilson, Will Prest and Lucius Wagner.
The Mustangs finish the season at 11-6.
Lady Tigers, Rams to host semifinal contests
No. 2 seed Lyndonville will host No. 3 Honeoye in a Section V Class D1 semifinal softball playoff game which will be played at Oakfield-Alabama at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Lyndonville defeated No. 7 Genesee Valley/Belfast 14-6 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday while Honeoye downed No. 6 Avoca/Prattsburg 8-6.
The winner will advance to the D1 title contest on Saturday at Fillmore.
The No. 6 seed Roy-Hart baseball team will host No. 7 Salamanca at 5 p.m. Thursday in the semfinals of the Section VI Class B2 playoffs.
Roy-Hart downed Niagara-Orleans League foe No. 3 Akron 9-1 in the quarterfinals on Tuesday while Salamanca ousted No. 2 Olmsted 16-3.
The victor will advance to Saturday’s B2 title game at Grand Island.
Also on Thursday, the No. 8 seed Barker baseball team will visit No. 4 Ellicottville in the Section VI Class D semifinals at 5 p.m..
This afternoon, No. 2 seed Barker softball squad will host No. 6 Sherman/Clymer at 5 p.m. in the semifinals of the Section VI Class D playoffs.
