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Orleans U15 wins Full Circle Tournament
Contributed Photo – The Orleans County U15 Boys soccer team captured the championship of the Full Circle Futsal Tournament this past week. In the front row are Jonnatan Reyes, Adrian Figueroa Fuentes and Alonzo Figueroa Fuentes. In the back row are Finnegan McCue, Dominic Mulka, Jesus Rosario Reyes, Pablo Rosario, David Rosario Soto and Coach Rosario
Kendall girls best Lyons in C2 quarterfinal
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall’s Julia Szczepanski reaches to grab a rebound away from the Lyons duo of Kara Stephens (5) and Jayla Bell (12) during the host Lady Eagles sectional victory this evening.
Leading from wire to wire, No. 4 seed Kendall downed visiting No. 5 Lyons 48-39 this evening in the quarterfinal round of the Section V Class C2 tournament.
Julia Szczepanski scored 15, Kailie Regan 13 and Alezya Brown 12 to lead the balanced attack for Kendall as T’Mia Kitchings added 4 and Emma Allen and Lauren Pilon 2 each. Szczepanski also grabbed off 15 rebounds, Regan 14 and Brown 11.
Kamryn Bonnell scored 14, Imani Harder 9 and Jayla Bell 8 to pace Lyons.
Szczepanski scored 8 and Regan 5 in the opening period to spark Kendall out to an 11 point, 17-6, lead.
The Lady Eagles maintained an eight point, 27-19, lead at the half as Brown and Regan both scored 4 in the second period.
Getting points from five players, Lyons battled back to within three, 32-29, at the end of the third period.
Kendall did move back out to a nine point, 42-33, lead with just over two minutes to go by outscoring Lyons 10-4 over the first six minutes of the final period. Szczepanski hit two jumpers, Kitchings a three and Regan a rebound basket during that key run.
However, Lyons came battling back one more time with a 5-0 run including two free throws and a layup by Harder to rally back to within four, 42-38, with 1:40 to go.
Kendall though turned back the challenge by putting together a clutch closing 6-1 run to lock up the win. Brown had a rebound bucket and three free throws to highlight that clinching scoring spurt to close out the 48-39 win.
Improving to 16-5, Kendall will next face top seeded Pavilion in the semifinals on Wednesday at a site to be determined.
Lyndonville will play Tuesday at Avon
No. 6 seed Lyndonville will face No. 2 York in a Class C3 semifinal game at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Avon.
Kendall’s Kailie Regan puts up a shot over Lyons defender Imani Harder.
Two Medina wrestlers place at state tourney
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Dominick Callara, left, placed seventh and Gavin Ciarfella fourth for Medina at the state wrestling championships today.
Both Medina wrestlers earned place finishes at the state Division 2 (small schools) wrestling championships which concluded today at the Times Union Center in Albany.
Gavin Ciarfella finished fourth and Dominick Callara 7th.
Ciarfella, who was seeded 8th, went 3-1 in the consolation bracket today to place fourth. He opened with a 9-1 major decision win and then scored narrow decision wins of 3-2 and 2-1 to advance to the bout for third and fourth place. In that match he dropped a 3-0 decision to No. 4 seed Trey Kimball (Camden Section 3) to finish the tournament with a 4-2 record.
Callara, who was seeded 5th, went 2-1 on the day in the consolation bracket to earn 7th place honors. He finished the tourney with a 3-2 record.
Lady Tigers rally to oust HAC in C3 playoffs
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Ashlee Stephens
Putting together a big second half scoring surge, No. 6 Lyndonville rallied to defeat host No. 3 HAC 55-41 this afternoon in the quarterfinal round of the Section V Class C3 playoffs.
Trailing 28-23 at the half, Lyndonville came battling back to outscore HAC 14-2 in the third period to take the lead for good at 37-30. Ashlee Stephens scored 6 to lead that rally which also included baskets by Lorelei Dillenbeck, Ella Lewis, Addison Dillenbeck and Karlee Rounds.
Keeping the momentum, Lyndonville then put a lock on the victory by outscoring HAC in the final stanza 18-11. Stephens scored 8, Lewis 6 and Addison Dillenbeck 4 in the period.
Stephens finished with 16, Lewis and Addison Dillenbeck 11 each, Rounds 10, Lorelei Dillenbeck 4 and Haley Shaffer 3. Stephens also had 10 rebounds, Lorelei Dillenbeck 9 assists and 8 rebounds, Lewis 5 assists ans Rounds 5 rebounds.
Eliza Nicosia led HAC with 16.
Lyndonville will now play in the semifinals on Tuesday against No. 2 York at a site to be determined. York defeated No. 7 Cal-Mum 49-32 in the quarterfinals this afternoon.
Trojans romp past top seeded Rams
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Vinny Buscarino drives on Southwestern defender Matthew Pannes during the host Rams sectional loss to the Trojans this afternoon.
Roaring out to a commanding 22 point half-time advantage, No. 8 seed Southwestern went on to upend top seeded Roy-Hart 60-34 in a Section VI Class B2 quarterfinal game this afternoon at Roy-Hart.
Matthew Pannes scored 16, Aidan Kennedy 14 and Paul Hayes 10 to lead a balanced attack for Southwestern which also used a quick, aggressive defense to stymie the Roy-Hart offense.
Vinny Bucarino scored 10 and Jamel Johnson Jr. 9 to lead Roy-Hart.
Southwestern jumped out to a 16-6 first quarter lead as Pannes scored 6 and Kennedy and Chris Miller 5 each, both including a three.
The Trojans then broke the contest open with a big 17-5 second period scoring edge to race out to a 33-11 half-time advantage.
Hayes scored 7, Pannes 6 and Kennedy 4 to lead the Trojans during that stretch.
Southwestern extended the lead to 25, 48-23, at the three-quarter mark. Kennedy, who shook off an ankle injury suffered in the Trojans opening round win over Medina on Wednesday, had 5, including a 3 for his 1,000th career point, and Pannes 4 in the period.
Southwestern will next face the winner of the today’s quarterfinal matchup between No. 4 Tapestry and No. 5 Alden game in the semifinals on Tuesday at Buffalo State College.
In another B2 quarterfinal, No. 2 Newfane defeated visiting No. 10 Fredonia 65-58
Roy-Hart’s Jamel Johnson Jr. tries to drive around Southwestern defender Griffin Bogdanowicz.
40 teams playing with return of indoor soccer tournament in Albion
Photos by Tom Rivers
ALBION – Girls soccer players from Albion and Batavia play a 15-minute game this morning at the Albion High School gym. There are 40 teams in the third annual Ben Kirby Memorial Tournament.
Last year’s tournament was cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions. About 400 players are expected for this year’s tournament which started Friday evening and concludes with a final game at 10:30 tonight.
There are teams from Albion, Holley, Batavia, Avoca, Roy-Hart, Campbell-Savona, Palmyra-Macedon, Byron-Bergen, Newark and Churchville in the tournament.
Wendy Kirby serves some breakfast pizza from the concession stand in the high school. The tournament is named in honor of her late son, Ben Kirby. He was a student at the Rochester Institute of Technology when he died in a car accident on Nov. 6, 2017. He was 21 at the time, in his senior year majoring in software development. Kirby played youth soccer for Albion and also on the school teams.
Medina wrestlers bow in quarterfinals
The Medina duo of Dominick Callara (102) and Gavin Ciarfella (126) both lost in the quarterfinal round of the Division 2 (small schools) state wrestling championships today at the Times Union Center in Albany.
Callara, who was seeded 5th, scored a major decision 14-1 win in his first match but then dropped a 10-2 decision to No. 4 seeded Christopher Nito of Honeoye Falls-Lima in the quarterfinals.
Ciarfella, who was seeded 8th, opened with a 6-4 overtime win but then was pinned in 5:17 by top seeded Max Gallagher from Bayport-Blue Point in the quarterfinals.
However, Callara and Ciarfella are both still in the hunt for podium finishes as they face consolation round bouts on Saturday.
Roy-Hart’s Zack Hill (189) was eliminated after going 2-2 on the day.
Lady Rams upend No. 2 seed to gain B2 semis
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kaitlin Mettler, left, and Lila Brigham lead Roy-Hart to a sectional win over Performing Arts this evening.
Leading all the way, No. 10 seed Roy-Hart upended No. 2 Performing Arts 44-30 in a Section VI Class B2 girls basketball quarterfinal game this evening at City Honors.
Kaitlin Mettler, Claire Halstead and Lila Brigham each scored 4 in the opening period to help Roy-Hart jump out to a 12-6 lead.
The Lady Rams went on to increase their advantage to 23-11 at the half and 37-20 after three quarters. Mettler and Brigham each scored 6 in the third period.
Brigham finished with 12, Mettler 10, Halstead 9, Kara Choate 5, Ava Owens 4 and Sydney Rhinehart and Julianna Buscarino 2 each for the Lady Rams.
Roy-Hart will next face No. 3 Southwestern in the semifinals on Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at Kenmore West. Southwestern ousted No. 11 Fredonia 55-30.
In other B2 quarterfinals, top seeded Eden defeated visiting No. 8 Akron 83-44 and No. 5 Newfane lost to No. 4 Olmsted 50-45.
Class B1
East Aurora 54, Albion 26
Roaring out to a 24-2 first quarter lead, No. 4 East Aurora went on to defeat visiting No 5 Albion 54-26 in a Class B1 quarterfinals.
Sydney Mulka scored 10 for Albion which trailed 37-7 at the half.
Boys Section V Class C2
Oakfield-Alabama 82, Kendall 40
Defending champion No. 2 seed Oakfield-Alabama bested visiting No. 10 Kendall 82-40 in a Class C2 quarterfinal.
Kameron Cusmano scored a game high 25, Gaige Armbrewster 16 and Kaden Cusmano 10 for the Hornets which held leads of 18-11 after one quarter, 32-17 at the half and 62-33 at the three-quarter mark. Kameron Cusmano scored 13 and Armbrewster 12 in the third period.
Zach Barrett scored 13 and Louie Conte 8 to lead Kendall.
Boys Section VI Class C
No. 2 Holland edged past visiting No. 7 Wilson 54-51 in a Class C quarterfinal contest.
Rams will host Trojans in quarterfinal Sat.
Niagara-Orleans League champion Roy-Hart will begin Section VI boys basketball playoff competition at noon Saturday as the top seeded Rams host No. 8 Southwestern in a Class B2 quarterfinal contest.
Southwestern advanced by downing No.9 Medina 70-36 on Wednesday.
The Trojans are sparked offensively by Aidan Kennedy who has scored 440 points for a 21.0 average and Matthew Pannes who has tallied 311 points for a 14.8 average. Kennedy did suffer an ankle injury in the third quarter of the Medina game and his status for Saturday is uncertain.
The Roy-Hart offense has been spearheaded by the trio of Aiden Petrie (330 points for a 19.4 ave.), Jamel Johnson Jr. (286 points for a 15.1 ave.) and Vinny Buscarino (225 points for a 13.2 ave.) Johnson has also grabbed off 202 rebounds and Petrie 156.
The victor will face the winner of the No. 5 Alden vs. No. 4 Tapestry game in the semifinals on Tuesday.
In another B2 quarterfinal, No. 2 Newfane will host No. 10 Fredonia at noon on Saturday.
Two Section V girls quarterfinals are also on tap for Saturday as No. 6 Lyndonville visits No. 3 HAC in a C3 game at 2 p.m. and No. 4 Kendall hosts No. 5 Lyons at 6 p.m. in a Class C2 contest.
Six playoff games on tap today
Four N-O girls teams will be involved in Section VI quarterfinal round contests at 7 this evening. No. 5 Albion will visit No. 4 East Aurora in a Class B1 game. Class B2 contests will have No. 10 Roy-Hart at No. 2 Performing Arts (5:30 p.m. at City Honors), No. 8 Akron at No. 1 Eden and No. 5 Newfane at No. 4 Olmsted.
Two boys quarterfinal games are also on tap. No. 10 Kendall will visit No. 2 Oakfield-Alabama in a Section V Class C2 game and No. 7 Wilson will visit No. 2 Holland in a Section VI Class C contest.
Local mat trio set for state championships
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Dominick Callara
Medina’s Gavin Ciarfella, left, Roy-Hart/Barker’s Zack Hill
A trio of local wrestlers will be competing in the Division 2 (small schools) state wrestling championships on Friday and Saturday at the Times Union Center in Albany.
The local wrestlers include Medina’s duo of junior Dominick Callara (102) and sophomore Gavin Ciarfella (126) along with Roy-Hart/Barker senior Zack Hill (189).
Callara, who is seeded fifth, brings a 25-3 season record into the competition. He draws a bye in the first round and will face the winner of the William Grass (Clarke – Section 8) vs. Quada Mather (Bayport-Blue Point – Section 11) in the pre-quarterfinals. The victor of that match will likely face fourth seeded Christopher Noto (Honeoye Falls-Lima – Section V) who is 31-1.
Ciarfella, who is 30-2 is seeded eighth. He will face Dylan Devine (Schalmont – Section 2) in the pre-quarterfinals. The victor will likely face top seeded Max Gallagher (Bayport-Blue Point) who is 30-0 in the quarterfinals.
Hill, who is 31-9, will face Brad Bockhann (Southhampton – Section 11) in his first match. The winner will face fifth seeded Jared Bilinski (Dodgeville-Oppenheim-Ephrata – Section III).
Niagara-Orleans League champion Newfane will be represented by a quartet of wrestlers including Aiden Gillings (132) who is 32-1, Adam Huntington (145) 31-6, No. 2 seed Simon Lingle (189) 35-1 and Charles Larose (285) 31-5.
