Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina running back Noah Skinner, who scored three touchdowns, picks up yardage behind blocks by Josh Wilson (56) and Chris Johnson during the Mustangs Class C Far West Regional loss to East Rochester/Gananda this afternoon at Williamsville South.

Unable to overcome a rash of costly mistakes, Medina dropped a narrow 26-24 decision to East Rochester/Gananda in the Class C Far West Regional championship game this afternoon at Williamsville South High School.

A lost fumble at the Medina 30 yard line on the very first snap of the game set what proved to be an ominous tone for the Mustangs.

The turnover ended up putting Medina into a quick 6-0 hole as the Bombers, aided by a pass interference penalty, scored 10 plays later on a 6 yard touchdown run by Adrian Letta.

Medina’s Jarin Rhim goes up to break up a pass intended for the Bombers Miles Caviness.

In fact two of the Bombers other three touchdowns in the contest also came as the result of Medina special teams miscues, one on a punt return and the other on a kickoff return.

“We just had too many breakdowns, just too many mistakes,” said Medina Coach Eric Valley.

Medina did battle back to knot the score at 6-6 on a 5 yard touchdown run by Noah Skinner three minutes into the second quarter. A big 61 yard pass completion from quarterback Xander Payne to Jarin Rhim down to the Bombers 5 set up the tally.

However, as was the case all afternoon, the Mustangs were unable to tack on the the extra points as a penalty proved costly.

The Bombers used up most all the rest of the second quarter with a lengthy 18 play, nine minute long drive which reached the Medina 5 yard line before it was halted by the Mustangs defensive unit via a pass interception by Greg Thompson in the endzone as the half ended deadlocked at 6-6.

The scoring really picked up in the third quarter as the teams traded a pair of scores leaving the contest re-knotted at 18-18 heading into the decisive final period.

Medina’s Greg Thompson, who had two interceptions and a touchdown catch, breaks away for a good gain.

Medina grabbed a 12-6 lead with 4:43 to go in the quartrer on a 1 yard touchdown run by Skinner. Runs of 11 yards by Thompson, 11 and 9 by Skinner and 7 by Payne highlighted the drive which was set up by another pass interception by Thompson at midfield.

However, the lead lasted only two minutes as the Bombers answered right back with a 1 yard TD run by Letta following a big 39 yard run by Gilbert Chaunsey.

The Mustangs again regained the lead at 18-12 on a 5 yard touchdown run by Skinner with just 21 seconds to go in the quarter. A big 39 yard Payne to Thompson pass completion down to the Bombers 5 set up the opportunity.

However, once again the Bombers answered right back this time just eight seconds later as Manuel Sepulveda returned the ensuing kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown to retie the contest at 18-18.

The Bombers then regained the lead for good two minutes into the final quarter on a 1 yard touchdown run by quarterback Carter Lathrop. Jeremy Blanchard returned a very short Medina punt back to the Mustangs 1 yard line to set up the score.

The Bombers then got the only two-point conversion of the day on a run by Caleb Carpenter for the deciding two points and a 26-18 lead.

The Mustangs again came battling back on a 10 yard Payne to Thompson touchdown pass with 7:45 to go to slice the deficit to 26-24. However, the Mustangs were unable to retie the contest as the two-point conversion attempt again failed.

Payne had big pass completions of 35 yards to Thompson and 30 yards to Cayden Lilleby and Skinner had a 11 yard run to highlight the drive.

The Medina defense then stopped the Bombers next series forcing a punt as Ollie Wilson and Roosevelt Mitchell came up with a key tackle for a loss on third down.

The Mustangs took over at their own 14 with 2:44 remaining but were able to make only one first down.

“We just didn’t get enough opportunities and that is much to their credit,” said Valley of the Bombers ability to control the ball.

The Bombers took over on downs at the Medina 22 with 1:44 to go and were able to run out the clock and advance to next Saturday’s state semifinal with a 12-0 record. The Bombers will face Chenango Forks a 41-21 victor over Skaneateles in the Central Regional.

Medina, which was making it first ever appearance in the state playoffs finishes with an 11-1 record.

Medina quarterback Xander Payne goes through the line for good yardage.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Getting set to lead Medina into Saturday’s Far West Region state playoff game are these Mustang seniors. In front are Zach Oliver, Rashawn Bloom, Greg Thompson, Jarin Rhim and Xander Payne. In back are Anthony Rutty, Chase Weese, Jared Odita, Colvin Stalker, Hayden Woodroe and Joe Cecchini. Missing from the photo is Iverson Poole.

Venturing into uncharted waters, Medina will make its state football playoff debut on Saturday as the Mustangs take on East Rochester/Gananda in the Class C Far West Regional contest at noon at Williamsville South High School.

“It’s huge,” said Medina Coach Eric Valley of advancing to the state playoffs. “Just to have a chance to win a state title. I’m just super glad for the kids to have this opportunity.”

Fresh from capturing sectional championships both the Mustangs and Bombers bring 11-0 records into the state playoffs.

Medina romped to a very snowy 48-6 win over Fredonia to claim a second straight Section VI Class C title while East Rochester/Gananda outlasted Bath Haverling 18-12 in double overtime to earn the Section V Class C crown.

Running back Chaunsey Gilbert ran for a touchdown in each overtime period to provide the margin of victory for the Bombers. Quarterback Carter Lathrop scored the Bombers lone TD in regulation time.

In the Bombers semifinal round 28-13 win over Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry, Lathrop passed for two touchdowns and ran for another and Gilbert ran for a TD. Gilbert also had a big four TD, 207 yard rushing effort in the Bombers quarterfinal round 46-8 win over Marcus Whitfield/Bloomfield.

“They’ve got a good running back. They spread it around but their running back is their No. 1 threat,” said Valley. “Defensively they put a lot of pressure on. They are a really athletic group so we have to play well defensively and up front offensively. If we do that good things should happen.”

The Mustangs defensive unit and offensive line both came up huge in the snow against Fredonia.

The defense, which has now allowed only one touchdown in the last two sectional games, yielded just the one score to Fredonia just before the half after Medina had built up a commanding 32-0 lead.

Against Fredonia Joe Cecchini had 6.5 tackles, Noah Skinner 5.5, Rashawn Bloom 5, Hayden Woodroe 4.5, Chris Johnson 4, Ollie Wilson 3.5, Roosevelt Mitchell 3, Robert Arnold 3 and Cayden Lilleby 3.

On the season, Skinner leads the defensive unit with 68 tackles while Woodroe has 54, Cecchini 53, Johnson 49, Iverson Poole 34, Dominic Larabee 32, Josh Wilson 31, Greg Thompson 26, Ollie Wilson 23 and Zach Oliver 22. Cecchini also leads the unit in sacks with 12 while Skinner and Arnold both had 6.

The offensive line of Colvin Stalker, Josh Wilson, Ollie Wilson, Johnson and Mitchell consistently opened big holes against Fredonia allowing the Mustangs backs to rush for a Section VI playoff record 596 yards including four TD runs by Thompson (31, 44, 82 and 45 yards), three by quarterback Xander Payne (5, 28 and 46 yards) and one by Skinner (39 yards).

Skinner now has rushed for a total of 669 yards and 8 touchdowns, Thompson 536 and 5 TD and Payne 394 and 7 TD. Poole, who is listed as “very doubtful” for the game by Valley after being injured against Fredonia, has rushed for 568 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Payne has also passed for a total of 1,386 yards and a school record 21 touchdowns to five different receivers including Jarin Rhim (32 catches for 421 yards and 7 TD), Thompson (17 for 370 and 5 TD), Cecchini (19 for 297 and 4 TD), Poole (10 for 177 and 4 TD) and Lilleby (2 for 25 and 1 TD).

The victor in Saturday’s game will advance to the state Class C semifinals on November 27 at Cicero-North Syracuse High School against the winner of Saturday’s Central Region contest between Skaneateles (Section III) and Chenango Forks (Section IV).

How they got There
Section VI playoffs
Quarterfinals – Medina 30, Eden 14
Semifinals – Medina 32, Lackawanna 0
Finals – Medina 58, Fredonia 6

Section V Playoffs
Quarterfinals – East Rochester/Gananda 46, Marcus Whitman/Bloomfield 6
Semifinals – ER/Gananda 28. Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry 13
Finals – ER/Gananda 18, Bath Haverling 12 (2 OT)

State Class C Quarterfinals on Saturday
Medina (Section VI) vs. East Rochester/Gananda (Section V)
Skaneateles (Section III) vs. Chenango Forks (Section IV)
Schuylerville (Section II) vs. Ogdensburg (Section X)
O’Neill (Section IX) vs. Dobbs Ferry (Section I)

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Leading scorers on the N-O All-League first team are Roy-Hart’s Kara Choate, left, and Albion’s Abby Scanlan.

Champion Roy-Hart and Albion have both placed four players on the first team of the annual Niagara-Orleans All-League girls soccer squad.

Roy-Hart, which captured the N-O title for the second year in a row, is represented by senior forward Kara Choate, junior midfielder Nadia White, sophomore defender Amelia Konstanty and freshman midfielder Kaitlyn Mettler. Choate and White are both three-time first team honorees.

Choate, who has been named N-O Player of the Year, had 38 goals and 9 assists, Mettler 8 goals and 13 assists and White 6 goals and 7 assists.

Albion has placed the senior quartet of forward Abby Scanlan, midfielder Nicolina Creasey, defender Leah Pritchard and goalie Sydney Mulka.

Scanlan, a three time first team honoree, had 19 goals and 5 assists and Creasey 7 goals and 9 assists. Mulka, a two-time first team selection, made 103 saves and had a goals against average of 1.27.

Wilson is represented by the trio of senior defender Kaelin Faery, sopohmore midfielder Leia Cloy and sophomore defender Rian Faery.

Cloy, a two-time first team honoree, had 16 goals and 11 assists and Rian Faery 6 goals and 6 assists.

Rounding out the first team is Newfane senior defender Angelina DiTullio, a two-time honoree who had 3 goals and 3 assists.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart first team honorees, from left, Amelia Konstanty, Nadia White and Kaitlyn Mettler.

Roy-Hart has a trio of second team honorees including senior goalie Reanna Perkins, senior defender Brooke Livergood and junior defender Grace Parker.

Albion has placed senior defender Alyson Knaak and freshman forward Cami London.

Wilson is represented by the junior trio of midfielder Maddie Schultz and defenders Kaylee Allcorn and Maddy Miller.

Akron likewise has placed three players including senior midfielders Lauren Wagner and Leah Patterson and sophomore midfielder Katie Leeds.

Newfane is represented by freshman midfielder Anna Chunco.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s first team honorees, from left, Leah Pritchard, Nicolina Creasey and Sydney Mulka.

The Honorable Mention selections, listed by school, are as follows:

Akron – Cydney Brandl (Jr.), Maggie Middaugh (So.) and Amelia Berghorn (Jr.)

Albion – Kenzi Hapeman (Sr.), Charley London (Sr.) and Aurora Serafin (Sr.)

Newfane – Ainsley DeBaise (Jr.), Liza MacFarlane (Sr.) and Megan Beiter (Sr.)

Roy-Hart – Ava Owens (Sr.) and Allie Trombley (Fr.)

Wilson – Morgan McInnis (Sr.), Isabella Lemke (Sr.) and Sara Urban (Jr.)

Contributed Photos – Wilson’s first team honorees, from left, Leia Cloy, Kaelin Faery and Rian Faery.