Contributed Photo – Medina Cowboys running back Gary LeFrois carries the ball during the 85 lb. Division team’s first ever contest against Tonawanda at Vets Park in 1993.

A nearly 30 year long tradition will continue on Saturday when the local youth football season kicks off.

Local youth football competition began in 1993 with the organization of the Lake Ontario Youth Athletic League (LOYAL) which at the outset included three teams from Medina and two from Albion.

The five teams competed in the Niagara Youth Football League (NYFL) whose lineup included teams from Lockport, Niagara Falls, Niagara Wheatfield, Tonawanda, North Tonawanda, Sweet Home, Lewiston-Porter, Wilson-Newfane (New-Wil-Ran), Pendleton, Grand Island, Williamsville and Pendleton.

The Medina teams debuted against Tonawanda at Vets Park while the Albion squads opened at Lockport.

It took just two weeks for  local teams to earn their first wins as the Medina Cowboys (85 lb.) defeated the visiting Sweet Home Corporals 14-0 and the Albion Razorbacks downed the host North Tonawanda Hurricanes 33-0.

The second year of competition saw Albion add a third team and the Medina and Albion teams play each other for the first time. That matchup saw the Albion Razorbacks and Mavericks and the Medina Cowboys score wins.

The local youth football scene really expanded in 1999 with the formation of the Niagara Orleans Football Association (NOFA) whose lineup included Medina, Albion (which now had its own organization), Bar-Lyn (Barker/Lyndonville), Roy-Hart, Akron and New-Wil-Ran.

In 2002 Holley and Pembroke joined the NOFA lineup and by 2008 Newfane and Attica also became members.

Today the NOFA organization, which has competition in four age group divisions (Beginners, Mini, JV and Varsity), includes teams from a total of 11 communities including Albion, Medina, Holley, Roy-Hart/Barker,  Newfane, Akron, Pembroke, Batavia, Attica, Tri Town (Alexander) and Oakfield-Elba.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina youth football players practice in preparation  for Saturday’s season opener.

After having last year’s season cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, the Niagara Orleans Football Association (NOFA) is set to get this season underway on Saturday.

NOFA has a total of 11 area communities fielding teams this season.. The league has competition in four age divisions (Beginners, Mini, JV and Varsity).

Saturday’s opening round match ups will have Oakfield-Elba at Medina, Tri Town at Holley, Akron at Roy-Hart/Barker, Pembroke at Batavia and Attica at Newfane as Albion draws the bye. Albion will open the season on August 29 at home against Medina.

Because not all of the communities are fielding teams in all four divisions on Saturday in the Varsity Division Medina will host Newfane and Roy-Hart/Barker will visit Batavia.

Game times are 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. except at Medina where the times are 1, 3, 5 and 7 p.m.

Teams will play an eight game regular season followed by playoffs which are scheduled for October 23 and October 30.

Albion players run a play during a recent practice session.

Contributed Photo – Tyler Kroening delivers a pitch for the Medina 13U team.

Capping off a strong stretch run, the Medina Mustang 13U baseball team closed the season with an 8-1 win over the Chadwick Ballers over the weekend to win their playoff bracket for the Premier League.

Medina went 9-0 over the past month to finish the season on a very strong note.

Tyler Kroening pitched 4 innings with 6 strikeouts and only allowing 1 run.  Brody Fry came in to close out the game with 5 strikeouts over 2 innings.

Medina’s infield chipped in 7 defensive outs to keep the Ballers from gaining any momentum.

Medina’s bats were led by Fry who went 4 for 4 with 3 singles, a double 2 RBI’s and scoring 2 runs. Brady Christiaansen went 3 for 3 with 2 singles and a triple, 1 RBI and scoring 2 runs. Vinny Gray added a single, a double, and 3 RBI’s, Kroening had a single and a double and scored 2 runs and Lukas Grimes a single, RBI, and scored a run. Jimmy Dieter and Colton Smith each added a single and Ryan Pegelow scored a run.

Contributed Photo – Hickory Ridge 6-6-6 Tournament champions Bill Connolly and Brenda Powers.

The Hickory Ridge Golf Association 6-6-6 Tournament was held this past weekend.

The tournament for two person-teams included the first six holes as best ball, followed by six holes of alternate shot and the final six holes as a scramble format.

 Placing first was the team of Bill Connolly and Brenda Powers with a net 60.

 Second place was Melissa and Jake Cotter with net 63.

 Three teams tied for third with a net 65 including Jim Zambito and Owen Toale, Dick Taylor and Lynne Tyler and Dave Cotter and Dave Bellucci.

The rain hit the ladies hard this week with no report from the Tuesday Night Ladies Night Out league as they only got a few holes in before the downpour.

 The mens Wednesday Night League has a change at the top with Pfister and Bessell taking over first with 92.5 points.  Connolly and Powers are in second with 90.50 and the Dennistons hold this with 87.50.  Daniels and Hendrickson with 84.50 and Taylor and Tyler with 77.50 round out the top five.  Low Gross was Bill Connolly with 43.  Connolly shared low net of 37 with Dick Taylor and Bob Wyant.  Birdies were recorded by Connolly, Larry Powers, Larry Sanger and Lynne Tyler.

The Thursday Night Mens Traveling League shows Wes Bedford and Guy Eaton shooting low gross of 39.  Carlos Burroughs, Gabe Nagy, Loyd Denniston and Ray Daniels all recorded low net of 30.  Eaton led with two birdies.  The standings have Cotter and Knaak in first with 242 points.  Burgess and Eaton hold second with 236 points followed by Hallenbeck and Nagy with 230 points.  Barry and Froman with 214 and Soria and Spencer with 206 round out the top five.

Contributed Photo – John “Pinky” Loughlin

Longtime Medina High football coach and Athletic Director John “Pinky” Loughlin has been selected for induction into the Section VI Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2021.

The announcement of the Hall of Fame Class of 2021 was made by Section VI officials this morning.

Loughlin, who passed away in 2011, served as Medina varsity football coach for 24 years from 1955-1978 and as athletic director for many years.

His Mustangs football teams compiled a record of 135-50-7 including a total of 13 Niagara-Orleans League title seasons.

Under Loughln’s leadership the Mustangs claimed the N-O title outright eight times (1955, ’58, ’64, ’70, ’72. ’73, ’74, ’77) and shared the title five times (1957, ’59, ’61. ’62. ’63).

He also coached baseball and track and field and refereed both high school and college basketball.

In addition, during his years in Medina, Loughlin also served as a member of the Village Board, the Board of Education and was a founding member of the Armory Action Committee.

Jen Suhr will also be inducted

The new inductees also include Fredonia High graduate Jen Suhr who has captured both Olympic gold and silver medals in the pole vault. She won the gold at London in 2012 and the silver at Beijing in 2008.

A multi year U.S. champion who has been ranked No. 1 in the world, Suhr has also won gold and silver medals at the World Championships.

The Section VI Hall of Fame Class of 2021 is scheduled to be inducted in December.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Chris Goyette hurled a complete game three hitter for Niagara Orleans in this afternoon’s Americn Legion district playoff championship win over Jurek Post.

Moving on top to stay with a quick first inning scoring burst, Niagara Orleans went on to defeat Jurek Post 5-1 in the Buffalo District American Legion playoff championship game this afternoon at Dawson Field in Cheektowaga.

Niagara Orleans grabbed a 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Josh Milleville and a run producing single by Kyle Finn.

Jurek did cut the deficit to 2-1 with a run in the top of the sixth inning on  a leadoff triple followed by sacrifice fly but could get no closer.

AJ Seefeldt slides into third base for Niagara Orleans as Jurek third baseman Colin Fryling awaits the throw.

Niagara Orleans got that one back with interest in the home half of the sixth by tallying three times on RBI singles by AJ Seefeldt, his second hit of the afternoon, and Liam McMurray and an error to open up a 5-1 lead. The clinching uprising was also highlighted by a triple by Jackson Strong and a single by Finn.

Chris Goyette went the distance on the mound for Niagara Orleans allowing only three hits and striking out six.

After giving out a one out double in the first inning, Goyette retired the next 11 batters in a row. He later got out of further trouble in the sixth inning with a clutch inning ending strikeout and then retired Jurek in order in the top of the seventh on two pop outs to shortstop Brian Fry and a strikeout to close out the win.

The Niagara Orleans defense turned a key double play in the fifth frame from third baseman Vinny Mauro to second baseman Andrew Stillinger to Milleville at first.

Niagara Orleans, which went 5-0 in the playoffs to finish with a 16-4 overall record, advanced to the finals by defeating Orchard Park 16-2 and Jurek 7-0 in Saturday’s round robin competition. The win over Jurek avenged a 5-1 regular season loss.   

A doubleheader sweep this afternoon has propelled the Niagara Orleans team into Sunday’s Buffalo District 8 American Legion playoff championship round.

Niagara Orleans first defeated Orchard Park 16-2 and then blanked Jurek Post 7-0 to gain a spot in the title round. Jurek nipped Orchard Park in the other game of the round robin competition.

Niagara Orleans will now face Jurek at noon on Sunday at Dawson Field in Cheektowaga needing just one win to claim the title. If Jurek wins a second title deciding contest would follow.

Niagara Orleans took charge against Orchard Park at the outset exploding for eight runs in row first inning including two home runs by David Belsito and one by Brian Fry who also doubled in the frame.

Keeping the momentum, Niagara Orleans tacked on four more runs in the second inning highlighted by a three-run homer by AJ Seefeldt.

Fry, who went 4 for 4, also belted a second home run in the fourth inning.

Vinny Mauro also had a pair of hits including a home run in the contest.

Against Jurek, Josh Milleville hurled a one hitter with 9 strikeouts in five innings of work on the mound.

Niagara Orleans broke the game open by scoring five runs in the fourth inning highlighted by a three-run homer by Seefeldt.

Fry and Belsito followed up with home runs in the fifth inning.

Niagara Orleans is now 15-4 overall.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Jr. Wilson 1  left center fielder Chasity Chinn runs in to catch a fly ball. At right, Jamie Chatt  hauls in a catch for Banes in left field. The action took place during this afternoon’s Medina Women’s Softball League ‘A’ Division playoff title game at Jr. Wilson which was won by Jr. Wilson 1.

Erupting for seven quick runs in the first inning, Jr. Wilson 1 went on to defeat Banes 15-2 in the Medina Women’s Softball League ‘A’ Division playoff championship game this afternoon at Jr. Wilson.

A three run triple by Ashlee Salisbury highlighted the decisive first inning scoring surge which also included hits by Chasity Chinn, Kaitlyn Miller, Jodi Zacher, Connie Hornquist, Penny Roath and a sacrifice by Jessica Rosenbeck.

Salisbury and Sara Flansburg later both had RBI singles in the fourth frame and Justine Daniels added an RBI sacrifice fly.

Jr. Wilson 1 later put a lock on the win by scoring five times in the fifth frame on a two-run triple by Flansburg and RBI singles by Miller, Zacher and Salisbury.

Defensively, Jr. Wilson turned a double play in the fourth inning from Zacher to Miller to Michele Crandall.

Jr. Wilson 1 advanced to the title contest by downing Banes 12-5 this morning in the winners bracket final. Chinn had a home run and Salisbury a triple to highlight the offense.

Banes rebounded with a 13-8 win over Bent Opera House to gain a spot in the finals. Jen Masse had a triple and Lindsay Chatt and Rileigh McCabe doubles.

In action at the plate are, at left, Justine Daniels for Jr. Wilson 1 and Grace Masse for Banes.

Jodi Zacher of Jr. Wilson 1 slides under the tag by third baseman Rileigh McCabe of Banes.