Trailing by a narrow 1-0 margin at the half, the Medina/Lyndonville United U17 squad dropped a 3-1 decision to host Grand Island Wednesday evening to close out the Buffalo and WNY District Youth Soccer League season.

Grand Island built its advantage to 3-0 in the second half.

Jackson Moreland scored the lone goal for M/L United.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Abby Scanlan drives toward the goal to net the Albion Raptors first score of the game in this evening’s 2-2 tie with visiting Penfield.

Front-running Penfield rallied for a pair of late goals to earn a 2-2 tie with the host Albion Raptors this evening to capture the Rochester District Youth Soccer League girls U19 Division 2 championship.

Trailing 2-0, Penfield got on the scoreboard by tallying on a breakaway goal with just four minutes to go.  Penfield then netted the equalizer on a shot from short range in the final minute.

The Raptors had jumped out to a lighting quick 1-0 lead when Abby Scanlan scored on a breakaway in the first two minutes.

The Raptors advantage doubled to 2-0 when Alezya Brown scored 10 minutes into the second half on a rebound after an initial shot by Scanlan rattled off the post.

Penfield completes its championship season at 8-0-2 while the Raptors finish in the runner-up spot at 8-1-1.

Claire Squicciarini works the ball up field for the Raptors against a pair of Penfield defenders.

Closing out the regular season on a high note, the Niagara Orleans American Legion baseball team notched its fifth win in as many days by downing Brounshidle Post 11-2 this evening at Niagara University.

Thomas Russo had a two-run single, AJ Seefeldt an RBI triple and Brian Fry an RBI to highlight the offense for the N-O which finishes the regular season at 9-2.

The Legion District playoffs are scheduled to begin next Monday. The playoff pairings will be announced later this week.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Olivia Radford works the ball up field for the Albion Raptors during this evening’s win over Livonia.

Pulling away in the second half, the Albion Raptors posted a 5-0 victory over visiting Livonia this evening setting the stage for a key season ending showdown for the division title on Tuesday against front-running Penfield.

The Raptors, which are now 8-1, will host Penfield (8-0-1) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at the JPs field in Holley. Penfield nipped the Raptors 3-2 in their earlier season meeting.

The Raptors held a slim 1-0 lead at the half on a goal by Abby Scanlan off an assist from Alezya Brown.

A big four goal second half scoring burst, including three by Claire Squicciarini and one by Nikki Creasey, then put a lock on the win. Squicciarini and Halee Passarell both had assists during that key stretch.

In a key late season Medina Women’s Softball League clash of unbeatens, Banes edged past Jr. Wilson 1 10-8 in eight innings Monday evening.

Banes tied the game at 8-8 with a run in the top of the seventh inning as Morgan Allis tripled and came home on an error.

Banes then pulled out the win by scoring twice in the eighth on singles by Robin Blaun, Kathy Allen, Jami Chatt and Lindsay Chatt.

The win keeps Banes undefeated at 9-0 while Jr. Wilson is now 8-1.

Jr. Wilson had jumped out to an early 5-0 lead by scoring four runs in the first inning on singles by Sara Flansburg, Connie Hornquist and Kaitlyn Miller and once in the second on a triple by Bri Guzdek.

Banes did pull even at 6-6 by scoring three times in the third on singles by Allis, Jessica Carpenter, Connie Heschke and Jen Masse. and three times in the fourth as Lindsay Chatt, Amy Allis and Rileigh McCabe had singles and Morgan Allis a triple.

Jr. Wilson did answer with two runs in the home half of the fourth on a double by Jaclyn Guzdek and a single from Miller to regain the lead at 8-6 but could not score again.

Banes cut the deficit to 8-7 by scoring once in the sixth on singles by Allen, Jami Chatt, Lindsay Chatt and Amy Allis before pulling even in the seventh and claiming the win in the eighth.

Kathy Allen, Jami Chatt, Lindsay Chatt and Morgan Allis each finished with three hits for Banes.

For Jr. Wilson, Chasity Chinn had four hits, Jaclyn Guzdek three and Miller and Justine Daniels two each.

Continuing a red hot late season run the Niagara Orleans American Legion baseball squad notched its fourth win in as many days by downing host Orchard Park 10-2 this evening.

AJ Seefeldt banged out a two run double in the first inning to get the N-O off and rolling.

The N-O later put a lock on the victory by erupting for five runs in the fifth inning highlighted by a two-run double by Chris Goyette.

Now at 8-2, the N-O will conclude the regular season by facing Brounshidle Post on Tuesday evening at Niagara University.

Contributed Photo – Medina 13U players and coaches celebrate winning the Cheektowaga Tournament Sunday evening. In the front row are Kolton Fletcher, Jimmy Dieter, Colton Smith and Vinny Gray.  In the second row are Coach Shaun Smith, Ryleigh Culver, Brady Christiaansen, Tyler Kroening, Ryan Pegelow, Brody Fry, Lukas Grimes, Coach Mike Gray, and Coach John Dieter. 

Medina Mustang 13U Travel baseball team scored a pair of victories Sunday to capture the Cheektowaga Crabapple Tournament championship.

Medina, which went 5-0 overall for the tourney, started play on Sunday with a 3-2 victory over the Hamburg Dawgs.

Tyler Kroening went the distance on the mound throwing 9 strikeouts over 7 innings, allowing only 3 hits.

Kroening  also led batting with a triple and a single and scored a run, Colton Smith had a single, RBI, and scored a run, Brody Fry a single and scored a run, Brady Christiaansen a double, Ryan Pegelow a triple and Ryleigh Culver a single.

Smith also had a great defensive play catching a pop fly and doubling up runner from first to help seal victory.

Medina then captured the tourney championship with a 14-4 victory over the All Around Baseball Team under the lights at the Cheektowaga High School turf field by mercy rule at the end of the 5th inning.

Fry and Culver shared pitching duties over the 5 innings securing the win.

The Mustang bats woke up recording 4 singles, 4 doubles, and 3 triples to score the14 runs.

Kroening went 3-4 scoring 3 RBI’s and scoring 2 runs, Pegelow added 2 triples, 1 RBI, and scored twice, Culver a double, 2 RBI’s, Smith a double, 1 RBI and 2 runs scored and Fry a triple 2 RBI’s, and scored a run. Lukas Grimes added a double and scored twice and Christiaansen a double and scored a run as Jimmy Dieter and Kolton Fletcher both had key bunts, and scored twice.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Brian Fry, at left, makes a throw to first for an out from his shortstop position. At right, AJ Seefeldt gets set to throw the ball back in after making a catch for an out in right field. The action took place during the Niagara Orleans American Legion’s rainy win over East Aurora this morning at Vets Park.

Making it three wins in as many days, the Niagara Orleans American Legion baseball team scored a rainy come-from-behind 12-4 victory over East Aurora this morning at Vets Park.

Trailing 4-2, the N-O regained the lead for good by erupting for seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

An RBI single by Bran Fry ignited that uprising which was highlighted by back-to-back run producing doubles by Josh Milleville and Vincent Mauro. Two walks and a hit batter had loaded the bases to set up the opportunity.

The N-O then put a lock on the win in the sixth on a three-run double by Andrew Stillinger. A single by Fry, who also banged out a triple in the first inning, started the uprising.

Earlier, the N-O jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second inning on an RBI double by AJ Seefeldt and a wild pitch.

East Aurora though rallied to first tie the game with two runs in the third on two errors, a walk and a fielders choice play, and then to take what proved to be a brief 4-2 lead with two runs in the top of the fifth on a fielders choice play and a bases loaded walk.

However, that lead did not last out the inning as the N-O rallied in explosive fashion in the home half of the frame with seven runs to regain the lead for good at 9-4.

The game was halted by thunder for a half hour in the second inning.

Improving to 7-2, the N-O now will play its fourth game in as many days by visiting Orchard Park on Monday.

Contributed Photo – Getting set for Sunday’s playoff round at the Crabapple Tournament in Cheektowaga are the players and coaches of the Medina Mustangs 13U team. From left are Coaches Shaun Smith and Mike Gray along with players Brady Christiaansen, Ryleigh Culver, Brody Fry, Ryan Pegelow, Lukas Grimes, Colton Smith, Tyler Kroening, Kolton Fletcher, Vinny Gray, Jimmy Dieter, and Coach John Dieter.

Compiling a 3-0 record to date, the Medina Mustangs 13U baseball team has qualified for the championship round on playoff Sunday at the Crabapple Tournament in Cheektowaga.

Medina started off the tournament Tuesday evening with a rain shortened game, winning 4-2 against the WNY Hitmen.

Tyler Kroening had 6 strike outs in 5 innings of work on the mound.

At the plate, Kroening had a single and a double and scored a run, Brody Fry a double and one RBI, Ryleigh Culver  a single and scored a run. Vinny Gray singled and had a RBI, Kolton Fletcher had a single and scored a run, and Brady Christiaansen scored a run.

Friday night Medina shut out the Lockport Storm 5-0, with a great pitching effort from Fry who hurled all seven innings and recorded 12 strikeouts.

Offensively, Fry had a triple, Colton Smith had a double, single, 1 RBI and scored 2 runs, Kroening had 2 singles, and scored twice, and Christiaansen scored a run.

This morning Medina got off to slow start giving up 5 runs in the first inning to a few errors, but recovered nicely to pull out the win 11-8 over the WNY Prospects.

Culver pitched 4 strong innings with 4 strikeouts. Kroening came in fifth inning to close out game having 3 strikeouts over 2 innings.

Offensively, Smith had 2 singles, 1 RBI and scored a run, Lukas Grimes  a double a single, 3 RBI’s and scored a run, Fletcher 2 singles, 2 RBI’s and scored a run, Christiaansen  a single, RBI and scored a run. Culver scored 2 runs, Kroening had 2 singles 1 RBI and scored a run, Ryan Pegelow scored 2 runs, Gray scored a run, and Fry added a nice sacrifice bunt and scored a run.

Making it two wins in as many days, the Niagara Orleans American Legion baseball team posted a 9-3 victory over host Lakeview today.

Brian Fry had a home run, AJ Seefeldt a double, Andrew Stillinger 4 hits including a double and Vinny Mauro 3 hits including a pair of doubles to spearhead the N-O attack.

Now at 6-2, the N-O squad will continue a busy weekend by hosting Iroquois at Vets Park at 10 a.m. Sunday.