Two touchdowns in the final seven minutes locked up a 21-6 victory for Pioneer over visiting Albion this evening in a season opening Class B football game.

Leading by a narrow 7-6 margin, Pioneer closed out the win on short touchdown runs of five yards by Jack Buncy with 7:22 remaining and of thee yards by Jordan King with only 57 seconds to go.

The Panthers also scored first on a 1 yard run by quarterback Brody Hopkins late in the first quarter.

However, Albion rallied back to within 7-6 as Bailey Blanchard made a leaping catch in the end zone to complete a 21 yard touchdown pass play from quarterback Amari Jones on the final play of the first half. The Purple Eagles though failed on the extra point attempt.

The Albion defense set up the score as Javon Jones recovered a Pioneer fumble deep in Albion territory and returned it all the way to the Panthers 21 yard line.

The Purple Eagles defense also stopped another Pioneer drive deep in Albion territory in the third period as Jacob Hughson came up with a key pass interception.

Albion next visits Depew at 7 p.m. next Friday evening.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Brandin Allen returns a kickoff for Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville during this evening’s game against Perry at Roy-Hart as Kellen Bell moves in to make the tackle for the Yellowjackets..

Converting two early turnovers into touchdowns in the opening quarter Perry went on to blank Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville 48-0 this evening in an 8 man Division football game at Roy-Hart.

The Yellowjackets jumped out to a quick 16-0 lead by converting an interception and a fumble recovery into touchdown runs of 11 and 30 yards by Kellen Bell.

Perry went on to hold leads of 30-0 at the half and 48-0 after three quarters.

Quarterback Justin Fanaro ran 5 yards for one touchdown and passed 25 yards to Riley Kowasz for another in the second quarter for the Yellowjackets. He also had another 35 yard TD pass in the third quarter which also featured a 55 yard interception return for a TD by Kowasz.

The Yellowjackets improve to 2-1 while the Silverbacks are 0-2.

Perry next hosts Holley and Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville visits Pembroke on Thursday.

Silverbacks quarterback Aidan Mescall looks for running room.

Photos by Cheryl Wertmman – Medina’s Iverson Poole (2)  breaks through the line for a big gain during the Mustangs season opening win over Newfane at Vets Park this evening.

A potent offense and a stingy defense combined to power Medina to a 50-0 romp over Newfane at Vets Park this evening as the Mustangs made a sparkling debut to Spring football and to the C North Division.

Junior Xander Payne, who was making his varsity quarterbacking debut for the Mustangs, threw three touchdown passes, two to Tyler Chinn and one to Joe Cecchini, and also ran for a score. Iverson Poole also ran for a pair of scores.

For his first varsity start Xander did a real good job,” said Coach Eric Valley. “He kept his composure and threw the ball very well.

An interception return for a touchdown by Corey Saj along with a sack by Jarin Rhim, four tackles for losses by Chase Weese and three by Zach Oliver highlighted the big shutout effort by the Mustangs defensive unit.

“That was one of the best defensive games I’ve seen in a while,” said Valley. “We really played physical.”

Medina defenders Chase Weese and Colvin Stalker team up to tackle Newfane’s Jason Dumais for a loss.

Taking charge at the outset, Medina jumped out to a 16-0 first quarter lead.

Cecchini hauled in a 9 yard touchdown pass from Payne for the first score and Brian Fry added the two-point conversion run.

Runs of 17 and 15 yards by Fry and a 19 yard pass from Payne to Cecchini highlighted the drive.

Fry then had a big 50 yard punt return to set up the Mustangs second score which came on a 12 yard run by Poole. Payne added the two-point conversion pass to Cecchini.

Meanwhile, the stingy Mustangs defensive unit held the Panthers to minus yardage in the quarter.

Medina upped the advantage to 30-0 at the half as Payne completed touchdown passes of 26 and 31 yards to Chinn in the second quarter. Fry added the two-point conversion run after the second tally.

With Weese and Oliver spearheading the pressure with several tackles for losses, the Mustang defense again held the Panthers to minus yardage in the quarter.

Payne scored himself on an 7 yard TD run midway through the third quarter and Poole added the two-point conversion run to make it 38-0.  Fry had a 23 yard run and a 22 yard pass reception from Payne to highlight the drive.

Just seconds later Saj intercepted a pass and returned it 25 yards for a touchdown to upping the advnatage to 44-0.

Poole capped off the Mustangs scoring parade with an 8 yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter to make the final 50-0.

Snow flurries filled the air in the final quarter and with the temperature in the low 30’s made it really seem like a true fall football evening.

Medina next visits Akron and Newfane travels to Tonawanda next Friday evening at 7.

Medina’s Brian Fry heads up field as Joe Cecchini blocks Newfane’s Jason Dumais.

Defending co-champions Akron and Wilson both scored victories this evening to open the Niagara-Orleans League volleyball season.

Wilson came from behind to defeat host Roy-Hart 13-25, 25-22, 25-15, 24-23 and Akron scored a straight set 25-6, 25-15, 25-17 win over visiting Newfane.

Jessee Jonathan had 8 service aces and 10 assists, Jayni Sundown 8 aces and 4 spiking kills and Marisa Maggiore 3 blocks for Akron.

In a Genesee Region League match, Byron-Bergen improved to 5-1  by downing visiting Lyndonville 25-14, 25-13, 25-17.

The No. 6 seeded Roy-Hart/Barker/Medina Club Hockey team dropped a narrow 4-2 decision to No. 3 Wilson/Newfane Tuesday in the opening round of the Western New York Club Hockey League playoffs.

Playing their best game of the season, RBM saw the game go to the final 1:17 minute of the final period.

W/N opened the scoring at the 12:41 point of the first period, but RBM scored twice in that period for the 2-1 lead.  Freshman Dayton Ruppel (Akron) scored unassisted and Dominic Peracciny (R-H) hit the power play slap-shot from the blue line with Ryan Mettler (R-H) getting the assist.

There was no scoring in the second, but W/N tied the game early in the third.  Later, at the 1:17 point, they scored the game-winner, adding an empty net goal with just 46 seconds left in the game.

“The entire team improved a great deal over the course of the season,” said the RBM coaches. “And losing only four of nineteen players, the future looks promising, especially since ten of the players are eighth or ninth graders, and there are currently three young goaltenders.”

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s Ava Brigham and her Lady Rams teammates will open Niagara-Orleans League volleyball competition at home on Thursday against Wilson.

The Niagara-Orleans League volleyball season will get underway on Thursday as Roy-Hart hosts Wilson and Akron entertains Newfane.

Akron and Wilson shared the N-O title last year with identical 9-1 records followed by Roy-Hart at 6-4 and Albion, Medina and Newfane all at 2-8.

Roy-Hart returns a solid nucleus of five starters including senior Samantha Capen, juniors Marissa Scott and Ava Brigham along with sophomores Samantha Albright and Alex Stern. Another sophomore, Samantha McIntyre, looks to round out the starting six.

Scott earned second team N-O All-League honors last year and Capen was an Honorable Mention selection.

Akron likewise returns a strong nucleus including seniors Jessee Jonathan, Lydia Blueye, Jayni Sundown and Sydney Hall along with junior Ella Hill and sophomore Elsie Logan.

Hill earned first team N-O All-League honors and Logan was a second team selection while Jonathnan and Hall were both Honorable Mention picks.

Thursday’s other opener, Albion at Medina, has been rescheduled for April 16.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Devin Griffin returns a serve during this evening’s non league win at Lyndonville as Ianah Drisdom backs up the play.

Medina downed host Lyndonville 25-19, 25-18, 25-21 this evening in a non league volleyball match.

Devin Griffin had 6 spiking kills and Anya Bloom 3 kills and 3 service aces to lead the way for Medina as Sydney Watts and Evie Schultz both had 2 aces.

Gracie Johnson had 3 aces, Lorelei Dillenbeck 2 aces and 2 kills and Cianna Button 2 aces for Lyndonville.

Medina jumped out to a 22-8 lead in the opening set as Bloom served up points 18-22 including 3 aces.

Johnson answered with a five point run of serve points to rally Lyndonvlle back to within 24-19 but the Lady Tigers could get no closer.

The Mustangs moved out to a 12-7 lead midway through the second set as Bloom served up points 4-7 and Lorelei Sanders 9-12 as Griffin registered 3 kills during that stretch. Sanders later polished off the set winning 25th point with a kill.

Neither team could build up a big lead in the third set as aces by Ellia Lewis and Button and a kill by Lewis kept Lyndonville with two of Medina at 23-21.

However, the final two points, the set and the match belonged to the Mustangs as Ki’ Mani Poole served up the final point.

Lyndonville next visits Byron-Bergen on Thursday for a Geensee Region League match while Medina will begin Niagara-Orleans League competition at Newfane on April 8.

Lyndonville’s Gracie Johnson goes up for a tip at the net as Devin Griffin (11) and Sydney Watts (4) defend for Medina.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Tyler Gibson, left, and Tony Freeman are among Albion’s key returning skill players.

The last time Albion took to the football field in the fall of 2019 a senior laden Purple Eagles squad captured the B3 Division title and advanced to the sectional finals. Now, with the belated 2020 (“Fall 2”) season set to begin, the Purple Eagles face a bit of a rebuilding job as a member of the new B2 Division.

The Purple Eagles graduation losses included quarterback Thomas Furmanski, running backs Deyonci Farley, Brillance Johnson and Tyray White, leading receiver Kevin Hillman and linemen Cody Wilson and Michael DiCureia.

Junior Amari Jones looks to take over the key quarterback position. Senior Tony Freeman and junior Jahmeek Riley provide experience at the running back spots as do seniors Bailey Blanchard, Chris Shabazz and junior Tyler Gibson at the receiver positions. Veterans Cameron Bell and Dominic DiGiulio, both seniors, anchor the line.

“We had some key graduation losses but we’ve got some good guys back, ” said Coach Adam Krenning. “It it will be a challenging year for us. The keys for us are just to compete and give it our all. Most of all we’re just thankful for the opportunity to play.”

Albion, which went 4-0 in the division and 8-2 overall in 2019 will open the season at Pioneer on Friday evening at 7.

Albion was originally scheduled to open at Iroquois and Pioneer was to host Lew-Port. However, Iroquois and Lew-Port are now both on a Covid-19 pause causing the change in the first week schedules.

The Purple Eagles will then visit Depew on April 9 before hosting Dunkirk in the home opener on April 16.  Rounding out the five game regular season schedule Albion will visit Olean on April 23 and host Lake Shore on April 30.