Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Claire Squicciarini

Albion High senior Claire Squicciarini signed a letter of intent this week to continue her education and her soccer career at Alfred University this fall.

A four year varsity starter, Squicciarini earned first team Niagara-Orleans All-League honors as a midfielder during both her junior and senior seasons after receiving second team honors as a sophomore.

She is planning on majoring in Communications at Alfred.

“Claire has had a huge impact on the culture of the program,” said Albion Coach Maggie Orbaker. “Claire demonstrates the ‘I Got Your Back’ mentality in everything she does.”

Orbaker adds that Squicciarini uses her strong “work ethic and team-centered mentality to help the program tech the sectional finals for all three times in the program’s history. Her vision of the field is exceptional.”

Orbaker emphasizes that while Squicciarini’s skills and footwork on the field are obvious it is her leadership abilities that also played a key role in shaping the team.

Squicciarini has also been a sprinter on the Albion track team.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran running back Jacob Affronti will help lead Holley into next Monday’s 8 man football opener at Red Jacket.

A new foe will provide the opposition as Holley begins its third season of 8 man football competition next Monday at Red Jacket.

Holley, which graduated 10 players from last year’s 3-3 team, returns a small nucleus of five veterans.

Senior running back Jacob Affronti, who scored 8 touchdowns, heads that veteran group which also includes  seniors David Farruggia (OL/LB), Triston McFadden (OL/DL), Mason Neale (WR/DB) and Jakob Silpoch (RB/LB).  All are seniors except Neale who is a junior.

Affronti will also be sharing the key quarterbacking duties with sophomore Dakota Gibaud-Mastowski.

The Hawks are also looking to get a boost from four newcomers, who like Neale are coming off the basketball team, including juniors Broek Ostrom (DB) and Kalen Brady (DB) along with seniors Charlie Turpyn (RB) and Andrew Drechsel (OL).

“It’s a crazy year. We’ve had to jam a lot of material into a week and a half when we usually have three weeks before the first game but the kids are doing well,” said Coach Wil Prince. “We don’t have a lot of experience back but some of our new kids should really help us. It is a game of big plays though so the new kids will have to step up.”

The Hawks graduation losses include quarterback/linebacker Jacob Norman, running backs Jamel Hildreth and Tony Farruggia and receiver Cody Tanis.

Holley’s home opener will be against the new Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville team on March 27.

The Hawks six game schedule, like all the other 8 man teams in the league, includes games on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Hawks Schedule:

March: 22 at Red Jacket, 4:30 p.m.; 27 – Roy-Hart/Barker/Lyndonville, 1:30 p.m.

April: 3 – Frewsburg, 1:30 p.m.; 8 – at Perry, 5 p.m.; 14 – Pembroke, 4:30 p.m.; 20 – at Finney, TBA.

Kendall defeated Wheatland-Chili 25-22, 19-25, 25-23, 25-13 this evening in a season opening Genesee Region League volleyball match.

Lauren Pilon had 7 aces, 6 kills and 4 digs; Madison Shonitsky 9 assists, 4 kills and 3 aces and Karlee Robb 9 aces to lead the way for Kendall.

In other G-R openers, Pembroke downed visiting Lyndonville 25-13, 25-20, 22-25, 25-19 and Byron-Bergen bested Holley 25-15, 25-9, 25-21.

Lucy Caniber had 14 aces, Lauren Filter 7 digs and Jackie Neureuter 8 assists to lead the way for Pembroke.

Karlee Rounds had 2 aces and 6 kills, Chloe Stinson 6 aces, Lorelei Dillenbeck 2 aces and 3 assists and Ella Lewis 3 aces, 4 assists and 3 kills for Lyndonville.

Byron-Bergen was led by Lexi Vurraro with 19 assists and 5 aces, Jorie Strzelecki 6 kills and 3 aces and Grace Huhn 6 aces and 1 kill.

Avenging an earlier season 45-34 loss, Akron edged past visiting Albion 54-50 in overtime this evening in a Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball game.

Albion forced the overtime as a rebound basket by Elijah Lloyd with seven seconds to go in regulation time knotted the contest at 46-46 as Akron missed a three at the buzzer.

However, Akron quickly jumped out to a five point lead in the overtime period on two free throws by Mitchell Holtz and a three by Adam Mietz. Holtz went 5 of 6 from the free throw line in the extra period for the Tigers.

Mietz finished with 16, Holtz 13 and Jake Mazza 12 along with 11 rebounds.

Bailey Blanchard led Albion with 17 as Lloyd and Chris Shabazz both had 8 and Jahmeek Riley 7.

Albion led 27-24 at the half as Blanchard tallied 14 over the first two periods.

Akron improves to 8-3 and Albion slips to 5-6.

The Purple Eagles host Roy-Hart and the Tigers visit Newfane in the N-O finales on Thursday.

N-O Standings: Medina 10-1, Newfane 9-2, Akron 8-3, Albion 5-6, Roy-Hart 3-8, Wilson 3-8, Barker 1-1

Snapping a three game losing streak, Roy-Hart downed visiting Medina 55-33 this evening in a Niagara-Orleans League girls basketball game.

Shelby Wolf and Ava Owens each scored 13 and Mya Quinn 12 to set the pace for Roy-Hart which improves to 5-6.

Faithann Vanderwalker scored 8 and Anya Bloom and Paige Adkins 6 each to lead Medina.

Akron 42, Albion 29

Trailing 25-21 after three quarters, Akron rallied to outscore Albion 21-4 in the decisive final period to claim a 42-29 victory.

Jessee Jonathan scored 15, including 7 in the final quarter to lead Akron while Abby Scanlan was high for Albion with 7.

Newfane 33, Barker 20

Avenging a 51-39 loss the night before, Newfane bested visiting Barker 33-20 as Rachel Chunco scored 10 and Lilly Check 9 to lead the way.

Sydnie Luckman led Barker with 6.

N-O Standings: Wilson 9-0, Akron 7-4, Newfane 6-4, Barker 6-6, Roy-Hart 5-6, Albion 4-6, Medina 0-11.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Tyler Chinn goes in for a layup as Roy-Hart’s Jon Gillings and Rhett Goodwin defend during the Mustangs win over the visiting Rams this evening.

Exploding out to a 20 point first quarter lead, Medina survived a cold shooting second half to down visiting Roy-Hart 60-50 this evening to clinch at least a tie for the Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball championship.

Improving to 10-1, Medina maintains a one game lead over 9-2 Newfane which defeated Barker 73-62. Both teams have one game remaining on Thursday as Medina hosts Wilson and Newfane entertains Akron.

It marks the fifth time in the last six years that the Mustangs have claimed at least a share of the N-O crown.

Roy-Hart’s Aiden Petrie puts up a rebound shot as Brian Fry and Joe Cecchini defend for Medina.

Tyler Chinn scored 20 to lead the way for Medina as Brian Fry added 10, Joe Cecchini and Jarin Rhim 9 each and Christian Drisdom, Dontae Rhim and Hayden Woodroe 4 apiece.

Aiden Petrie scored a game high 22 for Roy-Hart as Rhett Goodwin had 12, Tom Ragonese 10, Gavyn Boyle 4 and Vincent Buscarino 2.

Cecchini hit three quick threes and Chinn had a three and a pair of fast break layups to help spark Medina out to a 27-7 first quarter lead. Fry chipped in with 5 points, Jarin Rhim 4 and Dontae Rhim 2 during that stretch.

Chinn, Drisdom and Woodroe then each had two baskets and Jarin Rhim a three in the second period to help the Mustangs maintain what looked to be a commanding 23 point, 45-22, half-time advantage.

However, Medina managed only six points in the third period, on a pair of threes by Chinn, but still maintained an 18 point, 51-33 advantage heading into the final stanza. Petrie scored 9 for Roy-Hart in the period.

Roy-Hart though refused to fold as the Rams outscored the Mustangs 15-5 over the first six and a half minutes of the final period to slice the deficit to just eight at 56-48.

Goodwin had a three and a pair of twos, Ragonese two baskets and Petrie and Boyle a basket each to lead that Rams rally.

However, the Mustangs turned back the challenge as three free throws by Fry and one by Chinn closed out the win and at least a share of the league title.

Medina’s Christian Drisdom tries for a layup as Aiden Petrie defends for Roy-Hart.

Newfane 73, Barker 62

Newfane had a similar outing as the Panthers jumped out to a 17 point, 42-25, half-time advantage and finished with an 11 point, 73-62, win over Barker.

Jeremy Foltz scored a game high 21 for Newfane as Zach Snow had 20 Sam Capen  10.

Devonte Hill and Brad Cantrell each scored 15 and Shane Gerhardt 11 for Barker.

Making it four wins in a row, Barker defeated visiting Newfane 51-39 this afternoon in a Niagara-Orleans League girls basketball make-up game.

Courtney Hillman scored a season high 22 points to lead the way for Barker as Sydnie Luckman added 15 and Sarah Outten 8.

Jensen McGhee scored 15 and Allison Clark 7 for Newfane.

Barker led 27-18 at the half but Newfane battled back to cut the deficit to four, 38-34, at the three-quarter mark.

However, the Lady Raiders turned back the challenge outscoring the Lady Panthers 13-5 in the final stanza to lock up the win.

Barker improves to 6-5 and Newfane slips to 5-4.

The two teams will meet again Tuesday at Newfane in a regularly scheduled game.

N-O Standings: Wilson 9-0, Akron 6-4, Barker 6-5, Newfane 5-4, Albion 4-5, Roy-Hart 4-6, Medina 0-10

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Lorelei Dillenbeck practices a spike as the Lady Tigers prep for Tuesday’s Genesee Region League opener at Pembroke.

Lyndonville, Holley and Kendall will all be in action on Tuesday as the Genesee Region League girls volleyball season gets underway.

Lyndonville will visit Pembroke, Holley will host Byron-Bergen and Kendall will entertain Wheatland-Chili.  Lyndonville’s home opener will be Thursday against Attica while Holley travels to Pembroke and Kendall visits Notre Dame that evening. Lyndonville will also visit Holley on Saturday.

Lyndonville is led by the veteran quintet of sophomore Lorelei Dillenbeck and seniors Chloe Stinson, Tessa Heideman, Alissa Klinetob and Cianna Button.

The Lady Tigers lineup has also been boosted by the addition of a trio of newcomers including Ella Lewis, Gracie Johnson and Karlee Rounds, all juniors.

Holley, which graduated eight seniors, is led by veterans Rachel Howard, a senior, and Adrianna Botello, a junior.

The Lady Hawks lineup also includes juniors Halee Passarell, Tatum Gagne, Kayleigh Neale and sophomore Tia Hoffarth.

Kendall is led by a group of six returnees including seniors Karlee Robb and Nicolette Buzard along with sophomores Madison Shonitsky, Lauren Pilon, Taigan Guerrero and Sara Mattle.

The Lady Eagles newcomers include juniors Grace Levett and Julie Coble.

Kendall lost four seniors to graduation including Brittney Marks.

Falling behind 4-0 in the opening period, the Roy-Hart/Barker/Medina Club hockey team went on to drop a 9-0 decision to visiting Jamestown Sunday in a Western New York Club Hockey League contest.

Jamestown scored four times in the first period, three in the second and two in the final period.

RBM, which is in a truly rebuilding year (only four Seniors), was further handicapped as they played without their second and fourth leading scorers (both Ninth Graders).  Jamestown’s size and experience proved to be the major difference.

Besides the four Seniors, RBM’s roster includes four Juniors, one Sophomore, nine Freshmen and one 8th Grader,

RBM’s last two games of the season are both at home: Saturday, March 27 against Wilson Newfane and the following day against first place and undefeated East Aurora/Holland.