Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Kyle Johnson, at left, earned MVP honors at the 1997 Holley Tournament which the Purple Eagles won igniting a seven year long title run. At right Albion’s Brian Allen goes to try and block a shot attempt by Kendall’s Charlie D’Agostino during the ’97 title contest.

Up until this Covid-19 Pandemic delayed basketball season the Holley Holiday Tournament was one of the area’s longest running tourneys having been played 35 times since 1983.

Albion has the honor of having the longest title win streak in the event’s history as the Purple Eagles claimed the crown seven years in a row from 1997 to 2003.

The Purple Eagles defeated  Kendall in the title game four times, Greece Odyssey twice and Lyndonville once during that run.

Albion rallied from an 11 point, 41-30, deficit after three quarters to trim Kendall 53-47 in the 1997 title game to ignite that run.

Joe Riley scored 13 of his game high 21 points in the decisive final stanza to lead Albion’s big 23-6 rally. Kyle Johnson, who earned tourney MVP honors, added 15 points on the evening for the Purple Eagles.

Jarrod Allen led Kendall with 18.

The title contest rematch in 1998 was not quite as close as Albion downed Kendall 72-59 to retina the tourney crown.

However, things got much closer again in the 1999 three-peat match-up as Albion trimmed Kendall 46-43.

The sea-saw contest wasn’t decided until Kendall misfired on two three-point shots in the final eight seconds.

Albion had opened up a 44-37 lead on a three-point play by Karl Rowcliffe but Kendall battled back to within one at 44-43 on baskets by Jared Maynard, Brian Cole and Jeff Cole. Two free throws by Bruce Rowcliffe with 31 sends to go made it 46-43 and Kendall could not connect on the last ditch threes to tie.

Karl Rowcliffe finished with 18 and Bruce Rowcliffe 15 to pace Albion while Maynard netted 12, Brian Cole 11 and Jeff Cole 10 for Kendall.

The 2000 title contest proved to be equally as close as Albion edged past Lyndonville 61-58

A rebound basket by tourney MVP James Ryan with 50 seconds to go provided the margin of victory for Purple Eagles.

It was a sea-saw battle down the stretch which saw Lyndonvile take its last lead at 58-57 with 1:10 remaining after layups by Jim Poler and Merle Fredericks.

Albion pulled even at 58-58 on a free throw by Dan Matthews with 51 seconds to go. He missed the second attempt but Ryan grabbed the rebound and scored on the put back to put the Purple Eagles back on top to stay.

Ryan led Albion’s balanced attack with 15 as Marcus Jones added 14, John Flor 11 and Matthews 10.

Poler took game high honors for Lyndonville with 23 as Fredericks added 21 and Jeremy Dent 12.

Then for the fourth time in five years Albion and Kendall met for the championship in 2001 and this time the Purple Eagles came away with a 60-51 victory.

Ryan Mayes scored 18, Derek Kinder 15 and Marcus Jones 10 to lead the way for Albion while Brett Jacobson tallied 14, Kevin Hamilton 11 and Kyle May 10 for Kendall.

Albion opened up as much as a 28-12 lead in the first half but Kendall battled back closing the deficit to just three, 46-43, with three minutes to go. The Purple Eagles though turned back the challenge on key baskets by Kinder and Mayes followed by nine free throws in the final 2:50 to claim a fifth straight title.

It was another close one for Albion in the 2002 title contest as the Purple Eagles came on strong in the final quarter to earn a narrow come-from-behind 45-43 victory over tourney newcomer Greece Odyssey.

The Purple Eagles finally took the lead for the first time at 31-29 at the outset of the final period on a basket by Larry Warren.

Albion extended its lead to 41-34 with two minutes to go after a 9-1 run which included three baskets by Chad Brooks and a thee point play by Matt Beach. Two clutch free throws each by Chris Ray and Derek Kinder kept the lead at 45-38 and then the Purple Eagles held off a late Odyssey rally to clam the title.

Kinder finished with 14, Brooks 12 and Ray 11.

The 2003 title contest was a rematch as Albion again bested Greece Odyssey this time by a 54-43 margin as Derek Kinder, who earned MVP honors for a third straight year, scored 15, Steve Ellis 13 and Chad Brooks 9.

Breaking away from a 27-27 tie late in the third quarter Albion took the lead for good with a key 10-2 run which featured a rebound basket and a jumper by Brooks, a three-point shot by Ellis and a layup by Kinder.

Odyssey did close to within six at 42-36 but Albion answered with two big three-point plays by Ellis off fast breaks to regain control.

Kendall finally ended Albion’s tourney reign by defeating the Purple Eagles 61-46 in the 2004 championship game.

In avenging those four previous title losses during Albion’s lengthy run, Kendall was led by Steve Batty with 21 as Justin Manners added 16 and Joe Brightly and Dan Halter with 10 each. Tyron Newsome led Albion with 10.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Cameron Castanon

Capping off an outstanding season, Medina High senior Cameron Castanon has earned Honorable Mention on the All-Western New York boys cross-country team as selected by area coaches.

Castanon helped lead Medina to its best season in 35 years as he won the Niagara-Orleans All-League meet race and placed second in the Section VI Class C1 race.

Led by Castanon, Medina finished second to champion Newfane during  both the N-O dual meet season (going 5-1), and at the All-League meet. The Mustangs went on to then finish  second to Alden in the Class C1 race.

The girls All-WNY squad had Newfane freshman Kyle Bowman earn second team honors and her teammate junior Leah Siegmann receive Honorable Mention.

Bowman won both the N-O All-League meet race and the Class C1 race as the Lady Panthers took top honors in both events.

Siegmann finished second in the Class C1 race.

Contributed Photos – Lyndonville’s Mario Fidanza, left, and Albion’s Cody Wilson both placed at the state wrestling championships.

Two Orleans wrestlers, Albion’s Cody Wilson and Lyndonville’s Mario Fidanza, placed at the state wrestling championships held in Albany.

Both seniors, Wilson placed sixth at 285 and Fidanza eighth at 220.

Wilson finished second at the Section VI championships as did Fidanza at the Section V championships as both wrestlers earned wildcard entries to the state championships.

Wilson finished the season at 29-6 and Fidanza at 25-5.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Deyonci Farley in action for Albion which shared the N-O title with Newfane.

Ending a 20 plus year drought, Albion earned a share of the Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball championship with Newfane.

The Purple Eagles and Panthers finished with identical 9-3 records.

The N-O title was the first for Albion since the Purple Eagles shared the crown with Starpoint during the 1998-99 season.

Deyonci Farley, Kevin Hillman, Liam Ward and Bailey Blanchard all earned spots on the N-O All-League squad for the Purple Eagles.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Nathan Dillenbeck in action for Medina/Lyndonville during the Section VI Class B1 championship game against Tonawanda which ended in a 2-2 overtime tie as he scored both goals.

Seeded No. 5,  Medina/Lyndonville boys soccer team earned a share of the Section VI Class B1 championship by playing to a 2-2 double overtime tie at No. 2 Tonawanda.

Since that was the final round of postseason play due to Covid-19 Pandemic limitations no shootout was held and the Mustangs and Warriors were declared co-champions.

The Mustangs advanced to the final by upending No. 4 Lackawanna 4-0 in the quarterfinals and top seeded East Aurora 1-0 in the semifinals.

Nathan Dillenbeck, who scored the lone goal against East Aurora and both goals against Tonawanda earned first team All-Western New York honors.

Dillenbeck along with Casey Winiecki, Russ Stephens and Zach Fike were all named to the first team of the N-O All-League squad.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Ava Livergood and Kara Choate in action for N-O co-champion Roy-Hart.

It certainly was the season of the Ram in Niagara-Orleans League  soccer as Roy-Hart claimed both the boys and girls titles.

The Roy-Hart girls earned their first N-O title by sharing the crown with Wilson at 8-2. The Lady Rams nipped the Lakewomen 3-2  at Wilson in the league finale to earn a share of the title.

Kara Choate, who was named N-O Player of the Year, and Nadia White represented the Lady Rams on the first team of the All-League squad.

The Roy-Hart boys claimed the league crown for the first time in 20 years with a 7-3 record.

The Rams placed Trent Choate, Peter Martillotta and Dominic Peracciny on the first team of the N-O All-League squad.

Roy-Hart’s Noah Stern tries to send a shot on goal against Albion defender Tyler Gibson.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Halee Passarell advances the ball for G-R Division 1 champion Holley.

Holley’s boys and girls varsity soccer teams both had big seasons in Genesee Region League and Section V playoff competition.

The Lady Hawks captured the G-R Division 1 championship and advanced to the semifinals of the Section V Class C1 playoffs where they lost to eventual champion Avon finishing with a 12-2-2 overall record.

Midfielders Halee Passarell, Kayleigh Neale, Samantha Bates and goalie Emma Brady represented the Lady Hawks on the G-R All-Star team.

The Hawks advanced to the Section V Class C1 championship game bowing to top seeded East Rochester 4-0.  The runner-up in the final G-R standings, the Hawks posted a 11-4-1 overall record.

Defenders Nathan Nothnagle and Kayden Servais along with midfielder KJ Biedlingmaier and attacker Charlie Turpyn represented the Hawks on the G-R All-Star team.

Kayden Servais in action for Holley during the sectional semifinal win over Pavilion/York.

Photo by Tom Rivers – Medina’s Cameron Castanon won the N-O All-League meet race.

The Medina boys cross-country team enjoyed its best season in 35 years. The Mustangs went 5-1 during the dual meet portion of the N-O season and then finished second to champion Newfane at the All-League meet.

Medina’s duo of Cameron Castanon and Arian Cayea finished 1-2 at the All-League meet as Albion’s Reuben Rivers was third.

The Mustangs went on to place second at the Section VI Class C1 race as Castanon was second.

The Barker boys captured the Section VI Class D championship.

The Newfane girls captured both the N-O and Section VI Class C1 titles as Kylie Bowman was the individual winner in both races.