Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s large veteran group includes, in front, Peyton May, Brooke Corser, Hayley Hillburn and Maddy Totah. In back are Grace Pearl, Hannah Verratti, Millie Owens, Alayna Kowalski, Abby Fox and Ryleigh Capen.

Defending co-champion Roy-Hart returns a veteran laden lineup which looks to again challenge for top Niagara-Orleans League softbsll honors.

Last spring Roy-Hart shared the N-O title with Barker at 10-2.

The battery of pitcher Abby Fox and catcher Peyton May heads that large veteran group which also includes seniors Millie Owens (second base) Alayna Kowalski (third base), Hayley Hillburn (center field), Ryleigh Capen, Grace Pearl, Maddy Totah and Hannah Verratti along with junior Brooke Corser (first base).

Fox and Hillburn were both first team N-O All-League honorees last spring while Owens and Corser here second team picks and May an Honorable Mention selection.

The Lady Rams main graduation loss was first team All League shortstop Kaitlin Mettler.

New Coach Ari Carey’s Lady Rams are scheduled to open N-O competition at Medina on Wednesday at 4:45 p.m.

File Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green

Keeping pace with the sizzling scores on a sizzling hot afternoon, Medina’s Melanie Green posted her second straight strong under par round today to make the cut at the LPGA Tour’s Ford Championship Tournament at Phoenix.

Green, who opened with a 3 under par round of 69 on Thursday, bettered that today by posting a solid 5 under par round of 67 for a two day total of 8 under par 136.

She had a total of 7 birdies on the day against only 2 bogies.

Rebounding quickly from a bogey on the opening hole, Green notched birdies on holes 2, 7 and 8 to reach the cut line score of 5 under.

A bogey on 9 briefly set her back to 4 under but she again rebounded strongly on the back nine registering four birdies on 11, 12, 13 and 17 to finish the day with an 8 under par score three shots better than the cut line score.

She is 8 shots back of the tournament leader Nelly Korda who is 16 under.

The tournament will continue on Saturday and then conclude on Sunday.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – New Purple Eagles softball Coach Albion graduate Jenn (Knaak) Mattle, meets here with her veteran players including Kaitlyn Bennett, McKinley Knight, Aubriella Barry, Lux Froman and Leah Pawlak.

A very familiar face has returned to coach the Albion varsity softball team this season. Albion graduate Jenn (Knaak) Mattle, who had been coaching at Red Jacket the past few years, has returned to teach and coach at her alma mater.

“I’m really excited. It’s so surreal,” she said of returning to coach the Purple Eagles team which she played for and helped lead to league and sectional titles. “We have such a special group. They are working really hard and with their work ethic and enthusiasm I think we will do well.”

The Purple Eagles lineup is anchored by a nucleus of five veterans including seniors Kaitlyn Bennett (infield/pitcher), McKinley Knight (outfield) and Leah Pawlak (infield) along with sophomore Aubrielle Barry (infield/pitcher) and freshman Lux Froman (catcher/infield).

Rounding out the Purple Eagles underclassmen dominated roster are junior Melia Prince (utility), sophomores Bailey Hickman (pitcher/infield), Katelyn Viza (outfield) and Sophia Bouchey (outfield) along with freshmen Aaliyah Jones (outfield/catcher) and Kamryn Peruzzini (infield).

Albion’s graduation losses included pitcher Alana Irvine, catcher Cami London and outfielders Kenzi Snook and Paige Newton.

The Purple Eagles are scheduled to open the Niagara-Orleans League season on Monday at Akron at 4:45 p.m.

Albion went 7-5 in N-O action and 11-6 overall last spring.

Medina’s Melanie Green is off to a strong start at the LPGA Tour’s Ford Championship Tourament at Phoenix, Arizona.

Green fired a 3 under par opening round of 69 today.

Starting on the back 9, she registered a total of 5 birdies (on holes 11, 12, 1, 2 and 7) which more than offset a pair of bogies (on 10 and 3).

With some of the field still on the course the current tourney leader is Lydia Ko who had a 12 under par round of 60.

The tournament will continue on Friday and Saturday and conclude on Sunday. The field will be cut after Friday’s round.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Roy-Hart’s veteran contingent includes, in front, Isaac Smith, RJ Townsend, Gavin Heideman, Sean Mettler and Evan Poeller. In back are Jared Hy, John Brigham, Will Bundrock, Blake Stahl and Lincoln Murray.

Last spring an underclassmen dominated Roy-Hart team posted a 7-5 record in Niagara-Orleans League baseball competition,

Now, with the lineup returning virtually intact, the Rams are looking to challenge for top N-O diamond honors.

That veteran group includes seniors Gavin Heideman (pitcher/outfield/first base), Evan Poeller (infield/outfield/pitcher), Sean Mettler (shortstop/second base) and Isaac Smith (third base/pitcher) along with junior RJ Townsend (third base) and sophomores Will Bundrock (second base), Jared Hy (pitcher/outfield), Lincoln Murray (outfield), Blake Stahl (outfield) and John Brigham (first base).

Heideman was a first team N-O All-League honoree last spring while Poeller and Mettler were both second team picks and Townsend an Honorable Mention selection.

“It is a good veteran group but they’re still pretty young,” said Coach Jim Heideman. “Our pitching and defense should be ok we just have to be able to hit the baseball.”

The Rams will begin tuning up for the April 13 N-O home opener against Albion by visiting Sweet Home on April 1.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina shortstop Savannah Jo Thompson gets ready to put the tag on JFK’s Danielle Odojewski during the Mustangs non league season opening win at Vets Park this afternoon.

Putting together a clutch last inning rally, Medina nipped visiting JFK 12-11 in a season opening non league softball game at Vets Park this afternoon.

Trailing 11-7, Medina rallied for five runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to claim the win on a two-run error off the bat of Karlee Cau (which included driving in the tying run) and RBI hits by Savannah Jo Thompson, Molly Cook and Harmoni Wilson which plated the game winner.

JFK had rallied from a 7-6 deficit to take the 11-7 lead by scoring four times in the top of the sixth and once in the top of the seventh.

Earlier, Medina scored twice in the first inning on a triple by Lilah Class and a two-run homer by Samantha Heschke, three times in the third on two errors and a fielders choice play and twice in the fifth on an infield out and an RBI single by Isabelle Perez for a 7-6 lead.

Samantha Heschke delivers a pitch for Medina. She registered 8 strikeouts on the day..

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Sammy Conte bangs out a two-run double in the first inning to help ignite Kendall to a 17-0 win at Barker this afternoon.

Three pitchers combined for a no hitter and the offense pounded out 15 hits as Kendall romped to a 17-0 win over host Barker this afternoon in the season opening non league baseball game for both teams.

Nic Cole, CJ D’Agostino and Vinnie D’Agostino combined to hurl the no hitter registering a total of 10 strikeouts.

At the plate for the Eagles, Andrew Cole had 4 hits including two doubles and a triple, Jacob Abrams 3 doubles and Sammy Conte and C.J D’Agostino 2 hits each.

Kendall took charge at the outset erupting for 6 quick runs in the first inning on a two-run double by Sammy Conte, a two-run single by Andrew Cole an RBI double by Abrams and an RBI single by Vinnie D’Agostino.

The Eagles also had a big 7 run fifth inning to cap off the win as Abrams had a two-run double, Andrew Cole a two-run single and Nic Cole and Adrian Bucci RBI singles.

Kendall will next have two games and several scrimmages at Myrtle Beach.

Barker will next host Elba on Friday.

Kendall’s Jonny Conte slides safely into second base as Barker’s Keagan Schaal takes the throw.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Gavin Dahlhaus puts a shot on goal during the Mustangs season opening lacrosse win over Tonawanda at Vets Park this afternoon. Defending for Tonawanda are Jacob Goddert (21) and Dominic Marchiano (11).

Building up a 3-0 half-time advantage, Medina went on to down Tonawanda 5-2 in the D Division lacrosse season opener this afternoon at Vets Park.

Sawyer Lilleby, Luke Duffina and Timmothy Vasquez took turns scoring the first half goals for the Mustangs.

Second half goals by Gavin Dahlhaus and Lilleby then put a lock on the victory for Medina.

The Mustangs next visit Akron on March 31 at 7 p.m.

Sawyer Lilleby takes a shot for Medina.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Madyson Flint delivers a pitch for Barker during this afternoon’s season opening non league win over visiting Kendall.

Three four run scoring innings keyed Barker to 12-3 win over visiting Kendall in a chilly season opening non league softball game this afternoon.

Kendall did grab a quick 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a single by Alea Barrett but Barker answered right back with four runs in the home half of the frame on three walks and two errors to take the lead for good.

Barker then put a lock on the win by scoring four runs in the fourth inning on hits by Kaylee Stoll, Madelina Pavlock, Madyson Flint and Peyton Bradley and four walks and four more in the sixth on two walks and hits by Flint and Bradley.

Bradley and Flint both finished with 3 hits. Bradley, whose hits included a double, drove in a total of four runs.

Flint went the distance in the circle allowing only 4 hits and striking out 14.

Izzy D’Agostino had a double for Kendall.

Barker next visits Lockport on Friday.

Brooke Rodas bangs out a hit for Kendall. Lexi Brazzell is the Barker catcher.