During an ordinary spring area youth baseball regular seasons would be heading into the stretch run by this time with the playoffs upcoming.

However, because of the Covid-19 Pandemic this has been anything but a normal spring as all team sports activity from the youth level to the major leagues has been on hold since mid March.

Because of that officials of both the Albion Midget League and the Niagara Orleans Youth Baseball League, which includes teams from Medina, Middleport, Lyndonville and Somerset, early last month cancelled their seasons.

However, they did leave the door open for some kind of a late summer baseball activity if restrictions were eased.

And now that door is open because of an announcement by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday the familiar call of “Play Ball” may still be heard on some area youth baseball diamonds before the summer is over.

Area youth baseball players and coaches finally got some very welcome news with that announcement by the Governor which stated that youth baseball and softball teams could begin playing on July 6.

“We will be practicing on July 6 unless it rains,” said Albion Sandstone team Coach Dan Bartlett whose happiness and relief at this announcement is no doubt shared by many other coaches. “There will be some baseball at Sandstone this summer. We just want to get some baseball in. It’s for the kids.”

“Right now we’re not talking about a league as we don’t even know how many teams will even have enough kids,” he added. “For right now we’re just looking to practice, scrimmage and like the old “Sandlot” days maybe get some pickup games in. We’re going to try to do something. We’re going to need probably three weeks of practice and then hopefully play some games in August. We would just like to have some kind of a season.”

At the time of that season canceling announcement Niagara Orleans officials likewise voiced the hope that some organized baseball activity could be put together before the end of the summer. when the restrictions were eased.

“It’s a breath of fresh air,” said Chris Goyette of Medina Loyal Baseball of the Governor’s announcement. “However, we’re going to have to be very careful whatever we do. We’d like to give the kids an opportunity to play a little baseball but as an organization we have to be very careful.”

Contributed Photo – Barker Valedictorian Peter DiLorenzo and Salutatorian Brianna Bachman

In addition to enjoying plenty of success in the classroom Barker Valedictorian Peter DiLorenzo and Salutatorian Brianna Bachman have also been contributors to the Raiders varsity sports program.

DiLorenzo was a three-time first team Niagara-Orleans All-League Cross-country honoree. He placed third at the Section VI Class D race last fall and went on to earn third team All-State honors. On the track, he won the 400 Hurdles at last year’s N-O All-League meet as a junior.

He will be attending college to major in Chemistry.

Bachman, a three year varsity player, helped the Barker field hockey team capture N-O League, Section VI and Far West Regional titles last fall earning a berth in the state semifinals.

She will be attending the College at Brockport to major in Social Work.

Contributed Photo – Members of Barker’s 1949 Niagara-Orleans League championship baseball team included, in front, B. Blumrick and G. Wilson. In the second row are C. House, A. Bernard, F. Shutt, S. Evans, D. Trinder, S. Keirn, L. Casey, W. Kinyon, R. Harrison, W. MacDonald, G. Barker and G. Swigert. In the third row are G. Bodine, P. Porter, D. Kinyon, B. Stark, R. Gow, E. Denton, B. Huntington, R. Wickman, J. Widmer, J. Arnold, R. Ogden and Mr. Felice. In the top row are M. Haight, E. Mitchell, G. Broughton, D. Wienke, P. Whitemore, R. Harrod, P. Welge, R. Bencene, E. Thiel, R. Weeks and C. Spencer.

The year 1949 was an outstanding one for the Barker High sports program in Niagara-Orleans League competition as the Raiders captured the baseball championship, shared the football title and claimed the Eastern Division basketball title.

The diamond title in fact was the last the Raiders have earned in N-O competition.

Barker went 6-0 on the N-O diamond in ’49 as the Raiders downed  defending champion Newfane 7-1 in the league finale to claim the championship.

Three of the Raiders N-O wins were shutout victories, 1-0 over Deveaux, 8-0 over Lewiston and 17-0 over Roy-Hart. Pitcher Bruce Blumrick earned all three of those wins on the mound.

Barker’s other two N-O wins were 13-4 over Youngstown and 7-3 over Wilson.

The Raiders then had a narrow 1-0 loss to Hamburg in the Section VI playoffs.

Overall, Barker’s last baseball title came in 1971 when the Raiders captured both the Genesee Region League and Section V championships.

The Raiders shared the title in what was then a six man N-O football league in ’49 with Newfane and Wilson.

Contributed Photos – Albion Valedictorian Ashlyn LeBaron, left, and Salutatorian Katelynn Spierdowis.

Having not only excelled in the classroom, Albion High Valedictorian Ashlyn LeBaron and Salutatorian Katelynn Spierdownis have also both competed in two varsity sports for the Purple Eagles.

LaBaron completed in both volleyball and track.

Spierdowis likewise competed in volleyball and also tennis.

Albion’s Most Valuable Athletes for each of the Purple Eagles varsity sports have also been released.

Those student/athletes include: Patrick Ricker (Golf), Angel Rosario Soto (Boys Soccer), Mariah Plain (Girls Soccer), Brillance Johnson (Football and Boys Track)), Breanda Johnson (Volleyball), Reuben Rivers (Boys Cross-Country) and Alanna Holman (Girls Cross-Country).

Also, Cody Wilson (Wrestling), Thomas Furmanski (Boys Swimming), Michaela Pantano (Girls Swimming); Deyonci Farley (Boys Basketball) and Paige Derisley (Girls Basketball and Softball).

Also, Liam Ward (Baseball), Kendall Derisley (Softball), Carson Bader (Tennis), Ashlyn LeBaron (Girls Track) and Alaina Fleming (Cheerleading).

The golf leagues at Hickory Ridge have started back up although a few weeks later than usual due to Covid 19.  League play for women is Tuesday and men’s leagues go Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.  A new league, mixed couples will kick off on Friday, June 19.

The first reporting women’s results show Deb Birkins and Patty Pfister in first place with 15.5 points.  Cheryl Ferguson and Vicki Brawn are in second with 15 points and Judy Schuth and Diane Hennecky are in third with 14.5.

Deb Wood took low gross honors with a 34 while Judy Schuth was second with 41.  Jan Palmer and Carol Lowell shared low net with 31, Brawn was next with 32.  Birkins, Wood and Diane Abel each recorded birdies.

Men’s results will be listed as soon as handicaps are established.

Also, the member scramble tournament originally scheduled for earlier in the year will be played on Saturday, June 20.  Signup in the pro shop prior to June 17.

Contributed Photo – Martha Gardner

Medina High graduate Martha Gardner, who will be a senior a Robert Morris University this fall, has been named the Colonials Cross-County MVP for this past year.

Gardner has competed in Cross-Country, Indoor Track and Field and Outdoor Track and Field for the Colonials.

The Colonials top finisher at last fall’s North East Conference (NEC) championship race, her best Cross-Country times have been 19:39.9 in the 5K and 25:26 in the 6K

During the Indoor Track season she has completed in the 800 Meters,, 1,000 Meters, 3,000 Meters, 8:000 Meters and the Mile.

During the Outdoor Track season she has competed in the 1,5000 Meters, 5,000 Meters, 1,500 Meters Steeplechase and 3,000 Meters Steeplechase.

In the classroom, she has been a two-time member of the NEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, the NEC Winter Academic Honor Roll and the NEC Spring Academic Honor Roll.

She is majoring in Actuarial Science.

During her scholastic days at Medina she won the 800, 1500 and 3000 at the Niagara-Orleans All-League meet her junior year and the 800 and 1500 her senior year.

She also competed in soccer and swimming for the Mustangs.

LATHAM, NY – The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) held its first meeting of the COVID-19 Task Force today.

The Task Force, which has been formed to examine potential impacts of the COVID-19 crisis on the fall 2020 season and the 2020-2021 school year, is comprised of school district superintendents, high school principals, athletic directors, NYSPHSAA officers, as well as a representative from the New York State Athletic Administrators Association, an athletic trainer, a district transportation director, and members of New York State Education Department and New York State Department of Health.

The Task Force heard reports and updates from the Governor Cuomo’s office, the New York State Education Department and the New York State Health Department pertaining to the COVID-19 crisis and the impact it has had upon education and the reopening of schools.

“Having representatives from these offices provide reports today was extremely beneficial to the work that the Task Force will do over the course of the next few months,” said NYSPHSAA President and Task Force Chair, Paul Harrica.  “From the reports provided, it is clear school district facilities cannot be opened for student participation until Phase 4 is entered. The health and safety of our student-athletes remains our top priority.”

On Friday, the Task Force will release guidance pertaining to on-campus summer conditioning workouts as well as an update to its Frequently Asked Questions document that NYSPHSAA released on May 7th.  School districts are encouraged to get acclimated with CDC and local health department guidance as well Governor Cuomo’s restrictions, local laws and policies.

The Task Force also discussed and examined the result of a COVID-19 survey, distributed by NYSPHSAA, to gather a statewide perspective on the impacts and potential response to the COVID-19 crisis; roughly 6,000 athletic directors, administrators, and coaches submitted responses to the survey.  Results of the survey can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SlAuRLpy1EwTY0baMFKVNBtzN4xrW1uF/view?usp=sharing

“Today’s meeting was our first step in addressing concerns and examining readily available information related to the COVID-19 crisis,” said Dr. Robert Zayas, NYSPHSAA Executive Director. “We are all focused on providing student-athletes with the opportunity to participate this fall with guidance from the Department of Health and in accordance with Governor Cuomo’s restrictions.”

The next meeting of the NYSPHSAA COVID-19 Task Force will take place at the end of this month with a date and time to be announced next week.