Local Sports

Westfield upsets Wilson in Class C semifinal

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 3 March 2026 at 7:34 pm

Leading from wire-to-wire, No. 4 seed Westfield upset top seeded Wilson 40-30 in the semifinal round of the Section VI Class C boys basketball playoffs this evening at Jamestown Community College.

Unable to get the offense untracked, cold shooting Wilson fell behind by margins of 11-10 at the end of the first quarter, 25-16 at the half and 32-24 at the end of the third period.

Grant Beadle scored 12, Braylon Swanson 9 and Logan Baum 6 to lead Westfield.

Aidan Neumann scored 11, Shamus George 8, Ryan Hough 6, Brock Lepsch 3 and Nick Lemke 2 for Wilson.

Westfield will now face the winner of the No. 2 Global Concepts vs. No. 6 Ellicottville semifinal in the Class C championship game on Saturday at Jamestown Community College.

Mustangs seek Class B1 title Wednesday

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 3 March 2026 at 10:18 am

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Kendrick Russaw and his Mustangs teammates will face Olmsted in the Section VI Class B1 championship game at 6 p.m. Wednesday at SUNY Fredonia.

Looking to keep the momentum from Saturday’s come-from-behind semifinal victory, No. 5 seed Medina will now face No. 2 Olmsted in the championship game of the Section VI Class B1 boys basketball playoffs at 6 p.m. Wednesday at SUNY Fredonia.

The Mustangs gained a spot in the title contest by rallying from a 44-40 deficit with a big 22-8 fourth quarter scoring surge to defeat No.9 Southwestern 62-52 in the semifinals.

Olmsted advanced with a 49-34 win over No. 6 Springville.

The Mustangs bring a 16-6 record into the final while the Owls are 15-7.

This is Medina’s first appearance in the championship game since the Covid shortened 2021 season. Seeded No. 1 that season, the Mustangs captured the Class B2 title with three straight home court victories downing Alden 68-48 in the quarterfinals, Newfane 64-55 in the semis and Lackawanna 68-57 in the title contest.

Medina’s only other Section VI championship came in 1971 when the Mustangs downed then Niagara-Orleans League foe Starpoint 84-73.

Offensively, Medina has been led by Jerrell Nealy, who is averaging 16 points per game and Preston Woodworth who is averaging 14.

Olmsted is led by Tacon McCray who has scored 481 points for a 21.9 average and Jaden Wood who has tallied 298 poins (13.0 ave.)

Akron seeks B2 title

The N-O League will also be represented in Wednesday’s Class B2 championship game at No. 2 Akron will face No. 1 Tapestry at 7:45 p.m. at SUNY Fredonia.

Akron brings a 19-2 record into the final while Tapestry is 20-2.

Last year Akron captured the B1 championship with a 49-38 win over Olmsted.

Wilson in Class C semi tonight
Top seeded Wilson will take on No. 6 Westfield in the Class C semifinals at 6 this evening at Jamestown Community College.

Wilson is 19-2 and Westfield 12-9.

Last year Wilson captured the Class B2 championship.

The other Class C semi will have No. 2 Global Concepts vs. No. 6 Ellicottville at 7:45 at Jamestown Community College.

 

Paul earns first Division 1 pitching victory

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 2 March 2026 at 7:23 pm

Contributed Photo – Aidan Paul

Medina High graduate Aidan Paul earned his first collegiate Division 1 pitching victory on Sunday as he hurled High Point University to a 4-3 win over visiting Binghamton.

Paul went seven innings allowing just 2 hits with 2 strikeouts and 3 walks.

Three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning on two home runs provided the margin of victory for High Point.

Paul is now 1-1 with 14 strikeouts in 15.2 innings of work on the mound.

High Point is now 7-5.

Paul pitched for SUNY Niagara the past two years. He earned All Region III honors last spring as he helped hurl the Thunderwolves to a fourth place finish at the national tournament.

Green will make her LPGA debut this week

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 2 March 2026 at 10:00 am

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Melanie Green

Medina’s Melanie Green will make her LPGA Tour debut this week half a world away in China.

She will tee off on Thursday at the LPGA’s Blue Bay Tournament at the Jian Lake Blue Bay golf course on Hainan Island, People’s Republic of China.

Green will make her U.S. LPGA debut March 19-22 at the Fortinet Founder’s Cup Tournament at the Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club at Menlo Park, California.

She will then compete at the Ford Championship at the Whirlwind Golf Club in Phoenix, Arizona on March 26-29.

She does have experience competing in LPGA events as an amateur including the Evian championship in Europe and the Canadian Open.

Green earned her LPGA Tour Card by putting together an outstanding season on the Epson Tour last year. The tour’s season long points leader, she earned both Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors.

Prior to her big year on the Epson Tour she had four outstanding years at the University of South Florida where she was a multi year All Conference and All American honoree.

During her scholastic days at Medina High she was a two time state Public High School Athletic Association tournament champion.

Brooks leads Akron to B2 semifinal win

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 1 March 2026 at 3:26 pm

Led by 6-7 junior Derren Brooks, No. 2 seed Akron downed No.3 Randolph 58-41 in the semifinals of the Section VI Class B2 boys basketball playoffs this afternoon at SUNY Fredonia.

Dominating inside, Brooks poured in 32 points to spearhead the Tigers attack as Blake Gerstung added 9, Ben Gerstung 8, Jackson Pragle 4, Brodie Hill 3 and Ace Abrams 2.

For Randoph, 12 of the Cardinals 13 baskets were threes.

Trailing 15-12 at the end of the first period, Akron rallied into leads of 27-21 at the half and 48-26 at the three-quarter mark.

Brooks scored 9 in the first quarter, 12 in the second, 6 in the third and 5 in the fourth as Blake Gerstung hit three threes in the third.

Akron will now face top seeded Tapestry for the B2 title on Wednesday at SUNY Fredonia. Tapestry downed MST 63-48 in the other semifinal.

Albion’s 3 on 3 tourney set for Saturday

Contributed Story Posted 1 March 2026 at 10:16 am

Albion’s version of “March Madness” is set for this coming Saturday, March 7, with holding of the fifth annual Albion Boys Basketball Sports Boosters 3 on 3 tournament.

The “Albion Madness” is a double elimination 3 on 3 basketball tournament for boys and girls in grades 5-12.

The tournament is scheduled to tipoff at 10 a,m. at the Albion High gym.

“We had over 100 sign up last year and we are hoping to be bigger and better this year,” said tourney organizer Jeff Radder.

The deadline for registering is this coming Friday March 6.

Players and teams can register by clicking on this link.

Northshore Fury basketball is returning

Contributed Story Posted 1 March 2026 at 9:36 am

The Northshore Fury, an AAU basketball club representing Orleans and Eastern Niagara counties, is preparing for its upcoming spring season.

First up for the Fury will be an open tryout March 15th at the Orleans County YMCA in Medina from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. for their 15U Boys team.

The Northshore Fury, a subsidiary of the Finger Lakes Fury Basketball Club, was established in 2025 by Kendall’s Varsity Coach Kevin Rhodes and featured local Junior and Senior High School players from Kendall, Holley, Albion, Medina and Roy-Hart.

This year’s team will be coached by Albion’s Joshua Dix and Holley’s Kevin McGuire.

March 15th’s tryout is open to 8th and 9th grade boys. In addition, 10th grade boys who are 15 years old as of August 31st, 2026, are also welcome. Interested players must be accompanied by a parent.

The Fury’s season will run from March 15th-June 20th and will include 5-6 weekend tournaments.

Player fee and other information can be obtained by contacting Joshua Dix at ocfuryhoops@gmail.com or by texting (585) 356-6215

Lady Tigers, Lady Eagles bow in sectionals

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 28 February 2026 at 7:44 pm

Lyndonville and Kendall were both defeated in Section V girls basketball quarterfinal round playoff games today.

In Class D, top seeded Avoca-Prattsburgh downed No. 8 Lyndonville 57-33.

Isabella Groves scored 13 and Alexa Robinson 11 to lead the Lady Tigers as Lilly Raduns added 3 and Hannah Fox, Emily Dill and Braelynn Dillenbeck 2 each.

In Class C1, top seeded Letchworth downed No. 9 Kendall 51-19.

In a Section VI Class B contest Eden defeated Akron 44-40.

Mustangs use late surge to win B1 semifinal

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 28 February 2026 at 7:27 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s Jerrell Nealy drives to the basket against Southwestern defenders Carter Casselman (24) and Oscar Harris (0) during the Mustangs sectional semifinal victory over the Trojans at SUNY Fredonia this afternoon.

Putting together a big fourth quarter scoring surge, No. 5 seed Medina rallied to down No. 9 Southwestern 62-52 in the semifinal round of the Section VI Class B1 boys basketball playoffs this afternoon at SUNY Fredonia.

The victory propels Medina into the Class B1 championship game on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at SUNY Fredonia against No. 2 Olmsted which downed No. 6 Springville 49-34 in the other semifinal.

Trailing 44-40, Medina rallied with a big 22-8 fourth period scoring edge to claim the victory as seven players contributed to the point production during that stretch.

A three by Kolton Fletcher followed by baskets by Jayzon Wills and Kendrick Russaw ignited that decisive uprising rallying Medina back into the lead for good at 47-46.

Keeping the momentum, the Mustangs then got baskets from Christian Moss and Russaw, a free throw by Wills and a three-point play by Avion Johnson to hike the lead to five at 55-50.

Preston Woodworth puts up a shot for Medina as Oscar Harris defends for Southwestern.

The Trojans could get no closer than 55-52 after that as the Mustangs put a lock on the victory with a 7-0 closing run. Jerrell Nealy had a basket and two free throws and Preston Woodworth three from the foul line during that closing run.

Nealy finished with 17 and Woodworth 15 as Moss added 8, Wills 7, Russaw 6 and Hadrian Batista, Johnson and Fletcher 3 each.

Landon Hooks took game high honors with 18 to lead Southwestern.

Southwestern held narrow leads of 14-11 at the end of the first period, 29-24 at the half and 44-40 at the three-quarter mark. Hooks hit three threes in the first quarter and later tallied 7 points in the third for the Trojans.

Moss hit two threes and Woodworth one for the Mustangs in the first quarter. Woodworth then had two more threes and Wills a pair of baskets in the second period while Nealy erupted for 11 points in the third stanza.

There was a total of four ties and six lead changes in the first half.

The Mustangs will take a 16-6 record into Wednesday’s B1 title contest.

Medina’s Christian Moss drives against Southwestern’s Jalen Edwards.

USA Wrestling coaching honor for Holley grad

Contributed Story Posted 28 February 2026 at 9:43 am

Contributed Photo – Holley High graduate Matt Paeth has been selected for a prestigious honor by USA Wrestling, Paeth, who coaches at North Platt High School in Omaha, Nebraska has been chosen for the USA Wrestling’s Coach Apprentice Program this June in Lima, Peru . He will be coaching alongside Team USA at the U23 Pan-American championships.