Photo by Cheryl Wertman – The Albion softball team’s veteran group includes, in front, Ryan Olles, Paige Derisley and Kendall Derisley. In back are Bryne Dysard, Kenzi Hapeman, Emani Poole and Leah Pritchard.

Looking to rebound from last spring’s 4-8 Niagara-Orleans League (6-11 overall) campaign, the Albion varsity softball squad is anchored by a good contingent of seven returnees.

That veteran group includes sophomore pitcher Leah Pritchard, junior catcher Emani Poole, senior infielder Paige Derisley, junior infielder Bryne Dysard, sophomore infielder/outfielder Kenzi Hapeman, freshman infielder Ryan Olles and senior outfielder Kendall Derisley.

Paige Derisley and Kendall Derisley both received N-O All-League Honorable Mention last spring.

“We’ve got a good core group back,” said Coach Cathy Schmitt. “We’ve got seven starters back including our pitcher and catcher so that is big.”

The Purple Eagles graduation losses included outfielder Brylie Hapeman, shortstop Lexi Wolk and first baseman Sierra Newton, Hapeman was a first team N-O All-League honoree and Wolck a second team selection.

And while the current closing of schools due to the Coronavirus concern has left the starting date of the season undetermined the Purple Eagles are fortunate that they had only one N-O game scheduled prior to April 20. Albion was to open the N-O season at home against Medina on April 8 and then visit Akron on April 20 following the Easter break.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Medina’s large group of veterans includes, in front, Grace Cook, Morgan Allis, Lacey Kenward and Micaela Erway. In back are Tessa Pearoaro, Paige Adkins, Hannah Kenward, Brooklyn Brown and Abi Neuman.

A large contingent of nine returnees will help to fill some of the holes in the lineup the Medina varsity softball team looks to fill this spring in order to contend for top Niagara-Orleans League honors.

The Mustangs returnees include senior pitcher/infielder Lacey Kenward, senior infielders Morgan Allis and Grace Cook, senior outfielders Tessa Pecoraro, Micaela Erway and Abi Neuman along with junior infielders Hannah Kenward, Brooklyn Brown and Paige Adkins.

Lacey Kenward earned second team N-O All-League honors while Neuman has an Honorable Mention selection.

The Mustangs also look to get help from junior pitcher/infielder Brionna Russell, a transfer student.

Medina’s losses include pitcher Cora Payne, catcher Ashlee Howell and shortstop Brandi Guild to graduation and center fielder Camri King who transferred to Lockport. Howell and Guild were both first team N-O All-League honorees while Payne was a second team selection and King an Honorable Mention selection.

“I look forward to this upcoming season, with several returning players, many whom have had multiple years of experience at the varsity level. This experience will really help as we prepare for this year,” said Coach Amber Cleveland. “This season has had the most players come out for both JV and varsity and we look to continue the success we have had in the past.”

The Mustangs went 8-4 in N-O action and 11-6 overall last year.

In light of the current school closing due to the Coronavirus concern, the Mustangs are fortunate to have had only one N-O game scheduled prior to April 20. Medina was slated to open at Albion on April 8 and then host Newfane on April 20 following the Easter break.

Making it two title years in a row, Legion has locked up the Medina Euchre League championship.

Legion finished the season at 873-737 followed by Sacred Heart 847-763, JR Wilson 816-794 and Vets Club 684-926.

The season was shortened by two rounds and one position round due to the Coronavirus situation.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Leading Albion into the upcoming baseball season will be this contingent of veterans. In front are Ryan Krenning, Patrick Ricker and Alex Gibson. In back are Michael Harling, Thomas Furmanski, Liam Ward and Michael DiCureia.

Looking to improve upon last spring’s third place finish in the Niagara-Orleans League baseball standings, Albion is led by a good nucleus of seven veterans.

The senior battery of pitcher Thomas Furmanski and catcher Liam Ward head that veteran group which also includes senior second baseman/shortstop Patrick Ricker, senior outfielders Ryan Krenning, Michael DiCureia and Michael Harling and junior outfielder Alex Gibson.

Ward and Ricker will also help with the pitching chores and when not on the mound Furmanski will play shortstop.

Furmanski and Ward were both first team Niagara-Orleans All-League honorees last spring. Furmanski went 5-0 and had 2 saves on the mound and hit .383 with 15 RBI at the plate. Ward hit .375 and also drove in 15 runs.

Called up from the JV ranks late last season the Purple Eagles also have varsity experience in junior first baseman/outfielder Bailey Blanchard and sophomore pitcher/infielder Tyler Gibson.

“We have a nice group returning,” said Coach Bruce Blanchard. “We have a solid group of pitchers we just need to get the job done at the plate. We did pretty well hitting last season and we hope to build on that.”

The Purple Eagles graduation losses included pitcher/infielder Bryce Prtichard, outfielder/pitcher Vincent Zona,, infielder/pitcher Addison Christ and outfielders Isaiah Callicutt and Jon DePuy. Pritchard and Callicutt were both second team N-O All-League honorees.

The Purple Eagles went 7-5 in N-O action and 14-6 overall last spring advancing to the Section VI Class B1 finals where they dropped a 10-6 decision to rival Medina.

Now, as is the case with other area teams, it is not a question of setting the lineup or getting the diamond ready it is a case when the Corona virus closed schools will reopen allowing the schedule to begin. Albion had been scheduled to open the N-O season at home against Newfane on April 2.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Veteran members of the Medina baseball squad include, in front Zander Payne, Austin Mosher, Trevor Luthart, AJ Seefeldt and Aidan Paul. In back are Brian Fry, Chris Goyette, Zach Fike, Joe Cecchini and Nate Sherman.

Last spring an underclassmen dominated Medina High baseball squad put together a very memorable season capturing Niagara-Orleans League, Section VI Class B and Far West Regional titles to advance to the state semifinals for just the second time in program history.

Now with that lineup returning virtually intact, the Mustangs look to be in strong position to defend those titles once the current Corona virus caused school closing ends and the season gets going.

The starting pitching trio of seniors Trevor Luthart and Chris Goyette along with sophomore Zach Fike, heads the Mustangs veteran contingent. Goyette also plays third base when not on the mound while Luthart and Fike play first base,

The Mustangs also return solid experience up the middle with junior catcher Austin Mosher, the junior middle infield combination of shortstop Brian Fry and second baseman AJ Seefeldt along with senior center fielder Nate Sherman.

Medina’s large veteran contingent also includes sophomore outfielder/third baseman Joe Cecchini, freshman Aidan Paul (pitcher/outfield), sophomore Zander Payne (pitcher/outfield) and junior Corey Saj (outfield/second base).

Luthart, Fry, Seefeldt and Sherman all earned first team N-O All-League honors. Goyette was a second team honoree while Mosher, Cecchini and Fike all received Honorable Mention.

Fry hit .514 with 13 doubles, 6 triples, 4 home runs and 31 RBI;  Seefeldt .481 with 12 double, and 42 RBI; Sherman .333 with 28 RBI and Goyette .364 with 31 RBI.

On the mound, Luthart went 10-1 with 100 strikeouts in 73 innings of work and a 0.96 era and Goyette was 4-0 with 59 strikeouts.

“Our pitching is definitely a strong suit,” said Coach Jon Sherman. “We’re still pretty young but we’ve got great experience. The experience we got going deep into the playoffs really helps us a lot. It’s nice to have a young core like we have but we know we’ll have a bullseye on our back. We’re going to have to stay healthy and do the little things, the basics well, every time out.”

The Mustangs went 10-2 in the league and 21-3 overall.

Now with a veteran laden lineup and a turf field ready to play on the only thing the Mustangs, like all other area teams, are waiting for is for the Corona virus closed schools to reopen so the season can begin. The Mustangs had been scheduled to open the N-O campaign at Wilson on April 2.

Contributed Photo – Mario Fidanza, left, and Cody Wilson

Podium finishes at the state championships by both Albion senior Cody Wilson (285) and Lyndonville senior Mario Fidanza (220) highlighted the recently completed local high school wrestling season.

Wilson, who went 33-7 on the season, finished sixth at the state championships going 3-3 in the competition.. He also placed second at both the Section VI Class B Tournament and at the Section VI state qualifier tourney.

Interestingly, Wilson’s biggest foe throughout the postseason was his Niagara-Orleans League rival Jaden Heers from Newfane.  Heers, who captured the state 285 lb. title, bested Wilson in the finals of the N-O tournament, the Section VI state qualifier and in the quarterfinals of the state championships.

Fidanza, who went 29-4, placed eighth at the state championships going 2-3 in the competition. He also placed second at both the Section V Class B tournament and at the Section V state qualifier tourney.

In just his second year of varsity wrestling, Fidanza earned a trip to the state championships both years.

The season also saw another dozen Orleans matmen surpass the 20 win plateau and five earn N-O titles.

Lyndonville had three other wrestlers who each topped the 20 win mark on the season including Connor Bell (113) who went 30-11, Brennon Munn (138) 23-15 and Rodney Davis (170) 22-12. Bell and Davis both took first place honors at the Section V Class B tournament.

Albion likewise had three other 20 plus win wrestlers including Amilcar Morales (120) 26-12, Dayne Aina (152) 23-13 and Ellwood Hafner (126) 21-15.

Morales and Bryce Kelly (220), who went 17-8, both won N-O titles while Aina placed second and Hafner third.

Medina had a pair of 20 plus win grapplers in RaShawn Bloom (106) who went 23-10 and Miles Hartway (152) who was 24-13.

Hartway along with his Mustang teammates Noah Skinner (60) and Riley Black (195) all captured N-O titles while Bloom finished second.

Holley-Kendall had a quintet of 20 plus win wrestlers including Trystyn Moyer (120) 28-6, Dawson Custer (152) 28-16, Bruce Rasmusson (99) 24-10, Jayden Pieniaszek (132) 22-9 and James Fox (99) 21-17.

Rasmusson and Custer both placed fourth at the Section V Class B2 tourney.

Contributed Photos – Patrick Ricker, left, and John Pilon were the top two goal scoring leaders this season for the Tri County Midget Division Yellow squad.

Showing plenty of firepower with no less than eight double figure goal scorers in the lineup, the Tri County Midget Division Yellow team recently competed a very successful second straight title season.

Tri County went 18-1-1 in Empire Amateur Hockey League competition capturing the regular season championship for the second year in a row.

Compiling a 26-3-3 overall record, Tri County also took top honors at the season ending David Bigelow Memorial Tournament.

Patrick Ricker led Tri County in goal production with 64.

John Pilon was second in the scoring parade with 36 as Ryan Wells netted 22, Zack Geitner 17, James Hapeman 15, Jake Esposito 13 and Ian McGraw 11.

Defensively, Nick Ray registered 4 shutouts in goal.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – First team honorees include, from left, Brittney Marks (Kendall), Ella Lewis (Lyndonville) and Olivia Radford (Holley).

The first team of the annual Orleans HUB girls basketball All-Star team includes Albion senior Paige Derisley and junior Honesty Little, Holley senior Olivia Radford, Kendall senior Brittney Marks and Lyndonville sophomore Ella Lewis.

Derisley scored 175 points (9.7 average) and had 40 steals and 39 rebounds while Little had 145 points (8.5 ave.), 135 rebounds and 25 steals.

Marks scored 148 points (7.0 ave.) and had 147 rebounds, 79 steals and 62 assists.

Albion’s first team honorees, Honesty Little, left, and Paige Derisley

Radford tallied 244 points (11.6 ave.) and had 62 rebounds and 57 steals.

Lewis led Lyndonville in scoring with 279 points (13.9 ave.).

Receiving Honorable Mention to the All-Star squad are Barker junior Sydnie Luckman, Roy-Hart juniors Shelby Wolf and Rileigh McCabe, Albion senior Kendall Derisley and sophomore Aly Knaak, Lyndonville freshman Lorelei Dillenbeck, Kendall sophomore Elizabeth Snyder, Holley junior Halee Passarell and Medina juniors Sarah Sones and Anya Bloom.

Luckman scored 249 point (13.8 ave.) and grabbed off 146 rebounds.

Wolf scored 218 points (10.9 average and had 193 rebounds and McCabe 168 points (8.4 ave.) and 160 rebounds.

Derisley had 103 points (6.0 ave.), 47 rebounds and 29 steals.  Knaak had 130 points (7.2 ave.), 97 rebounds and 43 steals.

Dillenbeck had 162 points (8.0 ave.), Passarell 132 points (6.2 ave.) 132 rebounds, 55 steals and 43 assists and Snyder 140 points (7.3 ave.) and 198 rebounds.

Sones had 270 rebounds and 119 points (5.6 points) and Bloom 131 points (5.9 ave.) and 92 rebounds.