The Roy-Hart/Barker/Medina  (RBM) Club Hockey team opened the season Saturday evening with a home ice victory over ELPS (Eden/Lake Shore/Pioneer/Springville) 3-2.

ELPS came to town having earned a 6-2 win over St. Mary’s the previous evening.  They are also the reigning Club Mixed School Sectional Champions from last year.

ELPS took a 1-0 lead with 8 minutes left in the first period on a power play.  Jason Kuchey (R-H) scored for RBM with a goal after taking the puck from end to end unassisted  near the end of that period.

 In the second, ELPS again took the lead 2-1 and that held until the final stanza when again Kuchey scored with as assist from Jacob Harris (Barker).

With 7:55 left in the game, newcomer Matthew Miller (Akron) scored the game winner unassisted.

Andrew Warner (Tonawanda) played a strong game in goal for RBM.  The team also welcomed two new players this week, Dayton Ruppel (Akron) and Joel Harris (Barker).  Both are Eighth graders.

RBM’s next contest is Wednesday evening in Depew against Orchard Park at 8PM.

Staying perfect at 6-0, the Niagara County Community College women’s basketball team downed visiting Kalamazoo Valley Community College 91-60 this afternoon.

Newfane graduate Paige Emborsky had 12 points, 4 rebounds and 4 steals for NCCC which also got point production from Albion grads Sierra Newton (4 points, 4 rebounds) and Caitlynn Snook (2 points, 2 rebounds).

Molly Mahony and Alaina Forbes each scored 21 points to lead the Thunderwolves.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Barker’s Lena Fazzolari passes the ball as Bronxville’s Sunday Ladas tries to defend. The action took place during the Lady Raiders loss to the Broncos this afternoon in the state Class C semifinals on the blue turf at Alden.

Unable to get untracked offensively, Barker dropped a 2-0 decision to Bronxville (Section I) in the semifinals of the state Class C field hockey championships this afternoon on the blue turf field at Alden High School.

Bronxville, which had a 14-0 advantage in shots and a 5-0 edge in penalty corner opportunities in the first half, scored what proved to be the game winner on a goal by Julia Widen with 10:55 to go in the half.

Barker’s Madison Gancasz tries to keep the ball away from Bronxville’s Hannah Bishop.

Controlling play throughout, the Broncos, which finished with a whopping 22-1 advantage in shots, later netted the clincher on another goal by Widen with 18:08 to go in the second half.

Barker had five corner opportunities in the second half but couldn’t capitalize as three of them came in the final flour minutes.

“It seemed like they had 15 players out there. They were just all over us,” said Barker Coach Jeff Costello. “They moved very well and passed the ball very well. We just struggled to get possession and when we did get opportunities we just couldn’t do much.”

Barker’s Katrina Clare was named to the Class C All-Tournament team.

Barker, which was appearing in the state semis for the second year in a row and the sixth time since 2000, finishes the season at 17-4.

Bronxville, which improves to 16-3-2, will now face Johnstown for the Class C title at 10 a.m. Sunday at Alden.  Johnstown nipped Carle Place 3-2 in the other semifinal scoring the game winner with just three seconds to go in the 7 on 7 10 minute overtime period.

(Click here to see video from some of the action during the second half of the game.)

Barker’s Serena Harris tries to split the Bronxville defense.

Barker’s Ciara Gregoire sends the ball away from a Bronxville defender.

The Niagara-Orleans League and Section VI champion Newfane girls cross-country team placed third in the state Class C championship race today at SUNY Plattsburgh.

Newfane garnered 104 points on the day to finish behind champion Camden (Section III) 75 points and runner-up Greenwich (Section II) 77 points.

Kylie Bowman led the way for Newfane with a 29th place finish as Catalena Ersing was 37th, Vanessa Burkard 40th, Lydia Chunco 45th, Leah Siegmann 53rd, Shelby Nerber 68th and Marina Ersing 70th.

Akron’s Lauren Wagner finished 14th and Roy-Hart’s Anna Rickard 32nd in the Class C race.

In the boys Class D race Barker’s Peter DiLorenzo finished 21st and his Raider teammate Mason Alee-Castro 51st.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion first team B3 Division All-Stars include, in front, Deyonci Farley, Cody Wilson and Michael DiCureia. In back are Kevin Hillman, Brillance Johnson, Thomas Furmanski and Tyray White.

B3 Division champion Albion has placed seven players on the first team of the division’s All-Star football squad.

The Purple Eagles are represented by quarterback/punter Thomas Furmanski, running backs Brillance Johnson and Tyray White, wide receiver Kevin Hillman, linebacker Deyonci Farley and linemen Michael DiCureia and Cody Wilson, all seniors.

Johnson was also named B3 Division Offensive Player of the Year.

Furmanski passed for 10 touchdowns, ran for 4 and kicked 2 field goals. Hillman hauled in 7 of those TD aerials.

White had 9 rushing touchdowns while Johnson and Farley both had 6.

Albion has placed five players on the second team including sophomore defensive end Jahmeek Riley, junior offensive linemen Will Freeman and Cameron Bell, junior wide receiver Bailey Blanchard and junior defensive back Chris Shabazz.

Three Purple Eagles received Honorable Mention including senior Bryce Kelly, junior Anthony Freeman and sophomore Tyler Gibson.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Breanda Johnson and Roy-Hart’s Maddie Ciemny have earned first team N-O All-League honors.

Co-champions Akron and Wilson have both placed two players on the first team of the Niagara-Orleans All-League volleyball squad.

Akron is represented by senior Madison Kaczmarek and sophomore Ella Hill and Wilson by senior Izabel Dinse and junior Madelyn Seeley. Dinse was named N-O player of the Year.

Akron and Wilson shared the N-O title with identical 9-1 records.

Rounding out the first team are Albion’s Breanda Johnson and Roy-Hart’s Maddie Ciemny, both seniors.

Medina and Roy-Hart are both represented by two players on the second team.

The Mustangs placed senior Elle Gross and junior Devin Griffin and the Lady Rams senior Jamie Seib and sophomore Marissa Scott.

Wilson senior Anna Frerichs and Akron freshman Elsie Logan complete the second team.

The following players, listed by school, received Honorable Mention.

Akron – Jessee Jonathan (Jr.), Sydney Hall (Jr.)

Albion – Logan Conlon (Jr.)

Newfane – Abby Boyer (So.), Alayna Ander (So.), Gena Shorter (So.)

Roy-Hart – Samantha Capen (Jr.)

Wilson – Anna Stevenson (Sr.), Megan Musall (Jr.)