Photo by Mike Wertman – New Holley boys varsity soccer Coach Josh Carpenter meets here with the Hawks’ five seniors. In front are Carson Moyer, Kohl Morgan and Brad Kingdollar. In back are Coach Carpenter, Malachi Rowclffe and Ethan Waldron.

Holley High graduate Josh Carpenter has taken over the boys varsity soccer team’s reins following the retirement  at the end of this past school year of long time Coach Dan Orbaker who had guided the Hawks for over 30 years.

“It feels good to be able to coach at the school where you played, not many get that kind of an opportunity,” said Carpenter who played for Orbaker during the mid 1990’s graduating in 1996.

Holley, which went 10-6-2 overall last fall, returns a good nucleus including seniors Brad Kingdollar, Carson Major, Kohl Morgan, Malachi Rowcliffe and Ethan Waldron along with a number of juniors including KJ Biedlingmaier, Nathan Nothnagle, Kayden Servais, Charlie Turpyn and Evan Valentine.

Servais had 7 goals and Morgan 5 goals and 4 assists last year.

“We’re looking to play good fundamental soccer,” said Carpenter whose Hawks will begin league competition at Pembroke on September 4.

Schedule
September: 4 – at Pembroke, 4:30 p.m., 10 – at Perry, 6:30 p.m.; 12 – at Byron-Bergen/Elba, 6:30 p.m.; 14 – Perry, 6:30 p.m.; 16 – at Attica, 4:30 p.m.; 18 – Kendall, 6:30 p.m.; 20 – Pembroke, 6:30 p.m.; 24 – Wheatland-Chili, 6:30 p.m.; 26 – Bryon-Bergen/Elba, 6:30 p.m.; 28 – Albion, 4:30 p.m.
October: 2 – Attica, 6:30 p.m.; 4 – at Kendall, 6:30 p.m.; 5 – at Albion, 6:30 p.m.; 7 – at Alden, 7 p.m.; 11 – Roy-Hart, 6:30 p.m.; 18 – at Wheatland-Chili, 6:30 p.m.

Contributed Photo – Sean Reynolds after a two-run home run in the 8th inning for Batavia.

BATAVIA – For the better part of eight innings Thursday night, the Batavia Muckdogs were in danger dropping out of first place.

Enter the power of Nic Ready and Sean Reynolds.

After a Troy Johnston’s RBI single gave Batavia a 5-4 lead, Ready blasted a two-run double followed by a 418-foot home run by Reynolds to center field.

Batavia (36-29) scored seven runs and went on to win, 9-5.

West Virginia fell to Auburn, 5-2 to drop to 34-29, one game behind Batavia. State College is 33-32 and three back.

Batavia and State College play again tonight at 7:05 p.m.

The Muckdogs trailed, 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth when Ready crushed his eighth home run of the season to left field. The ball left the yard in such a hurry the left fielder never moved.

Ready finished with 4 RBI’s, and he returned from the New York-Penn League All-Star Game with six other teammates before the game.

“We are used to it, we like to think jet-lag is not a thing. We show up and play the game,” said Ready. “We got some good rest, got some fluids in us, hydrated and go get them tonight.

“We knew we were in the lineup, we were at the all-star game for a reason so we might as well show it at our home field,” Ready added.

Down 4-2 in the 8th, Ready, a 2019 Miami Marlins draft pick out of the U.S. Air Force,  said the attitude was to win.

“We have a saying, ‘Dogs, Never Die,’ we are always in a fight, especially on our home turf, anything can happen,” Ready said. “A team could take the lead, we put up seven runs late and come up to win it. We love playing at home, a lot of fans came out and we appreciate it.”

The Muckdogs then played some outstanding defense as State College was threatening in the top of the sixth. Moises Castillo singled and Batavia centerfielder Milton Smith fired the ball to Muckdogs first baseman Sean Reynolds who alertly went to second base to nab Castillo. Second baseman Andrew Turner tagged him out then fired to Nic Ready at third base to get David Vinsky who originally was trying to score.

On the mound for Batavia, Jackson Rose started and struck out one in 4.1 innings, then Joniker Villalobos struck out two in one inning. Jeremy Galindez tossed 2.1 innings of one-run ball with two strikeouts. With runners on and State College leading 4-2, Edison Suriel came on and got a strikeout to end the seventh.

Suriel stayed in for the win, improving to 3-2 and he went 1.1 innings striking out three.

Contributed Photo – Aidan Papaj

Aidan Papaj of Medina played in the Baseball Youth All-American Baseball national tournament again this summer. He went to Ocean City Maryland August 16-19th.

Papaj played for the 2027 BY Liberty and the team went 4-1 (3-0 in pool play and 1-1 in playoffs) on the weekend only losing in the finals and finishing in second place. He played second base, shortstop and pitched throughout the tournament.  He also placed 4th (out of 40 players) in the Home Run Derby  Sunday night in the 2027 age group. He hit 11 home runs earning 19 points.

Over this summer Papaj also played travel baseball for the Lockport ANJO Bombers 10u which went 33-12.

The Bombers placed second in the Darien Lake Tournament in May and placed first in the Battle of the Falls Tournament early in June. The first game of that tournament, Papaj pitched a perfect game striking out 7 batters with the team going 5-0 on the weekend.  They also won the WNY Boys of Summer Kick Off Tournament and won the Gold division in the Grand Island Tournament. He plays outfield and pitches for the Bombers.

Papaj also played for the North Tonawanda Americans 9u travel team which compiled a 23-9-2 record on the season.  The Americans placed first in the Orchard Park Tournament, second in the Grand Island Tournament and second in the Boys of Summer Kick Off Tournament also.  In the NY State Tournament Field Day, he  came in first place in the 9u Home run Derby.  For the Americans he is a pitcher and short stop.

Photo by Mike Wertman – Leading defending champion Albion into the upcoming Niagara-Orleans soccer season will be this large goup of veterans. In front are Alexis Creasey, Abbie Pappalardo, Kendall Derisley and Kaitlyn Kinter. In back are Claire Squicciarini, Abby Scanlan, Nicolina Creasey, Paige Derisley, Mariah Plain, Leah Pritchard and Aly Knaak.

Looking to keep the momentum from last year’s league championship and sectional final campaign, the Albion girls soccer team returns a large veteran contingent of 11 players.

Last fall, Albion, which claimed the Niagara-Orleans League title with a 10-0 record, went on to reach the Section VI Class B1 finals for the second year in a row compiling a 17-1-1 overall record.

The Purple Eagles large veteran group includes seniors Mariah Plain (Midfield/Forward), Alexis Creasey (Defender/Midfield), Kaitlyn Kinter (Midfield), Abbie Pappalardo (Midfield), Kendall Derisley (Midfield) and Paige Derisley (Defender/Midfield) along with junior Claire Squicciarini (Midfield/Forward) and sophomores Nicolina Creasey (Midfield), Abby Scanlan (Midfield/Forward), Leah Pritchard (Defender) and Aly Knaak (Defender).

Plain and Paige Derisley both earned first team N-O All-League honors while Scanlan, Kendall Derisley and Squicciarini all earned second team honors and Alexis Creasey and Pritchard were Honorable Mention picks.

Scanlan had a team leading 17 goals and 6 assists last season while Plain had 4 goals and 6 assists, Kendall Derisley 4 goals and 5 assists and Squicciarini 3 goals and 4 assists.

However, the Purple Eagles do have one key hole to fill as goalie Sydney Mulka, who earned first team N-O honors last season as a sophomore, is out due to an injury.

“Filling the goalie position will be key for us,” said Coach Maggie Orbaker. “We do have a strong nucleus though with way more experience than the last two years and they’ve worked so hard in the off season.”

The Purple Eagles graduation losses included midfielders Brylie Hapeman (15 goals, 17 assists), Lexi Wolck (7 goals, 5 assists) and defender Sarah Gregori. Hapeman and Wolck were both first team N-O All-League honorees and Gregori an Honorable Mention selection.

Albion will compete in the Holley and Kendall tournaments before beginning its N-O title defense on September 9 against Newfane.

Schedule
August: 29 vs. Honeoye at Holley Tournament, 4:30 p.m.; 31 – at Holley Tournament
September: 5 – vs. Kendall at Kendall Tournament, 7 p.m.; 7 – at Kendall Tournament; 9 – Newfane, 6:45 p.m.; 12 – at Wilson, 4:30 p.m.; 16 – Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m.; 18 – Barker, 6:30 p.m.; 21 – Akron, 6:30 p.m.; 24 – at Roy-Hart, 6:30 p.m.; 27 – at Akron, 4:30 p.m.
October: 1 – at Newfane, 4:30 p.m.; 3 – Wilson, 4:30 p.m.; 5 – Roy-Hart, 7 p.m.; 9 – at Barker, 4:30 p.m.; 17 – vs. Keshequa at GCC, 7 p.m.

BATAVIA – Thanks to a rain delay, seven members of the Batavia Muckdogs may be a little tired tonight as they host State College at 7:05 p.m. to open a six-game home stand that could decide the playoffs.

The players were in the New York-Penn League All-Star game Wednesday night.

Batavia (35-29) and West Virginia (34-28) are tied at the top of the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division with tonight’s opponent, State College, in third two games back at 33-31.

The games Thursday, Friday and Saturday are at 7:05 p.m. On Sunday at 5:05 p.m. starts the series with Williamsport. The two teams play at 7:05 p.m. on Monday and 11:05 a.m. on Tuesday.

Wednesday night at the NYPL All-Star Game in Staten Island, Batavia’s J.D. Orr and Milton Smith II put the game away early with their hitting, defense and speed.

Orr started the game with a sharp single, then went to second when a pitch just got past a catcher. He scored on a basest for a 1-0 lead for the Blue team.

Milton Smith II doubled in the second then with two outs had a head-first slide to score on a single. He also made a catch by the wall in left field to preserve the shutout.

Julio Frias threw a scoreless inning, Josh Simpson was perfect with a strikeout in his outing, earning a hold, as did Brock Love as the Blue team won, 7-3.

Contributed Photos – Hickory Ridge’s Senior champions included, from left, John True, Linda Chrzan, Laurie Freeman and Raymond Daniels.

The Hickory Ridge Golf Association recently held their Senior Club Championships.  Men and women were in the Senior division (55-65 years old) and Super Senior division (65 and older).

Low Gross in the Women’s Senior division was Laurie Freeman with a 93.  Low net in that division was Dona Hazen with a 70.

In the Super Senior division Linda Chrzan took honors with a 90.  Cindy Roberts posted the low net of 64.

In the Men’s Senior Division John True shot a 76 to take that title.  Low net was Loyd Denniston with a 74.

Raymond Daniels took the Super Senior low gross with a 79 while shooting his age!  Craig Hazen came in second with an 84.  Roger Rush had low net honors with a 63 followed closely by Larry Powers and Tom (Dobber) Dobson with a 69.

The full Club Championship was postponed due to the inclement weather last weekend.  A makeup date has not been determined.

Photo by Mike Wertman – Anchoring the lineup for defending league champion Barker are these veteran players who earned spots on the Niagara-Orleans All-League squad. In front are Lena Fazzolari, Madison Gancasz and Ciara Gregori. In back are Katrina Clare, Kaedynce Schumacher, Natalie Bruning, Emily Wagner and Rachel Hurtgam.

Returning a large contingent of 15 players, Barker is prepping to defend its Niagara-Orleans League and Section VI Class C field hockey titles.

Senior attackers Katrina Clare and Ciara Gregorie, along with junior midfielder Madison Gancasz, who all earned first team N-O All-League honors head that veteran group which also includes second team All-League honorees senior attacker Rachel Hurtgam, junior midfielder Lena Fazzolari and sophomore midfielder Kaedynce Schumacher and Honorable Mention selections senior attacker Emily Wagner and junior attacker Natalie Bruning.

Clare scored 30 goals last season and Hurtgam 12.

The Lady Raiders large returning group also includes senior defenders Brianna Bachman and Ella Fox, junior goalie/defenders Courtney Hillman and Megan Hotaling, junior defender Ella Gooding and freshmen defender/midfielders Ashlin Cole and Aaliyah Wheat.

Barker’s only graduation losses were goalie Paige Sandolfini and defender Erin Costello.

“All of our offense is back and I’m most excited about that and hopefully that translates into some success,” said Coach Jeff Costello. “We hope to build on what we did last year but you certainly can’t rest on what you did last year. We were young on defense and at midfield last year and they gained valuable experience so hopefully those parts of our game will be shored up this year.”

Barker went 11-1 in capturing the N-O title and finished with a 17-4 overall record after winning both the Section VI and Far West Regional Class C titles before bowing in the state semis.

The Lady Raiders will open their N-O title defense at Medina on September 3. The early eason schedule will also be highlighted by their annual trip to Pennsylvania to take on large schools Lebanon and Upper St. Claire.

Schedule
September: 3 – at Medina, 7 p.m.; 7 – at Mt. Lebanon, Pa., 12 p.m.; 8 – at Upper St. Claire, Pa., 11 a.m.; 10 – at Wilson, 4:45 p.m.; 12 – Akron, 4:45 p.m.; 17 – Kenmore, 5 p.m.; 19 – at Newfane, 4:45 p.m.; 20 – at Clarence, 4:45 p.m.; 24 – Roy-Hart, 4:45 p.m.; 26 – Medina, 4:45 p.m.; 27 – Sacred Heart, 6:30 p.m.
October: 3 – Wilson, 4:45 p.m.; 8 – at Akron, 4:45 p.m.; 10 – at Kenmore, 6:30 p.m.; 15 – Newfane, 4:45 p.m.; 17 – at Roy-Hart, 4:45 p.m.

In the Thursday Night Mens’ Traveling League at Hickory Ridge the team of Mike Dillon and Jim Peglow still lead with 216 points.  Loyd Denniston and Don Draper take second with 190 points and Chris Barry and Jake Froman are close behind with 188 points.  Rounding out the top five are Dean Dibley and Ben Flansberg with 178 points and Wes Bedford and Zach Burgess at 174.

Forty three seemed to be the popular score for low gross with Patrick Drury, Dave Fisher, AJ Gifaldi, Guy Eaton, Chris Barry and Jake Froman all posting the score.  Low net was Drury with a 30.  Cedrik Soria led birdie makers with two.

The Tuesday Night Ladies Night Out League has the team of Laurie Freeman and Linda Chrzan leading with 77 points.  Cheryl Ferguson and  Vicki Braun take second at 74 points.  Deb Wood and Jan Palmer hold down third with 70.5 points and Deb Birkins and Parry Pfister are in fourth with 67.

Summer league nights are coming to an end and league secretaries are reminded to get results in as soon as possible after playing.  Fall Bocce Ball leagues are now forming. Two person Tuesday Night League and a Four Person Sunday League are now forming.  For more information, call Hickory Ridge at 638-4653.

Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Leading Kendall into the upcoming soccer season will be this quartet of seniors. From left, are Katie Pearson, Hailee Mitchell, Lizzie Sutphen and Olivia Reed.

A year ago an underclassmen dominated Kendall girls soccer squad jelled in postseason play reeling off seven straight pressure victories to capture the school’s first state championship.

With that now veteran lineup returning virtually intact, the Lady Eagles are taking aim at earning Genesee Region League, Section V and state honors.

“Last year was a surprising season with the young team we had. They learned so much being in high pressure situations and being able to rise to the occasion at such an early age,” said Coach Pam Barchet. “Now our goal is to put out our best effort to repeat. We know we’ll have a target on our back especially with the entire team back and we don’t take anything for granted. Nothing will come easy but I think we’re up to the challenge and a tough G-R League will help get us ready for the postseason.”

The senior quartet of midfielder Hailee Mitchell, defender Lizzie Sutphen, goalie Katie Pearson and defender Olivia Reed head the Lady Eagles veteran squad which also includes juniors Madison Jacob (Midfield), Kari Harrier (Defender), Lizzy Woodams (Forward) and Brianna Wakefield (Midfielder) along with sophomores T’Mia Kitchings (Defender), Julie Coble (Defender), Grace Robinson (Midfield), Kiersten Rodas (Defender), Alezya Brown (Forward), Grace Levett (Midfield) and Kailie Regan (Forward/Goalie).

Mitchell led the team in scoring with 30 goals as Levett had 11, Brown and Wakefield 9 and Woodams 6.

Mitchell and Sutphen both earned first team Class D All-State honors while Jacob was second team and Wakefield 4th team. Mitchell was also named Class D Player of the Year and Barchet was named Coach of the Year.

Sutphen and Mitchell were also both G-R All-Stars as Wakefield, Levett, Kitchings and Pearson all earned Honorable Mention

Kendall will open the G-R season at home against Oakfield-Alabama/Elba on August 28. The Lady Eagles will then host their annual tournament on September 5 and 7. The opening round will have York vs. Bishop Kearney and Albion vs. Kendall.

Schedule
August: 28 – Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, 4:30 p.m.
September: 5 and 7 – Kendall Tournament, 9 – at Alexander, 4:30 p.m.. 11 – at Pembroke, 6:30 p.m..13 – Attica, 6:30 p.m., 19 – at Wheatland-Chili, 6:30 p.m., 23 – Byron-Bergen, 6:30 p.m., 25 – at Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m.,  28 – Newark, 12 p.m., 30 – Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m.
October: 3 – Pembroke, 4:30 p.m., 7 – Holley, 6:30 p.m., 9 – Alexander, 6:30 p.m., 11 – at Oakfield-Alabama/Elba, 4:30 p.m.; 16 – Lyndonville/Medina, 6:30 p.m.

NILES, Ohio – The Batavia Muckdogs used a balk and a 3-run home run to hold off Mahoning Valley, 8-6 on Monday night.

Meanwhile in West Virginia, the host Black Bears fell to Williamsport, 8-7 in extra innings. As a result, Batavia (35-29) and West Virginia (34-28) are tied at the top of the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division heading into the all-star break.

The break won’t be relaxing for the Muckdogs as they have an NYPL high seven players and three starters in the game on Wednesday at Staten Island.

On Monday night, Batavia trailed 2-0 to Mahoning Valley, a team that won four straight and was not allowing Batavia on the scoreboard.

Batavia shortstop Dalvy Rosario hit one of the biggest home runs of the season in the top of the third, a 3-run home run to give Batavia the lead.

With the scored tied, 4-4 in the top of the seventh, J.D. Orr coaxed a balk, his eighth of the season as a runner causing a balk, allowing Albert Guaimaro to score the go-ahead run. While Mahoning Valley would stick around, Joey Steele and Evan Brabrand shut the door for the win and the save respectively.

Steele improved to 2-0 on his solid season, as he threw 2.1 innings of shut out ball, striking out four and giving up just two hits.

Steele, an all-star selection and 30th round draft pick of the Miami Marlins out of University of San Francisco, lowered his ERA to 1.59. He has thrown 17 innings and walked just three wile striking out 28.

Meanwhile, Brabrand, who has made a final-score impact in the stats in every game he has pitched in but one (that was a perfect inning), had a new roll on Monday.

Batavia manager Tom Lawless, looking to stop Mahoning Valley’s win streak and Batavia’s losing streak, brought Brabrand in with two outs in the eighth. The 6-3 righty closer out of Liberty where he was a 9th round pick of the Marlins, hit the first batter in the ninth, but got a double play to end the game.

Brabrand now has 12 saves on the season and a 3-1 record in 17 games. He has struck out 21 in 17 innings, walked just one and given up just three runs for a 1.59 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP.

Josh Simpson picked up his sixth hold of the season striking out one while Andrew Miller had the start and struck out five over 4.1 innings.

Rosario, just 19 and a Marlins signing out of the Dominican Republic, is 10-for-23 (.435) in his last six games. In addition to his second home run of the season, he also crushed his 13th double of the season, scored twice, had the 3 RBI’s and a walk.

J.D. Orr, who will start in left in the all-star game, increased his NYPL leading average to .387 going 2-for-4 with a RbI and run.

Troy Johnston had a hit and a RBI while Nic Ready and Guaimaro each had a single, Sean Reynolds walked and scored, Harrison Dinicola had two hits and scored and Jack Strunc had a double and a run. Catcher Dustin Skelton also had a RBI singe and scored a run for Batavia.

The all-stars for the Muckdogs are Ready, Orr, Johnston, Milton Smith II, and pitchers Julio Frias, Brock Love and Josh Simpson.

The game is hosted by the Staten Island Yankees and starts at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Just one game separates seven teams fighting for four spots in the NYPL playoffs.

The Muckdogs return home on Thursday for three straight crucial home games at 7:05 p.m. each night against State College, then three more home games against Williamsport.