Local Sports

Tri County Squirt hockey team earns Silver Medal in tournament at Lake Placid

Contributed Story Posted 17 February 2019 at 8:13 pm

Contributed Photo – The Tri-County Youth Hockey Squirt Travel team recently earned a Silver Medal in the U-10 Ice Hockey competition at the 2019 Empire State Winter Games in Lake Placid. The Gold Medal game was played in the hallowed Herb Brooks Arena where the 1980 U.S. Olympic Men’s Hockey Team won the Gold Medal, beating Finland after eliminating the U.S.S.R. in the semi-final round in the game known as the “Miracle on Ice”. This Tri-County Eagles team currently has a record of 26-3-1. This team went undefeated during divisional play until the final game of the season, where they lost a hard fought game 4-2. Team members are: David Blahowicz (Forward), Braden Burr (Defender), Jonathan Esposito (F), Anthony Ferris (D), Cole Laffin (F), Kyle LaForce (D), Andrew Lamberton (F), Noah Moore (F), Ethan Page (Goalie), Wyatt Pentz (F), Sammy Schultz (F), and Andie Ipen Van Zeilen (D). The team is coached by Head Coach Rich Esposito, Assistant Coach Tom Ferris and Assistant Coach Darryl LaForce and is managed by Stacey Esposito. 

Tri County Midget hockey team places fourth in tournament at Pittsburgh

Contributed Story Posted 17 February 2019 at 8:10 pm

The Tri County Midget hockey team earned fourth place honors at the Three Rivers Cup tournament held this weekend at Pittsburgh.

Rebounding from an opening round loss on Friday, Tri County defeated the Lexington, Kentucky Thoroughbreds 5-0 on Saturday on first period goals by Josh Gimeli and Josh Wood and third period tallies by Patrick Ricker, Matt Nielson and Aaron Sheflin.

Tri County then lost 7-2 to the Freemont, Virginia Ice Wolves later Saturday and 8-2 to the Viper Stars from Pittsburgh today.  Ricker and Gimeli both scored goals against Freemont as did David Archibald and Nielson against the Viper Stars.

Now at 18-6-2 overall, Tri County begins league playoff competition next weekend.

Townsend to play field hockey at Brockport

Contributed Story Posted 17 February 2019 at 9:00 am

Contributed Photo – Roy- Hart senior Jayden Townsend recently signed a Letter of Intent to continue her education and her field hockey career at SUNY Brockport where she will major in Nursing. Shown here, from left, are Aunt Randi Scholes who is a Brockport field hockey alum, Adella Dukes, RJ Townsend, Tim and Sharon Albone, her father RJ Townsend, Jayden Townsend, her stepmother Erin Townsend, Max Townsend, Terri and Fran Mosher and Victoria and David Graham.

RBM icers win to advance to sectional finals

Contributed Story Posted 17 February 2019 at 8:57 am

For the second night in a row, the Roy-Hart/Barker/Medina/Akron Club hockey team defeated Iroquois- Alden by the identical score of 6-1 on Saturday propelling the team back to the sectional club championship title game which they won last year.

This year’s title contest will be Monday evening, February 25th at the Key Bank Arena in Buffalo against ELPS (Eden- Lake Shore- Pioneer- Springville) beginning at 8 p.m.

Once again, RBM was able to combine all three aspects of the game in a winning effort against Iroquois-Alden.

The defense, again led by Tom Paisley (R-H), Colin Dodge (R-H), Jacob Harris (B) and Trevor Crawford (Ak), controlled the back part of the ice, while the excellent  goal tending by Andrew Warner (Tonawanda) stifled the Iroquois skaters the entire evening.

Offensively, RBM took the lead at the 12 minute point of the opening period on a power play goal by Dylan Krzykowski (Ak) with assists by Dominic Peracciny (R-H) and Jason Kuchey (R-H).  Iroquois tied the game shortly after, but Michael Kuchey answered back with a goal giving RBM the lead for good off assists from Peracciny and Dodge.

Two more goals were scored in the second period by Jason Kuchey from Michael Kuchey and Krzykowski and by Paisley from Michael Kuchey and Peracciny.

The scoring in the final period was by Michael Kuchey from Peracciny and Krzykowski, and Drew Marsh (Ak) from Michael Kuchey.

Albion to host sectional twin bill Tuesday

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 16 February 2019 at 3:27 pm

The Albion boys and girls basketball teams will both open Section VI Class B1 basketball playoff competition at home with a doubleheader on Tuesday.

The No. 11 seed Albion boys will open the twin bill at 5 p.m. by hosting No. 14 Alden. The winner will visit No. 6 Newfane on Wednesday.

The No. 6 Albion girls will then host No. 11 Newfane at 7 p.m. The Purple Eagles downed the Lady Panthers twice during the Niagara-Orleans League season. The victor will then face the winner of Tuesday’s No. 14 Fredonia at No. 3 Springville contest on Thursday.

The No. 7 Medina girls will also open Class B1 competition at home on Tuesday as the Mustangs host No. 10 Tonawanda at 7 p.m. The winner will visit No. 2 East Aurora on Thursday.

The N-O champion Medina boys squad is seeded No. 1 in Class B1. The Mustangs will host the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 9 Fredonia and No. 8 Depew in a quarterfinal contest on Saturday.

The No. 12 Roy-Hart girls will visit No. 5 Akron in Class B2 at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The Lady Tigers downed the Lady Rams twice during the N-O season. The winner will visit No. 4 Southwestern on Thursday.

The No. 11 Roy-Hart boys squad will visit No. 6 JFK at 7 p.m. Wednesday with the victor visiting No. 3 Olmsted on Saturday.

Also in the B2 boys competition, No. 4 Wilson will host a quarterfinal game on Saturday against the winner of the No. 12 Eden vs. No. 5 Southwestern contest.

In the girls B2 playoffs, No. 2 Wilson will host a Thursday contest agains the winner of Tuesday’s No. 10 Gowanda vs. No. 7 Allegany-Limestone contest.

In the boys Class C2 playoffs, No. 10 Barker visits No. 7 Riverside on Wednesday.

Wolverines blitz past Purple Eagles

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 16 February 2019 at 2:54 pm

Photos by Chery Wertman – Albion’s Bryce Pritchard looks to put up a shot against Buffalo Science defender Ibrahim Osmani during the host Purple Eagles loss to the Wolverines this afternoon.

Ignited by a barrage of eight early threes, Buffalo Science roared out to a commanding 22 point first quarter lead in route to posting a 90-62 win over host Albion this afternoon in a non league regular season ending boys basketball game.

Justin Hunt hit three threes and Vote Wavote and Sean Johnson both had two to help spark the Wolverines out to a huge 36-14 lead at the end of the decisive opening quarter. Johnson had a total of 12 points and Wavote 10 in the stanza.

Albion’s Kevin Hillman puts up a shot as Jeremy Mckitchin of Buffalo Science tries to block.

The Wolverines enjoyed a 26 point, 53-27, lead at the half as Jeremy Mckitchin scored nine, including a three.

The Wolverines, who hit a total of 15 threes on the day, boosted the advantage to 37, 78-41 at the three-quarter mark as Johnson erupted for 16 in the third period including four threes.

Johnson finished with a game high 34 as Wavote had 19 and Hunt and Mckitchin 11 each.

Bryce Pritchard led Albion with 20, including 9 of 10 from the three throw line, as Deyonci Farley and Liam Ward both added 9, Kevin Hillman and Brilliance Johnson  7, Vincent Zona 5, Xavier Cornick 3 and Michael DiCureia 2. Ward had three threes.

RBM wins hockey playoff opener

Contributed Story Posted 16 February 2019 at 2:48 pm

The RoyHart/Barker/Medina/Akron Club Hockey team opened defense of their sectional championship Friday night in West Seneca with a 6-1 win over Iroquois/ Alden.

The Akron portion of the team accounted for all of the goals and four of the six assists.

Iroquois scored the first goal of the game, but RBM tied the score on a goal by Nick Wood with assists from Dylan Krzykowski and Drew Marsh (AK).

That was the end of the scoring for Iroquois as the defense of Tom Paisley (R-H), Jason Kuchey (R-H), Colin Dodge (R-H) and Jacob Harris (B) shut them down and the spectacular performance in goal by Tyler Lehan (Grand Island) insured that the game belonged to RBM.

RBM lengthened the lead to 3-1 in the second period on two goals by Krzykowski with both assists going to Kuchey.

The final period was more of the same as both Krzykowski and Wood completed their hat tricks and Marsh and Kyzrkowski both added assists.

The best of three series continues this evening in Lockport with the first game at 7:20 p.m. and another game, if needed, to follow.

Tri County icers bow in tourney opener

Contributed Story Posted 15 February 2019 at 9:24 pm

The Tri County Midget hockey team dropped a 4-1 decision to the Blue mountain Bears this evening in the opening round of the Three Rivers Cup Tournament at Pittsburgh.

Jake Esposito scored the lone goal for Tri County which will play two games tomorrow and one on Sunday in the tourney.

Lady Eagles best host Lady Tigers

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 15 February 2019 at 9:05 pm

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall’s Katie Pearson looks to put up a shot against Lyndonville defender Kaylee Nesbitt as Alezya Brown moves in during the Lady Eagles win over the host Lady Tigers this evening.

Completing a home and home season series sweep, Kendall downed host Lyndonville 33-24 this evening to close out the Genesee Region League girls basketball season.

Jenna Regan led Kendall with 11 points as Brittney Marks, Lizzie Sutphen and Elizabeth Snyder each added 6, Kaitlyn Gregory 3 and Alezya Brown 1.

Alecia Hinkson scored 9 and Anna Lewis 8 for Lyndonville as Stacey Buckland added 3 and Kaylee Nesbitt and Savannah Poler 2 each.

Kendall’s Lizzie Sutphen drives against Lyndonville defender Anna Lewis.

Lyndonville did jump out to a 7-1 lead at the outset as Lewis hit a three and Poler added a jumper.

However, Kendall answered right back with an 8-0 run to close the period, including two jumpers by Regan and one by Snyder, to rally into a 9-7 lead.

Lyndonville did pull back into a 9-9 tie early in the second period on a bucket by Nesbitt but the Lady Tigers could not find the range again for the rest of the quarter,

Kendall regained a 15-9 lead at the half on two baskets by Regan and one by Marks.

The Lady Eagles maintained a four point, 23-19, advantage at the three-quarter mark on a three by Sutphen and jumpers by Marks and Snyder.

Hinkson tallied 8 in the stanza to keep the Lady Tigers close.

A free throw by Hinkson cut the deficit to three, 23-20, at the outset of the final period but Lyndonville would get no closer as the Lady Tigers could not score a field goal until less than a minute remained.

Kendall answered with  9-1 run over the next six minutes, including jumpers by Regan, Sutphen, Snyder and Gregory, to put a firm lock on the win.

The Lady Eagles, which also downed Lyndonville 40-28 early in the season at Kendall, finish the regular season at 5-14 and the Lady Tigers at 4-16.

Kendall next visits Mt. Morris in the opening round of the Section V Class D1 playoffs next Tuesday while Lyndonville begins Class C3 playoff competition as Caledonia-Mumford next Wednesday, both at 7 p.m.

Nardin 44, Medina 37

Trailing 31-28 at the three-quarter mark, Nardin put together a 16-6 fourth quarter scoring surge to down host Medina 44-37 in a non league game.

Maddie Williams scored 9, Camri King 8, Kharise Johnson 7 and Anya Bloom 6 for Medina which led 10-2 after one period and 21-13 at the half.

Roy-Hart to host Maryvale

Roy-Hart will host Maryvale in a non league Senior Night game at 6 p.m. Monday.

Lyndonville’s Alecia Hinkson tries to drive against Kendall’s Brittney Marks.

No. 2 seeded Tigers to open playoffs at home

By Mike Wertman, Sports Writer Posted 15 February 2019 at 5:40 pm

A 17-3 regular season record has earned Lyndonville the No.2 seed and a home game for the upcoming quarterfinal round of the Section V Class C3 boys basketball playoffs.

The Tigers will host the quarterfinal game at 7 p.m. February 22 against the winner of the opening round contest between No. 7 HAC (9-11) and No. 10 Bolivar-Richburg (5-15).

In Class C1, No. 13 Holley (3-17) will visit No. 4 Avon (15-5) in the opening round at 7 p.m. February 19.

In Class D1, No. 9 Kendall (8-12) will visit No. 8 Alfred-Almond (11-9) at 7 p.m. February 20. The winner will visit top seeded Avoca (18-2) on February 23.