Local swimmers placed in the top 10 in five events at the Section VI championships held Wednesday at the University at Buffalo.

Albion’s Matt Kovaleski placed sixth in the 100 Breaststroke to lead the local continent.

Kovaleski also teamed up with Thomas Furmanski, Sam Sanchez and Ryan Krenning to earn the Purple Eagles a sixth place in the 200 Medley Relay.

The Medina quartet of August Pietrafesa, Hunter Heil, Ray Paull and Isaac Pace took ninth place in the 200 Free Relay.

Heil also placed 10th in the 100 Backstroke as did Roy-Hart’s Carter Green in the 500 Free.

Contributed Photos – Colby Petrie, Medina and Mario Fidanza, Lyndonville

Two local wrestlers, Lyndonville junior Mario Fidanza (220) and Medina junior Colby Petrie (126), have earned wild card berths to the upcoming state championships.

Fidanza, who is 27-1, placed third and last weekend’s Section V championships while Petrie, who is 27-3, likewise placed third at the Section VI championships.

Three other Niagara-Orleans League wrestlers have also earned wild card berths including Millard Young (195) from Akron along with the Newfane duo of Ryan Nugent (145) and Ty Cassinelli (285).

The state championships will be held February 22 and 23 at Albany.

Having completed the regular season, the RoyHart/Barker/ Medina/ Akron Club Hockey team will open playoff competition with a best of three series against Iroquois- Alden begining at 9 .m. Friday at Leisure Rinks in West Seneca.

Although RBM played in the Large School Division for the regular season, they are once again competing as the No.1 seed in the Mixed School Division for the WNY Sectional Championship which they won last year in their inaugural season.

Iroquois- Alden competed in the Small School Division and compiled a 5-10-1 record.  The second and third game (if needed) will be played at Cornerstone Arena on Saturday evening beginning at 7:20 p.m.

RBM is led by Michael Kuchey with 13 goals, Jason Kuchey and Dyland Krzykowski with 12 goals each and Dominic Peracciny with 10 goals.  The defense is anchored by Tom Paisley and Colin Dodge, while the nets are ably defended by Tyler Lehan and Andrew Warner.

Improving to 3-0, the Medina High Unified Bowling team defeated visiting Depew 6-3 on Tuesday.

The Mustangs got strong efforts from  Steven Secore, Juliana Allis, Gracie Cogovan and Morgan Crossett.

Medina next faces Starpoint at Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport on Thursday.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Nathan Hydock puts up a shot against CG Finney defenders Caleb Anger and Josh Taylor during the host Tigers loss to the Falcons this evening.

There was no need for a shot clock in this fast paced, free wheeling contest as CG Finney bested host Lyndonville 88-71 in a non league boys basketball game this evening.

Keegan Ocorr tallied 24, Markus Robinson and Caleb Anger both added 21 and Xavier Smith 14 to lead the high scoring offense for Finney which improves to 16-3.

Lyndonville’s Nathan Dillenbeck shoots over Finney defender Xavier Smith.

Nathan Hydock took game high honors with 26 for Lyndonville which finishes the regular season at 17-3. Zach Johnson added 12, Nathan Dillenbeck 10, Nathan Poler 9, Matt Hess and Russell Stephens 5 and Devin Rounds 4 for the Tigers.

Setting the end to end action tone for the evening, Finney jumped out to a 25-12 first quarter lead as Robinson and Ocorr each scored 10.

The Falcons increased their advantage to 14, 51-37, at the half as Anger and Ocorr both had two threes and Robinson one in the stanza.

Dillenbeck had 8, including two threes, Hydock 6 and Poler 5, including a three, to keep the Tigers in contention.

However, Lyndonville would get no closer as Finney used a 25-17 third period scoring edge to extend the lead to 22, 76-54, at the three-quarter mark.

Anger scored 14, including four threes, and Smith 6 to lead the Falcons during that stretch while Hydock had 9 for the Tigers.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Gracie Johnson puts up a shot during the Lady Tigers home court win over CG Finney this evening as Alecia Hinkson moves in.

Snapping a lengthy losing streak, Lyndonville posted a 48-40 victory over visiting CG Finney this evening in a non league girls basketball game.

Anna Lewis scored 15 and Alecia Hinkson 14 to lead the way for Lyndonville as Gracie Johnson added 6, Kaylee Nesbitt and Karlee Rounds 4, Grace Hayes 2 and Prezli Silversmith and Danielle Weldon 1.

Lyndonville’s Savannah Poler brings the ball up court against Finney defender Grace Martin.

Gabby Ziegler took game high honros for Finney with 20.

Lyndonville jumped out to a 16-6 as Hinkson had a jumper a three and two free throws and Lewis a layup off a steal and a three.

Six players then contributed baskets for Lyndonville in the second quarter as the Lady Tigers maintained a 13 point, 31-18, advantage at the half.

Finney did close the gap to four, 33-29, midway through the third period but Lyndonville regained a 39-32 lead at the three-quarter make after two baskets by Lewis and one by Hinkson.

The Lady Tigers then put a lock on the win with an 8-0 run early in the final stanza.  Lewis and Hinkson both had a pair of baskets during that spurt as the Lady Tigers moved out to a 12 point, 47-35, advantage with three and a half minutes to go.

Lyndonville next hosts Kendall at 6:30 p.m. Friday to close out the regular season.

A big fourth quarter scoring surge rallied host Akron to a narrow 57-54 victory over Medina this evening in a Niagara-Orleans League girls basketball game.

Trailing 15-10 after one period, 26-22 at the half and 41-31 at the three-quarter mark, Akron came battling back with a huge 26 point fourth quarter to rally for the win.

Elise Leeds scored 18 to lead Akron as Darion Jonathan, Jessee Jonathan and Helena Hill each chipped in with 11.

Maddie Williams took game high honors with 25 and Camri King added 14 for Medina.

Both teams finish the N-O campaign at 8-4.

Newfane 46, Barker 37
Trailing 20-17 at the half, Newfane rallied with a 29-17 second had scoring edge to claim a 46-37 win over  Barker.

Paige Littman scored 12 and Megan Knoll, Rachel Chunco and Kaitlin Beiter 8 each for Newfane which improves to 3-8 in N-O action.

Rachel Parfinski scored18 for Barker which drops to 1-10.

Jumping out to a 17 point, 32-15, halftime lead, Wilson went on to defeat host Roy-Hart 59-37 this evening to improve to 9-2 in Niagara-Orleans League boys basketball action.

Steve Frerichs scored 12, Jake Miller 11 and Jon Littere 10 to spark the Lakemen’s balanced attack.

Charlie Brigham scored 10 for Roy-Hart which slips to 1-10

Newfane 74, Barker 32
Building up a commanding 32-11 half-time advantage, Newfane rolled to a 74-32 victory over Barker.

Zach Snow scored 18, Deuce Capen 10, Caden Gibson 9, Garrett Srock and Josh Everett 8 to lead the attack for Newfane which improves to 8-3 in N-O action.

Nick Brandt scored 8 for Barker which slips to 0-11.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – The Medina duo of Izaiah Rhim and Brian Fry stop a shot attempt by Akron’s Jake Mazza during the Mustang win over the visiting Tigers this evening.

Locking up outright possession of a school record fourth straight Niagara-Orleans League championship, Medina used a big third period scoring burst to key a 64-38 victory over visiting Akron this evening.

The victory boosts Medina’s N-O record to 11-0 (16-3 overall) heading into Thursday’s league finale at Wilson.

Trailing 23-22 at the outset of the third period, Medina put together a decisive 15-0 scoring burst to regain the lead for good.

Three layups and a pair of free throws by Nate Sherman highlighted that uprising which also included a three and a layup by Brian Fry and a layup by Tyler Chinn for a commanding 37-23 lead.

Medina’s Nate Sherman puts up a shot over Akron defender Aiden Smith.

The Mustangs maintained an 11 point, 41-30, lead at the three-quarter mark.

Akron did cut the deficit to nine, 44-35, early in the final period but Medina answered with a clutch 14-0 run to put a lock on the victory.

Fry had a three and a layup, Sherman a jumper and a layup, Chinn a layup and Izaiah Rhim a layup to vault the Mustangs out to a 23 point, 58-35, advantage with two minutes to go.

Medina jumped out to a 15-8 first period lead as Izaiah Rhim had a three, a layup and a jumper and Vincent Montague a three and  jumper.

The Mustangs maintained a seven point, 20-13, lead midway through the second period but Akron closed the stanza with n 8-2 run, including a three and a two by Jake Siska, to cut the deficit to one, 22-21 at the half.

The Tigers then took what proved to be a brief 23-22 lead at the outset of the second half on a layup by Siska but the Mustangs answered back with a decisive 15-0 run to regain control.

Sherman finished with a game high 21 to lead the Mustangs as Chinn had 12, Fry 11, Izaiah Rhim 9, Montague 7 and Joe Cecchini and Jarin Rhim 2 each.

Adam Mietz led Akron with 13 as Siska had 7, Jake Mazza ad David Kalinowski 5, Brandon Orr and Aiden Smith 3 and Gage Willis 2.

Akron finishes the N-O season at 7-5.

Medina’s Tyler Chinn throws up a shot as Brandon Orr defends for Akron.