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Medina spikers will host Dunkirk
No. 2 seed Medina will host No. 7 Dunkirk in the quarterfinal round of the Section VI Class B-2 volleyball playoffs at 6 p.m. Friday.
Dunkirk advanced by defeating visiting No. 10 Albion 25-22, 25-17, 25-14 in the opening round on Wednesday.
The victor of the Medina/Dunkirk match will take on the winner of the No. 6 Newfane vs. No. 3 Tonawanda match in the semifinals on Monday.
The other B-2 quarterfinals Friday will have No. 8 Fredonia at No. 1 Alden and No. 5 MST Seneca at No. 4 Springville.
In Class C-1 quarterfinal matches Friday, No. 1 Akron will host No. 8 Southwestern, No. 4 Wilson entertains No. 5 Gowanda, No. 6 Roy-Hart visits No. 3 Olmsted and No. 2 Eden hosts No. 7 JFK.
Title contest will be a first for Albion girls
Photo by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Alexis Bentley and her Purple Eagle teammates will make their playoff final debut Saturday as they face Newfane for the Section VI Class B-1 title.
Making a first ever appearance in the finals, Albion will face a very familiar foe when the No. 8 seed Purple Eagles take on No. 2 Newfane in the Section VI Class B-1 girls soccer playoff championship game at 11 a.m. Saturday at Williamsville North.
It will also be a history making clean sweep day for the Niagara-Orleans League which also has both of the Class B-2 finalists as No. 4 Wilson faces No. 2 Akron at 1 p.m. at Will. North.
Albion and Newfane played to a wild 6-6 overtime tie in their first league meeting this season. However, the Lady Panthers blanked the Purple Eagles 4-0 in the rematch in route to capturing a second straight N-O championship with a 10-1-1 record.
Albion advanced to the history making first trip to the championship game by trimming No. 5 Alden 2-1 on Tuesday in what was only the Purple Eagles second every appearance in the semifinals.
Newfane, which is the defending B-1 champion, had an even closer call in the semifinals as the Lady Panthers needed double overtime to oust No 6 Olean 4-2.
Last year Newfane went on to win overall Section VI Class B title with a 1-0 win over Fredonia and the Far West Regional with a 2-0 victory over Palmyra-Macedon before being nipped in the state semifinals 1-0 by Chenango Forks.
Offensively, Newfane is sparked by the 1-2 senior scoring combination of Kayleigh Daniels (28 goals, 16 assists) and Emily Foltz (25 goals, 11 assists). Foltz had 3 goals in the win over Olean. Junior Madelyn Traverse in goal anchors the Lady Panthers defense.
Junior Brylie Hapeman has led Albion’s underclassmen dominated squad in scoring with 19 goals and 5 assists. Freshman Claire Squicciarini has 9 goals and 5 assists, sophomore Mariah Plain 7 goals and 1 assist and sophomore Kendall Derisley 4 goals. Squicciarini netted both goals in the win over Alden. The Purple Eagles defense is anchored by eighth grade goalie Sydney Mulka.
Newfane brings a 15-2-1 record into the title contest while Albion is 11-6-1.
It will be the rubber match for Akron and Wilson which split a pair of regular season N-O meetings by the identical score of 1-0.
Akron downed No. 3 Southwestern 4-1 in the semifinals while Wilson edged No. 8 Fredonia 2-1 to avenge a 1-0 loss in last year’s B-2 final.
Freshman Kara Sequin has scored 29 goals and added 13 assists to lead the Akron offense which also has junior Jenna Robnett with 12 goals and 15 assists and senior Maggie Leeds with 8 goals and 8 assists. Sequin had 2 goals and 2 assists in the semifinal win. Anchoring the Lady Tigers defense is senior goalie Laurie Poeller.
Sophomore Skylar Munnikhuysen has 11 goals and 5 assists and freshman Lilly O’Lay 7 goals and 5 assists to lead the Wilson offense. Senior Emily Kelly in goal anchors the Lakewomen’s defense.
The B-1 and B-2 winners will then meet next week for the overall Section VI Class B championship and a berth in the state playoffs.
Hearts gain share of Euchre League lead
Sacred Heart trimmed Vets Club 36-34 Monday to move into a tie for first place in the Medina Euchre League with Legion which tied JR Wilson 35-35.
Sacred Heart and Legion are now both 153-127 on the season followed by Vets Club at 132-148 and JR Wilson at 122-158.
League competition continues on October 30 with Sacred Heart at Legion and Vets Club at JR Wilson.
Williamson blanks Holley in C-1 semi
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s Kohl Morgan stretches to bring the ball up field as Williamson’s Adam Fish trails. The action took place during No. 3 seed Holley’s 3-0 Section V Class C-1 semifinal loss to No. 2 Williamson this evening at Webster Thomas High School. Williamson led 2-0 at the half. The Hawks finish the season at 9-6-3.
Holley’s John Mounts tries to keep the ball away from Williamson’s Tyler Ingham.
Barker nips Roy-Hart on goal in final seconds
No. 2 seed Barker scored a goal in the final seconds to nip No. 3 Roy-Hart 2-1 this evening in the semifinals of the Section VI Class C field hockey playoffs at Clarence.
Lena Fazzolari scored with just 13 seconds remaining, off an assist from Katrina Clare, to propel Barker into the championship game against perennial rival top seeded Akron, which edged No. 4 Holland 1-0 in the other semi.
Barker, which improves to 17-1, took a 1-0 lead as Fazzolari scored off an assist from Natalie Menz with 22:42 to go in the second half.
Roy-Hart battled back to knot the contest as Samantha Choate scored with 10:48 remaining.
Akron made a lone goal by Abby Stone at the 17 minute mark of the first half stand up for the win over Holland.
Barker will now face Akron in the Class C title game for the 9th time in the last 10 years at 5 p.m. on November 1 at Williamsville North.
Barker has won 7 of those previous 8 meetings including a 1-0 shootout victory last fall. Akron’s lone win during that stretch was a 3-1 victory in 2015.
Barker and Akron split a pair of Niagara-Orleans League meetings this season to share the league title at 11-1.
Section V Volleyball Playoffs
Lyndonville lost to Houghton Academy 16-25, 25-13,25-16, 25-23 in the opening round of the Section V volleyball palyoffs.
W-C nips Kendall girls in D-1 semifinals
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Kendall’s Kayla Summers and Haylee Mitchell try to defend a kick by Wheatland-Chili’s Hannah Beldue’s during the Lady Eagles sectional semifinal loss to the Lady Wildcats this evening at Irondequoit.
Kendall’s Hannah Ulmen dives to make one of her 30 saves.
Putting together a strong defense effort No. 4 Kendall was unable to find the net offensively as the Lady Eagles dropped a narrow 1-0 decision to top seeded Wheatland-Chili in the semifinals of the Section V Class D-1 soccer playoffs this evening at Irondequoit.
W-C, which also downed Kendall 3-1 during the Genesee Region League season, scored the game’s only goal in the final 10 minutes on a shot by Hannah Callaghan.
Up until then the Kendall defense, which was anchored by goalie Hannah Ulmen, had turned back the Lady Wildcats steady pressure.
Ulmen, who made no less than 30 saves on the evening, had 10, including a couple from point blank range and one big diving stop, during a hectic stretch over the final 20 minutes of the first half as W-C put on constant pressure.
W-C advances to the D-1 finals with a 16-1-1 record while Kendall finishes the season at 14-5.
Kendall’s Madison Jacob battles with Samantha Ghysel of W-C for control of the ball.
Mustangs, Hawks in Bowl finals Thursday
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Holley’s Jacob Affronti, left, and Medina/Lyndonville’s William Braswell and their Hawk and Mustang teammates will be competing in Bowl game title games Thursday evening.
The local high school football season will conclude on Thursday evening as Medina/Lyndonville and Holley both take to the road to compete in Bowl title games.
Medina/Lyndonville will face Olean in the Class B Chuck Funke Memorial Classic at Pioneer High at 7:45 p.m.
Holley will take on a very familiar foe in Attica for the Section V Class C-1 Connors and Ferris Bowl title at 5:30 p.m. at Attica.
Medina/Lyndonville advanced to the finals by trimming Alden 24-21 while Olean downed Burgard 36-24.
“We’re a little banged up right now,” said Mustangs Coach Eric Valley whose injuries include wide receiver Jalin Cooper who is out with a knee injury and quarterback Izaiah Rhim who is nursing a sore knee.
Rhim has led the Mustangs attack with 13 touchdown passes and 7 rushing TDs.
“We’ve had our ups and downs this season but we’re looking to finish strong,” added Valley.
The meeting will be just the third between the Mustangs and Huskies. The previous two also came in the consolation bowl. The Mustangs scored a 26-7 win in 2006 while the Huskies claimed a narrow 15-14 victory in 2009.
Medina/Lyndonville is 5-3 and Olean 4-4 heading into the final.
The Mustangs previously captured the B Bowl title in 2012 downing East High of Buffalo 38-24.
Holley earned a spot in the title contest by romping past Wellsville 37-0 while Attica blanked Wayland-Cohocton 23-0 in the other semifinal.
The Hawks special teams came up huge in that one accounting for three touchdowns on punt returns of 65 and 55 yards by Camron Labarge and an 80 yard kickoff return by Jacob Affronti as well as adding a 34 yard field goal by Ryan Andrews. Labarge now has a total of 10 touchdowns on the season and Affronti 7.
It marks the third time in the last four years that Holley has advanced to the Bowl finals.
The Hawks defeated Mynderse 34-6 in the 2015 title contest but lost to that same team 32-12 in the 2014 final.
Attica, which bested Holley 35-0 in the season opener, holds a 16-0 record in the all-time series with the Hawks. Both teams are 4-4 on the season.
Trio of wins completes N-O semifinal sweep
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Newfane’s Erica Flagler winds up for the shot that netted the winning goal during this evening’s B-2 semifinal at Williamsville North as Lilly Schnell comes in to defend for Olean.
The Niagara-Orleans League completed a four game sweep of the Section VI Class B-1 and B-2 girls soccer playoffs with victories by Newfane, Akron and Wilson this evening at Williamsville North.
N-O champion second seeded Newfane needed double overtime to down No. No. 6 Olean 4-2 in a B-1 semi. The Lady Panthers will now face No. 8 Albion, a 2-1 victor over No. 5 Alden, for the B-1 title at 11 a.m. Satuday at Williamsville North.
In the Class B-2 semis No. 2 Akron defeated No. 3 Southwestern 4-1 and No. 4 Wilson downed No. 8 Fredonia 2-1.
Newfane grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first half as Emily Foltz scored off an assist from Kaylee Daniels.
However, Olean battled back to force overtime when Calista Heister scored with 13:14 remaining in the second half.
Olean then took a quick 2-1 lead in the first minute and a half of the first 10 minute overtime period but Newfane battled back to retie the contest when Foltz scored with just 1:17 remaining.
The Lady Panthers then regained the lead for good when Erica Flagler scored with 3:04 remaining in the second overtime. Foltz then put a lock on the victory when she scored with just 1:56 remaining again off an assist from Daniels.
Akron likewise took a 1-0 lead in the first half on a goal by Kara Sequin.
The Lady Tigers boosted that advantage to 3-0 in the first 20 minutes of the second half as Jenna Robnett scored off an assist from Sequin and then Sequin tallied again from Maggie Leeds.
Southwestern did cut the deficit to 3-1 but Akron got that one right back 30 seconds later as Amanda Swader scored off an assist from Sequin.
Wilson used first half goals by Chaylee Wilson and Madelyn Austin to earn the 2-1 win over Fredonia whose lone goal came on a penalty kick with 8:25 to go in the second half.
Akron will now face Wilson for the B-2 title at 1 p.m. Saturday at Williamsville North.
During the N-O season Akron and Wilson split a pair of meetings by the identical score of 1-0.
Akron’s duo of MacKenzie O’Brien (10) and Ava Martina try to get control of the ball from Southwestern’s Hannah Sholl during the Lady Tigers B-2 semifinal win this evening at Williamsville North.
Wilson’s Skyler Munnikhuysen runs past Fredonia defender Caelin Holt during the Lakewomen’s B-2 semifinal win this evening at Williamsville North.
Albion girls edge Alden in B-1 semifinals
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion’s Claire Squicciarini, who scored both goals, brings the ball up field during the Purple Eagles semifinal win over Alden this evening at Williamsville North.
Combining a fast start with a strong finish, No. 8 seed Albion nipped No. 5 Alden 2-1 in the semifinals of the Section VI Class B-1 girls soccer playoffs this evening at Williamsville North.
Albion got off to a lightning quick start as Claire Squicciarini scored on a breakaway just 15 seconds into the contest.
Albion goalie Sydney Mulka dives to make a save.
That lone tally stood up until only 8:22 remained in the second half when Alden finally scored on a goal by Shannon Wjypi on a rebound off a direct kick by Sara O’Connor.
However, Albion quickly answered that challenge as Squicciarini scored just 1:39 later at the 6:43 mark for what proved to be the game winner.
The Purple Eagles defense, which was anchored by goalie Sydney Mulka, who made several key saves on the evening, did the rest blanking the Lady Bulldogs the over the final tense six minutes to preserve the victory advancing Albion to the finals for the first time.
“Our motto this season has been I’ve got your back. We had a lot of injuries in the first half and everyone just had each other’s back,” said Albion Coach Maggie Orbaker. “They really played for each other. It was a real team effort.”
Improving to 11-6-2, Albion now faces Niagara-Orleans League champion Newfane for the B-1 championship at 11 a.m. Saturday at Williamsvile North. No. 2 seed Newfane nipped No. 6 Olean 4-2 in double overtime in the other semifinal.
During the N-O season Albion tied Newfane 6-6 in overtime in the first meeting but the Lady Panthers blanked the Purple Eagles 4-0 in the rematch.
Albion’s Mariah Plain heads the ball as Sara O’Connor and Emma Martin for Alden and Abbie Pappalardo for the Purple Eagles surround the play.
N-O quartet in girls soccer semis tonight
The Niagara-Orleans League will be well represented by four teams in this evening’s Section VI Class B-1 and B-2 girls soccer playoff semifinals at Williamsville North.
In the B-1 semifinals, No. 2 seed Newfane will face No. 6 Olean at 6 p.m. followed by No. 8 Albion vs. No. 5 Alden at 8 p.m.
In the B-2 semis, No. 2 Akron will take on No. 3 Southwestern at 6 p.m. and No. 4 Wilson will face No. 8 Fredonia at 8 p.m.
The winners will advance to Saturday’s championship games at Williamsville North with the B-1 game at 11 a.m. and the B-2 contest at 1 p.m.
