More local sports highlights from 2023

– The Medina Mustangs FC captured the Buffalo District Soccer League 3rd Division playoff championship with a 2-1 victory over top seeded Ukraine at Sahlen’s Sports Park. Ethan Leonard and Nathan Dillenbeck scored the goals for Medina as Tyler Ribbeck made several big saves in goal to anchor the defense. The win was the ninth in the last 10 games for the Mustangs whose lone setback during that stretch was a 4-1 loss to Ukraine. Medina, which finished the season with s 10-2-1 record, advanced to the playoff finals by defeating Buffalo Night 5-3 in the quarterfinals and LA United 3-1 in the semis.

– Banes captured both the Medina Women’s Softball ‘A’ League regular season and playoff championships. Banes, which went 8-2 during the regular season, scored a doubleheader victory over Jr. Wilson in the playoff finals by scores of 20-11 and 9-3.

– The Lyndonville girls basketball and softball teams both reached the Section V finals. On the basketball court, the Lady Tigers lost to top seeded Keshequa 58-41 in the Class D1 finals. On the softball diamond, Lyndonville lost 5-2 to Genesee Region League foe Notre Dame in the D1 title contest.

– The Akron field hockey team advanced to the state semifinals where the Lady Tigers dropped a narrow 1-0 overtime decision to Carle Place. Undefeated (12-0) Niagara-Orleans League champion Akron advanced to the state semis by nipping Medina 1-0 in the Section VI Class C title contest and then downing East Rochester 3-0 in the Far West Regional.

– Medina High junior Cole Callard had a huge fall season earning first team All-Western New York honors in soccer and second team All-WNY honors in football. He set Mustangs soccer record for most goals in a game with 7 and in a season with 28. The Mustangs placekicker in football he made 44 of 46 extra point kick attempts and 4 field goals with the longest being a school record 47 yards.

– Medina High senior Roosevelt Mitchell, a three year two-way starting lineman for the Mustangs varsity football squad, earned first team All-WNY honors and accepted a Division 1 scholarship from the University of Akron.

– Medina High graduate and University of South Florida senior Melanie Green earned American Athletic All Conference golf honors for the third straight year. She also earned Honorable Mention on the All American team.

– Sandstone and Elba split a pair of 4-2 games in the Albion Midget League finals. Albion won the 9U game and Elba the 12U contest.

– Lyndonville native Scott Bradley qualified for the 2024 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.

– The Orleans FC U17 boys team won a Rochester District Youth Soccer League title and also competed in the NYS Cup in New York City.

– James Tee captured his third Shelridge Club title while Rich Wheeler, Deb Wood, Jeff Dobson and Marcia Zambito earned club titles at Hickory Ridge.

– The Orleans Outlaws 12U baseball team won the Blue Crab Diamond Tournament in Maryland with a 7-0 record.

– The Lyndonville Orange Tigers and Orange Majors both won regular season softball titles.

– The Medina Unified basketball team captured a Section VI title.