Purple Eagles, Mustangs to open B East Division campaign on the road

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Tyler Rotoli, shown here picking up yardage in last weekend’s season opener, and his Albion teammates will open B East Division competition at Alden on Friday night.

Having successfully passed season opening interdivisional tests, Albion and Medina/Lyndonville will begin B East Division competition on the road Friday night.

Albion will visit Alden at 7 p.m. while Medina/Lyndonville will take on East Aurora/Holland at 7:30 p.m. at East Aurora.

Barker/Roy-Hart, which is looking to rebound from a season opening interdivisional loss, also opens B East Division competition on the road visiting Depew at 7 p.m. Friday.

In the Genesee Region League, Holley will host Elba/Byron-Bergen at 1:30 p.m. Saturday as the Hawks look to bounce back from a season opening 39-6 loss at Attica.

Albion got point production from all phases of the game in the week one 50-14 romp over visiting Newfane.

Quarterback Kyle Smith completed a pair of touchdown passes to Kory Reynolds to lead the offense which also got rushing touchdowns by Tommy Mattison, Meach Gardner and Blake Aina.

The Purple Eagles defense contributed a TD on a 6 yard intercept return by Lamar Chambers as did the special teams with a 30 yd TD run off a muffed punt by Tyler Rotoli.

Alden likewise romped past Pioneer 35-0 in the opener as Lyle Grant led the Bulldogs with 202 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

The Albion vs. Alden series is knotted at 6-6. Alden has won the last four games including a 36-14 win in their last meeting in 2012.

Eric Neace, shown here scoring one of his 4 touchdowns in the season opener, and his Medina/Lyndonville teammates will visit East Aurora on Friday to open B East Division competition.

Medina/Lyndonville likewise was involved in a high scoring, but much closer, opener as the Mustangs outlasted visiting Lew-Port 46-41.

The Mustangs youthful offensive unit was spearheaded by a strong junior runningback combination of Jake Cotter (237 yards, 1 TD) and Eric Neace (110 yards, 4 TDs). Freshman Izaiah Rhim made his first varsity start at quarterback and completed 7 of 16 pass for 124 yards including a 21 yard TD strike to senior Dylan Lewis. The Mustangs also got a 5 yard TD run by sophomore Jalin Cooper.

East Aurora/Holland defeated Olean 20-7 in the opener as Nolan O’Connor, Brigham Rogers and E.J. Staniszewski took turns running for touchdowns.

The Mustangs hold a 10-6 lead in the series with East Aurora which began in 1934. The Blue Devils won the last meeting by a narrow 29-25 margin in the semifinals of the 2007 sectional playoffs.

Barker/Roy-Hart, which is looking to bounce back from a 40-20 loss at Tonawanda, will be facing Depew for just the second time. The Wildcats won the only previous meeting 33-14 in 2012.

Senior quarterback Andy Xapsos had a big game for Barker/Roy-Hart in the opener rushing for 114 yards and 2 touchdowns and passing for 143 yards and 1 TD.

Depew dropped a narrow 30-28 decision to Dunkirk in the opener.

Holley, which is led offensively by senior quarterback Nick Passarell, will be facing a Elba/Byron-Bergen squad which defeated Pembroke 26-6 in the G-R season opener.

Elba/Byron-Bergen holds a 5-3 lead in the series with the Hawks including a 32-6 win last fall.