Contributed Photo – Melanie Green holds the championship trophy after winning the R&A Women’s Amateur Tournament in Ireland.
In a few short hours the page of the calendar will turn to the start of a new year. But before ringing in the new year it is always fun to take a brief look back at some of the top local stories of the year and 2024 certainly had a few.
A special year on the links for Melanie Green
From finishing an outstanding college golf career at the University of South Florida to a very successful series of international tournaments, it was a very memorable year for Medina’s Melanie Green.
In the spring at USF Green earned second team All American honors and was named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Year and the ACC Women’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Her summer of international competition was highlighted by capturing the R&A Women’s Amateur Championship (formerly the British Women’s Amateur) in Ireland as she rallied from as much as four down in the final round.
Green also was a member of Team USA for both the Arnold Palmer Cup competition in Ireland and the Curtis Cup in England. In addition, she competed in the Amundi Evian championship in France, which is one of the LPGA’s major tournaments, and also reached the match pay round of 32 at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship.
Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Brody Fry celebrates after Medina’s Far West Regional win over Wellsville.
Turning professional in November she had a solid pro debut by finishing second at a tournament in Maryland.
Medina baseball team reaches state semifinals
For the second time in six years the Medina High baseball squad reached the state Class B semifinals.
The Mustangs, which captured the Niagara-Orleans League title with an 11-1 record, claimed the Section VI Class B championship by edging league rival Roy-Hart 3-1 in the semifinals and Fredonia 4-3 in the championship game. Brandon Christiaansen and Ryleigh Culver had key RBI singles in the win over Roy-Hart as did Carter Woodworth and Richard Keppler in the victory over Fredonia.
Medina then needed a big late inning scoring burst to defeat Section V champion Wellsville 8-3 in the Far West Regional. Breaking away from a 1-1 tie, the Mustangs erupted for 7 runs in the sixth inning to key the win on a two-run single by Carter Woodworth, an RBI single by Aidan Papaj, three wild pitches and a balk.
However, Medina’s big postseason run came to an end as Spackenkill (Section IX) edged the Mustangs 5-3 in the state semifinals. The Mustangs did hold the lead twice at 1-0 in the third inning on a single by Culver and again at 3-2 in the fifth on an RBI single by Culver an a sacrifice fly by Brody Culver. However, Spackenkill answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the fifth to regain the lead for good.
The Mustangs finished the season at 20-2.
Kendall’s Pablo Rosario-Reyes helped the Eagles capture a Section V championship and earned All State honors.
Kendall boys title highlights soccer season
It was a special season for the Kendall boys soccer team which ended a 25 year plus long sectional title drought.
Kendall, which claimed the Genesee Region League title with an 11-0-1 record, captured the Section V Class C2 championship with a 3-1 victory over Genesee Valley-Belfast. It was the Eagles first sectional title since 1998.
Keeping the momentum, Kendall then blanked East Rochester 3-0 in the Section V Class C state qualifier game.
However, the Eagles post season run ended in the Far West Regional with a 4-2 loss to Section VI champion Allegany-Limestone.
Kendall junior Pablo Rosario-Reyes, who had 29 goals and 24 assists, earned All-State honors.
The Kendall girls team likewise had a big season winning the G-R League Division 2 title and finishing second in the Section V Class C2 tournament to G-R rival and eventual state champion Byron-Bergen by a narrow 1-0 margin.
The Lady Eagles went 12-1 in the league and 18-2 overall.
Wes Bradley came out of retirement to guide the restart of the Lyndonville boys varsity soccer team.
Kendall sophomore Sophia Picardo earned All State honors as did Holley senior Zoey Wolf.
Tigers return to varsity soccer competition
Lyndonville made a return to boys varsity soccer competition after a year’s absence and a very familiar face was at the helm.
Wes Bradley, who first organized the Lyndonville soccer team in 1976 and led the Tigers for 22 years until 2002, came out of retirement to guide the restart of the Tigers varsity program.
The Tigers made their first victory, a 1-0 home field win over Newfane, a special one as it was Bradley’s milestone 200th career win.
Medina extends C North title reign
Posting a 6-1 record, Medina earned a share of a fifth straight C North Division football championship.
Rebounding an an early season 23-6 loss to Newfane, the Mustangs rattled off five straight wins to finish in a three-way tie for the C North title with Newfane and Alden.
Medina capped off the regular season with a 52-0 win over rival Albion.
Medina senior Cole Callard set school records for most goals in a season with 44 and in a career with 98. He earned first team All-WNY honors in both soccer and football and All State in soccer.
The Mustangs, which finished 8-2 overall, had a trio of players earn All Western New York honors including senior kicker Cole Callard, senior linebacker Brody Fry and junior running back Christian Moss.
Roy-Hart had a quartet of N-O title teams
Four Roy-Hart teams earned N-O League championships including girls soccer, volleyball, boys swimming and girls swimming.
The Lady Rams soccer team went 8-1-1 to edge out Wilson (7-1-2) for the title.
Senior Kaitlin Mettler, a four-time first team N-O All-League honoree, led the Lady Rams with 36 goals and earned All State honors.
The Lady Rams volleyball team went 9-1 to also edge out Wilson (8-2) for the title.
The Roy-Hart/Barker girls swim team posted a 7-0-1 record while the boys squad went 7-1 and shared the title with Albion.
Three Albion teams earn N-O titles
In addition to sharing the boys swim title with Roy-Hart/Barker, Albion also captured the N-O boys track and tennis championships.
The track title was the fifth straight for the Purple Eagles who have gone 30-0 during that stretch.
The Purple Eagles tennis team went 12-0 to claim the N-O crown for the first time in nine years.
Albion dedicated its newly improved athletic facilities, which includes artificial turf football and soccer/softball fields, to former longtime football Coach Dick Diminuco as the Richard C. Diminuco Sports Complex. Diminuco is shown at the right at the dedication ceremony.
It was also a special year for Albion’s athletic facilities as a new artificial turf soccer/softball field opened and the high school gymnasium was completed refurbished. That followed the opening of a new artificial turf football field in 2023.
Albion also dedicated the new facilities in honor of former long time Purple Eagles football Coach Dick Diminuco as the Richard Diminuco Sports Complex.
Barker has two N-O title teams
Barker teams captured both the N-O softball and boys cross-country championships.
Peyton Bradley helped hurl Barker to an undefeated Niagara-Orleans League softball championship season.
The Lady Bulldogs softball team went 12-0 to claim the N-O crown for the first time since 2007.
The boys cross-country team went 6-0 during the regular season and also took top honors at the N-O All-League meet.
The year was also a special one in terms of athletic facilities improvements as this fall Barker opened its new artificial turf football, soccer, field hockey, baseball and softball field.
More highlights from 2024
– The Medina Mustangs FC captures the Buffalo District Soccer League’s 2nd Division regular season championship. It is the second year in a row that the Mustangs have claimed a division title.
– On the wrestling mat, both Medina’s Reece Senske and Holley’s Hunter Jewell Smith competed at the state championships.
– The Kendall U17 baseball team locked up a Monroe County title with doubleheader seep of the Greece Gladiators by scores of 13-0 and 8-6.
– Barre win the Albion Midget League 12U playoff championship by downing Hamlin 11-1 and Elba claims the 9U playoff title by edging Barre 3-2.
– Lyndonville sophomore Brooke Robinson earns second team All State Class D softball honors.
– The Albion Beginners Division football team wins a Niagara Orleans Football Association (NOFA) playoff title by edging Batavia 7-0.
– Lyndonville native Scott Bradley competes in the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.
– White Birch captured the Medina Women’s Softball ‘A’ League playoff championship.
– Medina High’s Unified basketball team wins a Section VI playoff title.
Barker opened its new multi purpose artificial turf field this fall which can host football, soccer, field hockey, baseball and softball games.
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