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Articles by Eric Keppeler
North deals Quakers season's first loss
Williamsville North’s Cal Rogers blocked a punt late in the fourth quarter and then caught the winning touchdown to lift the Spartans to a 28-21 win over Orchard Park on Friday in a battle at the top of Class A1. The Quakers (4-1, 5-1) could not overcome four turnovers and two blocked punts in suffering their first loss of the season, while North improved to 5-0 in the division. “Too many mistakes,” Orchard Park coach Mike Cieslik said. “We just couldn’t get it rolling.
Trojans climb into first place with 35-34 win
Senior Josh Urban continued his season-long ground assault on Friday, rushing for 164 yards and five touchdowns to power West Seneca East to a 35-34 win over previously unbeaten Medina/Albion (OC Rivals) in a battle at the top of Class B1. With the win, the Trojans improve to 5-1 both overall and in the division, a half-game ahead of OC and McKinley — who are both 4-1 in league play. “It was a huge win,” East coach Jim Maurino said.
Diphtheria case reported in West Seneca school district
One travel-related case of diphtheria has been confirmed in Western New York, according to the Erie County Department of Health, and four schools in the West Seneca Central School District have been identified as possible sites for exposure. The schools include Clinton Primary, Northwood Elementary, Winchester-Potters Elementary and East Middle School. “We expect this individual to make a full recovery,” the ECDOH said in a release.
Red Hawks, East Aurora fall
The Pioneer Panthers used a punishing ground game and made the most of a few Iroquois miscues to deal the Red Hawks a 28-13 defeat on Friday in a Class B2 matchup. Pioneer improved to 5-0 in the division, while Iroquois dropped to 3-2 in B1 and 3-3 overall. “They’re a rushing team — that’s who they are, that’s who they’ve always been,” Iroquois coach Rob Pitzonka said.
Warhawks take care of business at Frontier
Mason Anderson passed for 266 yards and four touchdowns to guide West Seneca West to a 43-8 win over Frontier on Friday in Class A1 football action. The Warhawks put the game away early with 40 first-half points as they improve to 5-1 overall and in the division. “We came out strong and we took care of business,” West coach Mike Vastola said.
Election candidates make their final push
Election Day is a little over two weeks away, and the candidates are making their last pitch to voters with a number of local seats up for grabs. Many of the races are uncontested, while others are heated battles. Starting at the top, the governor's seat is on the ticket, with the incumbent Democratic ticket of Kathy Hochul and Adrienne Adams against Republicans Bruce Blakeman and Todd Hood.
Orchard Park wins ECIC tennis doubles title
The Orchard Park doubles team of Mari Pericak and Adrianna Roberts won the ECIC Girls Tennis Championships last week at Miller Tennis Center in Williamsville and have qualified for the Section VI Championship this weekend. The duo didn’t drop a single game in cruising to victories against teams from Cheektowaga and East Aurora. They defeated Clarence #3 by a 6-1, 6-1 score and then downed Clarence #1 by a 6-1, 6-0 count.
Diphtheria case reported in West Seneca school district
One travel-related case of diphtheria has been confirmed in Western New York, according to the Erie County Department of Health, and four schools in the West Seneca Central School District have been identified as possible sites for exposure. The schools include Clinton Primary, Northwood Elementary, Winchester-Potters Elementary and East Middle School. "We expect this individual to make a full recovery," the ECDOH said in a release.
Orchard Park wins ECIC tennis doubles title
The Orchard Park doubles team of Mari Pericak and Adrianna Roberts won the ECIC Tennis Championships last week at Miller Tennis Center in Williamsville and have qualified for the Section VI Championship this weekend. The duo didn't drop a single game in cruising to victories against teams from Cheektowaga and East Aurora. They beat Clarence #3 by a 6-1, 6-1 score and then downed Clarence #1 by a 6-1, 6-0 count.
East blows out Lew-Port, 63-0
Josh Urban rushed for 156 yards and six touchdowns as West Seneca East overwhelmed Lewiston-Porter, 63-0, on Friday in a Class B1 matchup. East coach Jim Maurino was pleased with the way his team bounced back after dropping its first game of the season last week in a 24-13 decision against McKinley — although even he might have been a little surprised at the offensive explosion. The Trojans (4-1) scored early and often against a winless Lancer team that has now been outscored 319-34 this season.
Red Hawks blank Olean, 14-0
George Issa threw for 122 yards and two touchdowns and the Iroquois defense pitched a shutout as the Red Hawks beat Olean 14-0 on Friday in Class B2 football action. With the win, Iroquois goes to 3-2 overall and 3-1 in Class B2. The Red Hawks scored once in both the second and third quarters, and the defense made it stand up. “I can’t speak enough about the play of our defense — they’ve really come on strong,” Iroquois coach Rob Pitzonka said.
Quakers rally past Falcons to remain unbeaten
Dakota Flynn rushed for 193 yards and two touchdowns to power Orchard Park to a 39-21 win over Niagara Wheatfield on Friday in Class A1 football action. With the win, the Quakers improve to 5-0 overall and 4-0 in the division. Orchard Park had to shake off a slow start after spotting NW a 14-7 lead after one quarter before outscoring the Falcons 20-0 in the second quarter. “For whatever reason, we got off to a slow start,” Orchard Park coach Mike Cieslik said.
East blows out Lew-Port, 63-0; Warhawks thump Sweet Home
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Warhawks thump Sweet Home, 50-12
West Seneca West quarterback Mason Anderson passed for 190 yards and four touchdowns and also ran for 29 yards and two more scores as the Warhawks blew out host Sweet Home, 50-12, on Friday in a Class A1 matchup. West (4-1) was up 43-6 by halftime, rebounding in a big way after suffering its first loss of the season in last week’s 26-23 loss at frontrunning Orchard Park. “Getting back on track was our theme for the week, rebounding from a tough loss,” coach Mika Vastola said.
Digging Pink for a cause
The West Seneca Central School District hosted its annual Dig for a Cure volleyball fundraiser on Friday at the R.O.C.K., featuring a matchup between West Seneca East and West Seneca West boys and girls varsity and JV volleyball teams. This year’s event raised a record $5,457, which exceeded last year’s total by more than $1,000. “I think it’s a great way for the West Seneca volleyball community to come together,” said volunteer Mary Lou Hutton.
West Seneca adopts data center moratorium
The West Seneca Town Board on Monday unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on the construction of data centers within the town. Supervisor Gary Dickson noted that no one has yet approached the town to inquire about building a data center, but he wanted to have something proactively in place should it happen in the future.
Quakers rally past West Seneca West to stay unbeaten
Orchard Park rallied from a 20-0 deficit to edge West Seneca West, 26-23, on Saturday in a battle of unbeatens at the top of Class A1. The Quakers scored all of their points in the second half to improve to 3-0 in the division and 4-0 overall. "They got all of the bounces in the first half," Orchard Park coach Mike Cieslik said. "We made a few adjustments and the ball started to bounce our way in the second half.
Late rally lifts McKinley past Trojans
Kylin Williams rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown and Tashawn Henley added 134 yards and another score as McKinley outlasted West Seneca East, 24-13, on Friday in a Class B1 clash at All High Stadium. The Trojans held a 13-8 advantage at the break but were outscored 16-0 the rest of the way in suffering their first loss of the season. “We were right there,” East coach Jim Maurino said. “We were winning well into the third quarter.
Orchard Park man in the running for 'Super Dad'
Derrick Garner said all he ever wanted was to be a dad. The Orchard Park resident and father of two got his wish, and now he finds himself in the running for an honor he never expected in the nationwide Ace Hardware Super Dad competition. “Being a dad means everything to me,” Garner said. “It’s definitely changed my life.
West Seneca adopts data center moratorium
The West Seneca Town Board on Monday unanimously approved a one-year moratorium on the construction of data centers within the town. Supervisor Gary Dickson noted that no one has yet approached the town to inquire about building a data center, but he wanted to have something proactively in place should it happen in the future.
West Seneca West, OP win; on a collision course
The West Seneca West and Orchard Park football teams both respectively improved to 3-0 last weekend and at the top of Class A1. Something will have to give when the two teams hook up at 2 p.m. Saturday in OP. "We expect a dogfight on Saturday," Orchard Park coach Mike Cieslik said. "We want to figure out where we have an advantage and then play our best game every week.
West Seneca East gridders go to 3-0
Josh Urban ran for 155 yards and four touchdowns to power West Seneca East to a 41-13 win over Lake Shore on Saturday in a Class B1 battle as East improved to 3-0 overall and in Class B1. It was a rare Saturday afternoon game at an unaccustomed time for the Trojans, and East coach Jim Maurino said his players had to shake off early sluggishness before starting to roll.
The running man
Community service has always been a big part of George Chernowski’s life. So has running. So when he found a way to combine those two passions — even at 81 years of age, it still seemed like a no-brainer to run the 26.2-mile Wineglass Marathon on Oct. 4 in Corning as a fundraiser. “My body probably works a little differently now,” said Chernowski, who last ran a marathon three years ago.
West Seneca West, OP win; on a collision course
The West Seneca West and Orchard Park football teams both improved to 3-0 last weekend and at the top of Class A1. Something will have to give when the two teams hook up at 2 p.m. Saturday in OP. "We expect a dogfight on Saturday," Orchard Park coach Mike Cieslik said. "We want to figure out where we have an advantage and then play our best game every week. A game like this is why you coach high school football." The Quakers thumped Frontier 47-8 last week, while the Warhawks blanked Clarence, 12-0.
Blue Devil gridders notch season's first victory
The East Aurora/Holland football team broke into the win column last week with a 26-24 win over visiting Class B2 rival Cheektowaga. After falling behind early, the Blue Devils needed to rally to improve to 1-1 in the division and 1-2 overall. “It’s a relief because you work so hard for it, especially since we’ve come close before,” East Aurora coach John Swiniuch said.
The running man
Community service has always been a big part of George Chernowski’s life. So has running. So when he found a way to combine those two passions — even at 81 years of age, it still seemed like a no-brainer to run the 26-2-mile Wineglass Marathon on Oct. 4 in Corning as a fundraiser. “My body probably works a little differently now,” said Chernowski, who last ran a marathon three years ago.
St. Joe's cross country team starting at the top of the heap
It’s been a while since the St. Joe’s cross country team opened a new season as defending Monsignor Martin Athletic Association champions – but the Marauders find themselves starting out in the league’s penthouse in 2026 after winning last year’s All-Catholic championship for the first time since 2018. And most of last year’s team is back, which is bad news for the rest of the league.
Quakers down Kenmore West, 46-22
Orchard Park used a few big plays and a prolific first half to overcome 14 penalties and two turnovers enroute to a 46-22 win over Kenmore West on Saturday in a Class A1 clash at Crosby Field. "There aren't many 22-point wins where you just don't feel goo about it," Orchard Park coach Mike Cieslik said.
Red Hawks overpower Cheektowaga, 62-20
The Iroquois football team broke into the win column in a big way Friday night, dominating their Division B2 opener with a 62-20 win over visiting Cheektowaga. The Red Hawks (1-1, 1-0) came flying out of the gate with 43 points in the first half and were never threatened after that. “We got on them early,” Iroquois coach Rob Pitzonka said. “They’re known for their aggressive defense and we had an idea what they were going to do.
Slow start dooms Blue Devils in 46-24 loss to OP
Penalties, a slow start and a couple of big plays put the Kenmore West football team in an early hole from which it could not recover in its 46-24 loss to Orchard Park on Saturday at Crosby Field. The loss drops the Blue Devils to 0-2, both overall and in Class A1 “It’s tough starting the season with what looks like the two best teams in our division — West Seneca West and Orchard Park,” Kenmore West coach John Haynes said.
East, West gridders remain undefeated
It wasn't pretty, but the West Seneca West football team overcame superior size and their own mistakes to come away with a 31-25 win on Friday at Niagara Wheatfield. The Warhawks battled through three turnovers and 13 penalties worth 130 yards to improve to 2-0, both overall and in Division A1. "They were a unique challenge," West coach Mike Vastola said of NW. "They're very big up front and we are not, so to come out and start the game the way we did was encouraging.
Remembering 9/11
More than 100 people were on hand Friday morning at the Town of West Seneca's annual ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The event, held at Union Fire Hall, also saw West Seneca Supervisor Gary Dickson present plaques of appreciation to the 18 West Seneca first responders who went to New York City to help in the aftermath of the attacks.
Trojans bury Amherst, 50-0
Josh Urban ran for 209 yards and four touchdowns, and the West Seneca East defense pitched a shutout as the Trojans rolled to a 50-0 win over Amherst on Friday in the Class B1 opener for both teams. “When you jump right into the league schedule like that, it’s important to get into the win column,” East coach Jim Maurino said. “The point differential is important too, because that can make a difference in seeding come playoff time.
Warhawks take to the air to down Kenmore West
Mason Anderson threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns and Alex Quarantello and Jeremy Gauthier each caught two TDs as West Seneca West scored 20 second-half points to down visiting Kenmore West, 28-6, on Friday in a Class A1 clash. “Week One is always the great unknown, and that’s the same for every team,” West Seneca West coach Mike Vastola said. “We knew there would be ups and downs — so our message was, whatever happens, just focus on the next play. And as the game went on, we got better.
Orchard Park romps; Iroquois, East Aurora fall
Quarterback Jayden Hassett passed for 132 yards and five touchdowns as the Orchard Park Quakers kicked off the 2026 high school football season with a lopsided non-league win, thumping Hutch-Tech 56-6 on Friday. “Anytime you can start 1-0 — that’s what you want to do,” said Orchard Park coach Mike Cieslik. “We actually have a pretty young roster and there are a few things we want to clean up and fix.
St. Joe's volleyball team looks to defend state title
St. Joe’s volleyball coach Mark Anzalone has gotten used to his team having a perpetual target on their backs – having won three straight Monsignor Martin Athletic Association championships. But this year, the target is a little bigger as the Marauders also won last year’s first-ever Catholic state championship. It is that pedigree and culture that has turned into the program’s biggest asset, Anzalone said.
Ceremonies to mark 9/11 25th anniversary
The world changed forever on Sept. 11, 2001, when militant Islamist group al-Qaeda carried out a series of four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks against the United States. The attacks targeted specific strategic and commercial sites, but the shockwaves continue to be felt throughout the country. Friday marks the 25th anniversary of the attacks and cities all around the nation will mark the occasion in somber ceremony — and the Southtowns in Western New York are no exception.
MORE: New lawsuit accuses West Seneca Police Chief of sexual assault
A new lawsuit alleges that West Seneca Police Chief Brian Cosgrove raped a woman while attending a law enforcement conference last year in Atlanta. The civil lawsuit, filed Friday in Erie County Supreme Court, says the alleged incident happened at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on the night of June 3, 2025, and continued into the morning hours of June 4, 2025.
The goal is unchanged for St. Joe’s soccer team
When the St. Joe’s soccer team hits the field this week to open the 2026 season, the goal is the same as every other year, according to veteran head coach Mike Thoin. “The goals don’t ever change – it’s to win the league, win the playoffs and go back to states,” Thoin said.
New lawsuit accuses West Seneca Police Chief of sexual assault (update)
A new lawsuit alleges that West Seneca Police Chief Brian Cosgrove raped a woman while attending a law enforcement conference last year in Atlanta. The civil lawsuit, filed Friday in Erie County Supreme Court, says the alleged incident happened at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on the night of June 3, 2025, and continued into the morning hours of June 4, 2025.
St. Joe's football program is about more than numbers
Playing against mostly different programs every year, it can be hard for a high school football team to gauge success and improvement. The St. Joe’s squad is trending the right way, having posted winning seasons in three of the past four years, and that’s certainly important – but head coach Mike Corona has an additional metric for success. “I know the focus is on what local teams you beat, but I’m trying not to look at it that way,” said Corona, who’s entering his seventh season with the team.
Alcohol, flashbacks, 'insufficient evidence': More details released in WSPD chief sexual assault lawsuit
A new lawsuit alleges that West Seneca Police Chief Brian Cosgrove raped a woman while attending a law enforcement conference last year in Atlanta. The civil lawsuit, filed Friday in Erie County Supreme Court, says the alleged incident happened at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis on the night of June 3, 2025, and continued into the morning hours of June 4, 2025.
East gridders look to finish the job
The West Seneca East football team fell just short in its bid for a Section VI crown last season. Now with many of those same players back for the 2026 campaign, the Trojans appear ready for another deep playoff run. East finished 7-3 last season and made it all the way to the Class B championship game at Highmark Stadium, bowing to Lackawanna in the finals after eliminating Iroquois in the semifinals.
West Seneca washes its hands of water pressure problem
West Seneca Town Engineer Jason Foote gave a presentation at Monday’s town board meeting, updating lawmakers on options for dealing with the low water pressure that has plagued portions of town along its eastern border. The Town Engineering Department has completed its review of the water pressure concerns reported by several residents in the Cedar Ridge Drive area and come up with several strategies for addressing the problem — but the town board basically said it’s a numbers issue.
West Seneca Senior Center to close for renovations
The West Seneca Senior Center will be temporarily closed for about a month for repairs and improvements, beginning Monday, Oct. 5. The center, located at 4620 Seneca St., is expected to re-open in early November following the work. “We’re hopeful that everything will be completed on schedule, and that we will be able to re-open in the beginning of November, as long as everything is completed,” Senior Services Director Kelsey Lignos said.
Solid silver: West Seneca field hockey coach Ruchalski competes in World Cup
When the girls on the West Seneca field hockey team get to their first practice on Monday and talk about what they did over the summer — coach Kelli Ruchalski will probably win that conversation. Ruchalski spent two weeks in the Netherlands as part of Team USA in the 2026 World Masters Hockey (WMH) World Cup and came away with a silver medal. “It was amazing,” Ruchalski said. “Our team was great — we were from all over the east coast but everyone was so into it and worked really hard.
Lowrey is new Iroquois BoE President
With a shift at the top of the lineup, the Iroquois Central School District Board of Education is getting ready to meet the latest set of challenges ahead of the 2026-27 school year. Newcomer David Lowrey was selected as BoE president last month; he succeeds Jim Michalek, who had been president in the two previous years. Heather Becker in the new vice president, taking over for Keith Vergien.
West Seneca BoE to stand pat
The West Seneca Central School District Board of Education has decided not to fill the vacant position on its board and go with six members for the time being. The board had met with a number of candidates for an interim appointment ahead of its July 28 meeting but ultimately decided to let voters make the call in May. "The board appreciates the genuine interest that community members have expressed through their applications to serve the district," BoE President Marla Greenberg said.
Reidy is WSPD's newest lieutenant
The West Seneca Town Board unanimously approved on Monday the promotion of West Seneca Police Department Detective Joseph Reidy Jr. to lieutenant, effective the following day. "I found out about a week and a half ago and I was very excited," Reidy said. "I've been a detective for four and a half years and this was the next step, being a supervisor." Reidy has been with the WSPD for 13 years as a patrol officer and then a detective.
West Seneca doubles cyber liability coverage
It wasn't without some contention, but the West Seneca Town Board voted unanimously on Monday to upgrade the town's cyber insurance liability coverage from $250,000 to $500,000. There was no disagreement among the board members about the desire to increase the coverage - but it was the presentation from the insurers that drew the lawmakers' ire.
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