NFL
Bills hope tight end emerges as a 'Royal treat'
by CHRISTOPHER GORDON Orchard Park Editor
      Each year, fantasy football league owners seek those hidden gems to emerge as players who will propel them to the championship. Robert Royal - whom the Bills plucked from the Washington Redskins in 2006 as a free agent - is a player who could fall into that category this year.
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Amherst Skating Club
Piasecki, Lessard win medals at State Games of America
      Amherst Skating Club left its mark at this year's State Games of America. Paige-Noel Piasecki and Lindsay Lessard each took medals at the event held Aug. 1 to 5 in Colorado Springs, Colo. Piasecki, 16, took silver in the open solo showcase platinum, bronze in the open junior short program and si...
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Commentary
Do Bills fans have reason for hope?
CHRIS GORDON Orchard Park Editor
      Every year a team emerges that is a surprise in the National Football League. In recent times, it has been squads such as the San Diego Chargers and New York Jets that came out of nowhere to become playoff teams.
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      BACK TO BACK CHAMPS - The Buffalo United U15 boys elite team won its second consecutive New York State West championship by rolling over Rochester FC, Rochester Jr. Rhinos, CNY and Syracuse FC by a combined score of 11-1. The team, made up of top players from all over Western New York, has been ...
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      FIRST PLACE - LaNova softball defeated the Lady Express Red, 7-3, to win the Clarence 18U Tournament held Aug. 4 to 5. LaNova is a newly formed girls fastpitch team of 16 and 17-year-old girls that will compete in 18U tournaments next year.
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Sports briefs
      Amherst resident Ellie Hoerbelt made a hole-in-one at her first visit to Rolling Hills Golf Course on Saturday, Aug. 18. Hoerbelt used her driver on the 146-yard third hole. She was given a sleeve of logo golf balls and will receive a certificate suitable for framing.
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Red Devils Black 12U softball claims MSGL championship
      With its recent 11-4 win over EMW, the Clarence Red Devils Black 12U travel softball team earned the Metro Girls Softball League's championship. The first round of the playoffs saw the Red Devils defeat the Lancaster Heat in a five-inning, mercy-rule shortened affair, 22-1.
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      TOURNEY CHAMPS - The South Cheektowaga Stampede beat Grand Island, 11-8, in the finals to take first place in the recently held 11U Mel Ott Tournament.
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Team New Era 10U goes undefeated at Hinsdale tourney
      Team New Era 10U traveled to the Dan Duquette Sports Academy in Hinsdale, Mass. and went 4-0, beating teams from New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Maine from August 3 to 5 to become tournament champions. Offensively, Team New Era scored 44 runs and had an impressive team on-base percenta...
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      FINISHING STRONG - The Lou Gehrig 9 Blue tournament team finished up a successful tournament season by winning the Mel Ott Extravaganza held Aug. 8-12. The team posted a 5-0 record on its way to the championship. They beat Mel Ott 9 Gold, 15-7, in the final. Lou Gehrig finished the season 14-4.
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Atlas One Sports Management to hold hockey camp
      Atlas One Sports Management, located inside Holiday Twin Rinks, 3465 Broadway, Suite 100, Cheektowaga, is holding a development and conditioning hockey camp to help players age 13 to 19 get to the next level of their hockey careers.
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      ONE LAST TITLE - The New Era Diamond Girls Black 12U team finished its travel softball season by going 6-0 to win the championship in the recently-held Clarence Softball Tournament.
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UB Stadium to get new videoboard
      With the 2007 season rapidly approaching, fans at UB Stadium will have more to enjoy than just the action on the field as a new visual experience will grace the home of the Bulls. The Division of Athletics will be installing a ProStar VideoPlus display provided by Daktronics, which will allow fan...
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      NATIONAL QUALIFIER - The 14u WNY Diamond Girls (Black) defeated the Oakfield Angels, 7-5, to win the Hamburg NSA National Qualifier. The tournament win, held July 13-15, made the Diamond Girls New York State NSA champs. The Diamond Girls beat the Sting, 10-4, in the semifinal.
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Fireman's softball
East Amherst wins third straight league title
      East Amherst came back from three separate deficits of two or more runs to beat Newstead, 15-14, in nine innings on Aug. 5 for a third straight Northern Erie Fireman's Softball League Championship. East Amherst finished 13-0.
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Buffalo Lacrosse Academy
Fall Ball to begin in September
      The fall no longer has to be a time when the lacrosse sticks get put away until the indoor or spring season. Buffalo Lacrosse Academy's Fall Ball is an eight-on-eight lacrosse league open to any interested lacrosse player in the Buffalo area. Fall Ball runs on Sunday mornings from 9 to 11 a.m.
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      GRAY AREA - The New Era Diamond Girls Gray softball team won the 12th Annual Holiday Inn/West Seneca Girls Softball Association Tournament last weekend. The team outscored its opponents, 55-2, in six games.
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      UP TO THE CHALLENGE - Getzville native Ken Przybyla, center, took third place at the Valspar Paint Performance Challenge held on Aug. 14 at York University in Toronto, Canada prior to the Rogers Cup Tennis Masters Tournament.
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      YOU'RE OUT! - Melinda Sanderson gets ready to grab the ball during a weekly Snyder Moms Softball league game. The league members have children who play or have played in the Central Amherst Little League. They play every Monday at the CALL baseball diamonds on Wehrle Drive. Their final game was...
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