Medina clings on to playoff hopes with crucial win

By: Elias Vega-Diaz / Sports Writer

MEDINA, N.Y. - A fresh coat of rain drizzled as the (5-2) Medina Mustangs ran onto the field for their final regular season game against the (4-3) Batavia Blue Devils on Friday. With Section V and VI playoff implications and over 50 years of not facing each other, a stout defense coupled with a dynamic run-pass-option offensive masterclass led to a 27-26 win for the Mustangs at home.

Medina Running Back Jayzon Wills rumbling down the sideline for a 4-yard gain. October 24, 2025. (Mateo Ortiz/89.1 The Point)

"We had our ups and downs, we had high expectations, not everything went exactly the way we wanted, but I really challenged them (Medina) to ignore the bickering, told them just to let it go. Let it all go and just play football," said Medina Head Coach Eric Valley when asked about his pride in this team and the win.

Batavia opened with a promising first drive, marching into Medina territory before stalling on downs near midfield. The Mustangs immediately capitalized, as leading running back Christian Moss capped their first possession with a 3-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful two-point conversion to take an 8-0 lead.

After forcing a punt, Medina looked to extend its advantage. Still, Batavia’s

defense came up with a timely interception late in the first quarter, coming off a 50/50 ball from Preston Woodsworth. The Blue Devils turned the takeaway into points, with quarterback William Stevens punching in a 1-yard keeper to make it 8-6 after a failed two-point try.

Wide Receiver/DB Kolton Fletcher spears Batavia's Greyson Betances for a highlight-reel tackle. October 24, 2025. (Mateo Ortiz/89.1 The Point)

Momentum swung again early in the second quarter when Batavia fumbled deep in its own end. Medina took advantage of the short field, and Moss scored his second touchdown of the night to push the lead to 15-6. The Blue Devils responded midway through the quarter on a 27-yard strike from Stevens to Trevon Shine, cutting the deficit to 15-12. Batavia received the ball once more with just over a minute before halftime off of a Medina three-and-out, reclaiming the lead on a 22-yard touchdown by Shine to put the Blue Devils ahead 20-15 going into the break.

Medina regained control in the third quarter behind the composure of quarterback Preston Woodsworth, who bounced back from two early interceptions to guide a steady 70-yard drive. Wideout Hadrian Batista hauled in a 20-yard touchdown to put the Mustangs up 21-20 after the two-point attempt failed. Stevens answered for Batavia after a seven-minute drive that bled into the fourth quarter with his second short rushing score, making it 26-21 for Batavia.

Medina Receiver Hadrian Batista fights for yardage in the backfield off a Wide Receiver screen. October 24, 2025. (Mateo Ortiz/89.1 The Point)

Medina’s final drive would prove its most challenging for both Medina, as Christian Moss would be ejected after chirping to the Batavia secondary after a seven-yard rush. Despite this, wideout Kolton Fletcher stepped up in the role of Moss to rumble down the field with multiple 6-7 yard runs. This set up Woodsworth to hit Fletcher on a 31-yard sideline completion, leading to a go-ahead 5-yard touchdown rush by Fletcher with just over two minutes remaining. Down by just one point, Batavia had one last chance. However, Medina’s defense sealed the win when Stevens fumbled at midfield off a botched snap in the Wing-T formation, allowing the Mustangs to kneel out the clock.

"Playing Batavia, it fueled all of us. It's been a big rivalry, with their kids and our kids, it was the fuel to the fire here", added quarterback Preston Woodsworth when asked what the motivation to win the game was for Medina.

Despite finishing 6-2 on the season, Medina's playoff hopes hang in the balance of the No. 1 Class C North Barker/Roy-Hart vs Martine-Tapestry on Saturday. If Tapestry wins, Medina would be out of the playoffs entirely. With a Barker/Roy-Hart win, Medina would be set up against the powerhouse Southwestern for their first playoff matchup. As for Batavia, they finish borderline .500 with a 4-4 record, and will face (2-5) Honeoye-Lima for their first matchup in Sectionals.