Tramuta receives promotion in Toronto

OBSERVER File Photo
The Toronto Blue Jays recently promoted Marc Tramuta to director, amateur scouting by the Toronto Blue Jays.

Marc Tramuta (Fredonia High School/Fredonia) has been promoted to director, amateur scouting by the Toronto Blue Jays.

The 2022 Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame inductee joined the Blue Jays in 2023 as special assistant, player personnel after spending the previous 11 years with the New York Mets in three roles — senior adviser of domestic & international scouting; director of amateur scouting; and assistant scouting director.

Prior to his time with the Mets, he was an area scout for the Baltimore Orioles and held roles within the Blue Jays’ organization as an area scout, national scouting supervisor and professional scout.

Tramuta was awarded the Al LaMacchia Award in 2007 as the Blue Jays’ Scout of the Year, and earned the Mid-Atlantic Scouts Association Crosschecker of the Year award in 2014.

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Kylie O’Brien (Jamestown/Jamestown) turned in an outstanding sophomore season as a member of the Fredonia State volleyball team.

Others have taken notice.

O’Brien was rewarded with an All-SUNYAC selection, earning a Second-Team berth as an outside hitter.

One of the conference’s top hitters, the sophomore ranked third in kills (354) and kills per set (3.44). Her kill total also ranked her 10th on the Blue Devils’ single-season list. She also had 37 aces, 25 blocks and 212 digs. Furthermore, in nine conference games, she ranked third in kills (123) and kills per set (3.73), and recorded a season-high 23 in five sets against Potsdam on Oct. 5.

Alyssa Adams (Jamestown/Randolph), a senior at Potsdam, was a Third-Team selection as an opposite.

She finished this season with 277 kills, a team-leading 275 digs, 45 blocks, 43 service aces and 21 assists. In two seasons with the Bears, she compiled 567 kills, 474 digs, 75 service aces, 72 blocks and 37 assists.

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The Saint Francis University football team came up with a game-sealing goal-line stand to secure a 34-27 come-from-behind victory over Long Island University last Saturday.

Nick Whitfield Jr. (Fredonia/Fredonia) played a major role in that win, too.

The sophomore quarterback completed 17 of 29 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. The passing yards were not only a career high, but they were also the most by a St. Francis quarterback since Nov. 19, 2022. In addition, Whitfield’s two-touchdown performance was the third of his career and his second in a row.

For the season, Whitfield has completed 64 of 122 passes for 788 yards and four touchdowns in five games played for the Red Flash (4-6, 2-4).

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A number of area natives will be participating in the college football postseason, both as coaches and players.

Washington & Jefferson, coached by Mike Sirianni (Jamestown/Southwestern), will take the 23rd-ranked (in the NCAA Power Index) Presidents to No. 15 Randolph-Macon in the second round of the Division III NCAA Football Championship for a noon kickoff on Nov. 30.

Due to the new expanded field of 40 teams, both squads received byes in the first round of the playoffs. This marks the 27th time appearing in the postseason for W&J, and its 27th Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship and the Pool A automatic bid that came with it. W&J enters the postseason with a 9-1 overall record.

In his 22nd season as the head coach of the Presidents, Sirianni boasts a 194-45 record, placing him among the best active NCAA football coaches (FBS, FCS, DII or DIII) with at least 10 years of experience. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Sirianni ranked fourth in winning percentage among active head coaches with 10-plus years of experience.

Division III defending national champion Cortland will begin its title defense when the Red Dragons host a second-round playoff game on Nov. 30 against either Endicott College or Alfred State College.

Cortland (10-0), which is ranked second by both D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association, earned an automatic bid after finishing 7-0 in league play and capturing its fourth straight Empire 8 title.

Members of that Red Dragons team are linebackers Matt Lotter (Fredonia/Fredonia) and sophomore Sean O’Brien (Jamestown/Jamestown).

Lotter, a junior, has played in all 10 games and recorded one solo tackle and four assisted tackles, while O’Brien, a sophomore, has played in one game and recorded two solo tackles and one assist.

The SUNY Brockport football team earned its eighth consecutive postseason berth as the Golden Eagles were selected to host the 2024 ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl game against the University of Rochester at noon Saturday at Bob Boozer Field.

The Golden Eagles finished the regular season with a 7-3 overall record and a 5-2 ledger in the Empire 8 Conference. University of Rochester posted a 6-4 overall record and a 2-4 mark in the Liberty League.

Members of the Brockport team from the area are junior offensive linemen Caleb Bane (Jamestown/Jamestown) and Julian McGaughy (Jamestown/Jamestown).

For the 20th time in the last 24 postseason, Muhlenberg, coached by Nate Milne (Jamestown/Jamestown), is headed to the postseason.

The Mules (7-3) earned a bid to the Centennial-MAC Bowl Series and will end their season with a home game against Widener on Saturday.

In his sixth season as head coach, Milne has posted a 59-13 record.

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For the final time in 2024, the Eastern Michigan University football team will play a home game Saturday, this time against Mid-American Conference rival Buffalo.

Cole Snyder (Lakewood/Southwestern), who played at UB for two seasons before transferring to Eastern Michigan, is the starting quarterback for the Eagles (5-5, 2-4). He has completed 209 of 347 passes for 2,243 yards and 12 touchdowns. He has been intercepted six times.

With a win against the Bulls (6-4, 4-2), the Eagles would become bowl eligible at 6-5.

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Aidan Kennedy (Lakewood/Southwestern) turned in a fine performance in Pace University’s season-ending loss to at New Haven last Saturday, rushing for a team-best 43 yards and passing for 177 yards.

For the season, the junior quarterback played in seven games, and completed 20 of 52 passes for 300 yards and one touchdown. The Setters concluded their season with a 2-8 overall record and 2-6 in the Northeast-10 Conference.

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A number of area natives are playing women’s college basketball this season.

Thanks to Chris Dole, following is a partial list:

Jamestown Community College: Andrea Johnson (Cassadaga Valley), Alyson Canfield (Jamestown) and Courtney Martin (Maple Grove).

Hilbert: Lezly McComber (Salamanca) and Kylie Morgan (Panama).

Houghton: Lily Bentley (Portville) and Karina Crouse (Salamanca).

Elmira: Mia and Mallory Welty (Portville).

Canton: Abigail Rice (Silver Creek).

Cobleskill: Kyra Pence (Randolph).

Allegheny: Sophia Genareo (Southwestern).