by Dawn Kane | Oct 14, 2024
Hamburg has a rich history of having some of the finest lacrosse players to ever play in the WNY region. Most notable are the Resetarits brothers for scoring goals or Chris Pieczonka for winning faceoffs, however, for Eric Chadderdon it was defending the goal. Eric began his journey with the Hamburg High School Varsity Lacrosse Team as an eighth grader in the 2007 season, quickly securing a starting role. Throughout his high school career, he played a crucial part in winning four NYS Section VI Championships. In 2010 and 2011, Eric earned the titles of All-American and Metro Defender of the Year. At 6’ 2” and 205 pounds, Eric was an imposing player who through his remarkable skills also landed him a spot on the ESPN Rise National Top 40 Team and the Under Armour All-American Team. For two consecutive years, he was recognized as the All-Western NY Section VI Defender and Defensive Team MVP. Additionally, Eric represented the Western Team in the Empire State Games, winning both gold and bronze medals, and was named the best defender of 2011 by lax.com, while Inside Lacrosse magazine ranked Chadderdon as the 24th best lacrosse recruit in the Class of 2011. Hamburg lacrosse Head Coach, Jerry Severino, said of Eric, “he was the best defenseman on the field from the time he took the field in 8th grade”.
Academically, Eric excelled as well, making the HHS honor roll throughout his high school years. He was included on the NY State All-Academic Team, recognized as a News 4 Scholar-Athlete, and inducted into the National Business Honor Society.
Besides lacrosse, Eric also played football at HHS and participated in alpine ski racing. Eric received a scholarship to play lacrosse at The Ohio State University for two years before transferring to LeMoyne College. While at LeMoyne, he achieved the pinnacle of college lacrosse by winning the 2016 National Lacrosse Championship, beating top-ranked Limestone College in the championship game in 2015. That year Eric was selected to the USILA All-American third-team.
Eric graduated with a BA in Communications and currently works as a Strategy Leader at Amazon Web Services. He resides in Newburyport, Massachusetts, with his wife, Chelsea, and they are expecting twin girls this Fall.
by Dawn Kane | Oct 14, 2024
Gurf Morlix has been inducted into the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame, the Austin Music Hall of Fame and was named Instrumentalist of the Year by the Americana Association. He has produced records for scores of Americana icons such as Lucinda Williams, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Blaze Foley, Mary Gauthier, Slaid Cleaves, Robert Earl Keen and more. He has produced 15 solo albums which have received global critical acclaim.
Visiting planet Gurf has always been an enlightening experience. After all, this Gurf Morlix fellow – Lackawanna born, Texas honed – has provided us with countless indelible musical moments in the last 50-plus years: his exemplary guitar playing, the many albums that he assumed the role of producer for, his instrumental accompaniment to artists ranging from Blaze Foley to Warren Zevon, – Gurf has a singular worldview and can be both harrowing and heartening, often at the same time.
by Dawn Kane | Oct 14, 2024
Meghan grew up in the village of Hamburg and her passion for athletics started at a young age playing sports in the driveway with her two older brothers, Kevin & Sean. She started dance at the age of 3 and softball at the age of 6 through the Hamburg Junior Baseball league. At the age of 8, she started playing travel ice hockey for the Hamburg Hawks where she continued through her senior year of high school.
Her field hockey career began in 7th grade and she went on to excel, playing varsity from her sophomore year on. She was selected for the 2008 Empire State Team, representing WNY. Her varsity accolades include three-time First Team ECIC and two-time First Team All-WNY. She was named team captain in 2009 as well. She finished her career with 36 goals and 20 assists. One of Meghan’s favorite memories was scoring the game winning goal with seconds left in overtime against Orchard Park senior year to advance the team on to section semifinals. Her softball career continued through her senior year as well where she was the starting shortstop and team captain in 2010.
She also stood out in the classroom earning the Outstanding Scholastic Student Athlete Award for Hamburg High School 2009-2010 with a 98.5 GPA, one of her most proud honors, and graduated in the top 10 of her class.
After high school she received a scholarship to play Division II Field Hockey at Mercyhurst University where she went on to start all 73 games of her career. She made the All-PSAC 2nd team in 2013, ECAC Division II All-Star team in 2013 and was nominated for the Mercyhurst Senior Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2014. She was chosen to play in the NFHCA Division II North/South Senior Game in 2013. Also served as team captain her junior and senior year.
After college, Meghan attended the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo where she received her MD. She completed a 4-year residency in combined internal medicine & pediatrics at UB and was named chief resident her 4th year. Meghan still resides in the Village of Hamburg, and she works as a board-certified internal medicine and pediatrics physician in primary care. She enjoys golf and continues to play adult league field hockey, softball and the occasional ice hockey tournament with her old teammates.
by Dawn Kane | Oct 14, 2024
When both of your parents are over 6 feet tall, it was a given fact that Blake McLimans, would grow to be one of the tallest athletics to ever participate in sports at Hamburg High School. The only question would be: what sport would he excel in, considering his late father, Jeff, was a standout pitcher and former Hamburg JV baseball coach? For Blake, who would grow to become 6’10” it would be three sports; as he was a 3-year varsity letterman in volleyball, basketball and baseball.
During his senior year (2007-08), he averaged 19.5 points, 11.0 rebounds, 4.7 blocked shots and 4.0 assists, and was named ECIC II player of the year leading the basketball team to its first divisional championship since 1990. Blake finished his basketball career at Hamburg as the all-time leader in blocked shots (208), fourth all-time in scoring (968) and fifth in rebounding (553). Also, during his senior year, Blake was named All-WNY- 2nd team in Volleyball and on the diamond, he was named All-WNY-honorable mention while co-captaining and leading the team to its first baseball sectional championship in school history. Trifecta! What a year! At the end of Blake’s high school career, he had the difficult decision to either play baseball at West Virginia University or take his chances going to prep school for a year to get recruited in basketball. The decision was made late in his senior year to attend Worcester Academy in Massachusetts and take his chances on the court. Because Blake was a three-sport star he didn’t participate in AAU basketball and therefore wasn’t on the radar of big-time Division I programs during basketball recruitment, so Worcester became a great decision. After just 3 weeks at prep school, he decided to commit to the University of Michigan to play basketball on a full scholarship, coached by Buffalo’s own John Beilein. During his time at Michigan, he helped the team to a BIG TEN championship in 2012 and was a member of the 2013 team which made it to the national championship game.
Blake graduated Michigan with a bachelor’s degree in Economics. Currently, Blake is the Vice President of Revenue at RFX and lives in Tampa, FL.
by Dawn Kane | Oct 14, 2024
Biographical Comments Commemorating Ada Meloy, Esq. – by Edwin Beck, Her Friend
“It’s been nearly ten years since we lost our dear friend and classmate, Ada Meloy. Driving on Thanksgiving Day to a gathering near Bethlehem PA, she encountered a fatal accident, ending a life filled with contribution and service to others. As a strenuous advocate for students, faculty, and the higher education communities which she served; her achievements as a lawyer representing New York University, and in her final years, as General Counsel for a higher education advocacy group in Washington, DC. As a co-founder of The Prisoners’ Reading Encouragement Project, Ada Meloy took on the issues affecting increased justice for incarcerated Americans, a venture which paralleled her continual regard for others.
Ada joined the Class of 1967 in our freshman year, making her new home in a charming, antique house on Main Street. In a short amount of time, Ada became known for her love of learning and her love for her new friends. As a scholarly and gifted student, her mission was clear: Ada would become a lawyer.
At the June 1967 graduation, Ada was honored as the Class’s Salutatorian. And for those of us lucky enough to have been her good friends, we were aware of last minute effects, silently assuring (her) the second academic spot; that rather than becoming Valedictorian, she would allow one of her friends, a boy, the honor – that in those days, a young man’s future would have secured greater opportunities with “Valedictorian” on his resume, than it would have been for Ada. This was how she excelled, even early on as a young adult, as the wonderful and woman whom she would become.
Within three years from Hamburg High School, Ada would be graduating from the esteemed Wellesley College For Women, and in another three years, leaving NYU’s Law School, achieving her J.D. – and on to her journey of profound concern and enduring service to others.”
