by Dawn Kane | Nov 4, 2022
Ian was a dedicated athlete, earning 8 varsity letters for the purple and white, competing in football, basketball, and track & field. Already showing his athletic ability as an 8th grader, Ian started at defensive end on the junior varsity. The following four years, he was a fixture on the gridiron, with the last 3 years as a two-way starter along the offensive and defensive line.
In his senior year, Ian was named to the All-WNY team as an offensive lineman, while being named Defensive Player of the Year for Class A-South. Other football accolades achieved during his career: Two-time 1st team All-ECIC, 2004 Trench Trophy finalist- awarded for the top WNY lineman. Ian competed in the WNY annual Lion’s Club All-Star football game, and was invited to play in the 2005 Governor’s Bowl in the NY vs. NJ football classic. Ian, however, was not a one sport athlete at Hamburg, as a sophomore, he began a three-year varsity run with the basketball team. Margerum made All-ECIC-2nd team honors and in 2004 earned a roster spot on Western Region Bronze Medal winning Empire State basketball team. In the spring of 2003, Ian earned a varsity letter throwing shot put and discus. He went to Robert Morris University on a football scholarship, where he was a three-year starter on the offensive line playing both guard and tackle. One of Ian’s favorite football memories while at Hamburg, was beating Lake Shore to claim 1st division title in 10 years on Senior Day. In 2010, Ian returned to his Alma Mater, joining the football coaching staff as an assistant JV coach, where he enjoyed mentoring the young athletes.
Currently, Ian lives in South Buffalo and works as a sales representative for Wright Beverage Distributing. He hopes to one day get back into coaching and give back once again to the sport that provide him so much opportunity.
by Dawn Kane | Nov 4, 2022
Do you know what 3 actions make up the triple jump? You can ask Class of 1972 and Wall of Fame inductee, Steve Shiffler! He became very proficient at the triple jump during his junior year for the Hamburg High School Track & Field squad. Steve’s best effort in the Triple jump (Hop, Step & Jump) that year (1971) came at the AAA Sectional Qualifier meet, where he recorded an effort of 43’-6”. This jump won the event and qualified him for the Section VI Intersectional meet and set the Hamburg school record for the Triple Jump. Steve went on to compete at the NYS meet that year, and although did not place, it set the stage for things to come his senior year.
In 1972, Shiffler set the Hamburg High School, ECIC, and meet records at the Alden Invitational Track Meet with a jump of 46’ 2 ¾”. The jump that Steve made at that meet was just six inches shy of the Western New York record at that time. With something to prove the second time around, Steve would go on to win the State meet and be selected 2nd team All-State in the Triple Jump. His Hamburg school record would go on to survive for 50 years!
After graduating from Hamburg, Steve went to Hilbert College where he participated in soccer, basketball, and track. After spending 4 years in the U.S. Air Force, obtaining the rank of Captain, as a Weather Officer, he started his career as a Mechanical Engineering Designer on Gas & Wind Turbines for General Electric (GE) in Greenville, South Carolina. Steve retired from GE in 2017 and is enjoying full retirement in Greenville, where he stays active in local dance groups, gym activities and Meals-on-Wheels deliveries.
by Dawn Kane | Nov 4, 2022
Nicole is like so many talented Hamburg alumni; she could have been inducted as a distinguished alumni or sports legend. Nicole was a multisport athlete during her career, who earned 17 letters, including 10 varsity letters. She was a four-year starter on the Varsity Soccer team as well as the Varsity Lacrosse team. In 2008, Nicole earned US Lacrosse Academic All American Team Honors and was on the Section VI Scholar Athlete Team. Besides being a top athlete her senior year, Nicole also finished in the Top Ten of her graduating year of 2008.
Nicole is most remembered for her athletic achievements in lacrosse, as she helped lead the 2007 and 2008 Girls Lacrosse Teams to back-to-back Section VI Class B Championships. During her senior year, she recorded 80 goals and 15 assists. Nicole had a “post up” move like a center on a basketball team, protecting herself and her stick, and being able to cradle the lacrosse ball from the defender to score one of her many patented goals. Once the ball was thrown into Nicole in the post, it was already counted as another goal for Hamburg!
Nicole was named First Team ECIC in 2005 and 2006, All-WNY 1st team in 2007 and All-WNY Honorable Mention Team in 2008. Despite the opportunity to play lacrosse in college, Nicole instead focused on her career, attending the University of Notre Dame, where she graduated with a BA in Psychology in 2012. She went on to earn her doctorate in Psychology from Syracuse University in 2018. Nicole and her husband Sean live in Western New York, and Dr. Shea works as a psychologist at Oishei Children’s Hospital in Buffalo.
by Dawn Kane | Nov 4, 2022
Amanda first picked up a lacrosse stick at the age of 10 while at her neighbor’s house. Since Hamburg did not yet have a youth girls lacrosse program, she first played in a boys summer league for her neighbor, Marty Derby.
She played high school soccer and basketball with her classmates through her junior year but made the jump to the varsity lacrosse team as an eighth grader. While her season had some ups and downs, the team won Section VI Class B championship with Amanda starting on attack.
As a 9th grader Amanda led the varsity team in assists and as a 10th grader, she led Hamburg in scoring. In 2011, Coach Ryan took over the program, Amanda again led the team with 64 goals and 34 helpers, leading the Bulldogs back to the Sectional VI Class B championship game, where they loss a heartbreaker to Lake Shore despite Amanda scoring 8 goals. That summer, Amanda was named to the Western Region Empire State games, where her team won the Silver Medal.
In her senior year, Amanda led Section VI in scoring, tallying 58 goals and 59 assists for 117 points, culminating with Hamburg winning the Section VI Class B championship which started a run by Coach Ryan of 6 consecutive Section VI championships. After the season was over, Amanda was named a 1st team U.S. Lacrosse All-American. 1st team All- WNY, and the inaugural winner of the Buffalo News “Ox” award, which is awarded to the individual who possesses talent, versatility, hard work, dedication and toughness. Amanda went on to play at the University of Albany, where she was part of a team that made 2 NCCA playoff appearances.
Amanda’s favorite high school memory was beating archrival Frontier under the lights at Howe Field after both schools raised money for Alex’s Lemonade stand. Amanda got married in September 2021 to Rob Koshinski and welcomed her 1st child, a son, Carter this past July. Amanda is an account manager at Hamburg Brewery.
by Dawn Kane | Nov 4, 2022
Katie Medina may have graduated from Hamburg 14 years ago, but this past spring her name was again in the spotlight at the end of the high school basketball season. That’s because Katie’s Hamburg career points record of 1,114 for a female basketball player had just been broken. She is one of only 4 girls who are in the prestigious 1,000-point club at Hamburg. Yet when she had to choose which sport she would play in college, Katie chose to play softball.
During her sports career at Hamburg, Katie played soccer, basketball and softball. In soccer she was named All-ECIC; on the court, she was named All-ECIC, All-WNY and All-ECIC player of the year 2 years in a row, topping it off with a Section VI title. On the diamond, Katie was named to the All-ECIC team 3 years in a row, player of the year, and All-WNY. Despite her personal accolades, one of Katie’s favorite memories from her high school career, was the softball team making the first ever sectionals in school history. Katie was an All-WNY Scholar Athlete as well.
At the end of her high school career, she had to make the difficult decision of choosing what sport she would play in college. She had many Division 1 offers to play basketball or softball, and one school, George Mason, wanted Katie to play both basketball and softball. However, she never got to make the decision herself! Diagnosed with sports induced acid reflux during her Senior year, doctors told her that she should not continue playing basketball. So, the decision to play softball was made for her due to health concerns. Once it was determined that softball was the choice, she decided to play at the Division I level with Canisius College, where she was a four-year starter and part of a MAAC championship. Katie graduated with a bachelor’s in English and a master’s degree in Sports Administration.
Katie is in mortgage operations with Haus Capital Corporation. This past July she got married to Jenna Yates, and they make their home in West Seneca with their two dogs.
