Forestville cites impact of small town athletics – observertoday.com

Jun 23, 2025
OBSERVER Photos by Christian Storms The Forestville Hornets celebrate after winning the Far West Regional game at Frontier High School to clinch a trip to states.

FORESTVILLE — One of the region’s smallest schools has felt an enormous impact on its school community in recent weeks because of the power of sports.
The Forestville Hornets softball team won the Section VI Championship, then a regional qualifier to earn a trip to the semifinals of the State Championship tournament. The team’s impact on the field was just as special off the field, as the whole school community rallied around the group of Forestville girls that advanced to a stage no team before them had ever been to.
“If you ever need to validate how special it is to be from a small town, here’s the reason right here,” Athletic Director Scott Hazelton said.
The team was escorted out of town by the Forestville Fire Department on the morning before the semifinal game in Binghamton, then welcomed home by the Fire Department with an escort back into town later that weekend. Students and staff from all levels of the district participated in the send-off, as well as residents and businesses in town that lined up along Main Street.
“The children really had a lot of fun. It was very meaningful,” said Elementary Principal Shauna McMahon. “… It was just such a wonderful experience.”
Forestville seniors Megan Gruber, left, and Jade Work, right are presented the NYSPHSAA Class D Far West Regional plaque.
This spring, Forestville boasted 78 athletes across the district in various sports and levels of competition. What is special about the varsity softball team is that of all the sports Forestville offers, it is the one team that is hosted and comprised of only Forestville students. Every other program is shared and hosted by another district.
Of the 12 girls on the varsity softball team, two are seniors this year: Megan Gruber and Jade Work. Hazelton fought back tears as he spoke about how much the team means to him. His wife, Brianne, is the varsity softball coach.
“These kids really mean a lot to me,” Hazelton said. “When you have two leaders in the senior class like Jade and Meg, I think it reflects a lot on our school as a whole – who they are as kids, who they are as athletes, where they come from… I think that makes it just a little bit more special.”
The trip to state was Forestville’s first in the softball program’s history. Hazelton and Superintendent Dr. John O’Connor worked out the details throughout the week after the team’s Far West Regional win on June 6. Hazelton credited the community for the support it has shown the team throughout the journey.
Forestville lost in the state semifinals to Hamilton, 5-1. A day later, Hamilton went on to win the state championship.
“I’m super proud of this group of kids,” Hazelton said. “… These kids are going to have these memories that will last a lifetime.”
As impactful as the softball team’s state trip was, another recent athletic event also had a major impact on the district. Forestville sent eight student volunteers to the Special Olympics competition at SUNY Fredonia on May 28 to support the athletes of Forestville and its neighboring schools in the region.
The students to volunteer were Madison Christian, Ella Duliba, Will Duliba, Ava Emke, Aiden Hendricks, Carilene Sliwa, Sophia Stewart, and Jade Work.
Stewart, the district’s Student Board Member, said, “I’m very appreciative of the people I went with. I was very thankful to them for being so kind to one another.”
Stewart said she was “speechless” as she put into words how meaningful the event was for her to experience.
“It was a really memorable experience to have because of the kindness of everyone that was there,” Stewart said. “They took time out of their day for these students that usually don’t get the opportunity to do that kind of thing. … I feel like everyone should get that kind of experience.”
Stewart hopes the district will bring more students to the event in the future. “It shows humanity,” Stewart said.
Forestville also participates in Unified Basketball with Silver Creek. The combined team went undefeated this season and won the Section VI Championship.
“A Unified event is really one of the most epic things to be a part of,” Hazelton said. “For us to be part of that and be successful, that’s just the cherry on top.”
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