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Batavia HS

Batavia boys defeats Brockport 57-51 in basketball home opener

By Steve Ognibene
Batavia's Justin Smith driving to the net for Batavia.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia's Justin Smith driving to the net for Batavia.  Smith led the Blue Devils offense scoring 14 points on the night.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene

The Batavia Blue Devils are officially 1-0 on the season after defeating Brockport 57-51 in the team's 2023-24 season home opener.

Carter Mullen and Justin Smith led the way, with Mullen scoring 16 points and Smith scoring 14.  Joey Marranco scored 10 points.

The Blue Devils held on to win despite being outscored 19-13 in the final quarter.

Also in Boys Basketball on Wednesday, Le Roy beat Cal-Mum 78-49. Merritt Holly scored 31 points. Jean Agosto and Aaric Luce each scored nine. 

Note: Merritt Holly scored 13 points in the third after Cal- Mum pulled to within 3 early in the period extending the margin to 16 after three.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Carter Mullen gets past Brockports defenders.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Carter Mullen gets past Brockport's defenders. 
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Brady Mazur sets up the offense.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Brady Mazur sets up the offense.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Gavin White double teamed trying to score.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Gavin White double-teamed trying to score.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Joey Marranco passes to the Batavia offense.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Joey Marranco passes to the Batavia offense.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Carter Mullen defends the paint after extra point attempt by Batavia.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Carter Mullen defends the paint after an extra-point attempt by Batavia.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene

BHS Drama Club tries to determine who murdered billionaire in eight 10-minute plays

By Howard B. Owens
batavia high school drama club the alibis

For those who love murder mysteries and comedies, the Batavia High School Drama Club is staging The Alibis, a collection of eight interconnected 10-minute plays that revolve around the murder of eccentric billionaire J. Leslie Arlington.

There are plenty of suspects in the murder, and all have alibis, which none of them want to admit to because they were all committing other ridiculous crimes at the time. The suspects include disgruntled chefs, teen detectives, and vengeful divas.

Performances are at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday on the stage of the Batavia High School Auditorium, 260 State St., Batavia.

Photos by Howard Owens.

batavia high school drama club the alibis
batavia high school drama club the alibis
batavia high school drama club the alibis
batavia high school drama club the alibis
batavia high school drama club the alibis
batavia high school drama club the alibis
batavia high school drama club the alibis
batavia high school drama club the alibis

BHS to honor local veterans on Nov. 9

By Press Release

Press Release:

On Thursday, Nov. 9 the Batavia High School faculty, administration, and students are planning to celebrate and honor our Veterans in Genesee County. 

We would like to invite our Genesee County Veterans to attend our ceremony to honor and thank you for your service to our country.

All veterans are asked to arrive at 8 a.m. at Batavia High School. The ceremony will begin at 8:15 a.m. in the Batavia High School Auditorium. There will be performances from our High School Band, orchestra, and Chorus, a student representative speaker, and a keynote speaker. 

After the ceremony, we will be offering a reception for our veterans in the High School Library. 

If you are interested in attending the Veteran’s Day Ceremony, RSVP the following information:

  1. Name (Full Military Title)
  2. Years of service
  3. Military Branch

Please email or mail by Nov. 1.

Mail:

Collin Murtaug
Batavia High School
260 State Street
Batavia, NY 14020

Email: CMurtaugh@bataviacsd.org or JHaggett@bataviacsd.org. 

If you have a picture of you in uniform, please send it in with a reservation. We will return the picture on Nov. 9 at the end of the ceremony. We hope you can join us!

Blue Devils suffer heartbreaking loss in Class B semifinal

By Howard B. Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
Zailen Griffen inched the ball over the goalline for one of his three touchdowns while senior lineman Alex Merica begins the celebration.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Heartbreaking is the best way to describe the Batavia Blue Devil's 26-20 loss to the Honeoye Falls/Lima Cougars in the Class B football semifinal on Friday night.

The boys' varsity squad was by no means guaranteed the win when the defense made a costly mistake late in the fourth quarter.

But the mistake gave the Cougars' offense new life after the defense had snuffed an apparent scoring drive in the red zone.

First-year head coach Alex Veltz took responsibility for the mental error, saying he hadn't properly prepared his team for a rare circumstance in a high school football game: a blocked field goal attempt.

The defense, apparently unaware that, unlike a point-after attempt, the ball is still live when the kick is blocked, didn't immediately scramble to obtain possession of the ball, and HFL lingered a couple of seconds, too.  When a Batavia player did pick up the ball, he tossed it away, making it a fumble, and at least one HFL player had the situational awareness to pounce on it, giving the Cougars a new set of downs and another chance to score. That TD became the difference in an otherwise evenly-matched game. 

The Blue Devils got the ball back with less than 1:30 left on the clock and couldn't mount a quick-strike drive.

"You don't see many high school field goals," Veltz said in an on-field interview with The Batavian after the game. "It's just not a situation you encounter very much. It was something we didn't prep for, so my message to the team was I took ownership of it because it was a situation we didn't prepare for, a blocked field goal, reacting to a live ball, knowing that is different and the guys weren't ready for it."

It was a big game for junior running back Zailen Griffen, who scored all three of Batavia's TDs on 20 carries for 160 yards.

Cole Grazioplene had three receptions for 25 yards, and one carry for 37 yards.

On defense, Maggio Buchholz had 13.5 tackles; Lakoda Mruczek, 8.5 tackles; and Carter Mullen, one interception.

Veltz took over a young team, and while he will lose three of his senior captains to graduation, he expects good things from the Blue Devils in 2024.

For more photos and to purchase prints, click here.

Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
Bronx Bucholz with a pass attempt under pressure in the second half.
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
HFL QB Matthew Meacham under pressure in the second half.
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
Cole Grazioplene during the first half with one of his three receptions.
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
Zailen Griffin eludes his final obstacle on his way to a more than 50-yard TD run. It was a clear and open field after he broke the tackle attempt.
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
Zailen Griffin
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
Bronx Buchholz on a QB keeper behind lineman Karvel Martino, who as a sophomore is 6' 2", 350 pounds.
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia vs .HFL Section V Class B semifinal 2023
The field goal attempt would be blocked and prove to be the decisive moment in the game.
Photo by Howard Owens

Batavia High's Walsh and Hume honored by Section V

By Howard B. Owens
isabella walsh batavia soccer
Isabella Walsh
Photo by Howard Owens

Isabella Walsh: Section V Class A Player of the Year
Isabella Walsh, #11 on the Batavia Blue Devils Girls Soccer team, loves playing defense. She always has.

"I've played defense since I was little," Walsh said. "I like the one-on-one battles and making big saves. I enjoy it."

She's also the team's primary direct-kick specialist (taking kicks following a penalty from outside the penalty box).

These two contributions to Batavia's 14-win season are a big part of why she was named Section V Class A Player of the Year for Girls Soccer.

"I'm really honored to be singled out for this award," Walsh said. "There are so many great players on my team and the teams we compete against. To be a defensive player and to win this type of award is really a great recognition, but this is truly a team award because it's my teammates around me every day in practice and games that make me better and make me want to play harder for them and our team's success."

Batavia's head coach, Roger Hume, said Walsh, now a senior, is a four-year starter at center back, and he doesn't believe she's missed a start in her career.

"She's like the center of our entire defense at this point," Hume said. "She is gonna be a big loss for us."

On the field, Walsh directs the defense when the opposing team has a direct kick or corner kick, and that had a lot to do with Batavia's success in 2023.

"We were at the lowest goal-against total we've had in the last 15 years that I've been here," Hume said. "We had 12 goals against."

roger hume batavia girls soccer
Roger Hume
Photo by Howard Owens

Roger Hume: Section V Class A Girls Soccer Coach of the Year
Fifteen years ago, Roger Hume took over a soccer team that needed new direction.  That first year as coach was rough -- no league wins and only a 4-12-1 record on the year.  The team scored only 12 goals and gave up 50.

In 2023, he coached the team to a 14-2-1 record, with a team that gave up only 12 goals and scored 73 (The team's previous record for fewest goals against was 17 in 2020 (when the team scored only 15 goals, and the highest goal total was 45 in 2022).

After such a successful season, Hume has been named the Section V Class A Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.

The award isn't just a credit to him, Hume said. It's the entire group of people involved in Batavia Girls Soccer.

"Well, for me, I think it's a combination of all the parents and players that have put the time in, and all of the volunteer coaches and assistant coaches I've had through the years," Hume said. "There's a multitude of parents that had their daughters come up through who helped me from modified all the way up to Varsity. It kind of justifies that we did all that hard work, you know, and it took a while. I mean, 15 years before we had the team -- this has been one of the best teams that we've had, you know, record-wise and group-wise and just the way they are a team together."

Hume now has 111 career wins as a varsity coach.

His soccer career started with his oldest daughter getting involved with soccer when she was four. She's now 32. He became a coach in Batavia Youth Soccer, became a board member, and after a few years, then Athletic Director Mike Bromley asked him if he would coach girls modified soccer for Batavia.  After a few years, he moved up to junior varsity and then, 15 years ago, varsity. 

The team's biggest improvements have come since the opening of the new Van Detta Stadium with the artificial turf on Woodward Field.

Playing on grass meant playing a slower game, but it also meant, despite all the hard work of the grounds crew, playing on a field that could be a bit uneven.

"When it gets into October, it's tough because it's raining out all the time or it's snowing out all the time," Hume said. "Being able to get on the turf as much as possible has helped to speed up our game a lot. We've really been able to ratchet up."

The proof is the past three years of play against a top Class A team, Pal-Mac.  Two years ago, Batavia lost 6-1.  Last year, 4-0.  This year, in the Class A semifinal, 2-0.  That's a measure of progress, even if the Blue Devils haven't yet cleared the hump of beating Pal-Mac.

And the progress doesn't seem to have peaked, Hume indicated.

"We have a great JV group that came up, and I had girls that were freshmen and sophomores that could have been on varsity and would have been on varsity previous years, like five, six years ago, but we didn't have the room for them," Hume said.  "They would be playing and I don't want them to sit on the bench if there's no value to it at that point."

Hume acknowledged that as much as it might recognize the success of the program in 2023, it also recognizes the progress of the program.

"I think it is a recognition of what we can do and that we are competitive," Hume said. "We can compete now several teams in our group. Aquinas is in our group, and Pal-Mac is our Class A. Like I said, we did Class A for nine years, and we won four games all the time, or five games all the time, so, you know, I think we're proving we can compete."

Photos: Batavia cheerleaders at sectionals tournament

By Howard B. Owens
batavia high cheerleading

Batavia High School cheerleaders participated in the Class D2 small school sectional tournament on Saturday.

The team did not score enough points to advance to the next round.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

batavia high cheerleading
batavia high cheerleading

Batavia cruises past Geneva in opening sectional round, 44-6

By Staff Writer
Batavia Senior Cole Grazioplene on his way to endzone in opening quarter.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia Senior Cole Grazioplene on his way to the endzone in the opening quarter.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene

Coming in as the #3 seed, the Batavia Blue Devils dominated #2 seed Geneva in the Class B semifinals on Friday night, earning the right to play for a sectional seminfinal next week with a 44-6 win.

Cole Grazioplene had four receptions for 100 yards and two TDs, plus an 88-yard kick return score.  He also scored on a two-point conversion.

QB  Bronx Buchholz was 8-14 passing for 144 yards. He tossed three touchdowns and was picked off twice.

On defense, Mekhi Fortes had four tackles and two touchdowns. On offense, he had four receptions for 44 yards and TD. 

Zailen Griffin rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown. Brock Warran also scored a TD on the ground.

Also on Friday night:

  • Pembroke crushes Red Jacket in sectional semifinal, 66-20
  • Le Roy beat Penn Yan/Dundee, 33-22. Tony Piazza ran 20 times for 163 yards and three touchdowns. He had four tackles on defense and broke up two passes. Jackson Fix, seven rushes, 39 yards, a TD, plus two receptions for 46 yards and a TD. He also had seven tackles and a forced fumble. Tommy Condidorio was 4-9 passing for 68 yards and a TD.
  • Attica/Alexander beat Livonia 34-7.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Zailen Griffin #24 for Batavia gaining yards on Geneva's defense.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Zailen Griffin #24 for Batavia gaining yards on Geneva's defense.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia #5 Greyson Fix stops Geneva from a first down.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia #5 Greyson Fix stops Geneva from a first down.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia Quarterback #9 Bronx Buchholz hitting his target down field.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Batavia Quarterback #9 Bronx Buchholz hitting his target downfield.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene
Geneva Senior quarterback Rey Dejesus feeling pressure from Batavia senior Mekhi Fortes.  Photo by Steve Ognibene
Geneva Senior quarterback Rey Dejesus feeling pressure from Batavia senior Mekhi Fortes.  
Photo by Steve Ognibene

Batavia dealt tough loss in soccer sectionals, 2-0

By Howard B. Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Batavia players react at the end of time to Pal-Mac in their 2-0 loss on Saturday in the Class A Girls Soccer quarterfinal playoff game at Van Detta Stadium while Pal-Mac players celebrate their win.
Photo by Howard Owens.

With only one loss, Batavia went into the postseason with one of its best -- perhaps its best -- seasons ever in Girls Soccer, as the #3 seed in Class A and hoping to advance.

The Blue Devils were 14-1-1 in the regular season, but Coach Roger Hume said he knew Palmyra-Macedon would be tough to beat, even though the Raiders finished up the regular season 10-5-1 and the #6 season in Class A.

The Blue Devils 2-0 on Saturday, then, was clearly disappointing to the Batavia squad.

Hume said he was proud of his team's effort and success over the course of the season.

"We had the best record in my 15 years (as head coach)," Hume said. "This group surprised me by how they weren't worried about anyone.  One game at a time. They came back and won two games in OT to keep their undefeated record.   We had five seniors who were all leaders with no drama. It was fun to come to practice.   They have set the bar high, but last year the bar was set for this group, and they crushed it.  Next year's group will be as strong, too."

Pal-Mac's forward, Lillian Boesel, scored both goals for the visiting team.

Batavia played hard through both halves of the match, firing 15 shots, but Pal-Mac keeper Marianna Hodgins came up with 10 saves against shots-on-goal.

The Blue Devils have had five chances to score on corner kicks.

The Raiders took 13 shots, with five on goal saved by Ava Higgins.

"We had enough to beat them," Hume said, "but they took advantage of their opportunities.

The Batavia soccer program -- boys and girls -- has been on the upswing since the move into Van Detta Stadium. The boys finished the season 8-7-1 with a first-round sectional loss to Pittsford Mendon, 9-1.

Girls Sectional Summary:

  • Class B: #8 Le Roy lost to #1 Haverling 1-0 in the quarterfinals.
  • Class C1: Oakfield-Alabama beat Letchworth in quarterfinals 3-0. The #3 seed will play #2 Williamsville on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Cal-Mum.
  • Class C2: #12 Alexander lost to #5 Dundee/Bradford in the pre-quarterfinals 2-1. #4 Byron-Bergen beat #13 Bolivar-Richburg in the quarterfinals 9-0 and next face #1 seed Ganada on Tuesday at a time and location to be determined.
  • Class D: #10 Notre Dame beat #7 Mount Morris 6-2 in the pre-quarterfinals and lost 1-0 to Northstar Christian Academy in the quarterfinals.

Boys Sectional Summary:

  • Class B: #7 Le Roy lost to #2 Livona 1-0 in the quarterfinal after beating #10 Attica/Alexander in the pre-quarterfinal 4-0.
  • Class C: #13 Pembroke lost #4 Keshequa 8-0 in the pre-quarterfinals.  #5 Pavilion/York lost on penalty kicks to Avon after a 2-2 tie in regulation time in the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, #2 Byron-Bergen beat #10 Holly 5-0. On Wednesday, the Bees face #3 Addison at 5 p.m. at Geneseo High School. 

To view more photos from Batavia's game and to purchase prints, click here.

batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Ava Varland.
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Ella Shamp
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Jaimin Macdonald
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Ella Shamp
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Adyson O'Donnell with a shot on goal in the first half.
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Isabella Walsh with a pass downfield during second half.
the Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Lilly Mileham.
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Ella Radley
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Head Coach Roger Hume
Photo by Howard Owens
batavia girls soccer vs. pal-mac
Jaimin Macdonald
Photo by Howard Owens

No tasks were too big or small for BHS seniors to 'make a difference' Friday

By Joanne Beck
Cassie Ernst
Cassie Ernst, a senior at Batavia High School, works on a ceiling tile as part of Make A Difference Day Friday at GO Art! in Batavia.
Photo by Joanne Beck

Painting ceiling tiles wouldn’t typically seem like a fun thing to do, but for a group of Batavia High School seniors, they didn’t mind it doing it all morning Friday, they said.

Full disclosure: these weren’t just any ceiling tiles; they were going to replace some that had gotten damaged in the GO Art! kitchen, and since they didn’t match the other ones already in there, it was decided that they could look different. 

And that’s when the fun began.

“We’re painting ceiling tiles for the kitchen in a monster theme,”  student Prudence Favaloro said, showing the piece that she and fellow senior Joshua Budzinack had created. “I really like doing art; it’s one of my biggest passions. I want to minor in art in college.”

The 17-year-old and 13 of her peers chose GO ART! as the place they wanted to go to for Make A Difference Day. In its 24th year, this is a day when the Batavia seniors spend time earning community service hours while also helping out a local nonprofit organization with tasks, such as gardening, cleaning, office work, and various other types of odd jobs.

Kids visited All Babies Cherished, ARC, Batavia Cemeteries, Batavia Community Garden, Batavia Peace Garden, Crossroads House, First United Methodist Church, Genesee Cancer Assistance, Genesee County Park, Genesee County Youth Bureau, Habitat for Humanity, Holland Land Office Museum, Mercy Flight, The Manor House and YMCA.

Given the nature of GO Art!, jobs have been a bit more creative, but helpful all the same, Executive Director Gregory Hallock said.

“They have been coming every year since I've been here. And for us, it’s a godsend. Because we get, what is it? This is Make a Difference Day, and then we have the United Way's Day of Caring. And so those are two times a year where we really try to do some major projects, because all the workers, all my staff have 24/7 jobs … and this gives us a chance to catch up on a lot of stuff, and the kids like painting,” Hallock said while standing in the kitchen at the Bank and East Main Street site. 

“They had been doing this room now since 2021, I think, so they've been painting this room and adding, they were doing the ceiling tiles for today. Some kids come here because they like to do art, and we're an art center. But that's not usually the projects we have, we do more of the arts administration. So that's where we decided one year to let them have at this kitchen. So they've been doing monsters for years.”

There were other chores, including more utilitarian painting of walls to be able to mount paintings on later and building tabletops, volunteer Ed Griffin said.  He led a group of four kids with those tasks up in the attic. 

Everyone arrived at 9 a.m. ready for the day, and time seemed to go very quickly, Favaloro said. 

“It seems we were just getting started, and the next thing you knew, it was 11, and then it was 12:30, where did that time go?” she said. “I enjoyed it.”

There were ceiling tiles drying on the gallery room stage, filled with cartoon monster images and bright colors, while the students and art teachers Nikki Greenbaum and Mandi Antonucci took a lunch break. 

Meanwhile, Hallock pointed around the kitchen to prior handiwork kids had done, demonstrating how each year’s contribution has incrementally carved out a culinary art gallery.

“It's incredible,” he said. “We depend on this. We look forward to this every year to get stuff done.” 

Each site had one or more chaperones to supervise, and work with the students, said Lisa Robinson, who accompanied another group of 14 to the state School for the Blind.

Student Madison Hughes chose the school to visit because she “just wanted to see some different people” and admittedly, wasn’t in the mood for any yard work. Students there were placed in classrooms and offices to either be directly with the school’s students or staff in need of office assistance.

It’s the second year for Robinson to go to the Richmond Avenue site, she said.

“I think from the kids’ perspective, it's great for them to see other opportunities and things that are going on within Batavia that they might not have had the opportunity to do before,” she said. “And then as far as coming here, I think it's great for the students that are here as well as our students. They have some interaction and they get to see how the school operates and just a different aspect of what that looks like.”

Prudence and Joshua
Prudence Favaloro and Joshua Budzinack with their monster "claws."
Photo by Joanne Beck
paintings on tiles
Submitted Photo
Kids with green painting
Submitted Photo

 

Amy and Madison at School for Blind
Special Education Assistant Amy Gromlovits works with BHS student Madison Hughes at the state School for the Blind.
Photo by Joanne Beck 
Michael at School for Blind
BHS senior Michael Nardone takes a break after cutting paper for flip charts that he and another student put together for Make A Difference Day at the state School for the Blind. 
Photo by Joanne Beck
BHS group at school for blind
BHS students at the state School for the Blind.
Submitted Photo

 

Batavia beats Rochester Prep 40-0

By Howard B. Owens
Batavia football

In a rare Saturday afternoon game for Batavia at Van Detta Stadium, the Blue Devils beat Rochester Prep 40-0.

Batavia improves to 5-2 and is currently seeded #3 in Class B with one regular season game left on the schedule.

The Batavian has not received stats for the game.

Photos by Debra Reilly

Batavia football
Batavia football
Batavia football

Batavia girls pick up 14th win to clinch Monroe D4 title in soccer

By Staff Writer

With its 14th win of the season, and no defeats, The Batavia Blue Devils Girls Soccer team clinched the Monroe League Division 4 crown.

Batavia beat division rival Greece Olympia 6-1.

With one regular season game left, the Blue Devils are ranked #1 in Class A at 14-0-1 with 4.367 seeding points and Aquinas trailing at 13-1-2 and 4.188 seeding points.

Batavia's final game is Friday at home against Greece Athena (Class AA, 8-5-0).

On Wednesday, Batavia Sophomore Ella Shamp started the scoring 11 minutes into the game off a pass from Ella Radley.  Anna Varland added a penalty kick goal three minutes later, and Ella Shamp added another goal in the first half off an assist from Anna Varland.  

Batavia added three more goals in the second half by Ella Radley, Ady O’Donnell, and Anna Varland, with assists from Jaimin MacDonald, Anna Varland, and Isabella Walsh.  

"The team is peaking at the right time and is really having fun," said Head Coach Roger Hume."They just want to play and play hard.  

Batavia ties Greece Olympia 2-2 in Boys Soccer

By Press Release

Press release:

The Batavia Boys Varsity Soccer team tied Greece Olympia 2-2 in overtime on Tuesday evening. 

In this divisional matchup, Troy Hawley (#1) put Batavia ahead early in the game, assisted by Quintin Cummings (#4). 

Olympia equalized and then went up 2-1. With 4 minutes left in regulation time, Owen Halpin (#11) headed the ball in the net off Finn Halpin's (#2) corner kick. 

Since neither team scored in OT, the game ended in a 2-2 tie. 

Batavia’s record improved to 8 wins, 6 losses, and 1 tie with one game left in the season.

Batavia remains undefeated in Girls Soccer with 5-0 win over Livonia

By Howard B. Owens

Behind a hat trick by Ella Shamp, the Batavia Blue Devils won their 13th game of the season in Girls Soccer, beating Livonia on Monday 5-0.

Lilly Mileham and Ady O'Donnell (assisted by Ava Darling) scored Batavia's other two goals.

Shamp's goals were assisted by Kylee Brennan and Anna Varland (twice).

Coach Roger Hume said, "Junior Goalie Ava Higgins had another strong night in net after coming off a fantastic effort against Le Roy on Saturday night.  Ava’s five GA accomplished so far this season is the lowest I have seen in my 15 years as BHS Varsity Girls Soccer Coach.  This team continues to surprise me. The team's day off of school seemed to show up in a very lackluster warmup, but after 20 minutes of even play the team really started to control play by tying multiple passes together.  Our pressure on the ball and our switching of the fields allowed us to take advantage of the space behind the back line. 

Batavia is 13-0-1 on the season and plays Greece Olympia next.

Batavia girls beat Le Roy in nightcap of Soccer Saturday at Van Detta

By Howard B. Owens
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.

The Batavia Blue Devils and Le Roy Oatkan Knights capped Soccer Saturday with a Girls Soccer game that ended with a 3-2 OT win for Batavia.

The boys lost their OT game to Wilson/Early College 3-2.

"It was a wonderful night for our boys and girls senior soccer players," said Roger Hume, head coach for Batavia. "Le Roy didn’t make it an easy win."

In the nightcap, Batavia started the scoring early in the first half with a breakaway run and finish by Ella Shamp, with an assist from Jaimin MacDonals.  

Le Roy scored the next two goals, leaving it senior Ella Radley to tie up the game with two minutes left.  

Batavia came out strong in OT, and senior Anna Varland finished the game with a goal five minutes into the first OT.  

"Batavia did a fantastic job coming back from two goals to one to make this its 12th win of the season," Hume said.  

The Blue Devils remain undefeated.

The Batavian did not receive scoring stats from Le Roy.  Le Roy is  9-4-1 on the year.

The girls' next game is Monday away at Livonia.

In the boys' game, goals were scored by Quintin Cummings, assisted by Troy Hawley, and Troy Hawley, assisted by Rylan Bohn.

 Batavia’s record is now 8 wins and 5 losses on the season.

To view more photos or purchase prints, click here.

batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.
batavia le roy girls soccer
Photo by Howard Owens.

Football Roundup: Batavia beats Geneva 36-0

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavia Blue Devils improved to 4-2 on the season with a 36-0 win on Friday over Geneva at Geneva.

Stats: 

  • Bronx Buchholz: 8-18 passing for 136 yards, two TDs, one interception, and he rushed for 76 yards on 12 carries
  • Mekhi Fortes: five carries, 111 yards, one TD
  • Zailen Griffin: five carries, 64 yards, one TD
  • Lakoda Mruczek: six carries, 36 yards, one TD
  • Brock Warren: two carries, 11 yards, one TD
  • Maggio Buchholz: 6.5 tackles, one tackle for a loss, one TD reception
  • Joey Marranco: six tackles
  • Justin Smith: three tackles, two interceptions
  • Tym Murrell: three tackles, one interception
  • Greyson Fix: one interception
  • Will Stevens: one interception

In other football action:

Blue Devils beat Eastridge 2-0 in Boys Soccer

By Howard B. Owens

The Blue Devils improved to 8-4 with a 2-0 win over Eastridge on Friday in Boys Soccer.

Head Coach Graham Halpin said it was a physical and spirited performance by Batavia.

Quintin Cummings, assisted by Owen Halpin, scored a first-half goal. The second goal for Batavia came in the second half when Ryan Bohn scored with a header off a corner kick by Finn Halpin.

Halpin highlighted The defensive line of Trevor Tryon, Will Fulton, Brandon Currier, Trey Tryon, and Darius Wahl, as well as goalkeeper Ben Stone for the shutout of Eastridge.

Batavia volleyball teams raise $2,200 for Genesee Cancer Assistance

By Howard B. Owens
volleyball pink game batavia high school

For the  second year on Tuesday, Batavia High School's volleyball teams, varsity and JV, hosted a "pink game" to raise money in support of Genesee Cancer Assistance.

The teams raised $2,200.

Statement provided by Sarah Gahagan:

Nick Grasso graciously accepted this donation on behalf of Genesee Cancer Assistance.  He reminded all spectators of how important it is to help out locally whenever possible. He reminded the spectators how expensive travel, treatment and other things people battling this disease need on a daily basis and how grateful our local recipients are to have events like this in their honor.

We would like to thank all of our local sponsors for donating baskets to support our team. 

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

batavia hs pink game volleyball
batavia hs pink game volleyball
batavia hs pink game volleyball
batavia hs pink game volleyball
batavia hs pink game volleyball
batavia hs pink game volleyball


 

Batavia beats Attica in boys soccer 2-1

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavia boys soccer team picked up its sixth win of the season, against four losses, by beating Attica 2-1 on Saturday.

"It was a contentious game in which Attica gained a 1-0 lead early on before Troy Hawley eventually equalized on an assist by Owen Halpin," said Head Coach Graham Halpin. 

Hunter Mileham's game-winning goal in the second half was assisted by Owen Halpin..

The defensive line and goalkeeper Ben Stone were instrumental in containing Attica's offense, along with notable contributions from Noah Whitcombe, Finn Halpin, Patrick Suozzi, and Eli Michalak, said Coach Halpin.

Swarming defense helps Batavia hold down Vertus for 37-16 win

By Howard B. Owens
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
After a long reception early in the third quarter, Vertus Charter was threatening to score near the goal line when Batavia's Mekhi Fortes grabbed QB Malachi Jones, knocking the ball loose, allowing Maggio Buchholz to recover the fumble.
Photo by Howard Owens.

With an aggressive Blue Devils defense harassing Vertus QB Malachi Jones all night, forcing turnovers and lost yardage, Batavia was able to securing a convincing win over Vertus Charter 37-16.

Bronx Bucholz was 11-16 passing for 139 yards and two touchdowns. 

Cole Grazioplene had two receptions for 18 yards, and 22 yards on one carry, with two TDs and a defensive interception.

Zailen Griffin had 10 carries for 89 yards.

Carter Mullen had four receptions for 44 yards and touchdown.

Mekhi Fortes, who was also a dominant presence on defense, had three receptions for 43 yards and ran for a touchdown.

The Blue Devils are now 2-2 on the season.

This is exclusive game coverage by The Batavian. You can help support The Batavian's coverage of the community by joining Early Access Pass.

To view more photos for purchase prints, click here.

Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Flushed from the pocket, QB Malachi Jones spikes the ball to prevent a sack by Mekhi Fortes in the first quarter.
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Zailen Griffin sprints away from a defender in the second quarter.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Mekhi Fortes with the ball over the endzone in the second quarter.
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Zailen Griffin 
Photo by Howard Owens
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Mekhi Fortes with the stiff arm in the second-quarter.
Photo by Howard Owens 
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
A defensive stop in the second quarter left Vertus inside the one-yard line.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Leading to a touchdown on a fumble recovery.
Photo Howard Owens.
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
DaShaun Wright and teammates celebrate his fumble recovery in the endzone for a touchdown.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Maggio Buchholz with the reception on the PAT.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Cole Grazioplene with a third-quarter interception.
Photo by Howard Owens.
Batavia Blue Devils vs. Vertus Charter Football 2023
Offensive lineman Karvel Martino with a block.
Photo by Howard Owens.

Batavia boys soccer beats Geneva 3-1

By Howard B. Owens

The Blue Devils boys soccer team improved to 5-4 on the season with a 3-1 win over Geneva on Thursday. 

Head coach  Graham Halpin described the game as "a technical and creative performance by Batavia."

Owen Halpin scored two goals, assisted by Finn Halpin and Andrew Childs. Gavynn, assisted by Owen Halpin, also scored.

The defensive line of Trevor Tryon, Will Fulton, Brandon Currier, and Trey Tryon helped to limit Geneva to one goal, Coach Halpin said.

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