With Oakfield-Alabama and Cal-Mum trading scores through the first three quarters of their quarterfinal sectional playoff game tonight, and both teams seemingly able to run the ball at will, it became evident as the fourth quarter started that the winner would be decided when one defense or the other made a stand and stopped a drive.

And that's exactly what happened.

On its first drive of the fourth quarter, the Hornets couldn't get past the Red Raiders 40 yard line and Cal-Mum took over on downs.

Minutes later, the Red Raiders were in the end zone and with a two-point conversion, and obtained what would prove to be an insurmountable lead, 30-21.

The Hornets would score one more touchdown, but fall short by two points, 30-28.

"It came down to them just pounding the ball at us and not getting away from what they do best," said Hornets Head Coach Brian Palone after the game. "They made the plays when they needed to make the plays."

The two-point margin can also be explained by two failed point after attempts. In the second quarter, kicker Jon Fisher hit an upright, and in the third quarter, a high snap spoiled the attempt.

The Hornets got off to a quick start when Fisher placed a perfect onside kick down the far sideline and OA scrambled and took possession of the ball.

The offense then marched the ball 45-yards down the field for a score and a 7-0 lead. Matt Osmancickli scored that TD on a one-yard run.

But the home team answered right back, bringing the ball down to the one-yard line, where Trevor Haut was able to shove his way into the endzone. Cal-Mum tried for a two-point conversion, so the score was 7-6.

On its first possession of the second quarter, OA again looked like an offense with an unbeatable run game, taking the ball down the field until Matt Osmancickli capped the drive with a one-yard TD rush. After Fisher missed the PA, OA's lead was 13-6

Cal-Mum answered right back, putting a long drive together that ended with a Trevor Haut three-yard TD run. Jon Cappotelli carried the ball in on the two-point conversion, giving his team a one-point lead, 14-13.

OA grabbed back a one-point margin when a high snap on a Cal-Mum punt attempt was kicked out of the back of the end zone for a safety. That made the score 15-14 Hornets.

Both teams scored again in the third quarter. But with a muffed extra point attempt and a successful two-point conversion, Cal-Mum was able to convert another two-point try, so now the Raiders were up 22-21.

The Raiders were able to stop Oakfield-Alabama on its fourth-quarter drive and immediately answer back with another touch down. This time it was on a 19-yard pass from Mike Anderson to Dan Whiteside, plus they tacked on two-more points. The Hornets found themselves in a bit of a deep hole, down 30-21.

But OA kept fighting, engineering another drive that culminated in a one-yard rush by Osmancickli and an extra point from Fisher, making it 30-28, which is how the game would end.

The Hornets got off to a slow start this season with Coach Palone taking over the program for the first time and finding himself with few returning seniors. Palone and other coaches around the league will tell you that OA has been a team that has improved greatly every week as the season progressed.

Palone said tonight he's proud of the progress his team has made.

"I thought this was the best game we played all year and that’s all I can ask of them, to just get better every game," Palone said.

NOTE: About the video -- yes, I miss my high-def camera. It won't be repaired for another six weeks.

   Its fall again!!My favorite time of year.The light is great.Happy fall everyone>..Dan

Mandy's just dandy, so she's Pet of the Week. She looks noble and proud, and she has a great reputation. Here's a little bit about her, from totally biased sources, her folks -- Alyssa Pike and David Smith:

"Mandy is a great dog. She loves playing with her two best friends, Max and Heidi (2 mini wiener dogs). She is great around kids and loves to go for walks. Her favorite toy is a rock the size of a soccer ball that she moves around the backyard.

She loves to visit her grandparents and her great-grandparents. She truly is a loved member of our family. Even though American Staffordshires and Chows get stereotyped as aggressive and mean dogs, Mandy is the most well-behaved dog I've ever owned. She loves to grimace when she meets new people and when she sees people she hasn't seen in awhile. She has the best personality and is a big cuddler."

To submit your pet for consideration as Pet of the Week, send an e-mail to pets (at) the batavian dot com.  Please be sure to include your address so we can send you a $10 gift certificate from Genesee Feeds if your pet wins.

Tomorrow, the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame take a 5-1 record into the quarter final round of Section V playoff football, the sectionals.

The Irish will host Red Jacket from the Finger Lakes West League.

Red Jacket comes into the game with a 2-3 overall record and ranked 61st in the section, while Notre Dame is ranked 23rd.

Even so, Head Coach Rick Mancuso isn't taking Red Jacket lightly.

"There's a good group of teams in their league," Mancuso said.  "They've earned their way here. They're going to be a real strong test. We know they throw the ball an awful lot. They run option. They've got a great defense. Their offense is really something to contend with because they spread you out and they've got the athletes to run that offense."

That offense is led by #18, Trevor Sanders, at quarterback, and Mancuso said he has a strong arm.

"He can really stretch the field," Mancuso said.

Notre Dame's offense is known as a big play unit, with the likes of Mike Pratt, Beau Richter, Gianni Zambito and Tony Bochicchio working hard to put points on the board.

Of course, getting breaks, not making mistakes, taking care of the ball and a defense that gets the job done are a big part of winning a sectional game, but Mancuso said special teams also play a big role at this stage.

"We spend about a third of our time working on special teams," Mancuso said. "Special teams are something that maybe gets overlooked by the fans, but it's something that's very, very important also."

Mancuso said his squad is ready to go and focused on this game.

"We're taking it the same way as we have all year long," Mancuso said. "Everybody says the same thing. It's cliche, 'week-to-week,' but I think that's truly what everybody has to do at this particular time. It's lose or go home. So you've got to come, you've got to play your A game, you've got to leave everything out on the field and you've got to hope for the best.

The game starts at 1:30 p.m. on the Notre Dame field.

Tonight is homecoming night for the Batavia Blue Devils. They take on Greece Olympia. If you go, please be sure to bring a donation for Don Carroll's Toys for Kids. The JV cheerleaders will be taking up collections at the gate prior to the game.

Tonight, we'll cover Oakfield-Alabama's play-off game against Cal-Mum at Cal-Mum.

In other weekend football action, Alexander hosts a playoff game against Lyons, and in non-playoff action, Pembroke is at Attica, Wellsville is at Le Roy, and tomorrow, Elba/BB is at Holley.

A Buffalo resident already under indictment for allegedly scamming a Batavia woman out of $2,000 is now facing similar charges in Albany.

Yusef Hassem, 69, is a suspect in two cases in in Albany in October 2007 and June 2008.

Det. Chuck Dudek said this afternoon that the Genesee County Jail received faxed arrest warrants from the Albany Police Department accusing Hassem of petit larceny on the first incident and robbery, 1st degree on the second.

In the June 2008 incident, according to Dudek, Hassem, a.k.a Louis A. Reed, threatened a woman with a gun after she refused to turn over her money.

In the Genesee County case, Hassem is accused of tricking a woman into handing over $2,000, saying he needed help with a financial transaction at Tonawanda Federal Credit Union.

Albany Police used the surveillance photo from that alleged incident to connect Hassem to the alleged crimes in Albany.

Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern, 107 Evans St., Batavia, NY: To me, Delavan's is one of those restaurants where you want to eat frequently until you try everything on the menu. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

T.F. Brown's, at 214 E. Main St., Batavia, NY: T.F. Brown's is a great place for a good meal, good friends and to catch up on what's going on in the sports world. "If it happens in sports, it happens at Brown's." We have a $20 gift card for $10.

Center Street Smoke House, 20 Center St., Batavia, NY: Authentic Southern BBQ, from ribs to brisket with all the fixin's. We have a $25 gift card for $12.50.

Settler's Restaurant, 353 W. Main St., Batavia, NY: Settler's has a 25-year history of serving great, affordable breakfasts, lunches and dinners to Batavians. We have a $20 gift certificate for $10.

Alex's Place, 8322 Park Road, Batavia, NY: People come from all over the region for a fine dining experience at Alex's. It's best known for its ribs, of course, but Alex's seafood is also a favorite of the restaurant's diners. We have a $25 gift certificate for $12.50.

Great Kutz, in the Valu Plaza, 4152 W. Main St. Road, Batavia, NY: Great Kutz is Batavia's newest full-service hair salon. Women, try Great Kutz for a haircut at the incredibly low price of $7, exclusive offer from to The Batavian. (gift card can be applied toward other services, but not products).

NOTE: If you've never bought Deal of the Day before, or are otherwise unfamiliar with the rules and process, click here.

SOLD OUT

A fire alarm went off at an address on North Street (sorry didn't catch exact number).

The alarm company has already informed dispatch that it's a false alarm.

Engine 12 responded.

The State's economic woes and a wet, dreary summer has put the squeeze on the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce's tourism promotion budget.

The state cut its "I Love New York" allocation to the chamber by 20 percent, or $15,000.

The wet summer kept some people from traveling and the local bed tax was down 9 percent, or $26,000.

That kind of drop is reminiscent of 2004, according to chamber Tourism Director Kelly Rapone. That year there were a lot of rainy days and that resulted in fewer hotel stays locally.

"The impact on the programming is that we're not really able to develop new programming or enhance the programming that we have," Rapone said. "It hurts our ability to provide additional marketing dollars to our partners"

The chamber's tourism division is responsible for helping bring people into the county for golf, or events, or sight-seeing. It puts together golf packages for individuals and groups, provides information on amenities and things to do and markets the county throughout the region.

One of the changes in market, Rapone said, is that the Chamber will reduce the radius of its marketing from about 300 to 500 miles to 200 miles.

"We're going to be looking to do more precise, targeted efforts rather than some of the broader initiatives," Rapone said.

A Le Roy resident has been busted for allegedly possessing more than five pounds of marijuana.

Investigators estimate the street value of the weed at $13,000.

Sergio A. Forte, Jr., 43, of 88 Myrtle St., is charged with a felony count of criminal possession of marijuana and criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Forte was also allegedly found with a small quantity of crack cocaine and a digital scale.

Forte was jailed on $5,000 bail.

Members of the Genesee County Local Drug Enforcement Task Force executed a search warrant on Forte's residence yesterday as part of an investigation into "the unlicensed growing and possession of marijuana" in and around the Le Roy area.

Participating in the investigation were the Le Roy Police Department, Genesee County Sheriff's Office and the District Attorney's office.

We woke up to a little snow this morning.  Expect temperatures below 40 degrees until early afternoon, and then read starting around 3 p.m.  We could have more snow tomorrow night.

Emily Conable, daughter of the late Barber Conable, the legendary former congressman from Batavia, has been named assistant to the director of the Holland Land Office Muesum.

Initially, Conable will be overseeing the "History's Heroes" programs, which is aimed at school children, and drama productions -- "bringing history to life," said Director Marilyn Drilling.

"She's very good at that," Drilling said. "She's done a lot of re-enactments, has great friends in New York City and just all across the globe, so we're thrilled."

Drilling said Conable has worked 21 years at Genesee Country Museum. She's also been active in producing historical programs at Alexander Central Schools.

"She's just delightful," Drilling said. "She really has a passion for history."

A 22-year-old man with no permanent address has been accused of breaking into an unlocked car and stealing a credit card.

Sheriff Office investigators also believe the suspect is linked to several other car break-ins.

Danny J. Torok, Jr. is in jail on $5,000 bail, charged with grand larceny in the fourth degree.

Additional charges are anticipated.

There have been a rash of break-ins to unlocked cars in both the city and town of Batavia this past summer. One of the most interesting string of hits were the night of Sept. 21, in which a subject left blood evidence in at least one car. The Sheriff's Office release on Torok's arrest did not indicate if Torok is a suspect in that night's break ins.

Torok was arrested at 3:15 p.m. on Thursday.

The investigation is being conducted by Investigator Kristopher Kauts and Deputy Loni Nati.

UPDATE: In response to our question about blood found at the scene of previous car break-ins, Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster responds: "Our investigation to this point leads us to believe that Mr. Torok's DNA will be a successful match with DNA evidence recovered from several vehicles."

Cathie Plaisted still feels the hardware and pain in both her legs from an automobile accident more than six years ago that had her wheelchair-bound and bedridden for months.

Cathie was 47 at the time and in the passenger seat of a vehicle driven by her husband, William. Another vehicle veered into their lane on Route 5 near Cedar Street and struck their van. That was on April 22, 2002.

The Daily News reported the following day that Cathie, William and children in the vehicle suffered only minor injuries. Although Cathie was originally transported to UMMC, she was immediately airlifted from there to Strong Memorial Hospital.

"This was a life changing ordeal," Plaisted said today in an email to The Batavian (she's given us permission to write about the email). Plaisted was responding to a report this morning about Ryan Shumway being sent to state prison on a conviction of menacing a police officer.

Shumway was 22 and reportedly the driver of the vehicle that struck the Plaisted's van (at this time, we have no information on any conviction related to that incident). He was charged, according to the Daily News, with aggravated unlicensed operation, unlicensed operation, no seat belt, moving from a lane unsafely and failure to keep right.

The Stafford resident reportedly told deputies at the time that he didn't know what happened. Shumway reportedly said he didn't know why he drove into the oncoming lane of traffic.

This morning, Shumway was given a one-and-a-half to three year prison term on this latest conviction. He has a prior felony conviction for grand larceny. Plaisted wrote to object to the lastest felony as just a "second strike."

"How many chances does this guy get?" she asked.

Under New York State law, only certain felonies count as "strikes" (not a term usually used in the New York court system, I don't believe -- it's a term I lifted from California's penal system). In New York, like California and several other states, if a person receives three serious enough felony convictions, he will spend the rest of his life in jail. It would appear that none of the charges from the April 22 accident led to a "strike" conviction.

As for Cathie, this is how she describes her own ordeal: "(I) was treated for two broken legs, six broken ribs and a cut spleen. I spent three months totally wheelchair-bound with the hospital bed in the living room. The accident happened on 4-22-2002 and I came home from the hospital May 13th and took my first steps on July 21. By then Mr. Shumway had been out and about with a broken arm for a couple of months."

Today Shumway told Judge Robert Noonan that he wanted to turn his life around.

"Well, sir, I've been in trouble before and everything I've done, I pled guilty," Shumway said. "I'm looking forward to getting this behind me and, hopefully, this will be behind me and I can start a new, good life."

Cathie Plaisted has heard it before.

"I suppose I'm more upset with myself for actually believing someone could change because they were young and showed remorse," Cathie wrote. "I thought it would be a wake-up call to escape something like that crash with no life-altering injuries."

The three candidate sessions we taped at WBTA this evening all went well.

They will air tomorrow morning (Friday) starting at 10 a.m.

The order should be: Julie Wallace and Tim Buckley (City Council at-large), followed by Chris Charvella and Hollis Upson (County Legislature) and Rose Mary Christian and Robert Radley (County Legislature).

It took Ethan pretty much the whole day to get last night's video edited and processed.  I would expect the video of tonight's discussions to not be available until tomorrow evening.

I'm pretty pleased with how these segments went. There were good discussions on the issues without any the rancor that sometimes spoils the chance to fully hear candidates on important issues.  While we couldn't get to maybe all of the issues, we still covered a lot of ground and the candidates actually answered the questions and discussed the issues. It would be well worth your time to tune in or watch the videos.

Sara Burk-Balbi and Marianne Clattenburg

The following videos were shot last night at the WBTA studios.

Frank Ferrando and Phil Ricci