Sports

Adam Philp became the second Batavian to win the prestigious – and extremely challenging – Super Bud Bowl at Lighthouse Lanes in Oswego last Sunday.

Competing in a tournament that normally attracts more than 1,100 bowlers over the course of a week (this year’s entries totaled 1,178), the 40-year-old right-hander won eight straight matches to earn the $5,500 first prize.

Seeded third in the three-bowler finals, he defeated 2020 Super Bud Bowl champion Nick Galusha of Altamont, 217-194, before knocking off No. 1 seed Joe Mazuryk of Schenectady, 219-160, for the title.

While 48 of the 96 finalists received either one- or two-round byes, depending upon their scores and placement on their respective qualifying squads during the week, Philp wasn’t as fortunate. He qualified on Tuesday night with an 811 four-game total, which guaranteed him a spot in the finals but without a bye.

That meant he needed to win eight straight matches under the single-elimination format to become the champion.

“It was surreal,” he said in a phone interview with The Batavian. “I couldn’t believe I did it – especially coming from having no byes. Some of the guys were saying that I’m only the third or fourth person that’s ever won the tournament that way.”

The tournament has produced 36 different winners in its 36 years. Philp joins the late Joe Trigilio (1999) as the only Batavia residents to win the event.

Philp averaged around 215 in his eight wins. His lowest score was 182, coming in a third-game match against Tori Burkins of Ravena, and it almost wasn’t enough.

“That was that was my closest match,” he said. “She actually could have struck on the first ball the 10th frame to beat me, but she left a weak 10-pin. I pretty much had the match in hand until I left a bomb 7-10 (split) to give her a chance."

He won that match by six pins and then went on to defeat Ray LeChase II and Andrew Kopec, both of Rochester, and Brandon Boyer of Glens Falls to reach the stepladder final round.

Mazuryk won $2,800 as the runner-up and Galusha pocketed $1,600.

The finals, which started around 4 p.m., were delayed for more than two hours by a power outage and didn’t finish until 11:15 p.m.

“It was a long day and then I had to drive to Massachusetts for work right afterwards,” said Philp, who is employed by the CSX Transportation railroad. “I didn’t get to the hotel until 5:15 in the morning. I had an adrenaline rush until about 4 o’clock and then I hit a brick wall.”

When he’s not bowling (Philp participates in the County Line Stone Trios League at Mancuso Bowling Center), he’s watching his 9-year-old son, Gavin, play hockey or his 6-year-old daughter, Naomi, dance. He and his wife, Anna, also have a daughter, Macie, who’s almost 2.

Philp is a former Genesee Region USBC Scratch Memorial champion. His previous best finish in the Super Bud Bowl was making it to the round of 12.

Three Perry bowlers cashed at the Super Bud Bowl. Chad Dunning made it to the round of 12, earning $600; Brian Weber won one match, good for $340, and Dennis Van Duser took home $170.

RICH WAGNER POSTS 300 GAME

In GRUSBC league action last week, Batavia lefty Rich Wagner added to his long list of honor scores with a 300 game in the Toyota of Batavia 4-Man League at Mancuso Bowling Center. He finished with a 684 series.

Chase Cone of Byron rolled a 753 series in the Tuesday Nite Coed League at Mancuso's, finishing with a 267 game.

At Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion, Curtis Foss had games of 279, 255 and 236 for a 770 series to lead the way in the Sneezy's Monday Night League.

After trailing for most of the game, a fourth-quarter surge pushed Northville over Elba on Saturday in Troy to end the Lancers’ season in the state semifinal game.

Northville won 42-34 after scoring 17 points to just five for Elba in the fourth quarter. At the end of three quarters, Elba led 29-25.

Hailey Monroe, a leading scorer for Northville, was only 2-18  from the field for the first 28 minutes of the game. She drained her final five shots of the game to propel her team to victory.

Maddie Hall scored 10 points for Elba, Lydia Ross, nine, and Sydney Reilly, seven.

Monroe finished with 24 points.

Photos by Debra Reilly

Press release:

Professional Bowlers Tour standout Sam Cooley found his way to Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia on Saturday and, unsurprisingly, placed first in the annual T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator tournament.

The 32-year-old right-hander from Sydney, Australia rolled a 265 game in the four-person final round to capture the $1,500 top prize.

Dan Vick of Rochester and Adam Jozwiak of Buffalo each posted 234 to split the second ($900) and third ($700) place money while Pat Brick of Buffalo registered a 226 game to finish fourth ($500).

Cooley, a member of the MOTIV bowling pro staff and a two-time PBA Tour champion, was the No. 2 qualifier off the morning squad with 937 for four games on the challenging 40-foot oil pattern.

Jozwiak led the squad with 968 while Andy Nichols of Rochester was the high qualifier off the afternoon squad with 919, including a 290 final game.

Cooley advanced through the eliminator rounds with games of 225 and 223 before his big last game.

He said he was in Western New York this past week learning more about the fellow professional Brad Angelo’s BowlU course at Brad Angelo Lanes in Lockport and also practicing for the USBC Masters, which gets underway on March 25 at Suncoast Bowling Center in Las Vegas.

Thirteen Genesee Region USBC members competed in the tournament with one, Mike Pettinella of Batavia, advancing to the eliminator rounds.

Pettinella, who was coming off a fourth-place finish at a 60-and-Over Tour event in Brockport the previous weekend, started with a 278 game en route to an 838 total on the afternoon squad. He was eliminated in the first round of the finals, earning $150.

Reaching the semifinals ($250 each) were Jon Keenan of Rochester and Dan Stafursky of Waverly.

Other tournament sponsors were Coors Light, Lambert’s Design Jewelers, Labatt Blue, Striking Effects Pro Shop, Casella and Toyota of Batavia. The tournament drew 76 entries.

A pair of left-handers continued their red-hot bowling seasons this week at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.

On Monday night, Brian Cline of Middleport raised his average to 240 with a 783 series in the Mancuso Real Estate Doubles League. His games were 279-258-246.

On Tuesday night, Nick Johnson of Bergen upped his average to 225 with 278-279-217--774 in the Brighton Securities Triples League. Johnson strung the front nine strikes in the middle game.

Elsewhere around the Genesee Region USBC:

-- Scott Gibson of Oakfield spun a 270 game and 764 series and Dave Montemarano Jr. of Pavilion posted 258--729 in the Wednesday Men's Handicap League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen.

-- Tom Fluker fired games of 267 and 266 en route to a 730 series in the StrikeForce Tuesday Doubles League at StrikeForce Lanes in Oakfield.

For a list of high scores, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

Elba beat Panama on Saturday in the Girls Basketball Class D Far West Regional Championship to advance to the state Final Four.

The final score, 58 to 47.

Lydia Ross led the way with 26 points for Elba.

Sydney Reilly scored 16 points for the Lancers. Mariah Ognibene scored eight points.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

Batavia Notre Dame United's historic season—a sectional title and 22 wins—came to a disappointing end in the state semifinals of hockey in Buffalo on Saturday.

United lost to Skaneateles, the defending Division II champions, 7-2.

Photos by Erin Staley.

In the 23rd Exceptional Seniors Boys Basketball game on Friday in Albion, the Genesee Region beat the Niagara Region 109-103.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

In the annual Exceptional Seniors Girls Basketball game between Genesee Region and Niagara Region, played in Orleans County on Friday, Genesee won 66-37.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

Time "Marches" on and so does the list of bowling tournaments this month throughout the Genesee Region.

Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion and Medina Lanes are hosting no-tap events this weekend, while Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia, Letchworth Pines in Portageville and StrikeForce Lanes in Oakfield will be hosting tournaments over the next three weekends.

-- March 9-10: Spartans Youth Baseball Triples No-Tap Handicap, Oak Orchard Bowl, Albion. Squad times are 1 and 3 p.m. on Saturday and noon, 2 and 4:30 p.m. on Sunday. Entry fee is $75 per team. One in six teams will cash. Proceeds will benefit Spartans Youth Baseball (Under 11-Under 16 Divisions). To enter, call 585-589-6900 or 585-590-6717.

-- March 9: Amaranth Fights Diabetes Doubles No-Tap Handicap, Medina Lanes. Squad times are noon and 3 p.m. Entry fee is $50 per team. To enter, call 716-250-8515 or 716-425-5369.

-- March 16: T.F. Brown's Scratch Eliminator, Mancuso Bowling Center. First place is $1,500 with an entry fee of $65. Squad times are 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. One in five entries will cash, with incentives for senior (50-and-over) and women bowlers. Call 716-474-7960 to enter.

-- March 23-24: Genesee Region USBC No-Tap Handicap Triples, Letchworth Pines. First place, based on 48 teams, is $90. Entry fee is $90 per team. Squad times are 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday and noon and 3 p.m. on Sunday. Email mikep@bowlgr.com to enter. The tournament is dedicated to the late Al Vlietstra, GRUSBC Hall of Famer.

-- March 30: 1st Paul Townsend Memorial No-Tap Handicap Doubles, StrikeForce Lanes. Squad times are 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Entry fee is $60 per team. First place is $400 guaranteed. Maximum team average is 460. One in six will cash. Proceeds will benefit Crossroads House. To enter, call 585-948-6060 or 585-297-4262. 

PERRY BOWLERS PLACE FIRST, SECOND IN KING & QUEEN

Perry Bowling Center league bowlers captured the top two spots last weekend at the annual King & Queen Handicap Mixed Doubles Tournament at Mancuso Bowling Center.

The team of Katie Buckley and Chad Dunning defeated the duo of Nate Koson and Montana Bzduch in the final match to win the $500 first prize. Koson and Bzduch earned $300.

Reaching the semifinals ($200 each) were Chris and Caycee Bardol of Brockport and Mickey and Samantha Hyde of Le Roy.

Finishing fifth through eighth ($150 apiece) were Tom Rohl of Le Roy/Robin Blaun of Oakfield, Heather Johnson/Gregg Wolff of Batavia, Dan Gizzi/Julie Selk of Buffalo and Mark Brown of Attica/Tracy Spanitz of Rochester.

Other local teams cashing ($100 each) were Scott O'Neill of East Bethany/Judy Blaun of Elba, Brian Weber/Karissa Schuster of Perry, Scott/Christine Shields of Batavia, Shayne Herold/Naomi Hyde of Batavia and Jason Van Buren/Kara Henderson of Batavia.

A season marked by major accomplishments, including the school's first-ever sectional championship in Boys' Basketball, ended for Byron-Bergen on Wednesday with a 61-45 loss to Lyons in the Class C crossover game.

In addition to the sectional championship, Brayden Chambry set a new school record for scoring, and Roxanne Noeth became the first woman coach in Section V Boys' Basketball history to win a sectional title.

On Wednesday, Chambry scored 13 points, and Colin Martin scored 12.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

Byron-Bergen beat Notre Dame 67-60 on Monday to stay alive in the postseason as Section V consolidates its Class C champions.

The game matched up Class C2 vs. Class C3.  The Bees will next play Class C1 champion Lyons in West Bloomfield at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.  The winner of that game will represent Section V in Class C against the Class C champion of Section VI in the Far West Regional Championship game, with the winner moving on to a state championship semifinal game.

For the Bees, Colin Martin scored 22 points, and Braedyn Chambry scored 17.  Broady Baubie scored 16, and Brendan Pimm scored 11.

For the Irish, Jaden Sherwood scored 23, Jay Antinore scored 16 points, and Chase Antinore scored 10.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

"Eleven in a row" was the order of the week in Genesee Region League bowling action at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.

In chronological order:

-- Jason Quilliam of Batavia started with a spare and then strung 11 consecutive strikes for a 290 in the opening game of the Mancuso Real Estate Monday Doubles League.  He followed that with 264 before settling for a 723 series.

-- On Thursday night, Matt DiMartino of Batavia found the line in the second game for a 290 in a 620 series in the Toyota of Batavia 4-Man League.

-- And on Friday night, Batavian Scott Shields took a perfect game to the final ball, before leaving a 10-pin for 299 in a 756 series in the County Line Stone Friday Trios League.

For a list of high scores for the week, click on the Pin Points tab at the top of the home page.

ROCHESTER BOWLERS WIN RIGGI TOURNEY

The Rochester team of John Amico, Dan Robinson, Rob Gustke and Steve Meyer posted a 3,539 score for four games -- a 221 average per man per game -- to win the annual Ron Riggi Memorial Tournament at Le Roy Legion Lanes last week.

The victory was worth $800 for the team.

Genesee Region USBC bowlers Adam Philp, Matt Balduf, Aaron Philp and Scott Culp placed second with 3,518, winning $400.

The top five teams out of 21 entered cashed.

In the optional Singles Tournament, Meyer placed first with 992, good for $100. Local bowlers cashing were Aaron Philp, Mickey Hyde, Culp, Brian Green, Adam Philp, Josh Elliott and Mike Hackett. Culp had the tournament's high game -- 300.

Saturday's win at Blue Cross Arena by Byron-Bergen over Alexander was more than the Bees claiming the Class C2 title.

It was also history.

It was the school's first Section V championship in boys' basketball.  The last basketball title for the Bees came 40 years ago for the girls, and Roxanne Noeth, this year's boys coach, was a star on that girls team, so Noeth has the distinction of being the only person with a piece of both of Byron-Bergen's basketball titles.

And as far as any school official knows, any Section V official knows, and by consensus of all the media covering the game -- Noeth is also the first woman in Section V history to coach a boys' team to a championship title.

One Section V official said there have been other women coaches in Boys Basketball but he doesn't believe any of them ever won a championship.

Being the first woman coach to win a boys' title is "cool," Noeth said.

"But I'm just excited for my alma mater, Byron-Bergen, because I know a lot of great players have played here and they've never achieved this level of success. I just think it's really super cool."

About wining the first boys title, she added, "It's pretty incredible. Like, no doubt, pretty incredible. I don't know. Like I said, I graduated from there. I know a lot of great players that have played there, including Ricky Palermo sitting there and his brother Jimmy. It's just, it's just amazing. Like, it's surreal."

Palermo was excited to see his former team win its first championship, and led by his friend, Roxanne.

"This is just amazing," Palermo said. "There are a lot of years that we came within one point to getting this far, and now we made it. It's just incredible to be part of this. They worked hard all year, and it paid off. Roxanne does a great job."

A big part of the credit for the championship should also go to Braedyn Chambry, who dominated not just on Saturday, but throughout the season, and in the process, becoming the school's career scoring leader.

He was excited to be part of the historic moment.

"Just winning sectionals alone is really awesome because we're going to be remembered forever at the school as the first team ever to do it, but also, we have the first girl coach ever to do it. It means so much, especially with our team. We've been a family since third grade, working together as a family to get here. It means so much more to win with people you love."

Many of the players on the Bees are also the same athletes who carried Byron-Bergen to a shot at a state championship in soccer this fall, including Chambry.

Noeth said that success taught her players that they could persevere. 

"They've got that winning attitude," Noeth said. "They knew that if they got down throughout their soccer season, that there's just no quit in them. They were always gonna go as hard as they could. They were gonna play for each other. And they were just gonna do all the things if they had to, whatever it took to make sure they came out on top. So really proud of them in that respect."

Chambry said there is s a core group of athletes in Byron-Bergen who have been together since they were children, and they know they can count on each other.

"No matter what we do, we're doing it together, in sports or out of sports, our little group, we love each other, we take care of each other," Chambry said. "We work hard with each other. We sweat with each other, and we want to win together. It's all that matters to us."

Alexander Head Coach Jalen Smith
The other storyline of the game was the return of Jalen Smith to Blue Cross Arena. Smith led the Batavia Blue Devils in 2013 to a Section V title by scoring 25 points at Blue Cross, then was part of the team with Justin Washington and Jeff Redband, who was a first-year varsity player, that won a Far West Regional game on a Redband buzzer beater in the same venue, giving the Blue Devils a shot at a state title. Batavia lost to Watervliet, led by two D1 recruits at guard, in the state semifinal in Glens Falls, 60-53.

This year, Smith made his high school head coach debut with the Alexander Trojans, taking over a program that had been 6-14 last season and leading it to a 19-5 record and sectional title shot this season.

"It was something we honestly talked about in the summer and the hope that we can maybe get here," Smith said. "It was really just unbelievable to see this group get to Blue Cross. I've been talking to them all week about my experiences here. The wins and the losses that come with it, how hard you really have to play to win one of these games. I think they really answered the call. And I just think we came up short a little bit in some areas."

Smith said he was well aware of the Trojans' past struggles when he agreed to take the job, but he knew the talent on the team and thought he could win with the players already on the roster.

"When we took over this program, I knew what came with it," Smith said. "I knew some of the players from the summer and spring ball. And actually, we had these expectations early. We bring energy. We really try to bring the best out to each player. And we knew we had size. We knew we had athleticism and scoring, so we knew we really had a chance with this group."

Smith played for one of Section V's most legendary coaches, and as a JV coach was for a time part of Buddy Brasky's program at BHS as a coach, and he said Brasky has been a huge influence on him.

"Everything you see that I do is basically Buddy Brasky from the defense to my mannerisms, that passion," Smith said. "It's funny because I get the quote that I'm like a younger Brasky. I take everything from him. That's someone I've always looked up to and someone who I will continue to learn from."

Noeth praised Smith's success in turning around the Alexander program and said she knew going into the game, the two teams were mirror versions of each other.

"We both have a dominant big man," Noeth said. "We have good guard play. I knew their guards were a little more scoring-oriented than ours, but we just had to play one possession. We just got to beat them on one possession, and then we're all right. So, I mean, even when we give up a lead, and we go down, (the team) just never loses faith. And that's what you want."

Smith said he coaches Chambly in summer league and thought he had a good game plan to slow him down, but he's hard to beat.

"I we knew what he was going to bring," Smith said. "We had a good answer for him. It's just he won the matchup today. So, I give him credit."

Chambry scored 24 points for the Bees. Colin Martin scored 14 points. Brody Baubie and Brendan Pimm each scored six points.

For the Trojans, Kingston Woods scored 22 points, and Trenton Woods scored 12.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

The third goal, the hat-trick for Jameson Motyka, was the game-winner in overtime for Batavia Notre Dame United in its regional state qualifier at RIT on Saturday.

United beat Kenmore 3-2 to advance to the state semifinal game on Saturday at Harbor Center in Buffalo. Game time is 2 p.m.

BND had a chance to jump to an early lead when Kenmore got into penalty trouble in the first period, at times, being down by two men, and while United managed 14 shots, none made it into the net.

The game was scoreless after the first period of play.

Kenmore took the lead midway into the second period and then with three minutes left, United tied it up on a pass from Noah Whitcomb to Sam Pies to Jameson Motyka.   

In the third, United took a penalty with eight minutes remaining in the game, and Kenmore scored shortly after to lead 2-1.  With 1:48 left, Motyka netted his second goal with assists to Whitcomb and Brady Johnson to send it into overtime.  

Motyka's game-winning goal came eight minutes into OT.

Coach Marc Staley praised his team for its second straight post-season OT effort.

"I can't be more proud of this team," Staley said. "These kids are the most resilient team I have ever had the pleasure of coaching. They believe in each other. They commit 100 percent to the systems and structure we have laid out. They play for each other. They love each other, and they just never get rattled.

"The support we have received from the community has been overwhelming," he added. "Truly overwhelming. Local businesses, our youth hockey program here in Batavia, the entire staff at the McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, family, friends, alumni, you name it. There are so many people along for the ride with these kids right now. It's a 'feel good"' story for Batavia, and nobody wants it to end. One way or the other, it's going to end this weekend."

The win put United in rarified company in high school hockey, Staley noted.

"There are only four teams in New York State still playing hockey right now, and we are one of them," Staley said. "I feel in my heart that nobody deserves this more than these kids do. I do know one thing: whatever happens this weekend, we are coming to play. We are not afraid. We're going for it."

BND will play its semifinal game against Skaneateles. That team is the defending state champion and is 22-1 on the season. United, which won its first Section V title this season, is 22-2.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Pembroke couldn't overcome #1 seed Lyons in the Class C1 final at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday, falling 71-54.

Jayden Bridge led the Dragons in scoring with 15 points. Tyson Totten scored 14, Avery Ferreira scored 10, and Sam Pfeiffer scored nine.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Notre Dame beat Arkport-Canaseraga 70-51 in the Class C3 championship at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday.

No stats are available for the game.

Photos by Pete Welker.

Coming in as the #7 seed, the Elba Lancers lost to #1 seed Avoca-Prattsburg in the Class D championship game at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday.

The final score was 50-37.

Angelo Penna scored 15 points for the Lancers. Ashton Bezon scored eight. Both Penna and Bezon were named to the all-tournament team.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

Elba captured another Girls Basketball title on Saturday, beating the #1 seed C.G. Finney 56-54.

The Lancers, the #2 seed in Class D, overcame a 10-point half-time deficient, outscoring Finney 16-12 in the third quarter and 20-12 in the fourth to secure the two-point margin of victory. 

Sydney Reily, who was named tournament MVP, scored 23 points. Lydia Ross scored 11 points and Mariah Ognibene and Brea Smith each scored seven. Ross and Smith were both named to the all-tournament team.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

The #7 seed, Elba, in Class D knocked off Andover-Whitesville, the #2 seed, 40-36 on Wednesday to advance in the sectional tournament.

The Lancers will contend for the Class D championship at Blue Cross Arena on Saturday.  Game time is 4 p.m. against #1 seed Avoca-Prattsburg, who beat Hammondsport in their semifinal 90-60.

For Elba, Angelo Penna scored 12 points. Nickolas Scott scored 11 and Ashton Bezon scored 10.

Photos by Debra Reilly.