The Batavia Coaches Association hosts the 14th annual Batavia Blue Devil Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner tomorrow Terry Hills Restaurant and Banquet Facility.
Cost is $30 per person. Social hour begins at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 6.
Tickets are available at the Athletic Director's Office at Batavia High School. For more information, call 343-2480, ext. 2003.
Below, reproductions of the plaques to be presented and hung at the school.
(Act Now with driver Kevin Cummings, courtesy of Paul White.)
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations
What does a mare that raced the likes of Anndrovette, Table Talk, Color’s A Virgin and Rocklamation just two months ago do when she comes to Batavia Downs? Win by four lengths in the $10,000 Open distaff pacing feature on Wednesday night (Sept. 23).
The 4-year-old pacing mare Act Now, who just scorched the Open class ladies at Flamboro Downs in 1:53 flat last week, came south of the border on Wednesday to take on the best in Western New York. However the best weren’t good enough to even challenge the invader who toured the facility unencumbered this night.
Act Now (Kevin Cummings) left the gate and shot right to the front, opening up a three-length advantage; a lead that was extended up to six-lengths during the race. Cummings had a stranglehold on the mare through fractions of :27.2, :55.1 and 1:23.4 when talk of another track record started swirling through the press box.
With the plugs popped and Cummings clearly driving with the time in mind, Act Now flew home with no opposition nearby, to win by four lengths in 1:53.3. The finishing time was only three-fifths of a second off the track record of 1:53 for aged pacing mares set by Xenia Hanover in 2013.
It was the second win in 10 starts this year (including two in a row) for Act Now ($4.10) and her share of the purse boosted her lifetime earnings to $521,717 for owners Joseph Davino and Patrick O’Brien. The Western Ideal mare is trained by Nikolas Drennan.
The Downs leading driver, Kevin Cummings, had five winners on the card Wednesday night. He took a picture with Socialdelight ($4.10), Dedalos ($4.20), Most Happy Rider ($4.70), Act Now ($4.10) and Mystical Danica ($5.10). Sean McDonough and Dave McNeight III both scored driving doubles.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Sept. 25) with the first race post time set at 6:35.
The No. 5 nationally-ranked GCC women's soccer team bounced back after a road loss at SUNY Broome on Monday with a 5-2 win over Cayuga Community College at home on Wednesday afternoon.
Kayla Doyle put the Cougars in front in the 14th minute with her eighth goal of the season. Shawna Adams earned the assist.
Adams scored herself just six minutes later and Gabriella Garcea gave GCC a 3-0 going into halftime with a goal in the 40th minute.
The Spartans cut the Genesee lead to one with back-to-back goals in the 45th and 50th minutes to make a 3-2 game.
Nikki Mauro gave the Cougars an insurance goal and a 4-2 lead with a tally in the 59th minute after a failed clear in the Cayuga end.
Doyle added her second goal of the game off of a penalty kick in the 63rd minute and GCC held Cayuga scoreless the rest of the way to improve to 8-2 on the season.
Mauro and Garcea also added an assist apiece and Katlynne Tubo made three saves in net. The Cougars outshot the Spartans 25-5 (shots on goal) in the game.
Genesee will return to action at home on Saturday when it hosts Erie CC for a 1 P.M. start.
The second-ranked Cougars made it 10 wins in a row to start the season, beating visiting Cayuga Community College 6-3 on Wednesday afternoon.
Genesee took the lead just over four minutes into the game after Austin Richardson scored unassisted. William Stone followed just two minutes after with his first of three goals in the game, scoring off of an assist from Jack Speakman to make it 2-0 GCC.
Cayuga answered with a goal in the 18th minute to cut the GCC lead down to one, but Stone responded a minute later finding the back of the net to put Genesee on top 3-1.
After a Spartans goal in the 25th minute to make it a 3-2 game, Rafael Godoi sent Genesee into the half with a 4-2 lead, scoring unassisted in the 40th minute.
GCC scored the first two goals of the second half as Stone and Richardson struck in the 45th and 61st minutes respectively.
Cayuga netted its final goal on a penalty kick in the 62nd minute and Genesee controlled possession the rest of the half to put away the visitors.
Godoi also added an assist and Connor Halstead and Lee Payne split time in net, combining to make six saves.
Genesee (10-0) will return to action at home on Saturday against Erie CC at 3 P.M.
I took Rocky out for a nightime walk and came across Alex Asselin and Brian Wowk having a catch on Jackson Street.
"Can you even see the ball?" I asked.
"Oh, yeah," Brian said.
Alex asked if I had ever seen them out before. Only during the day, I replied.
"We're out here nearly every night," he said.
The two young men are freshmen at GCC and part of the baseball program. Asselin is a third baseman and catcher from Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, and Wowk is a shortstop and second baseman from Toronto.
The night catches have "definitely helped my eye-hand coordination," Asselin said.
Alex Asselin
Brian Wowk
Photos by David Boyce.
Genesee Region Division Notre Dame traveled to Elba Saturday afternoon to battle division rivals the Elba/Byron Bergen Lancers. The rain held off for a warm and windy conference game in which both teams ran 43 plays. The difference in the final score of 29 to 8 was in the rushing. Notre Dame rushed for all of their TDs for a total of 273 yards vs. a game total of 33 rushing yards for the Lancers. After a closely contended, scoreless first quarter Notre Dame was in position to score at the very beginning of the second quarter.
Above, #32 Jack Sutherland’s final effort of a six-yard run is ruled a touchdown by the officials.
The Lancers battled back with an impressive drive ending in a #12 Hochmuth pass to #5 Flores for a 36-yard gain and TD. Followed up by a two-point conversion run by #42 Stevens.
The Lancers led the game for only a few minutes because Notre Dames answered with another TD run by Sutherland and two-point conversion pass from #10 Connor to Sutherland. And so the game progressed with Notre Dame in control through a scoreless third quarter. Notre Dame added 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Sutherland would see the end zone one more time as would #42 Peter Daversa with an 11-yard run.
A couple of late turnovers kept the game interesting and the Lancers always seemed poised to come back but failed to capitalize on a few key plays.
More picture of the players and game are here: http://jimburns.org/p254710282#h587e117d
(Photo of Cobble Beach with driver Jack Flanigen, courtesy of Paul White.)
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations
Winning the $9,000 Open pace at Batavia Downs seemed like a walk in the park for Cobble Beach on Saturday night (Sept. 19) as he made putting away the competition look pretty much, stress-free.
Assigned post seven, Cobble Beach (Jack Flanigen) left sharply to take a lead he would not relinquish this night. With the field in post-position order behind him, Cobble Beach set fractions of :27.3 and :56.3 before a weak outer flow developed past five-eighths.
As the group hit the six-furlong marker in 1:26.1, the outside threat failed just as Spender Hanover (Don Rothfuss) and Closing Credits (Dave McNeight III) came out to take their best shot after following quietly on the pylons. But their best wasn’t good enough as Cobble Beach coasted to an easy two-length victory in 1:55.2.
It was the sixth win in 32 starts for Cobble Beach ($8.40) this year and the purse increased his earnings to $63,065 for 2015. The 5-year-old gelded son of Artiscape is owned and trained by James Clouser Jr.
The Downs top-two drivers, Kevin Cummings and Dave McNeight III, both scored driving triples Saturday while Jack Flanigen and Sean Mcdonough both doubled their pleasure.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Tuesday afternoon with the second (and final) twilight post time of 4:30.
Le Roy improved its season to 3-0 with a 40-6 win over Wayland-Cohocton.
Josh Laurie led the offense with nine carries for 100 yards and three TDs, plus he was seven for 11 passing for 120 yards and two TDs.
Nick Egeling had 58 yards on 13 carries and he scored a touchdown. Reed Kacur and Jason Doemling each had TD receptions.
On defense, Kacur, seven tackles, Laurie, seven, Egeling, five, Nate Montoya, five, and Gaven Cassidy, five.
Also on Friday night, Attica beat Alexander 20-13 and there's no score available for York/Pavilion against Bolivar-Richburg.
Photos by David Boyce.
The game wasn't pretty, the play wasn't perfect, but Batavia High School showed a good Class A team what it's made of, what Batavia football has always been about, Head Coach Brennan Briggs told his players after the game.
Grit. Determination. Never surrender.
The Blue Devils played their hearts out, never giving in even after the Wilson Wildcats overcame a two-TD deficit in the first half to tie the game and threaten to take it over.
The final score was 34-28, and the game was just that close.
"It's a big win for them," Briggs said after the game. "I preached all week we were going to play a good Class A team. It was going to be a close football game and we're going to see what we're made of, and I think we showed, we're a pretty good football team, but we still have a lot to work on."
Coming into the season, with Blue Devils, returning Section V champs for Class B, were ranked #1 in a Section V coaches poll, but Briggs downplays the chatter about his team as a lot of hype. He doesn't buy into it and he doesn't want his players getting caught up in it either.
"I absolutely hate the hype," Briggs said. "I just like us worrying about Batavia football, getting better every single week. If we put together a great football game, and we play our A game, I think we can definitely make a run, but with that said, any given moment, there's injuries and bad breaks and bad bounces and if we don't play a perfect game anybody can knock us out on any night."
A lot of the credit for Friday's win goes to the defense. Face with a lot of short field challenges, the defense usually held together. Briggs said the team has instituted a special red zone unit and that's been a key to Batavia getting tougher when their backs are against the goal line
"A lot of teams think, ah, they're within the five-yard line, the other team is going to score," Briggs said. "Our guys take pride in that unit. It's a special unit. They take pride in not letting the opponent get in the endzone."
Wilson benefitted from some turnovers and some questionable penalties, but the Blue Devils never gave in even as the favorable breaks helped Wilson keep the score tight.
"I was confident all night, the way our defense was playing that we could get the stops as long as we were ahead of them," Briggs said.
Senior QB Greg Mruczek was 14 of 27 for 228 yards and five TDs. Ryan Hogan had four receiptions for 102 yards and two TDs. Trevor Sherwood caught six passes for 64 yards and a TD. Anthony Gallo, four receptions, 70 yards and two TDs. Dom Mogavero, 12 tackles. Danny Williams, 11 tackles and a forced fumble, Ray Leach, seven tackles. Adonis Davis six tackles and an interception. Clayton Gorski, six tackles, including a sack.
Batavia is now 3-0 to start the season. Wilson falls to 2-1. Next up for Batavia, Edison Tech at home. Game time, 7:30 p.m. on Friday.
To purchase prints of photos, click here.
Oakfield-Alabama came out quickly scoring 14 points in the first quarter of their big 42-27 win over Pembroke. There was a lot of back and forth scoring in the second half, but Pembroke couldn't catch the strong OA team.
(Photo of Curious George with driver Jack Flanigen (not seen) pulling ahead on the inside track, courtesy of Paul White.)
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations
Serious George ($10.80) took full advantage of a favorable draw and a perfect trip to narrowly capture the $10,000 Open trot feature at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Sept. 18).
Starting from the pylons, Serious George (Jack Flanigen) immediately yielded the front to post time favorite Lutetium (Kevin Cummings) in lieu of a garden spot journey. With two marginal players making breaks before the quarter, the seven-horse field had narrowed to five and the pace to the half slowed to a stodgy :59.2.
With no legitimate challenges coming from behind, Lutetium maintained a two-length advantage to three-quarters in 1:28.2 and it looked like he was going to chalk up his ninth win of the season. But when they straightened out for home, Flanigen pulled Serious George and charged hard at the leader, snagging him at the wire to win his first Open of the year by a neck in 1:57.4.
The finishing time equaled Serious Georges’ lifetime mark set back on July 15 of this year; his only other win of 2015. The purse boosted his annual income to $31,447 for owner James Palladino. The winner is trained by Rich Mays.
Jack Flanigen scored a driving hat-trick while Kevin Cummings, Sean McDonough and Dave McNeight III all visited the winner’s circle twice during the evening.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Saturday night (Sept. 19) with the first post set for 6:35.
The Pembroke Girls Varsity Soccer Team had an impressive 4-0 shutout in last night's game against Notre Dame. The girls scored three goals in the first half and added another in the second.
(Photo of Dime A Dance with driver Matt Kakaley, courtesy of Paul White.)
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations
A lightning-fast track and 80 degree temperatures greeted the New York Sire Stakes 2-year-old pacing fillies at Batavia Downs where two divisions offering a total of $109,000 in purses, along with important points needed to make the NYSS final, were up for grabs on Wednesday night (Sept. 16).
Prohibitive 2-5 favorite Dime A Dance didn't dissapoint her backers as she put on a show in her $54,500 division, winning in definitive style and resetting the world's record for a 2-year-old pacing filly over a half-mile track.
Dime A Dance (Roll With Joe-Hat Dance Hanover) took off the pace fourth and watched as No Clouds Bluechip (Kevin Cummings) and American Ivy (Mark Macdonald) duked it out for the lead in a fast :26.4 quarter. From there, the field remained stagnant until the half when Mother Of Art (John Cummings Jr.) pulled first over from third and Dime A Dance (Matt Kakaley) took cover second-over behind her.
The group picked up the pace with a :28.4 third panel but that wasn’t fast enough for the eventual winner. Dime A Dance swung three-deep at that station and circled the field to clear and pull away by three-lengths in an impressive and uncontested victory in 1:52.4.
The time was a new world's record for 2-year-old pacing fillies, besting that of Isabella Blue Chip's 1:53.1 at Delaware, Ohio in 2006. It was also a new track record for Batavia Downs, smashing the old standard of 1:54.2 set by Sassa Hanover just last year.
“She’s definitely one of the better fillies this year. She was just awesome tonight; she could have paced faster,” said driver Matt Kakaley.
It was the third win in eight starts for Dime A Dance ($2.90) and it pushed her earnings to $101,513 for owners Our Horse Cents Stable, Blue Chip Bloodstock and J&T Silva Stables. The filly is trained by Ron Burke.
In the first $54,500 division, Encore Deo hung on strong down the lane for a close victory over Art Critic.
Wishy Washy Girl (Ray Schnittker) took a quick, early lead before yielding to Encore Deo (Matt Kakaley) before the quarter that went in :28. The field remained single-file to the half before the heavily favored Upside Surprise (Mike Micallef) pulled from fifth to start her outside trek.
Upside Surprise got to third and hung and couldn’t gain anymore as the leader took the field to three quarters in 1:25.4. Positions stayed the same to the top of the stretch and Encore Deo was riding a short lead when Art Critic (Jim Morrill Jr.) swung inside the fading Wishy Washy Girl and came up the pylons. The two battled in deep stretch with Encore Deo just hanging on by a nose in 1:55.1.
“I wanted to try her on the lead tonight. At three-quarters I thought I was going to win but it got a little close there at the end,” Kakaley said.
It was the second win in eight starts for Encore Deo ($13.40) and the winning time was a new lifetime mark for the filly. The winner’s share of the purse pushed her earnings to $56,578 for owners Burke Racing Stable, Weaver Bruscemi, Jason Melillo and Lawrence Carr. Ron Burke mentors the filly.
There were also two divisions of the $15,000 NYSS excelsior series on Wednesday.
The first split was won by Major Millie (Art Major-Gravity) in 1:57. The filly is trained by Erv Miller and was driven to the victory by Kakaley. Major Millie ($9.10) is owned by KDM Stables Corp.
The second stanza was won by Milky Way Rae (American Ideal-Aurora Borealus) in a swift 1:55.3. She is trained by Tracy Brainard and was driven by Jim Morrill Jr. Milky Way Rae ($3.90) is owned by Fortunate One, LLC.
Racing resumes at Batavia Downs on Friday night (Sept. 18) at 6:35.
Batavia Girls Varsity Swim Team had its second meet on the road versus Letchworth Wednesday night and captured first place in eight of 11 events. Batavia came up 11 points short at the end the night 92-81.
Eighth-graders Maiya Reinhart and her teammate Norah Janes are pictured above. Maiya came in first place in the 100-meter fly at 1:05:75; Janes came in second with a time of 1:14:17. Norah also came in second in the 200 IM, time 2:45:70
Photo below is of Batavia sophmore Elle Fulton in the 500 freestyle. She came in first, time 6:26:09. Elle also came in second in the 50 freestyle, time 27:88.
Junior Natalie Amico took first place in the 100-meter freestyle 1:01:19 and also the 100-meter backstroke, pictured below, with a time of 1:12:03.
In other events, eighth-grader Anna Amico took first place in the 200 IM and third place in the 100-meter breaststroke. Batavia captured first place the 200 meter free relay with teammates Maiya Reinhart, Norah Janes, Alea Delong and Natalie Amico.
The team won the 400-meter freestyle relay led by Elle Fulton, Alea Delong, and sisters Natalie and Anna Amico. In the same event, Batavia took fourth place led by Laura Guiste, Lexi Hoerner, Julie Caceres and exchange student Lucila Zane.
Batavia's next match is home today at Genesee Community College versus Wilson Magnet at 4:30 p.m.
For more stats and team schedule go to: www.section5swim.com
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations
The eighth and final division of the New York Sire Stakes (NYSS) will visit Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Sept. 16) when 15 2-year-old pacing fillies congregate to vie for their share of the $109,000 in purses up for grabs.
This will be the last time this class will compete before the $900,000 NYSS Night of Champions for 2-year-olds at Yonkers Raceway on Saturday (Sept. 26) and for some, the outcome of their performance here will dictate whether or not they make the cut in the point standings. The top six point-getters are solid to make the final, but the last two slots are definitely up for grabs.
The first $54,500 division (carded as race three) has four horses on the verge of making the final, but the morning-line favorite is making her first start in a NYSS event this year.
Upside Surprise (Art Major-Latte Lady) got a late start to her career after being scratched sick in her first race back on July 10 at the Meadowlands. She did not return to the track until August 18 when she broke her maiden in a big way, winning by 10-lengths at Pocono Downs in 1:53.4.
Her next engagement was the Shes A Great Lady Stake at Mohawk Raceway where she was second in her elimination before finishing sixth in the $341,250 final behind L A Delight in 1:51.2 on Sept. 5.
Upside Surprise (2-1) will leave from post 4 with Jordan Stratton at the lines for trainer Tony O’Sullivan.
The next four horses by odds are all looking to capture those last two spots in the final and they all need a win to have a shot. But that is something three of them have not done all year.
North American leading trainer, Ron Burke, has three horses in the race: Art Critic (Art Major-Snippet Hanover) and the coupled entry of Encore Deo (Rock N Roll Heaven-Docdor Cameo) and Rockin Date (Art Major- Rockin Beauty).
Art Critic (3-1) has not won at all this year but also has not missed a check in NYSS action either. Her best race time was 1:54.3 at Vernon Downs just two starts ago and she put out a good performance at Yonkers last week as well.
Art Critic will have Jim Morrill Jr. aboard and leave from post 2.
Encore Deo (7-2) does have one NYSS victory at Buffalo Raceway back on July 1 in a career best 1:57.3. She was race timed at Vernon in 1:53 flat two starts ago and moves back inside after drawing post six at Yonkers last week.
Encore Deo gets the driving services of Matt Kakaley and will leave from post three.
Rockin Date (7-2) is also winless this year but also never seems to get beat by much. Unfortunately for her, after drawing post one and two four times in her last five starts, she moves out to post seven for tonight and that will be difficult to overcome.
Local driving leader Kevin Cummings picks up the lines for the contest.
In the second $54,500 split (carded as race four) six of the top seven point-getters are competing in the absence of the overall point-leader, Soft Idea. With a lot of early speed behind the gate, Sassa Hanover’s track record of 1:54.2 could be in jeopardy.
Dime A Dance (Roll With Joe-Hat Dance Hanover) comes into this event red-hot. She has won her last two outings including a lifetime best, 1:52.2 at Vernon Downs before coming right back in 1:55.4 at Yonkers. She is currently fifth in the standings but could move up considerably with a win here. This filly likes to come off the pace and with the all the leavers entered, this race could set up just right for her.
Dime A Dance (3-1) is another student of Ron Burke and will start from post three with Matt Kakaley in the bike.
No Clouds Bluechip (Roll With Joe-B J’s Sunshine) currently sits second in points with 224 as well as NYSS earnings of $101,999. She strung three-straight wins in NYSS action in July and August and hasn’t finished worse than third in the series all year.
Pegged as the second choice at 7-2, No Clouds Bluechip gets the services of Kevin Cummings as chosen by trainer John Berger.
American Ivy (American Ideal-Haunted) is seven for seven in the money this year and finished second to Soft Idea in her last two outings. Last week at Yonkers she was beaten a narrow neck in 1:53.4 off a perfect trip, but that was the fastest of the divisions that night.
Joe Holloway trains American Ivy (9-2) and has assigned Mark Macdonald to steer from post 5.
In last night's contest Pembroke and Batavia/Alexander both scored early in the first half. The rest of the game was all Pembroke. They scored four more goals in the half, and in the second half, down a man, scored another. Batavia/Alexander managed two more quick goals near the end of the second half, but it was not enough. Final Pembroke, 6 -- Batavia/Alexander, 3.
Photo by Baily DeLelys
Richard Flores had 16 carries for 214 yards and three TDs plus a kickoff return of 82 yards for a touchdown. Tucker Bezon, two carries for 66 yards and two TDs. John Hochmuth was five for nine passing for 60 yards and a TD. he also had four carries for eight yards. Brendan Marsocci and Chase Toal each had rushing touchdowns.
On defense, Andrew Gotler had 15 tackels, Cody Kauffman, 14, David Castaneda, and Flores, eight.
Photos submitted by David Boyce of Le Roy's game against Dansville on Saturday, which the Knights won 28-0.
Nick Egeling scored on a 43-yard run and a six-yard run. Josh Laurie had a 65-yard punt return and Dom Filio had a three-yard run. Mary Purdy knocked in four point after attempts.
Egeling rushed for 108 yards on 18 carries, Laurie 19 on 4 and Filio 16 on five. Laurie was two for nine passing for 38 yards. Catches by Reed Kacur for 40 yards and Ryan Boyce for two yards.
On defense, Luke Hogle, 12 tackles, Kacur, eight, Anthony Natrigo, seven, Filio, seven, and Nate Flint, five.
In a key early season Genesee Region matchup, Notre Dame beat Alexander 34-14.
Alexander scored first on a 14-yard run by Jake Wozniak. Notre Dame scored twice in the second quarter, making it 12-8, on a two-yard run by Peter Daversa and a 44-yard run by Jack Sutherland.
Alexander tied the score early in the third quarter on a fumble recovery in the end zone by Josh Hylkema.
The rest of the game was all Notre Dame, as the Fighting Irish scored on a 51-yard run by Sutherland, a one-yard dive for a TD by Sutherland, and Deversa scored on a one-yard run.
Alexander finished with 172 yards of total offense to 307, all on the ground, for Notre Dame.
Sutherland gained 185 yards and Deversa had 104. For Alexander, Wozniak rushed for 120 yards on 20 carries.
C.J. Suozzi had nine tackles and Dane Meberlein, 12, and Hunter Marzolf had nine for Alexander.
Suozzi punted twice for 69 yards.
In other Genesee County football this weekend:
To purchase prints of photos, click here
By Tim Bojarski, Batavia Downs Media Relations:
Batavia Downs cancelled their live races on Saturday (Sept. 12) before they got under way due to unsafe track conditions. Western New York was inundated with heavy rain all day and as a result, the track surface became very slippery despite efforts to grade it and clear the water.
The main concern was traction for the starting car. It was deemed that the car could not properly grab the track and accelerate away enough to break from the field to provide a fair and safe start. With both the horsemen and track management concerned, it was decided for the best interests of all involved that the card be cancelled.
Todd Haight, general manager/director of Live Racing, said “Our main concern is always for the safety of our horses and horsemen and the track did not lend itself to providing that condition tonight. Once we determined we could not proceed in a manner that we felt comfortable with, we decided to cancel the races.”
Racing will resume at Batavia Downs on Tuesday (Sept. 15) with a special twilight post time of 4:30 p.m.
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