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After a couple of brushes with victory in the past couple of years, Pembroke's mock trial team finally came out on top, beating Attica on Monday evening in a match at the Genesee County Courthouse.

Pembroke scored 111 points in the two-trial match.

Judge Robert C. Noonan presided over the cases.

Pembroke will now move onto the regional competition at a time and place yet to be announced.

The Pembroke team is Patrick Burns, Dean Cullinan, Cale Fryer, Rachel Seweryniak, Joelle Fugle, Brett Jones, Andrew Reynolds, Brandon Kohorst, Ben Reiner, Christian Burn, Justin Sformo, Eva Reda-Kenrick, Sabrina Sanner and Karen Glomb.

The Attica team is Thomas Finnagan III, Cassandra McCulloch, Breanna Donnelly, Evan Reisdorf, Devin Tidwell, Naomi Lampke, Lauren Beatalan, Madison Cook, Kathrine Dusterhus and Hollie Seipel.

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Pembroke eked out a narrow victory over Notre Dame in the semifinals of the Mock Trial Tournament Wednesday.

The four remaining teams faced off in Warsaw.

While Pembroke won on points against Notre Dame (101 to 99), splitting the match 1-1, Attica beat Warsaw handily, 124 to 88, taking both sides (prosecution and defense) of the match.

Pembroke and Attica will square off at 5:30 p.m., Monday, in the Genesee County Courthouse with Judge Robert C. Noonan on the bench.

Which ever team wins Monday, it will be the first time in the history of the local tournament that a team other than Batavia won. Batavia went 1-3 in early competition and was knocked out before the quarterfinals.

The photos in this post are of the Notre Dame and Pembroke teams.

Notre Dame team members: Meghan Zickl, Anneliese Aliasso, Andrew Fischer, Matthew Sausher, Kendra Wall, John Lapple, Ariana Aliasso, Rosalie Mortellaro, Jake Krajewski, Brittany Perzia, Caleb Nellis, James Spear, Anna Arner, Natalie Mouton, Katie Fischer, Andrew Cheverie and Rosemary Fulmerfeld.

Pembroke team members: Dean Cullinan, Patrick Burns, Joelle Fugle, Cale Fryer, Rachel Seweryniak, Andrew Renolds, Brett Jones, Brandon Kohorst, Bea Reiner, Christian Burns, Eva Reda-Kenrick, Karen Globm, Justin Sformo and Sabrina Sanner.

Previously: Batavia knocked out of Mock Trial Tournament early; four teams left to vie for title

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A team other than Batavia High School has a chance to win the 2012 Mock Trial Competition for the Genesee area, and following a quarter-final round Monday night, four teams are left, including two from Genesee County.

Those remaining are Pembroke, Notre Dame, Attica and Warsaw. They will compete at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Warsaw County Courthouse.

It's the first time in the nine-year history of the competition that Batavia won't be among the semi-finalists.

In fact, the team that wins this year will be the first team in nine years not from Batavia to win.

The Blue Devils failed to even make the quarter finals.

A first-time quarterfinalist, however, was Pavilion, which had never won a trial before this year.

Pavilion has two new coaches -- Thomas A. Burns, a Batavia-based attorney, and Assistant District Attorney William Zickl Kevin T. Finnell.

The 2012 case involves an assault at a nightclub. The victim and the suspect were known to each other prior to the night of the attack. The victim bumped into the alleged attacker and spilled his/her drink. The suspect gave, according to witnesses, "a look that could kill." The victim was struck on the back of the head. The victim did not see the face of his/her attacker, but he/she believes he/she recognized the voice of the attacker singing a rap song about hitting a person on the head with a crowbar. The arresting officer is an admittedly rogue cop who works alone and uses his/her own investigative techniques. The cop previously Tasered and arrested the suspect on a case that was thrown out and for which the cop was disciplined and denied a promotion.

It's apparently a tough case for the prosecuting teams to win.

In mock trials, however, points are awarded on a number of factors and it's possible for the prosecution to lose the case but win on points, or conversely, the defense can lose the case and win on points.

The photos are of the Pavilion and Notre Dame teams.

Pavilion Team members: Joshua Yunke, Mackenzie Grasso, Tiffani Bragg, Hannah Smart, Gabrielle Henry, Heather Stefan, Austin Wolcott, Alexis Boundry and Sara Thompson.

Notre Dame team members: Meghan Zickl, Anneliese Aliasso, Andrew Fischer, Matthew Sausher, Kendra Wall, John Lapple, Ariana Aliasso, Rosalie Mortellaro, Jake Krajewski, Brittany Perzia, Caleb Nellis, James Spear, Anna Arner, Natalie Mouton, Katie Fischer, Andrew Cheverie and Rosemary Fulmerfeld.

Judges in the pictures are Eric, Adams, Jerry Ader and Micahel Mohun. Also judging during the quarter finals was William Zickl.

The finals will be at 5:30 p.m. Monday in the Genesee County Courthouse with Judge Robert C. Noonan on the bench.

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Cheering, chanting, hugs and tears of joy were all part of a big celebration in Elba last night as the Lady Lancers brought home their Class D State Champions trophy.

"It’s amazing," said Meg Stucko. "It’s like  the best day of my life. I never thought the whole community would come together like this. It’s really awesome."

The whole community could celebrate together because the community won together.

Head Coach Tom Nowak praised dozens of volunteers, from scorekeepers to parents who traveled the state to videotape potential opponents in tournament games, along with all the fans who turned out to support the girls.

“They say it takes a whole community to raise a child,” Nowak said. “It takes a whole community to raise a state champion.”

The celebration in the gym followed a lights and sirens escort by the Elba Volunteer Fire Department through the village.

MacKenzie Bezon, who was Most Valuable Player of the title game, was amazed by the public's response.

"I can’t believe our community did this," Bezon said. "It’s not like just we won the championship. It’s the whole town. I just can’t believe it happened. We’ve been working so hard. I couldn’t believe it. I thought it was a dream."

Nowak said he was exceptionally proud that the Lady Lancers, who knew what to do, executed the game plan and their plays, and stayed in control.

"This is the most composed group of young ladies I've ever been associated with," Nowak said. "I was able to relax because I knew what they could do on the court."

After explaining the story because somebody told him recently "Coach, nobody is perfect," Nowak ended his remarks to thunderous applause when he said, "Right now and forever, these girls are a perfect 25-0."

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The Elba Lady Lancers finish out 2012 with a perfect 25-0 season and a state championship after a win at Hudson Valley Community College today.

Elba beat Argyle High School 48--34 to take the team's first-ever state title.

Yesterday, Elba beat #1 seed South Kortright in the Class D semi-final to move on to today's final game.

McKenzie Bezon was named MVP and Meg Stucko was named to the All-Star Team. Kelsey Bezon won the Sportsmanship Award.

Sackets Harbor beat Notre Dame today in the semi-finals of the boys basketball tournament in Glens Falls.

The final score: 50 to 40.

It's only the second loss of the season for the Fighting Irish, who won their first Section V title since 2001 and the Western Regional title.

Genesee County will be well represented in the 8th Annual Scotty Bowman Showcase, a hockey tournament sponsored by the Buffalo Sabres, with five local players making the junior and senior squads.

Named to the teams are three players from Notre Dame High School-- Zach Blew, Tyler Kessler and Brett Perfitt -- and two from Batavia HS -- Tom Grammatico and Josh Marr.

The games will be played March 20 at First Niagara Center. Tickets for the event are $5.

The first game begins at 6 p.m. and pits all-star squads from Buffalo and Rochester made up of players in their junior year of high school.

The senior game is at 7:30 p.m. and the winner of that match will be awarded the Bowman Cup. Buffalo has a 6-1 advantage in the tournament.

All five Batavia-area players will be on the Rochester teams.

Scotty Bowman, a former head coach, notched more NHL wins than any coach in history. The coach will be on hand to present the Bowman Cup to the winning team.

Notre Dame Head Coach was also named a Bowman team coach.

The plan against Clymer, Elba Head Coach Tom Nowak said, was to play a fast-paced game and wear down the Clymer girls.

"We felt with them not having a lot of depth -- they didn't use a lot of depth during the season -- that we thought we would just try to up-tempo the game a little bit," Nowak said. "We thought that might create some turnovers and down the stretch maybe not be as effective on offense."

The strategy paid off and Clymer was just 3-14 from the floor in the final quarter, allowing the Lady Lancers to pull away with a 53-37 victory and a slot in the state Class D championship final four.

Clymer features some height and athleticism down front, and center Meg Stucko said the Lancers prepared well for what they were going to face.

"We practiced a lot all week for their forwards," Stucko said. "We kind of knew what they were going to do and what we were going to do, so we were ready for it."

Forced turnovers kind of told the story of the game, with Elba's defense taking the ball away a number of times, especially on transitions.

Nowak said, "that's kind of our bread and butter."

Elba is now 23-0 on the season and will face South Kortright (22-0), the state's top-ranked Class D team at 9 a.m. March 17 at Hudson Valley Community College.

"We’re all really excited because we all really want to go to state so bad," Stucko said. "That’s what we’re most excited about, just the chance to be in the state final four is really awesome."

Prints of photos from the game can be purchase by clicking here.

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Sparked by Tim McCulley, who scored 21 points, and Doane McCulley, who added 16, the Fighting Irish advanced to the state semi-finals Saturday with a win over Panama in a Western Regional Championship match in Buffalo.

Notre Dame won 62-51.

On Friday, the Irish will face Sackets Harbor in a state semi-finals match at the Glens Falls Civic Center.

Photos from the game by Bare Antolos.

Top photo is of Doane McCulley.

Tim McCulley

Jared Thornton

Jared Midwick

Zach Hotze

The Elba Girls Basketball Team won the Western New York Regional Championship match against Clymer High School this afternoon at Finger Lakes Community College with a final score of 53 to 37.

The Lady Lancers now advance to the state semi-finals in a game next week in Albany.

Pictures T/K

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame beat the Section VI champion, Panama, on Saturday by a score of 62-51 and will now advance to the state championship semi-final round.

Doane McCulley was named player of the game.

We anticipate having some pictures from the game to publish later.

For the third time in three meetings in 2012, Notre Dame beat Elba in boys basketball, but this time the game determined the Class D1 Section V champion.

It's the first sectional win for Notre Dame since 2001.

"They all laugh at me because I always say, 'you gotta dance with the girl you brought,' " said Coach Mike Rapone. "That's an old-timers saying, but we're not going to change anything. We're going to do what got us here."

After two previous meetings, both teams had to make adjustments, Rapone said.

"I give Elba a lot of credit," Rapone said. "They knew what we wanted to do and took a lot away from us."

Notre Dame (20-1) took a lead early, and though Elba (18-3) was often nipping at their lead, it wasn't until 3:42 left in the game that the Lancers held a 40-39 lead.

But after Doane McCulley hit a lay up and Zach Hotze sunk a three-pointer, Notre Dame didn't look back, holding on for a 50-45 point victory.

Zach Hotze and Tim McCulley had 16 points each for the Fighting Irish. Jared Thornton added 12 points.

"We're fortunate we hit our big shots when we had to," Rapone said.

One of the goals of the Irish, Rapone said, was to take the three-point play away from Dan Ramsey, whom Rapone said is one of the most consistent three-point shooters in the section.

Dan Ramsey was held to eight points for the game.

For the Lancers, Matt Ramsey had 14 points, Mike Ramsey nine. Mike Ramsey added nine rebounds.

The historic back-to-back championship match-ups between Elba and Notre Dame, with the Elba girls defeating the Notre Dame girls Friday night, was big for both schools.

"I don’t think it gets any better in small-school basketball than Notre Dame and Elba," Rapone said.

It's been a fun season at Notre Dame, according to Rapone, between the two basketball teams and the hockey team winning its Section V championship last week (the Irish skaters lost a regional playoff game Saturday night).

"We have a lot of school spirit and it’s been the most amazing winter ever," Rapone said. "I mean, the girls play for a championship, the boys make that miraculous run in hockey, everybody’s on cloud nine."

The Irish will face DeSales in a regional playoff game on Tuesday night.

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