Sports

Submitted by Andrea Aldinger.

The 12th Annual Alexander Green and Gold Wrestling Tournament proved to be an exciting day. Sponsored by Breton Construction, Hillside Electric and County Line Stone, the tournament had a round-robin format, and 12 area schools participated with more than 150 wrestlers. 

West Seneca East took away the Team Championship with Letchworth in 2nd, Alexander in 3rd and Attica in 4th place. Individual champions are:

• 99 lbs. – Andrew Hollister, Perry
• 106 lbs. – Bryan Ruggeri, Fairport
• 113 lbs. – James Arao, Fairport
• 120 lbs. – Carl Fantuzzo
• 126 lbs. – Jon Bauer, West Seneca East
• 132 lbs. – Tyler Aldinger, Alexander
• 138 lbs. – Anthony Bell, Fairport
• 145 lbs. – Austin Hedges, Letchworth
• 152 lbs. – Ben Wilamowski, West Seneca East
• 160 lbs. – Chris Nevinger, Letchworth
• 170 lbs. – Austin Heberlein, Alexander
• 182 lbs. – Jeff Day, Letchworth
• 195 lbs. – Bryce Mazurowski, Avon
• 220 lbs. – Corey Lapp, Attica
• 285 lbs. – Dan Ognibene, Alexander

In the finals, to determine individual champions, were these matches of note:

• 106 lbs. final between Bryan Ruggeri (Fairport) and Corey Hollister (Perry): Ruggeri pulled out an overtime win.
• 126 lbs. consulation final between Jake Sepor (Pavilion) and Christian Hollister (Perry): Hollister was winning with 4 seconds left,; Sepor threw Hollister in a head lock to win the match and take 3rd.
• 132 lbs. final: Tyler Aldinger (Alexander)  took a major decision 8 – 0 against West Seneca East’s Jason Draves.
• 170 lbs. final was a fight to the bitter end as Austin Heberlein (Alexander) won in overtime against Jordan Lechner (West Seneca East) with a double leg take down.
• 285 lbs. final was taken into double overtime as Dan Ognibene (Alexander) beat Shane Nelson with an Escape.

Other local wrestlers that placed were Nick Gaiser, of Attica, and Leah Taylor, of Alexander, Steve Strauchen, of Attica, and Spencer Kramell from Perry, Will Burke and Kelsey Patten, both from Alexander.

Most Outstanding Wrestler awards went to:

• Light Weight – 106 lbs. Bryan Ruggeri, Fairport
• Mid weight – 160 lbs. Chris Nevinger, Letchworth
• Heavy Weight – 195 lbs. Bryce Mazurowski, Avon

I got a little held up in picking a winner for Week 17 of the Main St. Pizza Company NFL Challenge -- had a little technical challenge and needed to get some help from the company that runs the contest for us.

Plus, it's just been a heck of a busy week.

So, here's the winner: Joseph Duganier.

Joseph wins: One large cheese pizza with one topping. He has one week to claim his prize.

Oakland, in a losing effort to the San Diego Chargers (yay!), had the most offensive yards of the 10 teams contestants had to choose from and Joseph, who picked Oakland, was the random pick to win the contest.

The girls of the Pembroke High School basketball team were dressed in all pink uniforms Thursday night in front of a capacity crowd in their home gym.

The big turn out and the pink uniforms were part of a fundraiser called "Shooting for a Cure" to support breast cancer research

Proceeds are being donated to the Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The Walt Disney Company donated a family 4-pack of 3-day tickets to their Disney Orlando Parks (value of $1,000) as the grand prize drawing. The winner was selected at half-time of Thursday's game, but we don't yet have the name of the winner.

Bottom picture, Bryan Wittman, global VP of Special Events for Disney, team captain Randi Dellapenta, April McMillion and Buster Bison, mascot of the Buffalo Bisons.

If you're unable to view the slide show, click here.

To purchase printed copies of the photos from this event, click here.

Press release:

Breast cancer is a life-threatening opponent that has significantly impacted the rural community of Pembroke. As a result, a group of Pembroke High School athletes has decided to challenge the invasive disease by doing what it does best -- play basketball.

Tonight at 7, the Pembroke High School Girls' Varsity Basketball Team will take to the court for a “Shooting for a Cure" benefit basketball game against Attica High School to raise money for breast cancer research.

The high school is located at 8750 Alleghany Road (Route 77) in Corfu.

Local country music talent Maddie Larkin will perform the national anthem and Buster Bison will be on hand to lead the cheerleading fun.

The Pembroke team is also partnering with a number of area businesses to make this event possible including:

• Impressive Marks -- creating custom-designed apparel for Pembroke teams and fans
• D & D Printing -- providing game fliers, posters and programs
• Next Generation Vending -- donating food to sell
• Pizza Pantry -- donating discounted pizzas for sale
• Great Erie Federal Credit Union -- donating popcorn for sale
• SUBWAY® -- donating drinks for sale
• The Walt Disney Company, donating Disney Theme Park passes as a fund-raising giveaway

According to Coach Mike Wilson, all proceeds from the fund-raising portion of the game will be presented to Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI).

“We are a small school in a rural district and our team has to consistently work to raise money for most everything we need, including our warm-ups and team sneakers,” Wilson said. “But this time, the girls wanted to do something different, something they felt was truly helpful for our school and those affiliated with our Pembroke community who have been so widely impacted by breast cancer diagnoses.

"To their credit they are putting together an amazing fundraiser in partnership with some very generous businesses and organizations.”

RPCI has officially sanctioned “Shooting For A Cure,” and Cindy Eller, executive director of the Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, acknowledges the significance of the grassroots fundraiser.

“It’s wonderful when young people, such as these Pembroke students, come together to make a difference in the lives of those facing cancer,” Eller said. “And for the girls to go out and enlist the support of businesses for donations to help raise money, truly speaks to the character of the team, their families, the school and the Pembroke community at large.

"We are honored by their efforts in the name of critically needed breast cancer research.”

To help the Pembroke team with their Shooting for the Cure fundraiser, The Walt Disney Company has donated a family 4-pack of 3-day tickets to their Disney Orlando Parks (value of $1,000.) Chances for the tickets will be sold at the game with the winning ticket drawn at halftime. Winner must be present to claim the prize.

The Pembroke High School Girls Varsity Basketball Team is comprised of 12 outstanding girls, ages 15 to 18. Their 2011-12 captains are Breanna Johnson and Randi Dellapenta. Team colors are green and black and their nickname is "The Dragons."

The team’s motto is "Family-Hustle-Winning." The team has undertaken Shooting for a Cure as a unified family and they are committed to hard work and winning, not only in the games they play, but in the battle against breast cancer.

Last week, several NFL backs eligible for picking in the contest had two receptions, but none had three.

In a random drawing of the entrants who picked one of the back that had at least two receptions, James Demmer came out the winner.

Demmer wins a large cheese pizza with one topping. He has one week to claim his prize at Main St. Pizza Company.

To enter this week's contest, click here.

UPDATED with comments from Bromley at 2:01 p.m.
UPDATED at 4:43 p.m. with comments by Briggs.

Brennan Briggs, who led the Blue Devil's JV squad to an undefeated season in 2011, has been named the varsity's head football coach.

Briggs replaces Dan Geiger, who had a 16-35 record over six seasons as the Blue Devil's head coach.

The board of education approved the promotion of Briggs on Monday.

Athletic Director Michael Bromley said Briggs is somebody he's had his eye on since Brennan's student-athlete days at Batavia.

"It was easy to see as a young kid he was a great leader," said Bromley.

Briggs was a standout athlete in football and hockey, helping lead the hockey team to two sectional titles.

Bromley said when Briggs decided to major in physical education in college, he saw him as a potential teacher and coach at Batavia.

"He's got a lot of great experience and I have no doubt he will be a success," Bromley said.

The promotion, Briggs said, is exactly what he had in mind for himself.

"It’s been a goal of mine since I got into coaching to become a head football coach, to get out under the lights on Friday night and there’s no place better to do it than Batavia High," said Briggs.

Brigg's is the son of a former Gates-Chili coach Jim Briggs, a Section V Hall of Fame member.

Jim Briggs was also a standout athlete at Batavia HS and is in the schools hall of fame.

Bromley doesn't anticipate the senior Briggs being involved officially the football program, but he's sure father and son will talk a lot.

"It's obviously a great resource to have somebody with his knowledge and his level of success available as a dad," Bromley said. "I'm sure there will be a lot of dinner table conversations."

Brennan said you can rule out any idea of Jim becoming an assistant coach.

"He's got two grand sons he helps take care of and he's quite content doing that," Briggs said.

But they will talk.

"Obviously, I'll listen to anything everything he has to say, but he also does a good job of stepping back and let me be Brennan Briggs," Briggs said.

The players received the news of the promotion for Brigg's well, Bromley said. 

It was important to get Briggs started as coach this month, with players already beginning training and weight work for next season.

"Winning football isn't just about what you do during the season," Bromley said. "It's also what you do during the off season."

Fans shouldn't read too much into the undefeated JV record, Briggs said. There are a lot of JV teams in the area that have undefeated seasons, but that doesn't necessarily translate into winning varsity programs.

"I don't want everybody coming here thinking, 'Oh, Coach Briggs is undefeated on JV and they're going to be undefeated on varsity.' It doesn't work that way," Briggs said. "It's not going to be a complete transformation over to varsity."

That said, Briggs said he's already established a relationship with a lot of his players, both from coaching JV football and coaching baseball at the school.

His goal: Establish a winning culture.

"It's about discipline and hard work and it doesn't always show up on the score board, but inch by inch, we'll get there," Briggs said.

Briggs is pretty young at 26 to take over a varsity program, and he sees his age as offering both pros and cons.

When you're a young coach, he said, you can relate to a lot more of what the kids are going through away from campus, but they can also come to see you too close as peer.

"There's a fine line where these kids see you as a young person, you’ve got to establish that you’re the coach," Briggs said. "Yes, I want a good relationship with them, but there’s a fine line and you establish that by expecting discipline, not accepting any excuses and being hard on  them and just expecting the best from them every single day."

Bromley anticipates working with Briggs and putting together a coaching staff for Briggs over the next month.

Press release:

Batavia Downs Casino is pleased to announce that following a recent approval, a new Tim Horton's will open inside Batavia Downs Casino on Wednesday, Dec. 21, sometime in the afternoon.

“Tim Horton's has proven itself to be an industry leader and partnering ourselves with that brand will strengthen our own,” said Mike Kane, CEO and president of Batavia Downs Casino.

The Tim Horton's will occupy the site formerly knows as “Crumbs” and will serve Tim Horton's brand drinks as well as doughnuts. Other lunch items that “Crumbs” served will also be available. Tim Horton's brand coffee will be served for free to persons playing on the gaming floor.

Batavia Downs in owned and operated by Western Regional Off-Track Betting, a public benefit corporation. The track is also home to Batavia Downs Casino, featuring more than 600 video slot machines. Batavia Downs Casino is located less than one mile from Thruway Exit 48 and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 a.m. Admission and parking are always free.

Michael Moran was the Week 15 winner of the Main St. Pizza Company NFL Challenge.

Robbie Gould kicked the longest field goal of the week. Gould booted one 57 yards. Moran's name was selected in a random drawing from among 15 entrants who correctly predicted Gould's feat.

Moran wins one large cheese pizza with one topping. He has one week to claim his prize.

To enter this week's contest, click here.

The boys of the Batavia and Notre Dame high school basketball teams will battle over the coveted Lions Tournament trophy Dec. 28 at Genesee Community College.

The JV teams will face each other at 6:30 p.m. and the varsity squads will play at 8 p.m.

The Lions held their annual tournament dinner Monday night at Bohn's Restaurant.

Pictured are Lamar Mobley, of Batavia, and Doane McCulley, of Notre Dame.

The winner of the Week 13 contest was JD Conti, who was among four people to correctly pick Percy Harvin as the week's top receiver. Harvin gained 156 yards for Minnesota.

Conti wins two dog dishes. He has one week to claim his prize.

Click here to enter this week's contest.

Rather than mob a mall, golf enthusiasts mobbed local golf courses the day after Thanksgiving to take advantage of unseasonably warm weather.

Lisa Fickel, director of marketing for Terry Hills, said the course buzzed like a spring day this morning with golf carts zipping all over the place.

Above, Tim Braunscheidel watches his shot fly down the first fairway at Terry Hills. Braunscheidel was out for a round of golf with his father, Dave and their friends Scott Gibson and Dan Grefreth.

Both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Hasselback rushed for 17 yards on Sunday, so the Week 11 contest winner was randomly drawn from among the 25 people who picked either QB as the quarterbacks with the most rushing yards for the week.

The winner for Week 11 is Bob Bartz, who picked Fitzpatrick. Bob wins one small cheese pizza, one topping, one order of wings and a two-liter bottle of soda pop.   He has one week to pick up his prize.