Sports

The Oakfield-Alabama/Elba Aggies continued their year of perfection with yet another win, this time to capture the Class D Section V title by beating Avon 26-21.

Gaige Armbrewster rushed 16 times for 166 yards and two touchdowns.  

Bodie Hyde was 4-5 passing for 68 yards and a TD.  He also rushed for 21 yards.

Noah Currier gained 120 yards on nine carries and scored a TD.  He also had a 39-yard TD reception.

On defense, Kaden Cusmano had 12 tackles, a sack and he broke up two passes.  TJ Andres had 11 tackles as did Brayden Smith.  CJ Gottler and Ethan Cramer each and nine tackles and Gottler also had a sack.  Cameron Cusmano had an interception as did Armbrewster and Currier.

"I am so incredibly happy and proud for our boys," said Head Coach Tyler Winter. "The composure they showed during moments of adversity tonight is what champions are made of.  This group made a promise to themselves after the way that last season ended. They did everything in their power to make sure they would have a shot at winning a sectional championship this fall.

"To look around and see them enjoy the fruits of their labor tonight... I couldn't be more proud.  This group has so much fun playing football together, that we are glad the show is not over yet.  Our goal as we prepare for the Far West Regionals is to keep working hard, love each other, and play football together as long as we possibly can.  HOW BOUT THEM AGGIES !?"

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

O-A/E's Gaige Armbrewster looks for running room.

Kameron Cusmano (5) and Noah Currier (20) converge upon Avon QB Andrew Rowland.

Armbrewster carried the day for the Aggies.

 Noah Currier breaks a tackle.

More production from Armbrewster.

A great grab for Gaige.

QB Bodie Hyde just gets the pass away.

The Batavia High Blue Devils, sparked by an incredible play by senior quarterback Jesse Reinhart and senior tight end Kaden Marucci, defeated rival Honeoye Falls-Lima, 22-14, tonight to capture the Section V Class B football championship.

Leading 14-7 early in the third quarter in the game played at Pittsford Sutherland High School, the Blue Devils were forced to punt from their own 33-yard line.

The center snap to Reinhart, the team’s punter, sailed high over his head. He managed to corral it about 20 yards behind the line of scrimmage, avoided a tackle and lofted a pass to the left side of the field where Marucci was standing.

“It went over my head and I was chasing after the ball – I think it was at the 5 yard line or 10 yard line, whatever it was,” said Reinhart, who was voted the game’s most valuable player after passing for 163 yards and two touchdowns. “I could have dove on it and gave them the ball there, but I decided to pick it up and try to make a play. I threw it out to him (Marucci) and he did the rest; he took it all the way …”

Marucci, who earned the outstanding defense player award for his play at linebacker, caught the ball, found an open lane down the sideline and outraced the Cougars to the end zone to give Batavia a 20-7 advantage (see photo above).

Here’s what he had to say about the play:

“A guy got by me on the edge and I looked back to see if Jesse was good and saw the ball rolling toward the end zone. I looked around and saw no one around me, so I started screaming Jesse’s name. He tossed it over to me and I was just off to the races.”

As a result of a penalty on Batavia after the big play, the Blue Devils, 10-1, decided to go for two points, calling for a reverse/option pass. It worked as wide receiver/running back Javin McFollins hit Reinhart in the end zone to make it 22-7.

Batavia Coach Brennan Briggs pointed out the athleticism of Reinhart and Marucci that turned what could have been disaster into a moment that will go down in Batavia football history.

“A bad snap. Yeah, but we have athletes out here and that’s just them innovating and doing a great job,” he said. “Jesse’s a heck of an athlete and Mooch (Marucci) got open and they blocked downfield for him. Sometimes, you have to have plays like that to win big games.”

With about four minutes left in the period, HF-L took over on the Batavia 45 after a punt by Reinhart traveled just 12 yards, and put together a seven-play drive -- with senior back Zachary Meacham gaining 20 yards on three carries, senior quarterback Brody Young finding senior wide receiver J.T. Killenbec for 17 yards, and Young finishing it off with a three-yard touchdown run.

The point after touchdown kick by Zavier Carbonel was good and the Cougars, who finish at 10-1, had pulled within 22-14 with 1:40 left in the third quarter.

Batavia was in a similar position in early October, holding a 20-7 lead at halftime before falling 27-26 at Van Detta Stadium.

There was no meltdown this time, although HF-L did make it interesting in the final quarter.

After Young’s TD, the Blue Devils took over at their own 25, but two runs netted only six yards. An 18-yard pass from Reinhart to wide receiver Cole Grazioplene kept the drive alive, and the Blue Devils – behind junior halfback Aidan Anderson – were able to take five more minutes off the clock before turning the ball over on downs at the HF-L 21.

Anderson, who opened the scoring on a 6-yard run with 3:02 left in the first quarter, picked up 27 of his 101 yards rushing during that stretch. He was named the outstanding offensive player, and also came up with some key tackles and pass deflections on defense.

HF-L took possession with seven minutes to play and Young went to the air, finding Ben Carson for three yards and Killenbec for nine before connecting with Aidan Goold for 35 yards to the Batavia 37. Two runs by Meacham picked up 18 yards, but two incomplete passes resulted in a fourth-and-4 situation at the Blue Devils’ 19.

Young threw a pass into the end zone that was broken up by Reinhart, but pass interference was called – one of a few penalties that had the Batavia fans voicing their displeasure with the referees.

Now, it was first-and-goal at the 9 for the Cougars with 4:30 to play. Young handed off to junior Donnell Hall, who was jolted behind the line by linebacker Mathew McWethy for a three-yard loss. The Blue Devils got another break on the next play when Young’s pass was dropped in the end zone.

A third down pass to Carson gained eight yards, making it fourth-and-goal from the Batavia 4. On fourth down, Young threw another pass in the end zone but it was off the mark and Batavia took over with 3:16 remaining.

At this point, Briggs turned to Anderson, who came through with runs of four, six and 12 yards -- with a 12-yard scamper by Reinhart sandwiched in between. HF-L was forced to use its timeouts, but three final runs by Anderson served to run out the clock.

In the first half, following Anderson’s TD burst (and kicker Julia Petry’s first of two successful PATs), junior wide receiver Javin McFollins came up with a spectacular catch in the end zone to put Batavia up by two scores.

On a third-and-7 play from the HF-L 32, Reinhart passed the ball to McFollins who won a “jump ball” situation against the defender.

HF-L followed that with a 10-play, 63-yard drive with Meacham barreling into the end zone from four yards out to pull within 14-7. That drive was aided by a questionable roughing the passer call against Batavia, and was highlighted by a 38-yard pass from Young to Killenbec.

The Blue Devils controlled the first half and could have mounted a bigger lead but three drives stalled deep in HF-L territory.

Marucci recorded eight tackles on the defensive side of the ball while Carter McFollins recovered a fumble for the Blue Devils.

The Batavia victory breaks a three-game losing streak against the Cougars, including a loss about six months ago in the sectional finals (which were moved to the spring due to COVID-19). But tonight, it wasn’t about avenging those losses, Briggs said.

“I’m just happy for these guys. No redemption, no revenge – any of that stuff,” he said. “These guys have their own identity. Whoever we have to come play, we’re going to play. Obviously, there is a rivalry brewing with HF-L, which is a great thing, but I’m just happy for these guys.”

Anderson said the team showed “resilience through adversity” to prevail over an HF-L squad that defeated Batavia by one point earlier this season.

“We had a lot of down moments. We had a lot of penalties, and a lot of dumb mistakes,” he said. “But we bounced back. We never put our heads down, and that’s why we won.”

Batavia advances to the Far West Regionals against WNY Maritime Charter/Health Sciences (Section VI) at 3:15 p.m. Nov. 20 at Williamsville South High School.

WNY Maritime defeated Iroquois, 62-12, today for its third straight Section VI Class B title.

To view or purchase prints, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Batavia QB Jesse Reinhart gets off a pass early in the game.

Javin McFollinms with the reception for the Blue Devils.

Cam McClinic tries to get past HF-L's Aidan Goold.

The HF-L ball carrier is tackled for a loss.

Reinhart, middle, lets out a triumphant yell as the Batavia victory is secure.

Lineman Austyn Fernandez looks to give Coach Brennan Briggs a Gatorade shower.

Stars of the game, from left, Batavia's Aidan Anderson, Kaden Marucci and Jesse Reinhart, and HF-L's Mitchell Bulling and Zac Meacham.

The Section V "block" becomes the center of attention.

A moment to remember for the Batavia High Blue Devils football team.

The beat goes on for the Pavilion Lady Gophers.

Coach Rex Eighmey’s team this afternoon advanced to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association “Final Four” with a hard-fought, straight set victory over Chautauqua Lake in the girls volleyball Class D Far West Regionals at Le Roy High School.

By winning 25-23, 25-10 and 26-24, Pavilion kept its perfect season intact as it has yet to lose a set in compiling a 25-0 record.

But it wasn’t easy, Eighmey said, as the Lady Gophers had to rally from a 19-15 deficit in the first set and survived a late charge by the Lady Thunderbirds in the decisive third set.

Chautauqua Lake, which suffered its first loss in 18 matches, was Pavilion’s toughest opponent this season, Eighmey said.

“Oh yeah, by far yeah,” he said. “They’re really good. They're the most athletic team and have a couple good hitters. But we kind of kept things under control. Our girls played out of their minds and it was fantastic to watch.”

With the score tied at 23 in the opening set, Chautauqua Lake missed on a serve, turning the ball over to Sara Laurie, who served the winning point. Pavilion dominated the second set, and then took a 17-12 lead in the third set before the Lady Thunderbirds came back to go up 22-21.

Pavilion called a timeout and, after their opponentsmissed on another serve, scored two points to go up 24-22. Chautauqua Lake rallied to tie it again at 24, but missed on another serve. From there, Paige Landers took the serve and her teammates came through for the final point.

The statistics were distributed across the team with Karlee Zinkievich getting four kills and 10 digs, Shea Amberger tallying five kills and two blocks, Adeline Milligan recording nine kills and eight digs, Lauren Kingsley contributing 12 kills and eight digs and Shannon Campbell posting 23 assists and four digs.

Eighmey said his team’s balance seem to wear down Chautauqua Lake in the second set, but he did give the Section VI representative credit for making the third set close.

The Lady Gophers now move on to the four-team, round-robin Class D state tournament next Saturday afternoon in Glens Falls. Each team will play three two-set matches with the squad with the best record earning the championship.

High school sports playoff games involving local teams this weekend are as follows:

FOOTBALL
Section V Championship
Class B
Tonight
No. 2 Batavia 22, No. 1 Honeoye Falls-Lima 14. Batavia (10-1) advances to Far West Regionals against WNY Maritime Charter/Health Sciences (Section VI) at 3:15 p.m. Nov. 20 at Williamsville South High School.
Class D
Friday
No. 1 Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 26, No. 2 Avon 21; O-A/Elba (11-0), Section V, advances to the Far West Regionals against Randolph (10-0), Section VI, at 5 p.m. Nov. 19 at Jamestown High School (Strider Field)

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Far West Regionals
Today at Le Roy High School
Class C
Portville, Section VI, def. Le Roy, Section V, 25-9, 25-12, 25-18. Portville advances to the state tournament next weekend in Glens Falls.
Class D
Pavilion, Section V, def. Chautauqua Lake, Section VI, 25-23, 25-10, 26-24. Pavilion (25-0) advances to the state tournament next weekend in Glens Falls.

GIRLS SOCCER
NYSPHSAA Final Four
Today
Class C
Carle Place 2, Byron-Bergen 0. Carle Place (Section VIII) advances to Sunday’s title game at 10:30 a.m. at SUNY Cortland.

The Le Roy Lady Oatkan Knights’ sectional championship girls volleyball season ended in straight sets today at the hands of Section VI Class C powerhouse Portville in the Far West Regionals at Le Roy High School.

The scores were 25-9, 25-12, 25-18, handing Coach Sue Staba’s Le Roy team just its second loss in 24 matches. The Knights earned the right to play in the regionals by winning the Section V Class C tournament with a victory over Attica on Nov. 5.

Portville, winner of eight consecutive Section VI titles, will take a 20-2 record into the New York State tournament next weekend in Glens Falls.

Le Roy Coach Sue Staba, in congratulating the Panthers, called Portville an "amazing well-rounded team" that prevented her squad from putting any scoring runs together.

"We had some spark in game three but fell short," she said. "My girls had a season to be incredibly proud of and reached the sectional title goal they set out for themselves. We will come back next year even stronger."

Junior Allie Ingles had seven kills, senior Hailey Johnson six assists and three kills, and senior Riley Wood seven digs for Le Roy.

For Portville, senior setter Kylie Blessing and sophomore middle hitter Olivia Cook led the way.

Photo at top: Le Roy's Katie Salphine (6) goes up against Portville's Olivia Cook (7).

Previously: Le Roy girls defeat Attica in four games to capture Section V Class C volleyball championship

Le Roy's Hailey Johnson winds up for a serve.

Photo: Allie Ingles of Le Roy (5) looks to beat the double-team of Portville's Tori Unverdorben (21) and Olivia Cook. Photos by Tim McArdle.

The Byron-Bergen Lady Bees lost 2-0 to Carle Place of Section VIII in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C girls soccer tournament this morning at Homer High School.

While a defeat at this stage of the season could be especially disappointing, Coach Wayne Hill said his squad, which features several talented underclasswomen, already is thinking about what it needs to do to get back to the state Final Four next year.

“The girls are already talking about it,” Hill said by telephone as the team traveled back home. “I can tell you what their goal is for next year: They want to be back here.”

Hill said his girls know that they have to get stronger, physically – something that revealed itself in today’s match.

“They (Carle Place) played more aggressive than we did. And, as a result, we didn't have time to settle the ball and play our kind of game,” he said. “So that's an improvement we're going to have to make for next year.”

He said the Frogs, 9-4-1, took B-B’s leading scorer, eighth-grader Mia Gray, out of her game and, generally, took the Bees out of their rhythm.

“They were man-marking her (Gray) the whole game, and made it really tough for us,” he said.

Senior Alexandra Feit scored both goals for Carle Place – one in each half.

The Bees, 19-4, had a couple of scoring opportunities in the first half, Hill said.

“We brought the ball down the sideline -- one down the left side and one down the right side.  And both crosses were great, but there wasn't anybody waiting for the ball in the middle.”

They had another great chance in the second half but, again, failed to convert.

Hill said that B-B goalkeeper Brooke Jarkiewicz made 15 saves while the Carle Place goalie, Jenna Lenihan, had three or four saves.

Looking ahead, Hill said the focus will be on adding power to match the team’s speed and quickness.

“Well, we've been saying that all year that the kids have to get in the weight room,” he said. “They just need to get bigger and stronger. The ball touches are great. Speed is great. We’ve just got to learn to be a little more physical.”

Carle Place moves into Sunday’s Championship game against the winner of this afternoon’s game between AuSable Valley (Section VII) vs. Notre Dame (Section IV).

Previously: Byron-Bergen girls soccer team competing for New York State Class C championship this weekend

The Dream Killers are the 2021 All-Day Flag League (AFL) champions after winning the league's finals this week, beating Lil Irish on a pick-six interception to close out the game.

The top prize for the champions is $1,500.

The league hosts tournaments four times a year (winter, spring, summer, and fall) and currently has five teams (with a desire to expand).  The current teams are the Lil Irish, Ass n TDs, Playmakers, Dream Killers, and 585 Demons.

The tournaments are double elimination, followed by a playoff and then the championship game.

Key sponsors are Notre Dame High School (where the games are played), Ri-Dans Sports Bar, and Shadowbox Photography.

Going into this evening’s Section V girls volleyball Class D championship match, Pavilion’s Lauren Kingsley, a 6-foot-1 junior middle hitter, knew that it was up to her to counteract Fillmore’s star player Emma Cole, a 6-foor-1 senior middle hitter.

Kingsley came through with flying colors – recording 12 kills (scoring hits) and a couple of blocks at the net – to lead the undefeated Lady Gophers to a 25-12, 25-18, 25-14 victory over the Lady Eagles before a large contingent of fans at Caledonia-Mumford High School.

She said her team understood the challenge presented by Cole, who dominated the opening match of the overall Class D playoffs on Tuesday against Alexander.

“They have a big blocker,” she said, speaking of Cole, "and we knew that we were going to have to get those (kills) around her.”

Cole had her moments, recording 12 kills at the net and four service aces, but many of her forceful returns were handled by the Lady Gophers' experienced lineup led by Kingsley, junior outside hitter Karlee Zinkievich (four kills and six aces), senior outside hitter Adeline Milligan (four kills), senior setter Shannon Campbell (18 assists), senior middle hitter Shea Amberger and junior middle hitter Paige Landers.

In the first set, Fillmore, 13-7, pulled to within 10-8 before Pavilion went on a nine-point run, sparked by Kingsley’s four kills and Zinkievich’s serving.

In the second set, Landers served six straight points, with Kingsley posting three kills and a block, to give Pavilion a 12-6 advantage. Fillmore battled back, however, behind the serving of senior Jadyn Mucher to pull within four at 20-16 but could get no closer.

In the third set, the Lady Eagles jumped out to a 10-4 lead with Cole serving, forcing Pavilion to call a timeout. After talking it over, the Lady Gophers were able to break Cole’s serve and then scored six straight points to tie things up.

From there, Kingsley and Zinkievich took over at the net to support the serves of Landers and Sara Laurie as Pavilion won going away.

The victory extends Pavilion’s record to 24-0 -- all in straight sets -- but more importantly, moves the Lady Gophers into the Far West Regionals on Saturday at Le Roy High School. Coach Rex Eighmey’s team will take on Section VI representative Chautauqua Lake, 17-0, at 4:30 p.m.

Eighmey credited Kingsley and Zinkievich for their inspired play.

“Lauren just pounded the ball. She’s a great player and when we get the ball to her, she can put it down,” he said. “And Karlee really comes through in the tough situations.”

He also gave Fillmore its due, mentioning that Cole and her teammates “did a lot of digging and made it tough for us.”

Eighmey said he expects Saturday’s match against Chautauqua Lake to be even more difficult after watching videotape of the Lady Thunderbirds.

“They’re going to be tough,” he said. “They’re very athletic. We’re going to have to be at our best to beat them, but I’m confident that our team can do that. We’re in the state tournament now and we’re definitely looking forward to it.”

When asked about being the favorite in all these matches, Eighmey called it “a good feeling.”

“It’s a little bit different. I like to play under the radar, but we are the hunted this year and we’ve been able to take care of things. It feels great.”

Fillmore Coach Lacie Fuller said she believes Pavilion, the Section V Class D1 champion, has a very good chance to keep advancing as it moves onto the state tournament.

“I think they’ll do a fabulous job. They’re very consistent and they just keep moving,” she said.

She also said she was proud of her team that “made history in Fillmore by winning the school’s first sectional (Class D3) title since 1988.”

“They worked as hard as they could. We went up against a good team, but we’re the last one standing before the states,” she added.

Junior setter Zoe Hubbard tallied 14 assists for the Lady Eagles.

Top photo: Karlee Zinkievich makes her presence felt.

Photos by Jim Burns.

Lauren Kingsley attempting a "kill" as Shea Amberger (8) looks on.

Adeline Milligan sets one up.

The young fan's sign says it all.

Shea Amberger with the block.

The Pavilion fans filled one side of the gym.

Fillmore girls attempting to get the ball past Pavilion's defense.

The Lady Gophers celebrate their 24th straight victory.

Photos by Jim Burns.

For more photos please go to   https://jimburns.org/p196701385

High school sports playoff games involving local teams this weekend are as follows:

FOOTBALL
Section V Championship
Class B
No. 2 Batavia (9-1) vs. No. 1 Honeoye Falls-Lima (10-0), 6 p.m. Saturday at Pittsford Sutherland High School (WBTA Radio AM 1490, 5:45 p.m.)
Class D
No. 1 Oakfield-Alabama/Elba (10-0) vs. No. 2 Avon (9-1), 7 p.m. Friday at Van Detta Stadium, Batavia (WBTA Radio AM 1490, 6:45 p.m.)

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Section V Class D Finals Tonight
Pavilion def. Fillmore, 25-12, 25-18, 24-14.
Far West Regionals
Saturday at Le Roy High School
Class C
Le Roy, Section V (22-1) vs. Portville, Section VI (19-2). 2:30 p.m.
Class D
Pavilion, Section V (24-0) vs. Chautauqua Lake, Section VI (17-0), 4:30 p.m.

GIRLS SOCCER
NYSPHSAA Final Four
Class C
Byron-Bergen, Section V (19-3) vs. Carle Place, Section VIII (8-4-1), 10 a.m. Saturday at Homer High School. Winner advances to Sunday’s title game at 10:30 a.m. at SUNY Cortland.

Press release:

One of the largest carryover pools currently being offered at any race track in North America is available at Batavia Downs on Wednesday (Nov. 10) when $16,246 will seed the proceedings in the Jackpot Hi-5 pentafecta wager in the tenth race. With no unique winning ticket having been purchased on this wager in the past several weeks, the pool has grown to one of the largest the Downs has seen and offers a great mid-week betting opportunity both live and off-track.  

There is another carryover being offered in race five where $1,508 will be available for the Jackpot Pick-6.

Free full past performance program pages for all live Batavia Downs races can be downloaded at bataviadownsgaming.com under the live racing tab in the left-hand column where they are always available. 

And if you can’t attend the races in person, you can still watch a live stream of the entire night’s action on the Batavia Downs Youtube channel.

Post time for the first race is 5 p.m.

Byron-Bergen Central School sports fans are abuzz these days thanks to the exploits of the Lady Bees girls soccer team that will compete in this weekend’s New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C tournament.

Coach Wayne Hill’s team has advanced to the state’s Final Four by virtue of its three most recent post-season victories:

• 4-1 over Harley-Allendale-Columbia for the Section V Class C2 championship;

• 3-2 over previously undefeated Warsaw in a Class C crossover match;

• 1-0 over Frewsburg of Section VI over the weekend in the Far West Regionals.

The Lady Bees, 19-3, will be riding that momentum into a 10 a.m. Saturday battle against Carle Place (Long Island) of Section VIII. The game will be played at Homer High School.

The winner will play for the state title at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at SUNY Cortland versus either AuSable Valley or Elmira Notre Dame.

“This is the farthest a Byron-Bergen team has ever gone,” Hill said, adding that the sectional crown is the school's first since 2013. “We never made it past regionals before. So, this in unchartered territory for us.”

Hill took over as varsity coach in 2015 after serving as an assistant in Batavia and has built a powerhouse squad led by eighth-grader Mia Gray, an elite talent who earned Genesee Region Player of the Year honors with league-leading 27 goals and 18 assists.

“She drives the team,” Hill said, speaking of Gray. “She’s a fantastic young player who is incredibly gifted with the ball. She never turns it over. She sees the field very, very well – and she’s an exceptional dribbler, passer, shooter and defender.”

Gray has plenty of support, Hill was quick to add, in sophomores Mackenzie Hagen (21 goals) and Emma Starowitz (14 goals and 11 assists), junior defensive standout Ava Wagoner and eighth grader Elizabeth Starowitz -- a jayvee call-up who scored her first varsity goal in the 3-2 win over Warsaw.

In the victory over Frewsburg, freshman Ava Gray (Mia’s sister) scored on a penalty kick late in the first half for the game’s lone goal. Ava Gray has six goals this season.

And there’s senior goalkeeper Brooke Jarkiewicz who has given up only 12 goals in 22 games while making 109 saves.

Statistically, the Lady Bees have dominated, scoring 80 goals in their 22 games while allowing 12 goals. Their three losses were by 1-0 scores.

Other members of the team are seniors Hallie Wade, Sasha Schramm, Alayna Streeter, Emma Will and Mikaylah Pocock; juniors Julia Will, Emma Dormann, Grace Capostagno, Kendall Phillips and Stella Briggs; sophomores Megan Zwerka-Snyder, Victoria Rogoyski and Novalee Pocock; freshman Ashley Schlenker-Stephens, and eighth graders Grace Diquattro and Megan Jarkiewicz.

Gina Gray, Grace Campbell and Luke Audsley are the assistant coaches.

With so many players set to return for at least a couple more seasons – plus strong modified and junior varsity programs – the future looks bright for B-B girls soccer.

“We are going to be good for a while,” Hill said.

Submitted photo: Byron-Bergen varsity girls soccer team gather for a team picture following their Far West Regional victory over Frewsburg.

Senior co-captain Emma Hill was the difference Tuesday night as the Fillmore Lady Eagles turned back the Alexander Lady Trojans in four sets in Section V Class D girls volleyball crossover competition at Pavilion High School.

Fillmore’s 25-19, 25-23, 24-26, 25-22 victory puts the Allegany County team into the Class D title match against undefeated Pavilion at 6 p.m. Thursday at Caledonia-Mumford High School.

“(Hill) was spectacular,” said Alexander Coach Marcia Hirsch this morning, speaking of the 6-foot-1 middle hitter who was the Class D3 tournament MVP. “I don’t have the stats in front of me but she had a lot of kills (scoring hits), and we just couldn’t stop her.”

Hirsch said her squad wasn’t at the top its game, but battled back from early deficits in the sets to stay in the match. In Alexander’s third set win, sophomore Alyssa Kramer served the last five points as the Lady Trojans rallied from a 24-21 deficit.

Kramer and senior co-captain Sam Sawyer led the way for Alexander, which finishes at 19-4 after capturing the school’s first sectional championship in 42 years.

Despite the loss, Hirsch said she’s pleased with the team’s progress.

“I'm really happy with where we are,” she said. “I think it takes some time. We haven't won the title for so long that kids almost didn’t know what they would be playing for afterwards. But now they experienced it and, hopefully, we can do it again soon.”

She said it would have been great to advance, but the team achieved its primary goal of winning the Class D1 title.

“Our goal was to get that (Section V) block and I think after that it was kind of like, ‘Oh, we're still playing,’” she said.

Kramer will be back next season as will juniors Julia Yax and Melanie Pohl and sophomore Riley Powell.

“And we’ve got some good jayvee players ready to move up,” Hirsch said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do, but I think we’ll be alright.”

The winner of tomorrow night’s match between Fillmore, 13-6, and the Lady Gophers, 23-0, will move into the Far West Regionals against Chautauqua Lake of Section VI at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Le Roy High School.

With a victory on Tuesday night against Fillmore, the Section V Class D1 champion Alexander Lady Trojans will have an opportunity to face Genesee Region foe Pavilion for a second time this season – and this time there will be a trip to the Far West Regionals at stake.

Alexander Coach Marcia Hirsch, who reached the 1984 sectional finals as a player (her name then was Marcia Brown), said she is hoping to get another chance at knocking off the undefeated Lady Gophers in the Class D playoffs.

“Yeah, we played them once earlier this year, and they kind of beat up on us pretty good,” Hirsch said. “So, the girls would love another chance to play them because they didn't think they played very well that night.”

The loss to Pavilion during the regular season was one of only three defeats in 22 matches for the Lady Trojans, who upended top-seeded Letchworth in four sets on Friday night for the school’s first sectional crown since 1979.

Friday’s win puts Alexander into the three-team Class D playoff round to determine the Section V entry in the Far West Regionals at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Le Roy High School.  Chautauqua Lake is the Section VI representative.

The playoff format is as follows:

• Alexander vs. Fillmore (Class D3 champion) at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Pavilion High School;

• The winner of that game vs. Pavilion on Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Caledonia-Mumford High School.

Hirsch, in her 17^th year as coach, said she is proud of the way this season’s team was able to come together in light of losing five key seniors from the 2020 squad. Four juniors from that team have stepped up significantly this year as Hirsch had to juggle the lineup quite a bit.

“My seniors have been awesome all year,” she said, crediting the consistent play of outside hitter Sam Sawyer, setter Adeline Kautz, libero (back row “rover”) Courtney Schum and middle hitter Norah Crawford. Sawyer, Kautz and Crawford are co-captains.

Other key contributors are sophomores Alyssa Kramer and Riley Powell, and juniors Julia Yax and Mel Pohl.

Hirsch said she has had to “do a lot of maneuvering around (with the lineup)” as only two players have stayed with their same position.

“I think the key to our success was how good Adeline came around as a setter,” she offered. “We lost our setter last year and Adeline didn't really get the opportunity to set, so this year she was awesome all year and ended up being a (league) all-star.

“Another big thing is just our coverage; it’s hard (for the opposition) to get anything to hit the floor. So, that’s been a positive for us.”

The girls return to practice today in preparation for tomorrow’s match against Fillmore, which defeated Houghton Academy in five sets in the Class D3 finals.

“I haven’t seen them since Friday so I hope they enjoyed it (time off) and are ready to get back to work,” said Hirsch, who is supported by assistant coach Abbie Kelly and jayvee coach Alycia Yax.

Submitted photo: Front from left, Melanie Pohl, Alyssa Kramer, Maia Saile, Norah Crawford, Makayla Raines; back, Coach Marcia Hirsch, Julia Yax, Samantha Sawyer, Riley Powell, Courtney Schum, Adeline Kautz, Holly Bykowski, Jayvee Coach Alycia Yax.

Update Nov. 9, 12:30 p.m. -- Pavilion's match on Thursday will be played at 6 p.m. at Caledonia-Mumford High School.

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that the Pavilion varsity girls volleyball team has executed its game plan to perfection this season.

That’s because the Lady Gophers have played 23 matches and have not lost a single set en route to capturing the Section V Class D2 championship – their second straight sectional crown.

Second-seeded Pavilion claimed the trophy on Friday night with a 25-11, 25-15, 25-11 sweep of No. 1 Harley-Allendale-Columbia.

The victory advances the Lady Gophers to the Class D crossover final on Thursday against either Class D1 champion Alexander or Class D3 champion Fillmore.

Alexander – which defeated Letchworth in four sets for the title – will square off against Fillmore at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Pavilion High School, with the winner to meet Pavilion.

The survivor of the three-team Class D playoffs will move on to the Far West Regionals against Chautauqua Lake of Section VI at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Le Roy High School.

Coach Rex Eighmey, in his 18^th year at the helm, said the “chemistry” of this year’s Pavilion team is off the charts and credits that to the experience most of the girls have gained from playing “club” and summer volleyball against larger schools in addition to their Section V high school schedule.

“A lot of the girls play club and they just love their volleyball,” he said. “And they just happen to be very good players. That’s the main reason; the players are the reason we’re doing what we’re doing.”

The team is led by what Eighmey calls his “Core Four” of senior setter Shannon Campbell, senior outside hitter and captain Adeline Milligan, junior outside hitter Karlee Zinkievich and 6-foot-1 junior middle hitter Lauren Kingsley.

All four are in their fourth year of varsity volleyball – which equates to a great deal of time on the floor together.

“They’re just so used to playing together,” Eighmey said. “Like some of our fans have said, it’s like a well-oiled machine. They just know where each other is going to be.”

Statistically, entering the sectional title game, Campbell, the squad’s vocal leader, had 483 assists in her setter role; Milligan had 193 kills and 145 digs; Kingsley had 203 kills, 38 ½ blocks and 77 digs, and Zinkievich had 100 aces, 120 kills and 132 digs.

Also playing key roles as hitters and defensive specialists in either the front or back row are Paige Landers, 5-foot-11 Shea Amberger, Sara Laurie, Abby Lemley and Samantha Sikora, Eighmey said.

The starting lineup and substitution patterns have worked to a T thus far as the Lady Gophers’ will take a 69-set winning streak into Thursday’s contest.

When asked how close they came to losing a set, Eighmey said that they trailed Warsaw 24-23 before his team rallied to take the next three points.

“That’s the only team that has come close to beating us in a set,” he said.

The Lady Gophers defeated Alexander this season but did not play against Fillmore.

Eighmey also credited assistant coach Rebecca Zinkievich for her dedication to the finer points of the sport.

“Rebecca is a big part of this. She does a lot of drills and a lot of practices and stuff,” he said.

On Sunday, the coaches (junior varsity coach Betty Worthington also is an assistant) and players watched the videotape of Chautauqua Lake’s 25-17, 25-12, 16-25, 25-13 victory over Randolph in the Section VI Class D finals. Chautauqua Lake is 17-0.

“They’re a strong team, but we’re looking forward to the challenge,” Eighmey said. “The sectionals are huge, and now, hopefully, we can win (the regionals) and make it to the four-team state tournament on November 20^th and 21^st in Glens Falls.”

Submitted photo: The Pavilion Lady Gophers with the Section V Class D2 trophy following Friday's victory over Harley-Allendale-Columbia. Front from left, Shannon Campbell, Sara Logsdon, Paige Landers, Abby Lemley, Lily Macaluso, Karlee Zinkievich; back, Assistant Coach Rebecca Zinkievich, Jayvee Coach Betty Worthington, Shea Amberger, Lauren Kingsley, Adeline Milligan, Sara Laurie, Samantha Sikora, Coach Rex Eighmey.

Le Roy’s varsity football season came to an end this afternoon as the Oatkan Knights dropped a 14-7 decision to Haverling in a Section V Class C semifinal game at Hartwood Park.

Coach Brian Herdlein’s second-seeded Knights finish at 8-2, while No. 3 Haverling, 8-1, moves on to face East Rochester/Gananda in the sectional finals next Saturday at Honeoye Falls-Lima.

The visiting Rams scored touchdowns in the first and second quarters before Le Roy pulled to within striking distance with a 12-play, 70-yard drive that ate up more than eight minutes of the clock in the third quarter.

Sparked by the strong running of senior Brock Flint, Le Roy opened the second half with what turned out to be its only sustained drive of the game – converting three fourth-down plays in the process to reach the end zone.

The big play was a 37-yard pass from senior quarterback John Panepento to junior running back Jack Tonzi on a fourth-and-17 situation at the Haverling 42.

From there, Panepento rushed for three yards, setting up a two-yard plunge by Adrian Stevens to make the score 14-6.  Kicker Mitch Hockey added the point after touchdown to make it a seven-point game.

The Knights’ defense held up in the second half – thwarting Haverling drives behind several key plays:

• Lineman Jack Lathan’s fourth-down sack of Rams’ junior QB Justin Yehl early in the fourth quarter;

• Stopping senior running back Keian McRae on a fourth-and-three play at the Le Roy 25 with 6:30 to play;

• Lineman Tyler Strollo’s fumble recovery with less than two minutes remaining.

Unfortunately for the home team, however, the offense was unable to pull any closer as four possessions ended on a dropped pass on fourth down, a punt, an interception by Haverling linebacker William Clarke, and – with a minute left – two straight incompletions.

In the first half, the teams traded punts before Haverling took over at its own 6 on an interception by Yehl, who also plays defensive back.

Switching to offense, the lefty QB proceeded to complete two passes – each for eight yards – to senior tight end Gavin Buckley and McRae before hitting McRae for a 78-yard touchdown with 41 seconds left in the opening quarter.

On the play, Yehl rolled out to his left and launched the ball deep down the middle of the field to a wide open McRae. A pass attempt for the two-point conversion failed and Haverling had a 6-0 lead.

Another interception early in the second quarter, this one by senior defensive back Damien Hall, gave the ball back to the visitors just inside Le Roy territory.

The Knights’ defense, sparked by linebacker Tony Piazza, put Haverling in a fourth-and-two situation at the Le Roy 27, but Yehl came through again – this time avoiding the blitz and hitting senior wide receiver Anthony Brotz for a 27-yard touchdown.

McRae pounded it in for the two-point conversion to give the Rams a 14-0 lead with 8:53 remaining in the half.

Le Roy was unable to move the ball on its next two possessions, having to punt both times.

The Oakfield-Alabama/Elba Aggies advanced Friday in Section V Class D semifinal competition with a resounding 54-20 win over Cal-Mum/Byron-Bergen.

Gaige Armbrewster gained 161 yards on 14 carries and scored three touchdowns. Noah Currier had four carries for 152 yards and scored twice. He also had a 63-yard interception.

QB Bodie Hyde was 2-for-5 passing for 64 yards, and he rushed for 56 yards on six carries and scored two TDs.  On defense, he had 11 tackles.

Brayden Smith had 17 tackles, CJ Gottler 12 and a fumble recovery.   Ethan Cramer and TJ Andrews had nine tackles each and Kaden Cusmano had eight.  Connor Scott came up with three tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery return for a 35-yard TD.

"It was nice to see our boys get a big win on their home field in a semifinal matchup," said Head Coach Tyler Winter.  "We did a lot of good things tonight, but also need to clean up a few things to be ready for next week.

"We're excited about the win, but we are already thinking about the next game.  Our group is focused and ready for the challenge that next week is going to present."

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

Updated, 9:50 p.m. Nov. 7:

FOOTBALL
SEMIFINALS
CLASS B
Batavia 60, Wayne 21
Honeoye Falls-Lima 41, Dansville/Wayland-Cohocton 18
Finals: No. 2 Batavia vs. No. 1 HF-L, Nov. 13, 6 p.m., at Pittsford Sutherland High School

CLASS C
Haverling 14, Le Roy 7
East Rochester/Gananda 29, Letchworth/Warsaw/Perry 13
Finals: No. 1 ER/G vs. Haverling, Nov. 13, noon, at Honeoye Falls-Lima High School

CLASS D
Avon 13, Alexander 7
Oakfield-Alabama/Elba 54, Cal-Mum/Byron-Bergen 20
Finals: No. 1 O-A/Elba vs. No. 2 Avon, Nov. 12, 7 p.m., at Van Detta Stadium, Batavia

EIGHT-MAN
Red Jacket 52, Pembroke 12

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
FINALS
CLASS C
Le Roy defeated Attica, 20-25, 25-23, 25-16, 25-21 (story below)
Le Roy, 22-1, advances to Far West Regionals on Nov. 13 at 2:30 p.m. vs. Portville of Section VI or Skaneateles of Section III. The game will be played at Le Roy High School.

CLASS D1
Alexander defeated Letchworth, 25-21, 25-21, 17-25, 25-23
Courtney Schum, tournament MVP; Sam Sawyer, Alyssa Kramer, all-tournament selections
Alexander, 19-3, advances to a Class D crossover game at 6 p.m. Tuesday vs. Fillmore. The game will be played at Pavilion High School.

CLASS D2
Pavilion defeated Harley-Allendale-Columbia, 25-11, 25-15, 25-11
Adeline Milligan, tournament MVP; Lauren Kingsley, Shannon Campbell, all-tournament selections
Pavilion, 23-0, advances to the overall Class D finals on Thursday vs. the winner of Alexander-Fillmore at a site to be determined.

In a battle of Section V volleyball powers, the Le Roy Oatkan Knights rallied to defeat Attica in four games for the Class C championship Friday night at Avon High School.

Coach Sue Staba’s squad dropped the opening game, 25-20, before coming back to post 25-23, 25-16 and 25-21 wins for its first sectional title since 2017.

Second-seeded Le Roy, 22-1, has advanced to the finals for the past seven seasons.

Staba was named Class C Coach of the Year following the match.

“The girls worked hard all season for this,” Staba said. “They were not going to give up even after dropping the first set. We settled in during game two and started playing our game.”

Le Roy went up 19-14 in the second game, but Attica scored eight of the next 12 points to close within one at 23-22 before the Knights prevailed.

In the third game, Le Roy took control early and the Blue Devils could get no closer than 15-10.

The fourth set was close throughout, with Attica taking a 17-14 lead before Le Roy pulled into a 17-17 tie. With the score tied at 20, sophomore Dana Reschke served the Knights to a 24-20 and, following an Attica point, Le Roy ended it on a Blue Devils’ miscue.

Tournament MVP Allie Ingles filled the stat sheet for the winners, tallying 13 kills (hits that were unreturnable), 11 digs (first contact after the opposition returns the ball) and two blocks (defensive play at the net).

Ingles received plenty of support, with senior co-captains Riley Wood and Hailey Johnson recording 30 digs and 14 assists, respectively, en route to being named to the All-Tournament Team.

Reschke registered 13 assists, while junior Emma Hobart had 19 service points and six kills; senior co-captain Quinn Doty had four kills and five digs; junior Katie Salphine had three kills and four blocks, and junior Sophia Braun contributed four kills.

Other members of the Le Roy team are juniors Rylee Burns and McKenna Coniber, sophomore Lily Uberty and freshman Kylee Green.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this team and all of their hard work and dedication,” Staba added.

The fourth-seeded Blue Devils, who end their season at 18-3, have been in the finals the past three years – and took the Class C1 crown in 2019.

Coach Nici Parkhurst credited her squad for hanging in there against a Le Roy team that finished the season with 19 straight victories.

“We played tough defense and served well tonight,” she said. “The team worked hard and stayed in each set.”

Sophomore Ellie Cusmano (five kills, three aces and 24 digs) and senior Tori Walker (three aces and 29 digs) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Senior Chase Harding added six kills and nine digs, senior Emily Gadd had nine kills and Olivia Mercado chipped in with five kills and three blocks.

Le Roy moves on to regional competition with a game at home next Saturday (Nov. 13) at 2:30 p.m. against either Eden or Portville of Section VI.

Le Roy's Hailey Johnson spikes one over the net past two Attica defenders. No. 13 for Le Roy is Emma Hobart.

Tournament MVP Allie Ingles (5) gets off the ground in an attempt to get the ball past Attica's Chase Harding, left, and Emily Gadd.

Attica's Olivia Mercado makes a play on the ball at the net.

The Oatkan Knights got plenty of support from their fans.

Quinn Doty (2) gets ready as Hailey Johnson sets it up.

Attica's Maddie Robinson, Chase Harding and Tori Walker ready for the next vollley. 

Le Roy Coach Sue Staba and her Section V Class C championship squad.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

To view or purchase prints, click here.