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Notre Dame puts together big game in the rain to win Section V title

By Howard B. Owens

Following a 26-6 Section V Class D title victory of Clyde-Savannah, Notre Dame's Head Coach Rich Mancuso said a lot of the credit for the win could go to the offensive line.

"Our offensive line and Anthony Paladino did an absolutely outstanding job of blocking and that’s really controlled the game and won it for us," Mancuso said.

The stout line allowed Nick Taylor to rush for 192 yards on 22 carries and two touchdowns. Taylor was named MVP for the game.

The title is the first for ND since 2006 and the second in Mancuso's eight seasons as head coach.

Clyde-Savannah is a passing team, but the Golden Eagles were really forced to go the air by the third quarter with the Fighting Irish up 20-6.

While QB Tom Molisani was an impressive 17-29 for 246 yards (including a couple of competitions he tossed while in the grasp of ND defenders), the senior passer gave up four interceptions.

"The big thing is, we knew we had to stop them from throwing the ball and we knew we had to control the clock and we had to take care of the ball, which we did," Mancuso said. "We created a number of turnovers on their part. We did a great job with our game plan both offensively and defensively. I couldn’t be prouder of the kids at the moment."

The Irish amassed a total of 322 yards on the ground.

Andrew Mullen carried the ball for 88 yards on 16 carries and scored a touchdown. QB Tim McCulley added 37 yards on four carries.

McCulley was 1-3 for 23 yards, with the one pass completion going to Charlie Hebert for a touchdown.

The junior also had two key second-half interceptions.

Like Mancuso, McCulley was full of praise after the game for the offensive line.

"Our running game (was a key to victory)," McCulley said. "We ran the ball in the throat. Our line played great. Our running backs ran hard and everything just fell in place."

After the game Taylor said the win felt "awesome."

"I've been starting since my freshmen year and we’ve lost every time in the finals so it’s great that in my senior year, we actually win it," Taylor said. "It feels great."

Paladino, who helped led the lines on both offense and defense and was one of the players of the game, said his award wasn't just about him.

"We all work hard," Paladino said. "You shouldn’t really pick one person. The whole defensive line did everything."

On defense, Paladino had three tackles and Taylor had four, as well as a sack.

Jared Thornton had five tackles, Hebert four and Josh Johnson, four. Taylor and Aaron McDonald each had an interception.

Hebert also blocked an extra point try following Clyde-Savannah only TD.

On a night of constant rain for the entire game, neither side gave up a fumble.

Also receiving game trophies were Johnson and James Spear.

Next up for the Irish (8-1), Avon (8-1), who beat Red Jacket 14-6 to capture the Class DD title. That game will be played Saturday in Rochester.

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Le Roy will take a shot at sectional championship after win over Bath

By Nick Sabato

Le Roy football is back in the sectional finals after a 44-27 win over Bath-Haverling at Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester.

After three consecutive seasons without a winning record, the Oatkan Knights will attempt to win their 15th sectional championship in school history, the 14th under Head Coach Brian Moran.

Bath-Haverling entered Saturday afternoon’s contest at Sahlen’s Stadium looking to avenge a blowout loss earlier this season, and they came out fast. The Rams took the opening kickoff and marched 71 yards on nine plays before quarterback Daniel Leonard punched in the first score of the game from a yard out.

Le Roy responded quickly, as Tom Kelso took the ensuing kickoff back 79 yards for a touchdown. The teams would trade touchdowns, as the Knights’ leading rusher Peter Privitera returned from injury to score on a 29-yard scamper to take the lead, 14-13.

Leonard would score his third rushing touchdown of the game to retake the lead as time expired in the first quarter. At that point, the Knights began to put pressure on the senior and it led to good results. After Leonard recovered a fumble, he threw an ill-advised pass under pressure on the very next play that was intercepted by Kelso.

“[Leonard] has a great arm, he’s a four-year starter,” Moran said. “We had to put ourselves into a situation to make him move his feet, get him a little uncomfortable, and I thought we did that when we came off the corners.”

Le Roy countered Bath’s passing game with their own aerial attack. After attempting only five passes last week against Holley, sophomore quarterback Mike McMullen came out throwing. McMullen went 7-for-10 passing for 151 yards and a dazzling 37-yard strike to Ryan McQuillen that would put the Knights up for good in the second quarter. Perhaps the most impressive statistic was the fact that he did not throw an interception.

“When they put 10 guys in the box, you have to take advantage of it,” Moran said. “(McMullen’s) a sophomore, but he’s played all year and he needed to step up for us. He played very well today.”

Leonard finshed 9-for-21, with 165 yards passing and three interceptions. He also ran for 109 yards and three touchdowns for Bath (6-4).

Privitera also had a big game for Le Roy, rushing for 126 yards on 14 carries with two touchdowns, including a 57-yard run on the first play of the second half. However, he was forced to leave the game in the third quarter with an apparent knee injury and did not return. The coaching staff is still optimistic that he will be able to play next week.

If Le Roy (8-1) wants to win another championship, they will have a daunting task in front of them as they will face top-seed Hornell. The Red Raiders are a three-time defending state champion and are riding a 48-game winning streak.

The Class C Championship game will take place Friday, Nov. 2, at Sahlen’s Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m.

PHOTOS by Howard Owens

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Genesee on to Regional Finals

By Andrew Crofts

The Genesee Community College men’s soccer team is on to the Region III Finals on Sunday afternoon and will play for a trip to the NJCAA National Tournament. The No.1 team in the country defeated Tompkins-Cortland Community College on Saturday afternoon, to set themselves up with an opportunity for a second-straight appearance in the national tournament.

The Cougars had minimal scoring chances in the first half and were unable to find the back of the net. Dom Francis nearly tallied the game’s first goal midway through the first half off of a free kick just outside the box, but his bid sailed over the top of the TC3 net. Another Francis free kick opportunity later in the half was on the mark, but saved by the TC3 goalkeeper.

Tompkins-Cortland had the best scoring opportunity of the opening period. Having to dive to make a save, GCC goalkeeper Jake O’Leary left a vacated net with a free ball in the box. The Panthers managed to get a shot off, but Genesee defender Sam Cassidy was able to step in to make the save and kept TC3 off the board. Both teams went scoreless into the break.

In the second half, Francis was able to break through and put the Cougars on the board. The sophomore forward fended off a Panthers defender and lofted a lefty shot over the TC3 goalkeeper and into the net for his 28th goal of the season to give GCC a 1-0 lead in the 57th minute.

Genesee kept the pressure on and upped their lead in the 62nd minute when Nathan Rose snuck into the middle of the TC3 defense and headed in a cross that gave the Cougars a 2-0 lead.

GCC added another insurance goal in the 87th minute when George Anthony beat the TC3 goalie, and the Genesee defense held to knock off the Panthers, 3-0.

Genesee will play Herkimer County Community College tomorrow at 1pm for the Region III Championship and a trip to the national tournament on the line. It will be a rematch of an October 16th meeting in which GCC defeated Herkimer, 2-1. During that meeting, Herkimer was the No.1 team in the country and Genesee was No.2. Tomorrow, Genesee will defend the No.1 ranking with Herkimer ranked No.2. Only one team will represent Region III in the national tournament.

Soccerween 2012 with all teams in costume is Saturday at Batavia Sports Park

By Billie Owens

New York Premiere Soccer is holding "Soccerween 2012" this Saturday, Oct. 27, at the Batavia Sports Park.

Age groups are U7 through U13 and all participating teams are guaranteed three games and all teams compete in Halloween costumes. The best dressed teams for each age will win a prize.

For more information, contact Brian Patterson at bpatterson@newyorkpremieresoccer.com or 292-0788.

Irish Dominate Division III Cross Country

By Eric Geitner

The Notre Dame Cross Country Teams raced in the GRAA/LCAA Cross Country Championships at Leroy High School with some strong performances in the unseasonably warm weather.

 

In the girls race, Anna Warner claimed the Division III individual title, covering the soggy course in 19:57. Laurie Call placed 3rd in the division with 20:20 and Shelby McGinnis took 9th in the division with 21:41. Emily McCracken placed 11th with 21:33. Madison Gluck ran 24:52, Rose Flumerfeldt 25:14, and Emily Sherman 26:09.

 

In the boys' race, Jeff Antolos took the D III individual title running 16:02, with Arron Carlson placing 4th in the division at 17:50. Justin Carlson place 12th in 18:47, Dennis Bleier ran 19:11, Ryan Fuller 19:52, Alec Covel 20:07, and Bryan Mosicki 21:21.

 

Selected Genesee Region All-Stars included Anna Warner, Laurie Call, Emily McCracken, Jeffrey Antolos, and Arron Carlson. Shelby McGinnis and Justin Carlson were honorable mention.

 

The team will next compete at the Section V Championships at Genesee Community College on November 3rd. Boys will race at 11:00 and the girls at 11:30.

Le Roy, Notre Dame football in Rochester Saturday for sectional play

By Nick Sabato

#6 Bath Rams (5-3) vs. #2 Le Roy Oatkan Knights (7-1)

Le Roy survived a tough first round test from Holley last week to advance to the Class C Semifinals, where they will face sixth-seeded Bath.

The Knights ran for 314 yards last week, despite playing without leading rusher, Peter Privitera. Tom Kelso and Marcus Mistersaro continued to be workhorses, while Le Roy got a huge and perhaps unexpected spark from senior Kylan Carter, who ran for 110 yards on nine carries. 

They could get another boost Saturday. Privitera was cleared to begin practicing this week, but how much and if he plays is still in question.

There is no doubt that coach Brian Moran will attempt to control the clock again this week, after holding the ball for nearly 21 minutes in the second half against Holley, and limiting them to 11 offensive plays.

On the other end of the spectrum, Bath upset the third seed, Elba/Byron-Bergen in first round play, 6 to 0.

The Rams held the Genesee Region League’s leading rusher, Zack DuBois, to only 60 yards after he averaged over 220 per game for the entire season.

It was the first time that any defense had held DuBois to under 100 yards rushing all season.

Bath also held the Lancers to only 78 total yards of offense and three first downs for the entire game. While being a low seed, the Rams also have an impressive win over Class B’s Livonia earlier in the season. If they can duplicate last week’s defensive performance, and sustain drives offensively, they could pull another upset.

Kickoff is set for Saturday 1:30 p.m. at Sahlen’s Stadium, Rochester.

#2 Clyde-Savannah Golden Eagles (7-1) vs. #1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (7-1)

Notre Dame advanced to the Class D Finals after vanquishing Dundee, 28 to 6.

Dundee had won five consecutive games against the Fighting Irish dating back to 1996, including three in a row from 2007 to 2009.

This week, they will face a much stiffer test in the second-seeded Clyde-Savannah Golden Eagles.

They will undoubtedly rely on quarterback Tim McCulley, who went 7 for 15 for 125 yards and a touchdown last week. The Notre Dame offense has revolved around the junior all season, and he has responded by throwing a school-record 17 touchdown passes.

If Head Coach Rick Mancuso and the Irish can get their passing game going, it will open up running lanes for Nick Taylor and Andrew Mullen, who combined for 219 yards and two touchdowns against Dundee.

Clyde-Savannah ousted third-seeded York in their semi-final matchup, 40 to 22.

The Eagles come in to this game averaging 46.5 points per game, and have not been scored less than 34 points in any game this season.

They are also winning by an average margin of 30.4 points per contest. Like Notre Dame, Clyde will rely on their quarterback Tom Molisani, who is coming off of a 19 for 22, 282-yard, 4-touchdown performance against York.

They did surrender over 200 yards of passing offense to York, although most of it was after the game had been put out of reach.

Expect to see a high-scoring affair on Saturday night at Sahlen’s Stadium, with both offenses looking to air it out. Both McCulley and Molisani have put up impressive statistics this season and have carried their teams to this point in the season. If McCulley gets off to a quick start, look for Mancuso to control the time of possession with the running game. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.

Notre Dame girls soccer captures first win in sectional play

By Howard B. Owens

Notre Dame's girls soccer team beat Fillmore today for their first-ever sectional win, 1-0.

Pete Welker supplied us with three photos from the game. Above, Burgandy Bartlett kicks the only goal of the game.

Bailee Welker

Tess Diskin with the ball.

Pair of Genesee teams advance in playoffs

By Andrew Crofts

The Genesee Community College volleyball team captured the Region III Division II title on Tuesday night, defeating Mercyhurst North East three sets to none.

The Lady Cougars dominated the first set, winning 16 of the first 18 points. They went on to win, 25-9.

GCC took an 8-1 lead in the second set and never saw their lead drop below six points at any time. They took the second set, 25-17.

Mercyhurst held their first lead of the match early in the third set when they jumped out in front 2-0. Genesee scored nine of the next ten points, taking a 9-3 and never looked back, winning the final set 25-10.

Leyinska Quiles had 23 assists and four digs, Carrie Blunt had eight kills, Stephanie Maddox tallied five digs and four aces and Karin Davis added nine digs.

Maddox, Quiles and Blunt were named to the Region III Division II All-Tournament team for GCC. Davis was named the MVP.

The Lady Cougars will move on to the NJCAA District Tournament, which begins on November 3rd.

 

The Genesee Community College men’s soccer team edged out Erie Community College in the quarterfinals of the Region III playoffs on Tuesday night, downing the visiting Kats 1-0.

A slick pitch caused the Cougars to lack offensive rhythm throughout the match as a number of passes sailed off the mark. Genesee had only a few scoring opportunities in the first half, including a cross from Dom Francis to Aaron Dunks midway through, that Dunks shot over the Erie net from about 20 yards out.

(Liam Ross, yellow, starts the charge for GCC in Tuesday night's Region III playoff match)

Dunks would make up for it, as the freshman tallied the only goal of the game in the 49th minute of the second half to put the Cougars on the board. GCC was unable to capitalize on another scoring chance the rest of the night, but Jake O’Leary kept Erie off the board while in net for the Cougars.

Genesee, the overall number one seed, will move on to the semifinals this weekend in Herkimer, NY. The Cougars will take on Tompkins-Cortland Community College on Saturday afternoon at 3pm.

Hail to the 'King' at Batavia Downs

By Billie Owens

Press release:

King Otra ($3.60), getting a crafty drive from veteran reinsman Tony Morgan, made every pole a winning one, taking his first $9,000 Open Pace of the season on Saturday night (Oct.20) at Batavia Downs Casino

Leaving from the rail King Otra got plenty of respect from the other six rivals strolling to the first quarter in :28.3, as the field lined up in post-position order. A 30-second, second quarter breather gave the 5-year-old altered son of Western Ideal a big advantage on the top end as field reached the half.

Down the backside the “King” began to lengthen his stride pacing a :28.3 third quarter. A :28.1 final stanza sealed the deal with King Otra going on to a 1-3/4th length score over Cole Hard Cash (Dan Noble) and the pocket sitter, Spender Hanover (Jack Flanigen).

King Otra was claimed for $10,000 back on July 14 at Buffalo Raceway by current owner and now trainer Linda Magnusson. Since the claim he has won eight times and is Western New York’s winningest pacer with 13 victories in 2012. He raised his seasonal earnings to $58,413.

Jacqueline Ball, of Batavia, corrected selected all nine winners in the final free handicapping contest of the season at Batavia Downs and takes home the top prize of $500. A total of 268 patrons participated in the handicapping contest.

The Pick-6 carryover pool continues to build and starts out at $1,860 when racing resumes on Tuesday night, the final Tuesday program of the season. Post time is 6:25 p.m.

Batavia varsity cheer squad wins regional competition

By Howard B. Owens

Photo and info submitted by Justine Bonarigo:

Batavia High School's varsity cheerleading squad placed first in the Co-Ed Division at Webster Schroeder Competition held Sunday. They will take on the sectional competition this Saturday at R.I.T. for the Class B division title.

The team includes: Samantha Saraceni (captain), Codie Grazioplene (captain), Macey McCulley, Whitney Athoe, James Murphy, Megan Wilcox, Miranda Reed, Heather Lewis, Makaela Kitcho, Katie Garlock, Danielle DellaPenna, Kayla Corp, Alexandria Ernst, Allison Smith, Teiona Kemp and Alex Rebman. Coached by Marianne Sallome and Justine Bonarigo.

This time, it's Dundee going home after ND dominates in 28-6 victory

By Howard B. Owens

Notre Dame has faced Dundee in four of the past five seasons of sectional play, losing in overtime on a questionable no-call penalty, falling in a blow-out where some thought Dundee ran up the score, and then failing to hold a late fourth-quarter lead.

The tables were turned on Dundee today as the Fighting Irish notched a first-round victory 28-6.

ND went after Dundee with a well-distributed offense. Touchdowns were scored by Nick Taylor, Tim Culley and Anthony Paladino. McCulley also connected with Taylor on a TD pass.

McCulley was 7-15 on the day for 128 yards, the TD, plus two interceptions.

Taylor gained 128 yards on 17 carries. He also had four receptions for 65 yards. Andrew Mullen rushed 13 times for 91 yards.

Charlie Bebert caught the ball three times for 63 yards.

Defensively, Taylor had six tackles, Brian VonKramer, five, Herbert, 5.5 and Mullen 4.5. Mullen added an interception, as did Josh Johnson. Joe Ryan notched a sack.

For Dundee, Aksel Jensen scored their lone TD and rushed five times for 27 yards.

Photos by Bare Antolos.

More photos by Bare after the jump (click on the headline):

Elba/Byron-Bergen falls to Bath in defensive battle

By Howard B. Owens

Bath put together two long drives in the first and second quarter, grinding out yards down after down, three and four yards at a time with runs up the gut, chewing up the clock.

On the first drive, a fumble on the two-yard line put the ball into the hands of the Elba/Byron-Bergen offense, but the Lancers were forced to punt four downs later.

On the second drive, the Rams punched through the right side of the Lancers line, and those six points stood the test of the remaining time.

In the second quarter, the Lancers' defense turned back Bath possession after possession, forcing multiple three-and-outs and claiming a couple of turn overs.

But tit-for-tat, the Rams' defense remained just as stout, bottling up the Lancers' big back, Zack DuBois, whose only long run from scrimmage was canceled by a penalty.

"They did a nice job of taking away cutback lanes and that’s where Zack has his success, cut back or get to the outside," said Lancers Head Coach Michael Cintorino.

This was a game fought in the trenches.

"We knew we had to come out and play physical football and I think they did," Cintorino said. "It was a little bit of an awakening in the first half. In the second half, I think we came out and did exactly what we needed to do."

As the clock wore down in the fourth quarter, QB Zac Gillard was forced to look for open receivers down field and with less than three minutes to go he thought he found Kyle Dougherty. But Dougherty lost his footing when he tried to cut on the soggy turf. That left Bath's Matt Nevius alone to play centerfield and haul in Gillard's pass with a basket catch.

Another interception on the Lancers' next possession pretty much sealed Elba/BB's fate and sent the Rams to the next round of sectional play. Next Saturday, they play Le Roy.

"This is a team that can definitely make a run, but at the same time I’m proud of our boys, who came out and had an opportunity to win the football game on multiple occasions," Cintorino said.

Bath had lost this year to Batavia and Le Roy, but coming into sectionals, the Rams have two starters returning from injuries, including one, Cintorino said, who otherwise missed the entire season.

"We knew coming in they were a good team," Cintorino said. "We’re the third-seeded team and we’re playing a team that probably should have been somewhere in the top four. If you could squeeze five teams into the top four, Bath definitely belongs there."

Most of this year's Lancers have been playing together since eighth grade and they've come a long way as a team, as players and as men, Cintorino said.

"I am extremely proud of them," Cintorino said. "I wish we could have gotten a couple of more weeks of play together, but I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in the time we’ve had."

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here. To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

Le Roy grinds out Section V playoff victory over Holley

By Nick Sabato

It was the running game that once again carried Le Roy to victory.

The Oatkan Knights rushed for 1,975 yards this season. Peter Privitera ran for nearly half of those yards, but with the junior out due to injury, the Knights leaned on a stable of backs to run past Holley in their Class C first round matchup, 26 to 18.

After averaging 282 yards per game on the ground during the regular season, Le Roy pounded the Holley defense for 314 yards on 58 attempts.

In the absence of Privitera, Coach Brian Moran used Tom Kelso, Marcus Mistersaro, Dylan Johnson and Kylan Carter to fill the void. While Mistersaro and Kelso have played an integral part of the offense all season long, it was Carter who stepped up with several big runs.

Coming into the game, Carter had only carried the ball two times all season.

On the last home game of his career, he exploded for 110 yards on nine carries, including a 52-yard dash that helped set up the second touchdown of the game.

“This was our last home game and I held nothing back,” Carter said. “I played like a senior tonight.”

Another senior stepped up to the plate for the Knights, and that was fullback Dylan Johnson, who accounted for all 26 Le Roy points. Johnson scored four touchdowns and added two extra points, including the game-winning 18-yard run and PAT with 2:16 remaining in the ball game.

Le Roy got a break early, as Holley marched into Knights’ territory on the first drive of the game, but Mistersaro recovered a Nick Conklin fumble on a short yardage play.

After a few Kelso runs, Mistersaro burst free for a 35-yard scamper to set up a Johnson scoring plunge. Johnson would score again to put the Knights up 13-0 at the end of the first quarter

It appeared as if Le Roy might run away with the game, but the Hawks responded quickly.

Holley senior running back Cadizsh Norford took control of the second frame, cutting the lead to 13-6 as he darted up the middle for a 23-yard touchdown run.

After forcing Le Roy to punt on their next possession, the Hawks got the ball on their own 38 with just before halftime. On the first play of the drive, Norford took a direct snap, faked a pass and sprinted 62 yards for another touchdown to make the score 13 to 12 at the half.

“I’ve been here 24 years and [Norford] is as good as I’ve ever seen,” Moran said.

In desperate need of keeping the ball out of Norford’s hands after running for 124 yards on nine carries in the first half, the Knights proceeded to march 60 yards on 18 plays, consuming 10:45 of the third quarter. The long drive was capped by Johnson’s third touchdown of the game.

Even after a chop block penalty pushed them back 15 yards, the Le Roy offense continued to pound at the Hawks' defense until reaching the end zone.

“That’s old-school Le Roy football,” Moran said. “It shows that our kids are physically fit and it shows their mental preparation.”

Norford fired right back, receiving a pass from Kyle Bell for a 43-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 19-18.

After trading punts, the Knights embarked on an 80-yard scoring drive that took up 5:31 on the clock, and was finished off by Johnson’s final touchdown with 2:16 remaining to seal the game.

Moran made a point to control the clock in the second half, particularly with the explosive Norford on the opposite side. Le Roy dominated the time of possession down the stretch, ticking off 20:49.

When Holley took possession down 26-18, they had run only six offensive plays in the entire half.

“It does two things,” he said. “It puts pressure on them to score touchdowns and it puts us in a good situation to win because we have used up so much time.”

Holley (4-4) played a hard-fought game, with Norford finishing with 10 carries for 141 yards and two touchdowns, while catching four passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.

Kelso finished the game with 80 yards on 26 carries, while Mistersaro racked up 90 yards for the second consecutive week.

Le Roy (7-1) advances to the Class C Semi-Finals next Saturday at Sahlen’s Stadium in Rochester for a 1:30 p.m. start.

They will play the winner of today's Elba/Byron-Bergen and Bath game.

In other Friday night sectional play: Batavia fell to East Rochester in a Section V playoff match, 35-20. Justin Washington scored on a 14-yard pass from Brett Scheuerlein in the second quarter. In the fourth, James Soggs scored on a six-yard run and Cody Swimline caught a five-yard pass from Scheuerlein for another TD.

In Connors and Ferris Bowl games, Cal-Mum beat Alexander, 36-6, Oakfield-Alabama beat Bolivar-Richburg 42-0 and Pembroke topped Geneseo 26-0.

In other Section V playoff action today, Notre Dame hosts longtime post-season nemesis Dundee.

In other games of note on Friday, Attica stomped Mynderse 61-8, and Hornell, which dropped down a class this season, continued its 40+ game winning streak, beating Wayland-Cohocton 41-13. Elba, Le Roy, Attica and Hornell are all Class C teams. Hornell and Attica face off in a semi-final game next week in Rochester.

If you're unable to view the slide show below, click here. To purchase prints of these photos, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens.

Alexander and Batavia will skate together in 2012 as Ice Devils

By Howard B. Owens

Alexander High School has never had a hockey team, but starting this season, players there will get to play varsity level hockey for the first time.

Batavia HS is facing a shortage of varsity level players this year, so Alexander and Batavia will come together to form the Batavia/Alexander Ice Devils.

Batavia Athletic Director Mike Bromley said when school officials realized there would be a shortage of players this year, the school held a meeting with the parents of hockey players and the parents took the initiative to get the puck rolling on a possible merger with Alexander.

Once the idea was raised, things came together pretty quickly, Bromley said.

"Several students (in Alexander) expressed an interest," Bromley said. "We expect that anywhere from five to 10 students may try out."

The problem the Ice Devils faced, Bromley said, is that several seniors graduated after last season and then three varsity players elected to play in another, more advanced, hockey league.

That left Batavia not only with fewer players but also with a team of mostly ninth- and 10th-graders.

"There's a lot of hitting in hockey," Bromley said. "Hockey can be just as tough physically as football, but where you play only one game a week in football, with hockey sometimes you play two or three games a week, and trying to play ninth- and 10th-graders out there could be tough."

For Alexander, the opportunity is welcome by administrators, parents and players alike, said Athletic Director Ben Whitmore.

"All of these kids play together in youth leagues and they always dreamed of playing high school hockey, so to be able to give them that chance is very exciting," Whitmore said.

You're Too Funny rallies for win in Batavia Downs' feature

By Billie Owens

Press release:

There's no doubt who the sharpest race mare in Western New York is these days, it's definitely You're Too Funny. She overcame the eight-hole Wednesday night (Oct. 18), to score her third straight victory in the $9,000 Fillies and Mares Open Pace at Batavia Downs.

Driven by Jack Flanigen, You're Too Funny ($5.80) has now won four times and finished second four times in her last eight starts in the weekly Wednesday feature, giving her great credentials for "Horse of the Year" honors.

Sitting dead last at the half, You're Too Funny slowly started her winning rally. The field became double-decked down the backstretch and You're Too Funny was still seventh at the three-quarter pole, fourth over. Flanigen then guided her out four-wide down the stretch, unleashing a wicked stretch drive and beat another fast closer, Miss Two Punch (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.) by a neck and Romania Hanover (Shawn Gray) in 1:55.2 over the fast track. Romania Hanover may be one to watch for next week as she was parked out for almost three-quarters of a mile.

Owned by Greg Capell, of Batavia, and trained by Chris Naedele, You're Too Funny now has 11 wins in 25 starts and increased her bankroll to $55,034 in 2012.

The horses return to the track on Friday night at Batavia Downs with the $9,000 Open Trot scheduled as the feature in the seventh race. Big Baller, after a week off, returns and will open as the 8-5 morning line favorite with Dan Noble in the sulky.

To get the latest news and information on Batavia Downs or to watch streaming video of the races, go to www.batavia-downs.com

Four Genesee County teams ready for first round of Section V playoffs

By Nick Sabato

#7 Batavia Blue Devils (3-4) vs. #2 East Rochester/Gananda Bombers (6-1)
7 p.m., Friday

Batavia enters their Class B first round matchup against East Rochester/Gananda riding a three-game losing streak, and has lost three out of the last four.

Despite the recent lack of success and a few injuries this week, first year Head Coach Brennan Briggs is still optimistic about his team’s chances of pulling off the upset.

“We are due to play 48 minutes of football because we haven’t in the last three weeks,” Briggs said. “If we execute and know our assignments, we can win this football game.”

To key to the Blue Devils’ success will be the playmaking ability of wide receiver Justin Washington. The senior is capable of making big plans in the return game, running and catching the ball.

“We have been working on a few different ways to get him the ball, whether it’s running or passing,” Briggs said. “We think [Washington] is the best athlete on the field on any given night.”

If Washington can break loose, and the Blue Devils overcome their injuries, they have a chance to beat the Bombers on Friday night.

#7 Holley Hawks (4-3) vs. #2 Le Roy Oatkan Knights (6-1)
7 p.m., Friday

Second-seeded Le Roy will host the seventh seed Holley in the first round of the Section V Class C Football Playoffs on Friday night in a matchup of Livingston County and Genesee Region League teams.

Le Roy is coming off an emotional come-from-behind win against rival Cal-Mum last week, as they scored 10 points in the final four minutes of the game to squeak out a victory.

The Knights’ only loss on the season came against Perry in Week 6, but leading rusher Peter Privitera did not play in the game, nor did he last week due to injury. Privitera has rushed for 834 yards and 10 touchdowns in five games this season, while Marcus Mistersaro has 362 yards, 3 touchdowns and 9.8 yards per carry.

Mistersaro stepped in for the injured Privitera last week and ran for 90 yards, including 63 on the game-winning drive against Cal-Mum.

Le Roy averages 282 rushing yards per game, so Holley will have to slow down the running attack in order to have an opportunity to win.

While the Hawks enter the game with more wins than losses, they have a 1-3 record against teams with a winning record for the season.

#6 Bath Rams (4-3) vs. #2 Elba/Byron-Bergen Lancers (6-1)
1:30 p.m., Saturday

Elba/Byron-Bergen will host Bath in a Class C first round matchup on Saturday afternoon and the player to watch is undoubtedly Lancers running back Zack DuBois.

The senior led the Genesee Region League in rushing with 1,572 yards and 16 touchdowns. DuBois also ran for 200 yards in 5 of 7 games he played this year, and never rushed for less than 113. His average of 224.6 yards per game and 10.3 yards per carry were also tops in the league.

If Elba can get DuBois rolling early, it will open up the passing game for quarterback Zac Gillard, who has 881 yards, 12 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions on the season.

Defensively, they are led by four-time Section V Class C Defensive Player of the Week Andy Underhill.

The junior linebacker led the Lancers with 132 tackles, averaging almost 19 per game. While Bath comes in with a 1-3 record against teams with winning records, they did defeat a strong Livonia squad, so the Rams will be a tough first round matchup for Elba/Byron-Bergen.

#4 Dundee Scotsmen (3-4) vs. #1 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (6-1)
1:30 p.m., Saturday

While Notre Dame is coming off an emotional high last week after defeating Attica to force a three-way tie for the Genesee Region League Championship, the 76 to 14 drubbing that Dundee gave the Irish in the 2009 Class D Championship game is still fresh in the mind of Head Coach Rick Mancuso.

Notre Dame will look to avenge that loss and the attack will begin with do-it-all quarterback Tim McCulley. The junior led the G-R League in passing yards and his 16 touchdown passes were also tops in the league.

McCulley is also extremely effective running the ball if the pocket breaks down, as he did last week 11 times for 79 yards. The McCulley-to-Jared Thornton connection has been hot as of late, with the two hooking up 10 times for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns in the victory against Attica.

If Dundee wants to upset the number-one seed in Class D, they will have to do so by shutting down Irish passing attack.

Notre Dame fell in the Class D Finals a year ago, and has not won a championship since 2006.

GCC is 15-1 on season after beating WNY soccer rival Herkimer 2-1

By Howard B. Owens

Article submitted by Andrew Crofts, GCC sports information director. Photos by Howard Owens.

It was the most anticipated regular season matchup in Genesee Community College men's soccer history. The #2 Cougars welcomed the #1 Herkimer County Community College Generals to town in a rematch of last year's NJCAA Division III National Championship game. The game lived up to the hype.

Both teams entered Tuesday night's showdown with identical 14-1 records. The Cougars won the Western New York Athletic Conference title this season and the Generals took care of the Mountain Valley Conference. Tuesday night's winner likely will determine next week's number one team in the National Poll.

Not wanting to give up the top spot, Herkimer jumped out in front just under three minutes into the first half. The Generals capitalized on a penalty kick that came as a result of a GCC handball in the box. Jordan Stoddart converted on the kick.

Genesee's best chance to tie in the first half came late when Dom Francis sent a lefty bid from just outside the box that hit the crossbar, keeping the score 1-0 in favor of the visitors. The Cougars trailed by the same score at the break.

GCC notched the equalizer about 10 minutes into the second half when Theo Stamotopolous chipped in a goal off of a corner kick to tie the score at one. It was his third goal in two games.

Both teams played scoreless soccer for nearly 30 minutes after that until GCC broke through. Set up with another corner kick, Sam Cassidy sent the cross in front of the Generals net that was headed in by Cody Niccloy to give Genesee a 2-1 lead with about five minutes remaining.

The Cougars were able to hold off Herkimer for the final five minutes and knocked off the country's number one team, 2-1.

Niccloy's game-winning goal is his second of the season. He also tallied the winner against Mercyhurst North East in double-overtime in September.

Jake O'Learly played all 90 minutes in net for GCC and made six saves.

The win is the second regular season victory for Genesee over Herkimer in the last two years. The Cougars defeated the Generals 1-0 during the regular season last year, before falling 4-1 in the National Championship game.

Genesee improves to 15-1 overall and will conclude their regular season on Thursday night when they travel to Bryant and Stratton College for a 4 p.m. start.

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

Notre Dame Harriers Sweep; Girls Clinch Title

By Eric Geitner

It was a great fall day to be out at Genesee County Park for the final regular season meet for the Notre Dame Cross Country Teams. Both the boys and girls swept Alexander, Attica, Pembroke and Pavilion on 'Senior Night.' With the wins, the girls team clinched the Division III GR/LCAA title, last accomplished in 2002. Laurie Call was the race winner in 19:54 and Anna Warner was second with 20:05. Emily McCracken was fourth in 20:32, Shelby McGinnis placed 8th in 21:12 and Rose Flumerfeldt rounded out the scoring in 19th with 23:32. The rest of the Irish pack took 20th through 22nd with Hannah Pingrey (23:57), Madison Gluck (24:18) and Emily Sherman (24:36).


In the boys meet, Jeff Antolos added another course record to his name running a 15:28 to smash the old record of 16:08. Arron Carlson took 4th with 17:14, Justin Carlson 5th in 18:01 and Dennis Bleier sprinted past Alec Covel in 18:42 to take 10th and 11th respectively. Ryan Fuller placed 13th in 19:08 and Bryan Moscicki placed 23rd (21:24).


The Irish will next be in action at the GRLCAA Championships (Counties) on Thursday, October 25 at Leroy High School, with the first race going off at 4:30.

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