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Notre Dame beats rival Elba to advance to Far West Regional championship

By Howard B. Owens

Whether through fatigue, Notre Dame's defense or just that's the way the ball bounces, a dearth of scoring in the fourth quarter last night cost the Elba Lady Lancers a chance to advance to the regional championship round of post-season basketball.

The Lady Irish prevailed in the Class D consolidation game between the two Section V champions. The final, 44-31.

Elba had a first half lead after scoring 15 points in the second quarter, going into the locker rooms up 19-18, were down by only two points, but a four-point fourth quarter for Elba enabled Notre Dame to pull away and secure the win.

Head Coach Tom Redband said his girls struggled with free throws and layups in the second half and fell out of rhythm.

"I don’t think it was adjustments they made," Redband said. "We just missed free throws and some layups that normally we make and that’s basketball. Sometimes they fall, some times they don’t. It just kind of caught up to us."

Tom McCulley, head coach of Notre Dame, said he thought Elba trying to guard a couple of his bigger players, such as Callie McCulley and Margaret Sutherland, took a toll on Elba.

"Eventually our size and strength just wore them down to where we could get the ball to where we wanted to and make our shots down the stretch," McCulley said.

He said he was exceptionally proud of his team.

"All season long I’ve been telling the girls, 'we just have to do what we do,' " McCulley said. "We are going to have nights where we can’t find the basket and nights where we’re a little sluggish but if we stay to who we are, we just don’t press and try to relax, these girls are good enough to where eventually it’s going to happen for them.

"That’s what you’ve seen in the second half of the season. We’ve figured out what works and doesn’t work and these girls are playing phenomenally well together and it’s nice to watch."

For Notre Dame, Sutherland scored 16 points, McCulley, 13, Morgan Rhodes, 9.

For Elba, Maddie Muehlig scored seven, as did Nicole Boldt. Tatum Draper scored six and Madison Howard scored five.

Notre Dame plays for the Far West Regional Championship in Class D at 3 p.m., Saturday, at Buffalo State.

Top three photos by Destin Danser. For more photos of the game and a chance to purchase game photos, click here. Bottom photo by Howard Owens.

Batavia's indoor track team members do well at state championships

By Howard B. Owens

Members of the Batavia Blue Devils indoor track team performed well at the NYS champions Saturday at the Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex in Staten Island.

Anthony Ray placed ninth in the shot put with an overall throw of 50' 10". In the weight throw, an event he holds the record in for Section V, he earned all-state honors by placing sixth in the NY Federation and fourth among state competitors with a throw of 62' 7". That is his second-best throw ever and led all WNY competitors. He will compete in the shot put and weight throw next weekend at the Indoor National Championships at the Armory in Manhattan.

The girls 4x400 relay team finished ninth with a time of 4:04.11, which broke an existing school record. They also qualified for nationals next week. The team is Claire Zickl, Regan Henrici, Brianna Bromley and Kiaya Franklin.

Nate Crane is a team of one for Letchworth, so he trained with Batavia this season. In the pole vault he placed sixth in the NY Federation and fourth among state competitors. He cleared 14' 6" and will also compete next week at nationals.

Photos and info submitted by Coach Nick Burk.

Elba Lancers win defensive match against Prattsburg to take Section V title

By Howard B. Owens

The Elba Lancers didn't dominate Prattsburg in the Section V Class D1 match at Alfred State yesterday, but there was never a time when it didn't seem like the squad was anything but in control of the game.

That comes from experience, said Ciaci Zambito, in his second year as head coach of Elba.

The Lancers started four seniors.

"They’ve played in a lot of big games," Zambito said. "They don’t get rattled by this kind of environment. Obviously, this is the biggest game they’ve ever played in up to this point, but it’s hard work. If you work hard and prepare yourself for moments like this, when you get to it it’s going to be a little bit easier."

Four seniors and a freshman, Collin O'Halloran, a point guard who scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds and had four assists and four steals to make him the most valuable player of the tournament.

The low score on both sides -- Elba won 50-38 -- really shows the game was really a defensive battle, Zambito said.

"When you hold a team that good to 38 that just speaks volumes to the effort and the defensive attitude that we have as a program," Zambito said.

The other top scorer for Elba was Tucker Bezon, who had 12 points to go with 13 rebounds. Shane O'Halloran had seven points and six rebounds, and Jon Boyce had seven points and seven rebounds. 

This is the fourth sectional title for Elba and the first since 2005, when Zambito was a junior on the team. That year both the boys and the the girls won Section V titles, a feat repeated this year.

Zambito said he wanted to acknowledge last year's seniors because they really helped make this year's championship possible, he said, by embracing a young coach and setting the example of hard work and leadership for the younger players.

"They kind of created the blueprint to our program and these guys just took it and put up the building, if that’s the way you want to look at it," Zambito said.

Next up for Elba, a Class D consolidation game to be played Wednesday. The time and location is not yet available.

It takes two overtimes for Notre Dame to lock up Section V championship

By Howard B. Owens

Man, the last 12 minutes of basketball played in Letchworth last night were tense.

With about four minutes left in regulation, the Lady Irish of Notre Dame looked like they had the game well in hand. A double-digit lead and good command of the game over the previous three-and-a-half quarters. Then the wheels sort of came off.

Turnovers, mental errors, penalties -- York managed to tie the game by the end of the fourth quarter.

That meant overtime. 

And at the end of overtime, the two teams fighting for the Class D1 Section V championship were tied again.

"I'm proud of the heart that they showed, not just tonight, but along this whole run," said Head Coach Tom McCulley said. "I’m amazed at the effort they put out."

Finally, at the end of the second OT, there was a final score. Notre Dame beat York 64-59.

McCulley is in his first season as head coach of the Lady Irish, replacing Dave Pero, who led Notre Dame to Section V titles and a state championship. McCulley said getting this far in his first season has been "surreal," but gave all the credit to the girls.

"These girls have been motivated and worked hard in practice and we had a tough schedule that really challenged us," McCulley said. "These girls have been battle tested since the middle of December. That’s why they were able to keep their cool and pull out the victory."

During regulation play, you could sort of watch things unravel slowly. Not only did Notre Dame lose the lead, in the second overtime, Notre Dame found themselves down by a point with less than two minutes to play.

"That can demoralize some teams," McCulley said. "Our team, we’re not built that way. They showed character and they fought through.

"We were gassed," McCulley added. "Both teams were gassed. It was a full-court, man-to-man the whole way. It was like a prize fight. At some point, somebody’s going to give. They got into foul trouble. A couple of girls fouled out. I knew it was wearing them down, so I knew once we wore them down we could get the ball to the spots so we could score relatively easily."

The win sets up what promises to be a classic confrontation -- Notre Dame, the Class D1 champs, vs. Elba, who won the Class D2 championship earlier in the evening at Letchworth. These are two powerhouse girls basketball programs with a long history of winning (both have won state championships this decade) and a long history of wanting to beat each other more than any other team -- other than the one right in front of them. Notre Dame and Elba will play at 7 p.m., Tuesday, at Cal-Mum to consolidate the Class D championship so one of the teams can go on to represent Section V in the Far West Regionals, the next step toward a possible berth in the state championship Final Four.

The last time the two teams met in post-season was 2013 when Notre Dame upset Elba in a semifinals game on its way to an eventual state championship. Elba hadn't won a Section V title since 2012 when they went on to become state champs.

Callie McCulley, tournament MVP, scored 20 points. Margaret Sutherland scored 16, Natalie Thornton 13, Hannah Bowen got nine and Morgan Rhodes, six.

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Lady Lancers claim Section V championship

By Howard B. Owens

There's nothing like getting your star player back from injury right before the championship game to give your team a boost of confidence and that's exactly what happened for the Elba Lady Lancers, who captured the Class D2 Section V championship Friday night with a 49-39 win over Romulus.

Emily Reynolds, who missed the previous six games with a knee injury, was named the tournament MVP after the win.

"Having the best player in the class back helped a lot," said Head Coach Tom Redband. "Just the morale boost alone, but she's also definitely a dominate force inside."

Reynolds scored 19 points and pulled down five rebounds.

"She worked really hard to strengthen her knee and she loves the game," Redband said. "I was just so happy for her that she was able to come back and play full strength."

Romulus opened the game with a full-court press and while Elba was successful at breaking the press, it did slow the Lancers down and helped keep Romulus within a basket or two of the lead through the first half. When Romulus dropped the press, Elba fell into an offensive rhythm and was able to pull away.

"It helped us a little bit get into our half-court offense and relax a little bit," Redband said. 

Tatiana Draper scored eight points for Elba and handled 12 rebounds. Maddie Muehlig scored seven points and had three assists.

Redband replaced the legendary Tom Nowak, who coached teams to 10 sectional titles, for the 2014 season. Redband is now one for one in Section V title games.

The Lady Lancers will next face archrival Notre Dame in a Class D consolidation game at Cal-Mum on Tuesday. Game time is 7 p.m. The last time the two teams met in post-season was 2013 when Notre Dame upset Elba in a semifinals game on its way to an eventual state championship. Elba hadn't won a Section V title since 2012 when they went on to become state champs.

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Bardol strikes again with $1,000 tourney win, 300--814 in league play

By Mike Pettinella

With multiple 300 games, 800 series and tournament victories, Chris Bardol, an “adopted” Batavian by way of Rochester and Brockport, is in the upper echelon of bowlers in our area.

But on wood lanes, like the ones he cut his bowling teeth on at Brockport Bowl, the 29-year-old right-hander stands at the very top.

Bardol, owner of North Pole Restaurant in Batavia, added to his accomplishments recently when he captured the $1,000 first prize at the Miller Lanes scratch tournament in Honeoye Falls on Feb. 19 and, two nights later, when he posted 247-267-300—814 in the G&W Vending League at Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen.

Both centers have wood lanes.

In Honeoye Falls, Bardol outlasted 88 other entrants, defeating Brian Hall of Macedon, 238-234, in the title match. He also was the high qualifier in the event with a 935 score for four games – a 233 average.

In the G&W Vending League, Bardol has averaged around 225 over the past four seasons, rolling a handful of perfect games and 800 series along the way.

And just two nights ago, he nearly tacked on a couple more honor scores with a 277-289-218—784 effort on lanes 3-4.  A 10-pin on the 11th ball of the second game cost him another 300 and five 10-pins and a 4-pin in the final game cost him a high 800 series.

His 784 wasn’t the evening’s best, however, as 22-year-old Rochester resident Rich Ehnre exploded for 257-300-265—822 on lanes 5-6.

Bardol said many of today’s young competitive bowlers have problems on wood lanes, since most of them have learned how to bowl on synthetic lanes.

“I definitely don’t shy away from them (wood lanes),” he said, noting that he his familiarity with the way wood lanes transition gives him an advantage.

He also competes in (and co-sponsors) the North Pole/Family Affair Boat Repair League on Thursday nights at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia (another hall with wood lanes), but said he hasn’t been able to dial in there just yet.

“I’ve been banging my head against the wall to manage 630 or 640 (in league play) there,” he said. “It’s been tough as the shot seems to change from week to week.”

Bardol said he plans to defend his T.F. Brown’s scratch singles tournament title at Mancuso’s later this month (see the March tournament listing below).

FOSS, MIKE ALLIS ON TARGET IN ALBION, MEDINA

Two of Orleans County’s finest – Medina residents Curtis Foss and Mike Allis – notched 300 games in league play last month.

Foss, who has split time between WNY and Florida this season, filled in on the Friday Night Mixers League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion on Feb. 17 to the tune of 268-300-268—836, and now has four 800 series this season alone.  He is averaging 240 for 33 games in the league.

Allis, another high-revving power player, recorded his second 300 game of the season on Feb. 9 in the Thursday Firefighters League at Medina Lanes, and finished with a 750 series.

MEDINA’S HODGSON COMES THROUGH AT 60-PLUS EVENT

Bob Hodgson, the retired school teacher who has excelled in league play at Medina Lanes over the years, came through with three strikes in the 10th frame of the title match on Sunday to place first in the 60-and-Over Tournament Bowlers Club event at Pleasure Lanes in Hilton.

Hodgson defeated Charlie Gfleller, 257-246, in an exciting finale that saw the 81-year-old Gfleller end with a flurry of strikes to force Hodgson to double in the 10th.

After a slow start in qualifying (181), Hodgson, 69, said he switched to a “just drilled” Roto-Grip Daredevil and the results were impressive. He finished with 251 and 247 for a 679 series to secure the final spot to match play, and then bowled 258 and 258 to advance to the title game.

Attica’s Joe Trigilio rolled 740 in qualifying and also cashed.

TOURNAMENT RESULTS FROM LE ROY, PORTAGEVILLE

Buffalo residents John Masiello, Bill Swiat and John Stobnicki teamed with Rochester’s Steve Meyer to take first place in the annual Ron Riggi Memorial handicap team tournament at Legion Lanes in Le Roy last weekend.

The winning foursome posted 3,629 with handicap for four games to take home the $1,000 top prize.

Local bowlers Matt Balduf, Mark Brown, Tom Rohl and Scott Culp were second with 3,540, good for $500, and Balduf and Brown were also on the third-place team with Rob Sease and Sam Steffenella, shooting 3,531 and winning $320.

The top seven teams cashed out of the 40 that entered.  In the optional singles event, Shayne Herold of Le Roy placed first with 992 to win $150.

The Scotts Rockin’ team of Tom Borer, Julie Grover and Eileen Nugent placed first with a 2,400 score at the Nunda Fire Company three-person handicap no-tap event at Letchworth Pines in Portageville. Nunda Lumber was second at 2,386 and Once Again placed third at 2,381.

The tourney drew 57 teams.

Individually, Steve Maher of Castile won the singles event with an 858 score. He was followed by Craig Barkley of Portageville (849), Eric Galton of Portageville (844) and John Thompson of Dalton (842).

PERRY, BATAVIA YOUTHS WIN DOUBLES TOURNEY

Teams from Perry Bowling Center and Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia took top honors at the Genesee Region USBC Youth Doubles Tournament at Mount Morris Lanes on Feb. 18-19.

In Division A, Matt Hurlburt and Dennis Van Duser combined for a 1,345 score to move past Skylar Laesser and James Townsend (Mancuso's) and win the $200 scholarship -- $100 apiece. Laesser and Townsend posted 1,320.

Dominic Perkins (Mount Morris) and Townsend placed third with 1,292.

In Division B, Brooke Jurek and Van Duser earned the $200 scholarship with 1,194 -- five pins better than Madelynn Pimm and Brooke Jarkiewicz (Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen).

Haylee Thornley and Zack Wester (Mancuso's) placed third with 1,124.

In Division C, Brock Bigsby and Ben Sputore (Mancuso's) placed first, winning the $200 scholarship, with 1,229.

They were followed by Lily Martin and Jonah Martin (Mancuso's and Jillian Menzie and Jarkiewicz (Rose Garden Bowl) with 1,198 and 1,186, respectively.

The tournament attracted 28 teams. The top three teams in each division received trophies.

MARCH TOURNEY SLATE INCLUDES K&Q, PERRY FD NO-TAP

Following is a list of tournaments in the Genesee Region during the month of March:

GRUSBC Youth Team, March 4-5, Rose Garden Bowl, Bergen: Squad times are at noon and 3 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. and during the GR Youth Travel League on Sunday. Entry fee is $64 per four-person team. Teams will be divided into three groups, by average, with scholarships and trophies awarded to the top three teams in each division. To enter, call 585-284-2637.

18th annual Bob Bertram Memorial No-Tap, March 4-5, 11-12, Mount Morris Lanes: Squad times are at noon and 3 p.m. each of the four days of the five-person, no-tap handicap event that benefits Livingston County Hospice and Teresa House. First place is $1,000 guaranteed. Entry fee is $125 per team. To enter, call 585-658-2540.

King & Queen Mixed Doubles, March 11, Mancuso Bowling Center, Batavia: Squad times are noon and 2 p.m. for this mixed doubles handicap event, which offers a $500 top prize based on 60 entries. Entry fee is $50 per team. The top 12 teams will advance to match play. To enter, call 716-474-7960.

Sonny Yencer Perry FD No-Tap, March 11-12, Perry Bowling Center: The Perry FD handicap tournament fundraiser returns after a couple-year hiatus with squads at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. on Saturday and 3, 5 and 7 p.m. on Sunday. The entry fee is $60 per team. To enter, call 585-237-6358.

T.F. Brown’s Scratch Eliminator, March 17-18, Mancuso Bowling Center: A $1,500 first prize awaits the winner of this scratch singles tournament that lists squad times (four games) at 6:30 p.m. on March 17 and 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. on March 18. Entry fee is $65. One in five bowlers per squad will advance to the eliminator round (where half the field advances after each game). To enter, call 716-474-7960.

KIWA Three-Person No-Tap, March 18, Medina Lanes: The entry fee is $75 per team for his handicap event, which lists squads at 1 and 3 p.m. The prize fund is based on entries. Call 585-318-4474 to enter.

Five-Person Baker Team Challenge, March 19, Medina Lanes: This handicap five-person event offers a $1,000 first prize and $500 second prize – both guaranteed. Squad times are 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with each team rolling eight Baker-style games (where players alternate frames) across eight lanes, and then one in five will advance to match play. To enter, call 585-318-4474

60-and-Over Tour Scratch, March 26, Rose Garden Bowl: Open to all bowlers age 60 and over, there will be two three-game qualifying squads, with the top 12, including a guaranteed spot for a bowler in the 65-69, 70-74 and 75-and-over divisions, advancing to match play. To enter, call 585-739-3097.

GRUSBC Association Tournament, March 24-26, 31, April 1-2: Letchworth Pines will host the Team event and Perry Bowling Center will host Doubles & Singles for the annual association tournament, which features five-person teams in Open and Women’s Divisions. Squad times are at 7 p.m. on Fridays, 11 a.m. and 2:30 (or 3 p.m. for D/S) on Saturdays and 11:30 a.m and 3 p.m. on Sundays.  For more information, go to www.bowlgr.com.

(Mike Pettinella’s Pin Points column appears every other Thursday on The Batavian, the region’s No. 1 source for online news. To advertise on this page, contact Mike at mikepett2002@yahoo.com or at 585-343-3736).

Alexander girls fall to Cal-Mum in Section V playoff

By Howard B. Owens

Alexander's shots just weren't dropping during the first half of their Section V semi-final playoff game against Cal-Mum on Wednesday night at Avon.

The Lady Trojans lost 60-36 after scoring only six points in the first two quarters.

Marissa Scharlau scored 15 points and snagged 16 rebounds. Olivia George scored 11 points.

Beloved coach in Oakfield succumbs to cancer

By Howard B. Owens

A man who is remembered by those whose life he touched as an icon of the local sports community died today and people who knew Dan Gilbert say he will be missed.

Gilbert, a Little League and softball coach who coached Oakfield-Alabama to Section V titles in baseball, succumbed to cancer more than 18 months after beginning treatment.

"He was one of those types of people who is a pillar in the community," said Oakfield resident Jeremy Yasses. "He built programs for sports for the school and the community. He touched a lot of lives, not only because he won, but because he was a class act on the field and off the field. He taught a lot of kids life lessons."

Yasses said Gilbert, who was also a physical ed teacher at O-A, spent a lot of selfless hours coaching kids and helping them succeed not just in competition on the field but at life.

Parents and students were notified by the school district by phone this morning of Gilbert's passing.

Oakfield-Alabama Social Studies teacher and Athletic Director Jeff Schlagenhauf said Gilbert was his good friend for 30 years and described him not only as a stalwart member of the community but a dedicated family man.

"He was a mentor to a lot of kids," Schlagenhauf said. "He was just a great teacher. The community lost a really good person today."

News partner WBTA contributed to this story.

After successful local debut, MMA returns to Batavia on March 25

By Howard B. Owens

Mixed Martial Arts returns to Batavia March 25 with a 16-fight card from local promoter Ground Force Fights at Quality Inn & Suites.

The card includes title fights, including two female title fights.

Three Batavia fighters will be competing. Pictured above are promoter Richard Mitchell and local fighters Steven Kleckler, Kevin James Hodge and Peter Flanagan.

For more information and tickets, visit groundforcefights.com

Previously: Batavia's first MMA event draws capacity crowd

Blue Devils let semi-final lead slip away in 57-55 loss

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavia Blue Devils played hard but came up short, letting a five-point lead slip away in the closing minutes of play against Wilson in a Section V semi-final to lose 57-55.

"My guys fought," said Head Coach Buddy Brasky. "They fought. We could have folded and they fought."

They fought on even after star guard Tee Sean Ayala fouled out with more than a minute left in the third quarter, putting him and his game-high 24 points on the bench the rest of the way.

That isn't the reason Batavia lost, though. Jonathon Liciaga in particular stepped up to fill the void, finding ways, even at 5' 9", to slip in behind Wilson's big center, 6' 7" Patrick Phillips, for easy baskets. He scored six points in the final quarter.

"I give a lot of credit to our guys," Brasky said. "After Tee Sean went out, they could have folded. They didn’t. Some other guys stepped up, but it just wasn’t enough."

Liciaga, who scored 11 points total, has become a bigger factor in Batavia's offense as the season has worn on as his talent for finding open space on the court has become more apparent.

"Guys figured out as the year went on, he’s open and he can put the ball in the basket," Brasky said. "As the year went on they started finding him more and more."

In the final minute, the Blue Devils didn't score and Brasky said that was the result of some bad decisions.

"The initial pressure (from Wilson) didn’t hurt us," Brasky said. "On the back end, we had some turnovers down the stretch. We made some bad decisions. We missed some open guys. That’s what young teams do, I guess."

Brasky and every player on the team certainly wanted to end the season with a Section V trophy. That, after all, is kind of a Blue Devil's tradition under Brasky, but as Brasky noted, this is a young team (only three seniors). The team has come a long way over the course of the season from a rather disorganized, mistake-prone group to being more disciplined on offense and defense.

"We preach at beginning of the year, especially this year, that it’s going to be a journey," Brasky said. "We had to keep trying to improve and we wanted to try and peak at the end.

"We went through some tough stretches and at the end of the year, we started playing some pretty good basketball. I thought we played, for the most part, tonight, we had stretches of really good basketball from a lot of guys, but again, it wasn’t enough."

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Hornets don't back off, give Perry tough match in sectional semi-final

By Howard B. Owens

If the Perry Yellowjackets win a sectional title this Friday, it won't be because Oakfield-Alabama didn't work hard to try and spoil their so-far-undefeated season.

The Hornets were in the game until halfway through the final quarter when foul trouble took two starters off the court and Perry was able to finally pull away for a 78-63 win.

The Yellowjackets are a bigger team with Tyler Cowie, at 6' 3", 180 pounds, and Dan Elliott, 6' 4", 190 pounds, in the post, and a nearly unstoppable shot creator in Austin Croll at guard. But O-A got into their heads early, disrupting their offense with tight, aggressive coverage that led to several turnovers on steals, penalties and mental errors.

"What I noticed is a lot of teams kind of backed off them, hesitant or concerned about getting blown out, but we can’t back off," said Hornets Head Coach Ryan Stehlar. "We have to use our speed, our defense, and our intensity, so I wasn’t going to change our game plan. If we were going to go out, we were going to go out our way."

The Hornets had a lead of 16-13 at the end of the first quarter and 32-31 at the end of the half. Perry jumped out early in the third quarter, led most of the way and were head by about by five points early in the fourth quarter when O-A rallied a bit to get a single-digit lead with about five minutes left. That would be the Hornet's last lead of the night. 

"I've seen them several times this season and those guys play hard," said Perry Head Coach Phil Wyant. "We knew it was going to be tough. They scrap, they battle, they play a lot of guys who can put it on the floor and are willing to shoot and that presented a tough match-up, especially when they’re making tough shots."

Reice Woodward and Dalton Carlsen fouled out and either because that took some defensive pressure off the Yellowjackets, or O-A fatigue or just the great talent on the Perry team, the Yellowjackets quickly pulled away and never let the Hornets get back in the game the rest of the way.

Cowie finished with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and nine blocked shots. Croll scored 24 points.

"Austin and Tyler, not only are they great players, but they do whatever it takes to find the open guy, make a play for a teammate, and get it done on the defensive end," Wyant said. "They were down there guarding two of their better players. Yeah, Austin and Tyler, I'm glad they're on our team, that's for sure."

Also for Perry, Spencer Owen scored 12 points and had 10 rebounds.

For O-A, Tylor Ohlson scored 18 points, including hitting three three-pointers. Woodward scored 15 and Carlsen scored 15.

Perry faces Cuba-Rushford on Friday for the Section V Class C title. 

"We know it's going to be a tough challenge," Wyant said.

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Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge accepting applications through March 31 for spring turkey hunting

By Billie Owens

Press release:

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge in Genesee and Orleans counties is accepting applications for spring turkey hunting.

The refuge uses a random drawing to fill the 75 turkey hunting permits available; these permits are distributed within two sessions. Session 1 runs from May 1 through May 15 and 50 permits will be issued for this session. Session 2 runs from May 16 through May 31 and 25 permits will be issued for this session.

When applying, hunters should indicate their first and second session preferences. To be entered in the drawing, interested hunters must obtain a Big/Upland Game Hunt Application form (Form 3-2356). Applications can be requested in person, by phone, mail, or email at iroquois@fws.gov. A PDF version of the application form may also be printed from our website http://www.fws.gov/refuge/iroquois. Click on the heading "Visit" and the link "Visitor Activities."

Applications, along with a $5 nonrefundable processing fee, must be received by 4 p.m., March 31. Please refer to our Turkey Hunting Fact Sheet, available at the refuge office or on our website, for additional information.

Please contact refuge staff at 585-948-5445, ext. 7036, for further information.

Iroquois NWR is located midway between Buffalo and Rochester, and is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

Individuals with disabilities and any other person who may need special assistance to participate in this program should contact the Refuge at 585/948-5445 or at the Federal Relay No. 1-800-877-8339.

Herberlein wins third state title in another strong year for Alexander wrestling

By Howard B. Owens

Alexander's wrestlers went to the state meet this weekend, came home today with two state titles and a fifth-place finish and got a hero's welcome. Friends, fans, and family turned out at the school following a siren-blasting escort through the village from the Alexander Fire Department and Sheriff's patrols.

Pictured are Dane Heberlein, Nick Young and Matt Gaiser

Gaiser collected his first state title; Young came in fifth; and for Heberlein, a senior, it was his third consecutive state title.

"It means a lot for the coaches, for the parents, even for the school," Heberlein said of the three-peat.

Asked what it means for him more personally and what he will reflect on in the future about it, Heberlein said, 'It's not so much the state titles, but what it took to win those state titles. I think that’s what is going to remembered the most. I mean all the hard work, practices, drill partners, and coaches, grinding through and in the end, a state championship is what we got."

Alexander has a long history of success in wrestling, and Heberlein said that's because a culture of dedication is built into the program.

"We set a good standard and I think that’s something to stand by," Heberlein said. "Every time you go in for a practice, you go in that room you know what you’ve got to bring. There are no easy days or days you slack. You’re going into work and that’s something we take pride in, working every day."

There are always young wrestlers coming up behind Alexander's current crop of champions and Heberlein has advice for them.

"Stay strong mentally," he said. "It easy to be mentally weakened and that’s when bad things will happen, so stay strong mentally and keep it together and things are fine."

Elba beats Genesee Valley to advance in Section V tournament

By Howard B. Owens

Elba advanced in sectional play Saturday night, beating Genesee Valley at home, 60-45.

Tucker Bezon scored 19 points. Henry Pflaumer got 15 and Shane O'Halloran, 9. 

Noah Windus had 14 for GV and Logan Glover, 13.

Batavia conquers HF-L 59-49 giving Brasky 400th career win

By Howard B. Owens

The Blue Devils are moving on in the post-season with a Section V playoff win today over Honeoye Falls, 59-49.

Antwan Odom scored 22 points, hitting two threes along the way. Tee Sean Ayala scored 14 points, hitting two three-pointers. Jonathan Liciaga scored 11. John Kindig added six.

For HF-L, Owen VanNewkirk hit 15 points, including a trio of threes.

It was the 400th win for Head Coach Buddy Brasky (submitted photo below).

To purchase prints, click here.

O-A outguns Pavilion in shootout to advance in Section V playoffs

By Howard B. Owens

It was all action on the home court of the Hornets last night as Oakfield-Alabama and the Pavilion Golden Gophers staged a shootout in a quest to advance in the Section V tournament. 

O-A came out on top, 75-70.

For Oakfield-Alabama, Tylor Ohlson scored 17, Ryan Douglas, 16, Reice Woodward, 15, Dalton Carlsen, 13, Joey Burdick, 11.

For Pavilion, Luke Milligan scored 20, Hunter Seaman, 15 (hitting four three-pointers), Ryley Elliott, 12 (two three-pointers), Caleb Milligan, 11 and Rob Cutcliffe, eight.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

 

Le Roy dominates North Rose-Wolcott, 79-32

By Howard B. Owens

Le Roy easily dispatched North Rose-Wolcott in its quest for possible Section V title with a 79-32 win on its home court. 

Ryan Boyce scored 13 points, hitting two of two three-point tries. Canyon Roster added 12, Josh Laurie, 11, and T.Y. Williams and Jason Doemling each had nine. Boyce and Roster also each had seven rebounds.

Rose-Wolcott's Tyler Norris, who had been averaging more than 30 points a game recently was held to 15 points. He was 0-6 from beyond the arch.

Photos by David Boyce.

Pembroke boys fall to Geneseo 42-40

By Destin Danser

For the first time in school history, the Pembroke Dragons varsity boys entered the first round of sections as the #1 seed.

The #8 ranked Geneseo Blue Devils entered the game with an upset in mind, and made a strong showing on defense by holding the high-scoring pembroke offense to just 40 points. Pembroke's top scorer, Zach Vonkramer, was held to just 10 points on the game, while Geneseo's Kyle Rollins put up 17 points for the Blue Devils. 

Photos by Destin Danser Photography. Click Here to view complete gallery or purchase prints. 

Scoreboard: Notre Dame boys out of title hunt after one-point loss

By Howard B. Owens

Boys Basketball

  • Le Roy 79, North Rose-Wolcott 32 FINAL
  • Geneseo 42, Pembroke 40 FINAL
  • Lyons 80, Byron-Bergen 45 FINAL
  • Cal-Mum 53, Alexander 43 FINAL
  • Oakfield 75, Pavilion 70 FINAL
  • York 59, Lyndonville 43 FINAL
  • Mt. Morris 65, Notre Dame 64 FINAL/OT

Girls Basketball

  • HF-L 53, Batavia 36 FINAL
  • Elba 65, Hinsdale 26 FINAL

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