Batavia HS

Livestream via Section V Athletics; audio, WBTA.

The Batavia Blue Devils came ready to play Tuesday night, taking on Palmyra-Macedon and then dominating the Red Raiders for a 48-7 victory.

The win keeps them undefeated at 6-0 and slots them as the #2 seed heading into sectionals.

The semifinal game will be against Newark at 6 p.m. Sunday against Newark. The winner of that game will play the winner of Honeoye Falls-Lima vs. Pal-Mac. HFL is the #1 seed and if HFL wins, the championship game will be played at HFL.

Terrez Smith rushed for 204 yards on 17 carries. He scored three touchdowns. Carter McFollins carried the ball 11 times for 86 yards and a TD. QB Jesse Reinhart was 7-12 for 71 yards and a TD.  

Alex Hale caught three passes for 44 yards and a TD.

The Red Raiders were able to intercept Reinhart three times but the Batavia defense held firm after each turnover. Kaden Marucci had 16 tackles, an interception, a blocked punt, and two sacks. Mathew McWethy, seven tackles, Dan Saeva, seven, Garrett Schmidt, six, and Reinhart two tackles and an interception. 

Photos by Steve Ognibene. To view or purchase prints, click here.

Batavia High School's Production Club presents the musical comedy "Sister Act" this Saturday, April 17, in both a limited in-performance and an on-demand video, which will be available April 24.

For this Saturday's live performance, each member of the production is allowed to distribute only two tickets due to COVID-19 restrictions. The performance will be recorded and available for a limited time starting a week from tomorrow.

The stage production is based on the 1992 movie with original music by Tony- and eight-time Oscar winner, Alan Menken. The musical was nominated for five Tony Awards.

To purchase tickets for the recorded performance, click here.

Photos by Howard Owens, except full cast photo at bottom, by Steve Ognibene.

Batavia had little trouble scoring against winless Midlakes on their way to running up their season record to 5-0.

The final score was 56-0.

Terez Smith carried the ball 13 times for 217 yards. He scored two touchdowns. Ethan Loarza ran nine times for 57 yards and a TD, and Aidan Anderson, 11 times for 55 yards and a TD.

Jesse Reinhart was 10-13 passing for 188 yards and four TDs. 

Alex Hale caught two TD passes, of his five receptions, for 87 yards. Tyler Budzinack also hauled in a pair of TD passes and gained 69 yards.

Anderson had seven tackles, Kaden Marucci and Mathew Mcwethy, six each, and Jayden Osborne, three.

To view or purchase prints, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Teachers at Batavia High School, looking to pursue relevant topics in fresh ways have proposed three new courses that were approved by the city school's Board of Education on Monday night.

The courses, two in Social Studies and one in English will only go forward if students show sufficient interest in taking the elective classes.

The courses are:

• Sports and Race Relations through Digital Media, which will explore pivotal moments in American History in an effort to understand how they contribute to modern laws, policies, systems and culture. 
• Law and Justice in America I and II will provide students an overview of the various areas of Civil and Criminal Law in our American legal system, along with time to discuss contemporary issues pertaining to justice in America. 
• 1960s Literature, Lyrics and Culture will examine influences between our current times and the '60s. 

Superintendent Anibal Soler told the board it's important to recognize that these are teacher-driven initiatives and Molly Corey, director of curriculum and instruction, said, "Teachers are passionate because they were eager to see some changes in the courses they teach."

She added, "What we’re looking to do is provide more choice and some relative and timely topics.”

Existing teachers will lead the classes. There is no need to hire additional staff. They don't replace core classes.

Trustee Shawna Murphy, herself a teacher at Genesee Community College, said, "That’s what teachers are constantly doing, coming up with new ways at teaching concepts and making it relevant and easier to understand and, you know, ‘why does this matter to you as a student.’ I think that’s the fun part of being a teacher."

Batavia defeated Newark on Senior Night 28-20, but it did not come easy with Newark’s senior running back Travontay Murray.  Both teams were in a seesaw battle to get the first touchdown.

After a scoreless first quarter Rez Smith scored for the Blue Devils less than 10 yards out. Newark answered back with a 68-yard run from running back Travontay Murray.

Following halftime, Smith and Murray each scored again to keep the game still tied up at 14. Smith’s score was an eight-yard run and Murray scored in the air on a 77-yard touchdown reception.

Alex Hale caught an interception a few plays later that gave Batavia the ball back, and Jesse Reinhart threw a 21-yard pass to Hale to give Batavia the lead 21-14 before the end of the third quarter. Hale caught two passes for 59 yards and a TD, Tyler Budzinack finished with four receptions for 42 yards.

In the fourth quarter Aidan Anderson opened up scoring inside the 15-yard line for the Devils to increase Batavia’s lead to 28-14. Anderson finished with an interception, seven carries that went for 88 yards and a touchdown and five tackles on the night, which helped lead his team to get the win.

Mathew McWethy recorded six tackles to lead the Batavia defense, while junior linebacker Kaden Karucci added five tackles. Hale, Budzinack and sophomore Jagger Owens each came away with an interception for the Blue Devils.

Smith finished with a team-high 132 yards on 28 carries, including the two TDs, while Reinhart completed eight of 17 passes for 111 yards and two scores to go with two interceptions.

Newark’s Murray totaled 186 yards on 23 carries with 83 receiving yards on two catches and three total touchdowns.

“We overlooked this team and having coasted all week; we need guys to step up to be a playoff contender. We had some struggles that will be addressed, watch our film and move forward,” said Batavia Head Coach Brennan Briggs.

Batavia moves to 4-0 on the season and plays home next Wednesday at Van Detta Stadium versus Midlakes at 7 p.m.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

There's a change of plans for Batavia football on Friday night, with the Blue Devils getting a guaranteed win, making the team, 3-0, because of a Geneva forfeit.

Head Coach Brennan Briggs said Geneva will be unable to field enough players for the game.

So, Batavia will play Burgard, a team from Buffalo, at 6:30 at Van Detta Stadium.  

The game does not count as part of the regular season but, Briggs said, "it gives the kids a chance to play."

Interview with Buddy Brasky, Batavia Blue Devils Basketball head coach. We're going to talk about the boys' basketball team as the Blue Devils head into the postseason with an untarnished record of 12-0.

The Batavia Blue Devils boys squad finished their season in Greece Odyssey yesterday with a 77-36 win to finish undefeated in Class B1 of Monroe County division boys basketball. Batavia led the first quarter 19-10 led by Stone Silverling.  

In a strong second quarter, the Blue Devils poured in 25 points to lead at halftime 44-16 and never looked back. 

Stone Siverling scored 16 points, Zach Gilebarto, 14, Carter McFollins and Brandon Bartz, nine.

To view or purchase, photos click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

LIVE: Ice Devils vs. Spencerport. Livestream via Batavia High School Athletics.

The Batavia boys’ Blue Devils squad dominated all four quarters with a win over Greece Olympia in Rochester yesterday afternoon. Batavia jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first quarter, led by Zach Gilebarto and Stone Silverling.

Olympia chipped away at Batavia’s lead, but Blue Devils were up by nine at the half, 33-24. Batavia shined in the third quarter controlling and scoring 13 points midway to a 46-31 lead, ending the quarter with a 51-40 score.

Foul trouble for Olympia in the fourth quarter and a tight defense rallied Batavia to their fifth straight win to remain undefeated with a score 69-56.

Batavia’s top point scorers -- Zach Gilebarto 22, Stone Silverling 18, Luke Rogers 15, and Alex Hale with nine.

Batavia plays at home today versus local rival Notre Dame, tip off at 3:15 p.m.

To view or purchase photos click here.

Photo: Zack Gilebarto and Stone Silverling combined for 41 points on Tuesday night to lead host Batavia to a 62-51 win over Greece Olympia to raise its record to 4-0.

An emotional Senior Night at Batavia High School started off for Head Coach Buddy Brasky introducing his senior players by player appreciating them for the hard work and dedication.

This despite a season that was going to be empty -- with no stats, records and history for the basketball squad in the nearly 40 years of his coaching career due to the coronavirus pandemic. These boys were excited to play when they found out that the season was a go.

The Devils opened up with a six-point early lead in the first quarter. The Greece Olympia High School Spartans came within two, 11-9 after one quarter.

A seesaw second quarter exchanged buckets by both teams to a 17-17 tie with two minutes left in the half. A big three-point bucket by senior Zack Gilebarto ignited the Devils to a 10-point run to make it 27-17 with 20 seconds left. At the half, Batavia led by seven, 29-22.

In the third quarter, Batavia expanded its lead to 41-25. GO was held to only 6 points in the quarter.

Midway through the fourth GO showed some signs of life with 10 points by Nate Miller and eight points by Darrell Williams, but Batavia held on to win. Gilebarto scored 22 and Stone Siverling 19, while Alex Hale tallied 12 points for Batavia.

Batavia will play Greece Olympia on the road this Saturday at 2:15 p.m.

To view and or purchase prints, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Yesterday at Pinnacle Athletic Complex in Victor the Batavia Blue Devils indoor track squad set the bar higher with new personal records in multiple events.

Since announcing the start of the season in January the double-digit Section V squad for both boys and girls have had challenges to overcome.

Head indoor track Coach Nicholas Burk said “Our athletes have now been practicing for five weeks and we're just starting to see the results of consistent training. It takes time to see results from our workouts, but we're reaching that point of our season where our athletes times and performances are going to start improving.”

In a phone interview after the meet, Burk spoke about new rules with COVID-19 for student athletes, training and the outlook this season.

"We've been very fortunate for the opportunity to practice and honestly besides keeping small separate groups in practice, we've been able to have pretty consistent and productive training," the coach said. "We've been utilizing the weight room, Van Detta, the high school gyms, and running outside for practice.

"With approximately 80 athletes involved, we've had to use multiple locations to keep our groups small. We have two remaining league meets but are looking for some event specific meets to go to as well. Some of our pole vaulters went to a pole vault meet at Gates, and we're hosting a high jump/shot put meet this week.

"Sectionals is on March 7th and our girls’ team will be competing for their 17th Sectional Championship and our boys are looking for their 10th. We don't have all of the information for Sectionals yet, but we expect it will be a very tough meet with great competition. We'll keep working towards our goals try to be ready to compete March 7^th.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Team Highlights

Boys

Jacob Long / 44' 2" Shot -- (First Place)

Austyn Fernandez / 41' 8.5" Shot – (PR) (Second Place)

Dan Seava / 40' 10.75" Shot – (PR) (Third Place)

Fabian Vazquez / 55 Hurdles -- 8.63 (First Place)

Jesse Reinhardt / High Jump -- 5'10" (Second Place)

Jamarion RIchardson / 55m -- 7.01 (Third Place)

Jamarion Richardson / 300m -- 40.80 

Jonah Epps, Cody Harloff, Nate Canale, Dom Grillo / 4x8 team -- 9.33.30 (First place)

Girls

Rebekah Daniszewski / 37' 10.75" Shot -- (First Place)

Emma Radka / 28' 9.75" Shot – (PR)

Elizabeth Kingston / 25' 10" Shot – (PR)

Samantha Davis / 19' 10.25" Shot – (PR)

Campbell Riley / 1,000m -- 3:35.82 (Third Place)

Melanie Quinones / 3,000m -- 13:25.92 (First Place)

Melanie Quinones / High Jump -- 4' 6" (Second Place)

Team information provided from coaches Buckenmeyer, Boyce and Geiger.

For all results click here.

This past Saturday the Batavia-Notre Dame boys swimming squad won eight of 12 events, including setting four meet records. 

One of the highlights was the 200 medley team of Cooper Mattice, Cooper Fix, Aaron Treleaven and Harrison Southal who set a meet and league record. 

Batavia senior Cooper Mattice was Swimmer of the Meet. 

For complete results click here.

To view and or purchase prints, click here.

Members of Batavia High School's senior class and their families held a pandemic-era Thanksgiving parade through the City of Batavia this morning.

Last evening at Van Detta Stadium the Batavia Girls Varsity Soccer Team defeated Midlakes in a thriller three-hour Section V class B1 quarter final game by a score of 2-1 in two shootouts.

Batavia jumped to an early 1-0 lead eight minutes before halftime on a tip in goal by Olivia Halpin. In the second half, 13 minutes later Midlakes score off a corner kick tip in by Batavia's goal keeper to even the score at 1.

Both teams were evenly matched and shots ending the regular play was 11-10 in Batavia's favor. Batavia's Ava Reinhart had a chance in the second overtime to win the game with a miss in the top right corner crossbar. 

In the third overtime Batavia's next best chance was on a pass from Olivia Halpin to Piper Harloff that just missed in front of Midlakes' goalkeeper.  After the fourth overtime, the game went unchanged to a fifth overtime shootout. Both teams scored three goals and missed two.

Then a final sixth overtime decided in a single round robin play. Isabella Walsh scored for Batavia and goal keeper Maddie Barone stopped Midlakes on her attempt to end the game by a 2-1 win to advance Batavia to the class B1 semifinals versus eight seed Greece Olympia this upcoming Monday evening.

Greece Olympia won by forfeit to undefeated number one seed Pal-Mac because of their school is shutdown due to COVID-19.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

Last evening at Van Detta stadium the red hot Batavia Blue Devils boys soccer team hosted the Akron Tigers in a tight matched game to settle on a 1-1 tie in double overtime.

Junior Nick Grover scored for Batavia seven minutes in the first half to lead the Devils by 1. Akron ties the score three minutes later from a corner kick tip in by senior Adam Mietz in front of Batavias keeper. 

In a seesaw effort Batavia controlled the game by outshooting Akron 14-5 in the game. Early in the second overtime Batavia’s Collin Dunn just missed to end it for the Devils. Both teams settled for the tie in the game and their records are both 6-3-1.

Batavia’s last regular season game is away this Saturday at Greece Odyssey Academy in Rochester.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

To view and or purchase prints, click here.

For Batavia High School seniors, today was Make a Difference Day, the day seniors fan out around the community completing a variety of volunteer projects for community organizations.

Photos are from the seniors' clean-up project at the Batavia Cemetery.

Seniors also helped out at:

• All Babies Cherished Genesee ARC (participate in activities with individuals with disabilities) 
• Batavia First United Methodist Church (organizing and possible yard work)
• Genesee Cancer Assistance (organize office inside the hospital)
• Cornell Cooperative Extension (recording books for kids, assembling soil kits, organizing storeroom)
• Crossroads House (organizing kitchen cupboards, general indoor cleaning)
• Batavia First United Methodist Church (organizing and yard work)
• Genesee County Park (yard work at the outdoor learning center)
• Genesee County Youth Bureau (decorating Halloween bags)
• Genesee Orleans Art Council (help with artistic mural painting, landscaping, cleaning, wall painting)
• Habitat for Humanity (construction work)
• Holland Land Office (yard work) 
• Kiwanis Park
• Manor House (gardening and landscaping)
• Batavia Peace Garden (yard work, painting)

What fall high school sports will look like is still being determined by state and regional officials, Batavia High School Athletic Director Michael Bromley told district trustees at a meeting Monday evening.

Football, volleyball, and cheerleading are considered high-risk sports for the spread of COVID-19, and play and practice may be limited if athletes in those sports are allowed to participate at all.

Tennis, soccer, cross-country, golf, swimming, and gymnastics are being considered low-risk sports, and those athletes are likely to be able to compete this fall.

No practices will be allowed until Sept. 21.

Schedules for all sports have yet to be written.

If football players are allowed to practice, social distancing will need to be maintained with teams segregated by positions and contact -- such as blocking and tackling -- will not be permitted. And even if the teams can practice, there may be no games.

There's been some talk of moving the football season to the spring but then it conflicts with spring sports such as baseball.

For indoor events, such as volleyball, attendance will be limited. No player will be allowed more than two supporters in the stands.  

Bromley said there won't be any concessions and no attendance fee.

As for winter sports, the start of the season is being moved from Nov. 16 to Nov. 30.

Varsity and JV will be able to start practice Sept. 21 but players in modified leagues will be limited to practicing on the days they attend school in person.

Batavia is planning a "hybrid" model for school attendance, with classroom instruction two days a week, with students alternating attendance days, and three days of virtual learning.

Bromley said the state is still trying to determine how athletes might be able to use on-campus weight rooms. 

It is still possible, Bromley said, there won't be any fall sports at all.

(Pictured above are slats of wood engraved by BHS teacher Bob Mullen from the gym floor that is being replaced currently. Each graduate received one today.)

A ceremony at Daniel A. Van Detta Stadium was originally planned for the Batavia High School Class of  2020, but with many changes to the governor’s weekly COVID-19 update, that plan was changed.

Today's outdoor ceremony was divvied up into six separate mini graduations with each senior joined by a couple of family members.

Opening remarks were made by Student Council co-mayors Lydia Wahr and Macayla Burke, and by English teacher Kimberly Przybysz, who was chosen by the National Honor Society to give the commencement speech.

The co-mayors presented Principal Paul Kesler with the Dundee Award (in a nod to the TV show "The Office") on behalf of the Class of 2020 in honor of being a supportive principal who succeeded at keeping the rite of graduation close to home.

Above, Batavia City School District Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr.

(Photo above: BHS Principal Paul Kesler)

Immediately following the seniors' event were half hour graduating sessions with social distancing for the Class of 2020 near the historic big tree in front of BHS.

Superintendent Anibal Soler Jr. addressed the graduates but especially parents who wore many different hats after the pandemic shutdown in mid-March: principal, teacher, counselor, social worker.

“Take this setback as an opportunity to make a comeback and make the Class of 2020 historic," Soler said. "Be grateful with the time you spent time with family the last 100-plus days, because at the end of the day that is what truly matters because, to the right and left of you, they got you to the finish line. We are Batavia.”

Principal Kesler told the crowd that nobody has experienced anything like this -- coronavirus -- in their lifetime and he expressed gratitude for his staff and students who had to battle adversity to learn online.

These teens, Kesler noted, although disappointed about missing traditional senior events, were grateful for all their blessings -- the support of friends, school staff, family and life in a free country.

This unique group is "part of a thoughtful generation that loves and values people even more than generations that came before us,"Kesler said. "Above all, you will show love and appreciation for all of those that come across your path, I will truly miss you and am very proud of you, Class of 2020.

Prerecorded speeches were given by the Valedictorian and Salutatorian for five out of six scheduled ceremonies but then both were made in person at their scheduled times.

Valedictorian Andrew Lin maintained a 101.497 cumulative grade-point average throughout high school; plus he achieved a perfect score on the ACT assessment, which has not been done in 15-plus years. A three-sport varsity athlete, Andrew served four years in student government, was active in his community, and will attend MIT this fall to study Computer Engineering. 

Andrew spoke about the Class of 2020 high school years from freshman to high school, and the changes and obstacles members will remember, forged by adversity and resilience.

"In a few short months we will be spread out all over the country, blazing our own futures, continuing to change the realm just like we did in high school -- making friends, taking new interests, expecting challenge and meeting new people," Andrew said. "I leave you with this quote, 'Don’t forget where you came from but always remember where you're going.'

"Batavia High School is our home. We are all behind you; supporting you as your future awaits you."

Salutatorian Lydia Geiger graduates with two honors -- the prestigious elite honors program at The Hochstein School of Music, and with today's advanced regents diploma at Batavia High School with a 101.021 grade-point average.

Lydia has volunteered many hours in the community. She has also participated in every musical program during all four years at BHS. She will further her education at The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam this fall.

Lydia talked about how the class was born to be resilient in the wake of 9/11 and is now graduating in the midst of a global pandemic.

"We look to have the faith when we look through the window even when we see the broken glass," she said. "As time goes on, we fall into living in patterns, going through the motions in the dark, and when the light comes on we don’t always have the perspective of what should be. But who defines what should be?

"The vision of life events that should be, that we create in our minds is not reality. With every passing moment we are putting together the puzzle pieces and this journey we call life. As more of this picture has become evident, we have realized that they’re was a greater purpose."

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Valedictorian Andrew Lin

Salutatorian Lydia Geiger