batavia sports

Anna Varland and  Casper Stewart were honored on Wednesday evening at the Athletes of the Year by the Batavia Coaches Association at Batavia High School's annual Athletic Awards program.

Varland was a standout in soccer, flag football, basketball and softball.

Stewart won the school's first-ever state championship in wrestling and has been accepted into West Point.

Athletic Director Ryan Winchip provided the following list of awards and winners:

Batavia Coaches Assoc. Outstanding Achievement Award: 
This award is presented to student-athletes who won an individual sectional championship, competed at states as an individual or were an all-greater Rochester selection.

Ava Anderson   Indoor Track & Field Sectional Champion; Outdoor Track & Field  Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Jadyn Boyce   Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion; Outdoor Track and Field State Competitor

Mallory Boyce  Outdoor Track and Field State Competitor

Kylee Brennan    Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion

Mekhi Fortes     All-Greater Rochester - Football

Grant Gahagan     Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion

Cameron Garofalo     Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion

Cole Grazioplene     All-Greater Rochester - Football; Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion

Jenna Higgins      Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion

Cooper Konieczny     Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champ; Outdoor Track and Field State Competitor

Jameson Motyka      All-Greater Rochester - Ice Hockey

Adyson O'Donnell     Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Parris Price     Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion

Ella Radley     Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Campbell Riley     All-Greater Rochester - Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field; Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Izzy Scott     Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion  

Ella Shamp    Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion; Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor  

Sheldon Siverling   All-Greater Rochester - Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field; Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor; Outdoor Track and Field State Champion - Shot put

Madeline Smith     Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion; All Greater Rochester - Outdoor Track and Field; Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Harrison Southall   Swimming and Diving Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Helaina Staley    Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion

Casper Stewart Sectional Champion and Wrestling State Champion 145 pound weight class

Jessa Stewart   States - Outdoor Track and Field

Nevaeh Thomas   States - Outdoor Track and field

Anna Varland   Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Isaac Varland   Outdoor Track and Field State Competitor

Karizma Wescott    Indoor Track and Field Sectional Champion; Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor

Ava Wierda   Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field Sectional Champion and State Competitor

The James Pacino Memorial Scholarship
Recognizing a graduating senior from Batavia High School carrying a minimal final average of 85 and who has had successful involvement with the Wrestling program at BHS.  ($500 & certificate)

Casper Stewart

Burk Family Scholarship for Excellence in Track and Community Service:
This award recognizes a graduating senior from Batavia High School who has a minimal final average of 85 and has had successful involvement with the track program at BHS. Furthermore, the applicant should be involved in serving their community through projects in school or outside of school. ($300 & certificate)

Donavin Solis

Burk Family Scholarship for Excellence in Football and Community Service
This award recognizes a graduating senior from Batavia High School who has a minimal final average of 85 and has had successful involvement with the football program at BHS. Furthermore, the applicant should be involved in serving their community through projects in school or outside of school. ($300 & certificate)

Brock Warren

Thomas Ricci Memorial Scholarship
This award is presented to a BHS graduate who, in the estimation of the nominating committee, best exemplifies the attributes of Coach Thomas J. Ricci, Sr., insofar as sportsmanship, teamwork, leadership, and dedication to excellence in the sports of cross country and track and field.  The recipient may not necessarily be the best athlete, but will have worked hard to improve and succeed.  The recipient must have a clear goal for the future.  ($500 & certificate)

Jadyn Boyce

Daniel VanDetta Memorial Scholarship
This award is presented to a BHS graduate participating in football and baseball and exemplifies qualities of dedication, leadership and team spirit  ($200 & certificate)

Mekhi Fortes

Outstanding Physical Education Student Award
This award is presented to one male and one female student from the senior class who demonstrates 100% effort all of the time, who demonstrates sportsmanship, understands the value of being active, is a leader in their environment and maintains an A average in Physical Education. These students are also active in the community through community service and/or club participation.   (Certificate)

Male – Hunter Mileham

Female – Prudence Favaloro

United States Air Force Scholar Athlete
This award is presented to one male and one female student who have excelled in both academics and athletics. (Certificate)

Male – Quintin Cummings

Female – Grace Parker

United States Army Reserve National Scholar-Athlete:
This award is presented to a senior girl and boy who have excelled in both academics and athletics.  (Certificate) 

Male – Owen Halpin

Female – Julia Preston

United States Navy Outstanding Athlete Award
This award is presented to male and female varsity-level athletes who demonstrate honor, courage, and commitment and are positive role models within their peer groups. Award recipients are the most inspirational and demonstrate these values both on and off the athletic field. (Certificate)

Male – Harrison Southall

Female – Giana Mruczek

United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award:
This award is given to a male and female 9th-12th grade student-athlete who participates in a varsity sport, are exemplary young citizens and role models for younger students, and best exhibit the personal traits of courage, poise, self-confidence and leadership.  They need not be your most outstanding athlete, but one who has exhibited this unique combination of qualities while performing in high school sports.  

Male – Noah Whitcombe

Female –Lily Jo Wagner

Varsity Club Award:  
This award is in recognition of Batavia High School senior athletes who have demonstrated a high level of athletic proficiency, sportsmanship and dedication.  Please hold your applause until all recipients have been called. (Certificate) 

Ethan Bradley, Josh Budzinack, Brian Calderon, Ryan Cox, Julia Clark, Dane Dombrowski, Caleb Henning, Aleeza Idrees, Orion Lama, Tymothey Murrell, Ryan Plath, Parris Price, Emmanuel Richardson, Anna Stevens, Quinn Woeller

The Maddy Bartz Memorial Cheer Scholarship  
This award is given to a graduating Varsity Cheerleader who best represents a passion for cheerleading and an exemplary care and dedication to fellow teammates. ($500 & plaque)

Sophia Antonucci

Jason “Joy-a” Gioia Memorial Scholarship
This award is given in memory of Jason Gioia. The recipient has been active and shown dedication to school activities and the community. ($500 & certificate)

Cole Grazioplene

Dr. Pierce Sportsmanship Award 
This award is presented to a deserving male and female senior student athlete who in the opinion of coaches best exemplifies the true spirit of good sportsmanship in competition.  (plaque)

Male –Patrick Suozzi

Female – Sophia Moore

Batavia Coaches Assoc. Scholar-Athlete Award: 
This award is presented to a senior boy and girl who has a 90 or above cumulative average, participates in one or more sports and who values outstanding achievement in academics and athletics. (plaque) 

Male - Nick Martinucci

Female – Aleeza Idrees

Batavia Lions Club Athletic Award
This award is presented to a deserving senior who has demonstrated outstanding athletic ability, citizenship and scholastic ability – (certificate)

Isabella Walsh

Project Play WNY Multisport Athletic Award
This award is given to a male and female senior who has demonstrated a commitment to their teams through a willingness to help, teach and assist their teammates and coaches and served as a positive and relatable role model through positive sportsmanship and great attitude on and off the court or field. Succeeded in the classroom by maintaining academic eligibility throughout their high school career. Made a positive difference to the lives of youth at their school or in the wider community. Showed resilience and determination during challenging situations.  (Certificate)

Male – Ben Stone

Female – Kaelee Kelso

1947 Club Athletics Award
This award is presented to a deserving male and female senior demonstrating outstanding participation, effort and ability in interscholastic athletics.  (plaques)

Male – Cole Grazioplene

Female - Ella Radley

Awards of Excellence:
Presented to seniors who have participated in a sport for the Fall, Winter and Spring sports seasons during the course of their senior school year.  Plaque  

Jadyn Boyce, Brian Calderon, Ryan Cox, Mekhi Fortes, Cole Grazioplene, Caleb Henning, Aleeza Idrees, Kaelee Kelso, Nicholas Martinucci, Sophia Moore, Tymothey Murrell, Ryan Plath, Julia Preston, Parris Price, Ella Radley, Emmanuel Richardson, Donavin Solis, Benjamin Stone, Patrick Suozzi, Anna Varland, Isabella Walsh, Brock Warren, Noah Whitcombe

Batavia Coaches Association Athlete of the Year
To a senior girl and boy for outstanding leadership, sportsmanship and athletic performance.  (Plaque and $50 from Coaches Association) 

Male –     Casper Stewart

Female – Anna Varland

Rick Ruhlman, a fixture at Dwyer Stadium for decades, was recognized before the Batavia Muckdog's second game of a twin bill on Friday against Auburn.

He threw out the first pitch, and PA announcer Paul Spiotta read the following statement:

Rick Ruhlman, BHS Class of 1976, is an essential and beloved figure in the history of Batavia sports.

Whether on the sidelines, in the locker room, from the press box, or in the stands, Rick has enriched and encouraged Batavia athletes in countless ways over the past half century. For his labors of love, Rick was inducted into the Blue Devils Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.

Tonight, the Batavia Blue Devils and the Batavia Muckdogs would like to thank Rick Ruhlman for a lifetime of service. Rick, you have made Batavia a better place.

The Muckdogs won the first game 9-0.  Ty Woods, from Alexander and a student at GCC, tossed six innings of shutout ball, yielding a single hit, walking one, and striking out three.  Woods picked up his first win in two starts with an ERA on the season of 0.75.

The team collected 11 hits, with Kyle Hetherington and Zach Kasperowicz getting two hits apiece.  Nine different players scored once and only once, and Kasperowicz was the only player who didn't cross the plate in the game.  He had one RBI.

Batavia won the second game 1-0. Julian Pichardo went the distance (seven innings) to pick up his second win and a complete-game shutout. He scattered three hits and one walk, striking out nine.

The Muckdogs were held to three hits.

Photos by Nick Serrata.