Notre Dame

Press release:

A total of 120 teen leaders from New York State, including six from St. Joseph Catholic School and Notre Dame High School in Batavia, targeted Altria Group executives and shareholders on Thursday, May 16^th, with an anti-tobacco, anti-nicotine message for the fourth consecutive year.

Their actions, centered outside the Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Va., and areas nearby, focused on why the tobacco giant baited consumers and public health officials with the promise of withdrawing pod-based nicotine products from the market in order to combat teen vaping use, only to invest billions in an e-cigarette company.

“Altria blamed nicotine pods and fruity flavors for fueling a surge in teen vaping,” said Brittany Bozzer, coordinator of the Reality Check program of Tobacco-Free GLOW. “If that’s the case, then why did they invest in Juul, the company that made these types of e-cigarettes so popular?”

Altria Group poured $12.8 billion into the e-cigarette company Juul Labs. This investment will allow Juul products to be displayed alongside regular cigarettes in the nation’s retail outlets, a combination that undercuts earlier promises Altria made with former Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Scott Gottlieb to clamp down on the youth vaping “epidemic.”

“Despite what they say, Altria spends billions marketing their deadly products right in front of us, first cigarettes and now Juul,” said Krysta Hansen, a Notre Dame High School sophomore and Reality Check champion.

“Their goal is to create a new generation of customers—just in a different product. Enough is enough, already!”

The demonstrating teens represent Reality Check of New York and some were dressed in waders and carried fishing poles with a fresh catch of Juul nicotine pods and Marlboro cigarettes dangling from them.

Eight Reality Check teens and two youth leaders were given shareholder proxy tickets and went inside the meeting to address corporate tobacco executives and ask questions.

Some youths took their stories right to the biggest fish – the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Altria Group, Howard Willard.

They want Altria executives, as well as the entire tobacco industry, to know that they won’t be “Fuuled” by Big Tobacco investment in Juul and will continue to carry out the awareness-raising work they start in Richmond in their communities back home.

Public health officials and youth leaders for Reality Check, who have successfully fought to eliminate youth-attracting marketing tactics like colorful packaging and candy flavors in cigarettes through the years, see this as their next big battle to reduce teen tobacco use.

Studies show that kids who shop in stores with tobacco marketing, such as gas stations and convenience stores, are 64 percent more likely to start smoking than their friends who don’t.

Reeling in more information:

Findings on youth tobacco use and tobacco industry marketing in places where children and young adolescents can see it indicate:

• The average age of a new smoker in New York is 13 years old, and 90 percent of adult smokers say they first tried smoking by age 18.
• The U.S. tobacco industry spent an estimated $9.5 billion on advertising and promotion of cigarettes and smokeless tobacco in 2013. This includes nearly $220 million annually in New York State, or nearly $602,000 a day.
• Stores popular among adolescents contain almost three times more tobacco marketing materials compared to other stores in the same community.

Last week's Altria shareholders demonstration was a joint effort between Reality Check NY, No Limits of Nebraska, and Counter Tools of Chapel Hill, N.C., a nonprofit organization that provides training to public health workers who are working on point-of-sale tobacco control.

Reality Check is a teen-led, adult-run program that seeks to prevent and decrease tobacco use among young people throughout New York State.

In preparation for demonstrating on Thursday, the Reality Check youth spent all day Wednesday learning about tobacco control policies; how the tobacco industry contracts with retailers; and how they can stand up, speak out and make a difference in the fight against Big Tobacco.

For more information about Reality Check, visit realitycheckofny.org.

The New York State Department of Health, Bureau of Tobacco Control funds Tobacco-Free GLOW to increase support for New York State’s tobacco-free norm through youth action and community engagement. Efforts are evidence-based, policy-driven, and cost-effective approaches that decrease youth tobacco use, motivate adult smokers to quit, and eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke.

Notre Dame High School kicked off Inclusion Month with an assembly this morning. In March, Notre Dame highlights diversity and acceptance of all people.

Notre Dame dominated Hammondsport in their first-round Class D1 Section V playoff game at Notre Dame on Wednesday night, winning 85-40.

Gabe Macdonald scored 27 points, Colin McCulley scored 17, and Keith Szczepanski added 14 to pace the Fighting Irish.

Spencer Misit scored eight and Andrew Moore scored six. In all, nine Irish put points on the board.

"I think this was a team effort and I thought everybody contributed," Coach Mike Rapone said. "We played really well on both ends of the floor and rebounded well, passed the ball well. Keith was dominant inside and we got him the ball in areas where he could be effective."

Rapone thinks the road to the Class D1 finals runs through Mount Morris, which is where the Irish, now 12-9 on the season, head to next at 7 p.m., Saturday. Mount Morris is ranked second and is 17-3.

"Mount Morris is a very good team," Rapone said. "They got a few guys who have been starting for three years. This is the year they've been pointing to. They think they got a chance to win it all which they do. So this is a big test for us."

Also on Wednesday night, Batavia beat PalMac 87-41. Coverage is coming.

Tomorrow:

• Elba vs. Bradford, 7 p.m. at Elba
• Alexander vs. Geneseo, 7 p.m., at Alexander

Longtime rival Notre Dame stopped Elba's effort to finish the regular season undefeated Tuesday night, beating the Lancers on their home court, 59-47.

Elba is now 18-1 and the Lady Irish are 18-2. Both teams have 13 league wins and so finish the regular season tied atop the Genesee Region.

Entering Class D2 sectional play, Elba should be the #1 seed as it shoots for its third consecutive sectional title.

Notre Dame is ranked #6 in Class B1. Batavia High School is ranked #1 entering into sectionals.

For the Irish, Callie McCulley scored 23 points and had 13 rebounds. Stevie Wilcox scored 12 points and had seven rebounds. Morgan Rhodes scored 10 points and Amelia McCulley scored eight.

UPDATE: Stats for Elba: Taylor Augello, 19 points and eight rebounds. Maddie Muelhig, 13 points, and Leah Bezon, seven points and seven rebounds.

For the seventh time in 13 games this season, the Alexander Trojans topped 60 points en route to their 10th win, beating Notre Dame at Notre Dame, 63-52.

Chris McClinic led the Trojans with 24 points, hitting a pair of three-point baskets along the way, and senior captain Ryan Davis scored 13 points.

"At the beginning, we were able to attack their two-three zone," said Trojan Coach Wayne Hanley. "We were able to get through it pretty quick and made them change things up. I thought Notre Dame did a good job shooting but we did a good job on the boards."

With eight wins against Genesee Region competition (10-3 overall), Alexander is tied for the league lead with Lyndonville and Elba. 

The Trojans lost a home game to Elba on Wednesday, 61-45, and have also lost to Greece-Odyssey, 91-54, and to Cal-Mum, 73-63.

"The kids are playing really well," Hanley said. "We faced some tough competition. Greece-Odyssey, then we played Cal-Mum, and that helped us prepare for the GR itself. The GR is very tough this year. We’ve played some tough games but we’ve been focused every game so I think that has really helped us out."

For Notre Dame, now 6-8, Spencer Misiti scored 16 points, Gabe Macdonald scored 12, and Zachary Cocking scored 11.

Thank you to Coach Hanley for participating in a video interview. Unfortunately, the audio did not come out well enought to use with this video.

UPDATED Jan. 19: WNY Rebels annual AAU Basketball Tryouts for boys and girls will be held on Sunday Jan. 27 and Sunday Feb. 10 at Norte Dame High School gymnasium. Cost is $10 per player. (Jan. 20 tryouts are cancelled due to the snowstorm.)

The school is located at 73 Union St. in the City of Batavia. Questions? Contact Otis Thomas via email at  otisthomas33@yahoo.com

The schedule both days will be as follows:

Fifth / Sixth Grade Girls -- 8 to 9 a.m.

Fifth / Sixth Grade Boys -- 9 to 10 a.m.

Seventh / Eighth Grade Girls -- 10 to 11 a.m.

Seventh / Eighth Grade Boys -- 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Ninth / 10th Grade Girls -- 12 to 1 p.m.

11th / 12th Grade Boys -- 1 to 2 p.m.

Ninth / 10th Grade Boys -- 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Last evening the Genesee region girls basketball rivals, Notre Dame Fighting Irish versus the Oakfield Hornets kept the crowd cheering on both sides for an entertaining evening contest at Notre Dame High School.

Both teams battled the ball through four quarters to a close four-point game after Oakfield scored with 16 seconds left on the clock trailing 41-37. A technical was called against the hornets and foul shots benefited the Irish favor in the remaining seconds to finish on top 45-37.

Oakfield’s Coach Jeff Schlagenhauf’s postgame summary:

“We talked about getting off to a good start in their gym, it’s a tough place to play but great environment for high school basketball. Defensively we stuck to what we wanted with our game plan.

"It all came together in that early part of the game, knowing full well that they would make adjustments. Coach McCulley does a great job with his kids. We were able to weather that storm going into halftime with the lead. But we talked in the locker room, they were going to keep coming, it’s their gym, they’re a good ball club and that’s what they did.

"They really kind of took it to us in the second half a little bit of the standpoint of taking us out of what we wanted us to do. Couple things changed for us after halftime -- offensively we stopped running our plays and could not get the drops. They got a couple easier baskets that did not happen for them in the first half.

"I think that was a little bit of the momentum shift that happened for us not being able to score and they took that lead, four, five points and kind of hung there the rest of the game."

Notre Dame’s Coach Tom McCulley postgame summary:

“After the first quarter being down by 10, we talked about not panicking and do what we can do, were a good team. Oakfield obviously came out with more energy than we did and they got up big, but we got players that can do good things out on the court offensively and defensively and by that we had to dig in, get some stops. 

"Oakfield was getting some easy buckets back in transition on us and we were not getting back very well in the beginning half. Once we started getting back and getting into a half court man to man coverage, they didn’t get so many good looks at the basket and we were able to claw back into it.

"We have some young players that are in new roles this year that have never been in before. When you play a quality team like Oakfield, sometimes you got to get your feet wet, you have to get in the rhythm of the game before you start to feel comfortable and that’s what exactly happened.

"We were able to weather the storm in the first half, Amelia and Sara got comfortable in the game and were the ones that were open. Oakfield was doubling Callie and Stevie when they were in the paint and Sara and Amelia knocked off some huge shots in the third quarter and that got us up and gave us a spark and we never really gave it back.”

Notre Dame Callie McCulley had 12 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocks. Amelia McCulley added 12 points and Stevie Wilcox 10 points. Oakfield-Alabama Kelsey Shlagenauf had 15 points, Shelby Carson 10 points.

Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase click here.

With Notre Dame down two starters, the Lady Irish could never quite get its offense in sync, giving Wellsville the chance to pull away with a 55-46 win in a round-one game of the annual Batavia Rotary Club Tournament at Genesee Community College.

With Stevie Wilcox and Emma Finch out, Wellsville was able to concentrate its defense of Callie McCully. Even so, McCully still came away with 26 points.

Amelia McCully scored nine points.

For Wellsville, Jana Whitehouse scored 19 points and Marley Adams scored 12 points.

Wellsville faces Batavia in the championship game Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Photos by Thomas Ognibene. To view or purchase photos, click here.

Oakfield-Alabama came back from a nearly game-long deficit late in the fourth quarter to tie its opening round game against Notre Dame in the Lions Tournament smaller schools bracket to tie the game late in the fourth quarter.

The Hornets went on to win in overtime, 73-68.

Joey Burdick scored 21 points for OA, with Travis Wiedrich scoring 17, Aiden Johnston, 16, and Ty Kornow, 15.

For Notre Dame, Gabe McDonald had a double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds. Spencer Misiti scored 12 points and Keith Szczepanski scored nine points.

In the smaller school bracket championship tonight at 7 p.m., the Hornets will play Elba.

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

Battle of high school hockey teams headlined the Falleti Ice Arena last evening where Notre Dame dominated Genesee Ice Devils 8-1.

In first-period action, the Irish came out flying led by Alex Totten who scored two goals and one assist. Max Hutchins added two assists and outshot Genesee 10-3 to lead 3-0 after the first period.

Second period Genesee had some opportunities and led in shots 10-8 but did not capitalize in the Irish zone. Hutchins added a goal and assist. Alonso Storey added his second goal of the night and Notre Dame led 5-0 after two periods. Storey also added a goal and assist later in the game.

The Irish added three more goals by Totten, Hutchins and Scott Tanner to lead 8-0. Ice Devils Ian Kemp replaced Alex Hunt midway through the third period. Goalie Mitchel Pangrazio for Notre Dame lost his shutout attempt with 12 seconds left in the game, where Carter Wasilewski put the puck over his glove to score for Genesee. Matt Frieday and Cameron Smith each picked up assists.

Pictured above is Alex Totten of Notre Dame scoring the first goal against Genesee’s Alex Hunt.

To view or purchase photos click here.

The Elba and Notre Dame early-season matchup at Elba was everything you expect an Elba vs. Notre Dame game to be: raucous crowd, and a battle to the end between two talented teams.

This time, the Lancers came out on top 52-48, but it wasn't easy.

The Fighting Irish built up a 10-point lead, thanks to some hot shooting from Lucas Calarco and Spencer Masiti, and led 33 to 27 at the break but Elba kept the pressure on throughout the second half and seemed to wear Notre Dame down by the fourth quarter.

"We shot the ball pretty well," said Notre Dame Head Coach Mike Rapone. "Our biggest thing tonight is we didn’t execute the last four minutes. We took some bad shots. We made some bad turnovers and made a few defensive mistakes. When you’re doing that on the road, you’re not going to come out on top against a good team."

The Lancers were led by Jon Boyce, who scored 28 points and snagged 19 rebounds.

"John's one of the best players in Class D basketball," said his Coach Ciaci Zambito "The way he worked, the way he's gotten himself into shape and just his dedication, he deserves a game like tonight. He went out on his last home game against Notre Dame and I think he made a statement for himself. I'm super proud of him."

With Elba down two key players, Colton Dillon and Gregory Huntington, Boyce said he knew his role on the team but that didn't put any pressure on him.

"It sometimes feels like it's on me but then again it's not on me because I look at our team, I look at who is out there, who's out there playing with me," Boyce said. "Everyone knows their roles. We all have our own strengths."

This game, freshman Zack Marshall stepped up and contributed 11 points, hitting three three-point shots in the second half to help give Elba the boost it needed to mount a comeback.

For Notre Dame, Gabe Macdonald scored 15 points. Misiti and Calarco each scored nine points.

To purchase prints, click here.

NOTE: We apologize to our friends at Notre Dame. We received this article in a timely fashion and neglected to publish it.

Article by Joseph Scanlon.

Eight individual graduates and the 1973 Bishop Smith League Co-champion Football Team were inducted into the Notre Dame High School Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, Nov. 3, at the school.

Inductees included five individuals inducted as student-athletes: John Francis ’66, Mike Callahan ’67, John Stisser ’80, Sue [Burns] Keefe ’81 and Kathy Dwyer ’90 along with two alumni as supporters -- Joe ’68 and Patty Jurewicz ’69 Flynn and Rick Mancuso ’76 as a coach.

ND Principal Wade Bianco opened the program by welcoming the Fighting Irish faithful who packed the newly renovated Reinhart Gymnasium for the evening program

ND grad Deacon Walter Szczesny '76, HOF '15, gave the invocation while ND Athletic Director Mike Rapone '71, HOF '96, served as Master of Ceremonies presenting Hall of Fame plaques to this year’s recipients.

Mark Francis ’75, HOF '96, accepted on behalf of his brother John ‘66 and Hall of Fame Committee member Joe Scanlan, Ph.D., ’65, HOF ’17, read an acknowledgment from Sue Burns’ former Volleyball Coach Rhonda DiCasolo and accepted on behalf of Sue [Burns] Keefe ’81. Mike McGee ‘74 spoke on behalf of the ’73 team being inducted. Annie Lawrence, ND Board of Trustees president, provided closing remarks for this year's well-attended induction program.

A big word of thanks goes out to the following members of the 2018 ND Sports Night Committee for yet another successful program -- Overall Chairperson Mark Francis ’75, HOF ’96; Chair of the Selection Committee Mike Rapone '71, HOF '96; ND Director of Advancement Emily Patrick; Diane Zigrossi Fraser '68,  Michele Rapone Fuller '67; and Joseph Scanlan, Ph.D., ’65, HOF ’17.

Individual bios, as well as a review of the Fall 1973 ND Varsity Football team's accomplishments, follow:

John Francis ‘66

Regarded as one of the most talented student-athletes in the mid-1960s era, as well as in overall ND sports history, Batavia native John Francis was a key member of Fighting Irish Football, Basketball, Baseball and Track and Field teams from 1962 – 1966.

Known for his speed and elusiveness in each of the aforementioned sports, John earned nine Varsity letters during his historic athletic career at ND. Small in stature yet huge in performance, he captained ND’s first ever Bishop Smith League Varsity Football Championship team in the fall of 1965 earning first team All-Catholic all-star honors as a halfback. He led the Smith League in scoring while averaging 6.1 yards per carry. Highlights from his senior team MVP gridiron season included a four-touchdown performance against the Knights of Lockport DeSales [38 -27] and a memorable offensive performance as a running back and defensive performance as a cornerback in ND’s first-ever victory over all boys powerhouse St. Francis of Athol Springs [34 – 14].

A speedy guard and tenacious defender, John played a key role during his senior Varsity Basketball season helping ND qualify for the highly competitive postseason Manhattan Cup competition pitting the top teams in Bishop Burke vs. Bishop Smith leagues for only the second time in school history.

John was a leader in school as well as in the athletic arena has served as a Student Council officer during his sophomore, junior and senior years. His overall senior year athletic performance earned him the recognition of 1966 ND Male Athlete-of-the-Year Award awarded by legendary Director of Athletics Reverend David J. Scheider.

John pursued his football career at the collegiate level at Long Island’s C.W. Post University in Brookville, where he played competitively for four years, his freshman year as a JV team halfback and his final three years as a letter-winning split end. As a junior receiver, he was credited with scoring eight touchdowns and amassing more than 700 total yards including a 78-yard touchdown score. As a senior, he was recognized as ECAC All-East Division 2 “Player of the Week” for his record-setting 12 catch, two touchdowns, 262 yards receiving game which established a C.W. Post school record that stood for 24 years until surpassed in 1993.

John was recognized by the Notre Dame High School Sports Boosters as the Genesee Amateur Athlete-of-the-Year at the annual ND Sports Night in 1968. He graduated with a BA degree in Business Administration from C.W. Post and served as a football graduate assistant in 1970. He currently resides in Las Vegas.

Mike Callahan ‘67

Hailing from Le Roy, Mike Callahan was a prominent member of Fighting Irish Cross-country, Basketball, Baseball and Track and Field teams during his athletic tenure [1963 – 1967] at 73 Union St. Mike played four years of Cross-country and Basketball, three in Baseball and one as a Track and Field team member.

Mike earned coveted All-Catholic recognition during his senior year [1966-67] seasons in Varsity Cross Country, Varsity Baseball and Varsity Track and Field! He finished second overall in the highly competitive 1966 All-Catholic Meet held on the challenging Delaware Park course in Buffalo. As a junior, he was a key member of ND’s fall 1965 undefeated Bishop Smith League Championship Cross-country team – ND’s first Cross-country championship team in school history. Mike was a key performer on ND Cross-country teams, which compiled an overall dual meet 15 – 4 record during his sophomore through senior seasons.

A starting guard on ND’s Varsity Basketball team during his junior and senior years, Mike’s stalwart offensive and defensive play on the hardwood helped ND to qualify for postseason Manhattan Cup competition vs. Bishop Burke league opponents both years. These appearances were only the second and third times that a Fighting Irish Varsity Boys hoop team had advanced to that level in school history. Mike’s team’s two-year Varsity Basketball record was 28 -8 highlighted by a 16 -2 senior season with both losses by one point!

Mike achieved All-Catholic recognition in both Baseball and Track and Field as a senior where his play on the diamond as a pitcher and infielder and on the track as a distance runner helped ND achieve Bishop Smith League Championship status in both sports while interestingly enough participating in both simultaneously.

An excellent academic student, Mike earned the Excellence in Math Award during his senior year at ND and went on to earn a BS degree in Mathematics from St. Bonaventure University in 1971. While at St. Bonaventure, he continued to pursue his athletic career by playing collegiately for the Bona baseball team for two years as well as running Cross-country and Track for one year each.

His post-collegiate softball career earned him induction into both the Rochester Senior Softball Hall of Fame as well as the New York State USSSA [United States Senior Softball Association] Hall of Fame.

Mike and his wife Margy are the proud parents of 3 grown children: Michael [39] Jamie [38] and Dan ’02 [34] and currently reside in Churchville. Now retired, Mike previously served as Office Manager for RR Gamble, CH Wright Distributors and Wright Beverage Distributors in Batavia.

John Stisser ‘80

A native of Pavilion, John Stisser earned 11 Varsity letters during his four-year student-athlete career [1976 – 80] at ND. During this time period, John was a four-year member of Fighting Irish Football, Basketball and Baseball programs as well as a one-year participant in Track and Field.

Named ND Varsity Football’s Outstanding Defensive Back during the 1978 and 1979 fall seasons, John’s play on the gridiron helped ND earn Genesee Region [GR] Championships during both his junior [1978-79] and senior [1979-80] seasons, as well as a coveted Section V NYSPHSAA Class C Championship during his junior fall 1978 season. He was named to the Genesee Region [GR] Football All-Star team as a Defensive Back as a junior and also as a senior while he served as ND Varsity Football team’s co-captain.

He was recognized as the MVP of the 1978 JV Basketball team and received the Coach’s Award during his senior hoop season [1979-80].

A -four-year letter winner as a Varsity Baseball player, John’s play on the diamond earned him Genesee Region [GR] All-Star status as a junior [1979] and as a senior [1980] when he helped lead ND to two consecutive GR Baseball Championships, as well as Section V NYSPHSAA Class C Championships. He concluded his star-studded baseball career by being selected as the MVP of the GR All-Star Baseball game.

The 1979-80 ND Male Athlete-of-the-Year, John graduated with honors from ND in 1980, and continued his post-secondary education at Marietta College in Ohio where he earned a BA in General Studies.

John and his wife Pnina are the proud parents of three grown children – Max [31], Joe [26] and Meredith [19] and currently reside in Manchester, NH. He previously spent 20 years in publishing with The New York Times/Simon and Schuster and Manson News and currently is employed by Reynolds American Inc. Trade Marketing Services.

Sue [Burns] Keefe ‘81

Sue [Burns] Keefe was a truly remarkable four-sport student-athlete at ND [1978 – 1981] during which time the native Batavian was a four-year member of the Lady Irish Varsity Volleyball and Basketball teams and a three-year member of the Lady Irish Varsity Soccer and Tennis programs.

She was a senior tri-captain in Soccer and a key member of her team at the sweeper position for which she earned team MVP recognition in 1980.

She co-captained her ND girls Volleyball team as a senior, a sport she excelled at under the tutelage of legendary ND Girls Volleyball Coach Rhonda DiCasolo.

Sue’s overall play as a setter earned her team MVP honors and Genesee Region [GR] All-Star recognition during both her junior [1979] and senior [1980] seasons under Coach DiCasolo. She earned Section V NYSPHSAA All-Tournament team recognition as a senior and played a key role in helping ND earn two Section V NYSPHSAA Class C Championships [1978 and 1980] during her time as a Varsity team member.

She received the ND Sportsmanship Award as well as the prestigious 1981 Female Athlete-of-the Year honor during her senior year [1980-1981] at ND.

Upon graduation from ND in 1981, Sue entered Niagara University to pursue a BS degree in Nursing. In addition to earning her undergraduate degree in Nursing, she has also earned two master's degrees, one in Nursing and the other in Epidemiology. While at Niagara, she played Division I Softball for three years as a first baseman for the Purple Eagles as well as Varsity Tennis for four years! She was the recipient of the Niagara University Interscholastic Athletic Sportsmanship Award as a graduating senior in 1985.

Sue is currently employed by Catholic Health System in Buffalo in a management position and continues to enjoy golf and tennis recreationally. She credits her success in athletics, education and life in general to her former ND Girls Volleyball Coach Rhonda DiCasolo and Girls Physical Educational instructor Faith Flick, who were amazing role models inspiring her as a female and as a student-athlete during her career at ND.

Sue and her husband Daniel currently reside in Amherst and are the proud parents of two grown children Katherine [24], Daniel Maxwell [22].

Kathy Dwyer ‘90

Kathy Dwyer was a key member of Fighting Irish Varsity Volleyball, Basketball and Tennis teams in the late 1980s – early 1990s earning 13 Varsity Letters, as well as multiple team MVP awards, Genesee Region [GR] All-Star accolades and Section V NYSPHSAA All-Tournament recognitions during her star-studded ND career.

A four-year Varsity Volleyball team member, Kathy received team MVP and Section V NYSPHSAA All-Tournament team recognition in both her junior and senior years, as well as Genesee Region [GR] All-Star recognition as a senior.

Kathy began her star-studded career as a member of the Lady Irish Varsity Basketball team as an eighth-grader at St. Joseph’s Elementary School in Batavia and proceeded to earn team MVP honors during three Varsity hoop seasons! During this time period [1985-1990], she was recognized as a Genesee Region [GR] All-Star on 3 occasions [1988, 1989 and 1990] and a Section V NYSPHSAA All-Tournament selection twice [1989 and 1990].

She also played four years of Varsity Tennis and earned team MVP honors in 1989 and 1990.

Kathy was named ND Female Athlete-of-the-Year in both her junior [1988-89] and senior [1989-90] years!

Upon graduation from ND, she attended SUNY Cortland where she earned a BSE degree in Physical Education in 1994. While at SUNY Cortland, she played two seasons of women’s collegiate Tennis and Basketball. During that time period, she was the starting point guard for the Women’s Varsity Red Dragons' Basketball team. She earned her master’s degree from United States Sports Academy after her undergraduate career at SUNY Cortland.

Kathy now joins her sister -- Lisa Dwyer Lenhart ’83, ND HOF ’15 -- as the second member of the Dwyer family to be recognized as a ND Hall of Famer! She is currently employed as a Physical Education instructor in the Alexander Central School District where she also coaches Boys Modified Tennis.

Team Recognition

ND Fall 1973 Varsity Football Team – Bishop Smith League Co-champions

The Fall 1973 Varsity Football Team [5 – 1 Bishop Smith League competition;  7 – 2 overall record] avenged their only regular season Smith League loss to Lackawanna Baker-Victory by defeating the previously undefeated Lockport DeSales Knights to gain a share of the highly sought after 1973 Smith League title.

A review of the ND’s 1974 Mater Dei credits the junior passing combination of QB Andy Vogl to wideout Mark Francis and the punishing running of sophomore Walter Szczesny – currently ND’s Campus Minister/Theology teacher – as key cogs in Coach Bayne Johnson’s Fighting Irish offense. A review of Batavia Daily News articles during the 1973 season continually made mention of Jerry Cecere and Mike McGee as offensive contributors and teammates Dan Wagner, Tom Maxwell, Mike Mead and Tom Hughes as turning in stellar defensive performances on a weekly basis.

The season-ending non-league portion of the 1973 season came to a memorable end as the Irish retired the “Judd Cup” – named in honor of former ND football team member and United States Military Academy at West Point graduate Don Judd ’60 who was killed in action during the Vietnam War -- with a 15 – 6 victory over Genesee County rival Le Roy on a snow-covered Oatkan Knights’ home field at Le Roy’s Hartwood Park. Sophomore Walt Szczesny scored both ND TDs in this season ending finale enabling the Irish to finish the season with a 7 – 2 record for the second straight season!

The season did not end without individual honors bestowed on team members as Mark Francis ‘75 was named to the prestigious All-Western New York Football All-Star team as well as receiving first team All New York State recognition. Jeff Sanfratello ’74 [2^nd team] and Mike Mead ‘74 [3^rd team] also received New York State All-Star nods.

ND was well represented on the 1973 All-Catholic team with seven team member recognitions: seniors Co-Captain Mike McGee, Jeff Sanfratello, Mike Mead, Tom Maxwell and juniors Co-Captain Mark Francis, Andy Vogl and Kevin Sullivan.

Team members included 11 seniors [Class of ‘74] Robert Minekheim, Mike McGee, Mike Hughes, Mike Mead, Jerome Cecere, Jeff Sanfratello, James Tibbs, Ed Flynn, Andy Cordes, Thomas Maxwell and James Majors; 11 juniors [Class of ‘75] Andy Vogl, Mark Francis, Mike Tepedino, Jim Tassone, Dan Wagner, Kevin Sullivan, Mark Steger, Joe Cesarano, Ange Paradise, Tony Pecora and Dennis Johnson and nine sophomores [Class of 1976] James Mullen, Paul Judd, Walt Szczesny, Dan DiMartino, Mike Cordes, Steve Bucciffero, Stacey Thompson, Vic Marchese and Tom McGrath and one freshman [Class of 1977] Gino Oliveri.

The 1973 Bishop Smith League Co-Champions were coached by Head Coach Bayne Johnson and assistant coaches Rich Funke and Ed Sullivan. Tom Cesarano and Pat Vogl served as student managers.

Supporter Recognition

Joe [’68] and Patty [‘69] Jurewicz Flynn

Suffice it to say, Joe and Patty [Jurewicz] Flynn are classic examples of ND alumni who continue to truly enjoy bleeding “blue and gold” in support of all ND student-athletes long after their own children have graduated from ND!

The Flynns have passionately supported our Alma Mater’s Fighting Irish athletic program since their early days as students in the mid- to late-1960s, initially as student-athletes, later as parents of their ND daughters Maura [class of 2000] and Mallory [class of 2004] participation in athletics and even after their daughters’ graduations as dedicated fans who simply enjoyed [and continue to enjoy!] supporting their Alma Mater’s rich history of interscholastic athletic competition.

The Flynns interest in athletics dates back to their high school days at 73 Union St. when ND was a competitive member in Diocese of Buffalo Bishop Smith League Catholic high school competition. Joe ’68 was a member of Fighting Irish Basketball, Football, Cross-country and Tennis teams while Patty ’69 was a member of Fighting Irish ND Volleyball and Bowling teams and a four-year participant in intramurals throughout high school.

A prior recipient of the prestigious Father David J. Scheider ND Alumni Award for promoting ND in the community, Joe earned his BBA degree in Business in 1972 from St. John Fisher College in Rochester and pursued a career as an accountant with Batavia-based Eaton Corporation – Trojan Industries [1973 -1994] and Boyle’s Motor Sales [1994 – 2017] prior to retirement.

Patty earned her BA Education degree from Mercyhurst College in Erie, Pa., in 1973 and her MS Education degree from the State University College at Buffalo in 1976. Her 37-year teaching career as an elementary educator included teaching assignments in the Pioneer Central School District [1973-76], St. Joseph’s Elementary School in Batavia [1976 – 77] and Pembroke Central School District [1977 – 2010], from which she retired in 2010.

Congratulations are definitely in order for ND Athletic Hall of Fame inductees Joe and Patty Flynn for their ongoing support of Fighting Irish athletics as well as their interest in ND student-athletes as individuals. It wouldn’t be a ND sporting event if you weren’t there to lend your loyal, passionate support!

Coaching Recognition

Rick Mancuso ‘76

Rick Mancuso’s ’76 flair for competition began at ND when he entered as a freshman in the fall of 1972. Throughout high school [1972-76] he was known for his competitive spirit as a key member of Fighting Irish Varsity Football, Basketball and Baseball programs. Upon graduation from ND in 1976, Rick continued his education at Niagara University where he earned his BS degree in Management in 1980. The competitive spirit and work ethic that he demonstrated as a student at ND and Niagara University have contributed to his successful career in business in the Batavia area as the President of Mancuso Restaurant [T.F. Brown’s] and Bowling Lanes, and Main and Ellicott Properties LLC [Mancuso Real Estate], as well as a legendary coach in the annals of ND Fighting Irish sports history.

The following review of Coach Mancuso’s 37-year relationship with his Alma Mater [documented and supplied by current ND Director of Athletics Mike Rapone ’71, HOF ’15] paints the picture of an individual who truly epitomized the qualities of dedication to his Alma Mater and a work ethic of service to ND and his student-athletes throughout his coaching career.

Coach Mancuso began his coaching career as the Head JV Football Coach at ND in the fall of 1981, a position he held until taking over the reins of ND’s Varsity Football program in 2005 following the retirement of longtime, legendary Varsity Football Coach Bill Sutherland ’67. During his tenure as Varsity Football Coach, Rick’s Varsity Football teams qualified for Section V post season competition in nine of his 13 seasons and, in the process, won two Section V Class D NYSPHSAA Championships [2006, 2012], advanced to the title game on three other occasions while also winning three Genesee Region [GR] League Championships! He was recognized as Section V “Coach of the Year” during both title years.

In addition to his success on the gridiron, Rick also coached ND Lady Irish Varsity Softball for five years [2011-2015] winning a New York State Class D Softball Championship in 2012 after advancing to the NYSPHSAA semifinals the prior year. His Varsity Softball teams captured Section V NYSPHSAA Class D Championships in 2011 and 2012 as well as earning three Genesee Region [GR] Championships during this same time period. Rick received New York State “Coach of the Year” as well as Rochester Democrat and Chronicle recognition as All Greater Rochester “Coach of the Year” in 2012.

Coach Mancuso’s resume also includes successful stints as ND’s JV and Varsity Baseball coach, as well as a successful Boys Modified Basketball coaching record during which time period his teams lost only one game!

A very civic-minded individual, Rick has served as a past director of the Batavia Area Jaycees, the Batavia Rotary Club, Batavia Youth Football, and the Children’s’ Home Association, as well having served as a contributing member of the ND Board of Trustees and the Batavia Improvement District. He has played a key role hosting the annual T.F. Brown’s Community Christmas Dinner for the underprivileged for the past 25 years.

A past recipient of the Father David J. Scheider ND Alumni Award for service to others and the Paolo Busti Society ”Outstanding Italian American Award,” Rick and his wife, Julie, are proud parents of five ND graduates – Morgan [‘01], Alexandra [‘03], Rick [‘05], Patrick ‘[08] and Maddie [‘11].

Congratulations on your 2018 ND Athletic Hall of Fame induction, Rick . . . A true Hall of Famer – on the field of play and in the community!

Top photo: Individual 2018 ND Athletic Hall of Fame Inductees [L to R]: Rick Mancuso ’76 [Coach], Mike Callahan ’67, John Stisser ’80, Patty Jurewicz Flynn ’69 [Supporter] Kathy Dwyer ’90 and Joe Flynn ’68 [Supporter]. Not pictured: John Francis ’66 and Sue [Burns] Keefe ’81.

Fifteen of the original 32 roster members of ND's 1973 Bishop Smith League Co-Champion Football team returned for the Nov. 3rd induction ceremony. Pictured Row #1 [L to R]: Mike Hughes, Jeff Sanfratello, Mike Mead, Joe Cesarano, Mike Tepedino, Jerry Cecere, Paul Judd and Mark Francis.

Row #2 [L to R]: Ed Flynn, Dan Wagner, Andy Vogl, Walt Szczesny, Mike McGee, Dan DiMartino and Jim Tassone.

In a very tight sectional semifinal class D3 matchup Notre Dame of Batavia edged CG Finney last evening in five sets 25-20, 21-25, 20-25, 25-17, 25-20 at Wayland Cohocton High School.

Notre Dame took the first set win but CG Finney came on strong catching the Irish down two sets to one. Lots of energy flowed from play to play for Finney, which carried the momentum into the fourth but the Irish delivered with some key kills and digs to force a deciding set.

The Irish got off their heels and back in the game in the fifth to win it and send them to the finals against Hammondsport, who they play at SUNY Geneseo college tomorrow at 3 p.m. There was a lot of heart played by both teams especially the underdogs CG Finney.

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Students at Notre Dame walked through the school's neighborhood today in support of their effort to raise funds so a school in Uganda can have clean, safe drinking water.

The students raised $4,635.30 through donations from friends and family. Mary Vandenbosch, a senior, raised the most money, $955. Sophomore MacKenzy Nenni raised $312.

In the rain, on a muddy track, Notre Dame's offense was unable to find its groove Saturday afternoon and slowly watched its Class D quarterfinal playoff game against York/Pavilion slip away.

The Fighting Irish lost 18-0.

At this time, no stats are available.

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