Each June, one of the most stunning sights in Batavia came as you made a corner on West Main Street and were confronted with the sight of a giant Catalpa tree in full flower near Colonial Boulevard.

A blue sky and a shock of white flowers made for a beautiful scene, even amid cars, trucks and business signs.

The tree came down this morning to make way for retail development next to a planned new Tim Horton's between West Main and Lewiston Road.

I can't think of any place else in Genesee County that has a Catalpa tree in easy view of the public. There's apparently no tree museum around, either.

Previously: Photos: Tree on West Main Street, Batavia

Washington Post: For the Redskins, what’s in a name? Plenty

Slow news day. I had some business to conduct in Le Roy this morning, so naturally I took just about the longest route I could without leaving Genesee County. That took me through Bethany. In the afternoon, I was going to cover a story in Pavilion, but that didn't pan out, and as the late afternoon sun bent toward the West, I found myself again in Bethany.

Above, telephone poles on Brown Road.

Again, on Brown Road.

From Brown Road.

Jerico Road and East Road.

East Bethany Le Roy Road.

The Little Tonawanda off Mill Road, Linden.

I was fascinated by this large leaf I found on the ground next to the Little Tonawanda. I brought it home to Billie.

A little flower by the roadside of Mill Road.

A tourist from Holland who was injured and had his bike damaged by a hit-and-run driver Oct. 5 found out Sunday that despite the mishap there are good people in Genesee County who will lend a helping hand.

Rich Ohlson only knows the rider as Bert, but when Det. Todd Crossett, Batavia PD, called Olhson to tell him what he had learned about Bert, Ohlson was more than happy to help.

Bert was hospitalized with minor injuries, but his bicycle was damaged enough that he wouldn't be able to finish his journey through Upstate New York.

The trip began in Canada and would end in Toronto, where Bert would catch a flight back to Holland.

He was alone in a foreign country with no way of continuing as long as his bike was damaged.

"If I was in a jam like that on a Sunday with no bike shops open, I would hope somebody would help me," Ohlson said. "That's what our ministry is all about -- being a servant."

Ohlson heads up Ride to Recovery, an Oakfield-based ministry that uses bicycles as a way to lead people to Christ.

On Sunday, Ohlson went to the motel where Bert was staying after being released from UMMC and brought along his parts and tools trailer for bicycle repair -- Ohlson often tunes up bikes in Austin Park when Care-A-Van is there. It so happened, Ohlson had all the right spare parts, including a back wheel that fit and a luggage rack much like the one destroyed in the accident.

Bert wasn't too interested in Ohlson talking about salvation, so Ohlson said he just went about the business of repairing the bike, hoping that his deeds would speak louder than his words. He did give Bert a Bible to take with him.

"As a fellow bicyclist, he's doing what I would love to do," Ohlson said.

The car that hit Bert is believed to be a small red car with glass missing from the passenger-side mirror as a result of the accident. Anybody with information about the car or the driver can call the Sheriff's Office at (585) 345-5000.

Press release:

This year's Fabulous Females Committee has decided that there are too many good women and young ladies in Genesee County to ignore. So the 2013 event will include an award each for females aged 12 to 17; 18 to 30; an overall 2013 recipient and someone chosen out of the pool of prior recipients for continuing her contributions to the community.

The awards lunch is set for noon Saturday, Nov. 16 at Genesee Community College, 1 College Road. Deadline for nominations is now Oct. 18. (It was moved up from Oct. 8).

All of the awards fit into this year's theme that is based on Chinese folklore about red thread. Invisible threads connect a newborn child's spirit to all of the people who will be important in the child's life. So it is with this community, and how each award recipient serves to pull all of the pieces together.

Hosted by YWCA of Genesee County, this event is to include a light-hearted afternoon of lunch, entertainment and awards. Based on the beauty of nature, awards range from the Seedling to Bouquet to capture each stage of development.

Recipients for all but one of the awards will be announced before the event. The Bouquet Award will be kept secret for a surprise unveiling that day.

"This event has evolved over the years, and we really hope to create a memorable day for not only the award recipients but those family, friends and colleagues in attendance," YW Executive Director Jeanne Walton said. "Much in the way a flower develops from a seedling into a full-blown blossom, these recipients have demonstrated their own unique beauty. And the legacy winner will be the celebration of a bouquet of accomplishments!"

Before any awards can be handed out, though, people need to submit their chosen candidates by Oct. 18. Here is the criteria for each category:

• The 2013 Fabulous Female Seedling Award will go to a young lady between 12 and 17 who has demonstrated perseverance and gumption through adversity and a willingness to help out the community. Her growth is evident despite her age. The ideal candidate is not your typical all-star athlete or honor society member, but someone who shines behind the scenes.
• The 2013 Fabulous Female Petal Award is for a woman from 18 to 30 who has shown her spirit through volunteer, professional and personal efforts to improve the community in some way.
• The 2013 Fabulous Female Blossom Award is for that special woman who has become an integral member of society in the way she works, serves, speaks and behaves.
• The 2013 Fabulous Female Bouquet Award is a nod to the legacy to be left by a former Fabulous Female for her continuing efforts and contributions to the community.

Nomination forms may be obtained online at www.ywcagenesee.org or at YWCA, 301 North St.

Tickets for the event are $25 each and may be purchased at YWCA or Bank of Castile. There are also opportunities to sponsor a table with special promotional perks.

For more information, call 343-5808.

A two-vehicle accident is reported at 9970 Fargo Road in Darien. It is blocking traffic. One person is complaining of neck pain. A Sheriff's deputy is on scene. Mercy medics are responding. The location is between Bell and Reynolds roads.

CNN Opinion: America's students failing to learn history

Use the PayPal button below for your purchase. Limit one per household. Remember, the gift certificate must be redeemed during lunchtime -- 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and redeemed within 30 days, and one per table. There are a total of 10 gift certificates available sold on a first-click, first-sold basis. We're calling this a half-price lunch deal, but it should be obvious that only applies if your lunch costs $20. If you spend more, there's no additional discount.

SOLD OUT!

Four games this weekend, two going to Medina and two to Alexander. The rain held out, but a soggy field led to muddy jerseys and slippery runs up the middle.

Beginners:

Scoring for the beginners were:

Alexander - Tyler Marino (Extra point by Tyler Marino)

Medina - Kaedon Hangartner (Extra point by Kaedon Hangartner)

Alexander - Clayton Bezon (Extra point by Clayton Bezon)

Alexander - Tyler Marino (No extra point)

Medina - Sawyer Kingsbury (Two-point conversion caught by Kaedon Hangartner)

Mini:

Going into the game Medina was 6-0 and the Tri-town trojans were 4-2. Alexander threw everything they had at Medina and prevailed, breaking the Medina unbeaten streak.

Scoring for the mini division:

Medina - Aiden Pitts (Extra point by Aiden Pitts)

Medina - Joshua Wilson (No extra point)

Alexander - Nick Kramer (No extra point)

Alexander - Connor Scott (Extra point by Matthew Jasen)

Alexander - Connor Scott (No extra point)

JV

It was all Medina on offense and defense today.

Scoring for JV:

Medina - Brian Fry (Extra point Brian Fry)

Medina - Brian Fry (Two-point conversion throw from Zachary Blount to Carson Dusett)

Medina - Interception by Brian Fry returned for a touchdown (Two-point conversion from Zachary Blount to Aron Seefeldt Jr.)

Medina - Brian Fry (No extra point)

Medina - Fumble recovered by Emmanual Taylor, who ran for a touchdown (Extra point by Brian Fry)

Varsity:

Medina Varsity squad held Alexander scoreless for the entirety.

Scoring for the varsity squad:

Medina - Damon Bloom (Two-point conversion throw from Izaiah Rhim to Johnethan Salone)

Medina - Damon Bloom (Extra point by Damon Bloom)

Medina - Ronnie Koonce III (Two-point conversion throw from Izaiah Rhim to Trenton Jones)

Medina - Trenton Jones reception from Izaiah Rhim (No extra point)

Medina - Trenton Jones fumble recovery, ran in for a touchdown (No extra point)

Medina - Trenton Jones reception from Izaiah Rhim (Extra point by Vincent Montague)

More pictures from this weekend's games can be found here: NOFA Alexander - Medina

For the first time in a long time, Tom Turnbull experienced a "first day on the job" today.

Thirty-eight years after a "first day" with the Batavia Daily News, Turnbull was the new guy trying to figure out where the supply of pens and paper clips were stored in the offices of the Genesee County Chamber of Commerce.

Turnbull replaces Lynn Freeman, who retired, as chamber president.

"I've always had a deep love for the chamber and have always been involved," said Turnbull during his introduction mixer at Terry Hills.

The way Turnbull sees it, he's taking over a great organization that doesn't need an overhaul.

"Our chamber is one of the best run in the state and that one was of the things that excited me about taking this job," Turnbull said. "Lynn and the staff have done a great job. The way I look at it is I'm just going to take the baton and keep on running."

The chamber, he said, plays an important role in supporting the business community because a strong business community ensures a better quality of life for everybody.

The chamber's function includes training for small businesses, representing business to elected leaders and providing networking opportunities for business owners and employees.

"There's strength in numbers and I think that's what a group like the chamber does for the small guy," Turnbull said. "You have 600 members and there's strength in numbers for advocacy, working with government and getting your views out. Also we can bring a lot of seminars, a lot of training that small companies can't usually afford to do on their own."

Dispatchers informed Batavia patrols that at least three callers reported hearing three or four gunshots in the area of Jackson and Central.

A minute later, a Batavia officer reported pulling over a vehicle that had just "blown through" a stop sign at Sumner and Swan. There were three individuals in the vehicle. Two took off heading south and were reportedly wearing red.

A minute later, a caller reported more gunshots on Jackson Street.

Multiple Batavia PD units are responding to Jackson and Central as well as Swan and Sumner.

UPDATE 9:52 p.m.: A caller on South Swan reports two black males running through a back yard. One wearing a red sweatshirt and the other wearing a tan sweatshirt.

UPDATE 10:16 p.m.: An officer reports a .45 casing has been found on Jackson. A possible suspect vehicle is a white Jeep.

UPDATE 10:53 p. m.: Jackson Street is currently closed to all through traffic. 

UPDATE 11:45 p.m.: Jackson Street is clear.

Not only was Michael C. Kraatz hauled off to jail today in handcuffs, his car was impounded as well as part of a Batavia PD investigation into a Sunday morning strong-arm robbery of the 7-11 store on East Main Street.

Kraatz is charged with robbery, 3rd, grand larceny, 4th, and resisting arrest. He was jailed without bail pending his next court appearance.

The 34-year-old Batavia resident is accused of entering the 7-11 at 4:04 a.m., Sunday, grabbing a clerk and demanding money.

The suspect fled the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash.

When asked about the robbery this morning, Chief Shawn Heubusch characterized the case as "a very active investigation."

Three hours after Heubusch made that statement, police were knocking on the door of a residence on North Spruce Street.

Officers reported over the radio that the suspect was fleeing -- Kraatz allegedly jumped out of a rear window -- and minutes later an officer reported that he was "15" (code for making an arrest) with the suspect in the parking lot behind the apartments at 20 N. Spruce St.

As part of the investigation, police identified a late model Mercedes Benz as a suspect vehicle, which may have helped lead them to Kraatz. The vehicle was impounded shortly after Kraatz was taken into custody.

The Sheriff's Office and State Police, along with Genesee County Jail personnel, assisted in the investigation and apprehension of Kraatz.

Investigating the case from Batavia PD were: officers Arick Perkins and Matt Lutey; detectives Paul Caffo, Kevin Czora and Charles Dudek; Det. Sgt. Pat Corona, Todd Crossett and Sgt. Dan Coffey.

In New York, a person is guilty of fourth-degree grand larceny when the value of the property stolen exceeds $1,000.

CLARIFICATION and UPDATE: While one subdivision of grand larceny 4th states a theft of property worth $1,000 or more, there's also a subdivision that covers the alleged use of extortion and the threat of physical harm during the course of the theft.  That is why Kraatz was charged with grand larceny 4th.  However, it turns out, that the same set of circumstances can also lead to a charge of grand larceny 2nd and the charge against Kraatz are scheduled to be upgraded today to grand larceny 2nd.

Previously: Police nab suspect in robbery of 7-11

Press release:

Petty, party-line politics have halted business in Washington D.C., leaving many Americans with a distrust and disinterest in government at all levels. It is truly disheartening to see such issues casting a pall on the institution of public service, and it will take time to rebuild the trust that is eroding as we speak. There is an aspect of the federal government shutdown where no time can be wasted, however: the reopening of the monuments and memorials dedicated to the honorable men and women who have sacrificed for our country.

Over the last six years, I have had the honor of leading an annual Patriot Trip with local veterans to Washington, D.C., visiting the sites and venues dedicated to their service. Throughout the course of the trip, more than 650 veterans and family members have embarked on this emotional journey, which has featured many of the monuments and memorials currently shut down due to gridlock within the federal government. This year’s trip included veterans from the World War II, Korean and Vietnam War eras who put their lives on the line in defense of our freedom and way of life. I cannot imagine showing up with my bus full of veterans and having to tell them their government would not allow them to experience the structures specifically meant to recognize their personal sacrifice.

The mere fact that open-air venues would be closed off to the public illustrates just how far the government has gone astray. While departments, employees and entities have been deemed “non-essential” and had their operations put on hold, it’s actually taking effort to keep veterans away from these destinations. Conversely, the groups of veterans who have broken through the barricades at the World War II memorial show the indomitable spirit of our servicemen and women. As always, these veterans have shown that strength in one’s convictions and a willingness to let actions speak louder than words will always win the day. This is a lesson from which many of the people responsible for the government shutdown could stand to learn.

As Ranking Minority Member on the Assembly Committee on Veterans Affairs, I understand that government must step up to the plate to recognize and honor the sacrifice made by our courageous heroes. If government can’t get that right, then I can’t blame the American public for being disheartened. I urge the National Park Service to right this wrong and reopen these monuments and memorials at once, not only to honor our veterans, but to show that government is capable of fulfilling its most basic and essential duties.

When Karen Reisdorf began meditating 15 years ago. The local yoga instructor studied Transcendental Meditation (TM) with a teacher from Rochester but found the process lacking, particularly the follow-up and sense of community. “There was no support,” she said, “I felt like I’d been left to figure out the rest on my own,” until she met Michael DeFrancisco and experienced his Blessing Meditation technique. Now the Batavia resident and owner of Blue Pearl Yoga is collaborating with DeFrancisco to bring “Blessing Meditation” to Western New York in a series of skype workshops in October and an in-person visit in November.

Meditation can be found throughout history. In fact, some of the earliest written records of meditation date to around 3000 BC while cave paintings depicting meditative rituals go back as far as 15,000 years ago. It became a phenomenon that caught the eye of Westerners in the mid-1960’s when The Beatles traveled to India to study with the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. (Fun Fact: DeFrancisco studied with the Maharishi Mahesh for six months in 1975.) While meditation became the darling of rock-n-roll royalty and movie stars, it felt largely unavailable to the rest of us. “Many meditation programs require some sort intellectual understanding or academic background,” says DeFrancisco. And he should know. He’s taught nearly 30,000 people to find their bliss for 38 years – first at a meditation center in Philadelphia, PA and later as a private teacher in LaJolla, CA.  Because standard meditation techniques, as well as some wellness methods like acupuncture, chiropractic, and special diets, do not teach any way to effortlessly access inner peace the results are often temporary. Blessing Meditation offers a simple approach to build a contemplative routine.

More after the jump (click on the headline):

The benefits of a consistent meditation practice are well documented. Studies suggest that those who spend as little as 20 minutes a day meditating can enjoy lower blood pressure, decreased stress, anxiety, and depression and improved cognitive function. The rub, according to DeFrancisco, is that “although our society is more technologically advanced than ever before, we’re stuck with the same old vulnerable psycho-emotional system.” Simply put, we might be able to give voice commands to our iPhones but our “fight-or-flight” mechanism has us positioned – emotionally anyway – squarely in the jungle. That guy that cut you off in traffic this morning? He might as well be a Wooly Mammoth and its dinnertime. “People are stressed and overwhelmed. They may have reached a high level of achievement but feel very little fulfillment.” Blessing Meditation can move us out of the 21st century jungle and into a state of inner peace that already exists, “we just need to uncover it,” he says.

Learning to meditate is easy. Easier, according to DeFrancisco, than Raja Yoga, which he began practicing in 1971. “It was difficult and required rigorous concentration.” By 1974 he jumped on the Transcendental Meditation movement that was sweeping the country and experienced immediate benefits. DeFrancisco’s brand of Blessing Meditation is “effortless and requires no concentration or difficult positions or postures. It’s not yoga and it’s not a religion,” he says. “In fact, I’ve taught priests and ministers.” Meditation is a practical tool that can be used in the daily routine to bring about spontaneous happiness. The benefits too are spontaneous…and cumulative. Many people report an increased sense of calm and relaxation that deepens as they continue their meditative practice. And, this technique is endlessly transportable. “It can be done anywhere,” says DeFrancisco. Indeed, he has taught, attended courses, or led workshops and retreats in Pennsylvania, California, North Carolina, Texas, Iowa, New York, Canada, India, Germany, Switzerland, and France. Students hail from such far-flung locales as Brazil, Australia, South Africa, and Europe. And participants get an added bonus when they study with Michael – the support that Reisdorf was searching for is abundantly available; Monthly skype visits are organized at Blue Pearl Yoga where students gather to “check in” and fine-tune their practice. This personal component “is more than support,” Reisdorf says, “it creates a real sense of community.”

Blessing Meditation can most accurately be defined as a transfer of grace – a charming gift of the divine. Blessings are used in many cultures, from the ancient shamans of Siberia to First Nation medicine men and women. “My first experience with blessings occurred in 1992 with a spontaneous, innocent movement of my hands to my head and face,” DeFrancisco states. An inner vision – or God – moved my hands during meditation and suddenly the light of love - the light of God – descended on me in a magnificent display of blissful love that is impossible to capture and express in words.” DeFrancisco will regularly give blessings to the people he meditates with, either in person or during one of his popular skype sessions, prompting him to admit “technology is often a very good thing!” He considers his blessings “a charming gift from the divine that awakens the recipients own divine nature.”

Anyone interested in learning more about Blessing Meditation may register for a Skype workshop, “Everyday Meditation with Michael DeFrancisco” on October 10 at 1 p.m. at Blue Pearl Yoga, 200 East Main Street, Batavia or on October 19 at 7 p.m. at Harvester 56 Theatre, 56 Harvester Avenue, Batavia. He will be in Batavia at Blue Pearl Yoga on November 7 to meet with prospective students. Workshops are free but space is limited so pre-registration is strongly suggested. For additional information visit www.bp-yoga.com or call 585.230.5430.

Batavia police have apprehended a suspect in a Sunday morning robbery of the 7-11 convenience store on East Main Street (former Wilson Farms location).

The robbery occurred at 4:04 a.m. Sunday and investigators believe the suspect got away with an undisclosed amount of cash.

After tracking down a series of leads, city police closed in on a residence on North Spruce Street late this morning. The suspect tried to flee but was captured after a brief foot chase. No further information is being released at this time.

Sarah Della Penna sent in this photo she took of a button buck in the Genesee County Park.

Melissa A. Williams, 43, of Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. Williams is accused of shoplifting at Tops in Le Roy.

Jerry Lee Eleczko, 25, of Gilbert Street, Le Roy, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, aggravated unlicensed operator, failure to keep right and driving without insurance. Eleczko was stopped at 1:15 a.m. Sunday on Route 77, Pembroke, by Deputy Patrick Reeves.

Karl Edward Vattes, 39, of Habgood Road, Black Creek, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th, and promoting prison contraband. Vattes was allegedly found in possession of suboxone while incarcerated at the Genesee County Jail.

Richard Blaine Nichols IV, 19, of Townline Road, North Tonawanda, is charged with petit larceny and trespass. Nichols is accused of stealing scrap metal from Batavia Driving Academy property.

Donald Eugene Campbell, 55, of Church Street, Dansville, is charged with petit larceny. Campbell is accused of stealing $24.98 in merchandise from Kmart.

Patrick John Coffey, 48, of Beck Road, Attica, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, driving left of pavement markings in no passing zone, uninspected motor vehicle and insufficient tail lights. Coffey was stopped at 1:38 a.m. Saturday on Chick Road, Darien, by Deputy Jason Saile.

Justin Virgil Easterbrook, 31, of Gray Road, Albion, is charged with DWI, driving with a BAC of .08 or greater and failure to keep right. Easterbrook was stopped at 4:23 a.m. Saturday on Fisher Road, Oakfield, by Deputy Joseph Corona.

Douglas G. Goodwin Jr., 22, of 130 Bank St., Batavia, is charged with reckless endangerment, 2nd. Goodwin is accused of pushing a woman out of a moving vehicle during an argument over property. The woman suffered an injury.

Patricia A. Dulmage, 19, of 20 1/2 Dellinger Ave., Batavia, is charged with petit larceny. Dulmage is accused of shoplifting at Dollar Tree.

Gerald E. Nicholson, 46, of 128 1/2 State St., Batavia, is charged with criminal obstruction of breathing/blood circulation. Nicholson was arrested following an alleged domestic incident. He was jailed on $5,000 bail or $10,000 bond.

Joseph G. Sumeriski, 21, of Warsaw, and Justin M. Johnson, 23, no permenant address, are charged with petit larceny. Sumeriski and Johnson were arrested by State Police for an alleged crime reported at 7:07 p.m. Aug. 22 in the Town of Pavilion. No further details released.

Press release:

As the leaves begin to fall and gardens/ yards are cleaned, city residents are provided the opportunity to bring yard waste – “green” matter (i.e. grass, leaves, branches) to the yard waste station on Law Street. The yard waste station is open from April 15th till the beginning of December. This year the yard waste station is scheduled to close Saturday, Dec. 7 for the season. The normal hours of operation are Monday – Saturday, noon till 6 p.m. (April 15 – Oct. 19) and when the days get shorter we are open Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. till 5 p.m. (Oct. 21 – Dec. 7).

Unfortunately we cannot accept other refuse such as garbage, fill or building materials.

In addition to the yard waste station, the City will begin citywide leaf collection on Oct. 28. Residents of most city streets can rake their leaves to the curbline on this date.

Residents of the following streets can rake to the parkway but do not place in the street; these streets are: Clinton Street, Oak Street, Main Street (including East and West Main Street), Pearl Street, South Main Street (between Oak and Walnut),Walnut Street Richmond Avenue (between Oak St and Prospect Avenue. If your street has a route number (i.e. Route 5, Route 33, Route 63 and Route 98), then please keep leaves out of the roadway.

Leaf operations typically start with one crew on River Street moving east in areas south of Main Street and a second crew will begin on Grandview Terrace moving west north of Main Street. It takes about a week and half to go through the entire city. Leaf collection operations will end Nov. 27. Any resident with leaves after this date can bring them to the yard waste station until it closes for the season.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT LEAF COLLECTION

• Leaf piles must be clear of sticks and other debris. 
• Leaves should not block traffic.
• Leaves should not be piled near intersection corners. This causes sight issues for motorists/ bicyclists/ pedestrians.
• Keep leaf piles clear of drainage ways and catch basins. Blocked drainage leads to localized flooding.  
• Leaves should not be piled around mailboxes, power poles, fences, fire hydrants or other obstacles.  
• Do not park on leaf piles. The heat from a vehicle exhaust system could start a fire.
• Do not wait to get your leaves out. We will normally collect leaves twice within the month of leaf collection.
• If it is snowing, we plow first.
• There is no leaf pickup in the spring.

Christian Science Monitor: Are prayers before public meetings OK? Supreme Court to decide.

Batavia’s struggles in Monroe County League play continued as they fell to Eastridge on senior night, 38-14.

The Lancers got off to quick start after Batavia’s opening possession stalled after three plays, and Jametrius Lewis returned the Blue Devil punt 54 yards for a touchdown to go up 6-0 just a minute into the ballgame.

Batavia showed some signs of life though, taking the ensuing drive 57 yards on 12 plays and was capped off on a Greg Mruczek 1-yard quarterback keeper.

The Blue Devils also cashed in on a two-point conversion pass from Brandon Stevenson to James Cryer to take an 8 to 6 lead in the first quarter.

Eastridge would respond, however, going 73 yards on just five plays before freshman C.J. Turner darted 29 yards for the go-ahead touchdown.

Disaster would strike on Batavia’s next possession.

After another three-and-out, Eastridge recovered the ball at Batavia’s 16-yard line after the punt snap was too high to handle. The Lancers only needed two plays before Jay’Von Hampton scored on a 14-yard touchdown run to go up 18-8.

Batavia’s defense held strong in the second quarter as each team traded punts. The Blue Devils figured to have the Lancers pinned inside their own 10, but Lewis ripped off another big play. This time, he sprinted down the left sideline 92 yards for a backbreaking touchdown.

Bad luck continued for Head Coach Brennan Briggs’ squad as Mruczek was intercepted on the final play before halftime and Eastridge took a 24 to 8 lead into the locker room.

The Lancers would score on the opening drive of the second half, and then pick up another touchdown from Turner to put the game out of reach.

Senior Ryan Budlong made the most of his final home game for Batavia, rushing for 69 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Batavia star Stevenson was held in check for most of the game, rushing for 38 yards and throwing for another 10. Mruczek went just 5-of-14 for 47 yards, two interceptions and was under duress for most of the night. Senior Nick Canzoneri ran for 48 yards and had another 27 receiving.

Turner went 4-of-5 passing for 61 yards and a touchdown for Eastridge (3-1).

Batavia falls to 1-4 on the season and will play at Greece Arcadia next Saturday. 

Other games on Friday and Saturday (added by Howard Owens):

Notre Dame (5-0) remains the only undefeated team in the Genesee Region after scoring all the points it would need in the first half to put away Pembroke 32-13. QB Tim McCulley continued his dominance over opposing defenses this season going 12-22 for 140 yards and two TDs. He also carried the ball 16 times for 65 yards and a TD. Andrew Mullen had seven carries for 56 yards and a TD. Charlie Hebert had four receptions for 75 yards and TD, and Josh Johnson had three catches for 35 yards and a TD. On defense, Tim Taylor at 7.5 tackles and a sack. Hebert, seven tackles, Joe Zickle 6.5 and Tyler Stroud 4.5. Hebert also had a sack. ND had 285 yards total offense to 162 for Pembroke.

Le Roy (5-0) also preserved his undefeated record trouncing Avon 34-17. QB Mike McMullen was an efficient 11-15 for 138 yards and three TDs. Ryan McQuillen hauled in four of those passes for 62 yards and a TD. Tom Kelso had a TD reception among this three catches for 58 yards. Nick Egeling also scored on a McMullen toss. Peter Privitera carried the ball 24 times for 89 yards. Kelso rushed for 70 yards and a TD on 11 carries. Leading the defense was Kody Lamkin with 11 tackles and one sack. Brandon Van Grol had five tackles. With four tackles apiece were Tom Kelso, Ryan McQuillan, Zack Fitzsimmons and Brian Hodges. 

Alexander's impressive 2013 campaign continued Saturday with a shutout victory over Holley, 42-0. The Trojans are now 4-1 on the season. Dylan Scharlau had 30 carries for 256 yards and two touchdowns. Nelso Burke was 9-for-15 passing for 157 yards and three TDs. Jake Riggs had four receptions for 62 yards and two TDs. Sam Browne gained 71 yards on four catches and scored a TD. Riggs and Browne also had two interceptions on defense. Tyler Laird led the defense with 14 tackles, including two for a loss.

It's been a few years since Oakfield-Alabama made it through the fifth week with a winning record, with but with Saturday's victory over Elba/Byron-Bergen, the Hornets are now 3-2 on the season. The Lancers drop to 2-3 with the 20-15 loss. Allen Chatt was 11-15 for 145 yards and a TD. Chris Nanni gained 58 yards on the ground and scored once. Chase Manzella had 10 tackles.

In week six: Wellsville (2-3, coming off two consecutive shutout victories) is at Le Roy, 7:30 p.m., Friday; Oakfield-Alabama is at Alexander, 7 p.m. Friday;  Holley is at Pembroke, 7 p.m., Friday; Notre Dame is at Finney, 1 p.m., Saturday; Attica is at Elba/BB, 1:30 p.m., Saturday; Batavia is at Greece-Arcadia, 2 p.m., Saturday.