Le Roy lost its Class B2 championship game to Wellsville at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester on Saturday, 52-43.
There are no game statistics available.
Maveric McKenzie received the sportsmanship award, while Merritt Holley and Andrew Pocock were named to the all-tournament team.
Photos by Jason Coniber.
A balanced offensive attack and strong defense all season wasn't quite enough on Saturday for the Batavia Blue Devils to overcome Newark for the Class B1 title at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester.
The Blue Devils lost 60-55.
Carter McFollins scored 16 points for Batavia. Carter Mullen scored 11, while Mikey McKenzie scored nine and Rashawd Christie scored eight.
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
The Oatkan Knights put together a balanced attack against Dansville on Wednesday to advance to the finals of the Class B2 finals.
It was a close game, with Le Roy posting a final score of 49 points to 47 for Dansville.
Merritt Holly Jr. posted a double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds. Andrew Pocock had 12 points and six rebounds. Maveric McKenzie had 10 points and four assists. Jean Agosto scored eight points.
The Knights play Wellsville at 11 a.m. on Saturday at Blue Cross Arena.
Photos by Jason Coniber.
Pavilion, who entered the Girls Basketball Class C2 Section V tournament as the #3 seed, beat #2 seed Notre Dame on Wednesday, 51-42.
The Golden Gophers face #4 seed Dundee/Bradford at noon on Saturday at Rush-Henrietta.
No statistics were submitted for the Pavilion team.
Amelia McCulley scored 34 points for Notre Dame. Emma Sisson had seven rebounds.
Four Blue Devils scored in double digits as Batavia beat Bishop Kearney 66-62 in the Class B1 Section V semifinal.
Scoring:
The #1 seed in Class B1, the Blue Devils play at Blue Cross Arena at 9 a.m. against #2 Newark for the B1 title.
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
Elba overcame foul trouble and walked away with a Section Class D2 semifinal win over Scio-Friendship on Tuesday, 47-34.
The Lancers, the #6 seed in the tournament, with a 13-10 record, will vie for a sectional trophy on Friday at 6 p.m. against #1 seed Andover/Whitesville.
Sydney Reilly had a double-double, scoring 12 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
Kennedy Augello scored 11 points. Ava Chatt had 11 rebounds and Mariah Ognibene had eight.
The team recorded 18 fouls.
Photos by Kristin Smith.
A strong season by the Trojans ended abruptly on Tuesday with a 46-31 loss to Canisteo-Greenwood in the Class C1 semifinal game.
Emily Pietrzkowski scored eight points for Alexander, and Alyssa Kramer scored seven.
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
Oakfield-Alabama came from behind on Tuesday to win their Section V Class C1 semifinal matchup against Bloomfield, 59-56.
Alea Groff scored 18 points. Caitlin Ryan scored 13. Piper Hyde scored nine. Emma Wray scored eight. Brooke Reding scored seven.
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
Oakfield-Alabama fell just short in a double OT game of a chance to face rival Pembroke for the Class C2 sectional title with a 64-59 loss to York on Monday.
York came into the semifinal game with a 19-2 record compared to O-A's 18-3.
After falling beyond by double digits, the Hornets fought back and force the game into overtime and make York work hard to pull ahead in the second OT period.
Scoring for the Hornets:
"I was proud of the overall effort from this group tonight in a tough semifinal game," said Coach Ryan Stehlar. "Being down by double digits with a few minutes to go, I know many people thought we were out of it. The boys, as they have done all year long, made a push to give themselves a chance. When a game goes into overtime, you are hoping the ball bounces your way a few times. Unfortunately, that didn't happen for us. Much like most of the year, I know this team was counted out. I'm proud of the season they had. They made our program, school, community, and myself extremely proud. That is all I can ask for."
The Pembroke Dragons will play for a Class C2 Section V title at the Blue Cross Arena in Rochester on Friday after beating Bolivar-Richburg on Monday, 61-39.
Scoring:
"Bolivar-Richburg went into half up by one, then we used a great defensive second half holding them to just nine points to pull ahead," said Coach Matthew Shay. "I was really pleased with how we responded to adversity and stepped it up defensively in the second half."
Photos by Kristin Smith.
Three local wrestlers had strong showings at the NYS championship meet this week, one of the area's top grapplers, Casper Stewart, finishing third in his class, 152 pounds.
That wasn't the result he and his coach and father were hoping for, said Rick Stewart (dad and coach).
" It’s hard to put things in words right now," Stewart aid. "Obviously, it is not the result we wanted, and we are disappointed. He set the bar very high and expect to accomplish the goals. Even though this year’s season is an amazing accomplishment with a 51-1 record with a third-place finish at states and an eastern states title, the ultimate goal wasn't achieved, and that will be the motivation for next year. I'm very proud of him and know he will do great things in this sport. He is beyond driven."
Casper’s comments about the future, Just keep training hard, working with good training partners and coaches.
Other local podium finishers in Genesee County:
To view the final results, click here.
Photos and information provided by the Attica-Batavia team
The first winter meet hosted by Batavia Downs in over two decades will close out its 15-date run on Monday (Feb. 27) with a nine-race card starting at 3 p.m. The early season session has produced record-breaking handles for the track but has also placed two of its regular drivers in lofty standings nationally among their peers.
Kevin Cummings is currently the fifth leading percentage driver in North America for all reignsmen starting under 300 times, boasting a .416 universal drive rating. And right behind him is Jim Morrill Jr. who ranks eighth in the same category with a .393 UDR. So it’s no surprise that the pair sits among the top in the Down’s standings where Morrill is first with a .466 and Cummings is third with a .416.
Morrill is not scheduled to drive on Monday but another local driving leader who will be on hand to close out the meet is Larry Stalbaum, who actually ranks second between Morrill and Cummings with a .465 UDR at Batavia this winter. Stalbaum also trains his owns horses and is the leading percentage conditioner this meet among those with 25 or more starts. His barn posted a stellar .593 UTR and produced 13 winners.
Cummings and Stalbaum will go head-to-head twice on Monday, most notably in the $13,000 Open I trot which is the featured race on the card. Stalbaum starts his own Inquiring Mind, who has a win and a second in his two Batavia starts and is the morning line favorite at 3-1. Cummings will sit behind Silver Buckeye, who just finished third in the $18,000 final of the Western New York Pop-Up Series. He will start from post one at 6-1.
The other match-up comes in the co-featured $12,000 Trackmaster pacing event where Cummings has the 5-2 favored Ready Set Rock, who made her last start on November 30 in the $14,000 Distaff Open I. After two qualifiers at Batavia, Ready Set Rock will make her 2023 seasonal debut Monday. Stalbaum will sit behind Abuelita Hanover, who despite coming into this race with two consecutive convincing victories, has been overlooked in the morning line at 12-1. It’s noteworthy that Ready Set Rock and Abuelita Hanover are the only two mares among the field of eight.
Live racing will return to Batavia Downs on Wednesday (July 26) with a 53-date summer-fall meeting that will run through Saturday (Dec. 9).
It was a full house Saturday at the David McCarthy Memorial Ice Arena, with 40 registered and seven additional walk-in youngsters laced up and ready for some "Try Hockey For Free," event Coordinator Sharon Valyear Gray says.
The event was hosted by Genesee Amateur Hockey Association as part of USA Hockey Week Across America. Local youth, ages 4 to 9, were welcomed at the rink to experience getting on the ice, learning fundamentals of how to skate, how to get up after falling, basic skills with a hockey stick and shooting pucks into a hockey net, with the guidance of a head coach and on-ice helpers, Gray said.
This year the youngsters had the experience of shooting at actual goalies Rhyss Tanner of the Varisty Batavia Notre Dame team as well as Leo Gray of the Junior Varisty BND team.
“We welcomed families to McCarthy Ice Rink from Batavia, Albion, Alexander, Stafford, Medina, LeRoy, Caledonia, Pavilion, Rochester, Corfu, Freedom, Warsaw, Honeoye Falls, Castile, Oakfield, Darien Center, and Holley to try our great sport of ice hockey,” Gray said. “Our goal is for these families to enjoy watching their kids learn new skills with big smiles on their faces and for the youngsters the on-ice experience.”
Head coach Erik Triftshauser, along with Fred Hamilton – both with more than 30 years experience as GAHA and high school players and coaches -- and on-ice helpers from the United high school teams, worked with the kids, who all seemed "so excited to be coached," and skating with local athletes, Gray said.
The event is hosted by the Try Hockey for Free Coordinators Sharon and Bob Gray and the GAHA Beginner Player Coordinator Marcia Barnes on behalf of the Genesee Amateur Hockey Association, which provided the ice, and the McCarthy Rink staff – General Manager Katie Murray, Rink Operating Manager Matt Gray and their "great staff," Sharon Gray said.
The team’s goal is to provide the hockey experience to area youngsters free of charge and encourage them in October to become a player in the GAHA Beginner Program, which begins the first week of October. The Beginner Program consists of two sessions (October to December and January to March) with a total of 15 on-ice hours per session.
The GAHA Beginner Program started Session II in early January and added 17 out of 23 new players from the November “Try Hockey for Free” Event. Gray encourages folks to mark your calenda for this fall, as the next try hockey for free event is the first Saturday in November.
Skates used by the youngsters were provided free of charge by the McCarthy Rink Management Group.
USA Hockey’s Try Hockey program, with the support of the National Hockey League and NHL member clubs, among others, is designed to provide youth hockey associations with a national platform for introducing children to the sport, free of charge.
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
Two-time National Basketball Association champion Cedric “Cornbread” Maxwell points to the pillars of the game when it comes to the question, “Who is the greatest NBA player of all time?”
“I measure it by those who changed the game,” said the former Boston Celtics standout on Sunday afternoon while taking part in the Legends & Stars Sports Expo at Batavia Downs Gaming. “Wilt Chamberlain changed the game. They had to change the game to fit him in.
“(Bill) Russell with his 11 championship rings. Those two guys are standard bearers for me when I think about greatness in players. Those would be my first two.”
When asked if personal statistics matter, he responded: “Yes, it is about numbers. It’s about winning championships. So, if you talk about winning championships, Bill Russell (of the Celtics), with 11 rings, is the greatest.”
Maxwell, the most valuable player in the 1981 NBA finals, did mention Lebron James and Michael Jordan, the two players who usually are at the top of the GOAT debate list.
“When it comes to those two, I would start with Lebron and then put Michael next,” he said.
The Celtics beat the Houston Rockets in ’81 with Maxwell and Larry Bird leading the way and defeated the Los Angeles Lakers in 1984 when Maxwell confidently told his teammates “to get on my back, boys” in the decisive seventh game (when he scored 24 points in a 111-102 victory).
Boston went on to win another title behind Hall of Famer Bird in 1986, a year after Maxwell was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
When asked about playing with Bird, the 6-foot-8 power forward said he “didn’t pay much attention to him until he stepped on the floor (in 1979).”
“I averaged 19 points and 10 rebounds when Larry got there; I was the big dog,” he said. “I thought, early on, who is this guy? I didn’t think he could be that good. That was until he stepped on the court and he showed that he was the truth. He just set a different standard.”
Maxwell acknowledged that the NBA is much different today with its emphasis on three-point shooting. He noted that in the last game of the 1981 finals, only six three-pointers were taken.
“The ‘3’ was just an afterthought back then,” he said. “The game has changed completely, and I don’t think for the good. Understand that the three-point shot is an easier shot to take – not to make.”
He recalled that his teammate, the late Chris Ford, made the first three-point shot (in 1979).
“I got a chance to see that but I didn’t know that it was (a harbinger of) things to come.”
In his 26th year as a commentator for the Celtics’ radio broadcasts, Maxwell, 67, said he thinks this year’s Celtics have the right stuff to capture Banner 18, which would be the franchise’s first NBA crown since 2008.
“They’re hitting on all cylinders right now and even when their best player (Jason Tatum) isn’t scoring well, everybody else picks him up.,” he said. “The bench is really tough. I think that’s the difference between the really good teams and elite teams.”
Photo at top: Cedric Maxwell greets longtime Celtics' fan Vin Bukiewicz of Batavia.
DERRICK COLEMAN – Working to help inner-city youth
The former Syracuse Orange basketball star was the No. 1 pick in the 1990 NBA draft and 1991 league Rookie of the Year with the New Jersey Nets. The 6-foot-10 power forward played for three more teams in a pro career – averaging 16.5 points per game over 15 seasons.
Today, he lives in the city where he grew up, Detroit, advocating for inner-city boys and girls through various athletics. He said his latest venture is introducing the sport of lacrosse to youth.
“I was exposed to the sport while at Syracuse and now am working with USA Lacrosse to possibly bring summer camps to Detroit,” he said. “The mission of Derrick Coleman Elite Foundation is to create opportunities for kids to go to college.”
Photo: Derrick Coleman signs a shirt for Batavian Tony Calarco.
RYAN LEAF – Getting his life in order after football
Anyone who follows the NFL knows the story of former quarterback Ryan Leaf, the No. 2 overall pick of the San Diego Chargers in 1998 (after Peyton Manning), who failed to live up to his billing for a number of reasons beyond subpar play.
Leaf’s life went into a downward spiral after four years in the NFL, eventually landing him in prison for burglary and drug-related offenses.
He said he has been in recovery from substance use disorder for the past 11 years, and has devoted his life to helping others overcome the stigma of mental health and addiction as a program ambassador for Transcend Recovery Community.
“Asking for help is the strongest thing you’ll ever do,” Leaf said, referring to those struggling with substance use.
The father of a 5-year-old boy, Leaf, who starred at Washington State University, also works as a college football analyst for the ESPN network.
Photo: Former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Jack Ham, left, and Ryan Leaf.
RAY “BOOM BOOM” MANCINI – Making his mark in indie films
The World Boxing Association Lightweight champion from 1982-84, the Youngstown, Ohio native (and resident) posted a 29-5 career record. He was inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame in 2015.
Today, Mancini, 61, is an independent film producer, specializing in what he calls “high-concept film.”
“There are four successful themes for indie movies – horror/thriller, which is not my flavor; faith-based because you have to build an audience; documentaries, and high-concept film,” he said. “Our current project is a crime thriller in the world of EDM – electronic dance music.
“The one-line pitch is The Sopranos meets Saturday Night Fever. If you liked both of them, then you’ll like this.”
Mancini retired from the ring in 1992 and later moved to Los Angeles to learn about the movie industry.
“I got an education in LA and paid for it myself,” he said. “Now, we’re working with AMC Plus, Paramount Plus and Amazon.”
Photo: Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini autographs a photo of him in the ring.
Photos by Mike Pettinella.
One-time rivals and now close friends, former World Boxing Council heavyweight boxing champion Larry Holmes and former WBC No. 1 contender Gerry Cooney are in opposite corners when assessing the current state of professional boxing.
“I tell everybody – put ESPN Boxing on your phone and follow it. See the upcoming fights. Read the stories. Boxing is so exciting right now, in all the weight classes – men and women,” Cooney said.
Not so fast, according to Holmes.
“It sucks,” Holmes said, leaving little doubt of his opinion. “The big names aren’t out there. I’m not out there and Gerry’s not out there.”
Holmes and Cooney, photo at top, who squared off on June 11, 1982, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas in a heavyweight title match with racial overtones, were together again this afternoon as part of the Legends & Stars Sports Expo at Batavia Downs Gaming.
They were among about three dozen former professional sports stars who signed memorabilia during the two-day event.
While Holmes, 74, and slowing down a bit, was a man of few words, Cooney, on the other hand, soaked up his time with light-hearted chatter and a willingness to have his photograph taken with the fans.
Cooney, 66, said he is a keen boxing observer and influencer, who talks about the sport on Sirius XM radio channel 156 on Monday and Friday afternoons. He admitted that boxing has lost its luster in recent years but sees a resurgence.
“People lost trust in boxing because there were so many mismatches and (promoter Don) King was doing his stuff. People turned away. They didn’t want to invite their children to it,” he said. “But now, those people who walked away from the game – they’re missing what’s going on. Boxing is great, in all the divisions.”
He rattled off several names, including Tyson Fury, Oleksandr Usyk, Joe Joyce, Canelo Alvarez, and New Yorker Jared Anderson, and women standouts Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, which make him optimistic about boxing’s future.
“People walked away because the guys who really won weren’t getting the decisions. The scores were terrible. It’s all getting better,” he offered.
Cooney said the fact that there were so many different organizations and various “champions” also didn’t enhance the public’s perception of the sport. He said now organizers have “stripped down some of those divisions and that’s a good thing.”
When asked about that bout against Holmes – a fight in which both combatants were paid $10 million – Cooney said the promoters labeled him “The Great White Hope” and pushed the racial aspect that divided fans.
“There was so much racism back then,” he said. “It wasn’t about him and it wasn’t about me. I was in a camp with six or seven guys I went to high school with. We were eating lobster tail and turtle soup. We didn’t have any time for that.
“But they worked on us. I think the promoters, in that fight, promoted that to make money.”
At the time, Holmes, known as the “Easton (Pa.) Assassin” had a 39-0 record with 29 knockouts. Cooney, a Long Island native, was 25-0 with 22 knockouts.
Fighting in front of a Nevada record crowd of 29,214 and a worldwide pay-per-view audience, Holmes won by a technical knockout in the 13th round. It was a hard-fought match, with Holmes sending Cooney to the canvas in Round 2 and the challenger being penalized three points on low blows.
Not long afterward, Holmes reached out to a dejected Cooney, starting their enduring friendship.
Photo by Mike Pettinella.
Sports memorabilia collectors had much to choose from this weekend when the Legends & Stars Sports Expo returned to Batavia Downs Gaming.
Akron's Bobby McClaine and his team of family, friends and volunteers put on another super event that featured a host of former Buffalo Bills and Sabres on Saturday and a dozen or so greats from baseball, football, basketball, hockey and boxing who appeared today.
"We've been doing this since February 2018 and it keeps growing and growing," McClaine said. "Our goal is for to be an experience for kids and adults to meet their heroes and to visit the many vendors who participate."
The next show is scheduled for October or November on a date that doesn't conflict with a Bills' home game, he noted.
Photo above: NFL Hall of Fame linebacker Jack Ham, right, with Pittsburgh Steelers fan Pat Ward of Syracuse. That's Rocky Bleier, another Steeler great, in the background. Ham is a four-time Super Bowl champion and six-time All-Pro. All photos by Mike Pettinella.
Rocky Bleier, a halfback with the Steelers who also is a four-time Super Bowl champion, greets Webster residents Dave Libutti, right, and Donovan Perales. Former Steelers' wide receiver Louis Lipps also attended.
T.J. Woodward, operator of the Batavia Sports Cards booth, checks on a collectible on the vendor floor, which generated much activity over the two days.
Batavian Patrick Weissand was on top of Red Sox Nation when he had his Boston shirt signed by 1978 American League MVP and Hall of Famer Jim Rice. Rice led the AL in home runs three times during his exceptional career.
Paul Coffey, right, National Hockey League Hall of Fame and four-time Stanley Cup champion (three with the Edmonton Oilers) autographs a replica Stanley Cup for Dylan Nowak of Buffalo. Nowak said he made the cup mostly out of cake pans and it has enough space on it to record the championship teams and players' names for the next 38 years.
That's Rudy Ruettiger, subject of the inspirational movie, "Rudy," which depicts a young man's drive and dedication to make it onto the field as a defensive end for the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame. Today, Ruettiger is a motivational speaker -- encouraging young and old to follow their dreams and to not let others define them.
There was no shortage of Buffalo Bills' collectibles.
Longtime Baltimore Orioles fan Linda Nosbisch of Lancaster with Rafael Palmeiro, four-time All-Star first baseman who hit 569 home runs and compiled 3,020 hits for the Orioles, Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers.
Mini helmets are big in the collectible world. That's Bills' receiver Stefan Diggs on top and former Bills' linebacker Shane Conlan on the bottom.
The Hornets are moving forward in the Section V Class C1 tournament after a quarterfinal win over Addison on Saturday, 44-37.
Scoring for Oakfield-Alabama:
"It was an incredibly hard-fought game and gutsy performance by our kids to defeat a very good Addison team," said Coach Jeff Schlagenhauf. "Defensively, I thought we were outstanding from start to finish on Addison's two leading scorers, Chiara Lai and Anna Carlieno. Piper Hyde and Caitlin Ryan led the defense and we did a tremendous job with our help all day. Brooke Reding and Emma Wray provided great leadership and Alea Groff stepped up huge for us."
Oakfield plays in the semifinal on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Honeoye Falls/Lima.
Also in Girls Basketball on Saturday:
Photos by Karly Smith.
Elba beat Finney on Saturday 47-31 to advance to the semifinals of the Section V Class D2 tournament.
Sydney Reilly scored 13 points, Lydia Ross 11, Mariah Ognibene, eight, and Kennedy Augello, seven.
"The team is playing well and defense is starting to look better," said Head Coach Charlie Pangrazio. "We're looking forward to the next challenge on Tuesday night."
The Lancers play Scio/Friendship at Mount Morris on Tuesday at 6 p.m.
Photos by Kristin Smith.
Ryan Fitzpatrick scored 20 points to help Notre Dame cruise past Honeoye Falls-Lima for a 78-45 win in the Section V Class D1 quarterfinal.
Jordon Welker scored 12 points, Jaden Sherwood and Hayden Groff scored 11 each and Jimmy Fanara scored 10.
Notre Dame plays Filmore on Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Warsaw.
Also in Boys Basketball on Saturday:
To view or purchase photos, click here.
Photos by Steve Ognibene
No. 1 seed Batavia advanced to the quarterfinal of the Section V Class B1 tournament on Saturday with a dominating win over Livonia, 79-42
Ja'vin McFollins hit five three-pointers en route to a 26-point game. Sawyer Siverling scored 15 points and Carter McFollins scored 12 points.
Photos by Kristin Smith.
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