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Pembroke's Shooting for a Cure tops $26K in donations

By Press Release

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Press release:

On Friday, it was an extremely cold winter’s evening, with wind chills dropping well below zero outside; however, it was a heartwarming evening inside Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School as the community came out by the hundreds in support of the twelfth annual Shooting For A Cure! game.  The hallways, gymnasium, and cafeteria were packed with people throughout the evening who were looking to make a difference in the battle against cancer. On Friday night, by game’s end, the twelfth annual Shooting For A Cure! game had raised over $26,000 to help fund cancer research at Roswell Park. Over the weekend and even early this morning, donations have continued to trickle in, ensuring that the total keeps growing by the day.

In 2011, the original team decided to use their passion for playing basketball as a platform from which to host a fundraiser for breast cancer research at Roswell Park in support of community member Toni Funke.  As a result, the girls, their coaches, and several dedicated community members organized an annual event, naming it Shooting For A Cure!, through which they have now raised a total of over $250,000 in contributions for Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. This game remains at the top of the independent fundraising events list sanctioned by Team Roswell.

Mary Russo, Team Roswell Coordinator, continues to be amazed by the players and families in the community. “The Pembroke Girls basketball team truly knows how to rally a community together for such an incredible cause. In their twelfth year of hosting their Shooting For A Cure! game, the girls raised over $26,000 for critical, life saving treatments at Roswell Park,” noted Russo. “We are all so incredibly grateful for the passion and dedication this team, the students, the families, and the Pembroke faculty has for the Roswell Park community. We truly admire their commitment to be champions for a cure,” said Russo.

Anyone who would like to support the cause is encouraged to do so by visiting the Shooting For A Cure! donation page.

According to Arron K. Brown, a Pembroke 6th grade teacher who worked tirelessly all evening running his famous Snack Shack, “The fans this season were again extremely generous. As we sold pizza logs, slices of pizza from Homeslice 33, barbecue from Burnin’ Barrel BBQ, chips and queso from Salsarita’s, sandwiches and cookies from Buttercrumbs, donuts and coffee from Tim Hortons, ice cream sundaes from Hershey’s, people weren’t even asking us for change,” shared Brown. “The true spirit of the Pembroke community carried over into the Snack Shack, as we had an army of volunteers ready to help in any way they could! From cooking pizza logs, going on supply runs, scooping ice cream or just cleaning up tables, our Dragon spirit was on full display,” added Brown. “This night is my favorite night of the school year. I love seeing how this community rallies around each other the way they do. You can just feel the energy and love in the air,” said Brown.

DJ Jickster from 97 Rock was in attendance to energize the crowd and to share his sincerest appreciation for what the Pembroke community continues to do for cancer research at Roswell Park. During game breaks, he hosted six separate check presentations, sharing the court with students from both the Primary and Intermediate Schools who held coin drives, as well as the Oakfield-Alabama and Attica school districts who held their own coin drives in support of the event. Teachers and students were recognized by Jickster for their efforts. Each group presented their funds to the Pembroke Girls Basketball team in support of funding research efforts at Roswell Park. Additionally, Mr. Brown presented Mr. Wilson with a check from the Can Jam Redemption center’s bottle and can drive which raised $900 in returns from scores of generous supporters. Community member Billy Burd, owner of Billy The Kid Automotive, sent in a $500 donation with Jickster, accompanied by a personal note sharing some kind words for the team and the Pembroke community and memorializing family members and friends.

Later on that evening, during an emotional halftime ceremony hosted by Pembroke Superintendent Mr. Matthew Calderon, the girls team memorialized 25 community members and honored 31 cancer survivors (virtually as well as in person) personifying their dedication to this cause. White roses were placed in a vase in memory of those we’ve lost and pink roses were placed in that same vase in honor of survivors in our community. Nine community members stood on the baseline and were recognized by name. Each survivor who joined us on the court was honored with a hug from a player or family member, handed a single rose, and cheered by the hundreds of fans who packed into the gymnasium.

Jennifer Wilson, a Pembroke 5th grade teacher, organized the halftime ceremony again this season. “For the team to continue to play this game each year in memory of and in honor of members of this community whose lives have been affected by cancer means a lot to me. We’re a community, we’re all in this together, and no one fights alone,” said Wilson. “The list of people we honor and memorialize continues to grow each season. It’s important that we all give back as much as we can and be as supportive as we can be. So many teachers, parents, grandparents and even former students have all been affected by this disease in some way,” added Wilson. “Showing our love and support to these members of our community is what this night is all about,” shared Wilson.

Recent alumna Allie Schwerthoffer made it a priority to be in attendance on Friday night in support of the game that still means so much to her. As a player, Allie enjoyed the opportunity to support those battling the disease, to celebrate survivors, and to remember those we’ve lost. With her playing days now behind her, she circled this date on her calendar and made sure to be back in town for the game to help out. “I was excited to come back and see the hallways full of people. You could just feel the positive energy! It was a different experience to be on the other side of the game now as a volunteer,” shared Schwerthoffer. “The pink game is a sign of hope. It is a reminder to devote ourselves to something bigger. Our community is filled with love and support for one another and the pink game gives us all a chance to come together in support of those in need,” Schwerthoffer added.

The generous support of local benefactors has made the event possible. In addition to individual supporters, the 2022-2023 Shooting For A Cure! business and organization donor list includes 189 Burger, 26Shirts, ADPRO Sports, Alex’s Place, Aquarium of Niagara, Arcade-Attica Railroad, Arrowhead Golf Club, Baldwin’s Country Store, Batavia Country Club, Batavia Muckdogs, Batavia’s Original, Billy The Kid Automotive, Bourbon & Burger, Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Bisons, Buffalo Sabres, Burnin’ Barrel BBQ, Buttercrumbs Bakery, C.B. Beach & Son Mortuary, Cedar Street Sales & Rental, Chestnut Hill, Cinquino’s, Coffee Press, Coca-Cola of Rochester, Crickler Vending, Delta Sonic, Dinosaur Barbecue, Dixon Ticonderoga, Dollars for Scholars, Dry Creek Group

Eli Fish, Empire Realty Group, Five Guys, Foxprowl Collectibles, Game of Throws, Genesee County DSS, Great Clips of Lancaster, Green Mountain Electric, Hershey’s Ice Cream, Holiday Valley, Homeslice 33 Pizzeria, Insty-Prints, Jim’s Steakout, Jimbo’s Construction, Knockaround Sunglasses, Linda’s Family Diner, M&T Bank, Mighty Taco, Mosquito Hunters of Buffalo, Mugs & More, New Era, NYSCOPBA, OnCore Golf, Original Pizza Logs, Oxford Pennant, Pembroke Youth Association, Pesci's Pizza & Wings, Pink Cow, Reeds Jewelers – Jenss Décor, Roman’s, Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, Russell’s Steaks, Chops & More, Salsarita’s, Salvatore’s Italian Gardens, Sincerely Kayla Photography, Stan’s Harley-Davidson, Store716, Terry Hills, Tim Horton’s, ULTA Beauty of Batavia, Vivify Hydration, Yancey’s Fancy, and YMCA of Batavia.

Businesses and organizations still wishing to make a donation for this year’s event should contact Mike Wilson, the Shooting For A Cure! coordinator at Pembroke, by calling 716.949.0523.

Submitted photos.

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Batavia’s fourth quarter deficit overcame Eastridge in final minutes to claim league title

By Howard B. Owens

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The Batavia Blue Devils clinched the Monroe County Division IV title with a come-from-behind win over Eastridge on Friday night.

With three games left in the season, the Blue Devils are 7-0 in the division, and 13-4 overall, good enough for third place in Section V Class B1.

Batavia trailed for most of the first three quarters on Friday, before taking a brief two-point lead late in the third quarter.

The Blue Devils scored 12 points, including a pair of three-point buckets from Ja'vin McFollins, in the fourth quarter to claim a 60-55 win.

McFollins finished with 30 points on the night.

Sawyer Siverling and Carter McFollins scored eight points each.

"We struggled to score most of the game," Coach Buddy Brasky said after the game. "Eastridge took a 12-point lead with 3:50 left. It stayed that way until the 1:45 mark. Ja'vin came up big with two straight threes to cut it to six. We upped the pressure and caused three straight turnovers. Ja'vin iced the game with 6 straight free throws."

Batavia’s next game is next Wednesday at Greece Athena

In Boys Basketball on Friday:

  • Le Roy beats Letchworth 61-40
  • Attica beat Alexander, 52-49
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Holly, 95-22
  • Byron-Bergen beat Elba, 72-29.  Gianni Ferrara scored 20 points and had four assists, five rebounds and five steals. Braedyn Chambry scored 17 and had nine rebounds. David Brumstead scored 13 and had seven rebounds.

In Girls Basketball:

  • Eastridge beat Batavia, 56-32
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Pembroke, 42-28. Caitlin Ryan scored 16 points and had six rebounds and five steals. Emma Ray scored eight.  For Pembroke, Isabel Breeden scored 11. Karli Housenecht scored nine and had five rebounds. Onolee Easterbrook scored five and had six steals.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

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Batavia's JV team also won its Monroe County Division IV title.  Photo courtesy Coach Dave Pero.

Le Roy beats Letchworth 61-40

By Howard B. Owens

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Le Roy beat Letchworth in Boys Basketball on Friday night, 61-40.

Merritt Holly scored 22 points.  Jean Agusto scored 17.

Holly now has 440 points on the season and has averagedt 24.4 points per game.

Photo by Jason Coniber.

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Le Roy beats Perry behind Holly's 23 points

By Howard B. Owens

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Le Roy beat Perry in Boys Basketball on Monday, 51-26.

Scoring for the Knights: 

  • Merritt Holly, 23 points, 10 rebounds.
  • Andrew Pocock, 14 points
  • Jean Agosto, 10 points, 9 rebounds.

Photos by Jason Coniber

In Boys Basketball:

  • Pembroke beat Attica, 72-57. Cayden Pfalzer, 32 points, Tyson Totten, 12 points, Chase Guzdek, 12 points
  • Batavia lost to Irondequiot, 67-45. Ja'vin McFollins scored 17 points. Carter McFollins scored 9. 
  • Notre Dame beat Elba, 74-52
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Kendall, 63-48

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Notre Dame stops Elba win streak with 14th victory of season

By Howard B. Owens

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Amelia McCulley led all scorers with 26 points to help Notre Dame to a 53-38 win over Elba on Tuesday.

She also had eight rebounds. Avelin Tomidy scored 16 points and had five rebounds. Emma Sisson had 11 rebounds.

For Elba, Sydney Reilly scored 16 points. Kennedy Augello scored eight points and had eight rebounds.

Elba had six straight wins coming into the game. The Lancers fall to 8-8 on the season. The Irish are now 14-1.

Girls Basketball on Tuesday:

  • Alexander beat Holley, 60-35. Alyssa Kramer scored 26 points. Laurel Kania scored 11 and Melanie Pohl scored nine.
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Kendall, 50-29.  Brooke Reding scored 15 points. Caitlin Ryan scored nine and Alea Groff scored nine.
  • Byron-Bergen beat Lyndonville, 58-39. Ava Wagoner and Zoey Shepherd scored 14 points.  MacKenzie Senf scored 10 points, and Olvia Senf scored nine.
  • Brockport beat Batavia, 45-29
  • Perry beat Le Roy, 67-52. Kenna MacKenzie scored 14 points. Abby Allen scored 10.  Corina Dunn scored nine and had 10 rebounds.
  • Pembroke beat Attica, 48-44. Karli Houseknech scored 15 points. Elle Peterson scored 11.

In Boys Basketball:

  • Alexander beat Holley 70-40. 

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here

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Pembroke's Cayden Pfalzer dunks his way into milestone

By Howard B. Owens

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With a massive dunk in Pembroke's 80-56 win over Kendall on Monday night, Cayden Pfalzer scored his 1,000th career point.

Pfalzer reached the milestone despite missing more than 15 games in his 9th-grade year when he started out averaging 10 points per game. He also missed out on some of his sophomore year because of the pandemic. 

"He's one of the hardest workers I've had the pleasure of coaching and is truly unselfish," said Head Coach Matt Shay. "His whole career, we have had to push him to hunt for his shot. He truly enjoys the success of his teammates."

The Dragons are 15 and 1 so far in 2022-23. 

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Pfalzer with his parents, Lisa and Raymond.

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O-A pulls out 66-64 win over Wheatland-Chili

By Howard B. Owens

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The Hornets improved to 13-2 with a come-from-behind 66-64 win over Wheatland-Chili on Monday.

Scoring for Oakfield-Alabama: 

  • Kyle Porter, 20 points, 5 steals
  • Colton Yasses, 18 points
  • Brayden Smith, 10 points, 6 rebounds
  • Noah Currier, 8 points, 5 rebounds

"The boys were a part of another great game," said Coach Ryan Stehlar. "Scott Lund (Wheatland coach) does an amazing job year in and year out, building solid teams. We knew going into this game, it was going to be a battle. Being down late in the 4th quarter, we needed to make some plays to give ourselves a chance. The boys listened to adjustments, and we were fortunate to get extra time in OT. Again, we had to play disciplined basketball. Both teams made big plays for an exciting finish. I'm proud of the effort, heart, and pride the boys took tonight."

Also in Boys Basketball on Monday:

  • Batavia beat HFL 59-35. Ja'vin McFollins scored 23 points. Sayer Siverling scored 18. The Blue Devils are now 12-3.
  • Pembroke beat Kendall, 80-56.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

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Notre Dame tops O-A in Girls Basketball, 48-41

By Howard B. Owens

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Notre Dame prevailed over Oakfield-Alabama in Girls Basketball on Friday, 48-41.

Amelia McMulley scored 18 points, putting her over 300 on the season, and had seven rebounds and our steals. Avelin Tomidy scored 14 points and had six rebounds. Emma Sisson scored eight points and had six rebounds.

There are no stats available for the Hornets.

Also in Girls Basketball on Friday:

Lancers top Attica, 47-31

  • Pavilion beat Warsaw, 58-24. Lauren Kingsley scored 20 points, had six rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Karlee Zinkievich scored 18 points and had six rebounds and three steals. Kylie Conway scored eight points and had four steals. Ella Tillotson had 11 assists.
  • Byron-Bergen beat Kendall, 56-21. Dayanara Caballero scored 17 points. Ava Wagoner scored 10.  Kendall Phillips and MacKenzie Senf scored nine each.
  • Le Roy beat Arcadia 59-57, Lindsey Steffenilla scored 16 points and had eight rebounds. Abby Allen scored 15 points. Kenna MacKenzie scored 11 points. Corina Dunn scored eight and 13 rebounds.

In Boys Basketball:

  • Batavia lost to Bishop Kearney 67-58. Sawyer Siverling scored 19 points and Rasheed Christie scored 12. Ja'vin McFollins scored nine.
  • Warsaw beat Pavilion, 79-55

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

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Lancers top Attica, 47-31

By Howard B. Owens

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The Elba Lancers won their sixth straight in Girls Basketball on Friday, beating Attica 47-31.

Sydney Reilly scored 11 points, had five assists and four steals.  Halie Scouten and Lydia Ross scored eight each.  Scouten had five steals and 10 rebounds. Kennedy Augello scored six points. 

Photos by Kristin Smith.

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Hornets beat Irish at Notre Dame, 75-49

By Howard B. Owens

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Oakfield-Alabama beat Genesee Region rivals Notre Dame on Thursday in Boys Basketball, 75-49.

Scoring for the Hornets: 

  • Kyle Porter, 17 points, 7 rebounds
  • Noah Currier, 13 points, three steals
  • Brayden Smith, 13 points, 10 rebounds
  • Colton Yasses, 11 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks
  • Avery Watterson, 9 points, four  rebounds

For the Irish:

  • Ryan Fitzpatrick, 11 points
  • Jaden Sherwood, seven points
  • Jordan Welker, seven points

"Tonight was a battle against a solid team," said O-A Coach Ryan Stehlar. "Their gym is never an easy place to play in, and Coach (Mikey) Rapone always has his team ready. I'm glad the boys locked in early. They really focused on defense and made big plays down the stretch. This is good momentum for a tough week coming up in our schedule."

The Hornets are now 12-2. The Irish are 11-5.

Other games in Boys Basketball on Thursday:

  • Dansville beat Le Roy 65-58. Merritt Holly scored 27 points. Holly now has 395 points on the season.
  • Attica beat Elba, 63-43
  • Pembroke beat Kenmore East, 83-34

In Girls Basketball:

  • Elba beat Batavia, 60-44. Sydney Reilly scored 17 points and had five steals.  Mariah Ognibene scored 10 points and had nine rebounds. Halie Scouten had six blocks. Madison Thompson had seven rebounds. After losing seven of their first nine games, the Lancers have won five straight.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

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Pavilion basketball star signs with Division II Gannon University

By Howard B. Owens

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Pavilion's Lauren Kingsley has signed a national letter of intent to play basketball for Gannon University, a NCAA Division II school.

Submitted photos. Top photo Basketball Coach Ben Schwenebraten, Lauren Kingsley, Assistant Coach George Schwenebraten.

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The Kingsley family, Emily, Val, Lauren, and Dave.

Alexander boys fall behind in first half, lose to Wheatland Chili 60-48

By Howard B. Owens

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The Alexander Trojans fell to 5-10 in Boys Basketball on Tuesday with a loss to Wheatland-Chili, 60-48.

Dylan Pohl scored 16 points for the Trojans. Trent Woods scored 13 and Paul Schmitt scored eight.

Also in Boys Basketball on Tuesday:

  • Notre Dame beat C.G. Finney, 74-68
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Rochester Prep, 61-53
  • Pavilion beat Lyndonville, 67-50
  • Pembroke beat Cheektowaga 76-75

In Girls Basketball:

  • Elba beat Pavilion, 50-39.  Sydney Reilly scored 16 points for the Lancers. She had six assists and six steals. Maddie Hall scored 12 points. Mariah Ognibene had 13 rebounds to go with four points scored and two steals. For Pavilion, Lauren Kingsley scored 18 points and had 20 rebounds. Karlee Zinkievich scored eight points and had five assists. Kylie Conway scored eight points.
  • Byron-Bergen lost to Gananda, 48-38.
  • Le Roy beat Batavia, 45-40. Corina Dunn scored 17 points and had seven rebounds for Le Roy. Abby Allen scored 15 points. Lindsey Steffenilla had 10 rebounds.

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

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Basketball Roundup: Notre Dame beats Williamson, Batavia beats Odyessy

By Howard B. Owens

Notre Dame improved to 11-1 on the season in Girls Basketball on Saturday with a 58-24 win over Williamson.

Amelia McCulley scored 26 points and had eight rebounds and six steals.

Emma Sisson scored 11 points. Sisson had six assists. Avelin Tomidy scored nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds.  She had four steals.

Also, in Girls Basketball on Friday:

  • Avon beat Le Roy, 43-39. Lindsey Steffenilla scored 14 points and had eight rebounds. Corina Dunn scored 13 points.
  • Pavilion beat Keshequa, 59-49. Karlee Zinkievich scored 24 points and had five assists. Lauren Kingsley scored 21 points and had 14 rebounds. Kyle Conway scored 12 points.

Also, in Boys Basketball on Friday

  • Batavia beat Odyessy, 69-44 to improve to 10-2. Carter McFollins scored 25 points. Sawyer Siverling scored 11 points. Mikey McKenzie scored 10 points. Estavon Lovett scored eight points. (Batavia also played a game on Saturday and those results are not yet available).
  • Perry beat Alexander 40-45. 
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Byron-Bergen, 67-63. 
  • Elba beat Holley, 74-45. 
  • Notre Dame beat Attica, 81-65

UPDATE: Batavia beat East Aurora on Saturday, 53-53. Carter McFollins and Rasheed Christie each scored 12 points. Sawyer Siverling scored 10 and Mikey McKenzie scored nine.

Pembroke's annual Shooting For A Cure game slated for Feb. 3

By Press Release

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Press release:

The­­­ Pembroke Jr./Sr. High School Girls’ Basketball Team will host its 12th annual Shooting For A Cure! event versus Oakfield-Alabama on Friday, Feb. 3, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. at the high school gym located at the corner of Routes 5 and 77 (8717 Alleghany Road) in Pembroke, New York. Admission is free. The team asks that attendees make a donation of any amount as they enter the facility, and all donations go to Roswell Park to support research efforts. In addition to donations at the door, all proceeds from raffle tickets, concession sales, and apparel sales go directly to Roswell Park. To date, Shooting For A Cure! has raised over $227,000 and has remains Roswell Park’s largest independent, community-based fundraising event.

The event began over a decade ago when the team approached then head coach Mike Wilson with an idea; they wanted to show their support for Toni Funke, wife of former coach and Pembroke teacher Ron Funke, in her battle against breast cancer by hosting a game in her honor which would bring the community together to raise awareness and funds for cancer research at Roswell Park. This season, the team hopes to add to the more than $227,000 the event has generated and donated since 2011 by continuing this benevolent Pembroke tradition.

Direct online donations are now being accepted in support of this year’s Shooting For A Cure! game at: http://give.roswellpark.org/goto/shooting-for-a-cure-12. In addition, the team is seeking donations from the community in the form of items to include in various raffles.  Food and beverages, provided by local vendors and restaurants, will be for sale during the event.  All of the proceeds will benefit cancer research at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center.  The 2022-2023 Shooting For A Cure! donors list already contains many businesses and organizations, including 26Shirts, ADPRO Sports, Billy The Kid Automotive, the Buffalo Bills, the Buffalo Sabres, Dry Creek Group, Five Guys, the Genesee County YMCA, Hershey's Ice Cream, Homeslice 33 Pizzeria, Jimbo’s Construction, Knockaround Sunglasses, Linda's Family Diner, M&T Bank, Mighty Taco, New Era, Original Pizza Logs, Oxford Pennant, Pesci's Pizza, Roswell Park Alliance Foundation, Salsarita’s, Salvatore’s, Sincerely Kayla, Terry Hills, The Pink Cow, and Tim Horton's.

There will be several other ways to support the cause this year. Currently, the team has partnered with 26Shirts from Buffalo, a local company that designs and sells apparel items to benefit those in need. To date, 26Shirts has raised $1,694,965 for local families, foundations, and organizations. All proceeds from this apparel sale will directly benefit cancer research at Roswell Park. If you’re interested in limited edition, 12th annual Shooting For A Cure! gear, please visit: https://26shirts.com/collections/shooting-for-a-cure.

In addition to the apparel sale, Can Jam Redemption Center in Corfu has partnered with Shooting For A Cure! From today, up through February 3rd, you can donate your bottle and can return slips in support of cancer research at Roswell Park. When you bring in your returns, just let them know that you’d like to donate your slip to our Shooting For A Cure! mission.

Businesses and organizations wishing to make a donation for this year’s event should contact Mike Wilson, the Shooting For A Cure! coordinator at Pembroke, by calling (716) 949-0523.

Elba Girls defeat Pembroke on the road 63-41 to win two straight

By Howard B. Owens

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Behind another big game for Sydney Reilly, who scored 28 points, Elba picked up its second straight win in Girls Basketball, beating Pembroke 63-41.

Reilly had six rebounds and four assists.

Haile Scouten scored 13 points and six rebounds along with five blocked shots.

Lydia Ross scored nine and had six steals.

Kennedy Augello scored eight points, had five rebounds, and four assists.

Isabel Breeden scored 20 points for Pembroke. Ellie Peterson scored six points.

 “The girls are really starting to buy into our defensive end of the floor, which helps our offense," said Elba's coach, Charlie Pangrazio. "Early in the season, we got a little lackadaisical on that.  These last two games tonight and versus Kendall, we really brought that together, our defense has really taken off."

Elba is now 4-7, and after its fourth-straight loss, Pembroke is 4-9.

Also, in Girls Basketball on Tuesday:

  • Notre Dame beat Kendall, 59-15. Amelia McCulley scored 33 points, 11 rebounds and six steals. Avelin Tomidy scored 10 points, and Emma Sisson scored seven and had 11 steals. The Irish are now 10-1 on the season.
  • Alexander improved to 10-4 with a 36-26 win over Byron-Bergen. For the Trojans, Alyssa Kramer scored 17 points.
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Batavia, 44-27. O-A is 11-1.  Batavia is 0-12.

In Boys Basketball:

  • Batavia beat Livonia, 64-48. Carter McFollins scored 20 points, Sawyer Siverling, 16, and Mikey McKenzie, 10. Siverling hit four three-point buckets. The Blue Devils are 9-2.
  • Le Roy beat Pavilion, 66-36.  Merritt Holly, Jr. scored 20 points.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

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Batavia Boys improve to 8-2 with 88-39 win vs.Greece Olympia

By Howard B. Owens

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Five of Batavia's players hit double-digits in scoring as the Blue Devils beat Greece Olympia 88-39 on Friday.

Carter McFollins scored 16 points, Carter Mullen 14, Sawyer Siverling 13, Ja'vin McFollins 12, and Aiden Bellavia 11. Adding on, Rashaad Christie scored eight points and Mike McKenzie scored six.

Batavia improves to 8-2 on the season.

Also, in Boys Basketball on Friday:

In Girls Basketball:

  • Elba beat Kendall, 47-12. Sydney Reilly scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds. Haille Scouten scored five points and had 15 rebounds, Kennedy Augello scored nine points and had four assists.
  • Notre Dame beat Alexander, 48-28. Amelia McCulley scored 26 points. 
  • Byron-Bergen beat Attica, 52-25
  • Oakfield-Alabama beat Lyndonville, 49-40
  • Arcadia beat Batavia 44-34
  • Geneseo beat Le Roy, 50-37
  • Wheatland beat Pembroke, 38-36

Blue Devils' next game is away at Livonia High School Tuesday, at 7 p.m.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

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Notre Dame dominates Holley 47-32 in Girls Basketball

By Howard B. Owens

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Notre Dame improved to 8-1 on the season in Girls Basketball with a 47-32 win over Holley.

Amelia McCulley scored 20 points for the Fighting Irish, hitting two three-pointers along the way, and coming up with five rebounds, two blocks and three steals.

Avelin Tomidy scored eight points and had six rebounds. Emma Sisson scored seven points and had five rebounds.

Also in Girls Basketball on Wednesday:

  • Alexander beat Elba 58-53. Alyssa Kramer scored 32 points for Alexander. Laurel Kania scored 13, and Melanie Pohl scored 10.  No stats reported for Elba.
  • Byron-Bergen beat Pembroke 52-40. Kendall Phillips scored 19 points for the Bees. Karli Houseknecht scored 11 points for the Dragons.

In Boys Basketball:

  • Batavia beat Vertus 74-71. The Blue Devils improved to 7-2 on the season. Ja'Vin McFollins scored 19 points for Batavia. Carter McFollins scored 17. Aiden Bellavia scored 15. 
  • Le Roy beat Letchworth 67-49. Merritt Holly, Jr. scored 26 points for the Knights.
  • Pavilion lost to Mount Morris, 67-52.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

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OA beats Elba in Elba 56-53

By Howard B. Owens

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Caitlin Ryan, with 25 points and eight rebounds, helped lead Oakfield-Alabama to a 56-53 win over Elba on Elba's home court in Girls Basketball on Thursday night.

MacKena Reding added 10 points and seven assists and Alea Groff scored nine, for O-A, while Brooke Reding and Emma Ray added five a piece. 

For the Landers, Sydney Reilly scored 21 points, six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Halie Scouten scored 15 points and snagged 14 rebounds. She also blocked five shots.  Lydia Ross scored nine points.

The Hornets are now 8-1 and Elba drops to 2-6.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

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Rotary Tournament comes down to final seconds with Notre Dame holding on for win

By Howard B. Owens

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Thursday's Rotary Girls Basketball Tournament championship game was everything hoops fans could hope for -- timely shooting, aggressive defensive, top players playing hard, and a final outcome that wasn't certain until the buzzer at the end.

Notre Dame beat Pavilion 44-43.

"It's been a while since we've had a nail-biter like that," said Tom McCulley, head coach of the Fighting Irish. "You've got two good teams that are well coached and with some players that can do special things and who are competitors, so at the end, you know you never feel comfortable as a coach with a two-point lead with 10 seconds left. It's never over in that situation."

Avelin Tomidy won the tournament's Ray Shirtz Service over Self Award, and the two free throws she made with eight seconds left may have swayed a few judge's votes.  Those free throws gave Notre Dame a four-point lead. If she missed either shot, it may have been a different game. Karlee Zinkievich, who was already having a big night and a bigger second half, hit a three-point shot with four seconds left. The Gophers were out of position to foul to stop the clock on Notre Dame's inbound pass eliminating any hope, how small it might have been, of getting another possession.

"It makes it exciting for the fans and the players and gets my heart pumping a little bit," McCulley said.

Pavilion's head coach Ben Schwenebraten would like to have notched the win, of course, but it was an exciting game.

"We knew it would be tough playing against Notre Dame," he said. "Notre Dame is in our class this year, and they're really tough, so it's a good game. It came right down the end, and we had a chance it just didn't go our way a couple of shots. We missed a couple of shots, missed a couple of box outs, and they finished, so it was a good game."

Schwenebraten said he was proud of how his team overcame a 10-point half-time deficit.

"It's all you hoped for in a game, that you have a chance at the end," Schwenebraten said. "We wanted to battle back and be in the game, and the girls did go right back out in the third quarter and played hard and then we had a chance at the end."

A big reason Pavilion had that chance was the play of Karlee Zinkievich in the second half, who played fearless basketball.

"She's a workhorse," Schwenebraten said. "She drives the bus for us. Once she gets going it helps everybody else out and she really did in the second half. She played great. She was attacking on offense, driving to the basket, taking jump shots, and she made that shot at the end of the game."

The difference maker for Notre Dame on Thursday was Emma Sisson, who was named the tournament MVP.  

"We needed her," Tom McCulley said. "Amelia had a big night the other night, but she's been sick, and it really hit her today. Emma had the opportunities, and she took full advantage of them. I mean, she made big shots, and she drove to the basket, so we started to adjust the game plan a little bit because we couldn't run everything that we needed to run because another one of our starters was out sick. We kind of had to go a little bit vanilla tonight and just run some basic stuff. Emma did a really good job of freelancing and getting to the basket and getting us some big layups at some big times."

Notre Dame is now 7-1 and Pavilion is 6-2.

Notre Dame scoring: 

  • Emma Sisson, 23 point
  • Amelia McCulley, 10 points and four rebounds and four steals
  • Avelin Tomidy, eight points, nine rebounds and nine steals

Pavilion scoring:

  • Lauren Kingsley, 16 points
  • Karlee Zinkievich, 15 points
  • Kylie Conway, eight points

In the consolation game earlier in the evening, Pembroke beat Batavia 45-41.  

Pembroke scoring:

  • Karli Houseknecht: 13 points, 4 assists, 5 rebounds, 2 steals
  • Elle Peterson: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 steals
  • Olivia Breeden: 8 points, 1 assist, 4 rebounds, 3 steals

Photos by Howard Owens.  For more, or to purchase prints, click here.

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Emma Sisson was named tournament MVP. The all-tournment team was Anna Varland, Batavia, Karli Houseknecht, Pembroke, Amelia McCulley, Notre Dame, Lauren Kingslee, Pavilion, and Karlee Zinkievich, Pavilion. Avelin Tomidy received the Ray Shirtz Service Above Self Award.

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