The Blue Devils, who over the past 11 years have won sectional titles and vied for a state championship, has yet to manage a victory against the much younger team.

The Oakfield-Alabama/Elba Titans hosted the Batavia Bulldawgs in three youth football games at O-A's field on Saturday, with a 7 p.m. start time on the third game, giving the JV squads an opportunity to play under the lights.

Scores: 

• Beginners, OAE over Batavia 31-0
• Minis, Batavia beat OAE 40-0
• JV, Batavia 14, OAE 6

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more photos, click here.

The Blue, Gray, and Black is back in action and in snazzy new uniforms.

The Batavia Bulldawgs youth football program took to the turf at Van Detta Stadium on Saturday to kick off the 2022 season.

Photos by Howard Owens

The Batavia Bulldawgs and the Batavia Blue Devils joined together once again on Tuesday night for the annual (after a skipped season) Blue Devil Experience Night at Van Detta Stadium in Batavia.

Photos by Alecia Kaus/Video News Service

Press release:

We are very grateful to the David M. McCarthy Memorial Foundation for their decent donation of a new AED Defibrillator and Medical Emergency bag for our Bulldawgs organization. The David M McCarthy Memorial Foundation has done so much for so many youth organizations in our community. On behalf of our Board of Directors, coaches, athletes, and families we thank you from the bottom of our hearts! 

Photo:  Mr. Mike McCarthy, Brian McCarthy & Pete Stevens from the foundation's board along with our Mini football division team and Bulldawgs board members.

Times are 12 to 2 p.m. for returning athletes; 2 to 4 p.m. for new athletes.

Limited roster spots are available. Unlimited weight for ALL positions.

Sign up for:

• Beginners -- 6-7 years of age
• Minis 8-9 years of age
• JV -- 10-11 years of age
• Varsity -- 12-13 years of age

Please provide: birth certificate, proof of health insurance, and proof of physical exam.

Cost for football is $225 and includes a personalized jersey.

Cost for cheer is $175 and includes a personalized cheer jacket.

Family discounts available for multiple athletes.

Cash, personal check and payment via Venmo are accepted.

"Once a Bulldawg, always a Bulldawg!"

Questions? Contact League Commissioner John Reigle at (716) 228-5787, or Cheer Director Kate Smith (585) 409-3604.

Email:   BataviaBulldawgsFootball@gamil.com

Reigle (inset photo right) was a standout wide receiver and kick returner at Batavia High School who earned a football scholarship to South Dakota Tech upon graduating in 1997. He played for three years at the Rapid City, S.D., college, studying business, before returning home.

Twenty years later, his passion for the gridiron continues as commissioner of Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football, a program that he has been involved with for the past decade.

Earlier this week, Reigle -- father of two Batavia school students and a third who graduated this year -- was appointed to the district’s board of education to replace Patrick Burk, who stepped down after 34-plus years on the board.

“I’ve been involved with the youth in the community through the Batavia Bulldogs and in youth sports with my kids growing up, but I wanted to get involved on the education side of it as well,” Reigle said. “I think it’s important for our district to have parents actively involved, everyone working together on behalf of the students and teachers.”

Reigle attempted to get on the board in June as a write-in candidate, falling short as Alice Ann Benedict (the current president), Barbara Bowman and Tanni Bromley were elected to the three open positions. Still, he garnered 489 votes – an impressive amount as a write-in.

“Superintendent (Anibal) Soler (Jr.) and Business Administrator (Scott) Rozanski reached out to me to see if I was still interested – to make sure that nothing had changed in my life – and when I told them I was, they said the board was interested in having me finish out Pat’s term (which ends in June 2021),” Reigle said.

He was sworn in at Monday’s night board meeting.

Reigle, 41, said the campaign process proved to be an eye-opening experience.

“Just talking to a lot of people – most didn’t know who was on the board or how many people sat on the board,” he recalled. “I hope I can be that connection with the community with the families that I know, to communicate to them that they can voice their opinions and bring them to the board.”

Calling it a “unique year” in light of the COVID-19 pandemic and the changes in how students are taught, Reigle praised administrators for “coming up with the best plan for our district.”

“It’s definitely a unique year with the hybrid approach. I really think our administrators did a great job of gathering the feedback from the parents,” he said. “A little over 75 percent of the parents wanted in-school and I think about 20 percent wanted the hybrid, remote learning. I think they did a great job of putting a plan together to fit what the families wanted.”

Reigle said he knows many families in the district and is familiar with a lot of the teachers.

“Knowing families with kids attending in the different (school) buildings will be good,” he said. “And I know a lot of the teachers, I think that will be helpful as well … to be a voice for the teachers as well. They’re a big part of the success at Batavia.”

He said teachers “went above and beyond” in the spring and summer to enable students at all levels to advance.

“Look at the challenges that they’ve had, having to go from no plan or expectation of having everything shut down in March, and still having to teach the kids. The way that they responded was amazing, from communicating with the kids, you saw all the events at graduation to make it special – not only for the seniors but for the eighth-graders who were graduating from middle school and the kids at Jackson School who were graduating into John Kennedy.”

Reigle said he looks forward to working with what he sees as “a great board of education that is eager to listen and do what’s best for the district” and to learn from Benedict, another lifelong Batavian who previously served on the board.

Benedict said Reigle will be a welcome addition.

“We are excited to have John Reigle on the board of education,” she said. “He is enthusiastic … and can give us a new perspective on issues that come to us. We are happy that he was willing to fill our open seat to complete a seven-member board.”

Reigle, manager of Timebuyer Auto Sales on West Main Street, and his wife, Ashlee, live in the City of Batavia. They have three children – Bryce, a 2020 BHS grad who is attending Genesee Community College; Mackenzie, a senior at BHS where she is a first-team all-league girls’ basketball player, and Jordan, a third-grader at John Kennedy Elementary School.

-----------

Burk: Time was Right to Retire

Burk, 63, said he had planned to retire at the end of the 2020-21 school year – when his term expired -- but said that he sped up the timetable as a result of his “confidence” in the leadership of Benedict and “the genuine interest” of Reigle, his replacement.

“So basically after 34-plus years it was time for me to pick me – to concentrate on my other work and opportunities,” he said. “It’s bittersweet, but I feel really good about it.”

Burk said he still has many irons in the fire, so it’s not like he riding off into the sunset.

He said he will now have more time to help establish Main Street 56 Theater at the City Centre (he’s the president of Batavia Players) and continue his role as a consultant for Lee Publications.

He also is the executive director of the Genesee Valley School Boards Association, which represents 22 school boards in Western New York.

• Beginners (ages 6/7) at 10 a.m.
• Mini (ages 8/9) at 12 p.m.
• Junior Varsity (ages 10/11) at 2 p.m.
• Varsity (ages 12/13) at 4 p.m.

For questions or comments, email:  bataviabulldawgsfootball@gmail.com

The Batavia Bulldawgs Youth Football and Cheer program is excited to announce that three Bulldawg teams have made it to the Niagara Orleans Football Association (NOFA) 2018 Championship Games. Games will be played this Saturday, Oct. 27, at Veterans Memorial Baseball Park in Medina.

The Bulldawgs Mini Division (8-9 year olds) finished its regular season undefeated with a record of 9-0. This past Saturday they defeated the #4 seeded Tri Town Trojans 19-0 in the playoff round to advance to the championship.

The Mini Bulldawgs are the #1 seed with a 10-0 record and will face the #2 seed Newfane with a record of 9-1.

The Bulldawgs are coached by Head Coach Jed Davis, assisted by Frank Gioia, Scott Lazarony, and Bobby Darch. The Mini game will kick off at 11 a.m.

The JV Bulldawgs (10-11 year olds) finished with an impressive 7-2 regular season record to earn the #4 seed in the playoffs.

After successfully beating the #1 ranked Albion Purple Eagles this past Saturday with a 20-6 win, they will face the Holly Hawks who are ranked #3 with a 9-1 record entering the championship round.

The JV Bulldawgs are coached by Head Coach Brian Mruczek, assisted by Aaron Fix, Justin Smith, Kenny Griffin, and Al White. The JV championship game will kick off at 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Also finishing with an undefeated regular season of 9-0 the Varsity Bulldawgs entered into the playoff contest as the #1 seed against the #4 Albion Purple Eagles. Playing through the cold and rain this past Saturday, the Bulldawgs capped off a 34-0 win against Albion to make it to the Championship Game against the #2 seed Tri Town Trojans.

Tri Town has a record of 9-1 with their only loss being against the Bulldawgs in regular season play. The Varsity Bulldawgs are coached by Head Coach John Marucci, assisted by Jerry Smith, Eddie Woods, Michael Almekinder, Chez Rolle, along with junior coaches Evan Cummings and Kaiden Marucci. The Varsity Championship game is scheduled to kick off at 3 p.m.

The Bulldawgs would like to invite any and all of the Batavia community to come out and support these amazing young athletes on their championship quest. Come join the CheerDawg cheerleaders as they lead the Bulldawg fans and supporters in the stands.

Games times again are 11 a.m. (Mini), 1 p.m. (JV), and 3 p.m. (Varsity) this Saturday at "Medina Vets Park," located at 335 W. Oak Orchard St., Medina.

The Batavia Blue Devils hosted the Batavia Bulldawgs for their annual "Blue Devils Experience" at Van Detta Stadium in Batavia on Wednesday night.

The Blue Devils open their season Aug. 31, 7:30 p.m., at home against Hornell.