Notre Dame

Notre Dame honored some of its outstanding athletic legends on Saturday at the school's annual Hall of Fame Dinner.

Below are biographies provided by the school of each of the winners.

Photos by Howard Owens.  Top photo, Kevin Smith, Christi Moskal Ganie, and Jack Waggoner.

Kevin Smith excelled as a member of the Fighting Irish Varsity Football, Basketball and Baseball teams during his 4 years [1984-1987] at ND where his achievements led to him receiving the prestigious Rogowski  Memorial Trophy in 1987.

He was a 2-way standout on the 1985 and 1986 ND Varsity Football teams that posted a two-year record of 14-4 winning the League Football Championship in the Fall of '86 when they advanced to the Section V title game losing to Clyde-Savannah.  In his Senior year, he was selected to the Genesee Region League All-Star team and received the Outstanding Lineman Award.

During Kevin’s two Varsity basketball seasons, the team won 32 and lost 9 winning GR Championships in ’86 & ’87 while advancing to Sectional Championship game in ’87 where they lost by 1 point on a buzzer-beater to Cuba.  Kevin was named a Genesee Region All-Star in 1987 and was named the team’s Outstanding Defensive Player.

Kevin was a two-time Genesee Region All-Star on Baseball teams that won 50 while losing only 9, and  won Genesee Region and Section V Championships in 1986 and 1987.

After high school, Kevin attended Canisius College earning a BA and MS in Elementary Education. He taught in the Clark County School District in Las Vegas where he was named 1996’s New Teacher of the Year for the district. He loves coaching basketball and was an assistant coach on our 1992 State Championship team as well as a Nevada State champion team in 1999.  Following in the footsteps of his father (Kevin Smith Sr), Kevin has been a huge supporter of Notre Dame which led to his receiving the Fr.David Scheider Alumni Award in 2018.

Kevin and his wife Faith currently reside in Greenville, NY where he was Director of Golf for Sunny Hill Resort and Thunder Heart Golf Club for 17 years before moving to his current position as General Manger/Partner of the Island Green Resort and Golf Club. They are the proud parents of 4, Hannah (22), Syndey (20), Trey (18) and Emily (16).

Christi Moskal '03 was a stellar 3-sport student-athlete as a member of Fighting Irish Volleyball, Basketball and Softball teams during her 4 years at ND [2000 - 2003] and was named the 2003 ND " Outstanding Scholar-Athlete ". Christi becomes the 3^rd female athlete from the highly successful Class of 2003 to earn Hall of Fame recognition joining classmates Kathyrn Redick [HOF 2020] and Darci Walthew [HOF 2021]

As a member of the Volleyball team, she was a key contributor to teams that won 2 NYSPHSAA Section V Class D Championships in 2001 and 2002 as well as 3 Genesee Region [GR] League Championship teams ['00 - '02]. The 2002 team advanced to the State finals losing in 5 games. Christi was a Section V All-Star in 2002 as well as a Genesee Region All-Star selection.

On the basketball court, Christi was a key member of 3 Section V NYSPHSAA Class D Championship teams [2001, 2002 and 2003], a Far Western Regional Championship Champion [2002] and a NYSPHSAA Class D State Finalist [2002] squad. Her individual honors included selection as Section V MVP in 2002, Section V All-Star team in 2003 and Genesee Region All-Star in 3 times {2001, 2002 and 2003}.

Her numerous academic honors while at ND included membership in National Honor Society and ranking 4^th in her class. She was a Scholar-Athlete in each of her Varsity sport seasons.

She earned a BS in Psychology in 2007 and a Master’s degree from St. John’s University in Education in 2009. She also did post graduate studies in School & District Administration at Long Island University. She was a NYC Teaching Fellow from 2007 thru 2009 which is a highly selective alternative teacher preparation program. After teaching Secondary Mathematics for 8 years at the Phillipa Schuyler School for the Gifted & Talented in NYC, she is currently teaching Secondary Mathematics at the Eagle Academy for Young Men which is also in NYC.

Christi and her husband Abdul currently reside in New Jersey with their 3 children - Devin [12], Gavin {12} and Arya [7]. 

Jack Waggoner was a 3-sport standout throughout his ND career [1986 - 1989] as a member of Genesee Region League championship Fighting Irish Varsity Basketball, Football and Golf teams. He was named Notre Dame’s Athlete of the Year after his junior season in 1988 as well as the Batavia Lions Club Bill Cook Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award as a senior in 1989

The football squads his junior and senior seasons had a 2-year record of 12-4 winning a GR title. Jack’s excellence as a 2-way player led to his selection as a Genesee Region All-Star in both 1987 & 1988.

Jack’s basketball teams had a 2-year record of 37-10 [27-5 in GR]. In his senior season, the team went 22-2 winning the Batavia Lions Club Tournament as well as a Genesee Region title. They lost 70-66 in the Class C Sectional final to Avoca. His junior season saw the team go 15-8 while capturing a Genesee Region title and advancing to the Sectional semi-finals losing in OT to Mt. Morris. Jack was a Genesee Region All-Star in 1988.

Golf is where Jack left a footprint that may never be matched. While Notre Dame has had many outstanding golfers, Jack can make a claim to being the G.O.A.T.as he possesses the most impressive resume’ of any golfer in school history based on his 6-times as a Sectional qualifier, 3 times as the medalist of the GR qualifying event, twice advancing to the state championship and his 4-times named as team MVP whose selection is based on team points earned during the season and is a school record.

Jack epitomized the term “student-athlete” as academically he ranked fourth [4^th] in his class of forty-five {45} and was a member of Notre Dame’s National Honor Society. He graduated from the University of Rochester with a BA in Economics and Organizational Psychology.

Jack and his wife the former Kim Tooze [ND Class of 1989} currently reside in Bradenton, FL where he is a Certified Financial Planner for Equitable Advisors. Club for 17 years They have three children; Benjamin (21), Paige (20) and Bradley (17)

Aaron Fix (not pictured) excelled while playing Football, Basketball and Baseball during his 4 years [1989-1992] as a student-athlete at ND.

Aaron was a two-time Genesee Region All-Star in football and was twice named Outstanding Defensive Player.  His prowess led to his recruitment to play college football on the Division I-AA level at Canisius College where he held 14 school records when he graduated. Among these were punt returns for a touchdown in a game (3) which earned him national recognition from numerous outlets including ESPN and Sports Illustrated (Player of the Week –Special Teams). He also shared the punt returns for a touchdown in a season record (4) all divisions record with Golden Richards, Cliff Branch and Billy “White Shoes” Johnson who all played in the NFL. In 1994, he was named to the All- MAAC team on defense and the ECAC Division I-AA All-Star team as a Return Specialist.  

His notoriety led to his selection as the Notre Dame Sports Booster’s Amateur Athlete of the Year, and his love of football led to his playing Arena Football and coaching high school athletes at both Notre Dame and Batavia High Schools.

An outstanding two-way basketball player, Aaron was a member of the “Fab Five” team that won Notre Dame’s first state championship in 1992 while winning 26 and losing only 1. His teams posted a two year record of 40-9 (24-4 in GR) while winning Genesee Region titles in 1991 and 1992. The ’92 team set numerous school records during its historical run to a state title. Aaron was the 1992 squad’s Outstanding Defensive Player Award winner.

Aaron was a two-time Genesee Region All-Star on baseball teams that won Genesee Region Championships in 1990 &1991.  An indicator of his athleticism is that he was ambidextrous, playing baseball right-handed and basketball left-handed. The ’90 team won 12 of its last 15 games to advance to the Sectional finals.  In each of his 3 Varsity seasons, his baseball team was eliminated from Sectional play by the eventual champion.

Aaron and his wife Kristen live in Batavia with their children - Rhorri [20], Cooper [17] and Greyson [15]. He is the Regional Sales Manager for Hilti Inc.

1973 ND Varsity Baseball
The 1973 Baseball team under the leadership of legendary ND coaches Fr. John Zeitler and Bill Sutherland recorded a 16-4 record while winning the championship of the very competitive Bishop Smith League.

They would then advance to the title game of the prestigious Georgetown Cup Championship Playoffs where they would eventually fall Canisius High School of the Burke League in a hard fought 3-1 game.  Canisius High School was an all-male school with twice the enrollment of Notre Dame. The Smith League Championship marked the second consecutive title for this group as they were also Co-Champions in the 1972 season.

The 1973 team was fueled by an air-tight defense, daring base running, solid pitching, and timely hitting.  The team was loaded with a depth of talent resulting in the team receiving seven Monsignor Martin First or Second Team All-Catholic selections [Bob Carragher, Mike Flick, Rick Rapone, Carl Simms, Sean Sullivan, Pat Strollo and Andy Vogl]. This squad also included 5 individual members of the Notre Dame Athletic Hall of Fame – Head Coach Fr. John Zeitler (HOF 1991), Assistant Coach Bill Sutherland (HOF 1995), Bob Carragher (HOF 1997), Carl Simms (HOF 2002) and Andy Vogl (HOF 1991).

ND Boys Basketball 1992- NYSPHSAA Class D State Champions

The 1992 Boys Basketball team posted a record of 26-1 in winning the NYSPHSAA State title as well as Section V and GR championships. Nicknamed “The Fab 5” { Aaron Fix, Dean Haynesworth, Tom McCulley, Rob Panepento and Tim Tucker} the team set numerous school records including wins (26) and win percentage (96.3%). Their run to the State Title put ND back in the spotlight at a time when attention on our great school was needed as enrollment had dipped below 100 for the first and only time in school history.

The highlight of the season was an exciting 76-75 win over defending state champion Prattsburgh in front of a sold out crowd at SUNY Geneseo avenging a 40 point loss to them in the 1991 sectional tournament. After this emotional victory, the team had to travel to Fredonia the next day for a 3:00 pm game versus Section 6 Champion Franklinville. After winning the Regional, they beat Fort Edward who was #1 in the State in the semi-final and Bishop Grimes in the title game.

The 1992 NYSPHSAA Class D Championship team coaching staff included Notre Dame Athletic Hall of Fame Coaches Mike Rapone [HOF 1996], Dave Pero Sr.[HOF 2016] and Kevin Smith (HOF 2022).  The team roster included HOF athletes Tom McCulley [HOF 2014] who is ND basketball’s all-time leading scorer, Aaron Fix [HOF 2022], Dean Haynesworth, Rob Panepento, Tim Tucker, Chris Tatarka, Jeff Von Kramer, Matt Von Kramer, Mike Sorensen, Matt Bausch, Kelly Bartz, Joe Condidorio and Gregg Torrey.

Callie McCulley, a former standout with Notre Dame in her high school basketball career, helped the University of Rochester to its second straight Chuck Resler Tournament Championship with a 55-44 win over #21 ranked Messiah University.

McCulley was named the tournament MVP after Saturday's win. On Friday, she set a school record for blocked shots in a game. 

After the first two games of her senior season, McCulley is averaging 9.5 points per game and 10.5 rebounds.

Her former ND Coach Tom McCulley said McCulley, from Le Roy, "has really been grinding to be a top player.  She was an Academic All-American last year."  He said UofR has a good shot at winning a berth in the NCAA Tournament this season.

For more on UofR's tournament win, click here.

Photo: File photo by Howard Owens from 2018. 

Pavilion, Notre Dame, and Le Roy are all Section champions, having won their respective finals matches in Girls Volleyball.

Pavilion beat Cuba-Rushford three games to one for the Class D2 crown, and Notre Dame beat Charles Finney three games to two to win in Class D3.

The Class D wins sets up a consolidation game between Pavilion and Notre Dame on Tuesday at a location to be determined.

Le Roy beat East Rochester three games to two for the C2 championship. Le Roy will play Midlakes in a Class C consolidation game on Tuesday, location to be determined.

The Fighting Irish put up a good fight against York/Pavilion in their first-round sectional battle on Friday night but came up a bit short, losing 40-30.

Jay Antonore was 11-16 passing for 69 yards and four touchdowns. 

Ryan Fitzpatrick had three TD receptions on six catches for 86 yards.  The other TD catch went to Jaden Sherwood.

Hayden Groff gained 69 yards on 19 carries.

For York/Pavilion, Maddox Timothy was 11-16 passing for 185 yards and two TDs.  Kadin Peete gained 132 yards on 16 carries.

Photos by Doug McFarland.

For the seventh time in seven games, the Oakfield-Alabama/Elba Aggies scored at least 38 points on their way to a dominating win.

Only once has an opponent scored more than one touchdown against the Aggies.

This time, OAE beat Notre Dame 48-0.

Scoring:

• Bodie Hyde runs for 2 yards.
• Bodie Hyde passes to Kyle Porter for 55 yards.
• Bodie Hyde runs for 67 yards.
• Noah Currier runs for 27 yards.
• Bodie Hyde runs for 27 yards.
• Noah Currier runs for 33 yards.
• Noah Currier runs for 41 yards.

Avery Watterson hit six of seven point after attempts.

Hyde was 7-9 passing for 154 yards, a TD and an interception.

Currie rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns on 12 attempts.  Hyde gained 145 yards, scored three times, on 12 carries.

Porter had three receptions for 74 yards and a TD.

"This was a great game to wrap up the end of the regular season with," said Head Coach Tyler Winter. "It was a solid performance on the scoreboard and we took a step in our team's process.  However, there is still plenty to take back to the film room and dive into as we prepare for our second season."

The Fighting Irish finish the regular season 4-3.

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

 

Cal-Mum scored first, but Notre Dame scored last, and in the end, that's what mattered most as the Fighting Irish walked away with a 19-13 win on Friday night.

For Notre Dame, Hayden Groff scored twice in the first quarter -- on a 1-yard run and a 3-yard run.

The final touchdown against Cal-Mum/Byron-Bergen came at 11:15 in the fourth quarter when Jay Antinore hit Jaden Sherwood for 13 yards and a touchdown.

Antinore was 15-27 passing for 157 yards and the TD.  He was not intercepted.

Bryceton Berry had four receptions for 67 yards, James Fanara, six for 45 yards and Ryan Fitzpatrick, three for 24 yards.

Groff gained 53 yards on 16 attempts. 

George Woodruff led the defense with 8.5 tackles and a sack.

The Irish improve to 4-2 on the season.

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame were solid against Clyde Savannah on Saturday for a 20-6 win

Scoring:

• Notre Dame, Jay Antinore's pass complete to Jaden Sherwood for 27 yards.  PAT Brandon Carrick.
• Notre Dame, Jay Antinore connects with Jaden Sherwood for a 7-yard TD  PAT Brandon Carrick.
• Clyde Savannah, Zymere Smith runs for 17 yards. Two-point conversion attempt fails
• Nortre Dame, Jay Antinore runs for 16 yards.  

Antinore was 13-19 passing for 258 yards.  He also threw three interceptions. Antinore ran for 67 yards and a TD.

Ryan Fitzpatrick and James Fanara each had four receptions, for 140 and 51 yards respectively.

Jaden Sherwood and Ryan Fitzpatrick led the team in tackles with five apiece.

Alexander had all of the pieces working -- offense, defense, and special teams -- in their 49-7 win over Notre Dame on Saturday.

Scoring Summary:

• First quarter, 8:40, Alexander, Richard Townley 1-yard run. PAT by Dalton Selapack.
• First quarter, 4:43, Alexander, Richard Townley, 10-yard run.  PAT by Dalton Selapack.
• Second quarter, 11:14, Alexander, Bryceton Berry punt attempt blocked. Recovered by Kaden Lyons in the end zone. PAT by Dalton Selapack.
• Second quarter, 7:07, Alexander, Mason Bump 8-yard run. PAT by Dalton Selapack.
• Second quarter, 5:00, Notre Dame, James Fanara 3-yard pass complete to Ryan Fitzpatrick.  PAT by Brandon Carrick.
• Second quarter, 2:53, Alexander, Richard Townley 4-yard run. PAT by Dalton Selapack.
• Third quarter, 7:00, Alexander, Kaden Lyons 20-yard run. PAT by Dalton Selapack.
• Third quarter, 1:25, Alexander, Mason Bump, 4-yard run. PAT by Dalton Selapack.

Trenton Woods was 6-10 passing for Alexander for 119 yards. 

Townley rushed for 61 yards on 12 attempts. Bump gained 53 yards on nine carries. Ben Merrill had three receptions for 62 yards.

For Notre Dame, James Fanara was 3-13 passing for 39 yards and a TD and he gained 31 yards on the ground on seven carries.

The Trojans remain undefeated at 4-0.  Notre Dame is 2-2.

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

Press release:

Notre Dame has announced the newest members of its Athletic Hall of Fame who will be inducted on Saturday Nov. 12 in a ceremony held at the school.  Contact Kate Edwards at 343-2783 ext. 144 or email her kate.edwards@ndhsbatavia.com for ticket information.

Aaron Fix Class of 1992:  Aaron excelled in football, basketball and Baseball. He started on Notre Dame’s first State title the 1992 Boys Basketball Team. The basketball teams he played on posted a record of 40-9 (38-4 in GR) and won GR titles in 1991 & 1992.  He was a 2-time GR All-Star in both football and baseball with his teams winning GR championships in baseball in1990 &1991. He went on to play football collegiately at Canisius where he set a record for TD punt returns in a game (3), in a season (4) and was a D-1 AA All-American as a punt returner.

Christi Moskal Ganie Class of 2003:  Christi played volleyball, basketball and softball during her ND years. Her Volleyball teams won Section V titles in 2001 & 2002 advancing to State finals in ’02. She was selected as a multiple GR and Section V Volleyball All-Star. Christi’s basketball squads were Section V Champs in 2002 when she was named MVP and 2003 when she was a tournament All-Star. Christi was a 3-time GR Basketball All-Star on teams that won 3 GR titles. Her prowess as a student-athlete led to her selection as Notre Dame’s Outstanding Scholar-Athlete in 2003.

Kevin Smith Class of 1987: Kevin was a standout athlete in football, basketball and baseball.  He was a GR All-Star in football in 1986 when his team won the GR title and advanced to the Sectional Finals.  Kevin’s basketball teams won 32 and lost 9 winning GR Championships in ’86 & ’87 while advancing to Sectional Championship game in ’87 where they lost by 1 on a buzzer beater. In ’87, he earned GR All-Star recognition. He was a 2-time GR All-Star on Baseball teams that posted a record of 50-9 winning GR & Sectional Championships in ’86 & ’87. He was the recipient of the Rogowski Trophy one of the most prestigious ND Awards.

Jack Waggoner Class of 1989:  Jack played football, basketball and golf. He was Athlete of the Year in 1988 as well as the Batavia Lions Club Bill Cook Outstanding Scholar-Athlete Award in 1989. His football squads had a 2-year record of 12-4 winning a GR title and he was a GR All-Star in ‘87 & ’88. Jack’s basketball teams went 37-10 winning a Batavia Lions Club championship as well as a GR title in ’89 when they advanced to the Sectional Championship game. Arguably the most successful golfer in school history, Jack was  a 6-time Sectional qualifier, 3-time medalist of the GR qualifying event, twice advanced to the state championships and his 4-times as team MVP is a school record.

1973 Baseball:  The 1973 Baseball team went 16-4 winning the Smith League championship. They advanced to the Georgetown Cup Championship game losing 3-1 to Canisius HS. This team was coached by Hall of Famers Fr. John Zeitler and Bill Sutherland while the roster included HOF athletes Bob Carragher, Andy Vogl, and Mark Francis.

1992 Boys Basketball:  The 1992 Boys Basketball team earned the name “The Fab 5” as they posted a record of 26-1 winning the NYSPHSAA State title as well as Section V and GR championships. They set a school record for wins (26), win percentage (96.3%) and put ND back in the spotlight at a time when enrollment had dropped below 100 for the first and only time. HOF inductees affiliated with the team include Coaches Mike Rapone and Dave Pero as well as athletes Tom McCulley and Aaron Fix.

Notre Dame's offense more than doubled the total offensive yards of Cuba-Rushford for a Friday-night road win, 26-7.

James Fanara scored on runs of 10 yards and 9 yards in first half and closed out the scoring in the fourth quarter with a two-yard touchdown.  He carried the ball 13 times for 98 yards.

Fanara was 6-12 passing for 102 yards.

Hayden Groff rushed for 82 yards on 18 carries and scored a touchdown.

Jay Antinore and Ryan Fitzpatrick each had two receptions for 37 and 32 yards respectively.  Jaden Sherwood had a 30-yard reception.

On defense, Hayden Groff had four tackles.  Bryceton Berry had 3.5 tackles and a sack. 

The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame dispensed of South Seneca pretty easily on Saturday, securing a 56-0 win.

James Fanara was 8-10 passing for 140 yards and two TDs. Fanara added another 25 yards rushing on six carries.

Hayden Groff gained 85 yards on 13 carries and Gabe Castro picked up 40 on 10 carries. Groff scored twice.  Castro scored on a six-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Bryceton Berry returned the second-half kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. Ryan Fitzpatrick had a pick-six in the third quarter.   

Photos by Kristin Smith.  For more, click here.

In its season opener, Attica hosted Notre Dame and won the game Friday evening 28-14.

The Batavian has not received stats for the game.

In other games:

• Batavia beat Wayne Central, 27-7
• Oakfield-Alabama/Elba beat Cardinal O'Hara 76-6 (click here for the game story).
• Pembroke (eight-man) beat C.G. Finney/Northstar 55-22
• Alexander beat Avon 33-15. The Trojans racked up 407 yards of total offense.

Notre Dame game photos by Pete Welker.

Press release:

Notre Dame has named Jimmy Fanara, ND Class of 1994, as the Varsity Football Coach replacing Joe Zambito who was unable to return after being hired as Race Secretary at Harrah's Philadelphia last Friday. 

Fanara has been coaching at Notre Dame for 25 years, working alongside legendary coaches Bill Sutherland and Rick Mancuso, as well as being a member of Coach Zambito’s staff for the past 4 years. Fanara said, “It’s a tremendous honor to be the leader of the Notre Dame High school football program. I look forward to carrying on the traditions of not only the program but also the high school. It’s a wonderful honor and I feel blessed. Go Irish!”

Notre Dame would like to thank Coach Zambito for his 4 years of dedicated service to the Notre Dame Football program. He posted a record of 20-14, winning sectionals in 2019 when his team had a record of 10-1, including an undefeated regular season.

Notre Dame will hold a meeting for parents and players on Tuesday, July 19th at 6 p.m. in the cafeteria where Coach Fanara and his staff will be introduced. 

Photo courtesy Notre Dame.  Jimmy Fanara, left, and former ND head coach Rick Mancuso.

Press release:

Notre Dame is pleased to announce the following teaching and staff positions for the 2022-2023 school year.

We are pleased to announce that Kristen Gomez will have an enhanced role on our Administrative Team. In addition to her role as the Director of Academic Advisement and Learning Center teacher, Mrs. Gomez will become our Registrar and take on responsibilities specific to administrative leadership.

Amanda Coggiola has accepted the position of Administrative Assistant to the Office of Academic Advisement. Mrs. Coggiola comes to us with enthusiasm and we are pleased to welcome her to this position at ND. We thank Karen Rapone for her many years of service and wish her well upon her retirement.

Karina Treleaven has accepted the position of part-time Spanish teacher for our Junior High. In addition to her teaching duties, she is a proud parent of an upcoming senior and freshman at Notre Dame. We look forward to having her share her skills with our students and staff.

Sunday’s Notre Dame High School graduation ceremony was filled with thank-yous, encouraging quotes and acknowledgments for those who played a part in the celebratory finale.

For Salutatorian Lucia Sprague, the day was about expressing appreciation for everyone from her fellow students to faculty members.

“When writing a speech, I wanted to thank … the teachers and staff, so we could succeed and prosper to the best of our ability. Thank you for devoting your lives to the pursuit of knowledge,” she said at Resurrection Parish. “To our families, thank you for nurturing us and never giving up on us. By being here today, you are supporting the young men and women that you love and cherish. To our coaches, thank you for the hours you have put in, molding us as accomplished athletes. The lessons you have taught us on the field and in the court are some of the best lessons (we had). To my fellow seniors, you have all made it so far and be proud of yourselves.  I could not be more grateful.”

Co-valedictorians Gavin Schrader and Nathaniel Brew also were full of thanks for family members, friends and school staff. At the risk of being redundant, Brew wanted to emphasize a phrase that he figured everyone has already heard some 20,000 times.

“High school has been some of the best and worst years of my life. People tell you to grow up, but also enjoy life because it goes by so fast. I’m grateful for everything Notre Dame has done for us,” Brew said. “And for the 20,000th and first time, ND is a family. Good luck to our graduating class.”

The Class of 2022 — decked out in yellow gold and navy blue — received that final certificate of accomplishment for not just the last four years at the Batavia-based private school, but for the 13-year journey of an important educational career, Principal Wade Bianco said.

The journey doesn’t happen without the support of others, though, he said. He asked that, first the grandparents, followed by parents, and finally faculty, staff and coaches to stand up and be recognized for the pivotal roles they had within each graduate’s success story.

Families make sacrifices to send their children to Notre Dame “and help us lift them to achieve their dreams,” he said, and school employees provide leadership to get the job done.

“You don’t become rich working at Notre Dame, but you know where you do? You get rich in your heart, your mind and your soul …you get the experience of working with these kids.”

An avid reader, Bianco often likes to share positive messages that he gleans from various writers. His advice, from Henry Ford, Dr. Seuss and many others, included that, before you act or react, think; earn before you spend; wait before you criticize and try before quitting. He encouraged students to never stop questioning, whether it’s directed at college professors, politicians, or even themselves.

“My wish for you is that this life becomes all that you want it to be: your dreams stay big, your worries stay small,” he said, continuing to borrow from motivational quotes. “Obstacles are the frightful things you see who you take your eyes off the goal. Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you are right.”

Be open to all of the possibilities out there, he said, to anything that their futures may bring, while also celebrating today’s achievements. And, perhaps the most notable quote of all, for when pursuing challenges that seem too daunting.

“Try one more time,” he said.

Top photo, left to right is Notre Dame Assistant Principal Mike Rapone, Salutatorian Lucia Sprague, Co-Valdictorians Nathaniel Brew, Gavin Schrader, Director of Academic Advisement & Communications Kristen Gomez, Principal Wade Bianco

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Oakfield-Alabama was able to hold off Notre Dame in an 8-7 battle to win the Class C Section V title in baseball on Tuesday.

Bodie Hyde was 2-3 with a walk and two runs scored for the Hornets. David Schnaufer knocked in three runs on one hit and Brayden Smith scored twice while collecting one hit and one walk.

For Notre Dame, Bryceton Berry was 3-3 with three RBIs and a run scored. Gavin Schrader had two hits and scored three times. Cody Henry was 2-3 with two RBIs. 

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

Press release:

Notre Dame High School Foundation will be hosting its 25th Annual Golf, Tennis and Bocce Tournament on Sunday, June 12th at Terry Hills Golf Course.

The Annual tournament is on Sunday again this year in hopes that more friends and alumni of Notre Dame can participate and continue our great tradition. Registration includes 18 holes with a golf cart, tennis or bocce, all beer and nonalcoholic beverages during play, lunch and dinner with a cash bar, and much more!

Most importantly, all proceeds from the tournament support Notre Dame Jr/Sr High School student scholarship programs, making excellence in education possible for deserving students in our communities. The tournament is one of our major fundraisers and an opportunity to spend the day having fun with friends and alumni.

Businesses and individuals looking to take advantage of this event's advertising opportunities and lock in sponsorship levels are encouraged to act early and contact Jim Sutherland at JSutherland@cricklervending.com. Please visit Notre Dame’s website (ndhsbatavia.com) for more information and to register for our fun-filled tournament. 

The Blue Devils jumped to an early lead; Notre Dame came charging back but could never pull ahead, leading to a 10-9 victory and the 2022 Rotary Tournament trophy at Dwyer Stadium on Saturday night.

The Fighting Irish were down 8-0 after 2 1/2 frames, then scored two runs in the third, five in the fourth (after Batavia tacked on two more in each of their half of the middle innings to reach 10 runs), one in the fifth, and one in the seventh.

Vincent Graziolplene and Mekhi Fortes each picked up two hits for Batavia. Graziolplene also had two RBIs as did Dan Dombrowski.  Cole Grazioplene scored three runs and Fortes scored twice.

Jesse Reinhart tossed 3 2/3 innings, giving up three hits and seven runs (four earned) and striking out five to pick up the win. 

For Notre Dame, Jay Antinore had three hits and scored twice. Vincent DiRisio was 1-4 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Gavin Schrader scored two runs and had a hit.  Ryan Fitzpatrick scored twice.

Fitzpatrick was the starting pitcher for Notre Dame and took the loss, giving up four hits and seven runs (three earned). 

Photos by Pete Welker

Vince Grazioplene was selected tournament MVP.

Notre Dame beat Oakfield-Alabama in high school baseball at Dwyer Stadium today, 8-4.

The winning pitcher was Ryan Fitzpatrick, who worked all seven innings giving up five hits and one earned run while striking out 11.

For the Irish, Colin McCulley, Gavin Schrader, and Fitzpatrick all had two hits each and Fitzpatrick knocked in three runs while scoring twice.

For the Hornets, Bodie Hyde and Gaige Armbrewster each had two hits.  Hyde drove in four runs. He was also the starting pitcher and took the loss.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here,

In a hard-fought girls basketball game in which neither team ever managed more than a four-point lead until the closing seconds, Notre Dame fell to Sherman in the Far West Regional Championship for Class D. 

The final score: 35-29.

Judah Macdonald scored nine points, Avelin Tomidy, eight, and Emma Sisson, five. Maylee Green scored three points and had eight rebounds.

For Sherman, sophomore Paige Grotto led the way, scoring 24 points and being a strong defensive presence.

For more photos, click here.