elba

After five consecutive losses to defending state champions -- the Elba Lady Lancers -- the Notre Dame girls came into Tuesday's Section V semi-final match a little more determined and with a different game plan.

For the first time, the Fighting Irish ran a man-on-man defense.

The Lancers, who routinely score 70 or more points a game, were held to 40 on the night, scoring only 11 points in the first quarter and none in the second.

"Elba is a very good high school basketball team, a well coached team," said Head Coach Dave Pero after his team's 45-40 victory. "To shut out a team like that for even a few minutes is a feather in your cap. To do it to Elba is tough to do."

Riley Norton, who led Notre Dame with 16 points and 12 rebounds, said supporters have been encouraging the team to try a man-on-man defense.

The Irish always play Elba tough (one of the few teams that does) and maybe switching up the defense could make the difference.

"The defense worked," Norton said. "Going out and stopping them defensively is what we've been going out and working on day after day after day."

During the first half, the Lancers were often taking shots with only a few seconds on the clock. It was hard for the girls to find open lanes. When they did shoot, too often the ball didn't drop through the hoop.

"I thought, you know, we've got some quickness," Pero said, "let's roll the ball out and see where it falls. We went man-to-man and it paid off."

Tom Nowak, Elba's head coach, said man-to-man isn't something the Lady Lancers regularly see, but they've successfully played against that tactic before and they do prepare for it.

"We struggled in the first half," he said. "We didn't play Elba basketball."

In the previous five losses to Elba, the Irish have taken leads only to watch them slip away.

As the second quarter progressed, the Lancers turned a 12-point deficit into a two down, which raised the question: Would history repeat?

Of course, she thought that very question, Norton said, but she also felt this night was different.

"I knew we were going to fight through it," Norton said. "We fought through it last Friday. We’ve grown as a team since last time we played them. I knew this was our time and I knew we could hold onto it."

With the lead two, a three-point jumper from Emma Francis late in the 4th gave Notre Dame the emotional lift to hold back Elba.

"We said all along, and this seems to have happened the last four or five times they've beat us, we've got that one bad quarter," Pero said. "We seem to lose our momentum. Well, tonight, they hung in, they stayed composed and it's a great win for the girls."

The rivalry between Notre Dame and Elba is long-standing and crosses the lines between girls and boys sports and wraps in football as well as basketball.

On a slushy winter night, nearly 200 fans of the teams made the hour-long drive to Dansville for the game. Both sides were loud and proud until the final seconds of the game.

When the final buzzer sounded, Elba students rushed onto the court and mobbed the Elba players. The scene suited a championship game, not just a stepping stone to the next round.

Norton was clearly ecstatic after the win.

"This is my senior year," Norton said. "I didn’t want to stop playing. I want to get that patch on Sunday."

Pero admitted, it was a big win for him, too.

Personally, any time you can be a coached Tom Nowack team it’s great, because to me he’s one of the top coaches in Section V," Pero said. "Any time you can match wits with him,  it’s a feather, but it’s all about the girls. It’s not about me or my coaches. It’s about the girls. Without them I’d be nothing, so hats off to them."

Elba had a great run that included a state title and a breathtaking winning streak. Nowak said his girls should be proud.

"Like I told the kids, you’ll look back 10 years from now, 15 years, and realize what you accomplished," Nowak said. "I said I’ve been coaching 35 years in Elba and never did I experience anything like I did last year and this year, winning 44 games in a row. They will be really proud of that accomplishment down the road when they come back and think about it."

Notre Dame plays Friday for the sectional title, 8 p.m., against Romulus at Letchworth.

Photos: Laurie Call and Bailee Welker celebrate following the big win. Emma Francis drives for a lay-up against McKenzie Bezon. Riley Norton and Jamie Marshall fight for a rebound in the 4th quarter. Norton and Kelsey Bezon in the 4th quarter.

To purchase prints of photos, click here.

Jihad Abdul Hakiim, 19, of W. 168th St., New York City, and William A. Hucks, 18, of State Road, Webster, are charged with burglary, 2nd. Hakiim and Hucks allegedly entered a dormitory suite at College Village through a window and took two XBox game consoles and games. Hakiim was jailed on $15,000 bail and Hucks was jailed on $5,000 bail. The case was investigated by Deputy Brian Thompson with K-9 Pharoah, Investigator William Ferrando, Deputy Patrick Reeves and Trooper Eric Daigler.

Jessie Marie Cramer, 27, of Bank Street, Batavia, was arrested on a bench warrant. Cramer allegedly failed to appear in Town of Batavia Court on a petit larceny charge.

Justin Ryan Bidell, 38, of Meadville Road, Basom, was arrested on a bench warrant. Bidell turned himself in to the Sheriff's Office on a warrant for alleged failure to pay fine.

Andrew William Bruckman, of Robertson Road, Churchville, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. Bruckman was stopped on Route 33, Stafford, at 6:08 p.m. on Saturday by Deputy Kevin McCarthy, for allegedly pulling a trailer with switched plates and having an unregistered trailer. During the stop, Bruckman was allegedly found in possession of marijuana.

Steven Ronald Dennis, 23, of Maple Ridge Road, Medina, is charged with felony DWI, felony driving with a BAC of .08 or greater, speeding (94 in a 55 mph and 84 in a 30 mph), and unlawful possession of marijuana. Dennis was stopped at 1:21 a.m., Sunday, on Water Street, Oakfield, by Deputy James Diehl.

Eric Alexander Ion, 40, of Pike Road, Batavia, is charged with felony criminal contempt and assault, 3rd. Ion allegedly violated an order of protection by assaulting the protect party, causing injury. Ion was jailed on $2,500 bail.

Jon Hoyt Bush, 29, of Route 98, Elba, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd.  Bush was arrested on a warrant after being released from the Livingston County Jail. Bush was jailed in Genesee County on $1,000 bail.

Cazan Jayrryary Cummings, 20, of Avenue W, Brooklyn, is charged with trespassing. Cummings was allegedly at College Village after being banned from the property.

Nicole Lee Cramer, 23, of West Main Street, Le Roy, is charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance, 7th. Cramer was a passenger in a vehicle stopped on Route 5, City of Batavia, at 1:07 a.m. on Saturday by Deputy Patrick Reeves. Cramer was allegedly found in possession of alcohol in a motor vehicle. Upon further investigation, an amount of suspected cocaine was found concealed in an undergarment.

A two-car accident is reported at Quaker Hill and Lockport roads in Elba. Minor injuries. It is partially blocking traffic and fire police are requested to the scene. Elba Fire Department and Mercy medics are responding in non-emergency mode.

UPDATE 11:34 a.m.: The Elba assignment is back in service. Two patients refused medical attention. The roadway is reopened.

Sandra Eileen Pawlukewicz, 46, of Gibson Street, Bergen, is charged with criminal possession of stolen property, 5th. Pawlukewicz was stopped at 4:26 p.m. Tuesday on Lake Road, Le Roy, by Deputy Matthew Butler. She was allegedly driving a vehicle with switched plates and a suspended license. The plates were later found to be stolen.

Jason Lee Perry, 18, of Telephone Road, Pavilion, is charged with criminal contempt, 2nd. Perry is accused of violating a court order by contacting a person he was ordered not to contact. Perry allegedly placed more than 100 phone calls to the person while at the Genesee County Jail.

A 17-year-old resident of Quinlan Road, Le Roy, is charged with petit larceny. The youth is accused of shoplifting from Kmart.

Jon Hoyt Bush, 29, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, was arrested on a Family Court warrant out of Livingston County. Bush was taken into custody at the Sheriff's Office after Bush went to the office with another individual on an unrelated matter and Deputy Joseph Corona recognized Bush as a warrant suspect.

A chimney fire is reported at 5092 Barrville Road, Elba.

Elba Fire Department is responding.

UPDATE 8:44 p.m.: Chief on scene reports heavy smoke from the chimney.

UPDATE 8:46 p.m.: A tanker from Barre is in route. A chief says, (I think he said), "We've got 'charring' on the wall."

UPDATE 8:56 p.m.: Oakfield requested to fill in at Elba's hall.

UPDATE 9:06 p.m.: Town of Batavia's ladder truck requested to the scene.

UPDATE 10:30 p.m.: The roadway will reopen in five minutes.

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A possible house fire is reported at 5969 Oak Orchard Road in Elba. It's near Hundredmark Road. Elba fire is responding. The call came through Orleans County Emergency Dispatch Center, which noted that several 9-1-1 hang-up calls plotted in the area and then a young child reported that the house was on fire.

UPDATE 5:40 p.m.: A firefighter in the area reports nothing showing. Units can continue in non-emergency and Elba #1 is on scene.

UPDATE 5:42 p.m.: Barre, which had a tanker on the road to the scene, is cancelled. The emergency call was made by a 6-year-old boy.

UPDATE 5:47 p.m.: One of the Elba units is returning to quarters.

A 16-year-old girl from Holley remains in the intensive care unit at Erie County Medical Cener this morning following a head-on collision last night on Route 98 in Elba.

The accident occurred just south of Edgerton Road at 8:09 p.m. when a southbound Dodge sedan driven by Ashley Nicol Deskins, 18, of Hall Road, Holley, crossed the center line and hit an oncoming car.

Deskins vehicle left the roadway and came to rest in a field on the east side of Route 98.

Extrication teams from Elba and Town of Batavia fire departments were called to the scene.

Jessica Deskins, 16, reportedly suffered, neck and abdominal injuries. She was transported by Mercy EMS to the Genesee County Airport, and from there flown by Mercy Flight to ECMC.

Ashley Deskins was taken by ground ambulance to ECMC where she was treated and released.

The other driver, Gina Delelys, 41, of Log City Road, Elba, was transported to UMMC for minor injuries.

A baby in Deskin's vehicle, Maelee Scott, was not injured. The car is owned by Brittany Scott of East Main Street, Batavia.

Deputy Kevin McCarthy investigated the accident and his report indicates Deskins may have been driving too fast for road conditions.

A lake effect snowstorm had started about an hour prior to the accident and Route 98 had some snow on it.

UPDATE: A revised accident report released by the Sheriff's Office this evening says charges are pending in the accident. Also, Maelee Scott was transported to Mothers and Childrens Hospital in Erie County with minor injuries.

Two ambulances are requested to a motor-vehicle accident on Route 98 just south of Edgerton Road, Elba.

Elba Fire Department is responding.

Law enforcement is on scene and reports extrication will be needed and that Route 98 needs to be shut down in both directions.

No word on how serious the injuries might be.

UPDATE 8:21 p.m.: Two Mercy Flight helicopters requested to the scene. Mercy Flight #5 out of Batavia and Mercy Flight #6 out of Buffalo are started.

UPDATE 8:26 p.m. (by Billie): All available manpower from Elba fire is requested to the scene.

UPDATE 8:30 p.m.: Elba is requesting that Town of Batavia Fire Department to send Engines 24 and 20 to the scene -- a rescue truck and one equipped with extrication jaws.

UPDATE 8:33 p.m.: Both Mercy Flights -- # 5 and #6 -- cancelled due to weather.

UPDATE 8:35 p.m.: Fire police are cancelled.

UPDATE 8:36 p.m.: The jaws are needed right away. Mercy Flight states that if one of the ambulances can get to the Batavia hangar, they can leave from there and go to Buffalo, but the helicopter can't head north (to the scene itself). Also, the Buffalo ship is heading to Batavia's airport and the Batavia ship is on standby there.

UPDATE 8:41 p.m.: Medics report that "patient 1" -- a 17-year-old with head, neck and abdominal injuries -- is being transported to the Batavia hangar for transport by Mercy Flight.

UPDATE 8:45 p.m.: The second patient has been extricated.

UPDATE 8:47 p.m.: A third ambulance is called.

UPDATE 8:50 p.m.: Two ambulances are One unit is going to Erie County Medical Center, another to Women's and Children's Hospital in Buffalo. One adult and an infant still require transport. Town of Batavia is cleared from the accident.

UPDATE 8:56 p.m.: A "patient en route to the hangar is unresponsive now." An inquiry is made about Byron's availability to send an ambulance for the remaining patient -- a fourth ambulance called to the scene.

UPDATE 9:47 p.m.: Road is re-open. Elba back in service.

An observant resident may have helped the Sheriff's Office yesterday nab a suspect in a series of burglaries in the county.

So far, Jeffery James Leaton, 22, of Caswell Road, Byron, has only been charged with an alleged burglary on Griswold Road, Le Roy.

According to Deputy Chief Jerome Brewster, Leaton was caught in the act at the Griswold Road home after a person reported suspicious activity at the residence.

Brewster said investigators are looking at Leaton as a possible suspect in other burglaries. There have been strings of burglaries reported since early January in Elba, Oakfield, Byron, Bergen and Stafford.

Leaton has been charged with one count of burglary, 2nd, and is accused of making forced entry into the Griswold Road residence. He was allegedly in the process of stealing jewelry.

Following arraignment in Town of Le Roy Court, he was jailed on $20,000 bail.

Melanie Taylor, #10 in the photo below, scored 30 points to lead Notre Dame over Lyndonville 80-32 on Monday.

Senior Riley Norton, below, was honored as part of Senior Recognition Night. Riley scored 20 points in the game.

Photos and info submitted by Pete Welker.

In other girls basketball news, Elba finished the season with another perfect 18-0 record, beating Kendall 74-16. Elba, reigning state champs, is riding a 43-game winning streak entering Class D1 sectional play, where the team will be the #1 seed.

Electrical wires and/or a transformer is reportedly arcing on Route 98, just north of Edgerton Road, in Elba. As a result, there is a power outage in the area. National Grid is being notified.

UPDATE 8:10 p.m.: Tree limbs have fallen on the wires of pole number 7318, causing the power disruption. A transformer is not involved, according to a responder on scene.

UPDATE 8:18 p.m.: National Grid is on location.

UPDATE 8:22 p.m.: Elba Fire Department responded to the scene and is now back in service.

Sheriff's investigators are actively pursuing leads on a string of burglaries that started in January in Elba, Oakfield, Byron and Bergen.

Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said investigators believe two different crews are involved in the burglaries.

"The crew in Elba and Oakfield enters with door kick-ins," Brewster said. "The other crew is more sophisticated about getting into a house."

The Elba/Oakfield crew may be associated with a white van. The Byron/Bergen crew (which may be responsible for a burglary in Stafford) may use stolen vehicles.

One vehicle from Bergen is still missing, another has been recovered and a car that was stolen in Henrietta was located in Bergen.

The Elba and Oakfield burglaries have occurred during daylight hours.

There are suspects in the Elba/Oakfield burglaries, Brewster said, and they don't live in the area.

Brewster said residents who see anything suspicious could contact the Sheriff's Office at (585) 343-5000.

"Give us a call," Brewster said. "We love to look into those things."

Residents should be on the lookout for a suspicious vehicle in a neighbor's driveway, a car slowing and apparently trying to check out homes in a neighborhood, and somebody knocking on your door with no apparent need to knock on your door  -- all the sort of things that should be phoned in as suspicious, Brewster said.

Former Elba Mayor Steve Goff's attempt to regain the seat he voluntarily gave up a few months ago was rebuffed by the Village of Elba GOP last night.

Goff tried for the committee endorsement, but garnered only five votes.

Acting Mayor Scott Schuler won the nomination with 27 votes.

Goff is the proprietor of Elba’s Stumblin’ Inn.