Sports

Updated at 9:45 p.m. with Batavia versus Le Roy score.

The Attica Blue Devils advanced to the championship game of the Large School division of the 42nd annual Batavia Lions Club Pete Arras Memorial Basketball Tournament this afternoon with a 67-55 victory over Royalton-Hartland.

Coach Rob Crowley’s team, playing the first of four opening round games at Genesee Community College, raised its record to 6-1 and now will take on Batavia, which defeated Le Roy, 68-62, in the last game of the night.

Senior forward Cole Harding scored 22 points, pulled down 14 rebounds and dished out six assists to lead Attica, which also got 18 points and 10 rebounds form senior guard-forward Jack Janes and 16 points and 12 rebounds from senior center Clayton Bezon.

Junior guard Carter Gorski chipped in with seven points for seven points.

Attica raced out to a 10-0 advantage, but Roy-Hart battled back to tie the score at the end of the first quarter. Balanced scoring pushed the winners up by 10 at the half, 36-26, and the lead ballooned to 19 in the third quarter.

“The boys played hard this afternoon and moved the ball very well,” Attica Coach Rob Crowley said. “We sort of battled ourselves at certain points in the game, making things difficult on ourselves, but found a way to stick together and get the victory.”

For Roy-Hart, Dan Aquilina scored 21, Rem Albee 18 and Brayden Ricker 10. The Rams will play in the consolation game against Le Roy at 3 p.m. Friday at GCC.

Photos by Brennan Bezon.

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish had little problem extending its unbeaten season tonight as they rolled past Elba, 63-31, in the opening round of the 42nd annual Batavia Lions Club Pete Arras Memorial Basketball Tournament at Genesee Community College,

Coach Mikey Rapone’s team, now 6-0, advanced to the Small School bracket championship game against Alexander, which is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Friday at GCC.

Elba will face Oakfield-Alabama in the consolation game at 4:45 p.m.

Senior guard-forward Jaden Sherwood led a balanced attack with 19 points while junior guard Makyell Walker added 12 and senior guard-forward Ryan Fitzpatrick chipped in with 10.

The Irish jumped out to a 19-6 first quarter lead and never looked back, hitting 10 three-point shots for the game.

Ryan Marsceill and Ashton Bezon tallied nine and eight points, respectively, for the Lancers. 

Photos by Deb Reilly.

Alexander coasted past Oakfield-Alabama, 52-35, at Genesee Community College tonight and into the finals of the 42^nd annual Batavia Lions Club Pete Arras Memorial Basketball Tournament’s Small School bracket.

The Trojans, 5-2, will face Notre Dame at 6:30 p.m. Friday for the championship. ND defeated Elba in the other Small School game.

Junior Dylan Pohl scored seven of his 16 points in the first quarter as Alexander raced out to an 18-2 lead. Senior Trenton Woods tallied eight of his 16 in the second half for the Trojans.

Six other players scored for Coach Jalen Smith's squad, while Avery Watterson led O-A with 16 points.

The Hornets will square off against Elba in the consolation game at 4:45 p.m. Friday.

Photos by Deb Reilly.

The 42nd annual Batavia Lions Club Pete Arras Memorial Basketball Tournament is scheduled for Wednesday and Friday, with varsity games at Genesee Community College and junior varsity games at Batavia High and Notre Dame High.

Batavia, Attica, Royalton-Hartland and Le Roy are in the Large School bracket and Notre Dame, Oakfield-Alabama, Alexander and Elba are in the Small School bracket.

The tournament schedule is as follows:

VARSITY AT GCC
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27
Roy-Hart vs. Attica, 3 p.m.
Alexander vs. Oakfield-Alabama, 4:45 p.m.
Elba vs. Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m.
Le Roy vs. Batavia, 8:15 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 29
Large School consolation game, 3 p.m.
Small School consolation game, 4:45 p.m.
Small School championship game, 6:30 p.m.
Large School championship game, 8:15 p.m.

JUNIOR VARSITY
WEDNESDAY, DEC. 27
Roy-Hart vs. Attica at Batavia High, noon
Alexander vs. O-A at Notre Dame High, noon
Elba vs. ND at Notre Dame High, 1:30 p.m.
Le Roy vs. Batavia at Batavia High, 1:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, DEC. 29
Large School consolation game at Batavia High, noon
Small School consolation game at Notre Dame High, noon
Small School championship game at Notre Dame High, 1:30 p.m.
Large School championship game at Batavia High, 1:30 p.m.

Brian Cline recorded the third-highest series in Genesee Region USBC history on Monday night, posting 857 in the Mancuso Real Estate League at Mancuso Bowling Center in Batavia.

The 45-year-old left-hander, who has around four dozen 800 series to his credit, rolled games of 299-300-258 on lanes 7-8.

The Middleport resident left a 3-pin on the last ball for 299 in the opening game, which saw his teammate Paul Bacon register a 269 game.

He followed that with the perfect game, and then added eight more strikes in the last game. He had a shot for 280 in the third game but left a 7-pin on the first ball in the 10th frame.

The 857 trails only an 858 rolled by Cline in January of 2018 at Mancuso's, and fellow lefty Rich Wagner's 899 in February 2011 at Mancuso's.

Cline's best three-game series is an 868 at Transit Lanes in Buffalo in November 2013.

In other league play:

-- Robbie Hanks and Jeff Shawver each rolled 300 games in the Sneezy's Monday Night League at Oak Orchard Bowl in Albion. Hanks finished with 721 and Shawver shot 686. It was the first United States Bowling Congress-certified for Shawver.

-- Justin Thering rolled a 300 game in a 640 series in the Wednesday Community League at Medina Lanes. The 29-year-old right-hander upped his average to 218 with his second USBC-certified perfect game. His first came in Lockport in 2021 en route to an 816 series.

The Notre Dame varsity girls’ basketball team raised its record to 3-2 on Friday with a 53-27 win over visiting Lyndonville in Genesee Region League action.

Nina Bartz scored 14 points and Sofia Falleti contributed 10 points and 12 rebounds, while Luci Zambito and Emma Fitch each chipped in with nine points for the Lady Irish.

Ashley Stephens scored 11 points for Lyndonville.

ND Coach Vin Falleti: “We came out tonight and took a solid lead in the first quarter and never looked back. We played tremendous defense, which led to (numerous) offensive opportunities.”

Submitted photos.

The Byron-Bergen Bees improved to 7-1 on Thursday night by rolling past host Kendall, 71-46, in Genesee Region League varsity boys’ basketball.

Senior forward-center Braedyn Chambry poured in 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the way for Coach Roxanne Noeth’s squad.

Senior guard-forward Brody Baubie tallied 19 points and senior guard Colin Martin chipped in with 10 points eight steals and three assists.

For Kendall, 2-4, Louis Conte had 12 points and five rebounds.

In other boys’ basketball action:

-- Host Notre Dame withstood a furious fourth-quarter rally by Wheatland-Chili in a 63-62 victory.

Leighton Williams scored 34 points for W-C, including a three-pointer to give the Wildcats a one-point lead in the final minute. Mavrik Hall responded for the Irish, however, and ND thwarted W-C’s final possession to improve to 4-0.

Jaden Sherwood led the Irish with 23 points and eight rebounds while Jay Antinore scored 13 and Hall tallied eight points and 10 rebounds.

In girls’ basketball:

-- Le Roy, 5-3, defeated Greece Athena/Odyssey, 55-49, behind Abby Allen’s 16 points and six assists; Gabby Zitz’s 10 points and 14 rebounds, and Kenna MacKenzie’s 10 points and six rebounds.

-- Pembroke downed Holley, 61-37, to raise its record to 6-2. Elle Peterson scored 22 points – hitting six three-pointers – to lead the visiting Dragons.  Jayden Hootman had 13 points, Seneca Calderon 12 and Morgan Coniber grabbed 10 rebounds while blocking six shots.

-- Eastridge topped Batavia, 52-37, behind Liv Green’s 22 points. Batavia, 4-3, got 11 points and 14 rebounds from Jamin Macdonald and 10 points, six rebounds and five steals from Isabella Walsh.

The Byron-Bergen Bees, behind a balanced attack, turned back Oakfield-Alabama, 65-48, on Wednesday night in a Genesee Region boys’ basketball contest at O-A.

Six players got into the scoring column in the opening half as the visitors jumped out to a 32-15 advantage.

In the second half, Braedyn Chambry scored 14 of his game-high 20 points to keep B-B comfortably on top.

Brandon Pimm and Colin Martin tallied 11 apiece and Brody Baubie added 10 and Craig DiQuattro six for the winners. For the Hornets, Brendan Wescott and Avery Watterson scored 17 and 13, respectively.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro.

Elba defeated host Notre Dame, 49-44, in Genesee Region girls’ basketball action Wednesday night.

Sofia Falleti recorded a double-double for the Irish, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Nina Bartz added 12 for ND.

ND Coach Vinny Falleti:

“Our team played hard tonight and made runs to come back but couldn’t put together a complete game against a physical Elba team. The game was back and forth with a lot of intensity. We will see each other again late in the season.”

Statistics from Elba have yet to be submitted.

For more high school sports competition from last night, click on the Sports tab at the top of the home page.

Photos by Debra Reilly

Photos by Steve Ognibene

In a game that was closer than the final score indicated, host Batavia High fell to Vertus Charter, 59-39, in Section V boys' varsity basketball Monday night.

The Blue Devils held a 37-35 lead after three quarters, but a couple of charge/blocking foul calls that went the visitors' way set the stage for a 24-2 final period for the Warriors, now 3-2.

Talhah Ali scored seven of his game-high 20 points in the final frame, while Reggie Pough had eight of his 14 and Dah'mere Brown six of his 14 in the closing eight minutes.

For Batavia, 2-2, junior guard Carter Mullen tallied 11 points.

Visiting Byron-Bergen/Elba defeated Caledonia-Mumford, 36-17, on Monday night in Section V varsity wrestling action.

Highlights of the match, which featured several close bouts:

116 pounds -- James Lamb (B-B/E) def. Jakob Bishop, 1-0.
124 pounds -- Parker Moore (B-B/E) def. David Scott, 8-5.
145 pounds -- Solomon Smith (B-B/E) def. James Patanella, 13-10.
152 pounds -- Roman Smith (B-B/E) def. Austin Pittman, 7-4.
170 pounds -- JC Starowitz (B-B/E) def. Garret Thompson, 5-3.
285 pounds -- Lukas Volkmar (B-B/E) def. Drake Kritzberger, 9-5.

Travis Shallenberger (138), Malachi Smith (195) and Bradley Tatar (215) registered pins for B-B/Elba.

For Cal-Mum, Jackson Peet notched its only win, 20-5 over Zack Brookhart at 160 pounds.

Photos by Doug McFarland.

Calling it “a good market that just needs some work,” Robbie Nichols is ready to perform his baseball magic in Niagara Falls.

Nichols, owner of Can-USA Sports along with his wife, Nellie, (photo above) confirmed today that his organization has purchased the Niagara Falls Americans’ franchise of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League and has signed on to manage Sal Maglie Stadium, the team’s home ballpark.

Can-USA Sports also owns the Elmira Pioneers and the Batavia Muckdogs, both members of the PGCBL. Nichols, General Manager Marc Witt and their staff have been credited for rejuvenating baseball in Batavia.

“Niagara Falls, I believe, is a good market that just needs some work,” Nichols said. “The gentleman that owned the team last year wasn’t returning and I think our league needs a team there.”

Last year, the team was called the Niagara Power and competed in the PGCBL’s West Division along with Batavia, Elmira, Jamestown, Auburn, Newark and Geneva.

Nichols said Niagara Falls’ leaders have committed more than $2 million for repairs of Sal Maglie Stadium.

“They put in a new turf field. It will be a very good-looking ballpark,” he noted, adding that Michael Gabriele, a former Niagara University baseball player, will be the club’s manager. He said the team already is signing players for the 2024 season.

City and state politicians reportedly are enthusiastic about the team’s prospects with Can-USA Sports on board.

“We are really excited to introduce them to the city of Niagara Falls and the Sal Maglie Stadium,” Mayor Rob Restaino told WIVB-TV.

State Sen. Rob Ortt echoed his sentiments, telling the television station that the Nichols team “chose Niagara Falls because of the stadium, because of the history, because they believe in Niagara Falls.”

“And hopefully that will inspire and tell a lot of other people here that we too should believe in Niagara Falls.”

Nichols announced that Niagara County Community College and D’Youville University baseball teams will play their home games at Sal Maglie Stadium next year. He said he plans to book many other events there, just as he does with Dwyer Stadium in Batavia.

When asked if he was stretching himself too thin – having to juggle the activities of three franchises, Nichols said he will continue to be “stationed” in Batavia once the season starts but will rotate among the three.

“I’ll probably be at 65 baseball games, working, so it will be a busy summer,” he said. “Nellie and I are excited about the new opportunity. It’s a market that needs work, but we’re not afraid of a little work.”

Nichols admitted he’s taking a financial risk as the Niagara Falls team did not attract many fans last year,

“Definitely, it’s a risk because it’s no Batavia. They weren’t drawing the crowds that we were drawing last year,” he said. “Everything’s a risk, but our staff – and how hard we work – I’m confident that we can turn Niagara Falls around.”

File photo: Robbie and Nellie Nichols by Jim Burns.

Chris Bailey of Batavia rolled a flurry of strikes in Genesee Region USBC league action this week, posting a 785 series in the Brighton Securities Tuesday Triples League at Mancuso Bowling Center.

The 42-year-old right-hander recorded games of 239, 279 and 267 on lanes 1-2 for his personal best series ever. He had 11 strikes in the second game and nine more in the third game to raise his average to 210.

Left-hander Nick Johnson popped a 269 game en route to a 740 series on lanes 3-4, raising his average to 224.

Other high scores for the week:

-- Geoff Harloff of Batavia rolled 745 and 758 on consecutive nights in the Toyota of Batavia 4-Man and the County Line Stone Friday Trios leagues at Mancuso's. Batavian Scott Shields led the way on Friday with a 767 series, while Haley Luce of Oakfield posted a 235 game and 649 series in that league.

-- At Rose Garden Bowl in Bergen, Kevin Gray Sr. spun 278--740 and Kevin Gray Jr. had 277--717 in the Thursday Owls League.

GRUSBC YOUTH DOUBLES WINNERS

Teams from Perry Bowling Center and StrikeForce Lanes in Oakfield placed first in the Genesee Region USBC Youth Doubles Tournament on Dec. 9-10 at StrikeForce Lanes.

In Division A (250 combined average and above), Mason Herman and Hunter Clark of Perry led the list of 11 teams with a 1,414 total with handicap. The boys each will earn $100 scholarships and a trophy.

In Division B (249 and under), Jameson Liles and Lukas Leddick of Oakfield led the way with 1,264 with handicap. They, too, will earn $100 scholarships and trophies. Eight teams competed in that division.

Byron-Bergen was beat Saturday in Girls Basketball by Greece-Arcadia, 40-31.

Janessa Amesbury scored 12 points for the Bees. Oliva Senf scored nine.

Photos by Jennifer DiQuattro

Elba beat Jasper Troupsburg in Boys Basketball on Saturday, 56-33.

Angelo Penna led the way to victory with 24 points. Nicholas Scott scored 15.

Photos by Debra Reilly.

Notre Dame topped rival Elba in Boys Basketball on Friday, 54-42.

For the Irish, Jackson Sherwood scored 26 points.  Makyell Walker scored eight.

For the Lancers, Nichols Scott scored 11, while Angelo Penna scored nine, and Ashton Bezon picked up eight.

Photos by Debra Reilly.