Sports

Jim Bonacquisti roasted retiring Le Roy football coaches Andrew Paladino and Brian Moran at the team's annual post-season dinner Sunday at the Stafford Fire Hall.

Paladino spent 30 years as the Oatkan Knights' defensive coordinator. Moran was the head coach for 26 seasons and retired with 203 wins, a state championship and 14 sectional titles.

The other coaches presented Paladino and Moran with rocking chairs.

JV Assistant Coach Jeff Condidorio was presented with a signed football by Moran. Condidorio is retiring after nearly 40 years with the football program.

Moran called each player to the podium and spoke briefly about their season and their career with the team. The seniors each received a miniature, mounted football helmet with their numbers on it. Here he's with QB Mike McMullen.

A slide show of more pictures will be posted later.

A 15-point second quarter built on a foundation of pressure defense helped Le Roy pull away from Warsaw on Friday night in a girls hoops matchup.

The first quarter ended in a 9-9 tie, but a series of steals and pressured double-dribbles and travels gave the Knights extra scoring chances.

"That was probably the best defense we played all year," said Head Coach Brian Herdlein.

Herdlein added that his girls staying out of foul trouble also helped move the Knights to a 4-9 record.

The result was a 47-32 victory.

Erin Cappotelli and Kayla Heimlich scored 10 points each for Le Roy, Paige Biggins, nine, and Ava Vescovi, eight.

For Warsaw, Abbey Monahan had 10 points, Ashton Babbit had nine and Tammi Rutherford, six.

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Photo and article submitted by Andrea Aldinger.

After two days of solid wrestling, the Alexander Trojans took an impressive third-place finish with 196 points – while missing two of their better wrestlers – Dane Heberlein (113 lbs.) and Nick Gaiser (126 lbs.). Both competed in the prestigious Eastern States Tournament the weekend before, making the podium with a fourth-place and a sixth-place finish, respectively, at the Clayton Barnard Wrestling Tournament in Hilton over the weekend. Lyndonville grabbed second place with 233 points and the home team, Hilton, took first place easily with 330 points.

Genesee Region wrestlers really stepped it up with four Alexander Wrestlers in the finals – Nick Young (99 lbs.), Mitchell Gordon (120 lbs.), Dylan Raffell (138 lbs.) and Matty Gaiser (152 lbs.) -- and three from Byron-Bergen -- Alan White (126 lbs.), Hunter Taylor (145 lbs.), and Luke Thompson (195 lbs.). There were four Lyndonville wrestlers: Jeff Gress (106 lbs.), Garren Bayne (113 lbs.), Tom Follman (152 lbs.), and Dawson Joy (182 lbs.). Young, Raffell, Gaiser, White and Gress all took the Championship.

Leading up to the championship round there were some exciting matches. 

At 99 pounds, Nick Young (Alexander) upset Tyler Mitchell (Spencerport) with a 13 – 3 win. Tyler McCleod (Alexander) beat Steven Underhill (Byron Bergen) 8 – 5 for a fourth-place finish. Daylon Swearingen (126 lbs.) -- the lone Attica wrestler, beat Anthony Miraglia (Byron-Bergen) with a 7 – 4 decision for third place. Tristan Aldinger (132 lbs., Alexander) fought off Lyndonville’s Dustin Hinckley with a 3 – 1 decision to take third place. 

A few other notable matches were Chris McDonald (138 lbs., Lyndonville) pinned Jack Borelli (Greece) in :38 seconds to take third place. At 152 pounds, Alexander’s Alex Hadsall had a close win 11 – 9 vs. Will Thompson (Byron-Bergen). Danny Komitch (Byron-Bergen) had an impressive win over Devon Joy (Lyndonville) with a 4 – 3 decision getting a third-place finish. Derrick Busch (Alexander) won by decision over John Kil (Brighton) to take finish third.

With a free throw in the second quarter against Greece-Arcadia, junior guard Tiara Filbert became -- school officials believe -- the first person wearing Lady Devils' blue to score 1,000 career points.

After Filbert hit her shot, play was stopped briefly as fans held up placards stamped "1000" and Filbert's teammates rushed to congratulate her. Her mother then came down from the stands (top photo) and Filbert ran over to her and they embraced.  

Head Coach Marty Hein then presented Filbert with a commemorative plaque. 

Filbert is a special player, Hein said.

"For me, as a coach, to be a part of something like this, with somebody who works so hard at her game, at her craft, is just outstanding," Hein said.

As near as school officials can figure out from available records, Filbert is the first girls player to reach the millennial mark.

Filbert, Hein said, has the heart of a champion.

"The only person who can beat Tiara Filbert is Tiara Filbert," Hein said.

Filbert finished the night with 13 points and 16 rebounds. Batavia won 48-27.

Filbert came into the game needing five points to reach 1,000. Here she scores points three and four.

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Getting young athletes ready to compete at a higher level is one of the primary missions of Athletes Edge, a new training facility on East Main Street, co-owned and operated by Ben Buchholz.

Buchholz is a coach with Batavia High's football and baseball programs and he said what he's seeing today is local schools squaring off against Monroe County schools, and those athletes have taken on more challenging training routines during the off-season.

It's no longer enough just to show up on the first day of practice and expect to be ready to go. Young athletes need to train during the off-season.

"We're falling behind what we have to do to help us get better in every aspect of sports," Buchholz said. "We need to do more off-season stuff and this gives kids a chance to really get in here and do it. Now a lot of kids are doing a lot more off-season work and it shows in season. To compete, you've got to do it because everybody else is doing it."

The Blue Devils' deep run in post-season football is an example of how good off-season training can pay off, Buchholz said.

When you walk into Athletes Edge, if you're expecting a gym, you'll be struck by what you don't see. There are no weight benches, universal machines, dumbbells or barbells.

Modern athlete training is no longer about just pushing around heavy slabs of cast iron.

It's about speed, agility and stamina, and that's where Buchholz puts the emphasis.

The training tools at Athletes Edge involve boxes and stretch bands, but much of what is taught and trained is about body weight.

Plyometric workouts, which involve body weight and explosive movements, are a big part now of even the most elite athlete's daily routine.

"It's getting away from lifting huge heavy weights and getting into more athletic movement with strength," Buchholz said.

The facility's batting cage and pitcher's mound might leave the impression on a visitor that there is an emphasis at Athletes Edge on baseball, and that wouldn't be an incorrect perception, but the facility and training is open to all athletes and all sports. Notre Dame hockey, for example, is considering a team training session, Buchholz said.

Le Roy and Alexander's baseball teams have both already been in for a session since the business opened a month ago.

There's training available, also, for younger athletes. Athletes Edge is sponsoring travel baseball teams for youths from 8 and under to 12 years old.

Buchholz also hosts group events, such as birthday parties for youths. Those events might involve activities such as dodgeball or kickball or other activities.

"Whatever parents want to do, we set it up and just roll with it," Buchholz said.

Athletes Edge is located at 214 E. Main St., Suite #3, Batavia. The phone number is (585) 356-5995. The business is co-owned by Sam Antinore.

In the second meeting of the year, with another to come, Batavia beat Notre Dame at Falleti Ice Arena, 4-2.

The win evens the season series at 1-1 and improves the Ice Devils record to 4-4-1.

Aaron Feary scored two goals; Cameron Ells had one and two assists for Batavia/Alexander, with Bryce Polito getting an empty-net goal in the closing seconds of the game.

Reid Rademacker gave Notre Dame an early 1-0 lead and Devin Grimshaw scored with eight seconds left.

James Cryer had 15 saves for Batavia and Ethan Conrad had 25 for the Fighting Irish.

The Irish are now 4-8 on the season.

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In an effort to defeat Batavia's anticipated press in the Rotary Tournament championship game Thursday night, Dave Pero gave his girls a great plan -- quick passes down court to open shooters.

The Fighting Irish got a lot of open shot opportunities in the first half of the game. The part of the plan that didn't work is that too few baskets went through the hoop.

In the end, the Blue Devils prevailed in the defensive battle of rivals, 41-33.

"A game like this is great for us come sectional time," said Notre Dame Head Coach Dave Pero. "We're not going to see a team in our sectional bracket that presses like Batavia, so it's a great lesson we learned tonight of how to handle it."

Pero thought his team handled it pretty well, even mounting a bit of a comeback in the 4th quarter that had to make Batavia supporters a little nervous, but Batavia answered and held off the Fighting Irish charge to avenge defeats in the previous two Rotary tournaments.

"These guys hate me at practice, as hard as we run, but there's a reason," said Marty Hein, Batavia's head coach. "In the second half, and we don't turn the ball over any worse than we do in first half, but we seem to force more in the second half than anybody else. I think that gives us an edge."

Hein tightened his defense during half time, putting more pressure on Notre Dame at half court, which took away passing lanes and made it harder for offensive players to get behind his defenders. It created more turnovers.

Pero said his team was ready and primed for this game, but Batavia just did a little bit better.

"We had a great practice yesterday, perhaps one of the best practices we've had," Pero said. "Did we do a lot with the basketball? We did a little bit. We did a lot of talking. The girls were upbeat. They were responsive. When we got to the locker room upstairs, they were focused. When you get girls that are focused, a team like that, I don't care if they're boys or girls, win or lose, that's when you've got to give them credit for the way they prepared. They were awesome. They were ready for what they were going to give us, we just fell short. Next week is another week."

Hein said he and his team thought they were going to do a lot better.

"We're a little down, because we thought we should play better, myself included, but that's just a credit to them and their coach," Hein said.

Tiara Filbert, Batavia, was tournament MVP and scored 22 points Thursday. No other Blue Devil got into double figures. Essence Williams scored eight.

Shea Norton led Notre Dame with 10 points. Taylor DiMartino and Emma Francis each had eight.

(Filbert and Norton in the top photo)

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The following players were honored for their 2014 season in the New York Sportswriters Association All-State awards.

• Dom Mogavero, linebacker, Batavia, First Team, Class B
• Tom Kelso, linebacker, LeRoy First Team Class C.
• Greg Mruczek, quarterback, Batavia, Second Team, Class B
• Mike McMullen, quarterback, Le Roy, Second Team, Class C
• Steele Truax, linebacker, Elba/Byron-Bergen, Second Team, Class C
• Honorable mentions in Class D: Josh Johnson, Notre Dame; Tyler Laird, Alexander; Zach Shivlock, Alexander; Allen Chatt, Oakfield-Alabama

UPDATED to include Tom Kelso. who was inadvertantly left out of the original post. Apologies to the Kelso family.

Outside the GCC gym last night, the weather was pretty sloppy, but not as sloppy as the basketball game going on inside.

In the second game of the annual Rotary tournament, matching Notre Dame and Alexander, there were turnovers and missed shots and refs who were seemingly calling an inordinate number of traveling penalties and questionable jump balls. 

The final score was 37-22.

"It's was a sloppy game," said Dave Pero, Fighting Irish head coach. "What more can I tell you. It was just a sloppy game."

Pero knows he'll need a better performance out of his girls Thrusday night when they take on the Lady Blue Devils in the tournament championship.

Batavia beat Midlakes 55-32 in the tournament opener.

Notre Dame has taken the previous two Rotary Tournament finals against Batavia, and both coaches said they're ready to lock horns again.

"They'll throw out all the stops and we'll be ready and they'll be ready and it should be fun," Pero said. "I like our chances, but we can't play like we did tonight. But Thursday's another night."

Give the Lady Trojans credit, they pushed hard on defense and even with a team of girls with perhaps an average height of maybe about 5' 4", they managed to pull down quite a few rebounds against a team with three starters over six foot.  In the first half, nearly every trip down the court resulted in numerous second and third chance tries at baskets.  

Unfortunately for Alexander, nothing fell.

"It'ss been like that all year," said Alexander's head coach, Marcia Hirsch. "Our defense has been so good, but we just haven't been able to score."

The loss puts the Lady Trojans, who've managed as many as 50 points just twice this season, at 4-4.

Alexander applied pressure to Notre Dame at half court with some success, but on those rare possessions that resulted in a basket for the Trojans, they used a full court press and Notre Dame seemed out of rhythm all night.

That's pretty much the kind of defense the Irish will see when they meet Batavia in the championship game.

Head Coach Marty Hein said the Blue Devils will use pressure and the team's deep bench to compensate for Notre Dame's height advantage.

“We talked about trying to make that our identity,” Hein said. “We’re not a big team but we’ve got depth this year, so we run, run, run and press. We’re doing it for 32 minutes if we have to do it for 32 minutes.”

Both Alexander and Notre Dame suffered key injuries that disrupted their offenses.  Brett Stephens suffered an ankle injury crumpled to the court in the second quarter. A possession or two later, Emily McCracken fell down in the same exact spot.  Both are being evaluated and are considered day-to-day.

For Batavia, Essence Williams notched a double-double with a game-high 15 points and 11 rebounds, Tiara Filbert added 14 points, eight rebounds, six assists and five steals. Sam Cecere, recently returned from an injury, scored nine points and added seven rebounds.

Shea Norton and Rebecca Krenzer led the Notre Dame attack, both with double-doubles. Norton had 14 points and 17 rebounds along with four blocks and four assists. Krenzer scored 12 points and grabbed 13 rebounds.

For Alexander, Sydney Breton had seven points and five rebounds. Jayna Wright scored four points and had five rebounds, while Karli Phillips grabbed five rebounds.

Both Pero and Hein expect a tough, competitive game Thursday night in the final at GCC.

"It should be fun," Pero said.

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Saturday, on the gleaming polished hardwood of Notre Dame High School, it was the first time brothers Mike and Rick Rapone faced off as head coaches.

It was the first time in more than a half-dozen years Notre Dame and Le Roy met in a regular season basketball game.

It turned out that it was the first time this season that the Oatkan Knights scored at least 70 points.

The offensives' explosion also sent the Fighting Irish to their first home defeat in 62 games.

"We struggled all year," said Rick Rapone, head coach of the now 2-5 Knights. "We haven't made our shots. We had a tough transition from football to basketball. Those kids had a great year. Eleven of my 13 kids are football players. We struggled to shoot, struggled to shoot, struggled to shoot. Tonight, we couldn't miss."

Le Roy was 31-66 from the floor (47 percent) and 10-19 from beyond the arch (52) percent and five players hit double figures in scoring.

Nick Egeling 15, Kody Lamkin 13,Tom Kelso and Ryan Boyce, 11 each and Tom Dunn, 10. Dylan Laney was a point shy of hitting the decade mark.

Mike McMullen scored only five points, but helped lead his team on the court and contributed 10 rebounds, 12 assists, two steals and three blocked shots.

"I told the kids before, our record was not an indicator of the kind of basketball team we are and we probably just beat the top basketball program, them and Batavia High, in this area, on their court," Rick Rapone said. "They had a 61-game home winning streak that we just snapped. It's great for the boys."

The Irish drop to 4-2 on the 78-59 loss.

"The team that wanted it more won," Notre Dame's Mike Rapone said. "We didn't show up with the attitude it takes to win a game like this. I've been warning them all week that records don't mean anything when you play a game like this. Le Roy showed up to play and we didn't."

Josh Johnson had 16 points and Tyler Prospero had 12. Caleb Nellis and C.J. Suozzi each had eight.

Mike Rapone said the two teams used to meet every year, but a Le Roy head coach a few years ago stopped scheduled games with Notre Dame, even though the home-and-home series each year was always a big draw.

Saturday, even the JV game (Notre Dame won 45-36) filled the bleachers and the crowd jammed onto the stage and spilled out into the hallway of the gym. 

Fans of both teams were boisterous and the arena was filled with a championship-game feel.

As for the contest of brothers, both coaches downplayed the significance of the matchup. They embraced before the game and then got down to business.

The scoring outburst by the Knights might signal a turnaround for Le Roy's season, Mike Rapone noted. They made it hard for the Irish to get back in the game, once they fell behind in the second quarter.

"They hit a lot of big shots and they got the lead," Mike Rapone said. "When we made a run at them, they hit the shots they needed."

Rick Rapone said his boys were obviously happy with the win and he was clearly proud of their effort.

"They are excited and they should be," Rick Rapone said. "They beat a hall of fame coach, a top-notch program, I think the winningest program in Section V, on their court. Come on, hall of fame coach, 61-game winning streak, their court, top program, the kids deserve it all. They did fantastic."

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Athletics teach young people life lessons that carry well beyond the diamond, hardwood or gridiron. They learn about teamwork and that the best things in life are the result of cooperation; that success is achieved through hard work and preparation; that mere talent and ability aren't enough; that opponents are worthy of respect; that life has boundaries and expectations and rules; that you may not always win, but if you always give your best effort, you are a winner; that the pursuit of excellence is its own kind of satisfying accomplishment. Competition is thrilling, but winning is the goal, and a worthy life goal.

Our high school teams are a touchstone of our community. They provide us with a source of community pride, an opportunity to come together as a community and a chance to see the best of our future as a community. 

To me, it's a privilege to cover our young community athletes. Over the past seasons, our athletes have inspired me to aim even higher and work harder in all aspects of my career and life. I thank them for all they achieved and shared with us in 2014 and wish them the best for 2015 and encourage them to give their best effort and aim for championship performances. 

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