Press Release:

On Friday, May 17, Byron-Bergen senior athletes Braedyn Chambry and Colin Martin both signed letters of intent to become collegiate athletes at Alfred State College. Chambry will join the Pioneer basketball program and Martin will join the soccer program. Although they will be on different athletic teams, these long-time teammates are excited to head off to college together.

“Our years as teammates definitely made us close friends,” said Chambry. “We both decided on Alfred State at different times, without knowing if the other was going, too. Two of our other closest friends are also going to Alfred State, and it all happened by coincidence. I'm very excited that I'll be going to college with three of my best friends.”

Chambry took part in Varsity Soccer, Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Track & Field, and was a member of the trap club. On the basketball court, he averaged 22.9 points per game and 15 rebounds per game, was a three-time Genesee Region All-star, Section V All-tournament team his junior year, and Section V tournament MVP his senior year. At Alfred State, he plans to study criminal justice.

“I would like to thank my family and friends as well as all of my teammates throughout the years,” said Chambry. “I would also like to thank Coach Noeth for being my coach as well as my role model. I want to thank Coach Pulliam for coaching me throughout the last two summers and helping me get in contact with Alfred State. I also would like to thank Coach Pimm for coaching me throughout elementary school and providing me with a lot of opportunities to improve my game in and out of school season my entire career.”

Martin’s Boys Varsity Soccer accomplishments include a Sectional Championship, Far West Regional Championship, State Championship finalist, All Greater-Rochester, first-team All-State, three-time Genesee Region All-Star, and Byron-Bergen record-holder for the most career assists and assists in a single season. He was also a member of the basketball, baseball, track, and golf teams and is a member of the trap club. Martin plans to study business at Alfred State.

“I would like to thank my parents and grandparents for always being there at all my games and supporting me,” said Martin. “I would also like to thank Coach Rogoyski, Coach Ellis, and Coach DiLaura for helping me become the athlete I am today and always pushing me to be the best from modified to varsity.”

“I am proud and excited for both of these fine young men,” said Byron-Bergen Athletic Director Rich Hannan. “They are great athletes and even better people. Their work ethic is impressive, and they always put forth maximum effort in all that they do. Regardless of the sport they were in, they were great teammates and made kids around them better. I cannot wait to see how their journey unfolds at the next level. I want to wish them the best of luck.”

Batavia lost to Greece Athena 13-0 Tuesday evening at Monroe Community College in the Class B1 Girls Flag Football Section V final.  

The Trojans scored in each half, which was enough to win their first sectional flag football title in the second season for high school sports.

Athena, 13-1, overcame the only loss during the regular season to Batavia, which finished 13-1. 

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Press release:

Despite trailing by as many as four runs, Alexander rallied to top Pavilion 10-9 on Monday.  

Alexander got on the board in the first inning after a steal of home scored one run. Pavilion jumped into the lead in the bottom of the first when Trilly Coots grounded out, scoring one run, and Alaina Rowe singled, scoring two runs taking a 3-1 lead. 

Pavilion added to their early lead in the bottom of the third inning after the Trojans committed an error, and Bryleigh Burns grounded into a fielder’s choice to score a run making it 6-2.  

Alexander tied the game in the top of the fifth thanks to a fielder's choice by Emily Pietrzykowski, a single by Melissa Sawyer, a fielder's choice by Faith Goodenbury, and a fielder’s choice by Melanie Bump.  

In the bottom of the sixth, Pavilion broke up the tie when Pietrzykowski induced EllaTillotson to hit into a fielder's choice, but one run scored. Then a single by Courtney Gurbacki followed to extend the Pavilion lead 8-6.  

With three outs to go and trailing by two, Alexander dug deep and fought hard to tie the game in the top of the seventh at 8 apiece. 

The game remained tied until Alexander captured the lead, 10-8, in the top of the tenth after Ella Felski drove in a run on a fielder’s choice and Carley Shepard doubled in a run.  

In the bottom of the 10th, Strathearn drove in a run on a fielder’s choice, cutting the lead to one for Alexander.  

Boyce was able to strike out power-hitter Kylie Conway and induce Tillotson to pop out too short before walking the bases loaded with two outs.  Finally, Boyce got Gurbacki to pop out and seal the win in dramatic fashion.

Senior Madison Boyce earned the win for the Trojans. The reliever allowed one hit and one run (zero earned) over four innings, striking out five and walking two. Boyce also collected her 200th career strikeout during the contest.

Gurbacki took the loss for Pavilion. The starting pitcher went 10 innings, surrendering 10 runs (seven earned) on eight hits, striking out nine and walking eight. The hurler battled hard, tossing 180 pitches on the day.

Pietrzykowski started in the circle for Alexander. The righty gave up seven hits and eight runs (three earned) over six innings, striking out eight and only walking three.

Melissa Sawyer, Madison Boyce, and Ava Yax each collected two hits for Alexander. Felski, Sawyer, Shepard, Goodenbury, Boyce, Pietrzykowski, and Bump each drove in one run for Alexander. Alexander had patience at the plate, collecting eight walks for the game. Sawyer and Boyce led the team with two free passes each. Boyce and Yax each stole multiple bases for Alexander.

Coots and Gurbacki were a force together in the lineup, as they each collected two hits for Pavilion. Rowe and Strathearn each drove in two runs for Pavilion. Coots paced Pavilion with three walks. Overall, the team had patience at the plate, piling up five walks for the game. Gurbacki stole two bases. Pavilion also turned two double plays in the game.

"I didn’t think anything would top the intensity of last year’s quarterfinal game we had against Oakfield, but I was wrong," said Coach John Goodenbury. 
This was a knock-down-drag-out fight.  I have a ton of respect for those Pavilion girls. They fought like champions.  We had to earn this one against a well-balanced team.  The crowd was either standing, pacing, or sitting on the edge of their seats for the final four innings tonight. Unfortunately, in a game like this, there had to be a winner and a loser, and we fought for the winning run.  

"Emily pitched another fantastic game, and Madison came in to support her in the 7th.  Boyce was not going to be denied when she took the circle and to see her fight was priceless to me.  She had the world on her shoulders in those moments, and she delivered with the help of her team.  Simply put, Emily kept us in the game, and Madison closed it out.  For me personally, this was bitter-sweet. I coached Gurbacki, Burns and Conway of the Pavilion girls on my EDGE 16U travel softball team last summer, and I still coach Washburn on my team this year. It’s very hard for me to see their school ball dreams end this year, but I am also proud and happy for my Alexander girls.  It’s the price I have to pay, I guess, but I don’t like that part.  We are excited to turn our attention to the C2 top seed Dundee-Bradford this Thursday."

Photos by Makenna Boyce.

Caitlin Ryan tossed a complete-game shutout over Lyrons for Oakfield-Alabama on Monday, leading the Hornets to an 11-0 win in the Class C1 softball quarterfinal.

Ryan surrendered four hits, and K'd 10 batters. She was also 2-3 at the plate with a double, a home run and two RBIs.

• Emma Moeller was 2-2 with a double and three RBIs
• Sade Bush, 2-4 with an RBI
• Jess Sosnowski, 2-3 with a triple and an RBI
• Piper Hyde, 2-4 
• Kara Tobolski, Allie Williams, Raine Denny, Rylee Denny, Ayva Matla, Cara Williams and Allison Harkness all had hits

"I'm really proud of how my team battled against a good Lyons team today," said Coach Jeff Schlagenhauf. "We hit the ball well and put a ton of balls in play. We hit up and down the lineup today which is always a good sign this time of year. "

Next up in the semifinals for #4 seed O-A is #1 seed Bloomfield on Thursday. Time and location are TBA.

Pictures courtesy of Jordyn Tobolski

The final score was 16-0.

Mruczek recorded 15 strikeouts, breaking the school's single-season strikeout record of 152. She has 159 for 2024 so far.

The Blue Devils scored in every inning except the 6th.

Stats:

• Hannah Carney, 4-4, two doubles and four RBIs
• Ariana Almenkinde,r 2-4, double, an RBI
• Drew Stevens, two RBIs, a triple 
• Julia Clark, 2-4, triple, RBI, two stolen bases 
• Sofia Branche,  home run 
• Sophia Minuto, also had a single

Batavia faces Honeoye Falls-Lima in the Class A semifinal game on Thursday, time and location TBA.

Elba beat CG Finney 9-7 on Sunday in a first-round Section V playoff game in softball.

Maddie Hall was 2-4, two RBIs and a run scored. Brea Smith was 2-4 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. Madison Marks was 2-3 with a double. Kaelin Ball was 2-4 with an RBI. Lydia Ross was 2-4 with a triple and run scored. 

Smith was the winning pitcher, giving up three hits, two walks, and one earned run. She fanned six.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

The #2 seed Lady Irish leaned on ace pitcher Loretta Sorochty on Saturday afternoon at GCC to come away with the 3-0 victory over 15-seeded Andover-Whitesville.  

Sorochty pitched a complete game one-hitter, allowing no runs and striking out 17 batters.  Makaila Brewster took the loss in the circle for Andover-Whitesville, going 6 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs (2 earned) and striking out 1.

Offensively for the Lady Irish, Sofia Falleti led the way with 2 hits (1 double), while Emma Sisson, Hannah Tenney and Olivia Gillard each had a hit.  Sisson's hit was a triple, and she scored a run, and Tenney's base hit resulted in an RBI.  Katie Landers had a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 4th following Sisson's triple, which scored the game's first run and proved to be all Sorochty would need for run support.  Ava Grace accounted for the lone base hit for Andover-Whitesville, with a blooper base hit over second base. 

"It's good to get this first sectional win behind us, even if it wasn't as pretty as we would have liked," said Coach Otis Thomas. "We put the bat on the ball, but give credit to Andover-Whitesville for making the plays in the field to keep the score close.  Loretta gave us another strong outing in the circle, and hopefully, we can give her a little more run support next time.  We look forward to the next game coming up on Tuesday." 

Press release:

Both teams were strong in the circle on Friday, but the Alexander Trojans defeated York 2-1. 

Madison Boyce started the game on Friday before the game was cut short because of rain. 

Boyce picked up Saturday morning, where she left off the day before and earned the win for Alexander, while Emily Pietrzykowski had Boyce’s back and nailed down the save.  

York drew first blood in the contest when they scored on a wild pitch in the top of the first. Then, in the bottom of the fourth inning, Melissa Sawyer put one in the left-center gap for a double before she advanced to 3rd on a past ball. Sawyer scored on a fielder’s choice to second hit by Melanie Bump to tie the game at 1. 

Alexander didn't take the lead until the 5th inning when Ava Yax singled scoring Kaylin Dinkins, who was pinch running for Brianna Neyman after she landed a one-out single.  

The Alexander defense tightened up to close the door on York and advance to the second round on Tuesday, where they will travel to Pavilion for a 5 p.m. semifinal game. 

Sophomore Ava Yax set the tone at the top of the lineup, leading Alexander with two hits in three at-bats, a stolen base, and an RBI.  Boyce, Neyman, and Sawyer all had hits on the day.

Madison Boyce earned the win for the Trojans. Boyce only gave up one hit and one run (zero earned) over five innings, striking out seven and walking six. Pietrzykowski only surrendered two hits while striking out two to earn the save.

"We learned tonight that we never want to be a part of another weather-suspended game ever again," said Coach John Goodenbury. "We let in an unearned run in the first inning and had to stew on it for the night as the game was suspended heading into the 3rd inning. In a ball game, an offense can start to wear down a pitcher with quality at-bats, but this unique circumstance allowed both teams to pitch two innings and then get the night off to reset for the next day when play resumed.  This takes away the nuances of the game, and we had to focus on a fresh pitcher who only had to go 5 innings after a full night's rest.  We had to rely on our girls adjusting in the box to her after seeing her once the day before. That is a ton of pressure for our girls, but they dealt with it, and we are moving on.  It wasn’t our finest game, but we got the win to stay alive, and we are now focused on Pavilion for Monday.  Today was a total team effort and we know Pavilion is a very good team this year so we are not taking this next match lightly, it’s do-or-die time.  I would like to give a special thank you to our AD Eric Romesser and the outstanding Alexander maintenance crew for working magic to get our field ready after the pounding rain it took yesterday."

Submitted photos.

In its second year, for a second time, Batavia's flag football team has a shot at a sectional title in Class B1 after beating Greece Olympia/Odyssey on Thursday 24-0.

The championship game will be played on Tuesday at Monroe Community College, with a game time of 5 p.m., against Greece Athena.

Batavia is the #1 seed in the tournament, and Athena is the #2 seed.  Athene won its semifinal game over Monroe 33-0.

On Thursday, Anna Varland was 16-24 passing for 134 yards and two touchdowns. Varland also ran for 91 yards and a TD.

Ella Radley rushed for 117 yards and a TD.

Isabella Walsh had six catches for 55 yards.

Jaimin McDonald, five receptions, 51 yards and a TD.

Kylee Brennan, six flag pulls and an interception. Grace Parker also snagged an interception.

Photos by Mike Ognibene.

Giana Mruczek, a senior at Batavia High School, recorded her 450th career strikeout on Wednesday against Pittsford-Mendon.

With 13ks in the game, she now has 462 career strikeouts.

The Blue Devils lost the game 5-0.