Batavia HS

Batavia PD has been dispatched to Batavia High School for a report of a four-wheeler operating on the baseball field.

UPDATE 1:43 p.m.: Officer Marc Lawrence at the scene says no damage was done to the field.

Results posted below for Batavia High School's victory over Eastridge yesterday afternoon at BHS. Batavia won over visiting Eastridge 6-1. 

Andrew Freeman (pictured above) won a tough match in his first singles coming back from a first set loss.

The boys played hard today and picked up their first team victory of the year, said Head Coach Tom Redband.

For complete standings, find them here.

For more photos to view click here.

Brandon Bradley

Steven Gilebarto

Press release:

Batavia Middle School and High School ensembles will be performing at the 11th Annual Jazz Cabaret on Friday evening in the Batavia High School gymnasium beginning at 6:30.

Dessert, coffee and water will be served. A $5 donation is suggested.

Ensembles performing tomorrow evening include MS jazz and string ensembles, HS jazz and brass ensemble, string ensemble, beautyshop ensemble, saxophone and flute ensemble.

The event supports our music scholarships given out every year for our graduating seniors. Music students hope to see you there!

Submitted photo.

Batavia Blue Devils boys and girls track and field team defeated Greece Odyssey yesterday at vandetta stadium Batavia. Boys team won by an impressive 134-7 and girls team 119-21. Top finishers are posted below. 

There were many second- and third-place finishers for the squad also. Batavia boys record is 2-0 and girls are 1-1 in their division. 

Batavia’s home invitational will be at Vandetta stadium starting at 2 p.m. on Saturday May 12.

For more photos click here. Pictured above is senior Jonathan Liciaga.

Above are senior Eric Davis and sophomore Daemon Konieczny.

Above, senior Anthony "Butchie" Ray.

Boys results:

Double Winners include:

Eric Davis -- 100m Hurdles – 14.9 sec. -- 100m Dash – 11.2 sec. -- 200m Dash – 24.0 sec./ Also a member of the winning 4x100.

Jonathan Liciaga -- Long Jump 18 ‘ 9.5” -- Triple Jump 40’ 8” / Also a member of the winning 4x100.

Anthony Ray -- Shot Put 55’ 4”  -- Discus 143’ 1"

Other Winners:

Nick Neid 1600m – 4:47.6

Colton Martin  400m Hurdles 65.2 sec.

Mario Rosales 800m - 2:11.3

Dylan Gaus -- 3200m – 11:07.4

Pole Vault -- Daemon Konieczny 9’ 6”

4x100m Relay – 47.3 sec. -- Eric Davis, Johnathan Licaga, Joey Gefell, Brock Every

4x400m Relay – 3:57.8 -- Colton Martin, Zak Jantzi, Kris Kuszlyk, John Bruggman

4x800m Relay – 9:34.5 -- Andrew Cunningham, Nick Neid, Matt Adams, Garrick Havens

Senior Kiaya Franklin, left.

Senior Tanner Kolb.

From left -- Cameron Buck, Samantha Davis, Juliana Branche, Sadie Loria.

Girls results:  

Double Winners include:

Kiaya Franklin -- 100m – 12.6 sec. -- 200m – 26.6 sec / Also a Member of the winning 4x100 & 4x400.

Cameron Buck -- 800m - 2:49.7 -- High Jump – 4’ 6” / Also a Member of the winning 4x400.

Tanner Kolb -- Shot Put – 24’ 1” -- Discus – 87’ 3

Other winners:

Caitlin Kingston -- 400m – 1:06.2 / Also a member of the winning 4x800.

Madeline Taggart -- 1500m – 6:18.5 / Also a member of the winning 4x800.

Sydney Della Penna -- 3000m – 12:57.8 / Also a member of the winning 4x800.

Sarah Adams  -- Triple Jump – 30’ 2.5”

4x100m Relay – 52.5 sec. -- Kiaya Franklin, Jadin Vasciannie, Ariana Brown, Brianna Gutman

4x400m Relay – 4:47.4 min. -- Camryn Buck, Piper Harloff, Samantha Davis, Kiaya Franklin

4x800m Relay – 12:53.8 min. -- Caitlin Kingston, Maddie Taggart, Sadie Loria, Sydney Della Penna

Sophomore Irelyn Curry (pictured above) tossed a complete game, scattering eight hits, while striking out five on the mound to pick up her first varsity win as Batavia defeated Greece Athena 8-4. 

Maiya Reinhart and Alaina Bowman each were 2 for 4 at the plate. Bottom of the first was the turning point in the game as senior Bri Janes and freshman Mackenzie Reigle both doubled and drove in two runs for the Devils. Natalie Rogers also singled and doubled for Batavia. Taylor Stefaniak was 1-3 at the plate and led a strong defensive effort for Batavia. Batavia improves their record to 2-2. 

Head Coach Jim Fazio summarized the win after the game, "Very proud of how our team responded after Athena put four runs on the board in the first inning to take an early lead.

"Irelyn was outstanding in the circle and the girls rallied behind her defensively. We answered their early offensive explosion with seven runs of our own. Our pitching and defense carried us the rest of the game."

In a close non-league golf matchup Batavia Blue Devils beat Elba Central Lancers 263-270 at Batavia Country Club yesterday. Teagan Monahan and Bryce Reigel scored a 49 to lead the Devils, while Elba's Ben Pflaumer scored a 44 for Elba.

Batavia Middle School was rockin' this morning with a visit from the rock band class at Batavia High School to help kickoff STEAM Day at the school.

The band's visit was intended to also give middle school students of another idea for a class they might take when they get to high school.

The band played The Ramones, Tom Petty, The Kinks (twice depending on how you count "You Really Got Me" with the Van Halen intro of "Eruption"), and Cream, among others.

During a Bryan Adams song, the students broke out their mobile phone flashlights and waved them in the air just like any other rock concert.

Anthony "Butchie" Ray, who starred in football and track and field over the past four years at Batavia High School, has accepted a scholarship offer from University at Buffalo.

UB is a Division 1 school so it's a chance to compete at the highest level in collegiate athletics.

"Getting a scholarship from a Division I school is amazing," Ray said. "I never dreamt of going to a Division I school." 

During his athletic career at BHS, Ray was a member of seven teams that won sectional titles and he won 10 individual sectional titles in track and field.

Six times he was named to a Greater All Rochester team in either football or track.

The Bulls recruited Ray to be part of the track team where he'll throw discus and shot put.

While Brockport isn't Division I, Ray could have played football there, so it was a tough decision, said Ray, who was part of three Section V title teams in football with the Blue Devils.

UB, he decided, was where he felt comfortable.

"I liked the school and the facilities," he said. "I liked the atmosphere. When I thought about it a second I thought, 'like, wow, a Division I school. That's crazy. I'll get to go where some of the greats go.' "

Photo: Track Coach Nick Burk, Ray, his father Tony Ray, in the front row. Back row, football Coach Brennan Briggs, Coach Dan Geiger, and Athletic Director Mike Bromley.

The Batavia High School Varsity Softball Team is pictured above donating a check of $1,000 to board members of Genesee Cancer Assistance.

The team raised $3,000 during a Bat-a-thon fundraising event called "Strike Out Cancer" on March 24th at Batavia High School. It was a priority this season as a way to contribute to a local charity.

"This was something our team and program wanted to do to make a difference in our community," said first-year Coach Jim Fazio. "Our girls went above and beyond in all of our fundraising efforts and this seemed like a perfect place to show our support."

Head Coach Jim Fazio presents the check to Board Member Nickie Fazio, who coordinates the Simply Beautiful program, and office manager Teresa Potrzebowski​ of Genesee Cancer Assistance.

Joe Marchese, on the right, winner of Mr. Batavia 2018, presented a $2,200 check yesterday to Crossroads House, his chosen charity for the annual fundraiser at Batavia High School. Accepting the check are Jeff Allen, director of the Crossroads House, and Peg Patterson-Case, director of development.

Photo submitted by Lisa Robinson.

On Saturday March 24th the Batavia girls softball program held a Bat-a-thon called "Strike Out Cancer." The event raised more than $3,000 by all three teams in the program, from Modified-JV-Varsity.

The players did a tremendous job getting sponsors and each player was given the opportunity to hit 20 pitches in the batting cage.

For each ball hit, the girls raised money for the softball program and Genesee Cancer Assistance (GCA). GCA Board Member Nickie Fazio was on hand for the event.

"The girls did a great job with this wonderful event and I couldn't be more proud of them," Nickie Fazio said. "It is so nice to be able to contribute to our community."

"Thank you to everyone for their generous support," said Coach Jim Fazio.

Photos and story submitted by BHS softball team.

There are only 150 tickets left for Mr. Batavia at Batavia High School tonight.

Tickets can be purchased at the school, located at 260 State St. in the City of Batavia.

Doors open at 6 p.m. for the annual competition of Batavia HS seniors, which helps raise money for local charities. 

Students at Batavia High School will participate in a nationwide high school student protest tomorrow called March for Our Lives in response to mass shootings on school campuses, most notably the murder of 17 students Feb. 14 in Parkland, Fla.

Students will stand outside the school for 17 minutes starting at 10 a.m. in honor of the 17 students killed in Parkland.

The school district is allowing the protest to go forward and has requested Batavia PD station a police officer at the school to ensure the safety of the students, Chief Shawn Heubusch told WBTA this morning.

"We’re there to support the school district in any need that they have," Heubusch said. "They’ve given them (the students) a chance to participate in this national walkout and we support them in any way we can. As far as it being right or wrong, I don’t have an opinion on that. I just want to make sure that the children remain safe."

Senior Sydney Atchinson has taken a leadership role in organizing the local protest and invited local media to cover it.

Joan Elizabeth Seamans, who recently dropped out of the Democratic primary for the NY-27 race, also sent out a press release notifying area media that the protest would be taking place at several WNY high schools and that it will be coupled with a voter registration drive, encouraging students who will be 18 by Nov. 6 to register to vote.

“I am very proud of our youth here in WNY and throughout the country who are ready to use their voices to fight for change. They have demonstrated a fierceness we haven’t seen in decades" said Seamans, founder of YVYV NY (Your Voice Your Vote NY). "It will be interesting to see how this new and energized voting block uses their passion to influence legislation."

Seamans said the event has been organized by Women's March Youth EMPOWER, an affiliate of the Women’s March.

Heubusch also discussed the issue of school resource officers in Batavia City Schools.

The discussions, he said, have been ongoing for many years, not just since the Feb. 14 shooting.

"We certainly hope we will eventually be able to supply a school resource officer to the district," Heubusch said. "Currently we are prevented from doing that by some fiscal limitations for not only the city but as well as the school district. Part of that ongoing discussion is to develop ways to be able to pay for these positions if they do come to fruition.

"We support the idea of having a school resource officer in our district, if not more than one. It’s just a matter of getting down to the brass tacks of paying for that position and funding it long term."

Batavia High School's sixth annual Mr. Batavia contest is Friday, March 23rd, at 7 p.m. in the school auditorium. Contestants have been in rehearsals for weeks for the annual event.

Here are this year's contestants and their charities of choice: 

• Nicholas Neid – Salvation Army
• Chase Monachino – Catholic Charities
• Brandon Buck – Batavia VA
• Valentino Zinni – Volunteers for Animals
• Jon Liciaga – Anna’s Wish
• Cameron Hardy – Genesee Cancer Assistance
• Nate Loria – Habitat for Humanity
• John Kindig – Alzheimer’s Association of WNY
• Julio Vazquez – Michael Napoleon Foundation
• Joe Marchese – Crossroads House
• Evan Bellavia – Lifetime Care, Home Healthcare and Hospice
• Anand Patel -- Golisano's Children's Hospital 

Previous winners are: Jon Currier (2017), Ross Chua (2016), Jordan Fluker (2015), Spencer Hubbard (2014), Lee Johnson (2013).

Interview with BHS Drama Director Caryn Wood.

"Into the Woods" is a musical comedy written by Stephen Sondheim, (from Wikipedia). This show takes many well-known Grimm Brothers fairy tales and combines them in an interwoven masterpiece.

The blissful serenity quickly unravels however, as the result of a giant run amok in the kingdom. Sondheim is known for his difficult yet emotionally charged music and lyrics; the cast has worked tremendously hard to bring this challenging story to life.

There are 50+ students in the cast, crew, and orchestra combined with 30+ adult directors and staff and volunteers.

Auditions were held back in November. Casting is always a difficult process because we want to make sure you have considered all of the options. People think you can just choose the person who sings the best, but in reality, you have to take many things into consideration when casting a high school production.

You not only have to consider how well a certain individual will handle the difficult music, but also what their characterization abilities are, and how will that person plays off another person. Casting a show is like writing a composition, it's a process that Musical Director Dan Grillo and I take very seriously.

One of the best things about "Into the Woods" and also a big reason why we chose this show has to do with it being an ensemble cast. There aren’t one or two specific leads, but rather a group of people whom the audience follows as the story unfolds.

These characters include The Baker and his wife, played by senior Evan Bellavia and junior Eryn Dunn; you see their relationship on display and their need to undo a curse put on them by a witch -- a key role played by senior Madison Hoerbelt. Others include Cinderella, played by senior Madeline Keenan; Jack, played by junior Sam Rigerman; Jack's Mothe,r played by senior Parise Ricks; and Little Red Riding Hood, played by freshman Kathryn Fitzpatrick.

There are many other recognizable characters as well including Rapunzel, the Wicked Stepmother and Cinderella's stepsisters. We've also added Grimm fairytale characters like the Three Little Pigs, Rumpelstiltskin, the Princess and the Frog, Hansel and Gretel.

Overall, the cast really embraced this show and dug right in working on the difficult music when we started rehearsals back in December. There are great themes woven throughout the show also; sometimes what you wish for the most, doesn't turn out as planned; the love of family and despite their faults, and many others.

One of my favorite moments is when the Baker's Wife realizes that her humble marriage to the Baker is more important than all her fantasies during the song "Moments in the Woods."

With all of the characters there is more to them than meets the eye. A line from the show about this says, "witches can be right, giants can be good."

Watching all of the characters evolve through the plot turns and twists may not be portend the traditional "storybook" happily-ever-after ending you might expect. Yet, in the end everything is tidied up.

Two shows remain this weekend: tonight at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow at 2 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased at the door or Roxy’s Music Store in Batavia.

To view or purchase photos click here.

A tightly matched game #6 seed Batavia Lady Devils came out playing with heart and soul to the end versus #3 seed Honeoye Falls Lima last evening at Penfield High School. 

Batavia came out flat down by five points but Freshman Kenzie Reigle helped drive them to a 9-9 after the first quarter.

Second quarter Batavia went up on top leading by as much as four points 17-13 but HFL came to tie it before junior Jenae Colkey sunk a two-pointer to give Batavia a lead at the half 19-17.

Batavia came out of the locker increasing the lead by five points 23-18 but Freshman Hannah Selke hit four three-pointers in the quarter to help HFL carry a big lead 30-25 going into the fourth.

Batavia and HFL both exchanged fouls, lead changes and tied the game 36-36 until under two minutes left where Batavia came up short losing 45-40. 

HFL will play #1 seed Aquinas Friday at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester.

To view or purchase photos click here.

The #3 seed in Class A2, the Batavia Blue Devils, was up Saturday in a Section V playoff game played in Batavia, by the #6 seed, Honeoye Falls-Lima, 48-41.

While Batavia jumped out to a 17-7 first quarter lead, behind the hot hand of Tee Sean Ayala, who scored 13 of his 20 points in the first eight minutes, HFL seemed to have figured out how to slow Ayala down. HFL held Ayala to seven points the rest of the way.

Worse, the Blue Devils didn't score at all in the second quarter and were held to 10 points in the fourth quarter -- a quarter in which HFL seemed to find it impossible to miss a shot, scoring 17 points.

Naz Pratt scored nine points for the Blue Devils and Antwan Odom scored six.

Top scorer for HFL was Garret Ruff with 13.

A BOCES student is suspected of making threats of violence at the Batavia campus and he is currently undergoing a mental health evaluation in Buffalo.

The name of the student is not being released and he has not been charged, though Chief Deputy Jerome Brewster said that if there is sufficient evidence for charges against the youth, he will be charged.

Brewster said local law enforcement takes these kinds of threats seriously and will act on them when they come to the attention of local officials.

"We're still trying to pin down what he said and to whom," Brewster said. "If anyone is going to make such threats about something they're going to do at a school, they are going to get arrested."

Superintendent Chris Daily confirmed he was made aware of the threats and notified local law enforcement.

"We look into any kind of threat and work with local law enforcement to make sure it is not credible, and if it is we act accordingly," Daily said. "We take any threat very seriously. The safety of our students is of utmost importance."

It's unclear if the student made verbal threats or if he had written anything down. Brewster said investigators are still looking into it. 

Daily said he was only aware of statements the student reportedly made at BOCES.

Brewster characterized the threats, based on information available so far, as vague threats to hurt students with no reference as to how he would do it.

The youth is somebody with prior criminal charges.

Batavia PD was notified of the alleged threats and has offered to assist in the investigation, Chief Shawn Heubusch said.

It's important, Brewster said, for parents, teachers, fellow students, and others who come in contact with somebody making threats against schools to notify authorities.

"Unfortunately, we live in a day and age when the rule is, if you see something, say something," Brewster said. "Police can't act on anything if they don't know about it."

Eastridge High School held its annual "Battle on the Ridge" cheer competition this past Saturday in Rochester. The Batavia Varsity squad finished second place in its division. 

Judges score on difficulty and execution in the following catagories: Jumps, pyramid, stunts, tumbling and cheer.

This Saturday Rochester Institute of Technology hosts the Section V competition. 

For more photos to view or purchase click here.