Le Roy Oatkan Knights

Le Roy’s varsity football season came to an end this afternoon as the Oatkan Knights dropped a 14-7 decision to Haverling in a Section V Class C semifinal game at Hartwood Park.

Coach Brian Herdlein’s second-seeded Knights finish at 8-2, while No. 3 Haverling, 8-1, moves on to face East Rochester/Gananda in the sectional finals next Saturday at Honeoye Falls-Lima.

The visiting Rams scored touchdowns in the first and second quarters before Le Roy pulled to within striking distance with a 12-play, 70-yard drive that ate up more than eight minutes of the clock in the third quarter.

Sparked by the strong running of senior Brock Flint, Le Roy opened the second half with what turned out to be its only sustained drive of the game – converting three fourth-down plays in the process to reach the end zone.

The big play was a 37-yard pass from senior quarterback John Panepento to junior running back Jack Tonzi on a fourth-and-17 situation at the Haverling 42.

From there, Panepento rushed for three yards, setting up a two-yard plunge by Adrian Stevens to make the score 14-6.  Kicker Mitch Hockey added the point after touchdown to make it a seven-point game.

The Knights’ defense held up in the second half – thwarting Haverling drives behind several key plays:

• Lineman Jack Lathan’s fourth-down sack of Rams’ junior QB Justin Yehl early in the fourth quarter;

• Stopping senior running back Keian McRae on a fourth-and-three play at the Le Roy 25 with 6:30 to play;

• Lineman Tyler Strollo’s fumble recovery with less than two minutes remaining.

Unfortunately for the home team, however, the offense was unable to pull any closer as four possessions ended on a dropped pass on fourth down, a punt, an interception by Haverling linebacker William Clarke, and – with a minute left – two straight incompletions.

In the first half, the teams traded punts before Haverling took over at its own 6 on an interception by Yehl, who also plays defensive back.

Switching to offense, the lefty QB proceeded to complete two passes – each for eight yards – to senior tight end Gavin Buckley and McRae before hitting McRae for a 78-yard touchdown with 41 seconds left in the opening quarter.

On the play, Yehl rolled out to his left and launched the ball deep down the middle of the field to a wide open McRae. A pass attempt for the two-point conversion failed and Haverling had a 6-0 lead.

Another interception early in the second quarter, this one by senior defensive back Damien Hall, gave the ball back to the visitors just inside Le Roy territory.

The Knights’ defense, sparked by linebacker Tony Piazza, put Haverling in a fourth-and-two situation at the Le Roy 27, but Yehl came through again – this time avoiding the blitz and hitting senior wide receiver Anthony Brotz for a 27-yard touchdown.

McRae pounded it in for the two-point conversion to give the Rams a 14-0 lead with 8:53 remaining in the half.

Le Roy was unable to move the ball on its next two possessions, having to punt both times.

In a battle of Section V volleyball powers, the Le Roy Oatkan Knights rallied to defeat Attica in four games for the Class C championship Friday night at Avon High School.

Coach Sue Staba’s squad dropped the opening game, 25-20, before coming back to post 25-23, 25-16 and 25-21 wins for its first sectional title since 2017.

Second-seeded Le Roy, 22-1, has advanced to the finals for the past seven seasons.

Staba was named Class C Coach of the Year following the match.

“The girls worked hard all season for this,” Staba said. “They were not going to give up even after dropping the first set. We settled in during game two and started playing our game.”

Le Roy went up 19-14 in the second game, but Attica scored eight of the next 12 points to close within one at 23-22 before the Knights prevailed.

In the third game, Le Roy took control early and the Blue Devils could get no closer than 15-10.

The fourth set was close throughout, with Attica taking a 17-14 lead before Le Roy pulled into a 17-17 tie. With the score tied at 20, sophomore Dana Reschke served the Knights to a 24-20 and, following an Attica point, Le Roy ended it on a Blue Devils’ miscue.

Tournament MVP Allie Ingles filled the stat sheet for the winners, tallying 13 kills (hits that were unreturnable), 11 digs (first contact after the opposition returns the ball) and two blocks (defensive play at the net).

Ingles received plenty of support, with senior co-captains Riley Wood and Hailey Johnson recording 30 digs and 14 assists, respectively, en route to being named to the All-Tournament Team.

Reschke registered 13 assists, while junior Emma Hobart had 19 service points and six kills; senior co-captain Quinn Doty had four kills and five digs; junior Katie Salphine had three kills and four blocks, and junior Sophia Braun contributed four kills.

Other members of the Le Roy team are juniors Rylee Burns and McKenna Coniber, sophomore Lily Uberty and freshman Kylee Green.

“I couldn’t be more proud of this team and all of their hard work and dedication,” Staba added.

The fourth-seeded Blue Devils, who end their season at 18-3, have been in the finals the past three years – and took the Class C1 crown in 2019.

Coach Nici Parkhurst credited her squad for hanging in there against a Le Roy team that finished the season with 19 straight victories.

“We played tough defense and served well tonight,” she said. “The team worked hard and stayed in each set.”

Sophomore Ellie Cusmano (five kills, three aces and 24 digs) and senior Tori Walker (three aces and 29 digs) were named to the All-Tournament Team. Senior Chase Harding added six kills and nine digs, senior Emily Gadd had nine kills and Olivia Mercado chipped in with five kills and three blocks.

Le Roy moves on to regional competition with a game at home next Saturday (Nov. 13) at 2:30 p.m. against either Eden or Portville of Section VI.

Le Roy's Hailey Johnson spikes one over the net past two Attica defenders. No. 13 for Le Roy is Emma Hobart.

Tournament MVP Allie Ingles (5) gets off the ground in an attempt to get the ball past Attica's Chase Harding, left, and Emily Gadd.

Attica's Olivia Mercado makes a play on the ball at the net.

The Oatkan Knights got plenty of support from their fans.

Quinn Doty (2) gets ready as Hailey Johnson sets it up.

Attica's Maddie Robinson, Chase Harding and Tori Walker ready for the next vollley. 

Le Roy Coach Sue Staba and her Section V Class C championship squad.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

To view or purchase prints, click here.

A four-run third inning capped by Austin Saeva’s two-run single and solid pitching from Kyler Lacarte and Kenny Saunders powered the Le Roy Oatkan Knights to a 5-3 victory over Batavia in a Class B regional qualifying high school game tonight at Dwyer Stadium.

The victory – played before a crowd estimated at 1,100 -- avenges an 8-0 defeat at the hands of the Blue Devils in the title game of the Batavia Rotary Tournament last month and, more importantly, propels the Knights into regional competition on Saturday against Section 6 Class B champion Medina.

Saturday’s game will be played at Lockport High School and is scheduled for 3 p.m.

Le Roy put runners in scoring position against Batavia starter Taiyo Iburi-Bethel in the first two innings but failed to score while Batavia had two on and one out in the second but was unable to cash in as well.

The Knights broke through in the third, however, scoring four times on a pair of hits with two walks and two hit batsmen sandwiched in between.

Shortstop Giovanni Caccamise led off with a single and advanced on a stolen base and passed ball before first baseman Reece Tresco was hit by an Iburi-Bethel pitch. After designated hitter Tim McMullen was intentionally walked to load the bases, Batavia Coach Rick Saunders pulled Iburi-Bethel, moving second baseman Alex Hale to the mound.

Kenny Saunders worked a walk after fouling off three straight 3-2 pitches and Caccamise pranced home with the first run. Hale then hit Tommy Saunders with a pitch to load the bases again and a wild pitch made it 2-0 in Le Roy’s favor.

That was it for Hale and center fielder Andrew Francis came in to pitch. Saeva greeted Francis with a hard shot between third and short, past the drawn-in infield, and the Knights had a 4-0 lead.

Francis then struck out the next two batters and held Le Roy in check until a two-out triple to the gap in right-center by Tresco (who went 2-for-4) plated Tyler Slaven to give the Knights a 5-2 edge.

The Blue Devils scored a run in the bottom of the third as Francis singled, moved to second on an error and scored on Sam Sallome’s sharp single. Lacarte regrouped, however, to retire the next three batters.

Batavia had an excellent chance to cut into the lead in the fourth as Hale singled and advanced on Josh Weis’ infield hit. Francis then hit into a fielder’s choice, putting runners on the corners, before Trevor Zewan drew a walk to load the bases.

Lacarte escaped the jam by retiring what would be the last batter he faced, Sallome, on a first pitch foul pop to Tresco.

Kenny Saunders took the mound for Le Roy in the fifth and, after getting the first batter, gave up an infield hit to Iburi-Bethel, who went to second on an errant throw on the play. He was on third when, with two outs, Hale drilled an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-2.

Trailing 5-2 in the sixth, Batavia got one-out hits from Francis and Zewan, with another Le Roy error – the Knights’ fourth of the game – putting runners at first and third. Sallome then hit a fly ball to center, scoring Francis, but Zewan was called out for failing to retouch second base on his way back to first after the ball was caught.

Francis set the Knights down in order in the seventh, setting the stage for an exciting finish, despite Batavia’s first two batters going down by a fly out and strike out.

Kenny Saunders had been mixing his fastball and change-up effectively, but lost his control as he walked Jake Humes and Hale.

Pinch-runner Zach Anderson and Hale then executed a double-steal on a 1-1 count to pinch-hitter Nate Ryan. With the tying run at second, Ryan fouled back a 2-2 pitch before popping one up near the third base line. Pitcher Saunders ran over, caught the ball with just the glove hand and then threw the ball and mitt in the air, touching off the victory celebration for the LeRoyans and their fans.

Le Roy improves to 17-4 while Batavia, which outhit the Knights, 9-6, and committed just one error, ends its first-ever Section 5 championship season under Coach Saunders at 14-8.

Story by Mike Pettinella.

Photos by Steve Ognibene.

To view or purchase photos, click here.