LIVONIA — Down 17-16 at the end of the first quarter, visiting Geneseo knew they had to get some offense rolling if they wanted to spring ahead after a back-and-forth eight minutes at the start.

After going up by a point to take a 26-25 lead, junior point-guard Mo Carlon led a 15-2 run to end the half with a commanding 41-27 lead.

Livonia tried to fight its way back into the game, but their defense couldn’t stop the lights out play from Geneseo’s guards and the Bulldogs (4-6) dropped their fourth straight loss to a final score of 64-51 at the Tom Downey Gymnasium in Livonia Tuesday night in LCAA crossover action.

The victory improved Geneseo to 8-1 on the season.

“Second quarter, we came out flat,” said Mo Carlon, who had a game-leading 24 points with five assists and four rebounds. “Coach called a time out and told us to get in a defensive and offensive mindset. We just tried pushing the ball up, and especially for me, tried creating opportunity for guys. When I saw a lane, I just took it all the way and tried to finish the best I could.”

“We attacked the basket,” said Geneseo head coach Brian Stout, who picked up his first ever coaching win against Livonia. “Elton Johnson was hitting his passes tonight, he was finding Mo. He was hitting Mo and Mo was knocking down the jumpers. Bryan (Rollins) was attacking the basket. As far as our penetration, we finally took advantage of our quickness on offense and beating guys off the dribble. Definitely more successful than last game.”

On Livonia’s side, head coach Matt Young also admitted that the second quarter was where the game all fell apart for his youthful Bulldogs.

“We gave up 25 points. 25-10, that’s the ball game,” said Young. “I thought we played all right the rest of the three quarters, but I preached to these guys you have to play a full four quarters. It seems like we’ve been doing that. If we do one quarter where we have a meltdown and give up the lead, we can’t recover. We were down 14 at halftime, we outscored them in the second half. That’s the positive for us. We’ve got to play four quarters.”

“I feel like it was our team slowing down the pace and taking our time,” added Geneseo’s Jake Cook, a junior forward. “Our defense was holding them to take the full shot clock.”

The rest of Geneseo ran an efficient offense as well, with the junior Rollins scoring 12 points and recording two rebounds, three steals and one block, while teammate Sam Lofquist, a senior center, scored nine points, along with 14 rebounds and two blocks. Cook had a nice game as well, scoring seven points, with four rebounds and one steal.

“They were over playing in the beginning,” said Cook of his performance. “I hang back normally, and my guy would go up and I would be open for open lay-ups.”

Despite a strong offensive showing for Geneseo, Stout says the key to their game was the defensive pressure they threw at Livonia.

“We played really good defense,” said Stout. “First quarter, they were beating us down the floor a little bit and so we made some adjustments. They were getting (Cody) Cronmiller on the wing and we were supposed to be taking that away, and after the first quarter, we took that away. We gave them some open looks, they had two three’s in the first quarter and we did a much better job of taking that away, too. Our defense was spectacular those last three quarters. A perfect example, on the last possession, we made them take a shot with two on the shot clock when they were trying to get a quick shot down. We were playing really good defense.

“We looked to make those guys earn everything they got. Elton, Mo and Cook did a great job. Jimmy Root did a great job coming off the bench as well. They all played great defense.”

Carlon agreed that stopping Livonia’s scorers was essential to getting the victory and stressed that full team defense is how to win tough basketball games.

“They have strengths in Ricky (Allen) and Cody who can drive and do all that,” said Carlon. “We tried to keep them in front of us. I told Elton you can’t get up on them and expect them not to go by you. You have to contain them and once they go by you, the help screen has to come and help out.”

Cook also saw his team working together to stop the Bulldogs.

“As long as you got a hand up and make sure they don’t have a lot of wide open shots, then they would miss most of them,” he said “Putting the pressure on really helps.”

Livonia did overcome adversity on Geneseo’s tight defense, with Zack Kolodziejski scoring a team-best 22 points with five rebounds and Cronmiller going for 18 points with three assists. Allen netted eight points, all in the first half, including a buzzer beater three before the end of the first period.

“We’ve got to get stops defensively,” said Young. “We’ve got to rebound, which hurt us inside a little bit and box people out. They had second chance shots in the first half and that’s what we tried to focus on (in the second half). One possession at a time, we’ve got to get stops on the defensive end and offensively, we’ve got to put the ball in the basket.”

Another win for Geneseo, whose lone loss came to Greece Odyssey 58-56 in the first round of the Gananda Tournament, can only help their confidence moving forward.

“It should keep us going, keep us winning,” said Cook.

For Livonia, the season isn’t over yet, but Young knows there is work to be done.

“We need to just keep working hard,” he said. “We need to be positive. We do some nice things out there, we just have to be more consistent and get more people involved.”

The post Second quarter run sparks Geneseo boys past Livonia appeared first on Livingston County News.

GENESEO — Brian Stout: physical education teacher at Mount Morris by day.

Hosts those same students in a 74-50 beat-down, courtesy of his Geneseo Blue Devils, by night.

“We put up some good defensive pressure today,” said Stout. “Our goal was to attack the basket against these guys, because they are a little bit smaller in the paint. We tried to get it inside and get to the free throw line. We did a really good job in the first half inside, but in the second half, we started shooting too many too many threes. We turned it around in the fourth quarter and started attacking the basket to get back up.”

A win is a win, as they say, but the general consensus from Geneseo following the game was a sense of frustration from their offensive production.

“We were sloppy,” said guard Mo Carlon, who scored 18 points. “We tried to run them off the floor and get them tired, but it was a sloppy game on both sides.”

Carlon admitted that Stout and company weren’t happy with the shooting performances out of Geneseo.

“Coach was yelling that we shouldn’t have been shooting that much because we were up double figures, and he wanted us to drive to the basket,” Carlon said. “He’s okay when we drive in and kick the ball out when the shot is open. But once you get one pass and shoot, it doesn’t work. We didn’t execute plays at all.”

Also putting up big numbers for Geneseo was Bryan Rollins with a team-best 22 points along with Jimmy Root, who scored 15 points and Elton Johnson added 12 as well.

For Mt. Morris, it was all Devon Milford who scored over half of his teams production with 29 points.

— Read the rest of the story in this week’s LCN.

The post Geneseo boys school Mount Morris appeared first on Livingston County News.

PERRY — A sectional champion and a record-holder.

These are ways you can describe standout Perry shooting guard Anthony Ricotta.

“In 29 years of coaching, no one has put more time in the gym working on his game and his ability to shoot,” said head coach David Gillett. “It’s tremendous.”

Ricotta, a senior, is in the midst of having a career year, recently surpassing Coach Gillett’s son Peter’s record of 1,270 career points as a Yellowjacket. Currently, Ricotta’s averaging 28 points per game this season with a 60% field goal percentage.

“He’s transformed his game over the years,” said coach Gillett. “He’s gone from being a good three-point shooter to being a real scorer. By that, I mean, he drives really well. He’s added a pull-up jumper. He’s very good at drawing fouls and getting to the line. More than all of that, this year he has become a really good, strong leader as a captain and he’s added a defensive presence to his game. He’s a great on-the-ball defender and that’s added a lot to our team. He’s our hardest worker in practice, he sets the tone. He loves the game and it shows every day.”

Ricotta has been Perry’s (7-1) de facto leader and has completely embraced his role for his team.

Despite being the most prolific scorer in Livingston County, and being someone who can drain a bucket from anywhere on the floor, he knows that it’s about winning basketball games, not breaking records.

“We’ve been playing great basketball,” said Ricotta. “We’re 7-1, Coach has been getting us into shape, my teammates have been great and everyone has been contributing. We couldn’t be 7-1 without the 12 guys on this roster.”

But, having a player of Ricotta’s caliber makes it easy for Gillett to formulate an offense. He’s a consistent shooter, hitting 133 three pointers for his career, including a Perry record-setting 52 in his sophomore year and an average of 23 points per game his junior year.

He was also a member of the Perry team that won the sectional championship in 2010.

“To have someone of his talent is helpful,” said Gillett. “A lot of his points are fast break, some are transition. We trap and steal often. He is a weapon at the three-point arc and the more we work the ball on offense, the more he becomes open.”

Gillett also admits that while Ricotta is a major part of the offensive puzzle, he remains just that — one single piece.

“It isn’t like our whole offense is built around him,” said the coach. “He’s dangerous, but he does it within the team framework. He’s worked on his team play and he is effective in many different ways. He gets through to them through hustle, running court, driving to the basket and getting steals and fouls.”

“I can only play as good as my teammates allow me to play,” said Ricotta. “They’re the ones putting me into position to succeed and I couldn’t do it without them.”

While Ricotta is obviously an offensive threat, he and his coach believe that the key to winning basketball games is on the defensive end, and that is something the 6-0, 185-pound shooting guard knows well.

“Being a team player starts with team defense,” said Ricotta. “We prevent other teams from scoring when we have five guys committed to stopping an offense.”

“His intensity starts at the defensive end,” Gillett added. “Forget offensive for a minute, he guards teams aggressively and that allows the guys to know where the ball is being directed.”

In fact, it is Ricotta’s intensity, according to Gillett that allows him to fully take charge as a leader for Perry.

“I think in his desire is where he makes this team better,” said Gillett. “From the locker room to the court, he sets the tone with his intensity and his desire.”

No doubt about it — Ricotta’s a baller who wants to win and is willing to do anything for the cause.

In the off-season, Ricotta hits the gym every afternoon with his dad, going through a daily routine of 500 all-around shots, 250 moving three-point and off-the-dribble/catch-and-shoot shots and 100 free throws.

“I’m always the last one out of the gym after practice,” said Ricotta. “I talk and I tell (my teammates) how we need to do certain things. We need to be key on stuff, and I help them how to take an opponent. I lead by hard work and I never take any days off.”

“He is the coach in both the locker room and in the hallways at school,” said Gillett. “Anthony and (co-captain) Dave Sylvester, are the ones who have to be the hardest workers. They have to show the rest of the team how bad they want it. They have to be contagious. They have to pass on what has been passed on to them. Anthony has the satisfaction to know what a sectional final feels like.”

Of course, a season highlight for Ricotta was breaking Perry’s all-time scoring record which is currently set at 1,285 points, with still plenty of games left to go.

“(The record) meant everything to me,” said Ricotta. “My dad helped me since I was in seventh grade and my goal since then was to get the scoring record. I couldn’t have done it without my dad, my coach, my AAU coach and my teammates. I owe everything to them.”

For now, Ricotta knows there is still a lot of basketball left to be played and the season is far from over, despite how well Perry has played. The Yellowjackets were handed their first loss of the season Dec. 27 against Batavia Notre Dame, in a game where Ricotta sat out with an ankle sprain.

Perry put up just 29 points without their offensive juggernaut.

Gillett isn’t too worried about the injury.

“He’s got so many more games left this year and he should be back soon,” said Gillett.

Junior point-guard Cory Dillon sat the game out as well with mononucleosis, and Gillett admits their first loss was a little deceiving.

“We got hit double with two great players not in the line-up,” he said. “Anthony is a great defensive player and we didn’t have anyone on the ball like him. We didn’t have those transition points. It’s a big factor, we only scored 29 and Anthony averages nearly 30 a game. You do the math and it speaks for itself. He’s such an intense player.

“We played as hard as we could, but we have to move on. Our goal is to start playing to take care of business. We have two good teams coming up (Livonia and Le Roy) and we need to play Perry basketball.”

And past those two games?

“I hope we can make a run in sectionals and keep playing into March,” said Ricotta.

Once basketball season finally comes to an end, Ricotta has some important decisions to make. He’s getting looked at from Alfred, Alfred State, Fredonia, Cortland, Ithaca and Brockport to play basketball.

“Being the scorer that he is, I know he’d like to play in college,” said Gillett.

For now, only time will tell what’s down the road for Anthony Ricotta.

The post Perry’s Ricotta is much more than just a scorer appeared first on Livingston County News.

CALEDONIA — Same story, different chapter.

For the fourth time in as many years, the York Golden Knights (5-2) defeated the Cal-Mum Red Raiders (6-1) in the home teams own Christmas tournament as they came away with the thrilling  85-76 victory Friday night in front of jam-packed crowd at Cal-Mum.

“A lot of people have been doubting us,” said York head coach Ed Orman, Jr. “A lot of people don’t think were a very good team for some reason. We lost to Geneseo and Hornell, two very good basketball teams, but our kids haven’t lost. We still think we are right there with all the very good teams in Class C.”

York was led by tournament MVP Tyler Shutts, who provided an immediate spark with the Knights when he entered the game midway through the second quarter after getting into foul trouble early with two strikes in the first.

“I felt bad leaving my team out to dry, so I wanted to create a spark,” said Shutts.

A Tyler Shutts spark looks like 19 points with six assists and six rebounds, including clutch play at the free throw line as time dwindled down.

Sophomore JV call-up Eli Laboy had, according to Orman, a “coming out party” with 18 points and seven rebounds off the bench. Teammates and all-tournament team members Andrew Short and Nick Curry had big games as well, as Short scored 13 points with 11 rebounds and Curry put up 17 points with 10 rebounds.

For Cal-Mum, who suffered their first loss of the season, they saw Steve Gaffney leading the way with 32 points and four assists.

Cal-Mum entered the game ranked No. 7 in the state in Class C.

— Read entire story in this week’s LCN.

The post York does it again over Cal-Mum appeared first on Livingston County News.

GENESEO — There’s never a dull moment when these two teams face off.

Playing in as close to a neutral court as you can get in Livingston County, Geneseo (5-0) defeated York (3-2) 57-47 at SUNY Geneseo Friday night to take the first swing in their run for the LCAA D-III title.

Geneseo-York has been a long-standing rivalry and while both teams showed up ready to compete, it was the Blue Devils who went home satisfied with the win.

“Of course this has been that dream day that we’ve been waiting for forever,” said 6-foot-7 senior center Sam Lofquist.

Up 42-32 at the start of the fourth quarter, Geneseo knew they couldn’t get complacent if they wanted to hold on to the lead.

With under four minutes remaining, and down 49-37, York point guard Tyler Shutts hit a three-pointer which sparked a 9-2 run for the Knights that finally ended on a Lofquist putback bucket. Shutts scored five of York’s final 10 points as he attempted to lead the comeback.

But Geneseo’s defensive presence was simply too much to handle.

“That was a really good team,” said Geneseo head coach Brian Stout. “We got up double figures and Shutts just kept bringing them back. (Nick) Curry beat us on the floor a couple of times. We played really hard and won the battle on the boards and the loose balls. When you have two teams that close, that’s usually what it comes down to. We worked really hard tonight.”

That they did.

Geneseo knew they would have a tough match-up ahead of them facing the defending Section V champs, but it was something they were ready for.

“Everyone showed up tonight,” said Lofquist, who finished the game with eight points and seven boards. “It wasn’t like the past couple of games where it was just two or three guys who got really hot and led the team. Tonight, it seemed that it was a different quarter and it was a different two guys who would take over. It was great to watch everybody be successful.”

Indeed, the Blue Devils win was a complete collaborative team effort. In the first quarter, it was all Lofquist, who scored six of Geneseo’s first nine points. The second half, forward Elton Johnson took over the offense, scoring seven points (finishing with nine) and getting help from teammates Mo Carlon, who finished with 10 points, and Jimmy Root, who led Geneseo in scoring with 11 points.

Jake Cook came out hot after intermission, scoring all eight of his points in the second half.

Cook’s scoring and toughness came through when the Devils needed it. Stout knew he needed hard, physical play out of his big men tonight, especially against the likes of York’s duo: Curry and Andrew Short.

“Cookie had a really good game,” said Stout. “He was all over the place, diving for loose balls and was good in rebounds. I think he had a career high in scoring. He was cleaning up some of the garbage tonight. That’s what he is, he’s our garbage man. He did all the dirty work. He played really good.

“Sammy (Lofquist) protects the paint and we tried to get him a little away from the basket. We went with some smaller lineups for a couple of minutes.”

For Lofquist, he knew how to break down York’s front court and he used it to his advantage.

“I realized pretty quickly that fundamentals were the key to (containing) them,” said the senior. “I was just keeping them in front, not going for steals, not being sloppy. I was playing fundamental and they would force bad shots if I just kept them content like that.”

Stout not only had big play from his big men, but his guards as well made crucial shots in crunch time to maintain the lead.

“The good thing is, when you are up like that, you are able to spread (the guards) out a little bit and make them come get us,” Stout said. “We opened up the lanes and we had a good backside crutch by Johnson a couple of times and by Cook a couple of times and they get their head up maybe next basket for the lay-up. That’s what happens when you get ahead. We definitely played more disciplined than we have.”

This win over rival York certainly doesn’t mean the season is now complete, but it does give the Blue Devils a feeling of momentum and something for the team to build on as they move through the schedule.

“It’s a huge morale boost,” said Lofquist, whose Geneseo squad was swept last season by York. “You can rally off of this. I expect us to keep going with the same sort of intensity throughout the rest of the season. There’s no stopping us.”

Stout agreed.

“It gives us good momentum,” Stout said. “We have a tournament next week over break and then we come back with Mount Morris and they’ll be fired up for us, they always play us well. Especially with me working over there. It gives our guys a little extra incentive.”

The post Geneseo boys top York, 57-47 appeared first on Livingston County News.

Minnehan’s Fun Center in Lakeville held their Third Annual Driver Education Workshop, an event that provides interactive driving stations to prepare young drivers for various driving conditions.

The workshop was performed on Minnehan’s Bullet and Indy car tracks, using the Fun Center’s Go-Karts.

Working as instructors were Dennis Bzduch from York, Joe Shero and Chris Lambert from Livonia, Bill Devitt from Perry and Kevin Raymond from Keshequa.

The event was broken up into four different activity stations.

The first station was on cell phone usage while behind the wheel. Students were encouraged to text and talk on their phones as they were driving. They were also distracted by Deputy Smith as he drove erratically in front of them.

The second activity station was on blind spots. Students each took turns driving enormous vehicles as a way to see what blind spots look like in automobiles such as tractor trailer and snowplow trucks.

For the third activity station, students learned how drive in harsher weather scenarios. Bullet cars were placed in inconvenient locations along the track to show students how to navigate curves and how to handle a drifting car during icy or wet road conditions.

The final station was on drinking and driving. Students wore fatal vision goggles while attempting to drive and perform DWI/DUI officer assessment tests. The task challenged drivers to use their motor skills while “under the influence” to prove just how difficult it is to drive while impaired.

“I started this program two years ago,” said Bzduch. “I had the idea that we couldn’t have kids do things like texting and driving in a normal Driver Ed program, so I asked Minnehan’s to donate the Go-Karts. Andrew Long Insurance also donated $100 to the program. if it wasn’t for Minnehan’s, we couldn’t accomplish our goals and we appreciate all they do to help us deal with the concerns we have as parents.”

Click on a thumbnail below to launch a slideshow by Livingston County News Photographer Michael Johnson.

The post Teens try out distracted driving simulators appeared first on Livingston County News.

CALEDONIA — Washburn MVP Regis Pollard is a Wiffle Ball fanatic.

So much so, that he started his very own league.

Washburn Wiffle Ball, based out of Caledonia, consists of six teams in two divisions playing games, sometimes doubleheaders, every Sunday.

“We were all baseball players,” Pollard said. “Once high school finished, we wanted something fun to do during the summer. We’ve been playing Wiffle Ball our whole lives and I decided to make an official league.”

The teams, broken up into the WWL East and WWL West divisions include Pollard’s Oatka Quackers, Donia Dozers, Westside Whompers, Burnwash Bombers, Washburn Workhorses and Mumford Suns.

“The league is extremely competitive,” said Pollard. “Guys show up and dive and slide into the bags. It’s awesome and no one is getting paid to do it.”

Washburn Wiffle Ball became a part of the National Wiffle Ball Association this year. This summer, members of the league, Pollard included, participated in the National Wiffle League Association Tournament in Columbus, OH.

“It was a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday and we finished fourth place out of eight teams,” said Pollard. “One of our guys (Sean Ancker) threw a no-hitter. They put us up in a hotel for free with free food, free everything. We just had to pay for gas.”

The Washburn Wiffle Ball League Warriors consisted of a self-assembled All-Star team.

Mike Anderson, Jake Kocher, Jordan Shelton, and Ancker from Caledonia; Josh Swan from Wheatland; and Pollard.

Pollard led the entire tournament in batting average with a .536 and four players from WWL hit .300 or better (Kocher .353, Shelton .312 and Ancker .300).

In addition to playing in national tournaments and Sunday regular season games, Washburn Wiffle Ball also hosted last Tuesday’s annual All-Star game and an upcoming World Series.

The Pizza Land Home Run Derby consisted of eight wifflers and was won by Pollard who hit 26 total home runs to secure the W.

His East Ave. team also won the All-Star game over Main St. to a close score of 21-19. Pollard went 4-6 with a double at the plate, while teammate Shelton went 4-4 with two home runs.

In addition to being the league MVP and Home Run Derby champion, Pollard also won the Cy Young Award, after going 8-0 as a starter and maintaining a 2.85 ERA. He was also second in the league with 65 strikeouts.

He also managed and stared for the league’s best team, the Oatka Quakers, who have already secured their spot in next week’s World Series.

But he doesn’t even want to talk about his season’s Wiffle Ball dominance.

“I don’t really like talking about my personal play,” he said. “Our team is doing well, four of our guys are in the top-10 in hitting. We are one of the best in the league.”

Pollard and Shelton also maintain an official website for the league (washburnwiffleballleague.com). The site keeps track of every players stats, a box score for every game and weekly video highlights. It also ranks teams within the WWL and nationally. Upon surfing around the site, you can see that the Quakers are ranked No. 9 in the nation, a fact Pollard didn’t even bring up.

And Pollard’s passion for the WWL doesn’t exceed anyone else’s. He, along with the rest of the guys, play in the league simply because they love it.

“A lot of other league’s struggle with numbers,” said Pollard. “Most of us are friends or have become friends. Guys take off work to play games and everyone comes out. They like playing Wiffle Ball and they like hanging out and it’s a great group of guys.”

Pollard is entering his third year at RIT, where he plans to finally try out for the baseball team after a few years away from the game.

Quackers’ slugger Regis Pollard jacks one of his 11 home runs in the second round of the Pizza Land Home Run Derby at Belcoda Park. Pollard hit 26 total home runs en route to the title

The post Wiffle Ball mania appeared first on Livingston County News.

PITTSFORD — Heading into training camp, Buffalo Bills head coach Chan Gailey decided to let the play of Vince Young and Tyler Thigpen make the call of who would be the team’s number two quarterback.

But, if there is indeed a battle, nobody told Young.

“I’m not really looking at it as a battle right now,” said Young. “I’m not trying to beat (Thigpen), I’m just doing what I have to do to try and get better.”

Thigpen’s attitude is a little different.

“Obviously, there is a competition right now between me and Vince,” said Thigpen. “I think Vince and I understand the way the business works and every year they are going to bring somebody in to compete with you. At the end of the day, I have to worry about myself. If you are out there worrying about somebody else, you aren’t working on the task at hand.”

The job of back-up quarterback is indeed a coveted one, especially given the fact that there wasn’t a suitable enough No. 2 when Fitzpatrick cracked his ribs during the week seven game against the Redskins.

Instead of putting in someone else and let his starter heal, Gailey decided that an injured Fitzpatrick gave the Bills a better chance to win than the healthy number two, who, at the time, was Thigpen.

“I’m trying to get better each and every day,” said Thigpen. “If I can get myself better, it’s helping this team out.”

Given that Young was brought in to compete with Thigpen, and that Thigpen barely saw the field last season, it appears as though the job is Young’s to lose. But for now, Young doesn’t see his role that way.

“I’m just doing what I am doing now,” said Young. “Just working and getting better. What else can I do?”

That’s exactly what Young should be doing after the play of the last week and a half of camp by the second team offense.

Last Wednesday, Gailey was direct in talking with reporters about how he felt about the Young/Thigpen-led two’s.

“(Their play) is a concern,” he said. “And it’s not just Tyler. He and Vince both are having some trouble. The two’s in general are not performing well offensively. The one’s are doing fine, but the two’s are struggling.”

Thigpen echoed his coaches sentiment.

“I’ll tell you what, starting off we were a little rusty,” said Thigpen. “But now that we are two weeks into camp, we are on the same page and we know what to expect when we see certain coverages.”

Gailey agreed.

“The installation has gone slower the last couple of days, so we got to repeat some things. When you repeat them, they will look sharper and crisper on their reads. It’s paid dividends. They are seeing things and doing some things with the football that is better than those first few days, that’s for sure.”

Young and Thigpen are each working hard to make sure that second-team offense is running smoothly. Said the 6-5, 232 pound Young: “I am just trying to get the guys in there and making sure I am making the right reads.”

“It’s those little things we have to do,” said Thigpen. “Watch film, communicate, understand the plays we have going in.”

The second-team offense’s first test will be on Thursday when the Bills host the Redskins in their first pre-season game.

“It’s going to be a little different when we go against Washington because it’s a different defense,” said Thigpen. “We have to understand everything and that way we can understand what we expect them to do and what they expect us to do.”

The post Battle for Bills’ back-up QB heating up appeared first on Livingston County News.

Stephon Gilmore, the Bills’ 10th overall pick, is a 6-0, 190-pound cornerback that could be a starter in the Buffalo secondary in week one. — Photo Provided

ROCHESTER — Buffalo Bills first-round pick Stephon Gilmore has impressed everyone early.

“He’s very consistent,” said head coach Chan Gailey. “There is no up and down in the guy. What you see every day is what you get every day. That has been a pleasant surprise. A lot of the time, with rookies, something bad will happen to them and they go in the tank.”

Gilmore, the 10th overall pick out of South Carolina, has already spent the majority of camp practicing with the first team. Not only that, he is lining up against number one wide receiver Stevie Johnson.

“It’s good for both of those guys to fight each other every day like that. It’s good for Stevie and it’s good for Stephon,” said Gailey. “If he can cover Stevie, he’ll be a great player for us. So, it’s a good battle.”

Gilmore agreed that covering a wide receiver who posted 1,004 yards and seven TD’s last season is no walk in the park.

“He’s a hard person to guard,” said Gilmore. “I just try to stay with him as much as I can. Some plays, you got to give him the short plays and try to take away the deep ball.”

With cornerback still not a deep position for Buffalo, Gilmore is almost a lock to start Week 1, especially given his early impressions on the coaching staff.

But he knows there is still a long way to go before that dream can become a reality.

“I feel like I am getting better,” Gilmore said. “I’ve gotten better at my technique and how to mirror receivers. I could get my hands on a few more balls. I still have a lot to learn.”

Also looking to make a immediate contribution for the Bills is former NC State alum and third-round pick TJ Graham.

Graham, a wide receiver, is looking to compete for a spot on the starting core.

But for now, he knows what his role is.

“To run fast and catch the ball,” said Graham. “I’ve been trying to do that the best I can.”

Graham admits that it’s taken him a while to get up to speed on the NFL playing lifestyle.

“I’m 23-years-old with a lot of free time,” he says. “In order for me to play well, I have to learn the plays. You go back to OTA’s, rookie mini-camp and not knowing the plays, it leads to me not running as fast as I could. I needed to learn the plays so I could be comfortable and run them a lot smoother.”

Comfort is a big deal for Graham, who relies on his speed to make things happen on the field.

He’s also is playing it smart in this his first training camp.

“There are a lot of temptations that make you want to go out at night and have fun, but I stay in and study,” Graham says. “I want to come in and contribute early.”

Gailey also had a lot of great things to say about his new offensive weapon.

“He’s getting better as a receiver,” he said. “I think he has a long way to go, but I think he is getting better every day he steps out there. That’s what he has to do and if you don’t look at it that way, you are going to get left behind.”

If Graham does want to start right away, it won’t be an easy feat. He’ll have to beat out some promising wide receiver candidates, like Donald Jones and Marcus Easley, both who have played very well during the first few days at camp.

But Gailey is confident that Graham will be able to contribute come fall.

“That speed, if he gets open, is hard to catch,” said Gailey. “He still has a lot to learn, but he is doing some good things out there. He is catching the ball very well right now.”

T.J. Graham, a third round pick out of NC State, is a talented 6-0, 180-pound speedy wide receiver that will add some depth to a talented Bills’ receiving core. — Photo Provided

The post Bills’ rookies Gilmore, Graham turning heads appeared first on Livingston County News.

LIVONIA—Few athletes in Livingston County can do what Derek Bishopp did for the Livonia Bulldogs last season.

“He had an incredible year,” said head football coach Steve Girolmo. “I think if he could have driven the bus, he would have done that, too.”

Bishopp’s junior year ended with him leading the Bulldogs in rushing, receiving and returning in both yards and touchdowns. He also led the team in tackling as a linebacker and strong safety.

“He had a game that was ridiculous in the quarterfinal against Geneva,” said Girolmo. “He had 370-something yards of offense. He had a touchdown catch and five or six touchdown rushes. It was crazy. They couldn’t stop him.”

Talk about the complete package.

“Everything is based on his work ethic,” Girolmo said. “It’s his ability to say, ‘This is me. I go 110 percent every minute that I am here.’”

Bishopp’s hard work is proven by his excellence in not just one sport, but three. Named team captain as a defenseman of the Geneseo-Livonia Lakers hockey team, and as a member of the All-League 1st Team Midfield in lacrosse, while scoring 42 goals in the process, has made Bishopp one of the most talented athletes in the county.

But it’s his attitude towards the game of football, his determination to help the team no matter what, that makes him such a likable figure.

“I’ll block, I don’t care,” Bishopp said.

In the summer, he’s been taking some reps at quarterback as Coach Girolmo experiments with Bishopp’s strengths in an option offense.

“It is weird throwing pitches to Josh (Wester) because that used to be me,” said Bishopp. “But, I am perfectly okay with doing it and giving anyone the chance to run.”

Right now, no one really knows who will be the Bulldogs’ starting quarterback just yet. As Girolmo will say, it’s all dependent on who gives the team the best chance to win.

“We are going to do the best we can as coaches to find the right positions for everyone to make the team better,” Girolmo pointed out. “If we are better with (Bishopp) as quarterback, then we will do that.”

Whatever his role may be, Girolmo knows that Bishopp is ready to take it on.

“It’s always about team with Derek,” he said. “That is rare this day and age. It’s rare for someone to say, ‘I will do whatever you want for the sake of the team.’ It’s the way he thinks: team, team, team.”

Bishopp is quick to credit his teammates for his breakout season last fall. Specifically, there is one group of guys who he knows deserve a shout out for all their hard work.

“The offensive linemen are great,” said Bishopp. “They are all smart guys and dedicated footballers. They work the hardest. As quarterback, they have your back. They are your main men.”

Playing quarterback, a position he describes as a “pretty cool gig,” would mean a change in a relationship with his line. But, he’s confident that everyone would adapt should that change occur.

“We have to be focused,” Bishopp said. “You have to know what you have to do. Let the coaches coach and hear what they have to say. Coach G has so much knowledge and so much passion for the game. Let him talk, he has a lot to tell you.”

Bishopp, too, doesn’t know yet where on the field he’ll be playing come September, but he’s getting prepared for whatever call gets.

“Coach is showing me videos of high schools running the option against other high schools. He’s got it down,” said Bishopp. “It’s speed on speed.”

Girolmo also hinted at an option-based offense, but like Bishopp, was not ready to commit to it one way or another.

“If Derek goes back there, then it would be smart of me to keep the ball in his hands,” said Girolmo. “Not every play, certainly, but it would be smart of me to adjust plays and formations to keep the ball in his hands. Whether it’s a shotgun-Tebow offense or our offense adapted to him, it would be smart of me to do that. Our goal is not to change, our goal is to be successful.”

With Bishopp still a Bulldog, finding success in some fashion shouldn’t be much of a problem. The bottom line on him is that he is as great of a teammate and off-the-field personality as he is stats.

“The most important thing that I could tell you about Derek is that you know he’s a great athlete, but there are athletes all over the world who don’t live up to their potential,” Girolmo said. “They don’t work hard enough or they don’t have the right mental attitude or passion. For Derek, he’s a good person, a trustworthy, wholesome person, who has been raised really well by his folks. He’s constantly practicing or playing. His personality is such that he is focused, he’s very dedicated to each sport he plays and he gives a maximum effort. His motor never stops running.”

Sounds like a player any coach would want on their team.

Another reason Livonia is expected to have a big year has nothing to do with anything they gained, but instead, what has left.

The Hornell Red Raiders, a school that has consistently dominated Class B football, has been sent down to Class C, meaning the top school is out of the running for the sectional title that Girolmo and Bishopp seek.

“In the greater scheme of things, having Hornell no longer in Class B does give our youngsters the idea that if you do well and get there, we do have a better chance to be a sectional champion,” said Girolmo. “But, and I want to emphasize this, we are not talking about it. We need to focus on winning our first football game.”

Bishopp certainly agreed.

“(Hornell) is a team we want to beat,” said Bishopp. “(Them being gone) opens everything up, but it also pushes everyone harder. Everyone will be just as good next year.”

“If we enter our first practice talking about the final, we will not get there,” added Girolmo. “We’re not good enough to overlook any opponent.”

Bishopp is using many different mediums to hopefully find success that his coaches are craving for next season. He just recently attended a US-U19 football camp in Austin, Texas.

“There were kids from 30 different states and it was awesome to play against top-notch competition,” said Bishopp. “There are good players everywhere, so you always had to push yourself, even if you couldn’t see other people. You had to lift by yourself.”

He’s also keeping busy by playing in summer lacrosse leagues. Working out the past few months has put in him in great physical shape and “pumped” for football.

“Everyone is excited to start,” Bishopp said. “We are ready to get rolling. We are top dogs now.”

Livonia’s Derek Bishopp looks to lead the Bulldogs as the 2012 season gets ready to kick off with the first practices coming up in August.

The post Livonia’s top dog! appeared first on Livingston County News.