HIGH SCHOOL GAME OF THE WEEK: VICTOR CENTRAL VS. BATAVIA NOTRE DAME
Feb 11, 2025By Ryan J. Harr
For the last several months, the Rochester Americans were front and center of the local high school hockey scene as part of a weekly series that featured the latest news and notes, scores and stats of select Section V games around the Greater Rochester Area.
This week’s High School Game of the Week, which is the final one for the 2024-25 season, features the Victor Central Blue Devils (14-4-0) facing the Batavia Notre Dame United (10-5-2) on Tuesday for a 7:15 p.m. contest at Rochester Ice Center.
Prior to suffering a defeat in each of its last three games, Victor Central had won 14 of its first 15 games of the campaign while outscoring its opponents 77-22, which included four shutouts. Coming into tonight, their second-to-last game of the season, the Blue Devils are tied for second in wins (14) amongst all Section V teams while ranking third with 28 points.
Since the first meeting between the two teams during the 2021-22 season, United has claimed a pair of 4-2 wins, which includes last January's matchup, while the Blue Devils turned in a 6-0 shutout victory back on January 6, 2023. Victor Central has narrowly outscored Batavia Notre Dame by a 10-8 margin compared to their 103-70 shot-advantage in the three games, which featured at least four goals by the winning club.
Simon Kowal leads all Blue Devils with 17 assists and 35 points whereas Oliver Kowal tops the club with 21 goals. The duo are the only two Victor Central players to reach the 30-point mark this season whereas Caleb Clark has double figures in both goals (11) and assists (12). Dylan Weldon (19), Brennan Paskins (19), Justin Slavny (10), and Jack Abbott (10) all have 10 or more points entering Tuesday’s tilt.
Goaltender Nathan McBride has shouldered majority of the time in the crease this for Victor Central as he owns a 14-4-0 record to go with three shutouts. Carson Janto and Kijo Smith has made five and two saves, respectively in 30 combined minutes.
Head coach Michael Ferreri leads the Blue Devils while being joined by assistant coaches Trevor Sousa, Brian Bailey and Jason Rich. Kevin Atkinson is an athletic trainer for Victor Central.
After reaching the NYSPHSAA Ice Hockey Division II final four and falling in the semifinals with a 22-3-0 record during the 2023-24 campaign, Batavia Notre Dame enters Tuesday with a 10-5-2 mark this season. United are one of three independent teams with 10 or more win and 20-plus points.
Winners of three straight, including a pair of victories over McQuaid Jesuit, Batavia Notre Dame boasts an 7-1-0 mark while serving as the home team compared to a 3-4-2 when on designated as the road.
Jameson Motyka, who was named first team on the All-Greater Rochester team for the 2023-24 season, has already established career-highs in both goals (27) and points (49), which rank first and second, respectively in Section V in 2024-25. Motyka, who reached the 100-career goal-plateau earlier this year, also leads all United players in assists (22).
Jake Hutchins (27), Brady Johnson (26), Sam Pies (24), Chase Cummings (18), Will Stevens (12), and Liam Berger (10) all have double figures in points whereas Luke Staley is approaching the mark as he has nine.
Goaltender Rhys Tanner has posted an 8-5-2 record to go with a pair of shutouts for United while Leo Gray has picked up a pair of wins four appearances. Blake Laney has made two saves in 17 minutes and Aiden Robins has yet to make his season debut.
Marc Staley, who was named the coach of the year following the 2023-24 slate, which saw his team win 21 of its last 23 games, serves as head coach for Batavia Notre Dame. Staley is accompanied by assistant coaches John Kirkwood, Devin Grimshaw, Henry Moscicki and Erik Moscicki.