Class of 2000

Anderson, Harvey
Beahon, George
Best, Alan
Blackwell, Ryan
Bouie, Roosevelt
Butler, Al (deceased)
Emmanuel, Tom (deceased)
Farrell, Bill
Harrison, Les (deceased)
Hoyt, Brian
Lavin, Jody
Low, Hunter
Mehlrose, Betsy (LaPaglia)
Mitchell, Sandy
Monroe, Greg
Persia, Tim (deceased)
Rigby, Roger (deceased)
Schweitz, John
Sheehey, Tom
Steck, Missy (Masley)
Sullivan, Chris
Verkey, Matt
Viola, Nancy
Wallace, John
Young, Bill
[Photo by James Lathrop]
Anderson, Harvey:
  • Long-time community-minded owner and operator of Rochester Coca-Cola Bottling Company.
  • Founding sponsor of modern day Section V Basketball Tournament.
  • Joined forces with Rochester Community Baseball to provide affordable tickets to the Red Wings games.
  • Currently enjoying retired life in Cortez, Florida
    Return to Class of 2000
    Beahon, George
  • Gannett Newspapers columnist for many years.
  • Long-time broadcaster of Section V basketball on WBER.
  • Member of the Rochester Red Wings Hall of Fame.
  • Sportscaster for WORK-TV 13.
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    Best, Alan
  • Career coaching record of 357 wins and 139 losses (.720) at Greece Arcadia and Greece Athena.
  • Coached teams to 11 Monroe County League Championships (Arcadia 5, Athena 6).
  • Coached teams to five Section V titles (Arcadia 3, Athena 2).
  • Democrat and Chronicle's All Greater Rochester Coach of the Year, 1978 and 1981.
  • Kodak Section V Coach of the year four times (Arcadia, 1986; Athena 1991, 1993, 1994).
  • Winner of eight Empire State Games medals in 11 years of coaching Western Region teams.
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    Blackwell, Ryan
  • Pittsford-Sutherland standout who led his team to the 1993 Section V Championship in Class B.
  • Named to the Section V All-Tournament teams in 1993, 1994 and 1995, winning the MVP Awards in 1994 and 1995.
  • Named to the Democrat and Chronicle's All Greater Rochester Team in 1993, 1994, and 1995, gaining Player of the Year honors in 1995.
  • Three year starter at Syracuse University, where he graduated in 2000.
  • First draft pick in the Continental Basketball Association draft, 2000.
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    Bouie, Roosevelt
  • All-Tournament selection in Class C in 1974, 1975 and 1976, while playing at Kendall High.
  • Only player to be named MVP three times, also in 1974, 1975 and 1976.
  • Democrat and Chronicle's All Greater Rochester selection in 1975 and 1976.
  • Named as New York State's small schools Player of the Year in 1975 and 1976.
  • Standout collegiate player at Syracuse University.
  • Drafted in the first round of the 1980 NBA draft by the Dallas Mavericks, but opted to play in the Italian League for 14 years, where he became a national hero.
  • Currently an entrepreneur who maintains his business interests in Italy and radio broadcasting stations in the United States, all while living in the community of his roots, Kendall, NY.
    Return to Class of 2000

    Butler, Al (deceased)
  • Considered to be the greatest all-time basketball talent of the Section V area, and so named by the Democrat and Chronicle in its 1997 All-Time Great Section V Basketball standouts.
  • Played his high school basketball for East High.
  • Held the City-Catholic career scoring record while at East, completing his 1957 senior year with 1,691 career points, a record that held for 26 years before being broken by McQuaid's Tom Sheehey.
  • Led East High to the Class A Section V title in 1957, his senior year.
  • Played college ball at Division I Niagara University, where he compiled a four-year 23 points per game average.
  • Was a 1961 NBA second round draft pick of the Boston Celtics, who then sold his rights to the New York Knicks, where he was a three year starter.
  • Played in the game against the Philadelphia 76er's when Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points. Traded after three years to the Washington Bullets, where he played one year before retiring from the NBA at age 27.
  • Worked in the Counseling Department at Monroe Community College until his recent death.
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    Emmanuel, Tom (deceased)
  • Outstanding basketball official and original member of the Board 60 board of officials.
  • Served as rules interpreter and Board 60 secretary for several years.
  • Section V Basketball Committee member for several years.
  • Recipient of the Ronald McDonald Community Service Award.
  • Helped set the standards for local Board 60, which has led to its state-wide reputation of quality officiating.
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    Farrell, Bill
  • Innovative Chairman of Section V Boys' Basketball for many years.
  • The Father of the "Open Tournament," which opened the doors for all teams to participate in the end-of-the-year, season-ending championship tournaments.
  • Restarted the dormant New York State Basketball Tournament in 1978, and brought it to The city of Rochester.
  • Served as Chairman of the New York State Basketball Committee.
  • Currently retired and living in Winter Haven, FL.
    Return to Class of 2000
    Harrison, Les (deceased)
  • Played on the first-ever Section V Championship team at East High School in 1922, when East High beat West High, also of Rochester, 22-18. Harrison scored 18 points for East.
  • Owner and founder of the NBA Rochester Royals, which he coached. Was successful in bringing one NBA title to the city of Rochester before the franchise was moved to Cincinatti.
  • Career NBA coaching record was a respectable 394-220 (.642).
  • Is a member of the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA.
  • The court at the Blue Cross Arena of The Rochester War Memorial, on which all Section V Boys' Championships are decided, bears his name as a tribute to his influence on basketball in the local community.
  • Maintained an avid interest in Section V Basketball up to his death two years ago.
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    Hoyt, Brian
  • Led Section V's smallest school, Greenwood, to three Class D Championship titles during his four years of varsity ball. (1981, 1982 and 1983)
  • Named to the Section V All-Tournament team in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983, the only player to receive this honor four times since the beginning of the Open Tournament in 1975.
  • Named MVP of the Section V Tournament in 1982.
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    Lavin, Jody
  • Played her high school ball at Class D Geneva DeSales, where she led her team to the Section V title in 1978.
  • Accumulated several 50+ points games during her high school career.
  • Played her college basketball at the University of Rochester, where the Yellowjackets made the NCAA Sweet Sixteen during her senior year of 1982.
  • Named the NCAA Division III National Player of the Year in 1982 and was awarded a scholarship for graduate study.
  • Received her Masters degree from the University of Massachusetts, then bagan a 10 year stint of coaching Division I women's basketball at U. Mass, Cornell and Georgetown.
  • Currently is a TV and radio basketball commentator for college and the WNBA Mystics.
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    Low, Hunter
  • As an employee of Eastman Kodak, was instrumental in obtaining corporate sponsorship for the girls' Section V tournament.
  • Also spent time on the Boys' Basketball Committee.
  • Instrumental in developing the New York State Football Coaches' Association.
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    Mehlrose, Betsy (LaPaglia)
  • Played four varsity years at Greece Arcadia, winning three Section V titles.
  • Named a Parade All-American her Senior year.
  • Chosen as a McDonald's All-American the same year and was named the MVP of the McDonald's All Star game in New York City.
  • Played college ball at the University of Virginia.
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    Mitchell, Sandy
  • Played her high school ball at Waterloo Central.
  • Was named the Democrat and Chronicle All Greater Rochester Player of the Year in 1993 and 1994.
  • Named "Miss New York State Basketball" in 1994.
  • Played her college ball at Seton Hall, where she was named the Big East Rookie of the Year in 1995.
  • Currently in her first year of law school at Pace University.
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    Monroe, Greg
  • Led his Pittsford Mendon team to the 1983 AA championship.
  • Made the Section V All Tournament team in 1981 and 1983.
  • MVP of the 1983 AA Tournament.
  • Named to the Democrat and Chronicle's All Greater Rochester Team in 1981, 1982 and 1983.
  • Played his college ball at Syracuse University.
  • Currently lives in Rochester, where he is active in real estate and works at the Maplewood YMCA.
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    Persia, Tim (deceased)
  • Played his high School basketball at Holley.
  • Member of the Section V Class B Championship teams of Holley in 1964 and 1965.
  • Averaged 28.3 points per game in 1962-1963 season.
  • Scored 50 points in a 1964 Section V playoff game, an all-time single playoff game record, which stood 27 years until broken by a 52 point performance by Prattsburg's Brian Putnam.
  • Led all of Section V with a 31.6 points/game average in the 1963-1964 season.
  • Remember, all of this scoring was before the institution of the three point field goal.
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    Rigby, Roger (deceased)
  • The beloved coach of Scio who led all of New York State for high school basketball wins until very recently.
  • Coached his teams to Section V titles in 1977, 1978 and 1980.
  • Named Section V Coach of the Year in 1976, 1977 and 1980.
  • Gymnasium at Scio is named in honor of him.
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    Schweitz, John
  • Standout basketball performer at Waterloo High School.
  • Once scored 43 points in a Section V playoff game.
  • Was named to the Section V All-Tourney teams in 1977 and 1978.
  • Appeared in the Democrat and Chronicle's All Greater Rochester teams of 1977 and 1978.
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    Sheehey, Tom
  • Played his high school ball at McQuaid Jesuit High School in Brighton.
  • Named to the Class AAA All-Tournament Team in 1981, where he also gained the MVP Award.
  • Made four appearances as a member of the Democrat and Chronicle's All Greater Rochester Team in 1980, 1981, 1982 and 1983.
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    Steck, Missy (Masley)
  • Played her high school basketball for Victor Central.
  • Played collegiate basketball for Division I Penn State.
  • Played Professionally in Switzerland, where her 37+ points per game average is still a European record for women.
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    Sullivan, Chris
  • Represented his Avoca, NY high school team well by appearing on three Section V All-Tournament teams in 1988, 1989 and 1990.
  • Was Class D Tournament MVP in 1989 and 1990.
  • Led the Tigers to the New York State Class D Championship in 1989.
  • Scored 43 points in the 1990 Championship game, a record.
  • Was a member of the Greater Rochester Team.
  • Was a Division III star performer at St. John Fisher College.
  • Will also soon be inducted into the Chase Manhattan Tournament Hall of Fame.
  • Currently working as the Director of Alumni Relations at St. John Fisher College.
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    Verkey, Matt
  • Led his Mynderse Academy to the Section V Class C Championship and followed it up with the New York State Class C Championship in 1992.
  • Named to Section V All-Tournament Teams in 1990, 1991 and 1992.
  • Chosen as the Section V Tourney MVP in 1990 and 1992.
  • Still holds the record for the most points scored in a single game in the New York State Class C Tournament, with 41, scored in 1992.
  • Scored 57 points in a single Section V Tournament game in 1992, still an all-time single game scoring record.
  • Compiled five 30+ point performances in Section V Tournaments during his high school career.
  • Played Division I college basketball at William and Mary.
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    Viola, Nancy
  • Retired Athletic Director of Batavia High School.
  • Long-time Section V Girls' Basketball Committee Chairperson.
  • Currently serves as Section V Girls' Site Committee Chairperson.
  • Was instrumental in establishing the New York State Girls' Basketball Championship Tournament.
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    Wallace, John
  • Named New York State's "Mr. Basketball" in 1992.
  • Led his Greece Athena Trojan team to the Class A Section V crown in 1992, and then to the New York State Class A championship in the same year.
  • Named MVP of the 1992 Section V Class A Tourney.
  • First-ever Section V Boys' McDonald's All-American in 1992.
  • Appeared in 1991 and 1992 in the Democrat and Chronicle's All Greater Rochester Team.
  • Played college ball at Syracuse University.
  • Drafted by the New York Knicks, and has also played for the Toronto Raptors and the Detroit Pistons.
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    Young, Bill
  • First-ever New York high school player to compile over 2,000 career points.
  • Played his high school basketball at Angelica, which has since joined with Belmont to form Genesee Valley Schools.
  • Led his team to Class D Championships in Section V in 1962-1964.
  • Played his college basketball at Division I Penn State.
  • Currently resides in Lancaster, PA.
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    This page was created by Philip K. Abel. Email me for information at pkabel@frontiernet.net