Class of 2001

Johnny Nelson 

Ted Woods

Nick Urzetta

Anthony Alvaro

Ed Nietopski

Salvatore Rizzo 

Ralph Angelo

Joe Arlauckas

Joe Binion

Marlene (List) Blocker

Alicia Brown

Marty Byrnes

Bob Cohen

James Cripps 

Debbie (Eaves) Curbeau

Walter Dukes 

Carol (Schlemmer) Grandholm

Jerry Hunter

Trenton Jackson Sr.

Pamela Lee

Kathy Ryan

Tracy (Vanderwall) Scheemaker

Quinn Smith

Sam Urzetta

Neil Wiedman

MEDIA: Johnny Nelson 

Long-time journalist and special friend of Section V athletics.

Sports Editor for the Hornell Tribune for many years, he also wrote for the Bradford Era and the Alfred Reporter, as well as serving as Sports Director for WHHO, Hornell.

He loved Section V and was a very familiar face at events year-round.

Given awards of distinction from the New York Coaches Association and Section V Athletics.
 

ADMINISTRATOR: Ted Woods

A public-school educator who has given over 30 years of service to Section V as secretary, treasurer and Executive Director. Currently is a member of the Boys' Basketball Committee.

His labors have been the result of his inner drive to provide a positive and valuable experience for Section V Student Athletes.

Recipient of the McDonald's Community Service Award (1999), the Section V Mark Vienna Memorial Service Award (1998) and is a member of the New York State Soccer Hall of Fame and the SUNY Cortland Athletic Hall of Fame.

OFFICIAL: Nick Urzetta

The "Dean" of basketball officials, having served 35 years in the active role (1940-1975), and 26 years in the support of IAABO Board 60 of Basketball Officials.

A life member of IAABO, he also was an active official for football and baseball.

Has received many awards of recognition, including the Monroe County Hall of Fame (1975), The Frontier Field Walk of Fame (1997), The Section V Football Hall of Fame (1998), the Chase Collegiate Basketball Tournament Hall of Fame, The East Rochester High School Athletic Hall of Fame (1989), and is the recipient of the Section V 50 year Service Award.

The Chase Collegiate Basketball Tournament's Sportsmanship Award and IAABO Board 60's Service Award both proudly bear his name.

COACH: Anthony "Tony" Alvaro

In his 42-year coaching career at Romulus Central and Geneva DeSales, his teams won 467 games, ranking him in the top 20 All-Time coaching records in New York State.

His teams won seven Section V titles at Romulus and one at Geneva DeSales, during which time he was the recipient of six Coach of the Year Awards.

1978 New York State Coach of the Year.

Retired, but currently the assistant Varsity coach of the Clyde-Savannah girls' basketball team.

COACH: Ed Nietopski

Entering his 45th year of coaching, he served as Varsity coach at Brockport, Cardinal Mooney and Bishop Kearney High Schools, where he has collected 495 wins, including Section V Basketball championships at Cardinal Mooney (1982) and Bishop Kearney (1994,1995, 1999 and 2000).

He was named All Greater Rochester Coach of the Year in 1982 and 1994 and was given the New York State Coaches Association Award in 1966.

Has been named "Man of the Year" three times, by The Greece Police Department (1985), St. Bonafice (1991) and General Pulaski (1993). He also is a member of the Frontier Walk of Fame (1995), and SUNY Brockport's Hall of Heritage (2000).

In 2000, the Bishop Kearney gymnasium was refurbished and dedicated as the Ed Nietopski Gymnasium.

COACH: Salvatore Rizzo 

Legendary coach at Rochester's East High School, where his Orientals won nine Section V titles in 1967, 1969, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1979, 1985, 1989 and 1990.

He was named the Section V Coach of the Year three times (1972, 1978 and 1983), and amassed 412 career wins during his 26 year career, the 5th best all-time coaching record in Section V history at the time of his induction.

He was best known for his dedication to his players, and was recognized several times throughout his career for the positive impact he had on young people's lives as a teacher and coach.

PLAYER Ralph Angelo:

A 1991 graduate of Honeoye Central, he scored 2,407 career points, an average of 26.5 points per game for his four-year career. At one time was the leading all-time scorer in Section V history, and at the time of his induction is ranked #2 all-time scorer in Section V history.

Named to the All-Greater Rochester Teams in 1990 and 1991 and led the Bulldogs to consecutive titles Section V titles in 1991 and 1992.

Was the leading scorer in Section V in his sophomore and senior seasons, averaging 28.9 and 31.9 points per game, respectively

Three-time recipient of All-State honors, he is currently a successful financial planner in the Rochester area.

PLAYER Joe Arlauckas:

Member of the 1983 class of Rochester's Jefferson High School, where he was a 1983 selection to the All-Greater Rochester Team in both basketball and basketball.

Scored a personal career-high single game total of 44 points during his senior year, when he attracted the attention of many Division 1 coaches.

Chose NCAA Division I Niagara University, where he was named to his all-conference team and led Niagara in scoring for three consecutive years.

Scored 1,620 points during his Niagara U. career, and at the time of his induction remained 4th on the all-time scoring list, second on the all-time rebounding list and 1st on the all-time blocked shots list at Niagara.

Drafted by the NBA Sacramento Kings in 1987 but finished the season playing in the Italian Professional League. Then played for 10 years in Spain, 5 of which were with the Real Madrid team. During his European career, he was an All-Star selection seven times, and played on one Italian League Championship team, 1 Spanish League Championship Team and two European Championships while with Real Madrid. Once scored a career high and Euro League record 63 points in a single game.

PLAYER Joe Binion

Rochester Madison High graduate of the class of 1980. In his senior year, he led Madison in scoring with a 25 points per game average, and in rebounding, averaging 21 rebounds per game, leading his team to the Section V AAA Finals.

Recorder arguably the greatest all-time single performance in Section V history, when he scored 41 points and gathered 42 rebounds in the Sectional semi-final game. Madison went on to win their last Section V title, taking the 1980 AAA Championship. He was named the MVP.

Also named to the 1980 All Greater Rochester Team.

Played college ball at North Carolina A&T, then professionally in the Italian Professional League.

 
PLAYER Marlene (List) Blocker

A five-year Varsity starter at Greece Athena High School, where four times she was named to the Monroe County 1st Team.

Selected to the Super 15 Team of the Rochester Times Union three consecutive years (1980-1982) and was the MVP in 1982. She was also an All Greater Rochester selection and Player of the Year in 1982.

Her senior year success continued when she was named to the 1st Team All-State and became a Converse All-American Honorable Mention. Later was awarded a full scholarship to the University of North Carolina.

PLAYER Alicia Brown

A member of Rochester East High School Class of 1984, where her impressive career totals included over 1,000 points, 500 assists and 300 rebounds. Helped lead her team to the Section V finals in 1983 and 1984. She was a member of the Section V All-Tournament Team in

Named as the Rochester City League's MVP twice (1983, 1984), and three times was named to the All Greater Rochester Team (1982-1984).

Played at Monroe Community College. A mother of four, she currently resides in Rochester.

 
PLAYER Marty Byrnes

Outstanding player for Pittsford Sutherland High in 1971-1974, he led his Knights to the 1974 Class a Section V Championship, averaging 22 points per game that season, then scoring 28 points and gathering 20 rebounds in the Championship game. Considered a defensive specialist in high school.

All Greater Rochester Selection in 1973 and 1974.

Played college ball at Division I Syracuse University, then became the second Rochester player to be a 1st Round NBA Draft Pick, drafted by the Phoenix Suns. He played four years in the NBA, and was a member of the 1980 World Champion Los Angeles Lakers.

PLAYER Bob Cohen

Rochester Monroe High Class of 1954, where he was frequently referred to as "One of the most complete basketball players Monroe High ever saw."

Named to the Rochester All-City Team in 1953 and 1954, he led the City League in scoring in 1954, with a 22 point per game average. He was the only high school player invited to play with the Rochester Royals in an exhibition game, scoring six points.

Coached basketball at McQuaid Jesuit High School.

Is a member of the Monroe County and Sports for Israel Halls of Fame.

PLAYER James Cripps 

Webster High School Class of 1961. Was a three sport star at Webster, also playing football and a member of the track team. During his senior year, all three Webster teams were undefeated. According to Coach Bill O'Rourke, Sr., he was the inspirational leader of Webster's teams, and "probably the best rebounder I ever had."

Averaged 18 points per game in his senior year, leading Webster to the AA Section V title. Only once that year did they win by less than 10 points.

Attended Syracuse University on a football scholarship.

Caption under his senior picture in the Webster 1961 yearbook prophetically stated; "'Tis action makes the hero." And a hero he was, flying numerous helicopter missions during the Viet Nam War as a member of the Marine Corps.

Tragically killed when his F-45 Phantom Jet encountered equipment failure on a training mission in the South China Sea, near the Filippines.

Member of the Frontier Field Walk of Fame.

PLAYER Debbie (Eaves) Curbeau

A 1986 graduate of Penn Yan Academy, where she was a four-year starter, scoring 1,781 points and collecting 1,166 rebounds.

She was a four-time Finger Lakes All Star and was selected to the All-Greater Rochester and Super 15 squads three times (1984, 1985 and 1986).

During her senior year, she led her Mustangs to a perfect 26-0 record, winning the Section V, Western Regional and New York State Class B Championships for Penn Yan. She was a three-time Section V All-Tournament pick (1984-1986) and was named Tournament MVP in 1986. She was also the New York State Tournament MVP in 1986.

Other senior honors included Converse High School All-American, New York State Small Schools Player of the Year, and MVP honors for the McDonald's Exceptional Senior All Star Game.

Was a four-year started for the University of Delaware, where she was twice the team's MVP (1989-1990) and finished her career as the third all-time leading scorer, third all-time rebounder, and second all-time in blocked shots.

Currently in her 11th year as a physical education instructor at Penn Yan.

PLAYER Walter Dukes 

Was the leading scorer in the Rochester City League for two years (1947, 1948).

According to long-time basketball official, Nick Urzetta, "He was the first good big man to come out of Rochester. Others have followed, but he was the best."

Was a member of the East High Section V Class A Championship team in 1948, then transferred to Seton Hall Prep School, before enrolling at Seton Hall University, where he led the Pirates to an 80-12 record, culminating in the 1953 NIT Championship, then the most prestigious College Tournament.

During his senior year, he averaged 26.1 points and 22.2 rebounds, and gained the most votes for the UPI All-American Team. Still holds several NCAA basketball records, including the single season rebounding record of 734. At that time, he was only one of seven players to average a 20/20 for a career (20 or more points and rebounds), joining such legends as Elgin Baylor, Julius Irving, Artis Gilmore, Bill Russell, Paul Silas and 

PLAYER Kermit Washington.

After graduation from college, he was a 1st round NBA pick, but instead signed to play with the Harlem Globe Trotters. He eventually played for the New York Knicks, Minneapolis Lakers, then spent the last six years of his eight-year NBA career with the Detroit Pistons. During his NBA career, he attended Law School at NYU during the summers, and was eventually licensed to practice law in New York, California and Michigan.

The recipient of literally hundreds of athletic and humanitarian awards, including the Monroe County High School Hall of Fame and the Frontier Field Walk of Fame.

PLAYER Carol (Schlemmer) Grandholm

Member of the 1981 graduating class of Greece Arcadia High School, where she was a three-time All-County selection and led her Titan teammates to Section V titles in 1978, 1980 and 1981. She was tournament MVP twice (1980, 1981). Her 1981 team lost the final game in the New York State Championships.

Named to the All-Greater Rochester Team in 1981, and also the Greece Female Athlete of the Year that same year.

A three-sport star, she also was named to All-County teams in soccer and softball twice each and enjoying Section V Championships in soccer in 1978 and 1980.

Played NCAA Division I basketball on a full scholarship to the University of South Florida for four years. Currently an assistant high school girls' coach in Michigan, where she is an Environmental Technician.

PLAYER Jerry Hunter

This Rochester East High star was the first-ever four-time All Greater Rochester selection (1971-1975). Led his Orientals squad to consecutive Class A Championships in 1973 and 1974.

Was a member of the 1975 Section V All-Tournament Team and recognized nationally as one of the best high school players in 1975.

In 1996 was chosen by local panel as one of the top 30 All-Time Section V Players.

Currently lives in Rochester, where he is employed by Delphi Automotive-GM.

PLAYER Trenton Jackson, Sr.

Enters the Hall of Fame on the merits of his high school playing days, and his Section V coaching record.

A 1961 graduate of Rochester's Ben Franklin High School, he was a member of the Quakers' 1960 Section V Championship team.

Also played baseball, football and ran track at Franklin.

Was the National and world Record Holder for the 100 meters in 1961.

Attended the University of Illinois, where he participated in football, baseball and track, earning All-American honors in track in 1964. He was the Big 10 sprint champion in the 100 and 200 meters and earned a spot with the U. S. Olympic Team for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics.

After graduating from Illinois, he enjoyed a brief NFL career with the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins before returning to Franklin High School, where he coached the Quakers' basketball program for 27 years, and amassed a record of 376 wins and 187 losses, for a .623 winning percentage. His teams won six Section V Championships (1984, 1986, 1993, 1994, 1996 and 2001), and was Section V Coach of the Year twice (1996, 2001).

PLAYER Pamela Lee

Was a three-time Section V All-Tournament selection while playing for Alexander High School (1977, 1978 and 1979).

Named 1978 Section V Tournament MVP

Played collegiate ball at NCAA Division I Niagara University, where she has been inducted into the university's Athletic Hall of Fame.

Currently resides in Belton, TX, where she is an instructor at Temple Junior College.

PLAYER Kathy Ryan

A four-year starter for the Victor Blue Devils (1976-1980), when the Blue Devils had a cumulative 72-9 run. Also received a variety of honors for her performances in tennis, volleyball and softball.

She was a Section V All-Tournament selection all four years and was chosen as the Section V Tournament MVP in 1978 and 1979.

Helped lead the Blue Devils to the Section V Class B Championship in 1977 and 1978.

Named All League three times (1978, 1979, 1980), and also All Greater Rochester the same three years.

Broke the Section V single-game scoring record in 1979, when she achieved a career-best 52 points against Mynderse Academy.

Was the starting guard for the Region 6 Gold Medalist Team in the 1979 Empire State Games.

Awarded full basketball scholarship to the University of Virginia, where she earned the rank of team captain on the ACC Championship team (1983-1984). Completed both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees at Virginia.

Played and coached professionally in Germany, where she was the fifth leading scorer in West Germany and the second leading scorer in her league, gaining All-Star status.

After her pro career in Germany, she returned to the University of Virginia, where she was a Graduate Assistant Coach(1986-1988), then Assistant Women's Coach at Virginia, where her teams reached the NCAA Elite Eight and Sweet Sixteen Tournaments in successive years, 1988 and 1989. She then was the assistant Women's Coach at Syracuse University (1990, 1991).

Currently lives in Syracuse, where she is the District Manager for Aon Corporation.

Tracy (Vanderwall) Scheemaker

1979 graduate of Palmyra-Macedon, where she amassed a career 1,151 points and a career 23.4 points per game average, still school records at the time of her induction.

Named to the Section V All-Tournament teams in 1977, 1978 and 1979, and was also a 1st team selection to the Wayne County League four times (1976-1979). Three of those years, she was the League's MVP.

Recognized as a High School All-American twice (1978, 1979).

Played college ball at Nazareth College, where she established scoring records for most points in a single game, most points in a season, and others. Averaged over 20 points a game for her college career, and received NAIA All-American Honorable Mention in 1983.

She and her family reside in Palmyra, where she is employed by DL-Ram Enterprises.
 

PLAYER Quinn Smith

Was a four-year starter at Rochester's East High School (1984-1987), during which time, the Orientals won one Section V title in 1985.

Four-time All-City selection (1984-1987), and three-time All Greater Rochester selection (1985-1987). He was named All Greater Rochester Player of the Year twice, in 1986 and 1987.

Received a basketball scholarship to Division I Seton Hall University, but transferred to St. Bonaventure after one year, where he graduated in 1992.

The father of three, he and his wife live in Rochester, where he is employed as a Youth Counselor for the State of New York.

PLAYER Sam Urzetta

Member of the East Rochester High School class of 1944, where he was referred to by the Rochester media as "a dead eye shooter."

He was named to the Times Union's All-Scholastic team for the 1943 and 1944 seasons.

In 1996 was selected by the Rochester media as one of Section V's All-time best basketball players.

Took his athletic talents to St. Bonaventure University, where he set an NCAA record in 1948-1949, by converting 93.3% of his free throws. He also finished first in the nation in foul shooting as a sophomore.

An accomplished golfer, he won the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship in 1950, after having won the New York State Amateur Championship in 1948.

Member of the U.S. Walker Cup Team (1951, 1953), the U.S. America's Cup Team (1952), and played in the Masters Championship and PGA Championship four times each and three times in the U.S. Open.

Member of the East Rochester High school, St, Bonaventure University, Monroe County, Western New York PGA and the Oak Hill Halls of Fame.

PLAYER Neal Wiedman

A 1993 graduate of Dansville High, where he excelled in three sports (football, basketball and baseball).

His career 2,441 points are, at the time of his induction, still the Section V All-time record.

He was a 1992 Section V All-Tournament selection and was named to the All-Greater Rochester Team twice (1992, 1993).

Also a football standout, he was the MVP while leading his team to the Section V Class B Championship.

Named MVP of the McDonald's Exceptional Senior All Star Game in 1993.

Attended Ithaca College, where he was named Senior Athlete of the Year in 1997.

Lives with his wife in Massachusetts, where he is a physical education teacher and football coach.