{"id":63233,"date":"2025-04-02T17:54:57","date_gmt":"2025-04-02T21:54:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=63233"},"modified":"2025-04-02T17:54:57","modified_gmt":"2025-04-02T21:54:57","slug":"genesee-county-spartans-to-play-opening-game-at-van-detta-stadium","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/04\/02\/genesee-county-spartans-to-play-opening-game-at-van-detta-stadium\/","title":{"rendered":"Genesee County Spartans to play opening game at Van Detta Stadium"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Genesee Spartans will be returning to compete in the Northeastern Football Alliance this season. Taking part in the team\u2019s \u201csigning day\u201d last week at the City Centre are, from left, Rob Thurston Jr., Deyonci Farley, Head Coach Harry Rascoe, Gunner Rapone and Alex Rood. Photo courtesy of Genesee County Spartans.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Mike Pettinella
Genesee County Spartans<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Genesee County Spartans, coming off a successful 2024 campaign in the Northeastern Football Alliance, are back on the practice field in preparation for an eight-game regular season schedule that includes a June 7th<\/sup> game at Van Detta Stadium in Batavia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re so grateful to the Batavia City School District for allowing us to play a game on the new field at Van Detta Stadium,\u201d said Tammy Hathaway, organization president. \u201cI met with (Superintendent) Jason Smith and his facilities crew and they were very accommodating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe guys are excited about playing in the city and are committed to meeting the school\u2019s expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spartans will be hosting the Watertown Red & Black in their semipro league home opener at June 7 at Van Detta Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About half of Head Coach Harry Rascoe\u2019s squad will be returning this season, which means that he and his staff will be working with around 20 new players. The team\u2019s \u201cminicamp\u201d will be taking place at Farrall Park later this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rascoe said he expects the team to continue to progress after posting a 7-3 record last season, with all three losses to league champion Lockport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe put in a lot of hard work to change the culture of the team and the organization,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019re ready to show that to the (Batavia) school district and the city, and hopefully we\u2019ll be able to make Van Detta our home field in the near future.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until then, the Spartans will continue to play their home games at the Pembroke Town Park field.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two key players set to return are defensive end Gunner Rapone and wide receiver Deyonci Farley, 2024 league leaders in sacks and touchdown receptions, respectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rapone, a 2015 Batavia High graduate, said he looks for the team to come together quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going into this year with a lot of new guys, a lot of new faces,\u201d the 6-4, 260-pounder said. \u201cWe\u2019re excited and motivated \u2013 all working toward the same goal which, hopefully this year, is a championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnce we get onto the practice field, you bond more and really get to know one another. At the end of the day, we\u2019re brothers; we\u2019re all out here trying to accomplish the same thing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asked about playing at Van Detta Stadium, Rapone said, \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to that. I never had the opportunity to play on the new turf field so this will be my first time. My brothers had the opportunity to play on it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Albion High graduate Farley is entering his second year with the team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think we have a strong team,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s all about working hard and staying focused.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rascoe said four players will compete for the starting quarterback position \u2013 returning QBs Alex Rood and Corey Turpin and newcomers Aiden Pitts (Buffalo State College) and Takhi West (Hilbert University).  Standout running back Jed Reese will not be back as he is playing Division II college football in North Carolina.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rascoe\u2019s coaching staff includes Patsy Rapone, offensive assistant; Mason Randall, offensive and defensive line coach; Jermaine Henderson, offensive assistant; Craig Tiberio, defensive coordinator, and Powell Stephens, defensive assistant and special teams’ coordinator. Rascoe also serves as offensive coordinator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lauren Donovan is the team\u2019s marketing director. A golf tournament fundraiser is scheduled for 8 a.m. May 25 at Davis Countryside Meadows in Pavilion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spartans will compete in the NFA\u2019s AA Division this season. The team\u2019s schedule is as follows (game times to be determined):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

May 17 \u2013 at Tri-State (Ohio) Longhorns (preseason).
May 31 \u2013 at Buffalo Stampede.
June 7 \u2013 Watertown Red & Black (Van Detta Stadium, Batavia).
June 14 \u2013 at Ithaca Warriors.
June 21 \u2013 Mohawk Valley Nighthawks (Pembroke Town Park).
June 28 \u2013 at Charlotte Colonials.
July 12 \u2013 Rochester Chargers (Pembroke Town Park).
July 19 \u2013 Lake Erie Power Pines (Pembroke Town Park).
July 26 \u2013 at Upstate Predators.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Genesee Spartans will be returning to compete in the Northeastern Football Alliance this season. Taking part in the team\u2019s \u201csigning day\u201d last week at the City Centre are, from left, Rob Thurston Jr., Deyonci Farley, Head Coach Harry Rascoe, Gunner Rapone and Alex Rood. Photo courtesy of Genesee County \u2026<\/p>\n

Continue reading<\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":39749,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[23,1],"tags":[3497],"class_list":["post-63233","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-genesee-county","category-uncategorized","tag-genesee-county-spartans"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-grT","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":77827,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/07\/29\/genesee-county-spartans-close-out-regular-season-with-home-game-on-saturday\/","url_meta":{"origin":63233,"position":0},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/Spartans close out regular season with home game on Saturday","author":"aka","date":"July 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Genesee County Spartans\u2019 running back Jzon Henderson attempts to elude Kesean Sparks of the Watertown Red & Black during last week\u2019s Northeastern Football League game in Watertown. 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