Leading off today: St. Francis football coach Jerry Smith confirmed to
The Buffalo News that he was duped by two North Tonawanda High players who posed as transfers from Texas in a bid to learn more about the Red Raiders.
St. Francis plays North Tonawanda on Aug. 31 in the teams' opener -- a rare crossover between strong Monsignor Martin and Section 6 teams.
The two NT players -- projected starters -- and a third boy they said was a visiting cousin used fictitious last names during their day on the St. Francis campus. They toured the facilities and eventually met with Smith.
The scheme fell apart when North Tonawanda coaches got wind of it from other players. "A couple kids weren’t thinking real straight," NT head coach Eric Jantzi told the newspaper. "It was a little out of character for what we do . . . They wanted to see how hard St. Francis was working. That was their rationale. They came back and said, 'They’re working harder than we are.'"
Jantzi said the players were sent back to St. Francis to apologize.
Addison coach charged: A teacher from the Addison Central School Distict has been charged with public lewdness. New York State Police say Anthony Fazzary, 43, of Corning was caught masturbating in the Painted Post Wal-Mart Parking lot on Thursday.
Fazzary was given an appearance ticket and will appear in Erwin Town court later this month.
School sources said Fazzary is a physical education instructor at the Tuscarora Elementary School in Addison. The district web site lists him as the varsity baseball and girls tennis coach at Addison.
