The more memorable part of the night came before the game even began.

Thursday was the inaugural Mentor Appreciation Night at Dunkirk High School, where members of the boys basketball program recognized the adults in their lives who have inspired them to be their best.

The boys basketball team hosted a dinner at the Middle/High School cafeteria prior to Thursday’s game to honor the most influential mentors in the lives of the student athletes on the team. Of more than 450 coaches, faculty and staff employed in some capacity by the Dunkirk City School District, 28 mentors were selected to be recognized at the event.

“It’s awesome. There is a lot more than basketball. These kids come to school and these mentors impact them here at Dunkirk,” Marauders head coach Sixto Rosario said. “It’s like a whole extra family they have besides their own. It was really nice to be a part of.”

The faces of Dunkirk mentors reserved the seats on Thursday of the adults that made a difference in the lives of the Dunkirk Marauders boys basketball team. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

The mentors honored by the team were Miriam Lugo-Alfaro, Stephanie Berghold, David Bittinger, Mike Burnett, Sarah Burnett, Amy Corbett, Catherine D’Agostino, Caroline Damian, Jill Domenico, John Escobar, Michelle Gilmour, Mike Green, Adam Hernandez, Evon Hernandez, Frank Jagoda, Megan Larivey, Andre Lockett, Linda Orcutt, Marielys Ortiz, Renee Pasquale, Aaron Pietro, Dillen Rodgers, Tracey Schifano, Daniel Skinner, Don Stoyle, Stephanie Wisniewski, Adam Woelfle and Steve Wright.

Sponsors for the event included Blasdell Pizza, Dupers Catering, Vega Visuals, Tops and Walmart, with contributions from Alma Ramos at Alma Latina; Andy Bohn; Andrew Burnside, athletic director; and Nancy Rosario.

Dunkirk senior Zachary Zentz invited 12 mentors to Thursday’s dinner. Among them were his baseball coaches, Frank Jagoda and Don Stoyle. Zentz, in addition to being a multi-sport varsity athlete, is also a student board member on the Board of Education and is the Senior Class president.

“Coach Stoyle, he taught me some baseball and obviously that means a lot to me, but he has taught me so much about life,” Zentz said. “His big thing is character — building character, showing character. When you’re on the field, you can be a hot shot, go hit five home runs in a row, but it’s about character and showing sportsmanship. He taught me about life and being nice to people. … He’s just a great guy.”

Zentz plans to study criminal justice next year at SUNY Fredonia, with a minor in psychology. He also plans to play college baseball for the Blue Devils and credits Jagoda for helping him develop into a college baseball prospect.

Dunkirk forward Sincere Sellers, right, walks out for pregame introductions with his mentor, Sarah Burnett, before Thursday’s game against Allegany-Limestone at Dunkirk High School. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

“He’s taught me, honestly, almost everything I know about baseball. He’s been a great coach over the years, and our baseball program wouldn’t be the same without him,” Zentz said of Jagoda. He then joked, with a sly smile, “He’s a great guy, if you get to know him. You don’t want to be on his bad side.”

Thursday’s event was fully embraced by the team, as the entire roster addressed the crowd of mentors before dinner was served. Each mentor received a gift basket, while media members from the OBSERVER, Public Access television, and WDOE radio were each thanked individually with statements of gratitude.

“All of the players have been saying we’ve never had this. It’s my senior year and we have never had this kind of structure,” Zentz said, crediting his mother, Denise.

Dunkirk Marauders Booster Club President Denise Zentz led the effort to organize the event. She was inspired by the Dunkirk girls basketball team’s event to honor Dunkirk teachers a year ago.

“I thought it was a great idea,” she said. “I know that the teachers were so ecstatic when the girls did it. … I approached the boys and said we’re going to do mentor appreciation, for anyone who inspired you while you’ve been here at Dunkirk.”

Dunkirk’s Zachary Zentz (44) dribbles in the post during Thursday’s CCAA Division 1 West boys basketball game against Allegany-Limestone at Dunkirk High School. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

Denise Zentz did not limit the amount of mentors a player could designate. Some chose one or two mentors, while others chose many more, like her son, who chose 12. His parade of mentors concluded the pregame introductions in a line that stretched the length of the gym floor.

“The mentors loved it, and they deserve it. They put in the time with our kids and they deserve to be honored,” Denise Zentz said.

Thursday’s event followed a theme of giving back for the Dunkirk Marauders this year. The team has already supported Blue Star Mothers through charitable efforts to support the mothers of active or former military members. In the future, the team is also prepared to support the senior citizens of the Dunkirk community by shoveling snow and providing check-ins after the next major winter storm.

“We just want to give back, it’s good to give back. People need to learn that this is what life is about, giving the good stuff,” Denise Zentz said.

Once the game began, however, the Marauders remained in a giving spirit to deliver the first league victory of the year to the visiting Gators.

Dunkirk’s Sincere Sellers fights through contact in the paint from an Allegany-Limestone defender during a CCAA Division 1 West boys basketball game, Thursday, at Dunkirk High School. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

Dunkirk (3-6, 2-3) finished the opening quarter with a two-point advantage, 15-13, after a go-ahead layup from K’Vion Tell. The Marauders let an early 11-6 lead slip away, but Tell’s layup ended the opening period on a positive note.

The next quarter, however, was not as kind to the home team. In just over two minutes, Allegany-Limestone (6-9, 1-4) scored nine unanswered points to take a 22-15 lead.

Jareese Gaines answered the run with back-to-back shots to keep Dunkirk close, including a 3-pointer to cut the Gators’ lead to 22-20, but then a key call went against the Marauders just over a minute later and the momentum switched clearly to Allegany-Limestone’s favor yet again. Greg Orcutt Jr. attempted to draw a charge in transition, but he was called for a blocking foul on a layup attempt by Michael Frederick. The layup was good and the Gators extended the lead to double digits by halftime.

Allegany-Limestone began the third quarter with an 11-2 run over the first few minutes of play to put the game out of reach. After the Gators’ lead ballooned to 45-26, the closest Dunkirk got the rest of the way was to within eight points with just over six minutes left in the game.

Allegany-Limestone’s two leading scorers on the night were Michael Frederick, with 26 points, and Carson Kwiatkowski, with 23 points. The duo combined to match Dunkirk’s team total of 49 points on the night.

Dunkirk’s Greg Orcutt Jr. shoots a jump shot during the second half of Thursday’s CCAA Division 1 West boys basketball game against Allegany-Limestone at Dunkirk High School. OBSERVER Photo by Braden Carmen.

Orcutt led Dunkirk with 17 points, while Sincere Sellers added 14 points and Tell had 8 points.

Up next, the Marauders travel to Silver Creek for a nonleague contest Saturday at 1 p.m.

“We’re going to learn from this, definitely,” Rosario said. “… We just have to go back to the drawing board and plug away. We should be fine.”

Despite the result of Thursday’s contest, or even those of future contests, it was a night that showed much more has been accomplished through the Dunkirk basketball program and the school community than just a final score.

ALLEGANY-LIMESTONE (60)

Brady 0 0 0, Conroy 2 0 4, Johnson 1 0 3, Kwiatkowski 8 4 23, Frederick 11 4 26, Straub 2 0 4, Strade 0 0 0. Totals 24 8 60.

DUNKIRK (49)

Tell 4 0 8, Gaines 1 0 2, McCall 2 0 4, Sellers 5 4 14, Orcutt 5 5 17, Krystofiak 1 0 2, Zentz 1 0 2. Totals 19 9 49.

3-point goals–Johnson, Kwiatkowski, Orcutt 2.

Allegany-Limestone 13 21 19 7 — 60

Dunkirk 15 9 15 10 — 49

Jayvees: Allegany-Limestone won.