The most ignored team in local sports

 Check the sports section of either the Albany Times-Union or Daily Gazette, and you'd be hard pressed to find anything on Hudson Valley Community College's sports teams. Any of them. El Cheapo Media might have something, but at last check, it usually takes them a few days to do a feature story.

Consider, for example, HVCC's baseball team, currently undefeated at 20-0 heading into a 2-day, 4-game home & home series with Cayuga Community College, starting tomorrow in Cayuga. Each team will host a doubleheader.

We bring this up because the Vikings will play an exhibition game on April 30 against the other tenants at Bruno Stadium, the Tri-City Valleycats. While this has been acknowledged on the 'Cats' website, it's not on the Vikings' schedule, which tells you all you need to know about a slight disconnect between the school and the 'Cats.

I've attended a game between these two clubs in the past, and, based on that experience, it's just sad that the Vikings have so much difficulty drawing fans. No pre-game advertising outside of the campus, if there's any on campus at all. Nothing in the papers. HVCC is 20-0, and ignored by the media. Why? Because unlike UAlbany, Siena, RPI, & Union, HVCC is a 2 year junior college. With the dwindling media resources, the Vikings get the Rodney Dangerfield treatment from the media, and an undefeated season shouldn't be swept under the rug at all.

This year's Vikings have a decided Section II vibe, in that of the 55 players on the roster, 16 of them come from Section II schools (i.e. LaSalle, Shaker, Ichabod Crane). Almost 1/3 of the roster. They're lucky if Bill Arsenault (Times-Union) can fit them into his Campus Watch column. WTEN did a feature piece on the Vikings over the weekend, so what's missing? Word of mouth. If there's not enough attendance at games, and the press isn't there, who's going to know what's going on?

The 2nd half of the Cayuga series is at Bruno Stadium on Thursday, beginning at 2 pm. Don't wait for the Valleycats to play the Vikings a week later. You'll be glad you made the trip.

News & notes

 We thought Siena had lost its entire 2026 recruiting class with Gerry McNamara's departure for Syracuse last month.

We were wrong.

Parrish Edmond, Jr. recommitted to Siena Monday, and will play for new coach Nevada Smith. Oh, by the way, Smith is retaining just one assistant from McNamara's staff, and that is local legend Brian Beaury, formerly of the College of St. Rose.

Troy High's Tianna Harris made the Albany Times-Union honor roll in today's editions coming off a 5 TD performance vs. Ichabod Crane last Wednesday. Harris is also in the running to be the Player of The Week.

Scotia alum Karen Bertasso, 41, finished 5th in her age class at the Boston Marathon on Monday. Bertasso crossed the finish line around the 2 hour, 45 minute mark.

Monday's high school scores:

Softball (518 Softball is back up and running):

Hoosick Falls 8, Saratoga Catholic 5.

Amsterdam 17, Gloversville 2 (5 innings).

Chatham 18, Cairo-Durham 0 (5 innings).

Mechanicville 14, Stillwater 12.

Tamarac 5, Niskayuna 4.

Galway 16, Duanesburg 4.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 14, Mayfield 0 (5 innings).

Greenwich 16, Berlin-New Lebanon 2 (5 innings).

LaSalle 19, Holy Trinity 4 (5 innings).

Lansingburgh 5, Mohonasen 4.

Hudson Falls 14, Broadalbin-Perth 8.

Glens Falls 4, South Glens Falls 3.

Ravena 10, Schalmont 9.

Johnstown 11, OESJ 10.

Taconic Hills-Hawthorne Valley 6, Coxsackie-Athens 4.

Cambridge 9, Waterford 8.

Granville 7, Fort Edward 4.

Maple Hill 11, Catskill 4.

Albany Academy 21, Holy Names 9 (5 innings).

Fonda-Fultonville 12, Schoharie 6.

Troy 9, Cohoes 2. The Lady Tigers still haven't beaten Troy.

Fort Ann 16, Hadley-Luzerne 0 (5 innings).

Women's lacrosse:

Queensbury 19, South Glens Falls 3.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 17, Ichabod Crane 6.

Ballston Spa 14, Greenwich-Cambridge 5.

LaSalle 7, Johnstown 6.

Men's lacrosse:

Schenectady-Mohonasen-Schalmont 12, Albany 7. M-S-S picks up its 1st win.

Saratoga 17, Rutland 0.

Johnstown 13, Voorheesville 11.

Shaker 14, Ballston Spa 4.

Mechanicville-Stillwater 9, Troy 1. 

Baseball:

Cohoes 5, Troy 0. Troy drops to 2-4.

Greenwich 8, Waterford 6.

News & notes

 Former Schalmont star Karissa Antoine is coming home.

After 2 seasons at Fordham, Antoine has gone through the transfer portal, and will play for Terry Primm and Siena next season. The Saints' basketball program, both men's & women's, can use the good news. 

Meanwhile, Stillwater football standout James Cocozzo, son of former NFL lineman Joe Cocozzo, has committed to play college football for Greg Schiano at Rutgers, meaning we'll likely see the younger Cocozzo appear on the Big 10 Network's coverage.

State Senator Jim Tedisco is an old school Republican. In other words, he's actually doing things to help his constituents, rather than bend the knee to the current president.

To that end, Tedisco helped secure a state grant for $100,000 to build the new Deanna Marie Rivers Batting Cages as the Miss Shen softball fields in Clifton Commons in Clifton Park. Rivers, you'll recall, was killed in an accident a few years ago while attending Shenendehowa. Thank you, Senator.

Two games, two blowout wins for the Albany Firebirds.

Josh Kulka threw 8 touchdown passes, and the 'Birds blew away Beaumont, 55-27, on Saturday afternoon to start a 3 game road trip.

The NY Phoenix return to M & T Bank Mohawk Harbor Arena on Thursday to begin a 2 game series vs. Reading. Unfortunately, the USBL website is not cooperating, not showing Eastern Conference standings as of press time.

www.518softball.com is experiencing some issues, such that we cannot access scores on a timely basis. Hopefully, this will be resolved before sectionals begin next month.

Speaking of scores, let's catch up on the weekend action:

Women's lacrosse:

Friday:

Queensbury 18, Schuylerville 11.

South Glens Falls 17, Hudson Falls 2.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 11, Albany 9. The Falcons cancelled a non-league game vs. Saugerties to make room.

Cohoes 15, Holy Names 3.

Saturday:

Queensbury 12, Wappingers Falls 11.

Scotia 15, Johnstown 10.

Columbia 15, Whitesboro 9.

Shenendehowa 15, Minisink Valley 6.

Fox Lane 15, Niskayuna 6.

Bethlehem 14, Saratoga 4.

Men's lacrosse:

Friday:

Voorheesville 22, Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 6.

Queensbury 15, Rutland 3.

Saturday:

Ballston Spa 13, St. Joseph's Collegiate 10. 

Averill Park 8, Glens Falls 4.

LaSalle 11, Columbia 6.

Maine-Endwell 10, Bethlehem 9.

Johnstown 17, Broadalbin-Perth 2.

Baseball:

Saturday:

Canajoharie-Ft. Plain 10, OESJ 0 (6 innings).

Maple Hill 22, Berlin-New Lebanon 3 (5 innings).

Shenendehowa 3, Mamaroneck 2.

Duanesburg 4, Coxsackie-Athens 2.

Colonie 13, Schalmont 1 (5 innings).

Niskayuna 9, LaSalle 6.

Ichabod Crane 16, Chatham 11.

Ballston Spa 15, Walkill 12.

Saratoga Catholic 16, Fonda-Fultonville 1 (5 innings).

CBA 13, Walkill 2 (6 innings).

Mayfield 15, Corinth 2 (6 innings).

Hoosic Valley 13, Berlin-New Lebanon 3 (5 innings).

Maple Hill 11, Voorheesville 1 (5 innings).

McQuaid 13, Saratoga 6.

North Warren 36, Northville 7 (5 innings). North Warren scored a combined 27 runs in the 2nd & 3rd innings alone.

Johnstown 11, South Glens Falls 2.

Columbia 13, Mamaroneck 4.

Saratoga Catholic 11, Duanesburg 1 (5 innings).

Softball:

Saturday:

Ballston Spa 21, Salem 0 (5 innings).

Canajoharie-Ft. Plain 5, OESJ 2.

Ballston Spa 4, Kellenberg 1.

Galway 8, South Glens Falls 5.

Saratoga Catholic 18, Gloversville 0 (5 innings).

Schoharie 9, Holy Trinity 4.

Tamarac 11, Whitesboro 1.

Northville-Wells 19, North Warren 7 (6 innings).

Bethlehem 14, Kellenberg 5.

Chatham 16, Webster Thomas 7.

Shaker 5, Liverpool 4.

South Glens Falls 12, Webster Thomas 0 (5 innings).

Galway 7, Wellsville 6.

Averill Park 6, Liverpool 4.

Johnstown 12, Hadley-Luzerne 4.

Voorheesville 7, Maple Hill 4.

Saratoga Catholic 14, Argyle 3.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 13, Salem 8.

Niskayuna 9, Hudson Falls 1.

Ichabod Crane 13, Bethlehem 4.

Chatham 6, Whitesboro 2.

Shenendehowa 3, Wellsville 0.

Maple Hill 18, Warrensburg 0 (5 innings).

Tamarac 7, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 5.

Voorheesville 9, Amsterdam 3.

Amsterdam 12, Warrensburg 11.

Averill Park 18, Jamesville-DeWitt 3 (6 innings).

Lansingburgh 3, South Jefferson 2.

Schalmont 15, Coxsackie-Athens 0 (5 innings).

Shenendehowa 4, Ichabod Crane 0.

Ardsley 1, Lansingburgh 0.

Schalmont 8, Cobleskill-Richmondville 3.

Argyle 21, Mayfield 6 (5 innings).

Tennis:

Saturday: 

Taconic Hills 7, Maple Hill 0.

Troy High sports review, through April 17

 As we approach the latter half of April, the women's teams at Troy High are hot, but the guys? Not so much.

Flag football:

Current record: 4-1.

The ladies have defended their turf with blowout wins over Ichabod Crane & Catskill, running the current winning streak to 3.

Next: KIPP Tech Valley closes the homestand on Wednesday. The game was, I think, supposed to be a road game, but KIPP doesn't have a home field. The ladies finally hit the road on Friday at Hudson.

Softball:

Current record: 4-2 (2-0 Colonial Council).

Three games in as many days? Not as much of a problem as you'd think, as Sean Geisel's club took down Shaker on the road, then came home and blew out Holy Trinity before going back on the road to beat Schalmont in 9 innings.

Next: The road trip continues at Cohoes on Monday, as the Tigers will try to finally beat Troy, then at Ravena on Tuesday before returning home to play a Lansingburgh club that isn't a pushover like their other women's teams. The week ends with a road game at Mohonasen. Four games in five days this time.

Women's lacrosse:

Current record: 4-2.

The winning streak is at 4 after a tight win over Holy Names on Thursday.

Next: It's back home to play Mohon-Schalmont-Schenectady on Thursday. Then, it's back on the road to play Voorheesville on Friday.

Men's lacrosse:

Current record: 2-2.

The laxmen are back at .500 after beating M-S-S on Friday, 8-6.

Next: Stillwater-Mechanicville visits on Monday night. Friday, they play Voorheesville, but the Colonial Council website says both the men & women are on the road. Maybe the Blackbirds have separate fields? This might be an error either way.

Baseball:

Current record: 2-3.

Last week started promisingly with wins over Queensbury & Schalmont, but ended with a thud in a loss to Averill Park, 11-0. Kody Thompson twirled a 1-hitter, as the game was called after 6 innings (mercy rule), with Kayne Behan getting the lone hit for Troy.

Next: On the road at Cohoes on Monday and Albany on Tuesday, the latter game being played at the Plumeri Sports Complex, where CBA plays their home games, so this might be some sort of charity event. Then, it's back home vs. Lansingburgh on Wednesday before a road game at Mohon on Friday.

Men's modified lacrosse will host Schalmont at Gardner-Dickinson on Tuesday, the first game since the merger of the Troy & Wynantskill districts.

News & notes

 New UAlbany women's basketball coach Kelly Morrone was introduced to the local press at a news conference on Thursday at Broadview Center. Coming over from Merrimack, where she spent the last 7 seasons, Morrone is being asked to carry on the winning tradition at Albany, one that has seen 7 NCAA tournament appearances in the last 26 years.

Good luck, Kelly.

The off-season for Siena just keeps getting worse.

Word has come down that former women's basketball coach Jim Jabir has passed away after a lengthy illness at 63. Jabir's last stint with Siena ended just a couple of years ago, as Terry Primm succeeded him as head coach.

Condolences to Jabir's family, and to the extended Siena family.

Mets fans should know by now that WTEN will be the home for Friday games, including today's matinee at Wrigley Field vs. the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is at 2:20 pm. For soap opera junkies, General Hospital will air on either WXXA or Cozi TV.

Thursday's high school scoreboard:

Baseball:

Troy 7, Schalmont 3. Troy evens its record at 2-2 heading into today's home opener vs. Averill Park.

Mohonasen 7, Ravena 1.

Women's lacrosse:

Averill Park 26, Ballston Spa 6.

LaSalle 13, Emma Willard 4.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 13, Johnstown 12.

Burnt Hills 12, Colonie 9.

Guilderland 13, Bethlehem 8.

Cohoes 14, Schenectady-Mohonasen-Schalmont 0.

Troy 16, Academy of Holy Names 14.

Men's lacrosse:

Ballston Spa 14, Averill Park 1.

Niskayuna 15, CBA 5.

Amsterdam 10, Broadalbin-Perth 6.

Burnt Hills 19, Colonie 10.

Johnstown 15, Greenwich-Cambridge 6.

Saratoga 5, Bethlehem 4.

Shaker 21, Columbia 7.

South Glens Falls 8, Scotia 2.

Softball:

Ichabod Crane 32, Holy Trinity 0 (5 innings).

LaSalle 3, Voorheesville 0. Natalya Horton twirled a perfect game to lead LaSalle.

Wednesday's high school scoreboard, 4/15

 Softball:

Argyle 12, Salem 0 (5 innings).

Tamarac 12, Mechanicville 0 (5 innings).

Troy 5, Schalmont 4 (9 innings). Troy has won 3 in a row.

Guilderland 4, Shaker 2.

Greenwich 19, Hoosic Valley 6 (5 innings).

Germantown 14, Cairo-Durham 2 (5 innings).

Columbia 5, Niskayuna 3.

Berlin-New Lebanon 10, Waterford 3.

Shenendehowa 5, Colonie 4.

Burnt Hills 4, Ballston Spa 2.

Granville 15, Corinth 3 (5 innings).

Chatham 17, Watervliet-Heatly 1 (5 innings).

Averill Park 5, Bethlehem 4.

Lake George 18, North Warren 1 (5 innings).

Schoharie 11, Duanesburg 6.

Scotia 15, Gloversville 3 (5 innings).

Maple Hill 9, Coxsackie-Athens 8.

Schuylerville 18, Broadalbin-Perth 12.

South Glens Falls 18, Amsterdam 1 (5 innings).

Fort Ann 8, Fort Edward 2.

Fonda-Fultonville 10, OESJ 4.

Queensbury 7, Glens Falls 1.

Lansingburgh 18, Schenectady 0 (5 innings).

Saratoga 21, Albany 5 (5 innings).

Women's lacrosse:

Scotia 15, Hudson Falls 7.

Queensbury 16, Glens Falls 2.

Men's lacrosse:

Ballston Spa 8, Shenendehowa 5.

Glens Falls 10, Schuylerville 9.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 14, Hudson Falls 7.

Johnstown 16, Schenectady-Mohonasen-Schalmont 11. 

Scotia 5, Troy 3.

Flag football:

Troy 39, Ichabod Crane 6. Tianna Harris, eldest daughter of basketball coach Will Harris, had 5 touchdowns to lead Troy.

News & notes

 WNYT is hosting a pickleball tournament at True Pickleball in Latham, coming up on May 1. All the pertinent information is on the station's website. The event will be a benefit for Parkinson's Disease research & awareness.

Now, all we need is a pickleball court in Troy. 

The Tri-City ValleyCats have set the preseason schedule for 2026.

The 'Cats will have a split squad, not yet confirmed, playing host to the New Jersey Jackals, game time TBA, on April 30. This game is closed to the public, so it's all but a glorified scrimmage.

That same night, Tri-City will play Hudson Valley Community College, a game where the Vikings should get some much needed press coverage. Game time is 6 pm.

After that is a home & home series with Brockton. They'll be in Massachusetts on May 2, returning to The Joe for a 3 pm matinee on May 3. Then, after visiting the NY Boulders on May 4, the 'Cats return home to play Quebec on May 4 before a season-opening road trip to New Jersey & Sussex County, leading to the home opener vs. Quebec on May 15.

Tickets are available at the Bruno Stadium box office.

Tuesday's college scores:

Baseball:

UAlbany 9, Central Connecticut State 7.

Utica 13, Skidmore 2.

Softball:

Siena 12, UAlbany 2 (5 innings).

Men's lacrosse:

UAlbany 9, Siena 7.

High schools:

Softball:

Stillwater 8, Saratoga Catholic 6.

Ballston Spa 4, Hoosick Falls 2.

Voorheesville 3, Lansingburgh 1.

Troy 13, Holy Trinity 1 (5 innings).

LaSalle 14, Mohonasen 1 (5 innings).

Canajoharie-Ft. Plain 10, Northville 2.

Ravena 17, Academy of Holy Names 4 (5 innings).

Schalmont 2, Cohoes 1.

Guilderland 7, Scotia 4.

Schalmont 2, Cohoes 1 (6 innings-weather).

Women's lacrosse:

Troy 10, LaSalle 4. 

Burnt Hills 15, Averill Park 4.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 19, Emma Willard 1.

Bethlehem 11, Colonie 10.

Shenendehowa 24, Ballston Spa 5.

Men's lacrosse:

CBA 10, Colonie 9.

Saratoga 16, Columbia 4.

South Glens Falls 9, Queensbury 6.

Baseball:

Mohonasen 10, LaSalle 0. Nic Quinlivan hurled a no-hitter for Mohon.

Flag football:

Saratoga 24, Columbia 8.