News & notes

 Wednesday's state regional scoreboard:

Women's volleyball:

Class AAA:

West Genesee 3, Saratoga 1.

Class AA:

Columbia 3, Fayetteville-Manilus 0. Next for the Blue Devils will be Yorktown, Saturday at Gloversville.

Class A: 

Burnt Hills 3, Beekmantown 0. The Lady Spartans will face Homer Saturday at Skaneateles.

Class B: 

Ichabod Crane 3, Saranac Lake 1. The Lady Riders will next play Westhill on Saturday at Skaneateles.

Class D:

Mekeel Christian 3, Tuxedo 0. The Lions enter pool play in Glens Falls, and will be idle until then (November 22).

Men's volleyball sectionals:

Shaker 3, Columbia 0.

Shenendehowa 3, Bethlehem 0.

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In a game broadcast on the YES Network, St. Bonaventure retained the Franciscan Cup in defeating Siena, 75-66. Gavin Doty led the Saints with 25 points, while Brendan Coyle added 14 in a losing effort. Siena returns to MVP Arena Monday at Colgate before the Albany Cup vs. UAlbany November 21.

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We have to close with another obituary in relation to the Albany Patroons.

Fellow blogger and Pats historian Chuck Miller reports that Kevin Mackey, who lasted about 15 minutes as head coach when the team was known as the Capital Region Pontiacs (Worst. Idea. Ever.) in the early 90's, has passed away. Mackey is better known as a college coach (Cleveland State) than his brief tenure in Albany.

Rest in peace.

News & notes

 Due to Veterans Day, Section II didn't post the results of Monday's men's volleyball quarterfinals online, though they should be there now, with the semi-finals in Division 1 set for today, and the finals, along with the Division 2 title match, scheduled for Friday.

Monday's results:

Columbia 3, Colonie 0.

Shenendehowa 3, Guilderland 0.

Shaker 3, Saratoga 0.

Bethlehem 3, Niskayuna 1.

Today @ Rensselaer:

Columbia vs. Shaker, 5 pm.

Bethlehem vs. Shen, 7 pm.

CBA & Burnt Hills will meet to decide the D2 title on Friday.

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The NBA, as well as 518 hoops fans, are mourning the passing of former Albany Patroons player, and later, coach, Micheal Ray Richardson at 70 from prostate cancer complications.

Richardson won his only title as a player with the Pats under the late Bill Musselman in 1988, then would return to coach the team nearly 20 years later after the revival of the Continental Basketball Association.

Richardson's 2nd tour of duty in Albany ended abruptly when he was suspended during the 2007 CBA finals for some ill-advised anti-semitic remarks and a anti-gay slur directed at a fan during game 1 of the series. After the season ended, Richardson was fired, and resurfaced in Oklahoma, where he led the Lawton-Fort Still Cavalry to back-to-back titles in 2008-9.

During his time in the NBA, Richardson played with the Knicks, Nets, and Warriors, and was banned from the Association after testing positive for cocaine in 1986.

Rest in peace.

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The pairings have been announced for women's volleyball state regionals. which got underway last night.

Class AAA: Saratoga opens today vs. West Genesee at Tully High. Game time is 5 pm.

Shenendehowa received an at-large bid, and a 1st round bye, and will open vs. Corning-Painted Post Saturday at Oswego at 4 pm.

Class AA: Columbia will play Fayetteville-Manilus at Tully High tonight at 7:30.

Class A: Burnt Hills travels to Beekmantown tonight at 6:30.

Class B: Ichabod Crane will play Saranac Lake at Beekmantown today at 4:30 pm.

Class C: Galway opens vs. Mount Academy at Mount St. Mary's, tomorrow at 4:30 pm.

Class D: Mekeel Christian will play Tuxedo today at Mount St. Mary's  at 4:30 pm. A win here, and the Lions advance to pool play at Harding Mazzotti Arena in Glens Falls November 22.

Pool play will also be at HMA November 21 for Classes A-C, while Classes AA-AAA will also have pool play on November 22.

Good luck to all the teams.

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UAlbany's men's basketball team had their home opener Tuesday night at Broadview Center, and, simply put, the Great Danes just went off on SUNY-Delhi. 7 Great Danes finished in double figures, including leading scorer Amir Lindsey with 19, as Albany rolled, 115-52. UAlbany hits the road on Friday at Rhode Island before returning home to play Paul Smith's College next Tuesday.

News & notes

 After just 1 season in The Basketball League, the NY Phoenix have jumped, along with the Frederick Flying Cows & Reading Rebels, to the newly revived United States Basketball League (USBL). Seven other TBL teams have jumped as well to the USBL, which has signed former Continental Basketball Association commissioner Dennis Truax to the same position.

Phoenix co-owner Sam Clifford, per the Albany Times-Union, says the USBL is offering better overall competition. We'll see.

Meanwhile, the Albany Patroons face a difficult future, as while the TBL is looking to expand again, the team has lost one of last season's top draws in the Route 5 rivalry with the Phoenix.

TBL president and former Patroon David Magley, for his part, says that Clifford never contacted him about leaving the USBL. Hmmmmmmmmmm.

Stay tuned.

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The Times-Union has announced their Section II all-stars for 2025. To the surprise of no one, Ichabod Crane's Tanner LaTorre was named player of the year. Troy High senior Joey Degnan joins LaTorre, Ceko Cupp (Saratoga), Bryce Gaydushek (Averill Park, & Kai Chiarenza (Shenendehowa) on the 1st team.

Siimilarly, South Glens Falls phenom Hayden Knapp was named the women's player of the year.

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Monday's college scoreboard:

Men's basketball:

RPI 72, Delhi 55.

Women's basketball:

UAlbany 65, Dartmouth 41. Amaya Stewart, named America East Rookie of the Week earlier in the day, led Albany (2-1) with 21 points. Bella Stuart (Shen) added 2. The Lady Danes are idle until Saturday, when they visit Rhode Island.

Section II Super Bowl preview

 The road to Syracuse officially kicks off Friday afternoon, as 10 teams will vie for Section II titles in football. By the end of business Saturday night, we'll know who will continue their quest for state titles.

Class AA:

Saratoga vs. CBA, Saturday at 7 pm (Spectrum News 1) at Colonie High.

Bob Burns' Brothers shrugged off two non-league losses in September, and have run off 8 in a row since. The Blue Streaks were one of those 8 victims, but, as they've shown vs. Shenendehowa, they're not to be trifled with this time around. Ben Coryea cracked the 2,000 yard mark on Friday, but can he run wild against the Brothers the 2nd time around? I don't think so.

Pick: CBA.

Class A:

Troy vs. Niskayuna, Friday at 7:30 pm (Spectrum News 1) at Colonie High.

On October 3, Nisky blew out the Flying Horses at Picken Field, en route to finishing the regular season on an 8 game winning streak. Troy has run off 5 in a row from that point, and it might not be so easy to ground the Horses the 2nd time around. Troy just has to do a better job of containing UAlbany-bound Cam Grasso, Chase Meisner, & company. It won't be a blowout this time. As much as I'm a Troy alumnus, I'm also a realist.

Pick: Niskayuna.

Class B:

Averill Park vs. Glens Falls, Saturday at 3:30 pm at Shenendehowa.

The Golden Knights avenged a September loss to Ravena, but getting one back from the defending champion Black Bears? Not happening, although Zach Gobel's club was written off before beating Burnt Hills for the A title last year. Gobel would need a superlative effort from his defense to stop Glens Falls, and it ain't happening.

Pick: Glens Falls.

Class C:

Fonda-Fultonville vs. Schuylerville, Saturday at noon at Shenendehowa.

It's a question of who's hungrier, and who wants it more? The Black Horses are the defending champions, and Fonda has to hope Schuylerville is still defensively asleep with the early starting time. Naaaaaah.

Pick: Schuylerville.

Class D:

Cambridge-Salem vs. Greenwich, Friday at 4 at Colonie.

The first half of the Friday doubleheader is a twilight game that, were it not for budget issues at Spectrum, they could be on TV, too. Two Washington county rivals hooking it up yet again. This will be a fun opener.

Pick: Greenwich.

Of course, I could be wrong.

News & notes

 Come Saturday, seven Section II teams in soccer & field hockey will be vying for state titles.

By virtue of a 2-1 win over Horace Greeley on Sunday, Burnt Hills advances to the Class B semi-finals in field hockey, where they'll play Garden City at Arlington High on Saturday at 12 noon.

As for soccer....

Men:

Class AAA:

Guilderland will play Fairport at Middletown at 3:45 pm.

Class A:

Glens Falls plays Rye at 5:45, also at Middletown.

Class C:

Maple Hill meets North Salem at Middletown at 11 am.

Women:

Class A:

Schalmont will play Rye at Cortland at 5 pm.

Class C:

Stillwater meets Burke Catholic at Homer High at 5.

Class D:

Fort Ann vs. Chazy, at Homer at noon.

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Saratoga High, and all of Section II, is mourning the passing of former track coach Art Kranick over the weekend after a lengthy illness, more than six months after he & his wife, Linda, resigned their posts with the Blue Streaks following the revelation of some very irregular disciplinary practices in training.

Condolences to the Kranick family. Art Kranick was 74.

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The transphobia of the Trump administration has hit RPI.

RIT transfer Sadie Schreiner is suing RPI for discrimination after the school refused to allow her to run at a meet back in April, perhaps in fear of reprisals from the Trump administration, which has banned transgender athletes such as Schreiner from competing, falsely claiming that trans athletes have an unfair advantage, which has been proven to be untrue. Seems RPI is afraid of losing federal funding, as other schools are in the same position. all because of the bigots pointing the president in different directions to cause friction.

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Chris Envy's Dynasty Pro Wrestling returns to downtown Troy next month for the first time in 10 years. 

The event, billed as Unwrapped, is a holiday treat taking place at the Agoge, a 3rd floor venue on 3rd street, above the Waiting Room. The event takes place on December 6, the night before the Victorian Stroll, with a show time of 6 pm. Tickets start at $22 and change. There is an elevator in the building for those who may be unable to negotiate the stairs.

Saturday's high school & college scoreboard, 11/8

 High schools:

Men's cross country sectional champions:

Class A: Saratoga.

Class B: Burnt Hills.

Class C: Fonda-Fultonville.

Class D: Maple Hill.

Women's cross country sectional champions:

Class A: Shenendehowa.

Class B: Burnt Hills.

Class C: Voorheesville.

Class D: Maple Hill.

Football:

Class D semi-final:

Cambridge-Salem 36, Stillwater-Saratoga Catholic 26.

Women's swimming:

Saratoga won the Division 1 title. Troy/Averill Park finished 7th.

Ballston Spa won the Division 2 title. LaSalle placed 9th.

Men's soccer state regionals:

Class AA: 

Harrison 3, Columbia 0.

Class A:

Glens Falls 4, Franklin Academy 0.

Class C: 

Maple Hill 1, Rhinebeck 0 (OT).

Class D:

Chazy 2, Northville 0.

Women's soccer state regionals:

Class A:

Schalmont 1, Jamesville-DeWitt 0.

Class B:

Marcellus 7, Mechanicville 3.

Class C:

Stillwater 5, Ticonderoga 0.

Class D:

Fort Ann 2, Eldred 0.

Women's volleyball sectional finals:

Class AAA:

Shenendehowa 3, Saratoga 0.

Class A:

Burnt Hills 3, Mohonasen 0.

Class B:

Ichabod Crane 3, Schalmont 1.

Class C: 

Galway 3, Fonda-Fultonville 0.

Colleges:

Football:

Bryant 27, UAlbany 24.

Ithaca 24, RPI 23.

Union 14, Rochester 10.

Women's hockey:

Union 7, RPI 4.

Men's basketball:

Plattsburgh 80, Skidmore 73.

Union 81, Oswego 75.

UMass 83, UAlbany 62.

Women's basketball:

UMass 84, Siena 73.

Plattsburgh State 60, RPI 56.

Russell Sage 61, Bard 44.

Women's volleyball:

Iona 3, Siena 0.

Union 3, Buffalo State 0.

Union 3, Rochester 1.

Friday's college & high school scoreboard, 11/7

 High schools:

Women's volleyball finals:

Class AA:

Columbia 3, Bethlehem 0.

Class D: 

Mekeel Christian 3, Saratoga Catholic 0.

The rest of the championships will be decided today at Saratoga.

Women's soccer state regionals:

Class B:

Mechanicville 2, Saranac 0.

Colleges:

Men's basketball:

Siena 62, Brown 46.

Women's basketball:

Syracuse 64, UAlbany 45.

Men's hockey:

Clarkson 5, Union 1.

St. Lawrence 4, RPI 3.

Women's hockey:

RPI 2, Union 1 (OT). The Lady Engineers snap a 5 game losing streak with the win. The teams will meet today at M & T Bank Mohawk Harbor Arena at 3 pm.