High School Fridays: Once Upon a Homecoming Dreary (Saratoga @ Shenendehowa, 10/23/26)

 It was not only Homecoming at Shenendehowa this week, but also Rivalry Week, with Saratoga coming down the Northway. To stress how important this game is to both schools, former coaches Blase Iluiano (Saratoga) & Brent Steuerwald (Shen) gave their teams pep talks in the run up to the game.

The first quarter saw the teams exchange punts and turnovers on downs, leading to a scoreless frame. Late in the quarter, Saratoga was backed up all the way to their one yard line, leading to a punt that gave the Mustangs terrific field position at the 'Toga 35. 3 1/2 minutes into the 2nd quarter, Shen's Joey Marello punched it in from 2 yards out. Michael Manoli added the extra point, and Shen drew first blood at 7-0. Unfortunately, that would be their only lead of the game.

On the ensuing Blue Streak possession, Saratoga marched down the field, with Jalen Lockrow outrunning the defense for 29 yards to paydirt. However, the PAT clanked off the upright, leaving Shen with a 1 point lead at 7-6.

But not for long.

After a Shen possession failed to produce anything, Saratoga got the ball back right before halftime. This time, QB Bobby Morris ran it in himself from 16 yards. Morris then hit Gavin "Vive" LaFrance with a 2 point conversion, and the Streaks went into the break with a 14-7 lead.

The only scoring in the 2nd half was a Manoli field goal from 29 yards out, cutting the lead to 14-10, which was also the final score.

Luckily for Shen, they'll hang on to the #4 seed in the Class AA playoffs after Niskayuna defeated luckless Albany. The downside, of course, is a rematch with CBA in 2 weeks.

Other scores:

Niskayuna 32, Albany 14.

Troy 30, Ballston Spa 19.

Schuylerville 64, Watervliet-Heatly 7.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 40, Voorheesville 7.

Glens Falls 43, Schalmont 14.

Mechanicville 18, Granville 13.

Saratoga Catholic 60, Lake George 0.

Fonda-Fultonville 28, Hudson 7.

Colonie 40, Amsterdam 19.

Averill Park 28, LaSalle 14.

Burnt Hills 42, Queensbury 7.

Cobleskill-Richmondville 33, Greenwich 0.

CBA 69, Guilderland 0.

Ravena 35, Lansingburgh 28.

Bethlehem 28, South Glens Falls 25.

Volleyball:

Troy 3, Voorheesville 0. The Lady Horses clinch their 2nd straight Colonial Council title.

Women's soccer:

Class A:

Schalmont 8, Emma Willard 0.

Scotia 3, Cohoes 2.

Ravena 6, Glens Falls 1.

Averill Park 3, Lansingburgh 0.

Wednesday @ Amsterdam:

Ravena vs. Averill Park.

Scotia vs. Schalmont.

Men's soccer:

Class A:

Averill Park 9, Hudson Falls 1.

Cohoes 5, Ravena 2.

Class D:

Northville 4, Germantown 0.

North Warren 4, Argyle 2.

Hartford 2, Bolton-Warrensburg 0.

Fort Ann 5, Mekeel Christian 1.

Wednesday @ OESJ:

Hartford vs. Fort Ann.

Northville vs. North Warren.

News & notes

 Good news for high school hoops fans.

In 2028, the men's state tournament moves back to Harding Mazzotti Arena in Glens Falls for at least 3 years (2028-30). Why not MVP Arena in Albany, I don't know.

Manory's restaurant in downtown Troy has long been a supporter of RPI hockey, even giving out pocket schedules over the years.

This year, owners Lou & Jennifer Marchese are taking it a step further, by posting the schedule on one of their windows for everyone to see. This will, by design, try to get more people interested in supporting the team, which has been on hard times. Let's see how this plays out.

Thursday's soccer sectional results:

Women:

Class B:

Ichabod Crane 3, Tamarac 1.

Coxsackie-Athens 4, Cobleskill-Richmondville 2.

Voorheesville 6, Hoosick Falls 0.

Broadalbin-Perth 5, Holy Names 0.

LaSalle 6, Catskill 0.

Cairo-Durham 3, Corinth 0.

Schuylerville 7, Fonda-Fultonville 0.

Saturday:

Ichabod Crane @ Mechanicville.

Coxsackie-Athens @ Voorheesville.

LaSalle @ Broadalbin-Perth.

Cairo-Durham @ Schuylerville.

Class C:

Stillwater 7, Whitehall 0.

Waterford 1, Chatham 0.

Maple Hill 3, Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Duanesburg 0.

Mayfield 4, Greenwich 0.

Schoharie 9, Bolton-Warrensburg 0.

Galway 2, Greenville 1.

OESJ 1, Hoosic Valley 0.

Lake George 7, Cambridge-Salem 0.

Saturday:

OESJ @ Lake George.

Galway @ Schoharie.

Maple Hill @ Mayfield.

Waterford @ Stillwater.

Men:

Class AAA:

Shenendehowa 3, Schenectady 0.

Saratoga 2, Albany 1. 

Guilderland def. Colonie via penalty kicks after a scoreless draw.

Monday @ LaSalle:

Saratoga vs. Shaker.

Shen vs. Guilderland.

Class AA:

Bethlehem 8, Amsterdam 0.

Burnt Hills 2, CBA 1.

Columbia 3, Ballston Spa 0.

Niskayuna 3, Queensbury 1.

Monday @ Colonie:

Nisky vs. Bethlehem.

Columbia vs. Burnt Hills.

Class B:

Broadalbin-Perth 9, Canajoharie-Fort Plain 0. The Patriots advance to play Mechanicville on Saturday.

Class C:

Loudonville Christian 4, Galway 0.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Duanesburg 4, Stillwater 0.

Saturday:

Cambridge-Salem vs. BKWD.

Greenwich @ Loudonville Christian.

Wednesday's sectional scoreboard, 10/21

 Field hockey:

Class A:

Guilderland 5, Colonie 0.

Shenendehowa 4, Niskayuna 3.

Bethlehem 12, Columbia 0.

Saratoga 2, Shaker 0.

Next Wednesday:

Shen @ Guilderland.

Saratoga @ Bethlehem.

Women's soccer:

Class AA:

Troy 1, Amsterdam 0.

Queensbury def. South Glens Falls via penalty kicks after a scoreless draw.

Monday:

Troy @ Columbia.

Ballston Spa @ Burnt Hills.

Niskayuna @ Mohonasen.

Queensbury @ Bethlehem.

Class A:

Emma Willard 5, Hudson Falls 1. The Jesters will play Schalnont on Friday.

Men's soccer:

Class B:

Catskill 2, Coxsackie-Athens 1.

Mechanicville 5, Hoosick Falls 1.

Voorheesville 3, Fonda-Fultonville 0.

Ichabod Crane 5, Taconic Hills 1.

Watervliet-Heatly 3, Tamarac 0.

Saturday:

Catskill @ Cobleskill-Richmondville.

Ichabod Crane @ Voorheesville.

Watervliet-Heatly @ Schuylerville.

Class C:

Maple Hill 4, Berlin-New Lebanon 0.

Chatham 2, Waterford 0.

Cambridge-Salem 5, Hoosic Valley 1.

Greenwich 3, OESJ 1.

Lake George 2, Schoharie 1.

Greenville 7, Mayfield 0.

Saturday:

Chatham @ Maple Hill.

Lake George @ Greenville.

News & notes

 For the 2nd time this month, WNYT has given its Athlete of The Week award to an athlete from Troy High.

This time, it's volleyball star Addie Harkin, who is also on Troy's softball & women's basketball teams. Congratulations, Addie.

Tuesday's sectional scoreboard:

Field hockey:

Class C:

Corinth 5, Hoosick Falls-Salem-Cambridge 1.

Johnstown 5, Schuylerville 0.

Next Tuesday:

Johnstown @ Granville.

Corinth @ Greenwich.

Women's soccer:

Class AAA:

Colonie 1, Shaker 0.

Saratoga 9, Albany 0.

Saturday:

Colonie @ Shenendehowa.

Saratoga @ Guilderland.

Men's soccer:

Class AA:

CBA 7, Troy 0. Troy finishes 0-17, with 12 straight shutout losses.

Amsterdam 2, Mohonasen 0. Not a good day for the Colonial Council.

Tomorrow:

Amsterdam @ Bethlehem.

Queensbury @ Niskayuna.

Ballston Spa @ Columbia.

CBA @ Burnt Hills.

Class C:

Berlin-New Lebanon 3, Middleburgh 2. Berlin-New Lebanon will play Maple Hill today.

Class D:

Germantown 4, Saratoga Catholic 0.

Mekeel Christian 3, Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons 1.

Friday:

Germantown @ Northville.

North Warren @ Argyle.

Bolton-Warrensburg @ Hartford.

Mekeel Christian @ Fort Ann.

2026 Section 2 soccer sectional pairings released

 Beginning tomorrow, the quest for sectional titles in soccer begins. We'll start with the women.

Women:

Class AAA:

Tuesday:

Colonie @ Shaker. Winner to play Shenendehowa Saturday at Niskayuna.

Albany @ Saratoga. Winner to play Guilderland Saturday.

Finals are also at Niskayuna on October 30.

Class AA:

Wednesday:

Troy @ Amsterdam. Winner to play Columbia next Monday.

South Glens Falls @ Queensbury. Winner to play Bethlehem.

Also on October 26:

Ballston Spa @ Burnt Hills.

Niskayuna @ Mohonasen.

Semifinals are at Stillwater on October 29, with the finals at Shaker on November 3.

Class A:

Wednesday:

Emma Willard @ Hudson Falls. Winner to play Schalmont on Friday.

According to Section II's records, the Jesters have a 9-0 record. You know how I feel about unbeaten teams getting dissed.

Also Friday:

Cohoes @ Scotia.

Glens Falls @ Ravena.

Lansingburgh @ Averill Park.

The semifinals will be at Amsterdam on October 28, with the finals at Shaker on November 3.

Class B:

Thursday:

Tamarac @ Ichabod Crane. Winner to play Mechanicville on Saturday.

Coxsackie-Athens @ Cobleskill-Richmondville.

Hoosick Falls @ Voorheesville.

Holy Names @ Broadalbin-Perth.

Catskill @ LaSalle.

Cairo-Durham @ Corinth.

Fonda-Fultonville @ Schuylerville.

Lansingburgh will host the semifinals on October 28, and the finals on October 31.

Class C:

Thursday:

Whitehall @ Stillwater.

Chatham @ Waterford.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Duanesburg @ Maple Hill.

Greenwich @ Mayfield.

Bolton-Warrensburg @ Schoharie.

Galway @ Greenville.

Hoosic Valley @ OESJ.

Cambridge-Salem @ Lake George.

The quarterfinals will be on Saturday, with the semifinals at Amsterdam October 27, and the finals at Lansingburgh on October 31.

Class D:

Next Monday:

Saratoga Catholic @ Fort Ann. The winners will meet Northville October 30 at Niskayuna.

Men:

Class AAA:

Thursday:

Albany @ Saratoga. Winner to play Shaker next Monday at LaSalle.

Colonie @ Guilderland.

Schenectady @ Shenendehowa.

Finals will also be at LaSalle on October 31.

Class AA:

Tuesday:

Mohonasen @ Amsterdam. Winner to play Bethlehem on Thursday.

Troy @ CBA. Winner to play Burnt Hills on Thursday.

Also Thursday:

Columbia @ Ballston Spa.

Queensbury @ Niskayuna.

The semifinals are at Colonie next Monday, with the finals at LaSalle on October 31.

Class A:

Saturday:

Scotia @ Schalmont.

Glens Falls @ LaSalle.

Ravena @ Cohoes.

Hudson Falls @ Averill Park.

The semifinals are at South Glens Falls on October 27, with the finals at Bethlehem on November 2.

Class B:

Wednesday:

Coxsackie-Athens @ Catskill. Winner to play Cobleskill-Richmondville on Saturday.

Hoosick Falls @ Mechanicville.

Canajoharie-Fort Plain @ Broadalbin-Perth.

Fonda-Fultonville @ Voorheesville.

Taconic Hills @ Ichabod Crane.

Tamarac @ Watervliet-Heatly. Winner to play Schuylerville on Saturday.

Waterford will host the semifinals on October 27, with the finals at Bethlehem November 2.

Class C:

Tuesday:

Berlin-New Lebanon @ Middleburgh. Winner to play Maple Hill on Wednesday.

Also Wednesday:

Chatham @ Waterford. 

Hoosic Valley @ Cambridge-Salem.

Stillwater @ Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Duanesburg.

Galway @ Loudonville Christian.

OESJ @ Greenwich.

Schoharie @ Lake George.

Mayfield @ Greenville.

Quarterfinals will be on Saturday, with the semifinals at Columbia October 28, and the finals at Queensbury on October 31.

Class D:

Tuesday:

Saratoga Catholic @ Germantown. Winner to play Northville on Friday.

Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons @ Mekeel Christian.

Also Friday:

Bolton-Warrensburg @ Hartford.

North Warren @ Argyle.

Semifinals are at OESJ on October 28, with the finals at Queensbury October 31.

Good luck to all the teams.

News & notes

 The last women's tennis sectional titles were decided on Saturday & Sunday.

On Saturday, Queensbury repeated as Class A champion, defeating Columbia, 8-1. Over in Class AA, Guilderland defeated Shaker, 5-4. Per the Albany Times-Union, a matchup of the Class B and C/D champions, Scotia & Greenwich, respectively, was set for Sunday, but nothing has been reported as of press time.

The pairings for field hockey sectionals have been released as follows:

Class A:

Wednesday:

Colonie @ Guilderland.

Niskayuna @ Shenendehowa.

Columbia @ Bethlehem.

Shaker @ Saratoga.

The semifinals will be the following week, on October 28, with the title game at Glens Falls on November 1.

Class B:

Queensbury visits South Glens Falls on October 29, with the winner to play top-seeded Burnt Hills on 11/1.

Class C:

Tomorrow:

Hoosick Falls/Salem/Cambridge @ Corinth. Winner to play Greenwich on 10/27.

Schuylerville @ Johnstown. Winner to play Granville on 10/27.

Finals at Glens Falls on 11/1.

The soccer sectional brackets will be released later today. As I've said before, winless Troy High would be better served not accepting a bid, if only to save further trauma for the players on the men's side. The men have been shut out in 11 straight games.

Gerry McNamara returned to Albany to a hero's welcome at MVP Arena Sunday, as Syracuse defeated Siena, 81-76, before over 8600 fans. Former Saint Gavin Doty led the Orange with 20 points. Francis Folefac didn't score in 11 minutes.

Siena newcomer Tim Ibukunoluwa led all scorers with 23 points. This might've been a rare case of a pre-season game getting radio coverage, as WJMZ (Jamz 96.3) begins its 3rd season of Siena basketball. The Saints return to action in 2 weeks at Bryant before returning home to play Princeton on November 8 in a men's & women's double-dip at MVP Arena.

High School Fridays: Week 7 roundup, 10/16

LaSalle 34, Ichabod Crane/Chatham 7.

Ravena 42, Green Tech 14.

Voorheesville 32, Watervliet-Heatly 14.

Scotia 49, Cohoes 8.

Troy 27, Bethlehem 7.

Guilderland 13, Niskayuna 7.  With 2 weeks left, Nisky, the defending Class A champs, have been eliminated from the Class AA title picture.

Averill Park 42, Lansingburgh 21.

Mohonasen 36, Amsterdam 23.

Schuylerville 49, Mechanicville 8.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 26, Granville 0.

Fonda-Fultonville 28, Cobleskill-Richmondville 27.

Glens Falls 47, Gloversville 15.

CBA 61, Schenectady 0.

Ballston Spa 52, South Glens Falls 26.

Now, some soccer scores:

Women:

Northville 8, Johnstown 0.

Greenville 9, Watervliet-Heatly 0.

Schalmont 3, Albany 0.

Whitehall 8, Hadley-Luzerne 0.

Mayfield 5, Canajoharie-Ft. Plain 0.

Coxsackie-Athens 4, Maple Hill 3.

Stillwater 4, Cohoes 1.

Galway 2, Hoosick Falls 1.

Men:

Schalmont 5, Mechanicville 0.

Corinth 4, Granville 1.

Fort Ann 2, Hartford 1.

Loudonville Christian 3, Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Duanesburg 1.

North Warren 4, Bolton-Warrensburg 1.

Maple Hill 7, Tamarac 0.

Johnstown & Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons played to a 2-2 draw.

Cobleskill-Richmondville 4, Cairo-Durham 1.

Northville 9, Mekeel Christian 0.

Catskill 2, Coxsackie-Athens 0.

Mayfield 1, Middleburgh 0.