High School Fridays: Championship Friday roundup, 11/13

 11 years ago, Troy High was denied a sectional title, despite a late comeback vs. Amsterdam, due to some sketchy officiating in the 2nd half. Of course, you know what happened the next two years. Troy won back-to-back state titles.

After losing the Class A title game last year to Niskayuna, it was assumed Troy would be back, and they were, but, unlike James Allen's prediction in the Albany Times-Union, Troy didn't run the table. Burnt Hills had seen to that on September 25 at Picken Field. The Spartans have had Troy's number over the years, aside from losing to the Flying Horses in the quarterfinals last year.

But, just like in 2015 against Amsterdam, Troy ran into an unexpected problem in the 2nd half with sketchy officiating.

After generating three turnovers on defense in the 1st half, the Horses thought they got another one in the 3rd quarter, but it was not to be. As Allen, calling the game on Spectrum News 1, pointed out, the whistle never blew on what was supposed to be a fumble recovered by the Troy defense. While it was never accurately conveyed to the television audience, the zebras ruled that the Burnt Hills runner was down by contact.

Frustrated by this non-call, the Horses lost focus. 2 lost fumbles in the 4th quarter, plus some questionable player decisions, and some ill-timed penalties, left the door open for the Spartans, and Logan Tomlinson, their seemingly do-everything senior star, booted a 32 yard field goal to win the game, 23-21, giving Spartans coach Kevin DeBonis his first title.

There are going to be those who will look at this, coupled with Troy volleyball being eliminated by Burnt Hills last month in a match that shouldn't have happened, and the Spartans are thrust into the role of villains representing Section II's strongest league, the Suburban Council. No, Troy, as noted, did themselves in this time. There's always next year, but not for the seniors on the Horses.

Tomlinson and Talon Immel missed the first meeting this season between the two schools, instead playing lacrosse in North Carolina. They'll be on opposite sides of a regional rivalry next year, as Immel has committed to UAlbany, while Tomlinson will play for Siena.

Earlier Friday, Greenwich claimed the Class D Super Bowl, blowing away Canajoharie-Fort Plain, 56-8. It wasn't even close.

Other scores:

Men's volleyball finals:

Division 1:

Shenendehowa 3, Columbia 1.

Division 2:

Burnt Hills 3, CBA 0. 13 straight titles for the Spartans. 

The men's volleyball sectionals need to change, with just 2 teams in Division 2, preferably yesterday.

State regionals:

Men's soccer:

Class AAA:

Lancaster def. Shaker via penalty kicks after a scoreless draw.

Class A:

Lewiston-Porter 4, Averill Park 0.

News & notes

 UAlbany dropped its 2nd straight on Wednesday, 85-76, to Dartmouth, to fall to 2-2 on the young season. Ollie Engen led 4 Great Danes in double figures with 18 points in a losing effort in front of a mere 1656 fans at Broadview Center.

The Danes will next play at Holy Cross on Sunday (WTMM, 2 pm).

It wasn't a good night for the Albany women, either, as they were blown out, 95-41 by Mississippi. The 3-1 Lady Danes continue their road trip Monday at Rutgers.

 While the Albany women struggled with an SEC team, Siena's women were similarly thrashed by Syracuse, currently in the ACC, 82-58, the 3rd straight loss for the Lady Saints. Karissa Antoine (Schalmont) had just 1 point in 22 minutes. Francesca Schiro led 3 Saints in double figures with 16 points. Terry Primm's squad (1-3) will be at New Haven on Sunday (WVCR, 1 pm).

When Shenendehowa takes the field for baseball this spring, they'll have a new manager in the dugout. 

Greg Christodulu has resigned after 13 seasons as head coach. Christodulu will retire at the end of the season as both coach & a teacher. 

The finals are set for Section II men's volleyball. Here are Tuesday's results in Division 1:

Shenendehowa 3, Bethlehem 1.

Shaker 3, Columbia 0.

The Mustangs & Bison will meet at Schenectady tomorrow night.

Super Bowl weekend starts tomorrow in Section II, with 5 games in just over 24 hours. A few quick thumbnails are in order.

Class AA:

Saratoga vs. CBA (Saturday, 7 pm, Spectrum News 1). The Blue Streaks are seeking to repeat as champions, and held CBA to just 21 points when the teams met in September. However, the Brothers are in Blues Brothers mode. In other words, they're "on a mission from God", and it's been 10 years since Bob Burns won his 1st state title at Troy. That might just get Burns & the Brothers over the hump.

Pick: CBA.

Class A:

Troy vs. Burnt Hills (Friday, 7:30 pm, Spectrum News 1). Burnt Hills didn't blow Troy off their own field back in September, but then, they didn't have do-everything senior Logan Tomlinson that night, either (Tomlinson was in North Carolina for a lacrosse tournament). However, Troy shut down Tomlinson in last year's semifinals. If Jordan Canzeri can duplicate that defensive effort, Troy will bring home its first sectional title since the Burns era. Bank on virtually every TV in town being tuned to Spectrum News 1 for the game.

Pick: Troy.

Class B:

Averill Park vs. Glens Falls (Saturday, 3:30 pm, at Shen). Rematch from last year. The Golden Knights are bound & determined to bring home the gold, but it's not going to happen. 

Pick: Glens Falls.

Class C:

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac vs. Schuylerville (Saturday, Noon, @ Shen). This should be a dandy, but I've already used up my upset special. 

Pick: Schuylerville.

Class D:

Canajoharie-Fort Plain vs. Greenwich (Friday, 4 pm, at Colonie). First half of the Friday doubleheader should warm up the crowd on a chilly Friday afternoon. Form will again hold.

Pick: Greenwich.

Of course, I could be wrong.

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

 High schools:

Field hockey state regionals:

Class A:

Bethlehem 2, Rome Free Academy 0. The Lady Eagles will play Hilton on Saturday at Arlington High.

Class B:

Burnt Hills 5, New Hartford 0. Next for the Lady Spartans will be Pittsford on Saturday.

Class C:

Greenwich 4, Little Falls 3. The Witches move on to play Rondout Valley on Saturday.

College basketball:

Men:

Siena 82, Princeton 68.

Merrimack 73, UAlbany 60.

Women:

UAlbany 77, Mt. St. Mary's 57.

Binghamton 79, Siena 73. The Lady Saints had the nightcap of a doubleheader at MVP Arena, but lost most of the audience that had seen the men's game. Hmmmmmm.

News & notes

 Saturday's state regional results:

Women's soccer:

Class AAA:

Shenendehowa 5, Cicero North 1. The Lady Mustangs will next play Lancaster on Saturday.

Class AA:

Bethlehem 2, Fayetteville Manilus 1. Next for the Lady Eagles will be Spencerport on Saturday.

Class A:

Beekmantown 4, Averill Park 0.

Class B:

Schuylerville def. AuSable Forks via penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw. Next for the Black Horses will be Briarcliff on Saturday at Cortland.

Class C:

Stillwater 4, North Salem 0. Stillwater faces Greene on Saturday at Homer High.

Men's soccer:

Class AAA:

Shaker 1, Cicero North 0. Next for the Blue Bison will be Lancaster on Friday.

Class AA:

Bethlehem 2, Watertown 0. The Eagles advance to play Churchville-Chili on Saturday.

Class A:

Averill Park 2, Peru 1. The Golden Knights will next play Lewiston-Porter on Friday.

Class B:

Schuylerville 1, Saranac 0. The Black Horses will play Southampton on Saturday.

Class C:

Greenville 2, Northern Adirondack 1. Greenville will play Geneseo on Saturday.

Women's volleyball sectionals:

Class A finals:

South Glens Falls 3, Glens Falls 1.

Class B finals:

Ichabod Crane 3, Voorheesville 2.

Class C finals:

Stillwater def. Galway.

Class D finals:

Duanesburg 3, Lake George 1.

College football:

Bryant 31, UAlbany 7.

RPI 14, Ithaca 10.

Union 27, Rochester 0. The Garnet Chargers come to Troy to play RPI for the Dutchmen's Shoes on Saturday.

High School Fridays: Friday's sectional scoreboard, 11/6

 Five weeks ago, Saratoga handed Shaker its worst loss of the season at the time. Friday brought a rematch in the Class AA semifinals, but this time, it was a closer game.

Saratoga took the opening kickoff, just like they did on October 2, and went right down the field, with quarterback Bobby Morris calling his own number to go 21 yards for the first score of the night. A PAT made it 7-0 in favor of the hosts.

Shaker responded in kind, with Avery Jones taking it in from 40 yards out, and the game was quickly knotted at 7. It didn't take long for the Blue Streaks to respond, as Morris found Jalen Lockrow, who caught a deflected pass, and sprinted 66 yards to the house. On the ensuing Shaker possession, Lockrow struck again, this time on defense, as he picked off a pass from Austin Marohn, and ran it back 33 yards to paydirt. The PAT failed this time, and Saratoga led, 20-7, after the 1st quarter.

In the 2nd quarter, Morris tallied his 2nd rushing touchdown of the night, this time from 18 yards, then ran in the 2 point conversion to extend the lead to 28-7. Late in the frame, Shaker's Liam Gilchrist, who had a 35 yard TD catch taken away due to penalty, ran it in from 9 yards out, and it was 28-14 at halftime.

Saratoga virtually put the game away in the 3rd quarter, as Morris & Lockrow connected again, this time with Lockrow sliding to make the catch in the corner of the end zone from 13 yards. Minutes later, Bolio Flores brought Shaker back to within two scores, running it in from 13 yards out. 35-21 Saratoga heading into the 4th quarter.

Shaker kept coming back, and actually got it to within a single possession, as Jemel Bellamy galloped 30 yards to the house just 2 minutes into the frame. Morris completed the rushing hat trick from 6 yards out, but Bellamy struck again for the Blue Bison, this time from 11 yards out, to get the Bison within 7 at 42-35.

However, what did Marohn in were 4 interceptions on the night. Not just the Lockrow pick 6, but Thomas Georgeadis sealed the game with a pick in the end zone late in the 4th quarter. Morris had only 1 interception in return. 42-35 was the final, and the defending champs will seek to repeat next week in Colonie against CBA, a 42-0 winner over Shenendehowa.

Other scores:

Class A:

Troy 28, Queensbury 16.

Burnt Hills 41, Mohonasen 6. 

Class B:

Averill Park 34, LaSalle 14.

Glens Falls 57, Gloversville 7.

Class C: 

Schuylerville 48, Cobleskill-Richmondville 6.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 28, Fonda-Fultonville 21.

Crossovers:

Johnstown 42, Lansingburgh 17.

Scotia 40, Cohoes 14.

Women's volleyball:

Class AAA finals:

Shenendehowa 3, Saratoga 0.

Class AA finals:

Burnt Hills 3, Bethlehem 1.

Men's volleyball:

Bethlehem 3, Niskayuna 1.

Columbia 3, Saratoga 0.

Shaker 3, Colonie 0.

Shenendehowa 3, Guilderland 0.

Section 2 football playoff preview

 We never got around to making picks in the 1st round in Classes B & C, so we'll catch up with the semifinals in those classes. But, first, Class AA starts things off.

Class AA semifinals:

Shenendehowa @ CBA:

The Mustangs ended up with the invitation to the massacre, but have they figured out how to slow down the Brothers, who have scored 60+ in 6 of 9 games this season? We'll soon find out. It ain't gonna be pretty.

Pick: CBA.

Shaker @ Saratoga (Spectrum News 1, 7 pm):

Two weeks ago, the Blue Streaks ran over the Bison. Expect more of the same, unless Greg Sheeler has adjusted his defense to shut down Bobby Morris, Cam Toomey, and company. A rematch with CBA seems likely.

Pick: Saratoga.

Class A semifinals:

Queensbury @ Troy:

The Flying Horses dropped 30+ on the Spartans in a week 3 shutout. However, as Queensbury showed last week, things may be a wee bit different this time. Just not enough to change the result.

Pick: Troy.

Mohonasen @ Burnt Hills:

Mohon was completely outplayed and outclassed by Queensbury last week. A rematch with Burnt Hills will end their season, likely in embarrassing fashion.

Pick: Burnt Hills.

Class B semifinals:

LaSalle @ Averill Park:

The Cadets have improved greatly after a winless 2025 campaign. However, all roads lead to a rematch between the Golden Knights and Glens Falls. Pray for an upset.

Pick: Averill Park.

Gloversville @ Glens Falls:

Looking at this one, I'm reminded of an old Catskill Game Farm commercial, whose jingle sounds like this:

"Bears, bears, bears, bears...."

Pick: Glens Falls.

Class C semifinals:

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac @ Fonda-Fultonville:

The merger of two suburban Rensselaer County programs has produced great success. If there's an upset to be had, it's here.

Pick: Hoosick Falls-Tamarac.

Schuylerville @ Cobleskill-Richmondville.

The Black Horses are perennials in the Super Bowl. Not this year.

Pick: Cobleskill-Richmondville.

Class D only has a Super Bowl this year, as they only had 2 teams qualify. 

Full picks for the Super Bowls next week.

Of course, I could be wrong.

Section 2 men's volleyball sectional pairings released

 Unlike the women's tournament, the men's volleyball sectionals are split into two divisions. Try figuring out that pretzel logic.......

Division 1:

Tomorrow:

Guilderland @ Shenendehowa.

Niskayuna @ Bethlehem.

Saratoga @ Columbia.

Colonie @ Shaker.

The semifinals are at Schenectady on Tuesday, and the finals are at Schenectady on Friday the 13th.

Division 2:

CBA & Burnt Hills will meet for the title on Friday the 13th at Schenectady.

The other leagues don't have any representation, which is even worse than the women's tournament. Maybe they should wait, and have the sectionals after the other leagues finish their schedules........