News & notes

 If you're venturing out to either Hudson Valley Community College (Troy) or Harding Mazzotti Arena (Glens Falls) tonight, it might be in your best interest to give yourself some extra time due to what is likely to be a very messy commute at the end of the work day. It's snowing as I write, and the precipitation will change to freezing rain sometime after 5 pm this afternoon.

All of baseball is mourning the passing of Jhon Vargas, a former pitcher with the Tri-City Valleycats who passed away over the weekend. Vargas spent two seasons with the 'Cats before moving on to the American Association last season.

Former sportscaster and 'Cats trivia maven Brian Sinkoff is in the running to be named the Best in The Capital Region in real estate by readers of the Albany Times-Union. Brian left the Valleycats a couple of years back to devote more time to his work as a realtor, and it shows that he's being recognized for his work.

Monday's sectional scoreboard:

Women's basketball:

Class AAA semi-finals:

Colonie 69, Shenendehowa 65.

Shaker 67, Albany 40. 

A rematch between the Wolf Pack and Lady Bison will take place Saturday, right back at HVCC, at 12:45 pm.

Men's basketball:

Class B semi-finals:

KIPP Capital 79, Tamarac 50.

Class C semi-finals:

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 77, Cambridge 63.

Stillwater 50, Saratoga Catholic 33.

B-K-W & Stillwater meet for the title Friday at 6:45 pm.

Update, 3:12 pm: All of tonight's games have been moved to tomorrow due to weather.

Notice how, all of a sudden, Section II remembers to give teams room to breathe between games......!

Despite being eliminated in the first round of the Division 2 hockey tournament, Queensbury still lands a state bid, likely due to the fact they need a team from Section 2 regardless. The Spartans will face Byram Hills on Saturday in Brewster.

Shenendehowa repeated as Division 1 champ Monday, beating Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, 5-2. Juan De La Rocha's club moves on to face Suffern on Saturday night at Clifton Park Arena. Yes, Shen gets a home game in the state tournament.

Sunday's high school & college scoreboard, 3/1

 Congratulations going out to Gabe English (Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Middleburgh) and Ryker Cox (Coxsackie-Athens), who won state championships in wrestling on Saturday at MVP Arena. Both were competing in Division 2 (don't ask). Cox captured the 165 pound, and, as shown in today's Albany Times-Union, celebrated by suplexing his coach. English won at 175 pounds.

For Coxsackie-Athens (Patroon Conference) & Berne-Knox-Westerlo-Middleburgh (2 Western Athletic Conference schools competing as 1), these represent the first state titles in the sport.

Women's basketball:

Class D semi-finals:

Saratoga Catholic 54, Hartford 38.

Northville 38, Duanesburg 29.

The Falcons & Saints meet Saturday at Hudson Valley Community College.

Men's basketball:

Class AAA quarterfinals:

Green Tech 67, Colonie 53.

Shenendehowa 65, Albany 62.

CBA 75, Saratoga 53.

Shaker 76, Schenectady 50.

Thursday at Harding Mazzotti Arena:

Green Tech vs. CBA.

Shen vs. Shaker.

Class A quarterfinals:

Hudson 64, Cobleskill-Richmondville 44.

Averill Park 47, Watervliet-Heatly 40.

Glens Falls 63, Greenville 51.

Lansingburgh 60, Hudson Falls 48.

Wednesday in Glens Falls:

Averill Park vs. Hudson, 5 pm.

Lansingburgh vs. Glens Falls, approx. 6:30 pm.

Colleges:

Men's basketball:

Siena 76, Rider 61. Senior Day at MVP Arena, but the Saints apparently will be without Antonio Chandler due to some eligibility issues heading into the MAAC tournament this week.

Vassar 57, RPI 53. Liberty League finals.

Women's basketball:

Union 81, RIT 70. Liberty League finals.

Baseball:

Illinois 14, UAlbany 6.

Softball:

UIC 2, Siena 0. 

UAlbany 10, Bellamine 0 (5 innings).

Troy High sports review, through February 28

 In 2013, Troy's men's & women's basketball teams brought home sectional title, and the women went all the way to the state championship. 13 years later, the school could pull off the daily double again. Emphasize could.

Women's basketball:

Current record: 19-2.

Ballston Spa brought the heat on Friday at Zotto Gym, but once Troy began pulling away in the 4th quarter, the Lady Scotties ended up getting blown out of the building.

Next: Burnt Hills awaits at Hudson Valley Community College on Thursday night.

Unified bowling:

Current record: 5-0.

Coach Don Poutre isn't putting the schedule on the Colonial Council webpage, but he should. Wins last week included Cohoes & Lansingburgh.

Men's basketball:

Current record: 14-7.

As reported yesterday, Troy trailed for most of the game vs. Bethlehem, but their senior leaders, Jordan Hood & Kayne Behan, led the 4th quarter charge to victory, 48-38.

Next: It's off to Glens Falls on Wednesday in the finale of a tripleheader, as Troy faces Amsterdam.

Saturday's sectional scoreboard, 2/28

 Women's basketball:

Class B:

LaSalle 57, Voorheesville 41. LaSalle will play Mechanicville on Friday at Hudson Valley Community College.

Mechanicville 64, Johnstown 38.

Coxsackie-Athens 69, Tamarac 37.

Corinth 55, Catskill 42. Corinth will play Coxsackie-Athens on Friday.

Men's basketball:

Class D:

Germantown 40, Fort Edward 35. Germantown will play North Warren Tuesday at Harding Mazzotti Arena in Glens Falls.

Fort Ann 45, Hartford 34. The Cardinals advance to face Northville on Tuesday.

Class AA:

Columbia 67, LaSalle 54.

Amsterdam 62, Burnt Hills 61. The Rams are next for Troy on Wednesday night.

Niskayuna 68, Ballston Spa 42. Nisky will play Columbia Wednesday.

Class B:

KIPP Capital 61, Greenville 44.

Tamarac 64, Fonda-Fultonville 41. The Bengals will play KIPP Capital on Monday.

Catskill 69, Schuylerville 53.

Johnstown 49, Voorheesville 48. The Sir Bills & Kats will meet on Monday.

True Grit (Troy vs. Bethlehem @ HVCC, 2/28/26)

 Historically, dating back to at least the 2014-5 season, when Troy High was an independent following the demise of the Big 10 in Section 2, Bethlehem seemed to have the Flying Horses' number in basketball, both men's & women's.

For most of today's Class AA men's quarterfinal at Hudson Valley Community College, it certainly seemed as though history was not on Troy's side, coupled with a 5-7 slide in their last twelve games. As it was, the game was delayed by a few minutes because a Class D game that preceded it ran long. Section 2 never learns. The Eagles held Troy to just 4 points in the 1st quarter, three of them on a Kayne Behan trey.

The officials decided to let them play, allowing Bethlehem to utilize a more hyper-aggressive, playground style defense. However, by halftime, Troy was starting to catch on, and catch up.

Missing one of their top players due to injury, the Eagles maintained a slim lead going into the 4th quarter. That's when Behan went to work.

The senior hit three more 3 pointers, one from both wings, and one from the top of the key, and it brought the student section to life. Troy took its first lead about halfway through the 4th quarter, and a Behan trey put them up for good.

It got to the point where the Eagles suddenly decided to foul to lengthen the game. Jordan Hood made some key free throws down the stretch, as Bethlehem saw their season come to an abrupt end. Troy punches its ticket to Glens Falls for Wednesday's semi-finals, 48-38. Bethlehem finishes 13-8, while Troy goes to 14-7, and will play either Amsterdam or Burnt Hills.

High School Fridays: Ballston Spa @ Troy, 2/27/26

 Three weeks ago, Troy High went to Ballston Spa, and defeated the Lady Scotties by 12 points, as they were in the midst of an ongoing winning streak. The mission tonight for Ballston Spa? Avenge the loss, to ensure the Suburban Council is assured of the Class AA women's title.

You can name your sponsor for tonight, whether it's a certain brand of facial tissues, or brands like Ken-L Ration, Alpo, Farmer's Dog........!

Check the video....

Ballston Spa, to their credit, mounted their comeback late 3rd quarter-early 4th quarter, but as soon as Troy's defense reasserted itself, the game was over, and Troy runs its winning streak to 14.

Also:

Burnt Hills 54, Amsterdam 40. Gary Bynom's Lady Spartans have the next chance to shut down the runaway train on Thursday at Hudson Valley.

Bethlehem 68, Mohonasen 37.

Columbia 60, Niskayuna 31. The semi-final on Thursday will be a rematch from 2024.

Class C:

Mayfield 42, Whitehall 29.

Stillwater 65, Maple Hill 39.

Berne-Knox-Westerlo 74, Lake George 34.

Men's Class D:

North Warren 60, Hawthorne Valley 37.

Northville 67, Argyle 38.

Men's Class C:

Cambridge 73, Rensselaer 51.

Saratoga Catholic 69, Greenwich 46.

Thursday's sectional scoreboard, 2/26

 The women had the spotlight on Thursday night, as we set up for championship week at Hudson Valley Community College.

Women's basketball:

Class A quarterfinals:

Albany Academy 64, Ravena 36.

Averill Park 46, Schalmont 29.

Can the Lady Knights collect another Colonial Council pelt in the semi-finals? We'll find out on Tuesday.

Glens Falls 57, Ichabod Crane 42.

Academy of Holy Names 84, Scotia 77. Holy Names & the Black Bears will open the proceedings on Tuesday night.

Class D:

Northville 48, Germantown 17.

Duanesburg 38, Argyle 26.

Hartford 58, Mekeel Christian 42. 

Saratoga Catholic 56, Salem 33.

Sunday at HVCC:

6 pm: Hartford vs. Saratoga Catholic.

7:30 pm (approximately): Northville vs. Duanesburg.

Men's volleyball:

Class B final:

Cobleskill-Richmondville 3, Hudson 1. The Bulldogs will play the Section 3 champion tomorrow.

Class C final:

Catskill 3, Voorheesville 0. Catskill advances to a state regional at Watervliet tomorrow.