News & notes

 Coxsackie-Athens has cancelled the remainder of its 2026 football season due to a lack of players. This is the 2nd time in 3 years this has happened. The RiverHawks have had to deal with injuries, like everyone else, but with only 20 players on the current roster, the coaches felt it was just not sustainable with a month left in the season.

Schenectady High is mourning the passing of former football coach Carmen DePoalo, who passed away last week. DePoalo revived the program a few years ago, even though the current Patriots are not among the upper echelon in Class AA.

Troy High will make its 2nd appearance of the season, and 4th in 2 years, on Spectrum News 1 on Friday when they travel to Columbia. Kickoff will be around 7:05 pm. The Flying Horses have fallen from the top of the power rankings after last week's loss to Burnt Hills.

Update, 2:41 pm: The game isn't going to air, and Spectrum will send their cameras elsewhere after reports of an underage drinking party in East Greenbush surfaced earlier this week:

https://wnyt.com/top-stories/columbia-forfeits-football-game-against-troy-after-underage-drinking-party/

In effect, Troy gets an unscheduled "bye week".

                                                

Meanwhile, Troy's men's soccer team is 0-11 after suffering its 5th straight shutout Tuesday night, falling 5-0 to Voorheesville. Not enough offense, and certainly a glaring lack of defense is hurting Russ Hines' club with 5 games remaining. I recommend skipping sectionals this year. Troy did that years ago when they had a winning record in one sport (can't remember which), but bypassing sectionals this year would help the current players, who've already suffered enough humiliation.

2026-7 LaSalle hockey schedule revised

 There are some changes to the 2026-7 LaSalle hockey schedule, as opponents have changed, and Cadets For Vets will take place on a different date this season.

The updated schedule:

December:

5 vs. Beekmantown @ Plattsburgh State.

6 vs. Northeast Clinton @ Rouses Point. The 12/4 game vs. Plattsburgh has been cancelled.

9 @ Saratoga.

12 Home opener vs. McCann Tech.

18-19 Hawks tournament at M & T Bank Mohawk Harbor Arena. LaSalle will play Mohawk Valley on 12/18 (originally 12/19) and Sweet Home on 12/19.

23 @ Adirondack.

29 Taconic (Massachusetts).

January:

2 Shenendehowa.

8 CBA.

9 @ CD Jets.

15 Burnt Hills-Ballston Spa.

16 CD Jets.

22 @ CBA.

23  @ Guilderville. 

29 Bethlehem.

30 Cadets For Vets vs. Queensbury.

February:

5 @ Hawks.

6 @ Bethlehem.

12 TBA.

13 Senior night vs. Guilderville.

Schedule subject to further changes due to weather.

High School Fridays: Week 4 roundup

 For the 2nd straight week, Spectrum News 1's game of the week was a one sided affair, basically over by halftime. Meanwhile, game analyst James Allen's prediction that Troy would go undefeated went up in flames.......

The scores:

CBA 61, Shenendehowa 14.

Burnt Hills 28, Troy 14. Kevin DeBonis' Spartans avenged a sectional loss, but the road will be tough for Troy with Columbia & Shaker coming up.

LaSalle 33, Lansingburgh 7. Allen shared that the Cadets had dropped to Class B this season, hence no Collar City Cup game. Yet.

Mechanicville 38, Watervliet 6.

Queensbury 9, Bethlehem 7.

Guilderland 35, Schenectady 6.

Saratoga 35, Niskayuna 7.

Columbia 49, South Glens Falls 20. Uh-oh.

Schalmont 56, Scotia 14.

Johnstown 19, Fonda-Fultonville 7.

Shaker 43, Colonie 32.

News & notes

 Troy High's Vulonn Forde is in the running for ABC10's Play of the Week from last week's win over Queensbury. The deadline is fast approaching before tonight's game vs. Burnt Hills.

In other Troy news, in case you missed it over the summer, Troy hired former Shaker coach Brandon Bradt to succeed Jamil Hood as men's varsity basketball coach. Hood left Troy in March after 2 seasons to take the job at his alma mater, Albany. Best wishes to both.

The Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk district has announced that their football field will be dedicated to Hall of Fame coach Gary VanDerzee, with ceremonies to take place as early as tonight, assuming the Ravens are home. An honor well deserved.

What is wrong with Troy men's soccer? Russell Hines' Flying Horses are 0-10 after getting throttled, 10-0, at Schalmont on Thursday.

The simple answer may be a lack of both offense & defense. Troy has been shut out in 4 straight games, and, apparently, the defense took the day off vs. the Sabres. Ouch!

Shenendehowa finally has a new team nickname, the Mustangs. They'll host CBA tonight on Spectrum News 1's Friday Night Matchup, as the Brothers make their 2nd appearance in 3 weeks.

Niskayuna is on the clock.

High School Fridays: Week 3 roundup, 9/18

 Most of Friday's games could've been sponsored by Campbell's tomato soup, as they were one-sided.

Saratoga 28, Ballston Spa 7. The Blue Streaks bounce back after losing to CBA last week. Speaking of the Brothers.....

CBA 75, Albany 0.

Mohonasen 32, Bethlehem 28. Mohon came back from a 22 point deficit to win.

Troy 31, Queensbury 0. Jordan Canzeri's crew returns home next week to face Burnt Hills.

Shaker 45, Guilderland 0. This game was over at halftime, and they went with a running clock in the 2nd half, as they likely did with CBA as well.

Averill Park 32, Chatham/Ichabod Crane 8.

Niskayuna 44, Schenectady 6.

Schuylerville 56, Granville-Whitehall 0.

Canajoharie-Ft. Plain 48, Scotia 21.

Cobleskill-Richmondville 28, Johnstown 14.

Shenendehowa 31, Colonie 6.

Fonda-Fultonville 34, Coxsackie-Athens 0

Glens Falls 45, Cohoes 12.

Greenwich 24, Hudson 0.

Lansingburgh 63, Green Tech 0.

Ravena 21, LaSalle 14.

Schalmont 36, Gloversville 7.

Burnt Hills 56, South Glens Falls 20. It won't be that easy vs. Troy next week.

Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 39, Watervliet 0.

High School Fridays: Saratoga @ CBA, 9/11/26

 10 months ago, Saratoga ended CBA's string of sectional titles in an instant classic that brought the Blue Streaks their first title in 10 years. The task at hand Friday night, then, was to prove it wasn't a 1-time thing.

Saratoga won the opening coin toss, but could do nothing, even with Cam Toomey at running back. CBA, with 1st year quarterback Matt Kowalski at the controls, marched down the field, with Kowalski running it in from 11 yards. Logan Kayser added the extra point, and it was 7-0 CBA after the first quarter.

The 2nd quarter began with Toomey evening things for the Streaks from 14 yards out. On CBA's next drive, Kowalski scored again on a quarterback keeper, and it was 14-7 Brothers at the break.

After a relatively quiet 3rd quarter, CBA seemed to put the game away 20 seconds into the 4th quarter with Jack Hulett running back a punt 77 yards to make it 21-7. Saratoga tried to make it interesting late as Bobby Morris found Tasiah Ladore for a 6 yard TD. However, after an exchange of interceptions, CBA ran out the clock to take a 21-14 victory.

Other scores:

Troy 34, Mohonasen 23.

Amsterdam 52, South Glens Falls 36. The Rams bounce back after getting blown out by Troy last week.

Averill Park 35, Hoosick Falls-Tamarac 0.

Queensbury 23, Ballston Spa 12.

Cobleskill-Richmondville 28, Schalmont-Duanesburg-Berne-Knox 15.

Voorheesville 23, Coxsackie-Athens 16.

Fonda-Fultonville 35, Mechanicville 8.

Ravena 54, Gloversville 33.

Granville 34, Scotia 0.

Hudson 34, Chatham-Ichabod Crane 20.

Johnstown 34, LaSalle 27.

Glens Falls 35, Lansingburgh 21.

Schuylerville 28, Greenwich 0.

Shaker 33, Shenendehowa 10.

Watervliet 41, Cohoes 8.

News & notes

 The Tri-City ValleyCats snapped a six game losing streak in beating Down East, 9-2, Tuesday night. The teams will play a matinee this morning, starting at 11 am.

In order to make the playoffs, the 'Cats would have to do all but run the table in the season's final  month.

Torrential rains have forced postponement of what would've been the 1st Wednesday card at Saratoga race course. They'll be back at it tomorrow.

Staying in the Spa City, Saratoga High is merging with three Foothills Council schools---Queensbury, South Glens Falls, & Hudson Falls, to form Northern Peaks for women's wresting, starting in December.

Former Siena men's lacrosse coach Liam Gleason, who passed away last year, is being honored by his alma mater at UAlbany, entering their Hall of Fame.

The NY Knockout captured the American Women's Football League title over the weekend, defeating Carolina, 19-8, in San Antonio. Congratulations to the ladies. Now, local fans are hoping the Albany Firebirds can rebound after losing three of their last 4 to retain the AF1 title when playoff action starts this weekend.